Distribution channel management

Distribution channel management CHAPTER 1: Introduction This chapter will introduce the topic, specify the key aim and objectives of the dissertation, discuss the research approach and state the dissertation outline. The key aim of this chapter is to establish the foundation for the research topic by giving out basic information. Introduction The research is about study of distribution channel management at Dell Computers, UK. The dissertation is more practical in nature, studying the Distribution Channels of Dell, both at a strategic and an operational level. I would be analysing the business function on its efficiency and effectiveness, comparing with the other industry performers. I would mostly be comparing the function against Sony Electronics, the most respected name in multi-channel distribution network; Acer, pioneer of value computing products and proprietary brands like Advent. Dell Inc. is a multibillion dollar, multinational technology firm that manufactures, develops, sells and supports personal computing and computer related products. Dell has seen a rapid growth to become one of the top three vendors in the PC manufacturing industry, and has seen a substantial increase in share price and market value. While many other companies were unable to handle the demands of the competition, Dell has proved successful in such an environment. The main key to success to Dell has been its two innovative practices that is direct sales and build-to-order business model. This model is simple as a concept but highly complex to execute, especially in the present conditions of rapid growth and change. Dell has continually renewed and extended its business model while striking a balance between control and edibility. Dell made changes in its design, manufacturing, procurement, and logistics processes to reduce the costs, and to speed up the entire distribution system. It has expanded into International markets and it started making notebook and server product lines which has led to extraordinary profits for dell, and has given a great market value for the company. Dell has reached sales of $18.2 billion by the year 1998, with a profit of $1.46 billion, and Dells market share in the PC market grew from 3% in 1995 to 9.2% in the year 1999 with stock price increasing by 40 times. Dells market capitalization has reached $100 billion. Research aim and Questions The primary purpose of my research work is to analyse the role distribution channels play in the functioning of a business, both in the long run and in the short run. My study is to present a detailed description of the unique distribution channel adopted by Dell Inc., analyse its efficiency and effectiveness, identify possible loopholes and put forth recommendations for development. My study is being undertaken with an aim to answer the following research questions: How are the various distribution channels organised within Dell Inc.? How does it compare with its competitors? How effective and efficient is this channel management at Dell? What can be done to make it better? The four research questions are the guiding blocks of my entire research and all of the work would be keeping them in view. Distribution Channels within Dell: I would be looking at Dells innovative distribution channel management which has literally revolutionised the importance of Direct Marketing in the consumer electronics space. Direct marketing is still the primary distribution mechanism within Dell. I would be documenting the evolution of this concept within Dell right from its customized sales regime during PCs Limited to the complex and sophisticated systems that it employs currently. I would be presenting a visual of the entire distribution network that it stands at today. Comparison with its competitors: I would be comparing the dynamic distribution systems of its arch rivals. Sony, Acer, Advent and HP Compaq are the brands that I would be concentrating upon. I would be looking at the strategies adopted in different economies, though my primary concentration would be on the English markets. Efficiency and Effectiveness: I would be conducting an efficiency and effectiveness test of Dells powerful distribution network against its competitors. This would be an empirical study. I would be concentrating on the parameters of Customer Satisfaction and Vendor relationship management. Recommendations: Finally, I would be putting forth recommendations for future developments along with the cost benefit analysis of such implementations. Research approach The study is conducted by collecting secondary data and primary data. Secondary data is collected from books, journals, government websites, company documents whereas primary data is collected by means of survey questionnaire distributed among channel partners and the end customers. Participants of research would be intermediaries in the distribution network and the end customer. In order to select the participants the study has made use of stratified random sampling method in order to make sure that major demographic segments are represented while selecting the samples (Rao Skinner, 1996). Questionnaire design consists of two parts. The first part contained the demographic information while the second part dwelled on each of the subjects perception on each variable using five point likert scales from 1 (Strongly Agree) to 5(Strongly Disagree). The study did not require any assistance from a third party or any other institution. In order to collect data the study made use of web portal survey to distribute survey and get responses. The system was designed in such a way that the respondent have to submit all the answers. Out of 60 questionnaires, responses for 50 surveys were obtained. The duration for the survey was kept as two weeks, a reminder mail was being sent to the respondents at the end of week one to remind them. Importance of the study Organizations have been undergoing strategic changes over the past decade. More so in the past couple of years. The current recession has proved that risk management and strategic planning are most vital for an organizations long lasting and self-sustaining performance. My work will strive to highlight one such areas of strategic thinking and inform the senior management about the benefits involved. Research Scope My work would primarily be concentrated on the UK market. Though Dell is a global corporation with intermediaries present across the globe, all working towards forming an effective value chain to maximize business potential and ensure efficiency in operations; UK being the second biggest market after the US will be a general approximation of the entire organizational behaviour. Furthermore, the cosmopolitan nature of London and demographic diversity ensures that it would be a close estimate of the general population. Limitation of Research I intend to undertake my research as comprehensively as possible. As in any research work, inherent are some unavoidable drawbacks in my study. Few of them are: Financial and Time Constraints: As outlined before, the scope of my work is limited to the English market. Financial and time constraints of my semester mean that Im not able to conduct a global research that would be more apt in this case. Personal bias. Most of my work is conducted through a personal observation method; as such it is prone to my personal bias. However as the person who is to do the entire research right from formulation of research questions to recommending solutions, I would be most qualified to comment on the topic. Information Constraints. Distribution channel model is a sensitive piece of company information. Though I have secured access to Dell, wherein I could do all the data mining myself, the extent of information that I would be able to muster about the rivals model is still to be seen. Dissertation outline The structure of the dissertation is as follows Chapter 1: Chapter 1 encompass introduction to the topic, followed by brief background into the research topic. This beginning chapter also lays bare aims and objectives of the research followed by structure of the thesis. Apart from that this chapter also gives information on the research approach adopted and the limitations of the research. Chapter 2: The literature review section of the dissertation explores the definition of distribution, channel, and distribution channel and distribution channel management. Apart from that the section also examines the activities and the levels of distribution channel. The latter half of the section focuses on the distribution strategy adopted by Dell, Sony and Acer. The final section compares the distribution strategy by all the three players. Chapter 3: The thesis then moves on to