Monday, December 23, 2019

health and safety social care - 1187 Words

Assignment composition Assignment overview In this assignment you will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of health and safety in social care settings. You will use case studies to show your awareness of the legislative framework, identify hazards and assess levels of risk. You will demonstrate your awareness of the use of care or support plans and risk assessment in social care. You will investigate topical issues, examine incidents and make assessments of the appropriateness of the actions taken and you will prepare materials to enhance the safety awareness of others. Learners will benefit from undertaking practical courses relating to moving and handling, food safety and first aid. Tasks There are five tasks†¦show more content†¦Biii An outline of the main health and safety responsibilities of: a) the social care worker b) the employer or manager c) individuals using the service Biv A description of the main points of health and safety policies and procedures. Bv A list of work activities that should only be carried out after special training. Bvi A description of how to access additional support and information in relation to health and safety. Task C — Case studies Case study one Winston is a social care worker supporting young people with learning disabilities in the community. One evening, he visits an individual to find that a pipe has burst in their roof. Water is running down the light fitting and onto the bathroom floor. Ci Define the terms ‘hazard’ and ‘risk’. Cil Identify the hazards and risks in the case study above. Ciii Explain how and when you would report the risks you have identified. Case study two Ellie is 42 and has Down’s syndrome. She lives at home with her mum and dad. Ellie attends a group three times a week where she meets her friends. There is a bus that goes directly to the community centre and Ellie really wants to go on the bus, on her own. Her mum insists on taking and collecting her in the car and Ellie is now refusing to go. This situation is makingShow MoreRelatedHealth and Safety in Social Care Essay1400 Words   |  6 Pageslegislations 1.Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 , also referred to as HASAW or HSW, is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the United Kingdom. The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing the Act and a number of other Acts and Statutory Instruments relevant to the working environment. 2.Health and Social Care Act 2008 The Health and Social Care Act 2008 established the Care Quality CommissionRead Morehealth and safety in the health and social care workplace1112 Words   |  5 Pages 1. How Health and Safety legislation is implemented in the workplace ( Learning Outcome 1) 2. The ways in which health and safety requirements impact on customers and the work of practitioners, staff, visitors and clients in the health and social care workplace (Learning Outcome 2) 3. The monitoring and review of health and safety policies in the health and social care workplace (Learning Outcome 3) Read MoreOccupational Safety and Health and Social Care Settings3558 Words   |  15 PagesUnderstand health and safety in social care settings Performance Criteria 1. Understand the different responsibilities relating to health and safety in social care settings 1.1. Identify legistation relating to health and safety in social care setting Current legislation and subsequent amendments may include:  · Health Safety at Work Act The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety. Under this ActRead MorePromote and Implement Health and Safety in Health and Social Care2318 Words   |  10 PagesVocational Training Centre Promote and implement health and safety in health and social care Unit 4222-306 Workbook Candidate Signature Number Date Assessor Signature Number Date Outcome 1 - Understand own responsibilities and the responsibilities of others, relating to health and safety *Remember to refer to relevant legislationRead MoreContribute to Health and Safety in Health and Social Care ( Hsc 027)2272 Words   |  10 Pagesresponsibilities of others, relating to health and safety in the work setting 1. Identify legislation relating to general health and safety in a health or social care work setting. Legislations/codes of practice relating to general health and safety in a health or social care work setting are: The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974; Riddor 1995, COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health); Manual Handling operations regulations 1992; Health And Safety (First aid regulations 1981); FireRead Morect 301 understand health and safety in social care1729 Words   |  7 PagesCT 301 1.1 List legislation relating to general health and safety in a sociel care setting. Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (also referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA) is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. The Health and Safety Executive, with local authorities (and other enforcing authorities) is responsible for enforcing the Act and a number of other Acts and Statutory Instruments relevant to the working environmentRead MoreP4 - health, safety and security within a health and social care sector1408 Words   |  6 Pagesdealing with two particular incidents or emergencies in a health and social care setting. Fire, When you are working within a health and social care setting the most important thing is to evacuate the people that is in your care out of the building first. When you are working in an organisation you should always familiarise yourself with where the fire exits, fire alarms and fire extinguishers are located. If you are working within a care setting with elderly residents and there is a fire itRead MoreHealth And Safety : An Essential Aspect Of Any Health Or Social Care Setting1869 Words   |  8 PagesTask 1 Health and safety is an essential aspect of any health or social care setting. The one particular setting that I am basing my information on finding a range of hazards for is a preschool environment. Preschool is where there is a range of high risks and each individual risk has to be risk assessed to identify how we can prevent the hazard from happening to the young children that are studying there. The facilities should be checked thoroughly to maintain the safety of all pupils and staffRead MoreAssignment 306 Understand health and safety in social care setting1590 Words   |  7 PagesTask A Presentation - Power point uploades individualy Aiv A comparison of the differences in the main health and safety responsibilities of each of the following: a) Social care worker – Responsible for †¢ Read and understand the health and safety manual. †¢ following the health and safety policies to minimise any risk to themselves or others †¢ Report any health and safety issues to the appointed person. †¢ Ensuring that all accidents are reported to the Manager without delay †¢ Only usingRead More4222 306 Promote And Implement Health And Safety In Health And Social Care2577 Words   |  11 Pages4222-306 Promote and implement health and safety in health and social care 1.1 Identify legislation relating to health and safety in a social care work setting Within the older persons project where I work there are a number of Law’s, Legislation’s, Policies and Procedures relevant to health and safety. Health and Safety at work Act 1974 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Care Standard Act 2000 Food Hygiene Regulations 2005 Food Safety Act 1990 Food Hygiene Regulations

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Streams of Silver 12. The Trollmoors Free Essays

