Grill Rite Case Study Essay

There are five issues that are relevant.†¨The president’s stance on steady output conflicts with seasonal demand. However, it is unlikely that this will change. The main problem is inventory management. One advantage of having a single, centralized warehouse is the lower need for safety stock due to the canceling effect of random variability in orders from the various regions. Conversely, with separate warehouses, each warehouse needs a relatively larger safety stock to guard against variations in demand. This would enable the centralized warehouse to see what the regional warehouses are stocking and also review their historical demand patterns and future customer forecasts. The fact that the regional warehouses have increased their order size but customer service has not improved reflects that the â€Å"wrong† inventory items are very likely being ordered. Relevant costs would include transaction costs, transportation costs, versus the potential increase in profit by making up a shortage. Other issues include the following: ISSUE ONE: One alternative might be to identify a complementary product that would offset seasonal demand for electric grills. ISSUE TWO: What is needed is overall control of the system that would take into account seasonal variations in demand and achieve a better match between regional demand and supply. This might involve making or improving regional forecasts. In any case, improved system visibility is essential: direct access to regional warehouse data by the main warehouse is needed in order to be able to coordinate and set priorities on inventory shipments to regional warehouses. ISSUE THREE: It is also necessary to examine the feasibility of shipping from one warehouse to another when a shortage occurs. ISSUE FOUR: Develop a policy regarding shipments from the main warehouse (to end user customers versus regional warehouses). ISSUE FIVE: Invest in software (distribution resource planning [DRP]) which would provide desired visibility and also enable the main warehouse manager to â€Å"push† inventory where it is needed versus regional warehouse managers â€Å"pulling† inventory where they believe they need inventory, which may not be correct.