methodology section wherein the research model, research framework and data collection methodology is discussed. Questionnaire method is used to collect the necessary data from the consumer. Chapter 4: This chapter explores data findings Chapter 5: This chapter presents the conclusion. Chapter 6: This includes references using Harvard referencing style Chapter 7: This includes the Appendix Summary The chapter introduced the topic of the dissertation, specified the key aims and objectives of the research. Discussed the research approach in form of secondary and primary data collection through the means of questionnaire and clearly stated the limitations of the research in brief. The chapter also outlines the research structure specifying the contents of each chapter. Chapter 2: Literature Review During my research, I would primarily be looking towards the concepts of Distribution Channel and its management. I would be guided by the various contributions in the field, though my work would primarily be influenced by the theories and suggestions of Philip Kotler in the area. A Professor of Business Studies at the Kelloggs Business School, Kotler is often regarded as the Father of Modern Marketing. My work also coincides with various other management thinking like Consumer Behaviour, Relationship Management, Marketing Mix and Optimization, among others. Definition Distribution Kotler (1996) states that distribution is a key element in the marketing mix (place amongst the 4Ps). It is the systems and practices in use which make a product or service available to the consumer of such a product or service. Channel Channel is defined as a set of interdependent organizations involved in the process of making a product or service available for consumption or use (Gorchels, West, Marien, 2004). It can also encompass physical movement, warehousing, ownership of the product, presale transaction, post-sale activities; order processing, credit and collections; and other different types of support activities (Gorchels, West, Marien, 2004). Distribution Channel The Distribution Channel is the chain of intermediaries, each of them passing on the product or service to another intermediary until it reaches the consumer. The business dictionary defines it as The route by which a product or service is moved from a producer or supplier to customers. A distribution channel usually consists of a chain of intermediaries, including wholesalers, retailers, and distributors, that is designed to transport goods from the point of production to the point of consumption in the most efficient way (Dictionary, 2010) Another definition of Distribution channel states A group of independent and interdependent organizations involved in the sale and movement of goods and services to the end users may be called a distribution channel or network (Gorchels, West, Marien, 2004). More specifically, a distribution channel is: The transfer of goods from manufacturer to the end user. Route of a company for distributing the goods. The process of moving goods from the manufacturer to the consumer. A supply chain consisting of all parties in between production to the end user. Types of channel members The activities in the distribution channel can be carried out by the marketer himself or it can be carried out by specialist organizations. The specialist organizations and the channel members can be categorized into two types. Resellers Specialty Service Firms. Resellers are the companies which usually buy and take the ownership of the products from the manufacturer with the intention of selling to end consumers. An organization can have one or more than one reseller in the chain. The network or chain of resellers is known as reseller network. The resellers can be further classified into: Retailers: A retailer sells the product directly to the end customer. Wholesalers: Wholesalers buy the products from manufacturer or other wholesalers and then they sell the products to the retailers. Industrial Distributors: They are the ones who sell products from one business to other, they are suppliers who buy the goods and sell it to another firm. Specialty service firms are organizations that do not take the ownership of the products. They also provide additional services along with the products. Specialty firms can be: Agents and brokers: They are the firms which bring together the suppliers and buyers and mediate the sale and they charge a fee for this kind of service. Distribution service firms: They provide services which help with the movement of goods in the distribution channels like transportation, processing and storage of goods and products. Others: They are the firms which provide other services to the channels in distribution like insurance, routing assistance etc. The distribution channels consist of many parties among which each of them is trying to meet their objectives. Relationships between channel members should be strong with each others especially on which they are depending for the further distribution of product. Levels The arrangement of the distribution channels can be classified into two types: Independent channel arrangements. Dependent channel arrangements. Independent channel arrangements: In this type of arrangement the channel members negotiate deals with others which do not result in the binding of the relationships. Channel members are free to make arrangements which they feel is in their own and best interest. An individual member decides what is best for them and not the entire channel. This is also called conventional distribution arrangement and often significant conflict as each member decides what is best for him and not in concern with the entire channel There are four levels of distribution channels. Channel 1 is called the direct marketing channel which is the distribution of products or services from the manufacturer to the customer. The best example for this channel is Dell which does not makes use of any intermediaries to distribute its products to end customers; there are no retailers, agents or wholesalers. The channel does not have any intermediaries. This type of channel helps to eradicate the excess cost and also helps to have good control over the quality and marketing. The other three channels fall in the category of indirect marketing channels. The second channel has one intermediary, if the market is a consumer market the one intermediary is basically a retailer. Electronic consumer goods market of UK is an example of second type of channel arrangement. In this type of distribution arrangement the companies sell good to large retail chains, example would be Sony, Canon, and HP selling their electronic goods to large retail chains such as Dixons. These retailers in return sell the goods to the end customer. The role of the wholesale in this channel is to buy the products at bulk from the manufacturer and then sell the same to retailer in smaller quantities. This model works best for retailers on small scale and not for big chains such as Dixons. This type of distribution channel is best when there are large number of small retailers and not big companies. Example in this case would be the medical drugs distribution market in the UK. The fourth channel has added level to it in the form of agents who work as intermediary between manufacturer and wholesaler. The agent acts as representative for both the sides. This works in textile market. A direct distribution channel is where a company sells their products direct to consumers. While direct channels were not popular many years ago, the Internet has greatly increased the use of direct channels. Additionally, companies needing to cut costs may use direct channels to avoid middlemen mark-ups on their products. Distributors, wholesalers and retailers are the primary indirect channels a company may use when selling their products in the marketplace. Companies choose the indirect channel best suited for their product to obtain the best market share; it also allows them to focus on producing their goods. Though, in practicality, a number of other players exist, they can be generalised to the above. The specific channel of distribution adopted by a company depends, to a major extent, on its business model, the industry type and the scale of its operations. As an Instance, Sony has its own set of company operated exclusive showrooms. The strong brand equity of Sony, the scale of its business and clearly identifiable product differentiations that it enjoys with the consumers, allow it to leverage on its economies of scale and scope by operating its own outlets. Directly, this result in better margins for the company and indirectly it helps building on its already demanding brand leadership. Dell, on the other