This was a land of blackened earth and misted bogs, where decay and an imposing sensation of peril overruled even the sunniest of skies. The landscape climbed and dropped continually, and the crest of each rise, mounted in hopes of an end to the place by any traveler here, brought only despair and more of the same unchanging scenes. The brave Riders of Nesme ventured into the moors each spring to set long lines of fires and drive the monsters of the hostile land far from the borders of their town. We will write a custom essay sample on Streams of Silver 12. The Trollmoors or any similar topic only for you Order Now The season was late and several weeks had passed since the last burning, but even now the low dells lay heavy with smoke and the waves of heat from the great fires still shimmered in the air around the thickest of the charred piles of wood. Bruenor had led his friends into the Trollmoors in stubborn defiance of the riders, and was determined to pound his way through to Silverymoon. But after only the first day’s travel, even he began to doubt the decision. The place demanded a constant state of alertness, and each copse of burned-out trees they passed made them pause, the black, leafless stumps and fallen logs bearing an uncomfortable resemblance to bog blokes. More than once, the spongy ground beneath their feet suddenly became a deep pit of mud, and only the quick reactions of a nearby companion kept them from finding out how deep any of the pits actually were. A continual breeze blew across the moors, fueled by the contrasting patches of hot ground and cool bogs, and carrying an odor more foul than the smoke and soot of the fires, a sickly sweet smell disturbingly familiar to Drizzt Do’Urden – the stench of trolls. This was their domain, and all the rumors about the Evermoors the companions had heard, and had laughed away in the comfort of The Fuzzy Quarterstaff, could not have prepared them for the reality that suddenly descended upon them when they entered the place. Bruenor had estimated that their party could clear the moors in five days if they kept a strong pace. That first day, they actually covered the necessary distance, but the dwarf had not foreseen the continual backtracking they would have to do to avoid the bogs. While they had marched for more than twenty miles that day, they were less than ten from where they started into the moors. Still, they encountered no trolls, nor any other kind of fiend, and they set their camp that night under a guise of quiet optimism. â€Å"Ye’ll keep to the guard?† Bruenor asked Drizzt, aware that the Drow alone had the heightened senses they would need to survive the night. Drizzt nodded. â€Å"The night through,† he replied, and Bruenor didn’t argue. The dwarf knew that none of them would get any sleep that night, whether on guard, or not. Darkness came suddenly and completely. Bruenor, Regis, and Wulfgar couldn’t see their own hands if they held them inches from their faces. With the blackness came the sounds of an awakening nightmare. Sucking, sloshing footsteps closed in all about them. Smoke mixed with the nighttime fog and rolled in around the trunks of the leafless trees. The wind did not increase, but the intensity of its foul stench did, and it carried now the groans of the tormented spirits of the moors’ wretched dwellers. â€Å"Gather your gear,† Drizzt whispered to his friends. â€Å"What do ye see, then?† Bruenor asked softly. â€Å"Nothing directly,† came the reply. â€Å"But I feel them about, as do you all. We cannot let them find us sitting. We must move among them to keep them from gathering about us.† â€Å"My legs ache,† complained Regis. â€Å"And my feet have swelled. I don’t even know if I can get my boots back on!† â€Å"Help him, boy,† Bruenor told Wulfgar. â€Å"The elf’s right. We’ll carry ye if we must, Rumblebelly, but we’re not staying!† Drizzt took the lead, and at times he had to hold Bruenor’s hand behind him, and so on down the line to Wulfgar in the rear, to keep his companions from stumbling from the path he had picked. They could all sense the dark shapes moving around them, smell the foulness of the wretched trolls. Clearly viewing the host gathering about them, Drizzt alone understood just how precarious their position was, and he pulled his friends as fast as he could. Luck was with them, for the moon came up then, transforming the fog into a ghostly silver blanket, and revealing to all the friends the pressing danger. Now with the movement visible on every side, the friends ran. Lanky, lurching forms loomed up in the mist beside them, clawed fingers stretching out to snag at them as they rushed past. Wulfgar moved up to Drizzt’s side, swatting the trolls aside with great sweeps of Aegis-fang, while the drow concentrated on keeping them going in the right direction. For hours they ran, and still the trolls came on. Beyond all feelings of exhaustion, past the ache, and then the numbness in their limbs, the friends ran with the knowledge of the certain horrible death that would befall them if they faltered for even a second, their fear overruling their bodies’ cries of defeat. Even Regis, too fat and soft, and with legs too short for the road, matched the pace and pushed those before him to greater speeds. Drizzt understood the futility of their course. Wulfgar’s hammer invariably slowed, and they all stumbled more and more with each minute that passed. The night had many hours more, and even the dawn did not guarantee an end to the pursuit. How many miles could they run? When would they turn down a path that ended in a bottomless bog, with a hundred trolls at their backs? Drizzt changed his strategy. No longer seeking only to flee, he began looking for a defensible piece of ground. He spied a small mound, ten feet high perhaps, with a steep, almost sheer, grade on the three sides he could see from his angle. A solitary sapling grew up its face. He pointed the place out to Wulfgar, who understood the plan immediately and veered in. Two trolls loomed up to block their way, but Wulfgar, snarling in rage, charged to meet them. Aegis-fang slammed down in furious succession again and again, and the other three companions were able to slip behind the barbarian and make it to the mound. Wulfgar spun away and rushed to join them, the stubborn trolls close in pursuit and now joined by a long line of their wretched kin. Surprisingly nimble, even despite his belly, Regis scampered up the tree to the top of the mound. Bruenor, though, not built for such climbing, struggled for every inch. â€Å"Help him!† Drizzt, his back to the tree and scimitars readied, cried to Wulfgar. â€Å"Then you get up! I shall hold them.† Wulfgar’s breath came in labored gasps, and a line of bright blood was etched across his forehead. He stumbled into the tree and started up behind the dwarf. Roots pulled away under their combined weight, and they seemed to lose an inch for every one they gained. Finally, Regis was able to clasp Bruenor’s hand and help him over the top, and Wulfgar, with the way clear before him, moved to join them. With their own immediate safety assured, they looked back in concern for their friend. Drizzt battled three of the monsters, and more piled in behind. Wulfgar considered dropping back from his perch halfway up the tree and dying at the drow’s side, but Drizzt, periodically looking back over his shoulder to check his friends’ progress, noted the barbarian’s hesitation and read his mind. â€Å"Go!† he shouted. â€Å"Your delay does not help!† Wulfgar had to pause and consider the source of the command. His trust of, and respect for, Drizzt overcame his instinctive desire to rush back into the fray, and he grudgingly pulled himself up to join Regis and Bruenor on the small plateau. Trolls moved to flank the drow, their filthy claws reaching out at him from every side. He heard his friends, all three, imploring him to break away and join them, but knew that the monsters had already slipped in behind to cut off his retreat. A smile widened across his face. The light in his eyes flared. He rushed into the main host of trolls, away from the unattainable mound and his horrified friends. The three companions had little time to dwell on the drow’s fortunes, however, for they soon found themselves assailed from every side as the trolls came relentlessly on, scratching to get at them. Each friend stood to defend his own side. Luckily, the climb up the back of the mound proved even steeper, at some places inverted, and the trolls could not effectively get at them from behind. Wulfgar was most deadly, knocking a troll from the mound’s side with each smack of his mighty hammer. But before he could even catch his breath, another had taken its place. Regis, slapping with his little mace, was less effective. He banged with all his strength on fingers, elbows, even heads as the trolls edged in closer, but he could not dislodge the clutching monsters from their perch. Invariably, as each one crested the mound, either Wulfgar or Bruenor had to twist away from his own fight and swat the beast away. They knew that the first time they failed with a single stroke, they would find a troll up and ready beside them on the top of the mound. Disaster struck after only a few minutes. Bruenor spun to aid Regis as yet another monster pulled its torso over the top. The dwarf’s axe cut in cleanly. Too cleanly. It sliced into the troll’s neck and drove right through, beheading the beast. But though the head flew from the mound, the body kept coming. Regis fell back, too horrified to react. â€Å"Wulfgar!† Bruenor cried out. The barbarian spun, not slowing long enough to gape at the headless foe, and slammed Aegis-fang into the thing’s chest, blasting it from the mound. Two more hands grabbed at the lip. From Wulfgar’s side, another troll had crawled more than halfway over the crest. And behind them, where Bruenor had been, a third was up and straddling the helpless halfling. They didn’t know where to start. The mound was lost. Wulfgar even considered leaping down into the throng below to die as a true warrior by killing as many of his enemies as he could, and also so that he would not have to watch as his two friends were torn to pieces. But suddenly, the troll above the halfling struggled with its balance, as though something was pulling it from behind. One of its legs buckled and then it fell backward into the night. Drizzt Do’Urden pulled his blade from the thing’s calf as it went over him, then deftly rolled to the top of the mound, regaining his feet right beside the startled halfling. His cloak streamed in tatters, and lines of blood darkened his clothing in many places. But he still wore his smile, and the fire in his lavender eyes told his friends that he was far from finished. He darted by the gaping dwarf and barbarian and hacked at the next troll, quickly dispatching it from the side. â€Å"How?† Bruenor asked, gawking, though he knew as he rushed back to Regis that no answer would be forth-coming from the busy drow. Drizzt’s daring move down below had gained him an advantage over his enemies. Trolls were twice his size, and those behind the ones he fought had no idea that he was coming through. He knew that he had done little lasting damage to the beasts – the stab wounds he drove in as he passed would quickly heal, and the limbs he severed would grow back – but the daring maneuver gained him the time he needed to clear the rushing horde and circle out into the darkness. Once free in the black night, he had picked his path back to the mound, cutting through the distracted trolls with the same blazing intensity. His agility alone had saved him when he got to the base, for he virtually ran up the mound’s side, even over the back of a climbing troll, too quickly for the surprised monsters to grasp him. The defense of the mound solidified now. With Bruenor’s wicked axe, Wulfgar’s pounding hammer, and Drizzt’s whirring scimitars each holding a side, the climbing trolls had no easy route to the top. Regis stayed in the middle of the small plateau, alternately darting in to help his friends whenever a troll got too close to gaining a hold. Still the trolls came on, the throng below growing with every minute. The friends understood clearly the inevitable outcome of this encounter. The only chance lay in breaking the gathering of monsters below to give them a route of escape, but they were too engaged in simply beating back their latest opponents to search for the solution. Except for Regis. It happened almost by accident. A writhing arm, severed by one of Drizzt’s blades, crawled into the center of their defenses. Regis, utterly revolted, whacked at the thing wildly with his mace. â€Å"It won’t die!† he screamed as the thing kept wriggling and grabbing at the little weapon. â€Å"It won’t die! Someone hit it! Someone cut it! Someone burn it!† The other three were too busy to react to the halfling’s desperate pleas, but Regis’s last statement, cried out in dismay, brought an idea into his own head. He jumped upon the writhing limb, pinning it down for a moment while he fumbled in his pack for his tinderbox and flint. His shaking hands could hardly strike the stone, but the tiniest spark did its killing work. The troll arm ignited and crackled into a crisp ball. Not about to miss the opportunity before him, Regis scooped up the fiery limb and ran over to Bruenor. He held back the dwarf’s axe, telling Bruenor to let his latest opponent get above the line of the ridge. When the troll hoisted itself up, Regis put the fire in its face. The head virtually exploded into flame and, screaming in agony, the troll dropped from the mound bringing the killing fire to its own companions. Trolls did not fear the blade or the hammer. Wounds inflicted by these weapons healed quickly, and even a severed head would soon grow back. Such encounters actually helped propagate the wretched species, for a troll would regrow a severed arm, and a severed arm would regrow another troll! More than one hunting cat or wolf had feasted upon a troll carcass only to bring its own horrible demise when a new monster grew in its belly. But even trolls were not completely without fear. Fire was their bane, and the trolls of Evermoor were more than familiar with it. Burns could not regenerate and a troll killed by flames was dead forever. Almost as if it were purposely in the gods’ design, fire clung to a troll’s dry skin as readily as to dry kindling. The monsters on Bruenor’s side of the mound fled away or fell in charred lumps. Bruenor patted the halfling on the back as he observed the welcomed spectacle, hope returning to his weary eyes. â€Å"Wood† reasoned Regis. â€Å"We need wood.† Bruenor slipped his pack off his back. â€Å"Ye’ll get yer wood, Rumblebelly,† he laughed, pointing at the sapling running up the side of the mound before him. â€Å"And there’s oil in me pouch!† He ran across to Wulfgar. â€Å"The tree, boy! Help the halfling,† was the only explanation he gave as he moved in front of the barbarian. As soon as Wulfgar turned around and saw Regis fumbling with a flask of oil, he understood his part in the plan. No trolls as yet had returned to that side of the mound, and the stench of the burned flesh at the base was nearly overwhelming. With a single heave, the muscled barbarian tore the sapling from its roots and brought it up to Regis. Then he went back and relieved the dwarf, allowing Bruenor to put his axe to use in slicing up the wood. Soon flaming missiles lit the sky all about the mound and fell into the troll horde with killing sparks popping all about. Regis ran to the lip of the mound with another flask of oil and sprinkled it down on the closest trolls, sending them into a terrified frenzy. The rout was on, and between the stampede and the quick spread of flames, the area below the mound was cleared in minutes, and not another movement did the friends see for the few remaining hours of the night, save the pitiful writhing of the mass of limbs, and the twitchings of burned torsos. Fascinated, Drizzt wondered how long the things would survive with their cauterized wounds that would not regenerate. As exhausted as they were, none of the companions managed any sleep that night. With the breaking of dawn, and no sign of trolls around them, though the filthy smoke hung heavily in the air, Drizzt insisted that they move along. They left their fortress and walked, because they had no other choice, and because they refused to yield where others might have faltered. They encountered nothing immediately, but could sense the eyes of the moors upon them still, a hushed silence that foretold disaster. Later that morning, as they plodded along on the mossy turf, Wulfgar stopped suddenly and heaved Aegis-fang into a small copse of blackened trees. The bog bloke, for that is what the barbarian’s target truly was, crossed its arms defensively before it, but the magical warhammer hit with enough power to split the monster down the middle. Its frightened companions, nearly a dozen, fled their similar positions and disappeared into the moors. â€Å"How could you know?