Recommendations Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Question: Discuss about the Recommendations for Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Answer: Introduction Supplier relationship is one of the major concerns for any organization, in which reseller organization buys products from the supplier in order to resell the products. Sourcing and selecting the right suppliers and maintaining strong relationship with them are the main priorities of the retail organizations towards successfully running the organizations (Islam et al., 2013). The organization that is chosen for this study is Popular Holdings, which is a distributer and retailers of books in the local education market. The scandal that this organization has faced was to choose their preferred suppliers depending on their personal relationship and not depending on the quality and price of the products of the suppliers, which led to huge negative reputation in the market and even distressed suppliers attention (de Souza et al., 2014). The study will represent issues related to supplier selection criteria of this organization. The study will recommend appropriate criteria to be applied in the supplier selection criteria of this organization. Through analyzing the importance of ICT in purchasing operation, the study will demonstrate ICT in improving the purchasing operation of the organization. Lastly, the study will also recommend appropriate tools to be considered in analyzing the cost of purchasing of this organization. Key Information of Popular Holdings Popular Holdings is a renowned Singapore based retail organization that is engaged in publishing, distributing and retails different kinds of books in the local market of Singapore (Popularworld - Home. 2016). The organization operates in international markets through their subsidiaries in those markets. The organization also provides assessment titles, stationary products and multimedia products. It is the largest bookstore within Southeast Asia that has almost 143 retail outlets in all over the world (Thai, 2013). The organization has multiple number of sources from which the organization get multimedia sources and stationary products. The organization also uses global suppliers in getting books like autobiography. The main competitors of this organization are MPH Group and Page one that also design and sells different type of books in the market of Singapore. The goal of the organization is to provide quality books and multimedia products to the customers and provide it at value f or money price. The strategy of this organization can be seen in provide all newly published books and e-learning facility to the overseas students. The organization offers their products at affordable price because they value for the money of the customers. Supplier Selection Criteria Issue Popular Holding Group sells books, multimedia products and stationary products to the customers. Though the organization publish their own books and sell it the local market, the organization needs suppler in getting various type of story books for the adult customers. Apart from that, the organization also needs audiovisual products to be supplied by the suppliers. In order to match the syllabus of student of different countries, the organization needs international suppliers, who will provide books by matching the syllabus of the students (Sohal Rahman, 2013). Furthermore, the organization is trying to expand its business through providing foods and beverages to the customers. Manufacturing of these kinds of products would need extra cost, which will be too costly in operating the business. Therefore, the organization needs supplies of readymade products that this organization resells to the customers. The purchasing goal of this organization is to get quality products from the supplier so that it can meet the demand of the customers properly. Apart from that, the goal of purchasing is also to get the products at lowest cost so that it can minimize the cost of organization. However, the organization uses multiple source suppliers for getting different types of products in all the different areas of their business. In this situation, the organization is becoming failed towards maintaining good relationship with all the suppliers. The organization is not able in efficiently prioritizing their existing suppliers as their product standard. Apart from that, the organization has lack of information communication technology towards providing authentic inventory information to the global suppliers. Therefore, the suppliers are becoming failed in providing products timely and according to the needs of the organization. Lack of ability of the organization in prioritizing the supplier sometim es leads to wrong selection in terms of costly suppliers that increases the cost of the organization. Figure 1: Supply risk and impact on value (Source: Watanuki, 2015) Appropriate Criteria and Decision in supplier selection Cost analyzing Cost analyzing of the suppliers should be one of the prime activities of Popular Holdings in selecting the suppliers from local as well as from global markets. The organization should look at the competitive pricing of the suppliers and thus, choose such supplier only who provides products at lowest cost so that cost of company is minimized (Fernie Sparks, 2014). The organization should also analyze the financial stability of the organization towards selecting right suppliers out of many suppliers. Quality and safety Not only should the price of the suppliers, but also Popular Holdings incorporate quality of the products of suppliers before purchasing the products from their suppliers. The organization sometimes faces quality issue due to immediate selection of suppliers and therefore, they do not get time for analyzing the quality of the products. In this way, the poor quality of the products may disappoint