Devising of Optimisation Models and Modelling Systems for Supply Chain Essay

Devising of Optimisation Models and Modelling Systems for Supply Chain Planning and Management - Essay Example Supply chain misalignments, the main challenges facing today's supply chains, can be grouped into the following four major categories. Supply chain incentive misalignment characterizes the lack of consistent incentives among supply chain partners. It is well understood that different parties in the supply chain often have different incentives for doing business. They will not cooperate with their supply chain partners unless they have an incentive for doing so. Supply chain incentive misalignment is associated with two common observations in supply chain management. First is the widespread existence of conflicting objectives among the supply chain partners. For instance, suppliers typically want manufacturers to commit themselves to purchasing large quantities in stable volumes with flexible delivery dates. Unfortunately, manufacturers require just-in-time (JIT) supply in small batches from their suppliers due to changing demand and their unwillingness to hold inventories. Thus, the suppliers' goals are in direct conflict with the manufacturers' desire for inventory holding and flexibility. The otheThe other observation is the lack of shared visions (and risks) between the supply chain partners. For example, suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers often optimise their inventory levels according to their own forecast of future demand. They do not share their observation of the shifts in the marketplace. The result is high inventory costs, high response time or poor service levels. In practice, aligning supply chain incentives can be achieved through so-called performance measurement schemas (Lee and Whang, 1999, 633-40). A performance measurement schema specifies the rules such as how supply chain costs can be calculated and allocated, what service levels should be achieved by supply chain partners, and what constraints the supply chain partners should abide by. Supply chain process misalignment occurs when supply chain processes are not synchronized within or between trading partners. Efficient and effective supply chain management requires innovative enterprise and inter-enterprise breakthroughs for synchronization of supply chain processes. The critical factor behind supply chain process misalignment is the interdependency of supply chain processes. Tackling the issues of supply chain process misalignment entails determining which process does what (in the case of managerial processes, which process decides what) and which process knows what. Supply chain information misalignment occurs when information necessary to support decision-making processes is not readily available, not usable or incorrect. Although recent developments in information technology, such as the internet, enable more information to be readily available for use, supply chain information misalignment still exists due to several reasons. Firstly, the needed information

Certain unspoken rules known as mores Essay Example for Free

Certain unspoken rules known as mores Essay In today’s world, there are certain unspoken rules known as â€Å"mores† that keep people from engaging in activities that are immoral and criminal. These mores vary slightly from country to country, but some seem to be followed by nearly every society. Murder is never socially acceptable, and in most situations, neither is incest. In an effort to understand why such different societies find the same actions repugnant, a branch of psychology known as Evolutionary Psychology has been formed. Evolutionary psychology is based on the ideas of Charles Darwin. He developed the theory of natural selection, which can be defined as â€Å"the differential contribution of offspring to the next generation by genetically different members of a population† (Crawford, p. 2). Evolutionary psychology takes Darwin’s theory of natural selection and applies the theory to explain how we as humans overcame certain problems that our ancestors encountered, primarily the issues of mating and incest. Following the idea of â€Å"the evolutionary psychology of brother – sister incest avoidance,† Darwinists have found that raising different sex children together has a profound impact on how they are attracted to each other (Crawford, p. 4). As a general rule, they do not wish to mate, and that wish â€Å"reflects a mechanism humans evolved† to avoid inbreeding and genetic problems often suffered by the next generation produced from incest (Crawford, p. 4. ). There are more researchers that take the idea of ancestral cues and evolutionary psychology and apply them to what most people think of as a serious health problem. Some researchers take the idea of evolutionary psychology and apply it to the problems that mostly young women have with anorexia. These researchers tend to focus on the idea that when young women feel they are in a situation that is unfavorable for reproduction, they attempt to render their bodies unfit for bearing children. The researchers believe that anorexia â€Å"may reflect an ancestral reproductive suppression mechanism activated by contemporary cues† (Juda, Campbell, and Crawford, p. 200). In more simplistic terms, the researchers believe that when a woman of childbearing age finds that she has a lack