† Regis asked, for he was certain that the barbarian had barely considered the clump of trees. Wulfgar shook his head, honestly not knowing what had compelled him. Drizzt and Bruenor both understood, and approved. They were all operating on instinct now, their exhaustion rendering their minds long past the point of consistent, rational thought. Wulfgar’s reflexes remained at their level of fine precision. He might have caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye, so minuscule that his conscious mind hadn’t even registered it. But his instinct for survival had reacted. The dwarf and the drow looked to each other for confirmation, not too surprised this time at the barbarian’s continued show of maturity as a warrior. The day became unbearably hot, adding to their discomfort. All they wanted to do was fall down and let their weariness overcome them. But Drizzt pulled them onward, searching for another defensible spot, though he doubted that he could find one as well-designed as the last. Still, they had enough oil remaining to get them through another night if they could hold a small line long enough to put the flames to their best advantage. Any hillock, perhaps even a copse of tree, would suffice. What they found instead was another bog, this one stretching as far as they could see in every direction, miles perhaps. â€Å"We could turn to the north,† Drizzt suggested to Bruenor. â€Å"We may have come far enough east by now to break clear of the moors beyond the influence of Nesme.† â€Å"The night’ll catch us along the bank,† Bruenor observed grimly. â€Å"We could cross,† Wulfgar suggested. â€Å"Trolls take to water?† Bruenor asked Drizzt, intrigued by the possibilities. The drow shrugged. â€Å"Worth a try, then!† Bruenor proclaimed. â€Å"Gather some logs,† instructed Drizzt. â€Å"Take no time to bind them together – we can do that out on the water, if we must.† Floating the logs as buoys by their sides, they slipped out into the cold, still waters of the huge bog. Though they weren’t thrilled with the sucking, muddy sensation that pulled at them with each step, Drizzt and Wulfgar found that they could walk in many places, propelling the makeshift raft steadily along. Regis and Bruenor, too short for the water, lay across the logs. Eventually they grew more comfortable with the eerie hush of the bog, and accepted the water route as a quiet rest. The return to reality was rude indeed. The water around them exploded, and three troll-like forms hit them in sudden ambush. Regis, nearly asleep across his log, was thrown off it and into the water. Wulfgar took a hit in the chest before he could ready Aegis-fang, but he was no halfling, and even the considerable strength of the monster could not move him backward. The one that rose before the ever-alert Drow found two scimitars at work on its face before its head even cleared the water. The battle proved as fast and furious as its abrupt beginning. Enraged by the continued demands of the relentless moors, the friends reacted to the assault with a counterattack of unmatched fury. The drow’s troll was sliced apart before it even stood straight, and Bruenor had enough time to prepare himself to get at the monster that had dropped Regis. Wulfgar’s troll, though it landed a second blow behind the first, was hit with a savage flurry that it could not have expected. Not an intelligent creature, its limited reasoning and battle experience led it to believe that its foe should not have remained standing and ready to retaliate after it had squarely landed two heavy blows. Its realization, though, served as little comfort as Aegis-fang pummeled the monster back under the surface. Regis bobbed back to the surface then and slung an arm over the log. One side of his face was bright with a welt and a painful-looking scrape. â€Å"What were they?† Wulfgar asked the drow. â€Å"Some manner of troll,† Drizzt reasoned, still stabbing at the unmoving form lying under the water before him. Wulfgar and Bruenor understood the reason for his continued attacks. In sudden fright, they took up whacking at the forms lying beside them, hoping to mutilate the corpses enough so that they might be miles gone before the things rose to life once again. Beneath the bog’s surface, in the swirlless solitude of the dark waters, the severe thumping of axe and hammer disturbed the slumber of other denizens. One in particular had slept away a decade and more, unbothered by any of the potential dangers that lurked nearby, safe in its knowledge of supremacy. Dazed and drained from the hit he had taken, as if the unexpected ambush had bent his spirit beyond its breaking point, Regis slumped helplessly over the log and wondered if he had any fight left in him. He didn’t notice when the log began to drift slightly in the hot moors’ breeze. It hooked around the exposed roots of a small line of trees and floated free into the lily-pad-covered waters of a quiet lagoon. Regis stretched out lazily, only half aware of the change in his surroundings. He could still hear the conversation of his friends faintly in the background. He cursed his carelessness and struggled against the stubborn hold of his lethargy, though, when the water began to churn before him. A purplish, leathery form broke the surface, and then he saw the huge circular maw with its cruel rows of daggerlike teeth. Regis, up now, did not cry out or react in any way, fascinated by the specter of his own death looming before him. A giant worm. * * * â€Å"I thought the water would offer us some protection from the foul things, at least,† Wulfgar groaned, giving one final smack at the troll corpse that lay submerged beside him. â€Å"At least the moving’s easier,† Bruenor put in. â€Å"Get the logs together, and let’s move along. No figuring how many kin these three have stalking the area.† â€Å"I have no desire to stay and count,† replied Wulfgar. He looked around, puzzled, and asked, â€Å"Where is Regis?† It was the first time in the confusion of the fight that any of them noticed that the halfling had floated off. Bruenor started to call out, but Drizzt slapped a hand across his mouth. â€Å"Listen,† he said. The dwarf and Wulfgar held very still and listened in the direction that the drow was now intently staring. After a moment of adjustment, they heard the halfling’s quivering voice. â€Å"†¦really is a beautiful stone,† they heard, and knew at once that Regis was using the pendant to get himself out of trouble. The seriousness of the situation came clear immediately, for Drizzt had sorted out the blur of images that he saw through a line of trees, perhaps a hundred feet to the west. â€Å"Worm!† he whispered to his companions. â€Å"Huge beyond anything I have ever seen!† He indicated a tall tree to Wulfgar, then started on a flanking course around to the south, pulling the onyx statue out of his pack as he went, and calling for Guenhwyvar. They would need all the help they could get with this beast. Dipping low in the water, Wulfgar eased his way up to the tree line and started shinning up a tree, the scene now clear before him. Bruenor followed him, but slipped between the trees, going even deeper into the bog, and came into position on the other side. â€Å"There are more, too,† Regis bargained in a louder voice, hoping that his friends would hear and rescue him. He kept the hypnotizing ruby spinning on its chain. He didn’t think for a moment that the primitive monster understood him, but it seemed perplexed enough by the gem’s sparkles to refrain from gobbling him up, at least for the present. In truth, the magic of the ruby did little against the creature. Giant worms had no minds to speak of, and charms had no effect on them at all. But the huge worm, not really hungry and mesmerized by the dance of the light, allowed Regis to play through his game. Drizzt came into position farther down the tree line, his bow now in hand, while Guenhwyvar stealthily slipped even farther around to the monster’s rear. Drizzt could see Wulfgar poised, high in the tree above Regis and ready to leap into action. The drow couldn’t see Bruenor, but he knew that the crafty dwarf would find a way to be effective. Finally the worm tired of its game with the halfling and his spinning gem. A sudden sucking of air sizzled with acidic drool. Recognizing the danger, Drizzt acted first, conjuring a globe of darkness around the halfling’s log. Regis, at first, thought the sudden blackness signified the end of his life, but when the cold water hit his face and then swallowed him up as he rolled limply from the log, he understood. The globe confused the monster for a moment, but the beast spat a stream of its killing acid anyway, the wicked stuff sizzling as it hit the water and setting the log ablaze. Wulfgar sprang from his high perch, launching himself through the air fearlessly and screaming, â€Å"Tempus!† his legs flung wide, but his arm cocked with the warhammer fully under control and ready to strike. The worm lolled its head to the side to move away from the barbarian, but it didn’t react quite fast enough. Aegis-fang crunched through the side of its face, tearing through the purplish hide and twisting the outer rim of its maw, snapping through teeth and bone. Wulfgar had given all that he possibly could in that one mighty blow, and he could not imagine the enormity of his success as he slapped belly-first into the cold water, beneath the drow’s darkness. Enraged by pain and suddenly more injured than it had ever been, the great worm issued a roar that split trees asunder and sent creatures of the moors scurrying for cover miles away. It rolled an arch along its fifty-foot length, up and down, in a continual splash that sent bursts of water high into the air. Drizzt opened up, his fourth arrow nocked and ready before the first even reached its mark. The worm roared again in agony and spun on the drow, releasing a second stream of acid. But the agile elf was gone long before the acid sizzled into the water where he had been standing. Bruenor, meanwhile, had completely gone under the water, blindly stumbling toward the beast. Nearly ground into the mud by the worm’s frenzied gyrations, he came up just behind the curl of the monster. The breadth of its massive torso measured fully twice his height, but the dwarf didn’t hesitate, smacking his axe against the tough hide. Guenhwyvar then sprang upon the monster’s back and ran up its length, finding a perch on its head. The cat’s clawed paws dug into the worm’s eyes before it even had time to react to the new attackers. Drizzt plucked away, his quiver nearly empty and a dozen feathered shafts protruding from the worm’s maw and head. The beast decided to concentrate on Bruenor next, his vicious axe inflicting the most severe wounds. But before it could roll over onto the dwarf, Wulfgar emerged from the darkness and heaved his warhammer. Aegis-fang thudded into the maw again and the weakened bone cracked apart. Acidic blobs of blood and bone hissed into the bog and the worm roared a third time in agony and protest. The friends did not relent. The drow’s arrows stung home in a continuous line. The cat’s claws raked deeper and deeper into the flesh. The dwarf’s axe chopped and hacked, sending pieces of hide floating away. And Wulfgar pounded away. The giant worm reeled. It could not retaliate. In the wave of dizzying darkness that fast descended upon it, it was too busy merely holding to its stubborn balance. Its maw was broken wide open and one eye was out. The relentless beating of the dwarf and barbarian had blasted through its protective hide, and Bruenor growled in savage pleasure when his axe at last sank deep into exposed flesh. A sudden spasm from the monster sent Guenhwyvar flying into the bog and knocked Bruenor and Wulfgar away. The friends didn’t even try to get back, aware that their task was completed. The worm trembled and twitched in its last efforts of life. Then it toppled into the bog in a sleep that would outlast any it had ever known – the endless sleep of death. How to cite Streams of Silver 12. The Trollmoors, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Operation Management Strategies Implemented †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Operation Management Strategies Implemented. Answer: Introduction In the late 2012, the company reported its first quarterly loss over the period of five years. The company has invested heavily in new distribution centres, launching daily deals on the site and the development of kindle. The founder Jeff Bezos knew that competition is very tough for the company and there are many other players in the market who are performing well enough. In 1994 after seeing the boom in the internet usage of near about 2300% Jeff Bezos left his highly paid job and started an online book store inside his rented house in Suburban Seattle (Teles and Coutinho, 2011). His online book selling company emerged as the worlds largest online retailer who deals in books, fashion, DVDs, apparels, furniture, electronics and health, and beauty. Amazon deals with four types of customers, which includes sellers, enterprises, final consumers and content creators. Amazon has designed its website consumer friendly by offering various options in size, color, brand, and price. The websi te is very easy to use and has been developed keeping in mind to cater the maximum needs of the consumer at one virtual portal. The Companys mission statement is Earths most customer centric company (Teles and Coutinho, 2011) Amazons Operations strategies Goods and services design- organizational output design is covered in this strategic decision area of operational management. This is done primarily with the help of technologies. For example, the company ensures that its online retail services are in line with the requirements of target customers using the advanced communication and information technologies. It also supports the maximum operation of e-commerce (Teles and Coutinho, 2011). Quality management- the objective of this decision is to maximize the operational output in order to fulfill the customer satisfaction. For example, amazon always motivates its employees to solve the problems and improve the business by creating new ideas (Teles and Coutinho, 2011). Location strategy- the accessibility of market and resources is considered in this strategic decision like their warehouses should be nearest to the location where the maximum customer base is available. Process and capacity design- the objective of this decision is to optimize the capacity and production process. Extensive automation is applied to streamline the business process. For example, the companys main output is to receive the orders so it has automated the technologies to receive as many orders as possible. This approach highlights the importance of automation and other related technologies to enhance the capacity and process (Cassidy and Scott, 2002). Strategy and layout design- this decision area deals with the movement of information, material, and human resource. This objective is fulfilled with the help of efficient layout designs which is aligned with computer assisted programs. For example, in the warehouses, all the items are assigned as per the computerization policies. The layout is made for maximizing the shelf space and minimizing the aisles for achieving the optimal capacity and this is done without reducing the process efficiency. Supply chain management- this strategic decision is concerned with the streamline of supply chain management. Company does this through automating and enabling the buyers and suppliers to access some of its IT assets for example sellers streamline their supply with help of demand data available on the companys online retail website, and buyers can track the order placed and can do all the communication with sellers through the data available on the website. Job design and human resource- HRD is the main focus of this strategic decision area. Companys operation management uses a combination of third party employment agencies and in house employees. For example, workers from all these agencies fill the temporary positions of the company and are also evaluated if they are fir for the permanent position or not? Especially in their warehouses and fulfillment centers. Companys recruitment process is based on the organizational growth. Scheduling- operation managers keep in mind the short term and intermediate schedules to ensure that all the resources satisfy market needs. In this strategic decision area company is fully reliable on suppliers to run its online retail business. For instance, suppliers need to access the companys website in order to determine the demand level and streamline their delivery and shipping schedules accordingly. Inventory management- .under this