hand, relies more on online sales. This is because of the organization of its service delivery utility. Dells business model is based upon its centralised manufacturing facilities, rather than the nuclear organization at Sony. Online sales suits such a strategy by negating the high costs of transportation and inventory planning issues involved. A manufacturer selling a physical product might require three channels: Sales Channel, Delivery Channel, and Service Channel. In Our case, Dell uses telephone and internet as sales channels, express mail services as the delivery channel and local repair people as its service channel. Distribution Channel Activities Distribution includes different range of activities (Richard Gay, 2007) Linking many suppliers to provide wide range of consumer choice Assist the exchange process identify the needs of the buyer in the context of product categories, quantities, range etc. and devise manufacturing, inventory and packaging schedules to fit. Marketing information: This encompass collection, distribution and analysing marketing research information such as the past sales data about the players within the organizations marketing environment. Promotional activities- This involves setting of promotional objectives and activating the various elements of the marketing communications mix and measuring their effectiveness, this will encompass identify and communicate with prospects. Pricing: Deciding on the sales terms and conditions at each stage of the value chain Risk management This includes analysis and resource sourcing required for involvement in the channel , the degree of control and influence and the potential benefits such as revenue and profit generation. Physical Distribution Management It includes the transportation all aspects of warehousing management and information flows. Other Activities that may be part of the distribution channels are as follows: Order Generation. Handling of Goods. Shipping of Goods. Storage of Goods. Display of Goods. Promotion of Goods. Sale. Feedback. Distribution Channel Management Distribution Channel Management is all about getting the product or service to the right people at the right time under the constraints of profits, efficiency and effectiveness. Successful marketing does not end when a business has developed a product or service and has found its appropriate target audience with a view to selling it at the right price. The next issue that needs to be faced is how they are going to distribute and sell this product/service to these people- the consumers. When a product/service is purchased by a consumer, it may have been bought directly from the business, or it may have been through a number of intermediaries (wholesaler, retailer, etc.): these are known as distribution channels. Small businesses need to acknowledge the different types of distribution channels to utilize sales potential. Distribution channel management involves a lot of channel decisions, strategic alternatives and numerous linking concepts, all of which would be explored in my research paper. Distribution channel management involves a lot of channel decisions, strategic alternatives and numerous linking concepts. The PC industry is driven by rapid technological improvements in components, particularly microprocessors, other semiconductors, and storage devices. The improved performance of hardware has been matched historically by increased complexity of software, creating demand for the latest hardware. This means that time is a critical competitive factor in the industry in two ways: Firstly, excess inventory loses value (at an estimated 10% per month 😉 and costs money; Secondly, products incorporating the most advanced technologies are in high demand and carry a price premium. As a result, companies that minimize inventory and bring new products to market faster can reduce costs, increase market share, and maintain higher margins. Two factors come into play in determining the ability of PC companies to manage inventory and introduce new products. First is the standardized, modular nature of the PC. PCs are built from standard components, using common architectural interfaces determined largely by Intel, Microsoft, and, earlier, IBM. PC makers also can outsource much of their production and purchase components from a well-established production network of contract manufacturers and components suppliers. This makes it quite easy for PC companies to introduce new PCs with the most advanced technologies. By the 1990s, PC makers could no longer gain much of an edge by virtue of design and manufacturing, as everyone had access to the same technical information and supply base. The difference among PC companies was determined increasingly by the second factor-the structure of distribution. The traditional distribution system of the PC industry is an indirect model often referred to as the channel. The PC maker sells its products to distributors, who buy products from many manufacturers and then sell them to a variety of retailers, resellers, system integrators, and others, who sell products and services to the final customer. This distribution system was an effective means for distributing high volumes of PCs with a variety of configurations to reach a broad customer base. However, it had inherent weaknesses that left it vulnerable in a time-based competitive environment. First was its reliance on market forecasting to drive production. Even the most successful PC makers, such as IBM, Apple, and Compaq, were chronically bedevilled by their inability to accurately forecast demand in a market driven by ever shorter product cycles. They were either caught with short supplies of hot products, causing them to lose sales to competitors, or stuck with excess inventories of slow sellers, which clogged the distribution channels and often had to be sold at a loss to move them out. Even with the best forecasting, the indirect model was plagued by the need to hold inventory at each step. In the early 1990s, it was common for PC makers to have up to 90 days of inventory on hand and in the channel. The high inventory costs and lack of responsiveness of the indirect channel meant that there was an opportunity for someone who could a way to circumvent the channel. The company that seized this opportunity was Dell, which pioneered a new business model based on selling PCs directly to the final customer, and building the PC only when an order was received Selling directly removes two links in the supply chain where inventory could build up and also enables Dell to know its final customers, provide better service to them, and promote repeat or expanded sales to them. Build-to-order production allows Dell to introduce new technologies as soon as customers want them and makes it possible to adjust production to demand very quickly. It also means that Dell does not purchase components and assemble PCs until it has received payment from the customer, giving the company a negative cash conversion cycle in which it receives payment from customers before it must pay suppliers. The current environment for the computer hardware industry is shaped by several macro forces. Primarily, Dell and its competitors are influenced by economic, demographic, technological and national forces. Government, social, physical and national forces peripherally affect the computer hardware industry to varying degrees. The commoditization of the personal computer-a vital tool for business and consumer. Customers- are a key driver for the economics of this industry. Corporate spending accounts for 80% of all technology spending, and economic conditions decreasing business capital expenditures has a negative and direct impact on the computer hardware industry. While this industry is mature in the U.S., leading to decreased growth expectations, computer spending by other countries around the world will likely fill this void. Pricing in the computer manufacturing industry is extremely competitive. IT reflects the rapid pace of technological change and decreasing PC costs. Since 2000, the prices of chips and disk drives declined and the standardization of primary components of PCs led to a decline in PC prices. Direct sellers, including Dell, have traditionally been able to under-price indirect sellers in the industry including Compaq and HP. However, most PC vendors now offer a desktop model for less than $500 and a laptop for $700. Key success factors for companies in this industry continue to evolve as the industry matures. Specifically, they include: Competitive prices Superior relationships with suppliers Product customization for business and consumer customers Quality customer service Excellent cost structure Channel Issues Some of the channels issues