the customers by decreasing the customer value. The organization should maintain a safety standard for their product to be sold to the customers, so the purchasing manager should follow those standard in choosing the suppliers. Delivery Due to global selection business, the organization has to select suppliers globally. The organization has to select those suppliers only who will be able to timely deliver the products to the customers. This will increase the value of the products to the organization through keeping its time value. Service Popular Holdings should select the suppliers based on the ability of the suppliers in providing service on the products provided to the organization. If the products come from the supplier seems to have any issues, they should take it in return through promising to provide right products (Dyckhoff, Lackes Reese, 2013). Convenience The ways, the suppliers would provide the products, should be in convenient way. The organization should select the suppliers based on their convenience in providing the products. The organization should choose only those suppliers that use right vehicles towards providing timely delivery of products to the customers. Risk evaluation In order to evaluate the feasibility of the supplier selection, an organization has to evaluate the risk associated with it (Monczka et al., 2015). Popular Holdings should track all the records associated with the suppliers in identifying the risk with them and accordingly minimizing the risk through selecting right suppliers. Purchasing Management Concept for ICT According to Musso and Risso, (2013), the concerned organization has to effectively deal with both inbound and outbound logistics, which will eventually enhance the firms distribution system. On the other hand, Frehe and Teuteberg, (2014) pointed out that ICT tools help in centralizing and communicating with the suppliers in real time basis, which helps in improving the lead time management. Information communication technology (ICT) tools are highly important for accessing relevant and important information on time for getting competitive advantage over the competitor organizations (Frehe Teuteberg, 2014). ICT tools will help the Popular Holdings in interacting with different other organization in terms of supply chain management through efficient data sharing, exchange of data in high speed towards meeting customer demands. Using ICT tool the organization will be able to provide timely information to the supplier organizations and thus, they will be able to provide timely delivery of the products to the customers. Apart from that, the ICT tools facilitate the organization in communicating authentic information about the inventory to the suppliers so that they can supply right amount of products to the organization (Fadiya et al., 2015). It will improve the purchasing operation of the organization through minimizing the waste of products due to overburden of supplied p roducts. ICT Tools Bar Code Tool Bar Code readers will be effectively useful in implementing automatic data capture system, which improves the accuracy and speed of data entry in the computers (Musso Risso, 2013). It will also improve in counting the raw materials stored in the inventory and count the finished goods. Thus, it will improve in accessing the exact amount of products needed from the suppliers. Apart from that, the bar code reader tools also can record the purchasing requirement of the organization 5 to 7 times quicker than the normal employees of the organization can, and thus, it would reduce the labor cost of the organization and increase the reliability of the organization in assuming demand of products to be purchased from suppliers. ICT tools also communicate the right motto of the organization with the supplier so that the supplier can provide products by meeting all the requirements of the customers. RFID ICT tool RFID ICT tool will facilitate Popular Holdings in bulk reading of organizational inventory. This technology will also help the organization in tracing the products throughout the process of supply chain management. ICT tools also help in reducing the cost of the supply chain management as it reduces the labor cost due to bulk reading of information of the organizational products (Tan et al., 2012). Purchasing Cost Analysis The concerned organization is not following centralized procurement technique and therefore redundancy of raw materials is quite evident. On the other hand, the organization is not well equipped with real time inventory monitoring through e-technology. The organization follows traditional inventory management techniques and therefore, the system is not proven to be up-to-date (Santos et al., 2016). The organization is basically multi-source based retail outlet, which is not completely aware of allocating and disintegrating its updated inventory. Therefore, in terms of corporate sustainability and minimizing wastage of procurement, the organization needs to incorporate certain techniques for purchasing cost analysis. Purchase Cost Techniques Cost Analysis An organization needs to analyze preliminary the actual cost to purchase regarding the good that needs to be supplied (Chen Guo, 2015). This is because cost is related to storage, handling and delivery. The organization needs to centralize the types of sources of supply so that handling cost does not exceed further in terms of human resource. The actual cost of procurement is consisted of cost of supplies and cost of handling, where the later must not exceed more than 7 percent than the earlier (Simchi-Levi et al., 2013). Maverick Spending An organization that follows purchase requisition procedure, it eventually increases the cost of procurement (Fayard et al., 2012). Therefore, it is required for the organization to take care of the type of inventory management and implement ad hoc purchase technique in future. The