Bus303 Final Paper

Human Resources Management Reflective Paper BUS 303 Human Resource Management Reflective Paper In analyzing the concepts discussed in Human Resource Management, I have found an interesting mix of education and forethought into the role of a human resource manager. Many of the aspect of human resource management such as HR planning, recruitment and selection, as well as, human resources development and labor relations all play a significant role in the success of any organization.There are many benefits to the learning that has taken place in this course that has helped me better understand HRM and its roll that will shape not only my position in business now but for future positions in the years to come. The primary function of human resource management is to increase the effectiveness and contribution of employees in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. For a human resource department to function correctly its many functions need to work together and it all starts with human resource planning.All businesses have a human resource planning process. Many times upper management teams work with human resource experts when it comes to human resource decisions. These HR decisions help to shape the overall strategic plan of an organization. Human Resource departments function at their best when they are viewed within an organization as a partner with upper management that will aid with the planning and administration of human resource decisions. The HR head is a centerpiece to the decision making process.HR managers often times evaluate the availability of talent, employee behavior and analyze current skills that are needed within the organization. Human resource planning is â€Å"the ongoing process of systematic planning to achieve optimum use of an organization's most valuable asset – its human resources. † (http://www. investopedia. com) The main goal of human resource planning is to make sure there is a functional and working conne ction between employees and the jobs in which they do. There has to be a balanced pproached for human resource managers because there is a fine line trying to avoid deficiencies and surpluses of labor within the organization. For HR managers the balance is kept by analyzing current labor demand verses future labor demand and balancing the supply and demand between the two. Often times HR planning has to be flexible so that organizations can adapt and keep up with the changing business environments in the markets in which they serve. Human resource planning is an ongoing task that must look at the long term and short-term goals of an organization.Without the flexibility and the ability to adapt to a changing business environment, organizations could be left behind in the competitive marketplace. Planning needs to take into account many factors such as recruiting, training, outsourcing, employee development, job analysis and others just to name a few. Ultimately, it is human resources responsibility to make sure that the organization has the right people in the right place in order to successfully navigate the organization to fulfill its strategic plan. When it comes to HR planning there are six specific factors for the HR planning process.They are environmental scanning, labor market analysis and forecast, internal analysis and forecast, gap analysis, developing HR plans and strategies, and HR strategy implementation and assessment. â€Å"HR planning and organizational strategic planning should not be treated as separate activities: they must have a mutual relationship for their integration to be valuable. Similarly, HR planning should be guided by organizational goals and strategies and should inform each and every one of those processes; the various HRM processes can then be conducted effectively. (Youssef, C. 2012) I believe that the HR planning process is the absolute most important part of an HR management team’s work. The reason is that there is s o much that goes into the planning that shapes the overall strategic plan of an organization. The many other factors that HR deals with are important, yet without an overall plan and vision, the overall long-term goals of the organization could not be reached in an efficient manner. For example, I had worked at a small local company that had started up about a year prior to my arrival.At the time that I had started it was ran by a husband and wife both of which did not have any HR experience. They had goals on what they wanted to do both long term and short term yet the organization was unable to reach many of those goals primarily because of the lack of an HR professional. In order to recruit new people the owners relied on referrals from other business owners in the area and ads that were posted in the local newspaper. They had no online presence and they were not able to keep up with the competition for qualified candidates.They were losing quality potential employees to their co mpetition because of a lack of planning and non-flexibility. After about a year of continuous struggles, they brought in an HR consultant that brought many good ideas and the owners fortunately embraced many of them. They had decided to recruit and bring on board a professional HR manager with many years of experience that helped the owners in an area that was one of their weaknesses, HR management. The new HR manager brought plenty of changes to the processes within the organization while keeping in mind the overall long-term goals of the owners.Many of the changes were to the recruitment process. She did things such as adding an â€Å"apply now† link on the company’s website and got the organization more of an online presence in on-line job boards within the area. Along with that, the interview process was more formal with the changes that she made. More of the work was done electronically such as applications, and resume submitting. The owners of the company also in vested with an organization that provided services for companies to give personality and aptitude assessments so that they could better understand a potential employee.Of course, this all happened over time and the organization became better at understanding what type of labor force they needed. This is exactly why the planning process is so important. It helps to organize and execute the overall strategic plan of an organization and that is the exact reason that HR exists, to increase the effectiveness and contribution of employees in the attainment of organizational goals and objectives. Culture, it comes down to organizational and employee behavior and HRM plays the biggest role. â€Å"There is no one omnipotent culture.What works this year may not work in the next†. (www. sjsu. edu) The culture of an organization is not automatic. It takes time and hard work for an organization to build and cultivate its own identity and culture within the workplace. Many times HR manager s forget the importance they have in shaping the culture of an organization. I have seen it before in companies in which I have worked. For instance, the organization that I currently work for had sort of a laid-back culture one in which it was ok for sales people to work in business casual clothes such as slacks and a polo shirt.A couple of years ago the CEO was replaced and when the new CEO came in, change came to the culture. No longer, was the sales team allowed to wear business casual, it was professional dress only and it made a big difference in the professionalism with the organization. It also made a difference with new hires and made the biggest impact with our customers. This is just one example of the how the culture changed within my organization but the important thing to note was that the new CEO led this change by example as he did with everything else.He would only wear suits and ties and never did we see him or any other person on the management team in business ca sual. It was just one-step but a very important one in changing the culture of the organization. The best way for HRM to shape organizational and employee behavior is to lead by example. There are other control methods to make sure individual employee behavior is kept in check, such as utilizing a corporate code of conduct that must be signed and followed by all of the employees.For this to work, an organization must have meaningful penalties when the code of conduct is violated, and it must make sure that those policies are enforced and that enforcement is structured and consistent. Overall, HR managers need to lead by example to create or maintain a positive culture within their workplace. It is critical that all managers are aware of their roles and responsibilities in upholding positive workplace environments that can increase employee satisfaction and it all starts with HRM. In conclusion, HRM plays one of the biggest and most important roles in the success or failure of an org anization.Without the right planning and having the right people in the right place, it is very hard for an organization to meet the overall goals in which they have set out to succeed. Looking at the learning that has taken place in this course, it has opened my eyes to the importance of a competent and structured HR department. The course has helped me to look at past experiences and better appreciate the HR directors that I have worked with in the past and it has helped me better understand HRM and its roll that will shape not only my osition in business now but for future positions in the years to come. References Youssef, C. (2012). Human resource management. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education http://www. investopedia. com/terms/h/human-resource-planning. asp#axzz2LJdsjswT (Retrieved from World Wide Web, February 16, 2013) http://www. sjsu. edu/people/phyllis. connolly/courses/c17/s1/kane_umanageroleorgcul200(Retrieved from the World Wide Web, February 18, 2013