that the companies face are as follows Product related issues Promotions related issue Pricing related issues Target market related issue Product related issues: The nature and type of the product decides the distribution option that should be chosen for the product. A few products require special handling. Ex. Flowers, Fragile goods etc. Promotion related issues: The type of promotions that are required to sell the products to the customers also decides the distribution options; there are products which require an extensive contact of the sales person with the customer like automobiles etc. and there are products which require no sales assistance from the sales person like milk etc. Pricing issues: The price at which the marketer desires to sell their product also decides the distribution option for the channel if a product is prices really less it cannot have many members in the distribution channel as each one of them looks at making their own profit in the channel. Target market issues: The distribution channel is successful only if the product can reach the right customer. Choosing a distribution channel is the path to reach the target customer. A key decision in setting of a channel arrangement is for the marketer to choose the approach to reach his target customer in the best possible manner. Dell Company Background Dell Inc. is a multibillion dollar, multinational technology firm that manufactures, develops, sells and supports personal computing and computer related products. Based out of Texas, it employs over 75,000 people globally and is amongst the biggest players in the personal computing space. With revenues crossing 60 billion dollars in 2009, it is a Fortune 500 listing. Dell is a brainchild of Michael Dell, when he was a student at the University of Texas. PCs limited was started by him with a meagre capital of $1,000. The company produced its first computer in 1985, the Turbo PC sold for $1,000. Powered by an Intel 8088 compatible processor running at 8 MHz, it was the start of the most successful story in the modern computing space. Pcs Limited offered these machines in a variety of specifications, customised to each order amongst a pre-defined choice sets. Though not the first company to use this model, it was the pioneer to succeed using it. In its first year of trading, the compan y grossed over $ 70 million. In 1988, the company was renamed as Dell Computer Corporation. In 1987, the company expand overseas with a fully functional service and assembly centre in Ireland. Within the next few months, the count reached eleven. In June 1998, Dell became public with a 50 million dollar Initial Public Offering, one of the biggest in its times. In 1990, Dell test marketed a multi-channel retail distribution strategy with little success and was forced to return back to its direct marketing channel. In 1992, Dell featured in the Fortune 500 list for the first time. In 1992, it started on line sales, by offering its products, initially through its own website and later on through various partners and compare websites. In 2002, Dell expanded its product line by foraying into the consumer electronics segment. It also started manufacturing computer accessories with the launch of the dell branded home and office printers. In 2003, the company was named Dell Inc. so as to parallel its brand name with the variety of product offerings that it started. In 2005, Dell saw its international sales exceeding its domestic ones for the first name. The company was now a truly global performer, featuring in the top 5 power brands, both in the emerging markets as well as the developed economies (Dell Inc., 2006). Organizational Structure Dell Corporations organizational structure is a functional, decentralized structure. The company encourages different departments and functional components to contribute ideas to enhance the strength of the organization. The hierarchical structure provides defines the various functions provided by D

Operations Management for Market Leadership

Operations Management for Market Leadership Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1: Overview Operations management is deemed to be an integral part of the day-to-day business process and services delivery of organizations irrespective of the industry in which they are operating as argued by Slack et al (2005)[1]. This makes it clear that the effective use of the resources and technology in order to ensure prompt delivery of the promised services to the customers is not only elemental for the sustainability of the business but also the core deliverable that can be achieved only through effective operations management (Slack et al, 2006[2]). Tourism in the global market has seen tremendous growth with the increase in the affordability and the demand for new destinations in the market from all levels of the market (Yu, 1997[3]). The increase in the level of package tours and the number of holidaymakers visiting places abroad since the dawn of the twenty-first century justifies the aforementioned (Dempsey and Gesell, 2007[4]). It is further evident from the arguments of Dempsey and Gesell (2007) that the increase in the tourism industry is mainly influenced by the level of affordability and convenience provided through flight services across the globe mainly in the form of economy flights. This makes it clear that effective operations management in the tourism industry especially in the airways business segment of the industry is a key element that has a direct impact on the tourism industry in a given geographical location (Barnes, 2007[5]). The growth of economy and low fare flight services to a variety of destinations across the European Union and across the Atlantic further makes it clear that a airline operator cannot achieve market leadership through pricing strategies but only through distinguishing itself from others through quality of service offered. In this report a critical analysis on the use of effective operations management practises to achieve competitive advantage through improving business operations at British Airways Plc is presented t o the reader. 1.2 Aim and Objectives Aim – The aim of this report is to present a critical analysis on the use of operations management concepts to achieve sustainable market leadership and growth at British Airways in the Tourism Industry. Objectives The above aim is accomplished through focusing the report on the following research objectives To present a literature review on the key concepts associated with the operations management in the tourism industry focusing on the airlines business. To present a company profile on British Airways and the company’s operations management. To present a discussion on the areas of development for British Airways and the implementation of the Operations Management concepts presented in the literature review. 1.3: Research Scope and Methodology The scope of the research is restricted to the airlines business segment of the tourism industry as opposed to the airways operations as a industry in itself. This is due to the fact that the case of former involves the operations management from a quality of service perspective whilst the latter also involves the industry standards and regulatory aspects of the business. The research methodology is qualitative in nature as the application of the operations management concepts at British Airways to actually test its viability and the results of the implementation requires higher level of commitment from the company which is unavailable for this academic research. The research hence uses secondary research resources to deliver the research on the chosen topic. 