maverick purchases will be identified and filtered out that will reduce the cost of procurement. Centralized Warehousing The organization follows multisource supply and therefore, each of the inventories is categorized. This has increased the purchasing cost for the organization. Therefore, it is recommended that the organization have to reduce the cost of purchasing by centralizing its warehousing so that handling cost is reduced. Activity Based Costing An organization needs to follow activity based costing so that the consumption cost of actual supplies is reduced (Kang, 2015). The cost of each day has to be organized in terms of concurrent activities, so that the final cost of handling inventory is reduced, which will be same for Popular Holdings. Bidding System The concerned organization has expanded from the past to a large extent and therefore, it has created good reputation in the market. Therefore, in order to reduce purchasing cost, it needs to follow bidding technique, where the lowest bid will be granted. The supplier with lowest cost will be granted and it will reduce the cost of inventory. Conclusion While concluding the study, it can be said that Popular Holdings has multiple source of suppliers and they are unable to maintain strong relationship with the suppliers. On the other hand, due to global sourcing of suppler, the organization is unable to provide timely information to them and prioritizing the suppliers. However, the organization can be able to mitigate this supplier selection issues through adopting appropriate supplier selection criteria. The organization will choose those suppliers, who will be able to provide quality products in timely manners with lowest price. In order to maintain consistent relationship with the suppliers, Popular Holdings should incorporate ICT tools in improving purchasing operation of the organization. ICT tool like bar code reader will facilitate the organization in automatic counting of raw materials in the inventory and accordingly place order of purchasing to suppliers. On the other hand, RFID would facilitate the organization in recordin g bulk information about the purchasing of the organization in shortest possible time. Purchasing cost analysis tools would facilitate the organization in prioritizing the suppliers to be selected in terms of cost benefit analysis. In order to analyze purchase cost, the organization should use centralized warehouse system that will keep record of each of the inventory of the organization. Activity based costing will reduce the give an accurate estimation of overall cost. References Chen, L., Guo, Z. (2015, September). Logistics Cost Control Performance Evaluation of Third Party Logistics Enterprises. InFifth International Conference on Transportation Engineering. de Souza, R., Goh, M., Lau, H. C., Ng, W. S., Tan, P. S. (2014). Collaborative urban logisticssynchronizing the last mile a Singapore research perspective.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,125, 422-431. Dyckhoff, H., Lackes, R., Reese, J. (Eds.). (2013).Supply chain management and reverse logistics. Springer Science Business Media. Fadiya, O., Georgakis, P., Chinyio, E., Nwagboso, C. (2015). Decision-making framework for selecting ICT-based construction logistics systems. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology,13(2), 260-281. Fayard, D., Lee, L. S., Leitch, R. A., Kettinger, W. J. (2012). Effect of internal cost management, information systems integration, and absorptive capacity on inter-organizational cost management in supply chains. Accounting, Organizations and Society,37(3), 168-187. Fernie, J., Sparks, L. (2014).Logistics and retail management: emerging issues and new challenges in the retail supply chain. Kogan Page Publishers. Frehe, V., Teuteberg, F. (2014). The Role of ICT in Green Logistics: A Systematic Literature Review. InInformation Technology in Environmental Engineering(pp. 53-65). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Islam, D. M. Z., Meier, J. F., Aditjandra, P. T., Zunder, T. H., Pace, G. (2013). Logistics and supply chain management.Research in Transportation Economics,41(1), 3-16. Kang, M. (2015). Activity-based Costing Research on Enterprise Logistics Cost Management.Business and Management Research,4(2), p18. Monczka, R., Handfield, R., Giunipero, L., Patterson, J. (2015).Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Musso, F., Risso, M. (2013). ICT Innovation for Buyer-Seller Relationships in International Supply Chains. InDriving the Economy through Innovation and Entrepreneurship(pp. 659-670). Springer India. Popularworld - Home. (2016). Popularworld.com. Retrieved 10 June 2016, from https://www.popularworld.com/en/index.php Santos, T. F. D., Gonalves, A. T. P., Leite, M. S. A. (2016). Logistics cost management: insights on tools and operations.International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management,23(2), 171-188. Simchi-Levi, D., Chen, X., Bramel, J. (2013).The logic of logistics: theory, algorithms, and applications for logistics management. Springer Science Business Media. Sohal, A. S., Rahman, S. (2013). Use of third party logistics services: an Asia-Pacific perspective. InHandbook of Global Logistics(pp. 45-67). Springer New York. Tan, M. I. I., Razali, R. N., Desa, M. I. (2012). Factors influencing ICT adoption in halal transportations: A case study of Malaysian halal logistics service providers.International Journal of Computer Science Issues,9(1), 62-71. Thai, V. V. (2013). Logistics service quality: conceptual model and empirical evidence.International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications,16(2), 114-131. Watanuki, M. (2015). Review of logistics service regulations for freight forwarding businesses: what should be addressed for a better logistics regulatory framework?.World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, (7401).