Home Sweet Home

Woof. Woof woof. The consistent barking of my neighbor’s dog awakens me. I look outside the window only to realize its just 5 o’clock in the morning. Four hours before I need to get ready to head out with my family for a Sunday outing. â€Å"No use hitting the pillow now. I won’t be able to sleep anyhow. †, I tell myself. Having no clue how to spend these 5 hours, I start walking around my house. My room, with its orange hues, is the brightest one of all the rooms. Be it summer, winter or monsoon, the room is always airy with plenty of light.Passing by my parents’ room, I feel a sense of warmth. The beige and cascade green always make me feel warm inside. I make myself a cup of hot coffee and head towards our balcony, which faces the beautiful, lush green lawns next to the slope of the nearby hill. I take a deep breath, inhaling the beautiful aroma of the wet soil. The chirps and trills and cuckoos of the birds draw my attention. People say, birds n ever visit places where we stay. That is so not true!A person just has to get up early and have a stroll down the road near his house. It’s hard to believe that there are so many of them around us. Soon, I see a few people walking down the road. As time passes by, more people appear and so do their vehicles. The sounds of the feathered friends are replaced by the honking and beeping of the cars and scooters. Just then, my mom reminds me that I have to get ready, ending the delightful moments I just experienced. However, there would be more such mornings; and I certainly look forward to them.

Appeal Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Appeal Process - Essay Example er of cases although some may require to be heard by separate appellate committees such as the appellate committee of bankrupt judges (Lawfirms.com, n.d.). A litigant wishing to appeal does it only on paper, and at the appeal, level there is no actual trial. The litigant will have to write down a brief explaining how the court erred in his sentencing, or how their constitutional rights may have been violated in the trail. The federal or state cause trying this case will review the brief and determine based on the submitted evidence if it is a legitimate cause for a retrial. In some cases, the appeal courts will require having an oral argument by the lawyers; this does not involve submission of any new evidence (Lawfirms.com, n.d.). While the appellate court has the legal mandate to review any facts pertaining to the trial, the review process is based on what was on record on the court. It can review the facts of the case, but cannot overturn decisions on factual grounds without categorical evidence of erroneous decisions. Court decisions are not infallible since they are made by humans who are fallible and as such, it is crucial that people are given as the benefit of doubt for as long as possible and all loose ends tied up, this can only be achieved by an improved appeal process. Appeals are often long and tiresome processes, which have an incredible toll on the plaintiff and their families; one of the main causes for this is the shortage of appeal court judges. For an appeal to go through it must be heard by a panel of judges, and this is difficult if there are not enough to go round, another way of simplifying the appeal would be to make it possible for non-lawyers to appeal cases when they are not able to afford and attorney. This could be made possible by simplifying the legal and other requirements needed in the cause of pursuing the appeal. Antony William was arrested and arraigned in for the murder of a ten-year-old girl, while being transported to