1.4 Chapter Overview Chapter 1 – Introduction This is the current chapter that presents the research aim and objectives alongside a brief introduction on the nature of the research being conducted. Chapter 2 – Literature Review This chapter presents the key concepts of Operations management and their role in the tourism industry focusing on the airlines business segment. The purpose of this chapter is to present an insight on the Operations Management concepts at a theoretical level prior to conducting the company profile of British Airways in chapter 3. Chapter 3 – Case Study This chapter commences with a company profile on British Airways (BA) Plc followed by a detailed analysis of its business operations and the current operations management strategies deployed. The aim of this chapter to present a critical analysis on the issues faced by the operator in the UK and the global market in terms of effective operations management to deliver quality service to its customers. Chapter 4 – Discussion This chapter presents a discussion on the theories and the research presented in the chapters 2 and 3. The discussion presented aims to justify whether the theory discussed in the literature review can be accomplished in case of BA. This chapter also aims to present a discussion on the benefits that can be realised through the implementation of the operations management concepts as part of the BA business operations’ management. Chapter 5 – Conclusion and Recommendation This chapter presents a review of the objectives initially to assess the relevance of the research conducted in relation to the set objectives. This is followed by the conclusions drawn on the research and recommendations for both the intended audience and for further research. Chapter 2 – Literature Review 2.1: Introduction Operations management in the tourism industry is a major aspect that is not only integral to the business of the organizations in the industry but also the core element that dictates the mere existence of the competing organization (Barnes, 2007). This is naturally because of the fact that the operations management forms majority of the service management strategies of any organizations (Barnes, 2007). The prompt and effective delivery of the services promised to the customers is deemed to be the key for achieving competitive advantage in the tourism industry as well as t he hospitality industry as a whole (Fenn, 2008[6]). This makes it clear that the operations management in the strategies of the organizations in the tourism industry where travel by both the holiday makers and professionals are fused together, is critical for successful delivery of the products and services. Unlike retail/wholesale manufacturing industries, operations management in the tourism industry does not have a physical product for delivery through the use of logistics mechanisms but actually depends on the logistics and transportation strategies for customising the products and services to the intended customer (Fenn, 2008). This is naturally because of the fact that the tourism industry is integral to the transportation and logistics management for both the travellers/tourists and baggage handling as argued by Baxter (2007)[7]. This makes it clear that the operations management in the tourism industry mainly in the air-travel business segment is dependant on the application of the logistics and transportation management concepts from a services delivery perspective as opposed to merely delivering the products using a Just-in-Time or similar delivery strategy (Fenn, 2008). Core concepts of Operations management Clark and Johnston (2005)[8] argue that the overall operations management in a given organization predominantly revolve around the following core concepts Product and Service Management Quality Management Inventory Management Logistics and Transportation Management Facilities Management Configuration Management These are discussed in the subsequent sections of this chapter in the light of operations management in the airlines industry. 2.2: Product and Service Management The product and service management in the world of operations management is mainly concerned with the configuration and delivery of the services post purchase by the customer (Wild et al, 2005). This makes it clear that the product management in the case of operations management is the actual process of defining the timelines associated, costs and the service level agreements associated for the delivery of the product as an operations’ service to the customers by a given business organization. For instance, in a online retail scenario where the delivery of the goods purchased by the customers over the Internet is delivered using a logistics service provider by the retailer, the service level agreement of the retailer with the supplier must ensure that the guarantee to the customer is achievable under typical operational conditions of the business (Baxter, 2007). In case of the airline industry the major aspect associated with the delivery of the aforementioned products/services is that the product sold is in itself is realised as a service rendered to the buyer/customer. This makes it clear that the effective management of the operations by the airline operator is critical to ensure that the services purchased by the customers are delivered effectively. For example, a ticket or package tour purchased by a customer as a product is also the service experienced by the customer during the course of the journey. This further makes it evident that the operations management is not merely prompt delivery of the product but actually its appropriate planning and implementation in case of the airline operations in the tourism industry. The product and services management in the operations management of any organization involves three major aspects as discussed below: Definition – The definition of the product or service intended to sell to the customer is the first and most critical element associated with the product and service management as argued by Slack et al (2006)[9]. The product definition in the tourism industry involves the definition of the scope of the product and its intended value addition for the customer or the buyer as argued by Fenn (2008). The product definition also involves the process of ensuring that the requirements of the customers are met with by the service provider in case of the tourism industry. This is because of the fact that the services offered are measured by the customer who directly experiences them as part of the delivery of the product or service as argued by Fenn (2008). This first-hand response element of the customer feedback and their perception associated with the tourism industry is the major element that attributes to the need for a stable product definition. The airline operations in particular is one of the business segments where the first-hand response of the customer is not only part of the services offered but also in terms of the delivery of the service and associated tasks like the baggage handling, check-in and in-flight services including food and beverages offered as argued by Baxter (2006)[10]. Yet another element associated with the operations management in the airline industry as part of the product definition is the extent to which the service provider is prompt in the delivery of the services defined as part of the product. In case of the airline industry this is a critical aspect owing to the fact that the tourists and other travellers using the airline service depend entirely on the effectiveness of the operator in handling the safety and security of the passengers as well as their belongings in terms of checked-in baggage, hand baggage etc. As the traveller on holiday using the airline service to reach the destination will require his/her checked-in baggage in order to continue with their vacation without hindrance, the aforementioned justifies the need for a stable product definition. Another critical aspect associated with the product definition in the tourism industry is the need to ensure that the customer requirements are not only catered for but also to ensure that the services delivered as part of the business process is managed effectively at the operational level as argued by Baxter (2007). As mentioned before the case of tourism industry in general mainly involves the customer experiencing the services delivered first-hand. In other words the operations management in the tourism industry is not a behind-the-screen process but performed in front of the customer itself (Baxter, 2007). Design – The design phase of the product or service involved in the airline industry of the tourism business is a key aspect that involves a variety of long-term, short-term and day-to-day operational decisions as argued by Clark and Johnston (2005). The design phase of the product or the service is deemed as the actual planning involved with the scoping and delivery of the product or service defined at the product definition. In the case of airline operations business, the key elements that influence the design include from long-terms aspects like infrastructure, location, facilities up to day-to-day operational activities like the provision of food and facilities in-flight as well as the handling of baggage at the airport terminals both at departure and arrival ends of the journey as argued by Baxter (2007). The long-term decisions in the operations management of the airline operations involve Location – The location of the airport and the associated infrastructure to ensure the flight handling on a day-to-day basis without affecting the domestic life of the general public is the critical element associated with the product design for the airline operators on a long-term basis. This is evident from the case of many airlines managing the infrastructure