The Benefits of Using a Formalist Essay Sample

The Benefits of Using a Formalist Essay SampleIt is a good idea to use a formalist essay sample for essay writing. Not only can this help you achieve an overall standard of excellent essay writing, but it will also help you develop a better writing style for your own personal projects. In fact, many students who have used formalist essays have written more effectively after their usage. Why?A formalist essay sample is generally the kind of essay that has a uniform, consistent structure. The sentences are clear and the content rich and meaningful. And it is so because the writers included lots of supporting information that has been well structured. The reader gets a sense of organization that allows them to get a solid grasp of the essay, which may make them focus on certain aspects in the essay.Many students think that using a formalist essay sample is only going to be just another way to use cop-outs. But this is just not true. Sometimes when writers write poorly, they will resort to vague or generalizations in their essay. This, too, can be corrected with a well-organized essay sample. After all, there is nothing wrong with referring to the established structure.Many students who work on academic essay, for example, might find that they sometimes don't know exactly what to do when they come across a particular term or concept. Sometimes, they are uncertain how to proceed with it, and they may start researching it on their own. This leads to a more fragmented and disorganized essay.A formalist essay sample allows you to use one term or concept throughout the whole essay. You can refer to it in different ways. This is a good strategy for you to avoid drifting off into unrelated tangents. Also, with the introduction of a structure, there will be fewer problems with unifying the various ideas and concepts in the essay.One good thing about using a formalist essay sample is that you can really improve your writing skills. Since your attention is focused on a singl e concept at a time, you can devote more time to practicing and refining your skills. And most importantly, since you are writing about a particular topic, it will also be easier for you to identify your gaps and problems.A well planned essay will also allow you to discuss your topics in a more systematic and logical way. You will be able to describe things clearly, without having to struggle to remember what you should be including in your essay. This can also help you to avoid writing haphazardly.You will also be able to determine the proper way to address your readers. For example, it might be best to put the emphasis on one particular point that your readers need to be aware of. If you use a formalist essay sample, you will be able to get this right, ensuring that your audience is given the attention they need.

Why Credit Companies Target College Students

Introduction This paper discusses why credit card companies should not market to college students .The culture of spending has become an important shaper of societal approach towards money and is now a widespread way of life in colleges.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why Credit Companies Target College Students? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In a bid to get more customers, the credit card companies target college students, and to do this, they employ assertive marketing techniques in order to attract students. College students have been raised in homes where money acquired through credit is used without inhibitions (Ritzer 1995).Since credit is available easily, students tend to overspend. College students now have easier access to credit than any earlier generations. However, the use of credit cards and the debts that is a consequence of cards have become an increasingly monetary threat to students. Todayâ €™s credit card companies are getting outrageously ridiculous with their marketing ideas and strategies. Many of their strategies are pointed towards people who are more likely to be irresponsible. The one strategy I would like to talk to you about and my opinion about it is credit card companies should not be on campus marketing to college students. Why credit companies target college students One point of view to this is that credit card companies target college students because many of them are young. Younger people are most likely naive and do not spend their money wisely. They would use a credit card for everything and maybe let the balance pile up and only pay the minimum. This would make the interest pile up and when they did pay their bill, most of the payment would be going towards the interest. This would be making the credit card companies more money. Another point of view would be that maybe credit card companies think that if people are smart enough to go to college that maybe they are really smart with their money and are completely in control of their financial status. Maybe the companies view it as a place to pick up some continuous valued customers. I got that point of view when I asked my mother to read what I was writing and that was her point of view! I do see her point of view as a valuable opinion and I enjoyed her criticism of the topic. But let me tell you some of the facts and things that I have learned while studying this argument.