For the Love of Water Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

For the Love of Water - Essay Example Major bodies and political institutes have gained control over the water distribution channels of the world and are making a lot of money at the expense of the poor persons. Water has now turned into an expensive commodity that can only be afforded by the well off while the rest have to do with spring water, or even dirty ditch water. Positive and negative externalities There are positive and negative externalities as far as water supply is concerned. The positive externalities are; the suppliers of the water are making millions as the commodity is in demand since we cannot do without water. It is the big corporations that are gaining from this business. These corporations are headed by persons who are believed to be associated with the World Bank. So as the World Bank imposes regulations on countries concerning the privatization of water supply then these corporations cash in. Privatization Privatization being the transfer of the ownership or business title to the private sector has turned the water supply system into a mess. Initially as the governments would supply water through their own ministries, there was sanity in the industry. As time went by, pressures have been exerted especially on the developing countries to privatize the water supply systems. Initially, the private sectors made the people believe that they were out to help them have water supply but this was not the case. It is common sense that as these companies supply water, they are in business and would want to make an extra coin for their investors. Privatization was meant to equip the cities with portable water and sewerage which did happen but only to those people who could afford the change. A lot of people who earn very little couldn’t afford the change and thus have to do with well water or borehole water where available. In other places in the world, the private sector connected water then charged for the water supply or consumption that people use. When these people are not ab le to pay for the water, it is cut off. These people have now turned rebellious and are reconnecting the pipes themselves to get the water. Some do this in the night. Advantages of privatization. Privatization though considered a bad omen by the people especially of the developing countries has its own advantages though not many. It has created employment as these corporations set up firms in these countries to supply water. These firms also contract persons to do the piping and sewerage construction, thereby creating money making avenues for the people on the ground. With the coming of the pipe water, it is believed that the rate of people getting water borne diseases was reduced as these water supplying corporations cleaned and disinfected the water. According to FLOW (2013) bad and infected water kills more than even AIDS and other diseases. Privatization was also a God sent blessing to the water bottling companies as the rate at which people are taking bottled water is very high and it created a booming business. To the people that were able to pay, sewerage and piped water is a blessing as compared to fetching water at a river or borehole. Disadvantages of privatization With these advantages came many disadvantages. People are excluded from portable water in cities. They don’t have water nor the money to buy the basic commodity. The kind of wages that these people get cannot allow them to have all the water that they would require to live healthy lives. They have to make do with very little water and do all they need to with this. What they can do away with like bathing daily, and cleaning their clothes, they don’t do on a daily basis but just when it is really necessary. The private water suppliers have neglected them. For these suppliers it is just

The global education movement in the United States Essay

The global education movement in the United States - Essay Example This article is logically structured and is based on the personal investigated the author has conducted. Tye has developed a questionnaire which was translated into French and Spanish and sent to more than 100 countries practicing global education out of which 52 provided the responses. The article is the summary of the highlights from this study and contains a section on the most recent movements in the global education implementation. Unlike the writing of Tye, Scott in his article "Thai Exchange Students' Encounters with Ethnocentrism" relies only on the expertise of the other scholars who have already done the research and avoids making assumptions that are not based on facts. This article is rather informative and description and explains why global education is vital and should become part of high school curriculum. He believes that the most serious international conflicts in the future will be caused by misunderstandings between western and non-western cultures. For this reason the study and understanding of the distant cultures and regions is the prerequisite of global peace. The article starts with general information about global education, and then Scott devotes a page to definition of ethnocentrism and proves the assumption providing the example of how an exchange student from Thailand had to face ethnocentrism. This writing is of high value for any reader - a student and a teacher because the author do es not only discuss the issue but also points out the pitfalls of the current system and suggests how exactly the system should look like. For example, today what "students are taught about different cultures is often superficial, with the emphasis on exotic differences and negative stereotypes", while the "specific emphasis must be placed on the economic, political, environmental, social, and technological consequences of the individual and collective decisions we make that affect the planet" (Scott 1998). Merry Merryfield has investigated the global education implementation from a completely different perspective - the study of global women being included into curriculum. The author investigates how women from various cultures are perceived differently. For example, the Korean women are thought in term of year that took place 50 years. The aim of the article is to describe how teaches can integrate global perspective into their instructions in order to increase student understanding in women of other cultures. At first Merry examines the assumptions which constrain Americans from understanding the global women and how the teacher can help students to think about women globally. Further, some of the practices that are already used by teachers are outlined and illustrated. In addition, there is an overview of problems the teachers can face and the number of examples on how to overcome these problems. The article is not targeted for any specific audience and can be referred to by teache rs as well students because it has rather informative than persuasive objective. The article "California School District Employs Videoconferencing Units for Global Studies" is an example how the global education can become not only very informative for the students but very interesting as well. It talks about videoconferencing units at the point when they were just introduced into education system - in middle 1990s. This system supports the