decision company has to ensure the sufficient storage of inventory to meet the demand, this is done with the help of using just in time technique for example in most of the cases as the inventory comes in the warehouse it immegiatelybgets delivered to the customer to fulfill the order(Emblemsvg, 2006). Moreover, to ensure the optimal inventory holding and order, employees in the warehouse are trained to maximize the speed so that orders can be fulfilled. By this way, company minimizes its cost by satisfying the maximum customers need. Maintenance- it emphasizes on the stability and reliability of the business processes. Workers are trained regularly in order to maintain HR capacity for satisfying the companys need for its e-commerce business. Moreover, companies always search for advanced options for the improvisation of its operational efficiencies (Emblemsvg, 2006). The do-buy decision strategy It is the departure point for creating operations strategy.it helps managers to decide what should be done by organization and what should be done by suppliers (Cassidy and Scott, 2002). Amazon has clearly defined the objectives for its managers that what startegies must be adopted by them in order to increase the sales of the company and suppliers are also aware of the terms and conditions on which they need to work. The company decided to outsource its products through various suppliers in order to cater the maximum market with minimum cost. Amazon has placed itself as a giant in the world of technology by providing the convenience at customers doorstep (Shelar, 2016). Since inception amazon has acquired many strategic gains in research and technology and claims to be worlds most customer centric company by implementing many innovative ideas such as one click order convenience to customers, improvising on customer reviews etc v.it has also acquired new customer base by forging an international relationship with the help of viral marketing. Ways in which amazon excels relationship building. When it comes to big companies most of them fail to acquire customer relationship, but this is not the case with amazon. The company not only builds customer relationship but also provide them with the personalized services by offering them the products basis their past purchasing history (Shelar, 2016). Below are the strategies which make the company standalone amongst its competitors: Data-driven relationship marketing- amazon leverages the idea of web research and big data to all their customer facing interactions. Whenever a customer calls a customer representative they not only great you with your name but they have all the required information available to them in order to make you feel comfortable and confident. The same can be seen in their extremely personalized emails in which they not only refer to you with your name but also gives you the required information without wasting much of your time (Shelar, 2016). The maximum a customer visits their sites and search for products the more personalized emails you get from them. Convenience and experience- customers now days prefer to shop online because of the convenience they get. Amazon provides them with the technologies ease with which they can look for what they want without taking much time and also make them confident by their replacement or return protocols. Operation managers keep in mind the short term and intermediate schedules to ensure that all the resources satisfy market needs. In this strategic decision area company is fully reliable on suppliers to run its online retail business (Shelar, 2016). For instance, suppliers need to access The___14 Companys website in order to determine the demand level and streamline their delivery and shipping schedules accordingly. Customers shopping is made more hassle free by Doing quick purchases with the help of one click. Amazons dash buttons- it is a hardware which can be bought at home and all the purchases can be done just by one click. Amazon prime in which customers can get their orders in a day and if the location is nearby then maybe the same day. Making e- commerce an experience to share- although it has been observed that shopping is a social experience this is not in the case of e-commerce here customers make their purchases alone. But amazon relationship marketing team has built up an option in which whenever a customer makes any purchase then they are being asked to share their experience on social networking sites (Shen, Benyounes and Gerbaud, 2015). This not only works as a tool for advertising but also helps in the improvisation of the product. Cost strategy Amazon is having overall cost leadership among all of its competitors by providing Lowest possible prices Launching amazon prime in which customers can save shipping cost Customers can avoid state tax. Providing various free shipping offers. Dealing with small companies and resellers. Deficit selling of kindle. Price check app launched by amazon (Shen, Benyounes and Gerbaud, 2015). As per many research, it has been observed that amazon changed prices of about 80 million products in a single day because they wanted to provide their customers with the best possible prices in the market (Cie?la, 2015). For example in the mid of year 2012 HP 8600 printer was launched other sites were offering a price of 160$ wherein amazon sold it for 120$ as the market opened many sellers raised prices up to 180$ but amazon raised it only to 130$ and at the end of the day amazon was the cheap priced seller in the market and its sales figures raised drastically (Cie?la, 2015). Supply chain management by Amazon From the beginning of its establishment amazon has focused on its logistics of distribution as a center to the online retail growth. Initially, the company uses to hand deliver its products but now everything is being managed by the supply chain managers and they are now managing around 400 orders per second during peak times and bringing their revenue to around 90bn$ a year (Cie?la, 2015).. All this is done by working at various levels: Pre structural level- amazon is one of the giant of selling books and other stuff online Unit structural level- their supply chain management has an edge over many other competitors because of the shopping experience they offer to their customers. It has a strong network of the supply chain (Cie?la, 2015). Multi structural level- amazon is the first company to launch the rating system under which customers have the options to rate its shopping experience and company can work accordingly. Amazon ships its products on its own (Cie?la, 2015).. Relational level- amazon has such a vast network of the supply chain that its competitors uses companys website to improvise their business. As the company is growing it gradually increasing its ware houses and other networks to meet the demand of the customers they are focusing on setting up the warehouses near the target customer areas so that the response time is decreased (Cie?la, 2015). Company targets to deliver their maximum items the same day they are ordered so that their competitors do not peel off their customers. This strategic decision is concerned with the streamline of supply chain management. Company does this through automating and enabling the buyers and suppliers to access some of its IT assets for example sellers streamline their supply with help of demand data available on the companys online retail website, and buyers can track the order placed and can do all the communication with sellers through the data available on the website (Cie?la, 2015). Supply chain drivers Facilities- Order fulfillment and warehousing for third party sellers. 49 fulfillment centers all over world Transportation Own logistic network Relying on national parcel couriers like fedX, ups. Smart innovation strategy The main reason behind the success story of amazon so far is their innovation strategy, the company started with the selling of DVD and CD along with the books. In the same year company introduced auction scheme this strategy provided a better experience for the customer and protected them from the frauds done by bidders though this innovation does not bring any profit to the customer by doing this, they came into customers knowledge (Tadelis, 2002). Amazon adopted B2C model but later it again changed its strategy and shifted from direct business sales model to service and sales model, with this model companys target group changed to customers and another business group.it offers many small business groups to use companys web services and platforms to offer various products to the customers, but amazon was charging some percentage of commission from every sale (Tadelis, 2002). With this service, amazon created an eco-system in the market and launched amazon associate program under wh ich it developed a partnership with customers and business associates. The primary goal of this program was to increase the customer base. Gradually with the addition to more and more products in the portfolio, the customer increased and it again changed its business model (Ritter and Andersen, 2014).There was a time when companys stock price were on high and this is not any flake, company has actually performed well during this time by mixing their innovation strategies. The company has worked on its core objectives. Institutional advantage- companies are well aware of what they need to do and what they are doing, service and product features with weaknesses and strength is well understood, what customers want and how it will be provided is also understood (Ritter and Andersen, 2014) Personal advantage- expertising in the current position is what every organization dream of. How you deal with the current scenario by taking new initiatives is how you are judged in todays world (Ritter and Andersen, 2014). Moving out of this familiarity is not easy and this is where the growth of the company is found.so it needs a lot of efforts moving outside of the world exploring new opportunities and work accordingly by taking new initiatives (Chua, 2011). Many organizations are not willing to do such things and this is where they are lacking behind. Amazon innovations by type If any company thinks that sustaining innovation doesnt work then amazon is the best example for them. Collaborative filtering option is the one wherein a customers search a product and some suggested products are displayed for example whenever a customer search any product then some other products also comes under tagline people who brought that also brought this (Chua, 2011). At some point in the history, this search engine was alone contributing 35% of revenue growth. Single click checkout- it is the innovation which was brought in by amazon. With a single click, a customer can complete its order and this is the significant improvement in the field of online retail stores (Chua, 2011). Drone delivery- it is a futuristic idea, delivering orders within 30 minutes and do not have face any hassle of traffic if this idea works then the company will for sure be the best among all(Spector, 2006). Prime- it is a way in which customer pay shipping for all orders at once, earlier they had to pay to ship for every single order but with prime company charge for one time and customers are free from paying to ship. It means expansion of new customers vs. new products and services but here the familiarity measure is less but meaningful. Kindle- it is amazons reading tablet, customers who are having kindle can easily access e books and download annotate passeges.kindle is contributing to 10% revenue of total sales. Affiliate marketing- it is now a very normal practice but amazon was the company who innovated this idea, though with this company was able to acquire new customers with existing offers (Jovi?evi? and Ivanovi?, 2014). Amazon fresh- it is a service of home delivery for groceries wherein all the perishable groceries are delivered to customers and along with new offers are also introduced. Amazons growth is increasing because the company is investing in transformative innovations along with its core objectives. The risk factor is much here because the company is moving beyond the familiarity and deals with its new competitors. The company offers cloud computing services to other companies with the help of amazon web services (Rossman, 2017). Amazon sets an example for other companies on how to deal with innovation portfolios. As per research it has been found that sustaining innovation is the key factor for growth and it is not easy for companies to do but amazon is the company among them who are doing this for ages and will continue to do so and this is the reason why they are growing their numbers and becoming a giant in the world of online retail (Jovi?evi? and Ivanovi?, 2014). Amazon always believes in taking risks and keeps on revising its portfolios according to the market requirements for example companys web service was a success but its fire phone was a failure, the company learned from this and completely changed its product portfolio. What matters is the right mix and it will vary as per the companys core objectives. The key to understanding all this is that why you are investing in innovations (Rossman, 2017) Conclusion Amazon is one of the best company among online retailers, it has planned various strategies in order to increase its sales, initially the company was only dealing with the books and opened many retails book shops and gradually they started offering many products like fashion, accessories, electronics. Amazon deals with four types of customers which includes sellers, enterprises, final consumers and content creators, so the company decided that Instead of delivering the products on its own company chose to outsource the products. Many sellers are connected with the company who are responsible for timely delivery of the products, warehouses have been opened at those places where the company have maximum customer coverage so that products can be delivered within the same day or maximum by next day. Companys supply chain network is very strong as soon the order is received it is ensured that it reaches on time and safely. All these strategies are helping company to build strong customer relation and are able to compete with its competitors. Company has formed a strong relationship marketing team who has built up an option in which whenever a customer makes any purchase then they are being asked to share their experience on social networking site.. This not only works as a tool for advertising but also helps in the improvisation of the product with the help of feedbacks they get from customers. Amazon as a company has faced many challenges and successfully dealt with them and finally managed to emerged as an online retail business giant. References Bernstein, D. (2015). Is Amazon Becoming the New Cool Software Company for Developers?.IEEE Cloud Computing, 2(1), pp.69-71. Bonomo, J. and Pasternak, A. (2005). Unlocking profitability in the complex company.Journal of Business Strategy, 26(3), pp.10-11. Cassidy, P. and Scott, L. (2002). Minimising costs of wind: Risk control and operation maintenance strategies.Refocus, 3(5), pp.34-37. Chua, A. (2011). How Web 2.0 supports customer relationship management in Amazon.International Journal of Electronic Customer Relationship Management, 5(3/4), p.288. CIE?LA, M. (2015). Outsourcing strategy selection for transportation services based on the Make or Buy decision.Transport Problems, 10(2), pp.91-98. Emblemsvg, J. (2006). From hindsight to foresight in strategic cost management.Handbook of Business Strategy, 7(1), pp.179-186. Jovi?evi?, R. and Ivanovi?, V. (2014). Relationship marketing as an effective strategy guidelines and a guarantee of success in the business of a modern company.Mest Journal, 2(1), pp.125-132. Ritter, T. and Andersen, H. (2014). A relationship strategy perspective on relationship portfolios: Linking customer profitability, commitment, and growth potential to relationship strategy.Industrial Marketing Management, 43(6), pp.1005-1011. Rossman, J. (2017). The Amazon Way: 14 Leadership Principles behind the Worlds Most Disruptive Company.SDMIMD Journal of Management, 8(1), p.95. Shelar, P. (2016). Operation Management Strategies Implemented in Manufacturing Companies: Review of Literature.We'Ken- International Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 1(3). Shen, W., Benyounes, H. and Gerbaud, V. (2015). Extractive distillation: recent advances in operation strategies.Reviews in Chemical Engineering, 31(1). Spector, T. (2006). Impacts of new ways of working.Building Research Information, 34(1), pp.75-77. Tadelis, S. (2002). Complexity, Flexibility, and the Make-or-Buy Decision.SSRN Electronic Journal. Teles, L. and Coutinho, L. (2011). Teacher Professional Development in the Amazon Region: Strategies to Create Successful Learning Communities.Online Learning, 15(3).

Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Contributors And Their Contributions To Modern Security Essays

The Contributors And Their Contributions To Modern Security The Contributors and their Contributions to Modern Security The need for security has been around since the beginning of recorded time. Many came together in an effort to protect themselves and their belongings, from such threats as animals, weather and other humans. This grouping also made it easier to find food and satisfy their need for socialization. They donned weapons, erected walls, built barriers, and made laws, in an attempt to shield themselves from danger and fear. Humans evolved, as did their types of security, weaponry and barriers. Often, rulers selected individuals to aid in the enforcement of laws, as well as provide security for the ruler himself. Many of those individuals were men chosen from the military, which were often ruthless, and dangerous. The Romans relied upon the military force of the legions. To place the military on a stable foundation and disperse the power that the legions held, Augustus, the Emperor of Rome, created The Praetorian Guard, a type of bodyguard police, The Urban Cohorts, which were comprised of soldiers with police and military duties. Also, The Vigiles, large groups of firefighter police. During the Middle Ages, the Serfs, working for Noblemen, who answered to the King, worked the land, provided arms and fought in the Kings wars. In exchange, the Serfs received food and security from the noblemen. Anglo-Saxons brought the idea of mutual responsibility for protection of individuals. Tithings, a Grouping of ten families, collectively assumed responsibility for maintaining law and order. The tithing system was later replaced with the Frankpledge system after the Norman Conquest. The Frankpledge system demanded that all free Englishman swear to keep the peace. The Magna Charta, challenged the feudal system during King Johns reign as his lords revolted and forced him to sign, giving all Englishmen due process of law. The Magna Charta is the basis for modern justice. The Statute of Westminster formalized the practice in criminal justice and apprehension of criminals. The watch and ward system required townsmen to patrol the cities during the night, while the constables patrolled during the day. Those who did not serve were placed in the stocks. The hue and cry system served as alarm for the citizens of the town or city. When a criminal resisted the watchman cried out and the people of the town came to his aid. Enforcement of the hue and cry was brought about by the assize of arms, which required every male between fifteen and sixty years of age to keep a weapon in the home as a harness to keep the peace. Many merchants were not satisfied with the quality of the protection provided them, therefore they hired private police. These private police guarded their businesses, investigated crimes, and recovered stolen property. Oliver Cromwell attempted to use his army as a police force as a means of crime prevention. There was no effective police mechanism between the people and his army. Therefore, the people resisted and the watch and ward system remained the primary crime control procedure until the industrial revolution. The Industrial Revolution of England brought about many changes. Famine hit the rural community, forcing many into the cities to find jobs at mills and factories. Crime intensified within the cities brought on by the countless poverty stricken people trying to survive. Furthermore, Political extremists triggered angry mobs, which caused riots. Because there was no organized police to handle riots, a magistrate ordered the Riot Act and called in the military. In London, 1748 Henry Fielding was made the Chief Magistrate of Bow Street. During this period of time there was no police force. He was known for his leniency in dealing with petty theft. He also wrote and published pamphlets about the poverty in London, and the causes of the rising crime. Fielding envisioned an idea that the people may join forces, go out into the streets, and stop crime before it had a chance to cause ruin. Fielding chose six men to form a volunteer force. These men swept clean the Bow Street area. Many were arrested, and the rest fled from the neighborhood. Even after Henry Fieldings death, his brother John carried on his ideas. The Bow Street volunteers