of support, a lack of resources, and an unsuitable mate, she will purposefully lose weight to the point that her body would not be able to become pregnant. In the unlikely event she did become pregnant the odds of the pregnancy completing successfully would be very low. The researchers believe the action taken by these women is triggered by a trait passed down from our ancestors that would keep the population low in times of trouble, such as famine, for example. However, society seems to lean toward the idea that women lose weight in an effort to look â€Å"beautiful. † Although being beautiful may be some women’s motivation to lose weight, researchers believe that beauty is not the only motivation. There are different standards for beauty all over the world. In the United States, there is a prevailing attitude that thinner is prettier. One can contrast that attitude with other counties that find bigger women to be more desirable. Most people think that â€Å"social pressures† make women in some countries want to be thin, but evolutionary psychologists have a different viewpoint. Some researchers believe that not only does an ancestral cue cause women to have eating disorders, but a similar cue could influence women to gain and lose weight in normal ranges due to the socio-ecological state in which they live (Salmon, et al, p. 2). More so, these same researchers believe that this cue is being felt to an extreme degree and for longer periods in the Western Hemisphere (Salmon, et al, p. 2). Thus, weight control is considered to be the result of an internal mechanism, not individual standards for beauty. Evolutionary psychology is an interesting branch of study that may prove useful in gaining a better understanding of what we do and why. Cues from the past influencing the world that we live in today is an interesting approach to determining the hidden reasons behind people’s actions.

The Global Journey In The Sin Dejar Huella Media Essay

The Global Journey In The Sin Dejar Huella Media Essay Sin dejar huella (Without Leaving a Trace, 2000) is a film written and directed by Marà ­a Novaro. It is based on a journey undertaken by two female fugitives Ana and Aurelia travelling along the back roads of Mexico from Ciudad Juà ¡rez to Cancà ºn. Sin dejar huella is similar to Novaros other film productions: it is structured around a physical, objective journey and Novaro makes clear allusions and references to the melodramatic themes of motherhood, female friendship and invisible male figures in contemporary Mexico. Sin dejar huella belongs to the niche genre of the womens road movie and has triggered comparisons with Ridley Scotts tragicomic feminist road movie Thelma and Louise (1991). Cohan and Hark outline the road movie as representing a questà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦for a better life, a new social order, or fulfilment.  [1]  However, the journey across Mexico in Novaros feature film transcends the conventional spiritual quest of finding yourself and Bildungsroman as associated with this movie genre. It differentiates itself from the melodramatic undertones of her earlier film productions and the lightheartedness of Scotts 1991 feature specifically through the interplay of amalgamating elements from the cultures of different regions  [2]   the local and global influences and behaviour in Mexico through which Novaro addresses her socio-political concerns of poverty, social neglect, globalisation and the pace of modernity. In this respect, certain parallels can be drawn between Sin dejar huella and Dennis Hoppers Easy Rider (1969) in which, as one critic points out: The search for America undertaken by Captain America and his sidekick Billy is not geographical, it is literally a quest to find out where Americas head is at. The people and places represented in that quest are evocative of different states of consciousness co-existing unpeacefully in this country and all over the world. Each stop on the road is an encounter with a different awareness of what is real and what is of value. Novaro uses the velocity of the high speed chase in the narrative to ignite the film from within, effectively creating a momentum through which she engages the audience and, similar to Hoppers 1969 feature, enters an incisive discourse to find out exactly where Mexicos head is at. This essay is an attempt to investigate Sin dejar huella within the context of the glocal  [3]  ; focusing on the mise en scà ¨ne and the characterisation of the protagonists, I will consider how aspects of the local, regional and global or the micro-meso-macro are pooled together to generate an image of contemporary Mexico. More specifically, I will analyse the changing roles of Ana and Aurelia and the development of camaraderie between the two initially polarised characters as they progress through their journey: I will attempt to draw a correlation between the local and global influences they confront and are forced to adapt to, in particular from their positions as women living on the margins of Mexican society, and how this leads to a level of co-dependency and a drive for the formation of their relationship, representative of a creation of a new identity in Mexico. Firstly, it is significant to consider the influences and reasons for Novaros interplay with the local and global in Sin dejar huella, and how they enable the film to explore aspects