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In a report from trueCredit.com students graduate from collage while being indebted to credit companies for significant amounts This report further indicates that ten percent of undergraduates graduate with thousand of dollars as loans. After finishing your studies it’s a night mare for you to start thinking of paying debt to credit cards companies. It†™s more than enough for a twenty year old to think of how he will pay school loans, utilities and rent if he used them and how he will support himself in life. There will be bills to be paid every month and other additional debt, for example, car loan. That is already a lot of concerns that must handled by a young student. Prior to going to college, a student should employ some fundamental principles to avoid falling into the debt trap. These are some interesting facts I learned from an author named Latoya Irby. She was also interested in this argument. I learned a lot from her. Students who are in college are the main target of credit companies. This is so because of several rationales: They expect the credit accrued from the cards will be cleared by the student’s parents. Students face many years of clearing the debt. Companies go even further to give credit to students who have no security. For illustration, a student can have access to credit without any security being required. This proves that they are out for blood so to speak. They prey upon young people and try to get them hooked and sucked into the system. I think it is sad that this is allowed to go on, especially in a place where we go to better ourselves. Of all places a school is not a place that these types of things should be happening. Attitude of college students toward credit card usage The change of outlook towards money has become an essential means for the broadening of the college student’s consumer habits. Findings intimate that the resultant attitudes towards money: â€Å"power, prestige, distrust, and anxiety† (Yamauchi and Templer 1982) are linked to purchases that are compulsive, whereby the use of credit cards averages these correlations. Studies entailing a wide range of adult consumers revealed that approximately 1%-6% fall under the category of buyers that are compulsive. When Faber and O’Guinn’s (1992) â€Å"clinical screener for compulsi ve buying† is used to examine the respondents, 6% of questioned college students are deemed to use money for purchases out of compulsion. As a result, the indicators point to the need for an enhanced comprehension of the attitude towards making purchases of college students. Some factors, that include: psychological and socio-economic influences are the main contributors of the attitudes towards the use of credit cards. When buying trends of college students are analyzed, a sentimental attitude towards credit and gender were the main affecters of the students’ decision to use (or not use) credit for purchases.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why Credit Companies Target College Students? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This sentimental attitude towards credit affected how clothes, entertainment, gasoline, travel and food (that is not home made) were bought. Females made more purchases of clothes, wh ile males made more purchases of electronics and entertainment related goods. Females were found to have made purchases that followed the principles of economics more than males. Conclusion According to a press release statement of the American Consumer Federation, when the credit card debt and study loans of a student are added, the total is approximately $20,000. Consequently the debts of the student that has attended college may exceed those of the populace that has not attended collage which means that students who use credit cards will be burdened with severe financial concerns later on in life. This paper has discussed how credit accrued by students while still in college has significant consequences on their future monetary health. This paper concludes that credit companies should not market to college students, so as not induce students to undertake debts unnecessarily which would lead to a long-term financial burden. References Faber and O’Guinn. 1992. â€Å"A Clini cal Screener for Compulsive Buying†. Journal of Consumer Research, 19:459–469. Ritzer, G. 1995. Expressing America: A Critique of the Global Credit Card Society, Thousand Oaks , CA : Pine Forge Press. Yamauchi, K. and D. Templer 1982. â€Å"The Development of a Money Attitudes Scale†. Journal of Personality Asses This essay on Why Credit Companies Target College Students? was written and submitted by user AlexWilder to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is the most common disease of the central nervous system. In the United States alone, there are at least 250,000 cases. For reasons that remain unclear, it is more prevalent in northern temperate zones and affects noticeably more women than men. The average age of onset is thirty years. These areas of sclerosis