Is Preventing Further Global Warming a Social Responsibility Essay

Is Preventing Further Global Warming a Social Responsibility - Essay Example Scientists have estimated that by the beginning of the next century, temperatures of the earth would have increased by approximately 2.1 degrees Celsius. An increase of only one degree is highly detrimental to animal and plant existence. Therefore, if the dangers of global warming do not undergo immediate intervention, then plant and animal lives might face partial or absolute extinction in the near future (Leroux 15). Causes of global warming For vey many years the concept of causal in global warming evaded human understanding. Until the formation of the Intergovernmental Panel by the UN, little was understood. The panel later found out that the presence of heat trapping gases in the air was majorly responsible for causing global warming. In this regard, they classified the heat trapping gases that cause what they referred to as the greenhouse gas effect. These gases range from simple CO2, methane, Nitrous Oxide to water vapor. Further research revealed that the amount of these gase s in the atmosphere was directly proportional to the increase in atmospheric temperatures. Major sources of these greenhouse gases are human activity-based. The beginning of industrialization in the nineteenth century brought about changes in fuel consumption. Due to demand from industries in fuel, exploration and extraction of fossil fuel has dramatically increased. Despite refining, fossil fuel provides a large amount of CO2 emitted to the atmosphere. Smoke from industries and fuel burning by locomotives are powerful source of carbon dioxide in the environment (Pumphrey 23). Other gases are highly harmful to the ozone layer that protects the earth from harmful emissions of light rays from the sun. Continual depletion of this protective blanket leads to exposure to these harmful radiations which in turn lead to increase of global temperatures. This has been identified as a hazardous effect caused by such gases as methane and other chlorofluorocarbons. Emissions of nitrous oxide inc rease the risk to global warming, 300 times more than carbon dioxide does. This shows the potential risk of continual increase of such industrial gases in the atmosphere. Debate in global warming Since its discovery, global warming has remained a debated issue in all its dimensions. Starting from its causes to how to curb it, there have been unclarities concerning the responsibilities involved. From the beginning of discovery of the concept, the responsibility was only pushed to governments. According to Leroux (98) statistics obtained in 2009 from different regions of the world indicated that awareness of the concept was still low. The question of responsibility has thus continually raised endless debates. With a general understanding that causing of global warming is largely done by industries, blame has only been shifted to industries. Responsibility has evaded direction. The general societies have thus remained unclear whether they should be involved or not. This is one major de bate that has rocked the human mind. Responsibility With increased rates of this disaster, there was need for a collaborative approach towards combating the dangers of the situation. Given that its effects will largely affect the causers and victims of increasing greenhouse gases in the

The Country of Asia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Country of Asia - Research Paper Example In India, as majority of the states possess different culture of people speaking different languages, dealings in business often becomes difficult. However, most of the business transactions in the global circuit are carried out in English language. One of the major differences of business culture between the two countries is the process of operation in business dealings while finalizing all the aspects of business. The business culture of America revolves around monetary transactions and solving problems along with finalizing dealings (Fox, 2011). The transaction of business carried out between two countries can be demarcated on the basis of greetings and introductions. From the Indian point of view, it can be stated that greetings are conducted among officials for transaction in business or in meetings, by saying ‘Namaste’. On the other hand, Western countries particularly in the US, men and women use handshakes as a mode of greeting along with using generally the firs t name of a particular individual irrespective of the position he/she possesses in the organizational hierarchy (Jhunjhunwala, 2012). In the context of taking food items during the period of business meetings, teas are generally offered for drinking purposes in India. While both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks are offered while conducting business meetings in the US. It is also been observed that there are no arrangements in terms of seating for informal meals, but for formal meals it can be signified as a custom in India (Martin & Chaney, 2008). The nature of meetings conducted in the two nations is not similar due to individualism and collectivism dimensions present in US and India respectively. Give and take policy in business is given... From the above description, it can be comprehended that business culture of both nations are in certain instances distinct in the context of business perspectives. It is been viewed that more essence is given to time by the US while conducting business dealings than India. Moreover, in India certain traditions and customs are strictly adhered while conducting business transactions. This report makes a conclusion that the nature of meetings conducted in the two nations is not similar due to individualism and collectivism dimensions present in US and India respectively. Give and take policy in business is given much preference than discussing in organizations on an open basis in the US. On the other hand, in India, meetings for business purposes are held for avoiding conflict situations among employees in the organizations and for providing every one equal chance to show their talents in the productivity of business. However, major discussions usually occur through communication process on a one-to-one basis. In the context of attire and appearances, it can be stated that both nations are generally identical in their approaches, i.e. men wear a suit and tie combination, while women are dressed in pantsuit, especially during business meetings. The issue of gender differences is quite distinctive among the two countries. The illiteracy rate is higher in India as co mpared to the US, especially amid the female gender. Even in case of employment, segregation among men and women can be identified in India as compared to the US.