and operations of the international airports of key destinations. Lufthansa’s role in managing the Frankfurt Airport in Germany, the management of Dubai International Airport by Emirates and responsibility of managing key international airports in the UK by British Airways including London Heathrow airport are classical examples for the aforementioned. Infrastructure – The infrastructure associated with the setting-up and the continuous maintenance of the airport is the second long-term element that influences the effectiveness of the tourism operations management by any airline operator in a given location. The infrastructure maintenance includes the installation of the security, baggage handling, staffing and mainly the handling of flight take-off and landing at airport terminals to ensure the smooth transfer of passengers from or into the aircraft as applicable (Dempsey and Gesell, 2007). Apart from the aforementioned, the key long-term element associated with the product design is the ability to improve and accommodate to changes in the external business environment in order to cater for the demands from the customers (or travellers) in the target market. The increase in the prominence of cheap flight services for the trans-Atlantic and European Union destinations for tourism is an example that justifies the aforementioned. With the increase in cheap flight services, the density of air-travellers in the western nations to various foreign destinations for vacation has increased tremendously (Baxter, 2007). This increase in the passenger density through airports which is also due to the growth in the affordability and the rising economic growth across the globe as a result of out-sourcing is one of the key long-term elements that influenced the construction of Terminal 5 at the London Heathrow airport. The opening of the Terminal 5 at the Heathrow airport has provided the British Airways flight operator the opportunity to utilise the infrastructure to consolidate the operations of all BA flights (long and short-haul) from a single Terminal at the Heathrow airport thus establishing the company’s brand identity effectively in the UK and global commercial aviation market. Delivery – The delivery of the services in the airline operations industry is the final and the most critical element in the case of the product and service management as argued by Slack et al (2006). Apart from the fact that the customer experiences the operations management strategy first-hand as part of the journey travelled, the delivery element also accompanies the services and facilities offered to the customers as part of the operations and their ability to meet the customer requirements (Slack et al, 2005). Footnotes [1] Slack, N.; Chambers, C.; and Johnston, A.B.R (2005), Operations Process Management: Principles and Practice for Strategic Impact, Prentice Hall [2] Slack et al (2006), Operations Management, Prentice Hall Ltd [3] Yu, G (1997), Operations Research in the Airline Industry (International Series in Operations Research Management Science), Kluwer Academic Publishers [4] Dempsey and Gesell (2007), Airline Management: Strategies for the 21st Century – 2nd Edition, Coast Aire Pubns [5] Barnes (2007), Operations Management, Cengage Learning [6] Fenn, D (2008), Travel Tourism Market – Market Review 2008, Key Note Ltd [7] Baxter, J. (2007), Travel Tourism Market – Market Review 2007, Key Note Ltd [8] Clark, G; and Johnston, R (2005), Service Operations Management: Improving Service Delivery, Prentice Hall [9] Slack, N.; Chambers, C.; and Johnston, R.; (2006), Operations Management, Prentice Hall [10] Baxter, J. (2006), Travel and Tourism Market – Market Review 2006, Key Note Ltd

The Cloning Debate Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

The Cloning Debate Not so far in the future, a young boy of the age of six, dying a heart-wrenching death, will only be able survive with a bone marrow transplant.   His parents will have searched near and far for a match, but none will come to their aid.   The only possible way that they can produce a perfect match for their son's bone marrow is to clone their son.   Unfortunately, at this time this topic is still being discussed and debated upon with the government.   Their only child that has been their treasure for six years might die.   A clone of their son becomes their apple of aspiration to keep the treasure from being buried. With a scenario as presented above, cloning might seem like the answer to hundreds of lives taken at the expense of uncontrollable forces.   But is there another side to the story?   Isn't there always?   Professor Kevin Williams of Georgetown University is still depicting the ambiguity of this topic when he states, "Like Adam and Eve, we want to be God, to be in control.   The question is, what are the limits?" (U.S. News World Report).   Making an identical copy of another human being is a rather drastic move, a move that in most people's eyes can only be carried through by God.   Some deem that cloning would put us in the shoes of God.   They believe that instead of God creating life, we would.   Some professors beg to differ, like David Fletcher of Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL who argues, "It is still only God who creates life." Perhaps cloning is not the answer and our society should leave reproduction up to the natural ways.   But then one must ask themselves the question of 'why not'.   Is there some horrible outcome that will back fire due to the aberrant ways of creating a child?   Is bring... ...volunteers, would we misuse it like Green thinks?   Are we capturing the phenomenon or is it destined to engross us? Sources Cited Coghlan, Andy.   "Reprogram Your   Body."   www.newscientist.com/nsplus/insight/clone/reprogram.html (16 April 2001). Decker, Christine.   "OSU Ethics Specialist To Provide National Report On Religion, Cloning."   www.orst.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/1997/March97/courtclone.htm  Ã‚   (17 April 2001). Green, Ronald M.   "I, Clone."   www.sciam.com/1999/0999bionic/0999green.html   (17 April 2001). Herbert, Wray.   "The World After Cloning."   www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/970310/10clon/htm   (16 April 2001). Vere, Steven.   "The Case for Cloning Humans."   www.best.com/~vere/cloning/htm  Ã‚   (17 April 2001). Wachbroit, Robert.   "Genetic Encores: The Ethics of Human Cloning." www.puaf.umd.edu/IPPP/Fall97Report/cloning/htm   (17 April 2001).

Letters Home :: Creative Writing Essays

Letters Home The vid screen is dark and ominous, as if it holds secrets that is not for the likes of men to know. John Poldeck, a middle aged, balding man of forty-eight steps forward toward screen and console to activate the beast, this oracle of silicon, plastic, and glass. Today John is hoping for word of his son Kirk, of whom nothing had been heard of since he left for UNDF Marine Corps training at Camp Lejune, South Carolina, a beacon for the phony tough and crazy brave looking for ill conceived adventure and glory. At least that was John’s opinion on the matter. As a mid level market analyst for the transnational ABSCOM John was used to battles fought with market shares, balance sheets, and stock options. For the forty years since the birth of the revamped United Nations war and the conductors of war, the military, had been a dying business. John could still remember the eager look on Kirk’s face when his son had uttered words like, duty, honor, patriotism, words which seemed as alien to John as the worlds the UN exploratory fleet claimed to have found. â€Å"For Christ’s sake John will you turn on the damn console? What the hell is wrong with you today?† John glanced at June, his wife of twenty years and counting. Her dark skinned face was a sharp contrast to his pale complexion, and anger, tinged with concern for her son, clouded and darkened her visage even more. He looked at his wife without comprehension. â€Å"What?† June sighed, and then in a kinder tone, â€Å"The console John. I know you’ve been angry ever since Kirk left for the Marines, hell you’ve been mad ever since he first brought up enlisting. A fool’s errand you called it. Perhaps you’re right. All I know is that he might have sent us a letter today.† A fool’s errand. I remember when I said that John thought. That had been a nasty episode, one of many that had occurred during one of the endless fights he had had with Kirk over this business of enlisting. Try how he might he could never convince his son that business was where the opportunities were. Kirk had then coldly informed his father of his contempt for the Transnationals that now ran everything on Earth, including the UN, and his contempt for anybody connected to them.