of globalisation in Mexico. Mexicos entry into NAFTA  [4]  in 1994 and President Salinas de Gortaris free-market policies led to a fall in national film production and distribution. Subsequently, agreements and alliances were established between Spanish and Mexican production companies in the late 1990s with the aim to fortalecer los lazos de coloboracià ³n  [5]   to locally produce films and television programmes (where it would have been cheaper) and extend their reach beyond the national, and towards regional and global markets. The preconditions of these agreements were to incorporate Mexicans and Spaniards at the level of both cast and crew, generally in proportion to the percentage of funding offered by each country  [6]   essentially an obligatory interplay and exchange between the lo cal and the global. Sin dejar huella was part of this new wave of transnational cinema production: it was co-produced by Mexicos AltaVista Films and Spains Tornasol Films, and Aitana Sà ¡nchez-Gijà ³n a widely recognised Spanish-Italian and Hollywood film actress  [7]   was cast as the female co-protagonist in the film. The representation of distinct upbringings and ways of life in Spain and Mexico are underlined through the mise-en-scà ¨ne, characterisation, and the cooperation between the two protagonists in Sin dejar huella, which relate to the idea that the interplay between the local and the global stems from the preconditioned film production requirements and transnational influences. From the outset of the narrative, the costume and the dià ¡logos humorà ­sticos  [8]  between Ana and Aurelia draw immediate attention to their differing local and global consumer attitudes: Ana wears luxury Western designer accessories, such as high-heeled sandals, a Longines watch and Gucci sunglasses which are emphasised in repeated medium frame talking head shots. Aurelia, conversely, wears cowboy boots relating to the traditional outfit of the Mexican vaquero and has neither heard of these global brands, nor recognises their monetary value: she comically mistakes Gucci for Fuchi and exchanges the Long ines watch for only enough money to buy a telephone call-card. As the narrative progresses, it is significant to note that the women share and barter their clothes and accessories. The economic and information exchange between Spain and Mexico and the establishment of friendly ties between the two countries in the film production, and also represented in the on-screen local-global trade could in fact be a constructive and encouraging image of Mexicos entry into global economic activity. However, although the incorporation of Sà ¡nchez-Gijà ³n was a mere compliance with the conditions of co-producing, and the economic activity in the narrative representative of a progressive image of the Mexico-Spain film alliance, a close cinematographic analysis of the maturity of Ana and Aurelias relationship, and the shifting image of what it means to be a Mexican woman would reveal that the interplay between the local and the global transcends these practical factors. The doll is a widely recognised and iconic symbol of the feminine ideal; it is a beautifully constructed, motionless object that is subject to gaze and adoration. In the opening ten minutes of Sin dejar huella both Ana and Aurelia break away from this anachronistic and illusory symbols of Mexican femininity in the physical destruction of doll figurines: for Ana it is a ceramic figure of dama de Kolpecà ©, una tejedora, figura de Jaina del periodo clasico maya  [9]  she was exporting as a replica Mayan artefact to the Museum of Denver, Colorado; for Aurelia it is the bride figurine from her wedding cake and under which she had stashed cocaine for her narcotraficante boyfriend. Despite the physical exterior of the figurines a bride and a weaver it is the interior of the figurines are the sources of their corruption that have led them to embark on this quest the drugs and the forgery what the women have to resort to/ the realities of life as a woman in Mexico despite the education and (what appears to be) a stable marriage life on the margins is and are the factors that have driven them to embark on this quest to find out that what is actually contained within the dolls (for Ana it is a Mexican peso and in Aurelia ´s case, drugs), Destruction of what the doll represents and evocative of their search to find a new alternative definition of femininity in contemporary Mexico, albeit perhaps a broken and less defined image. This journey away from the expectations of womanhood that they have essentially been forced to conform to by default is exemplified in the road sign No hay retorno since there is effectively no turning back; Ana and Aurelia had to break this image, showing almost a progressive image and a development. Before the women have even met each other in the narrative they are united The physical destruction of the dolls as the towards achieving their liberation is representative of the journey these women will undertake as they continue through the journey across Mexico This dichotomy the two women face between subserving the image and breaking away to achieving exactly what they want, serves as a vehicle towards the formation of their friendship and an establishment of their co-dependency. In every scene in which their friendship is developed the fundamental human needs are brought to the forefront, despite