Monday, November 25, 2019

Why Do Government Agencies Become Involved In Tourism Tourism Essay Essays

Why Do Government Agencies Become Involved In Tourism Tourism Essay Essays Why Do Government Agencies Become Involved In Tourism Tourism Essay Essay Why Do Government Agencies Become Involved In Tourism Tourism Essay Essay What is touristry. Tourism can be defined in more than one manner. Conceptually, it refers to the thoughts and sentiments people hold which shape their determinations about traveling on trips, approximately where to travel, and what to make ( Leiper 1995 ) . Technically, it refers to the activities of the individuals going to and remaining in topographic points outside their usual environment for non more than one back-to-back twelvemonth for leisure, wellness, concern and other intents ( Leiper 1990, Pearce 1989 ) . From the sociological point of position, touristry besides refers to commercialized cordial reception, democratized travel, a modern assortment of the traditional pilgrims journey, and an look of basic cultural subjects ( Cohen 1984 ) . However, the most important signifier of touristry is its dealingss with the economic development of a state. In many states, touristry is an economic activity which consumes a big portion of its natural resources, generates gross of one million millions of dollars every twelvemonth and affecting 1000s of stakeholders and the general populace. As a consequence, it is one of the most of import duties of the authorities as to the planning, facilitating, organizing, monitoring and protecting of touristry of that state. The World Tourism Organization ( WTO ) has conducted an scrutiny on the engagement of the authoritiess in touristry. Harmonizing to Richardson A ; Fluker ( 2004 ) , a authorities has the duties of set uping the model of touristry, building substructure and communications ; advancing the tourer finishs to the visitants, supplying statute laws, ordinances and controls for touristry and the protecting the involvements of the stakeholders. As Accrcnza ( 1985 ) pointed out there are basic phases in touristry planning which required the engagement of the authorities. They are analysis of old touristry development, rating of the present place of touristry, preparation of touristry policy, definition of development scheme and amplification of an action programme. All these necessitate big sum of work force and resources which are impossible for private sectors to pull off. For case, in set uping the model of touristry, a working touristry system is identified which might impact authorities s determination on tourer s finishs. Two major major force, demand ( sellers ) and supply ( development ) , are to be considered in this regard. While the demand side is tourers who are traveling to the finishs, the supply side is related to the land and the geographic features of the finishs ( Gunn 1993 ) . In add-on, the supply side besides made up of five major constituents, the attractive force ; transit ; services ; information and publicity. The attractive force is the most powerful component as it helps to promote and increase the desire of the tourers to see the country. However, to develop the attractive force, it may besides affect the considerations of such external factors as the natural resources and the cultural resources. The natural resources provide the foundation for touristry development which preferred by tourer, such as H2O life ; vegetive screen ; wildlife ; topography, dirts, geology and clime, atmosphere. The Cultural resources are of import for attractive forces developed as historic ; cultural national, trade and related economic development. As a consequence it may necessitate the authorities to win the support of the community sing the development of these finishs as the community is a important factor on the operation of touristry. Its credence and willingness to back up touristry industries would greatly ease the long term development of the sites. Transportation system which enable tourer to go to different finishs ; and services and information such as stores, Bankss and eating houses ; are two other constituents of the supply side. As Gunn ( 1993 ) pointed out it was the duty of the authorities to make new and improve physical workss such as superstructure and substructure. Superstructure refers to the land and edifice developments used straight by travellers, such as hotels, eating houses and attractive forces. Infrastructure is applied to necessary support developments, such as roads, airdromes, H2O supply and fire protection. These public installations have to be provided by the authorities so as to advance the growing of touristry. In add-on, ( Gee, Dexrer A ; James 1984 ) physical development of touristry is made up a great diverseness for concern, authorities, and non-profit-making constituents, such as direct supplier, include transit, travel bureaus and eating house ; the support services which are tour organisers, direction ; and the developmental organisation include contrivers and authorities bureaus. Sing the publicity of the tourer industry which helps to increase tourer to see that country, authorities bureaus have an of import function as the booster in this industry. Ad in mass media and cyberspace is really of import in advancing and exciting travel to the finishs. Familiarization Tourss and travel shows can supply information and attract tourer to see that finish. Furthermore, if they are organized by the authorities, they will go promises with repute and will increase the Numberss of the visitants significantly. Tourism merchandise such as Parkss, historic sites or convention centres can increase the tourer flow, but these attractive force merchandises must be cognizant as a promised. If tourers discover the finish is non the same as its promise, it may impact the figure of tourer who willing to come to the finish ( Gunn 1993, Pearce 1989 ) . Therefore, direction of these touristry merchandises has to be carefully supervised and monitored. Management is to do establishments capable of bring forthing consequence ( Drucker 1998 ) . Harmonizing to Richardson A ; Fluker ( 2004 ) , the direction method which adopted by the WTO are the confer withing with assorted stakeholders through meetings with industry, consultative groups and the general public The purpose of these meetings is to discourse specific topics such as strategic planning ; issues on touristry industry such as publicities and ordinances ; puting up and support of specialised touristry bureaus which help to develop the touristry in dustry, and supplying installations and operations in order to supply money or installations for national or communities involvement. Furthermore the meetings are besides about making the appropriate financial, regulative and societal environment within private concern ; and judging between conflicting involvement on society which are concerned with the environment, diversion and wildlife resorts. As we can see, direction is besides related to the protection on finish s involvement. It is really of import in touristry industry. Decision-making through managerial perceptual experiences and the nonsubjective dimensions of touristry industry construction influence the natural environmental resources. The touristry resorts and its environment are necessary for endurance and growing. The strategic directors have the most duty to that environment. As a consequence, the planning procedure in tactical ( short-run ) and strategic ( long term ) has to be carefully considered and monitored as it can better the touristry industry public presentation and let an effectual response to a continually altering environment ( Knowles, Dianmantis A ; El-Mourhabi 2004 ) . All in all, the development of touristry of one state is closely related to the policies of that authorities. Harmonizing to Richardson A ; Fluker ( 2004 ) , policy is a class of action adopted and pursued by a authorities, expressed as a wide statement of general purpose which guides the actions of public retainers and others in transporting out the authorities s wants. In other words, merely the authorities has the power to command ( including by legislative assembly ) such an tremendous resources to develop scheme which matches the demand and supply factors such as an rating of tourer and market resources ; the visitant satisfaction ; environmental protection and equal wagess for developers and investors. In decision, the authorities plays an of import function in the touristry industry. Government bureaus have to supply statute laws, ordinances and controls for touristry in order to guarantee its touristry industry can prolong its degree and compete with other tourer finish. They have to set up a model which ensures its tactical and strategic in the attraction within the tourer finish in order to increase the sum of tourer trial. The protection of involvement is another of import factor of the finish country needed to be considered excessively. If the attraction of its finish diminution, it will impact the Numberss of tourers who are willing to see. As a consequence, to keep a stable attractive in tourer finish, a new finish may hold to be explored or unreal attract resources may be needed. Government bureaus have to be concerned with the credence in the society whether they welcome or in struggle with the tourer involvements. Government bureaus need to do a good balance between two of import factors. The publicity on tourer finishs helps its national economic and attractive force fight around the universe. Tourists who are attracted by the publicity will come to see alternatively of other topographic points, so that the national economic sciences will increase. However, if the finish does nt fit with what the authorities bureaus promote, the national repute may worsen. As a affair of fact, authorities bureaus play an of import function in the touristry industry as the contriver, coordinator, legislator and regulator, stimulator, booster and defender of the finish involvement.

Friday, November 22, 2019

African influence on Western Culture Essay Example for Free

African influence on Western Culture Essay ? Africa, a continent with a not so peaceful history, has always been mysterious and amazing, all at the same time. â€Å"Afri† was a Latin name used to refer to the Carthaginians who lived in Northern Africa from the 9th century B.C to the 7th century A.D when the last Punic culture was destroyed in the Arab conquest. Before I start recounting my general point of view on the topic above, I would like to share a brief opinion about multiculturalism. Some people refer to multiculturalism as a word that describes society where many different cultures live together in peace. But is it always like that? What about inherent racism and fear? Over the last few years, lots of people have been exploiting it in order to abuse other cultures and discriminate people who are different from them. In a normal world, they would be reprimanded and heavily fined. In most countries, that’s not the case and even the authorities do not care about them. On the other hand, all cultures deserve respect, including the African ones. Cultures have been developed over centuries to allow people to live together, reasonably and peacefully. Multiculturalism can mean a country accepting some practices it tends to object to, but it can also mean that a culture becomes exposed to other ways of living, which could have quite a bad impact on the other dwellers. In conclusion, we must learn that accepting people as they are is of great importance. It is important to respect each other, and one should know that living by moral standards is one irreplaceable thing. African influence on Western Culture. (2016, Nov 27).