School Lunch

Dear Mr. I have coming to this school since 7th grade and has seen no progress at all, with the lunch. I’m sorry for saying this but this food is NASTY! It seems like its been frozen for 300 years, then cooked. Seriously, are you guys trying to kill us? Since we’re not use to this cooking, we’re not eating it as much. So try thinking of adding a couple of new foods while you read this letter. Some students at EMS has financial issues that they are dealing with at home. As a result no student would be buying school lunch. Also they may have not gotten accepted to have free lunch like I do.Another reason is the student may think the lunch the lunch look or taste disgusting. So you would expect the student to not even bother with the school lunch. Others say that the reason why they don’t eat the lunch is they’re not hungry once lunch time comes. Either it was because they ate a big breakfast or they just don’t eat as much. Now think about it wh en they eat breakfast its probably around 7:00 or 7:30. That’s 5 hours until the next meal is offered to them, if they can do that then they must be a superhero or something.Another huge problem is that the nutritional part about the food. I don’t know if you have heard about this statistic. In order to have as many chicken, beef, and pork. Chemical labs clone the meat in order for us to have as much as we do now. Basically when we are eating meats at school that is cloned. The chemicals may have all different types of unhealthy stuff in it. That makes it taste like the real thing. Now who would like to eat chemicals? Not me, because I thought chemicals were dangerous for you.Alright this topic is something I can relate to, because of being a certain amount of pounds overweight. And the way these ladies cook that pizza has death written all over it. Only because it s just so greasy, usually some of us we take a napkin and wipe the grease of the pizza. And when weâ€⠄¢re done the whole napkin is damp with grease. As a result of that is being diagnose with diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Living with a person that’s a diabetic and has high blood pressure and high cholesterol also.Cannot be fun because, you have to watch what you eat or else you will go into a diabetic coma. I’ve witnessed a person in a diabetic coma and it is scary because they just drop whatever they’re doing and fall. For the students that likes more of a variety to their meals. You could add a salad bar, fruit bar, alternate lunches, different types of the same food. So they wouldn’t have to just choose one thing and move on. Who wants to do that every single day NOBODY! Then the thing that we hate is that we have the same lunch choice almost every tow weeks in a row.Come on we are children we like to try new things not just the same old things. Another solution is that you can bring some of the kids background culture to the lun ch. But not no lasagna or Italian chicken feast because of some kids having Italian ancestors. Also to could just bring foods from around the world to just let us experience the world just by eating lunch at a middle school. At the beginning of the paragraph I was talking about adding a salad bar. Me personally I love salad to death. I mostly eat a salad with all of my meals that I eat. But sometimes it doesn’t happen.To me its just nothing but a blend of vegetables with some salad dressing. You could also serve different fruits because I know that many people eat fruit and loves it. Or you could just hand out surveys to see what we like to eat the most or the least. So it just wouldn’t be just this one big hassle, for only one choice of meal. As a result of you reading this letter. I hope you had at least a thought about making changes to the school lunch menu. If you do that, then I guarantee you that these changes will have students ‘wanting’ to go to l unch, with a smile on their faces. To EAT!

American Popular Culture – Essay

American Popular Culture Leonel Gutierrez SOC/ 105 folk 11, 2012 Gregory Shr bug out American Popular Culture Our communities be built on a ground whose husbandry we build. Through our acculturation, we define who we ar as individuals and how our societies deflect our communities. American favorite refinement has a great order on our personal decisions and is a precise important aspect of our life entitle. Through telly, magazines, newspapers, medicinal drug, sports and illimitable other sources, we learn a culture that create who we argon and what we decide. One sort to judge this seeming dilemma is to speak out of culture in an anthropological aesthesis, as the perspicuous charges, artifacts, institutions, customs, and values of a item well-disposed group (Petracca, 2007). Undoubtedly, we every last(predicate) practice variant ways to assume a culture. Through generations, we learn the diametric aspects that entertain up who we are. As children some us lea rn how to play sports and implement that into our daytime-to-day habits. Kicking a ball becomes stop of daily routine and soccer becomes sectionalisation of who we are and what we share with that fellowship.Perhaps going to perform is part of our social normality. The qualities learned by attending that community helps us adjudge our values as a person, develop who we are. Culture is much more than dear a practice, its an illustration of who we are, where we run to. Whether its part of a soccer club whose reputation we hold dear and work daily to win for, or a religion whose practices and laws we follow to stigma up our values and feel our awareness of purpose. Popular culture encompasses the intimately quick and contemporary elements in our liveselements which are frequently subject to rapid changes in a highly technological creation in which race are brought imminent and close-hauled by the ubiquitous weed media (Petracca, 2007). American universal culture co nsist of the antithetic customs, communities and values that straighten out up the different trends that exist through the mass of the population, impelled through the media. When we refer to what is popular among Americans, we cook to involve the medias knead.The common popular culture results from television, music, sports and many another(prenominal) other significant media determined operates. Television has one of the braggygest influences that create what is popular among people. Through commercials, in many cases with popular athletes, the media sends messages to the general public, which directly influence from each one person individually. An athlete, uniform Derrick Rose inebriation a popular beverage like Gatorade or Eli and Peyton Manning representing Direct TV as their choice of interlocking, has a direct influence on what we drink or what network we chose to what Television with.People see their favorite athletes representing these different brands and tak ing part in commercials and capture decisions based on that message by the media. Another popular trend in todays American popular culture is our fashion influence. Kim Kardashian is a double fashion influence in this day in age and has captured the hearts of many young women. Without a doubt, shes a role model for todays fashion sense in our female youth. Many females need to dress in the same clothes, style their hair the same way, fix their make-up to reflect what she does.Kim Kardashian has become an icon whose media influence has developed habits worldwide. Women have adopted her style, sometimes even her values and show in todays female youth. In addition, music is indeed another big influence among the popular culture. Rick Ross provide tell you that hes a Boss and show off his thousand-dollar jewelry, throw cars and million dollar homes. After the gifted camera lights turn off and the move bass amplifying through the speakers dies out, were leftfield with the messag e brought behind the music. How many people can afford all these sensible things? Only a selected few I would say.Although this is the case, you see many people out there buying expensive cars on credit, maxing out their paychecks to maybe try to be a Boss while all their saving seize to exist. Although we may not put much thought into the decisions we make on a daily basis, American popular culture directly influences what we chose to be part of our lives. What we see on televisions, show in newspapers, hear through the music we listen to, directly reflect the medias influence towards every person individually. Whether its the television network we chose, the music we listen to or the clothes we chose to wear, we are a fruit of those nfluences and are the make up of our community and social normality. References Petracca, (2007) stated, One way to resolve this seeming dilemma is to think of culture in an anthropological sense, as the distinct practices, artifacts, institutions, customs, and values of a particular social group (p2). Petracca, (2007) stated, Popular culture encompasses the most immediate and contemporary elements in our liveselements which are often subject to rapid changes in a highly technological world in which people are brought closer and closer by the ubiquitous mass media (p2).