the local-global differences that surround them: When Aurelia witnesses Ana drinking water from a public fountain, Aurelia is shocked and offers to buy her bottled water. It is ironic in their reversal of attitudes and financial situations: Ana is the more globalised traveller, yet is faced with a situation in which she cannot pay for a basic human requirement, Aurelia, a woman who has grown up working in the sweat-shops of Northern Mexico ironically is aware of the problems of drinking tap-water. It is at this moment that a level of dependency arises from Ana onto Aurelia. This dependency that emerges is particularly significant in reference to Aurelia ´s mocking comment in the car Loz ezpaà ±olez hablan azà ­, emphasising the lisp common in Spanish speech, which draws attention to their global differences. This dependency is transformed into a friendship between the two women as witnessed at the Playa Paraà ­so where a sign embedded in the sand which reads Sà ³lo se encuentran amigos aquà ­ is focussed on and the women subsequently bathe in the sea water. Their physical immersion into the water perhaps could be inferred as a religious imagery of soul cleansing or baptism or the two women united by the water, a vital ingredient for life, and an element that is necessary for all regardless of their race or nationality. This visual imagery is significant in Novaro ´s interplay between the local and the global because the sea is the factor that connects the local and the global, national and international altogether not solely in a conceptual manner but also geographically. This concept of the connection between nations through water (*) is represented in the scene that motivates Aurelia to embark on the journey itself in which she watches a man (like Ana and Aurelia) take of his clothes and cross a river to El Paso, Texas. The notion of water as an immersing factor in representing the ability to cross / traverse across onto a new, better world is also what differentiates the women when confronted by borders each women reacts differently as a result of their upbringing and where they essentially originate from. Ana, as a  ´globe-trotter, having lived, worked and loved in many countries confronts borders as a means of surviving financially she trades false Mayan artefacts to the Museum of Denver, America. Aurelia, conversely, views borders as a liberating factor: a chance to improve her lifestyle and provide her children with the opportunity for a better life. The relationships with men are significant factors that differentiate the women Ana ´s characterisation as a femme fatale as emphasised by the mise-en-scene in her dress is chased by a lecherous cop, Mendizabal : he smells her hair and almost fetishises his search for her, and in fact his hunt for her is like him wanting a foreign woman as a trophy to hang up. Ana is somewhat feared by men as a result of her education and her dress. Their relationship with men Ana and Mendizabel goes beyond the femme fatale as her costume would suggest she does not want to use her beauty, charm or sexual allure to ensnare Mendizabel She does however torture her lover denying confirmation of her affection and driving him to the point of obsession and exhaustion so that he is incapable of making rational decisions it ultimately leads to his death he is killed by the wrong person She is in fact feared by Mendizabal Aurelia and BILLY AND JUANITO even her sexual relationship is with a 19year old boy Her relationship with men is reflected on to youth of mexico perhaps a progressive image of Mexico? Education of Juanito Sex scene he goes for her breasts nurturing mother Aurelia is the madre coraje will risk anything for her children using the traditional methods of education, good-schooling ensuring change, Juanito holds strong morals Heralclio Chuc progressive image of Mexico heading towards globalisation and a romanticised image of the past vs. the irony of the indigenous culture still existing within the forces of global.. Margins of society left out and the irony that they have tore-create their roots/ portray themselves as existing in the past attempt to regenerate their history (illegally) In an interview with Fernando Brenner, Novaro stated that: Querà ­a mostrar un Mà ©xico muy contrastante: el sur y el norte. Y dos mujeres muy diferentes. Ademà ¡s una de ellas tenà ­a que tener mà ¡s capacidad para ver a Mà ©xico, precisamente por no ser mexicana. Ése fue mi punto de partida, y una sensacià ³n que tengo no me siento mexicana en la zona Yucatà ¡n, como le pasa a muchos mexicanos, pues estamos en la regià ³n maya. Y sea que esa vivencia, la de ser una extranjera en mi patria, convive con mi encanto por estar en mi paà ­s. Foreign influence in Mexico Road movie genre inexorably transcultural The movement in the movie itself parallels this shifting image of Mexico Last paragraph the image of a changing mexico isnt negative a progressive image of the change and that the foreign influence isnt always going to be negative However, despite the fast-pace change of modernity/ global influence, there is still a level of humanity this doesnt change Ana steals the money but brings it back, mariachi band at the end she remembers Survival basic human needs they converge in this respect because they both rely on each other/ are dependent on each other food, drinking, sleep