also referred to as lesions or plaques, occur in the white matter of the central nervous system. Gray matter consists primarily of nerve cells. Axons (nerve fibers) are the connections between the cell body and the muscles, sensory organs, and primary organs such as the heart. These nerve cells are the communication system both within the central nervous system and between it and the rest of the body. Axons are sheathed in myelin, a white substance that insulates them and speeds transmission of impulses along the cell fibers. Electrical impulses move along the nerve fiber to the synapse to the next nerve cell. Symptoms of MS vary enormously, both from patient to patient and, over time, in one patient. Symptoms may include tingling, pins and needles, numbness, double or blurred vision, clumsiness of fine movements or of walking, frequency and urgency of urination, muscle weakness and spasms, pain or paralysis, in coordination, and mood or thought disturbances. Patients sometimes do not have the ability do to carry on normal daily activities. Motor symptoms include weakness, spasticity, loss of balance or in coordination, and speech disorders. Sensory symptoms include pins and needles, tingling, feelings of tightness or solidity and, sometimes, sharp pains. Visual symptoms include blurred or double vision, involuntary eye movements, and, on occasion, blindness, which is almost always temporary. Urinary symptoms are common, as are frequent urinary tract infections. Energy problems include a lack of energy, easy fatigability, and lack of endurance, particularly in the presence of heat and humidity. Heat and hu... Free Essays on Multiple Sclerosis Free Essays on Multiple Sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis is the most common disease of the central nervous system. In the United States alone, there are at least 250,000 cases. For reasons that remain unclear, it is more prevalent in northern temperate zones and affects noticeably more women than men. The average age of onset is thirty years. These areas of sclerosis also referred to as lesions or plaques, occur in the white matter of the central nervous system. Gray matter consists primarily of nerve cells. Axons (nerve fibers) are the connections between the cell body and the muscles, sensory organs, and primary organs such as the heart. These nerve cells are the communication system both within the central nervous system and between it and the rest of the body. Axons are sheathed in myelin, a white substance that insulates them and speeds transmission of impulses along the cell fibers. Electrical impulses move along the nerve fiber to the synapse to the next nerve cell. Symptoms of MS vary enormously, both from patient to patient and, over time, in one patient. Symptoms may include tingling, pins and needles, numbness, double or blurred vision, clumsiness of fine movements or of walking, frequency and urgency of urination, muscle weakness and spasms, pain or paralysis, in coordination, and mood or thought disturbances. Patients sometimes do not have the ability do to carry on normal daily activities. Motor symptoms include weakness, spasticity, loss of balance or in coordination, and speech disorders. Sensory symptoms include pins and needles, tingling, feelings of tightness or solidity and, sometimes, sharp pains. Visual symptoms include blurred or double vision, involuntary eye movements, and, on occasion, blindness, which is almost always temporary. Urinary symptoms are common, as are frequent urinary tract infections. Energy problems include a lack of energy, easy fatigability, and lack of endurance, particularly in the presence of heat and humidity. Heat and hu...

Kefauver-Harris Amendment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kefauver-Harris Amendment - Essay Example 127-128). The communal protest caused by the Thalidomide calamity near the beginning of 1960s hastily directed to the road of new set of laws and an unusual sentiment regarding untried drugs. In an attempt to stop happening one more analogous tragedy at the rear of the Thalidomide mishap, the U.S. Parliament, in 1962, passed the Kefauver-Harris Drug Amendment, ordering austere controls on drug checking, promotion and selling. The edict asserted for the first time that hottest drugs must be made known to be helpful before being advertised. In addition, it proposed stringent regulations for sound engineering practices, the intention being to augment quality control in the manufacturing route. The new codes would step up to transform not only the approach Americans participated in drug experiments but also their anticipations for the safety of drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Kefauver-Harris Drug Amendment conceded collectively by the Congress to strengthened control over recommended and unproven drugs and to make certain greater drug protection. It was acknowledged that no drug is actually harmless unless it is also effectual. Before publicizing a drug, its manufacturers now had to demonstrate to FDA not just safety, but also provide considerable verification of effectiveness for the product's future utilization -- a milestone proceed in medical record.