Privacy on Social Networks

Network Sites (SNS) be websites that eachow users to upload randomness to a overt compose, bring on a list of online fri residuums, and browse the profiles of a nonher(prenominal) users of the SNS. The websites beget membership rules and community standards. Users disclose identity-relevant randomness via their profile to some others. This information is denotive, directly referring to a person, or attri thative, describing attributes to the data subject. Although or so laws and regulations restrict the introduction to referential information, attributive information is not protected as much(prenominal).However, the aggregation of large amounts of attributive information on SNS profiles poses new secrecy jeopardizes, disclose identity-relevant information via their profile to others. Also, the privacy options in friendly networking sites do not work discover in the way they ar supposed to do. Keep your closed-door life snobbish What does brotherly network do? I n objective life, you create a circle of your friends. But what about(predicate)(predicate) their friends? And the friends of the friends of your friends? You can get to know people from liter onlyy whatever part of the world.That wets you are deal information with them. And that also means you are share-out a lot of information that you dont want to share Information spreads faster through a goionate Network Site than through a certain? life network. Information might be bring out to a group of people unexpectedly, because the digital information is easily copied, can be stored indefinitely and is searchable. It in particular harms users when information travels through different social spheres, and ends up with people whom it was not intended for.People have been fired, missed out on job interviews and schoolman opportunities, and been suspended from school for instant messages, w exclusively posts and other messages they mistakenly thought were like confidential r eally world conversations with friends. Do not post eachthing in social networks that you wont want to shout out in public. You can send private emails for that, but never social networks. companionable network is a regulate where you never know whom you are sharing private information with unless you yourself created the network So be careful, confirmation safe Applications and external links on social networking sitesHave you ever used the practical applications of facebook, myspace or any other social networking sites? Did you read the policies of that site about those applications? In most cases, the crippleds or applications owners have access to almost all of your information that you furnishd in your social networking account. Moreover, they may also use them for commercial purposes. nearly of these applications may offer you to participate in a survey to build credits or virtual money. You might, for example, earn some quick Farmville cash by answering a brief surve y. Sounds a lot pause than using your credit card, right?But youre credibly safer breaking out your wallet. TechCruch cites one instance in which players could win currency if they filled out such a survey. At the end of the survey, they would be asked to provide their phone number so that they can suck up a PIN via text to get the results. erstwhile theyve entered that PIN into the site, theyre subscribed to a horoscope service for $9. 99 per monthsomething they wont know unless they diligently read all the fine print. Ouch. The victims could immediately try to cancel the subscription, of course, but they could still end up being charged. unwished charges arent the only thing players are susceptible to Social networking games pull out you a target for viruses and hackers as well. You bequeath find a couple of threads in Zyngas community forums in which moderators warn users against accepting any gifts or invitations within a certain game on Facebook. (They didnt specify exactl y what would happen if users real these buggy gifts or requests ) Some seasons users also yell that a bug in the game wiped out all of their game progress. That can be somewhat devastating for someone who has dedicated lots of time and money to it.Laws to minimize privacy threats Not all threats for privacy in Social Network Sites come about and damage users in the same way. A risk analysis approach is needed to incorpo wander these insecurities into the analysis. The experts set multiple threats for users of Social Network Sites. When these threats materialize, they become incidents that affect a certain amount of people. However, not all of these incidents damage users in the same way. The damage incurred depends on the type of threat and the perception of the user.Laws are order at preventing the threats from materializing. More specifically, American tort laws create means for people to find compensations against the remediation they incurred. Experts rate to what extent the tort laws denotation the threats for privacy and resulting damages they identified. The ratings of the various tort laws are depicted in illustration below. In 1986, Congress passed the Stored Communications act as part of the Electronic Communications covert Act to address privacy issues attendant to the advent of the internet.Through the SCA, Congress intended to restrict revelation of private communication theory by providers of electronic communications services. However, when Congress passed the SCA, the internet was in its infancy. The few networks forthcoming to consumers, such as Prodigy and America Online, were self-contained, and most people had never heard of the term e-mail, let alone utilized the limited form of electronic messaging that existed at the time. The World Wide sack up did not yet exist, and it would be nearly a decade before the introduction of the web browser in the mid-1990s.Do you think the social networking sites house by laws? Just because they are public and big-game websites, doesnt mean their policies are always convenient for you. The Privacy Policies of popular social networking sites were found contradictory to the Canadian privacy law. In July 2009, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada issued a report on an in-depth investigation triggered by a complaint from the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic.Third-party application developers Deactivation of accounts Personal information of non-users Accounts of deceased users Uses of user information Facebook did agree to change their privacy policies to distract being banned or may be sued by Canadian government. But did that really make any difference? The Privacy Commissioner herself expressed dissatisfaction with the result. plot Facebook took some steps to resolve privacy concerns, the Commissioner remained dissatisfy by Facebooks response at the end of the investigation.She was particularly concerned about the risks posed by the over-sharing of personal information with third-party developers of Facebook applications such as games and quizzes. Source give-and-take release from Privacy Commission of Canada Ottawa, August 27, 2009 Facebook agrees to address Privacy Commissioners concerns As having access to other peoples private information is getting easier, laws can do a very little to protect us. We, ourselves have to be aware of where our information is going and who can have access to it.