The Problems Defining Genre :: Literature Essays Literary Criticism

The Problems Defining Genre Genre denotes a systematic way to categorize literature. The term might be considered academic jargon; however, it produces up a set of expectations that allow us to judge literature. These expectations or criteria also allow us to compare with other literature in the same as well as different genres. In spite of these expectations, genre does not dictate a set of rigid rules; in fact, genre is more descriptive than prescriptive. Problems in defining genre often arise because there are frequently sub-genres: romantic comedy might be considered a sub-genre of comedy, revenge tragedy of tragedy and gothic horror of horror. It becomes increasingly difficult to see where one sub-genre ends and another begins. Also these categories are seldom pure. For example, Hamlet, a revenge tragedy, includes aspects of romance and even a comic scene or two. Our popular culture makes defining genre challenging because what is vital one day might disappear the next. An example of this is the current insistence upon a happy ending. Since tragedy is often characterized by an unhappy or "right" ending, according to Aristotle, popular culture no longer welcomes the tragedy with the relish it did at other times in history. Our Town being the exception that comes to mind, as well as the one-man shows. Poetry makes frequent use of this voice. In Daddy by Sylvia Plath, the author address "Daddy" throughout the poem. Shannon Chamberlain's use of Aesop's fable The Parrot and his Cage was another example of this single voice narrative. A second voice option is the drama or dialogue that involves talking between two characters with no narration. All of the plays we are reading in class fit this category as well as Stacy Burleson's example of Merlin as a legend in film. Finally, the combination of the narrator plus dialogue is just as it seems, a narrator talks to the audience (or reader) but the characters talk to each other. The TV shows The Fugitive, Dragnet, and Twilight Zone come to mind as examples of this. Narrative genre, by contrast, focuses on the storyline or plot. Tragedy frequently introduces a problem, there is struggle for control, finally a realistic and often unhappy ending that resolves the problem.

International Business Mnc Essay

Introduction Multi National Corporation engages in domestic and foreign product development. Sometimes the host country has a product (labor, ingredient, part, etc) that is rare or less costly than producing it in the home country; therefore establishing a Multinational Corporation is a win-win for the host country as far as supply, demand, labor and cost. Many corporations currently engage in Multinational Enterprise and are successful in their efforts. Having businesses that are active in MNC truly creates a global business community where mutual interests and product development are core to the needs of the customer, business and boost foreign economies with jobs, businesses and exporting goods. Country Economic system Political environment Legal environment Technological China Mixed economy Socialism Complex regulations Japan Mixed economy Capitalism Complexity France Mixed economy Capitalist/Socialist Complexity Ethical system Social responsibility indicators Cultural dimension Confucianism Laws & regulations Collectivism Laws & regulations Collectivism Laws & regulations Collectivism Product, Business Plan and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Acai berry is native to Central and South America and the plant is a great anti-oxidant that can be used for several purposes. My company, Natural Beauty, has partnered with Acai palm tree companies in Belize to provide the product and have manufacturing warehouses located in Belize. This foreign direct investment offers a win-win situation for all of the companies involved. We have chosen the downstream vertical FDI as a means to partner with Acai palm tree farms and companies in Belize. The home country is the U. S. and although the product is not sold in Belize however it is distributed in other countries such as the United States, Brazil, France, England, China, Japan, and Qatar. There are multiple advantages of an FDI as show in the ownership, location, and internalization (OLI) framework (Peng, 2011). Understanding the framework I understand that ownership allows for possession and leveraging of resources, value and other added components to allow a competitive market. The Location component ensures that we are close to our main ingredient with the product, that we are able to have labor, ingredients and manufacturing at the lowest cost available while providing a boost to the host countries local economy and creating global competition. We are in several countries which provide internalization and we have intellectual property rights over all of our products, processes and business plan. We protect our businesses by knowing our dissemination risks and safeguarding against them as much as possible. Since we know our dissemination risks we are able to safeguard against direct competitors that may branch out from local distributors. We also are aware of market imperfections and do our best through our international legal team to stay abreast of international trade, business and government regulations. We also have safeguards against agglomeration due to the international craze