Critical Reflection Pieces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical Reflection Pieces - Essay Example Good theories predict the unknown. After reading the Cybernetic in the Dialectic between Science and Design, it was realized that the perspective of the designers and the scientists was different. The Scientists based their arguments on observations, while the designers based their arguments on innovations. The designers created something that is yet to be observed and measured. Additionally, the scientists celebrated the aspect of generalization for instance on abstract theories, the designers on the other hand proposed artifacts that must result to operating in their details rather than their abstract. Reflecting on the content of the paper, the scientists insisted on the causal explanations. They excluded themselves from the causes of phenomena that they explored. The designers intended to cause something out of their own actions. The contrast between the designers and the scientists was evident. For this reason, the author adopted a less philosophical commitment in defining the term cybernetics. Based on his defi nition, he termed it as study of the possible systems, which resides on what that cannot be build or evolved in nature. Therefore, majority of the authors work is characterized as exploring the difference between innovation and observation (Krippendorff, 2007). After reading the 2nd order Cybernetics and Human-Centeredness, it can be reflected that the section only mentioned artifacts but not objects. The artifacts arose in the coordination of sensory motor as they are developed by those accounted and involved for their deeds under conditions with reliable interactions. For this reason, what people normally call objects can also be artifacts because they are also crafted skillfully. Artifacts might come from designing a material through recognition and in interfaces, which can be differentiated based on their interactivity. According to their interactions, it can be said that the meaning are less subjective.

Project Management Essay Example for Free

Project Management Essay I am sending out bid documents to look for a contractor to analyze my organization’s IT help desk needs, standardize policies, procedures, hardware and software, and provide the necessary training and documentation. But before that takes place the â€Å"Scope† of what will be procured needs to be defined. The fore knowledge that my wants it’s IT help desk analyzed is a good start. The definition of the â€Å"What† as Fleming mentioned is the most important aspects of managing a project. I would develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) after the project has been defined. (Fleming, 2003, 116) The question of who will perform the work will come after a Request for Proposal has been prepared for released to prospective sellers. (Fleming, 2003, 122) This step in the contracting phase is normally called The Pre-award Phase, pre-award is the first phase of the contract management process and comprises all buyer and seller actions from procurement planning through submitting a bid or proposal. The pre-award stage is where my organizations IT help desk requirements will be clearly described in an unambiguously fashion and our objectives as well as risk will be considered. (Garrett, 2007, 80) The request for proposals (RFP) includes the following documents: Section I Letter of invitation Section II Information to consultants Appendix to Consultants information Section III Terms of Reference Section IV Technical proposals Section V Financial proposal Section VI Standard Contract Form In the subsection of the RFP Fleming’s example of â€Å"Model Contract† will addressed. (Fleming, 2003, 148) †¢Statement of Work (SOW) †¢Technical Specifications †¢Terms Conditions (TCs) †¢Data reporting †¢Status Reviews †¢Management Requirements The Statement of Work (SOW) describes the buyer’s requirements in sufficient detail to allow prospective sellers to determine whether they can provide the product, service, of solution. (Garrett, 2007, 87) The technical specifications will always be added by the IT department for this project. (Fleming, 2003, 148) The terms and conditions are generally used when the source selection decision will be price driven. (Garrett, 2007, 89) Terms conditions will come from purchasing. (Fleming, 2003, 148) The key component to (TCs) is the main duty of (TCs) and that is to cover the critical issues and how the seller can make changes to an existing procurement. The (TCs) will also cover any legal requirements. (Fleming, 2003, 152) Evaluation: Any effort to win my organization’s IT contract will be based on an objective analysis. Once the proposals are received by all participating sellers the final selection will be made using the following evaluation criteria: Note the criteria were determined before RFP’s were issued: (Fleming, 2003, 165) †¢Technical †¢Management †¢Quality †¢Warranty †¢Price The final source will be made on the listed criteria and must be submitted in a written and oral presentation method. In a side note that would be clearly stated in my RFP and in the Contract the areas of Confidentiality Ownership, will be addressed with the following: Confidentiality: The Consultant shall not, during the term of this Contract and within two years after its expiration, disclose any proprietary or confidential information relating to the Services, this Contract or the Client’s business or operations without the prior written consent of the Client. Ownership of Any studies, reports or other material, graphic, software Material or otherwise prepared by the Consultant for the Client under the Contract shall belong to and remain the property of the Client. The Consultant may retain a copy of such documents and software.