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Innovation through the next generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Innovation through the next generation - Essay Example Initially their prices were not set or developed for the normal mobile phone user. Blackberry 8900 is still mainly targeted to the business class (BlackBerry Torch 9800 & 9810, 2011). The cell phone offers preloaded with the trial version of Microsoft Office and now provides the ability to edit, format and save the documents directly on mobile phone. The blackberry also focuses the elite business class with wireless connectivity option for faster, speedy paced Internet connections when the subscriber needs it the most. Blackberry has now been stimulated with the young generation capturing style and fashion. Along with multimedia, and camera, Blackberry has preloaded a series of applications and games such as facebook, twitter which is targeted directly to the youth and social networking groups. RIM has also offered a new software store namely Blackberry App World with thousands of applications that cater many kinds of audience. Impact of the Blackberry Billboard In the given photo, i t looks as if a dark side of a cell phone is displayed. This point is not understandable as why the theme of the advertisement of Blackberry is kept to be too much on the gloomy side. Reappearance and repetition of the work â€Å"Blackberry† poses a negative impact of dragging the potential customer on boredom and irritating side rather than programming and scripting the core features of Blackberry. â€Å"Blackberry app world† is advertised in a very small typeface size and at a top left corner where the possibility of being overlooked may arise. Viewer of this advertisement may not pay any attention to such an ignored piece of information (Mobile Phone Archive – Banana Kuwait Blog). Regardless of the age group, the overall theme of World of Innovation does not make any sense as the so called innovative features displayed in the advertise, are also offered by other cell phone manufacturers including Nokia, Apple etc. So what is innovative in this advertisement b illboard is just a matter of misleading the potential customer, as all the innovative features offered, are already in the knowledge of the potential customer. Since the younger generation is moving ahead of these upcoming features in the cellular phones, therefore by showing them facebook, twitter, gmail cannot attract them in a great deal. Whereas the elder class has distinct dispositions regarding the type of cell phones that they use. Elite business class prefer those cell phones which have the options of emails, documentations, spreadsheets and contact data bases etc, unfortunately, none of these features are marketed in this particular billboard advertisement. Rest of the elder class prefers to use simple, durable, reliable and economic cell phones but, yet here again, this Blackberry advertisement fails to fulfill their expectations. Impact of Colors in Blackberry Billboard Colors have a substantial emotional and psychological impact in advertising any brand or product. The p redominant colors used in the subject that I chose are strong and dark colors, comprising of black, navy blue and deep red colors. Deep and dark colors generally portray sentiments of power, evil, mystery and death. On the other hand, Black also gives a sentiment of elegancy, depth and feeling of perspective. According to Color Wheel Pro, black serves in gathering attention towards the advertisement. In my opinion, Black and other dark colors have been used in this advertise

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Research Proposal - Essay Example In essence, public policy has played a key part in addressing the issue of poverty (Lee 2006). Assessment of governments’ use of public policy in addressing the issue of poverty is a concern that needs to be articulated upon comprehensively since poverty has been widely known to carry luggage of other economic and social dev elopements. For example, studies have documented that if the issue of poverty can be solved, several other issues such as GDP can be partially be solved. In another dimension, study of how public policy can be used in eradicating poverty can be argued to possess great impact on identifying and raising issues that can help governments in making necessary measures that can help solve not only poverty issue but also other problems affecting the public (Chaturvedy 2005). In addition, in the process of investigating the phenomena at hand, it is apparent that different frameworks of how different governments have used in utilisation of public policy in addressin g public issues will be highlighted. This way, there will be a broader spectrum of how identified frameworks by successful governments can be applied by unsuccessful governments. In essence, the concern of the study will also try to interpret the differences that are recorded in different approaches of public policies in addressing public issues. 1.1 Research Questions Can public policy be used to solve the issue of poverty? In what ways can public policy be used to solve the issue of poverty? What are effects of failure to use public policy in solving the issue of poverty? 1.2 Objectives of the Study General objective To investigate if public policy can be used to solve the issue of poverty Specific objectives To assess ways in which public policy can be used to solve the issue of poverty To find out the effects of failure to use public policy to solve the issue of poverty 1.3 Conceptual Framework Independent variables Independent variable 2 Literature review Application of public policy in addressing public problems One of the apparent functions of public policy is the creation of legislations of social policies. In fact, as Lee 2006 asserted, the initial step in solving poverty issue is by putting social legislations in place. In this regard, the issue of public policy comes in. Nevertheless, focus on how an issue like poverty can be solved needs a clear articulation of several things. Basically, a government needs to conduct some research and evaluate the necessary steps to be taken in order to solve the problem. The below sections highlight some areas that governments can put public policy into action in order to curb the menace of poverty. 2.1 Creation of Labour Institutions One of the challenges of eradicating poverty is the issue of unemployment and poor employment conditions. Studies have indicated that countries with high unemployment rates experiences lower economic growth and are reported to have a higher level of poverty than counties with higher employment rates (Chaturvedy 2005). Poverty can be defined under

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The traditional meanings Essay Example for Free

The traditional meanings Essay Innovation is the identifiable tool of free enterprising—the undertaking that provides resources with a fresh ability to generate affluence. Peter Drucker The traditional meanings of innovation involves the process of introducing something new or something that is newly introduced (either an idea, method, or device) with tangible societal impact, according to The American Heritage Dictionary. In this definition, an innovation is not its technical description until a person effectively realizes the idea or a thing and creates profit on it. An innovation may be immense or minor. New-fangled or barely somewhat changed, it does not carry some weight. It can also be visibly intricate or apparently uncomplicated. Innovations are time and again assumed in terms of practical attainment; however, they can as well be outlines. The category, industry and manner of innovation are immaterial, yet its bearing establishes its aptitude. The existence of a whiz person can facilitate originality. The thing may have speedy outcome by having an individual who can observe critically and manage the things to take place in the future. On the other hand, innovation is above the creation of any genius individual such as Einstein. It entails carrying the design of a person or group of originators to expansive viewers. The opportunity of a lot of industries is reliant upon the capacity of the businesses to innovate. Since competition is intense, information unfolds rapidly. The power of a business enterprise to not merely sustain with its recent commerce systems but to surpass its particular prospects as well as its competitors are vital to its continued existence. Theories of Innovation There are several presumptions of innovation, namely breakthrough, incremental, disruptive, and transaction cost and network theory as some. There are cases asserting that innovations are required to be disrupting to meet the criteria of innovation. The change which occurs may represent both drastic and additional variations to items for consumption, schemes or services. The frequently implicit objective of innovation is to resolve a predicament. Others claim that any modification, on condition that it is quantifiable, becomes certified as innovation. Certain population would like innovations to be exposed and to be made accessible to each and every one as a way of defying even added development and inventiveness. Then again other people still think that new breakthroughs and channels have to be improved in confidence. The theory of breakthrough innovation is the one responsible for having pioneering ideas, products, or services. According to Nelson and Winter (1977, pp. 36-37), introducing a completely original creation or service rather than offering improved goods services along the similar lines as presently may incorporate risk. The vagueness of breakthrough innovations denotes that hardly ever do businesses accomplish their breakthrough aims this mode, nonetheless those periods that breakthrough innovation becomes successful, the compensation can be great. Incremental theory of innovation, on the other hand, concerns the revised form of ideas, products, or services. This innovation includes substantial adjustment or conversion in fundamental technologies and approaches, shaped by those functioning beyond typical production and out of presented paradigms. Every now and then, it is exceptionally difficult to create a distinction between breakthrough and incremental innovation, especially of ideas. Disruptive theory of innovation, then again will regularly have features that customary sections of consumers may not yearn for, at least at the start. Such advancements will come into view as bargain basement priced, more plain and even with substandard class if matched up to accessible ideas, goods, or services; although a quantity of subsidiary or new part will appreciate it. With the purpose of getting to the bottom of these troubles, establishments should construct a self-regulating commerce division whose dimension complements the surfacing market. This kind of innovation theory is somewhat a result of the aforementioned two theories. The occurrence of breakthrough and incremental innovations will mean better bounds of awareness, conceivably insistent of a fresh technique of considering the entire problem, almost certainly obtaining a much bigger threat than lots of individuals concerned are pleased about. There is repeatedly substantial hesitation in relation to forthcoming results. There may be significant disagreement to the suggestion and queries on the subject of moral principles, reasonableness or outlay of the application may be heaved. Communities may probe if this is or is not, an innovation of an idea, tool, or course. In the operation expenditure and net assumption point of view, innovation is an original building block instituted in the set of connections which alters the expenditure of dealings among components in the system.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