over the Acai berry, plant and trees. We do this through our contract clauses which state other companies cannot be located within a certain distance, city, or space as ours in host countries. Natural Beauty, Inc. understands the intricacies of business and politics, especially within an international structure. We are in no way operating as a monopoly or radical imperialist (Peng, 2011) business. We believe in free market and working with our host country partners to ensure that each of them are maximizing their capacity and invested in the good and services provided by our joint venture. It is important that the FDIs benefits outweigh the costs and it is truly a win-win for all parties involved. Cost and Benefits of FDI As we can only imagine, there are benefits and costs to both the host and the home countries involved in Multinational Corporation. The benefits for Belize are the capital inflow, technology, management and job creation. The other countries of distribution have the same benefits that boost local knowledge, economy and globalization. The costs for the host countries are loss of sovereignty, capital outflow, and competition. The largest benefit is creation of jobs and expanded knowledge. The largest cost is loss of sovereignty. The benefits for the host countries must outweigh the costs and only the local governments and direct companies involved can project overtime which is more beneficial for them. The benefits for the Natural Beauty in the U.S. are earnings, exports, and learning from abroad whereas the costs are capital outflow and job loss. The latter can be quite devastating if the proper precautions and business plans are not in place in addition to being aware of local/international politics. However job loss here means possible savings in salary/wages in other host countries where the earning are not as high which saves the company money. The largest benefits are earnings and learning from abroad. The largest cost is job loss and the political climate around American companies that take their businesses abroad (remember NAFTA). Another threat is that local business can learn your process and then become your largest competitor and they have the â€Å"home field† advantage. This is known as the contagion effect (Peng, 2011). We recognize that FDIs can be complex and must be mutually beneficial for all parties involved and therefore we make a conscientious effort to recognize the need for location advantages, licensing and outsourcing knowledge/expertise and understanding of constraints (political and business in order to be successful). Future of MNC The future of Multinational Enterprise is contingent upon true understanding of global communities and global business. Understanding that free market, consciousness and international trade laws will dictate most of the business efforts and establishments. Many companies are already engaging in MNC successfully (BMW, Coca Cola, etc) and those interested in exploring this option should create several case studies looking at the successful and not so successful efforts in this realm to learn from them. I think that host MNC countries participating in FDI should be careful not to lose their power and prestige in the name of partnering for monetary gain. It is easy for smaller less powerful countries to get lost in the MNC FDI advantage for the sake of job creation and boosting local economy; however not at the cost of their culture, citizens and green space (for those working with rainforest communities or those with precious agriculture). The future of MNC can be bright when all partie s involved are up front and conscious about maintaining and win-win business. References Peng, M., (2011). Global. 1st Edition; Mason, OH, Cengage Learning www.alibaba.com/†¦/CN/technological-environment.html Luthans, F., & Doh, J. P. (2012). International management: Culture, strategy, and behavior (8th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Unit 64

Beth Mcpherson Unit 064 Context and Principles for Early Years Provisions. 064. 1. 1 The 4 different principles that the EYFS covers are a unique child, positive relationships, enabling environments and learning development. Every child is a unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. Practitioners understand and observe each child’s development and learning, assess progress and plans for next steps. They support babies and children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture also identify any need for additional support.The practitioner will keep the children safe and value and respect all children and families equally. Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships. Positive relationships are warm and loving, and foster a sense of belonging, sensitive and responsive to the children’s needs and families. Supportive of the children’s own efforts and independence a nd also consistent in setting clear boundaries. Stimulating the child and built on key persons relationships in the early year’s settings.Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and carers. Enabling environments means valuing all people and value learning they offer stimulating resources, relevant to all the children’s cultures and communities. Rich learning opportunities through play and playful teaching and support for children to take risks and explore. 064. 1. 2 064. 1. 3 064. 3. 1 064. 3. 2 064. 3. 3 064. 3. 4