AIDS in Africa :: Research Papers Term Papers

AIDS in Africa I. Introduction In 1983, the first report indicating that wealthy Africans were seeking medical treatment for AIDS in Europe, was published in a medical journal. What the world did not know at that time, was that AIDS had been spreading rapidly through parts of central Africa for years. Furthermore, no one ever imagined that, by the end of the year 1997, an estimated 30.6 million persons in the world would be infected with HIV, the virus causing AIDS, with the majority of these people living in Africa (Feldman and Miller 14). The prospect of AIDS being responsible for over two million funerals in the year 1998 alone, was also something that no one had ever thought possible. However, the reality is that the HIV/AIDS situation in Africa has blown out of control, and the current epidemic as it exists there is far greater and more widespread than that of the rest of the world. Sub-Saharan Africa, which is the region of Africa hit hardest by the epidemic, is home to only one-tenth of the worldâ€⠄¢s population, yet reportedly accounts for 71 percent of the infected population, 79 percent of cumulative AIDS related deaths and 92 percent of the world’s AIDS orphans. At the end of 1999, 24.5 million adults and children were living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Also taking a toll, is the life expectancy rate of Africans, which has dropped from sixty-one to thirty-nine years in the past decade, and is estimated to shrink to thirty-one years by 2008 due to the AIDS epidemic. Although AIDS is just one of the problems presently facing Africa, it is a major concern that needs to be addressed, before entire cultures are wiped out. AIDS has already claimed more lives than the total of all wars, famines, floods and such deadly diseases as malaria on the African continent (Laino). Attempts to eliminate or at least alleviate AIDS in Africa, though, have not been easy or rather successful. For a variety of reasons, due mainly to the cultural and economic aspects of Afr ica, AIDS itself, and thus the treatment and prevention of it, on this continent is different from the situation in the US, or most other developing countries for that matter. Evidence of this can best be seen through the inability of the rest of the world to help deal with the problem of AIDS in Africa (as it is clear that a country as poor as Africa can not survive this fight on their own) which has allowed the problem to spiral out of control.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation Essay

Beech-Nuttagum’s roots go back to 1891, to the Mohawk Valley town of Canajoharie, New York. It was founded there by Walter H Lipe, his brother and 2 friends (see company web site for more specific info). as The Imperial Packing Company; its first product was Beech-Nuttagum ham based on an old Lipe family recipe. Ham and bacon were the company’s main products for its first seven years. The company was incorporated as the Beech-Nuttagum Packing Company in 1899. In 1900, the company’s sales were $200,000. Engineers from Beech-Nut patented the first vacuum jar with a design that included a gasket and top that became a standard of the industry and could remain intact in transit. During the first 25 years of the 20th century, the company expanded its product line into peanut butter, jam, pork and beans, ketchup, chili sauce, mustard, spaghetti, macaroni, marmalade, caramel, fruit drops, mints, chewing gum, and coffee. [edit] Timeline * 1891, founded as The Imperial Packing Company. * 1931, Life Savers Limited acquired Beech-Nut. * 1968, Beech Nut-Life Savers merged with Squibb (part of the Olin Corporation) to form the Squibb Beech-Nut Corporation. * 1973, part of the company, selling only baby food, was sold to a group led by lawyer Frank C. Nicholas. * 1977, Beech-Nut Food Corporation became the first baby food company to have an entire product line without added salt. * 1979 Nicolas sold the company to Nestlà ©. * 1987, Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation paid $2.2 million, then the largest fine issued, for violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by selling artificially flavored sugar water as apple juice. John F. Lavery, the company’s vice president for operations was convicted in criminal court and sentenced to a year and a day in jail; Niels L. Hoyvald, the president of the company, also convicted, served six months of community service. Each of them also paid a $100,000 fine.[1] * 1989 Ralston Purina acquired Beech-Nut from Nestlà ©. * 1997, all Beech-Nut products now free of added refined sugar. * 1998, Milnot Holding Corporation, one of the portfolio of companies owned by the private equity investment firm Madison Dearborn Partners, acquired Beech-Nut from Ralcorp Holdings (a spin-off of Ralston Purina). * 2002, Beech-Nut became the first baby food manufacturer to produce a line of baby food with DHA and ARA, two essential fatty acids found naturally in breast milk. * 2005, Madison Dearborn sold Milnot, and Beech-Nut along with it, to the Swiss branded consumer-goods firm Hero Group.[1] * 2007, Beech-Nut announced its intentions to move all of its manufacturing and corporate operations to Florida, New York by fall 2009.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Components of Supply Chain Management (SCM) Essay

The main elements of a supply chain include purchasing, operations, distribution, and integration. The supply chain begins with purchasing. Purchasing managers or buyers are typically responsible for determining which products their company will sell, sourcing product suppliers and vendors, and procuring products from vendors at prices and terms that meets profitability goals. Supply chain operations focus on demand planning, forecasting, and inventory management. Forecasts estimate customer demand for a particular product during a specific period of time based on historical data, external drivers such as upcoming sales and promotions, and any changes in trends or competition. Using demand planning to develop accurate forecasts is critical to effective inventory management. Forecasts are compared to inventory levels to ensure that distribution centers have enough, but not too much, inventory to supply stores with a sufficient amount of product to meet demand. This allows companies to reduce inventory carrying costs while still meeting customer needs. Moving the product from warehouses or manufacturing plants to stores and ultimately to customers is the distribution function of the supply chain. Supply chain integration refers to the practice of developing a collaborative workflow among all departments and components involved in the supply chain to maximize efficiencies and build a lean supply chain. 2 Walmart’s Method of Managing the Supply Chain Walmart has been able to assume market leadership position primarily due to its efficient integration of suppliers, manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution to stores. Its supply chain strategy has four key components: vendor partnerships, cross docking and distribution management, technology, and integration. Walmart’s supply chain begins with strategic sourcing to find products at the best price from suppliers who are in a position to  ensure they can meet demand. Walmart establishes strategic partnerships with most of their vendors, offering them the potential for long-term and high volume purchases in exchange for the lowest possible prices. Suppliers then ship product to Walmart’s distribution centers where the product is cross docked and then delivered to Walmart stores. Cross docking, distribution management, and transportation management keep inventory and transportation costs down, reducing transportation time and eliminating inefficiencies. Technology plays a key role in Walmart’s supply chain, serving as the foundation of their supply chain. Walmart has the largest information technology infrastructure of any private company in the world. Its state-of-the-art technology and network design allow Walmart to accurately forecast demand, track and predict inventory levels, create highly efficient transportation routes, and manage customer relationships and service response logistics. 3 Benefits of Efficient Supply Chain Management Wal-Mart’s supply chain management strategy has provided the company with several sustainable competitive advantages, including lower product costs, reduced inventory carrying costs, improved in-store variety and selection, and highly competitive pricing for the consumer. This strategy has helped Walmart become a dominant force in a competitive global market. As technology evolves, Walmart continues to focus on innovative processes and systems to improve its supply chain and achieve greater efficiency. How to Manage the Bullwhip Effect on Your Supply Chain The goal of any supply chain is to get the right selection of goods and services to customers in the most efficient way possible. To meet this goal, each link along the supply chain must not only function as efficiently as possible; it must also coordinate and integrate with links both upstream and downstream in the chain. The keystone for a lean supply chain is accuracy in  demand planning. Unforeseen spikes in demand or overestimations of demand stimulate the supply end of the chain to respond with changes in production. Production and supply issues then impact the consumer end of the supply chain and the effects ripple up and down the chain. This is often referred to as the bullwhip effect. 1 What Causes the Bullwhip Effect? Supply chain management is a complex process. There are several issues that can lead to the bullwhip effect and those issues can be exacerbated by delays in transmitting information, and a lack of coordination up and down the supply chain. Some causes of the bullwhip effect include: Consumer demand swings Natural disasters that disrupt the flow of goods and services Overcompensation when addressing inventory issues Ordering processes, such as order batching, can also contribute to thebullwhip effect. Organizations may accumulate larger orders before processing them in an effort to reduce costs and create transportation economics. They may also wait to place larger orders to benefit from lower prices offered during a promotion. Demand forecasting manipulation is another cause. By padding the forecast to compensate for possible errors, the organization loses sight of true customer demand. Customers can also contribute to the bullwhip effect by engaging in shortage gaming during periods of short supply by purchasing more than they need. Additionally, customers taking advantage of liberal return policies can create problems with developing accurate demand forecasts. 2 How to Minimize the Bullwhip Effect The first step in minimizing the bullwhip effect is to understand what drives customer demand planning and inventory consumption. Lack of demand visibility can be addressed by providing all key players in the supply chain  with access to point of sale (POS) data. Suppliers and customers must then work collaboratively to improve both the quality and frequency of information communication throughout the supply chain. They may also choose to share information through an arrangement such as vendor-managed inventory (VMI). Eliminating practices that introduce spikes in demand, such as order batching, can also help. The higher order cost associated with smaller or more frequent orders can be offset with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and computer aided ordering (CAO). Pricing strategies and policies can also help reduce the bullwhip effect. Eliminating incentives that cause customers to delay orders, such as volume transportation discounts, and addressing the causes of order cancellations or reductions can help create smoother ordering patterns. Offering products at stable and fair prices can prevent buying surges triggered by temporary promotional discounts. Special purchase contracts can be implemented to encourage ordering at regular intervals to better synchronize delivery and purchase. 3 Adopting Supply Chain Management Best Practices Using sound chain management processes and systems will result in the efficient flow of goods from a raw stage to the consumer while enhancing ROI for the company. Reviewing case studies and other resources detailing best practices can suggest opportunities for improvement. Adopting successful practices such as Walmart’s use of cross docking, or Dell’s process of bypassing the middle man by offering made-to-order computers directly to customers, can contribute to a lean supply chain and minimize the bullwhip effect. Reducing the bullwhip effect requires a thorough evaluation of organizational policies, measurements, systems, and practices. Based on the positive implications an efficient supply chain can have on costs, sales, profits and customer satisfaction, it’s an undertaking well worth the investment and effort.