Inventory Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inventory Management - Essay Example A small pizza restaurant might face a number of issues with regard to inventory management. The most important is that pizza is a food item which is perishable along with its ingredients. Therefore, it is not possible to store these ingredients for a long time and must be ordered on a weekly or a monthly basis. Some ingredients even have a perishability of just one day. The owners of the small pizza restaurant should keep in mind the exact degree of perishability of the ingredients and then plan such an inventory level which reduces waste as much as possible. Higher waste would increase the costs of production of this business and might even affect the operations of this restaurant. Another issue is that, unlike other goods and services, food is consumed everyday and even more than once within a day. Therefore, if proper stock counting is not done then there might be a shortage of ingredients and this will directly have an impact on the sales of the restaurant as well as customer sat isfaction. Food items are also prone to health and safety issues. The owners should make sure that the ingredients used in the pizzas are healthy and clean. The inventory being stored for the pizzas should be kept in a clean and safe place as well. For the above reasons, inventory management should be done in an efficient and effective manner.    Compare and contrast the benefits of using a fixed order quantity against using a fixed period system for fresh dough purchased from a bakery on contract. A fixed order quantity system is one in which fixed quantity orders are placed with the suppliers over a period of time. Under this system, there is a reorder point and as soon as the reorder point is reached, the business places their fixed order with their suppliers (Fixed order approach, n.d.). A fixed period system, however, is one in which orders are placed periodically but the order size or quantity is different for each order. An important benefit of this system is that fluctuati ons in demand could be easily met through this system. For example, if, due to certain factors, the demand for a business increases then it can place orders of higher quantities as the order size is not fixed in this system. Another benefit with this system is that even if the orders are delayed, it would not have a large impact on the operations of the business as an ample amount of time is given for orders (Fixed period ordering system, n.d.). For the purchase of fresh dough from a bakery, the perishability of fresh dough should be kept in mind. Therefore, the restaurant has to order fresh dough everyday. The benefit of using a fixed order quantity against a fixed period system is that it does not require a regular periodic count and the business is aware of the amount of fresh dough available for a particular day. Another essential advantage is that the bakery will be aware of the order quantity required by the restaurant and therefore, there would be no delays on part of the bak ery. A fixed period system also has a disadvantage as the usage of the inventories is not constant and this might even cause disruptions in the operations of the restaurant. Evaluate which approach is better and explain your rationale.   As far as a small pizza restaurant is concerned, the best approach is the fixed order quantity system. This is because a small pizza res

Long-Term Effects and Societal Impacts of Alcohol Consumption Essay Example for Free

Long-Term Effects and Societal Impacts of Alcohol Consumption Essay Studies have shown that both long-term and short-term alcohol consumption affect every organ in the body in one way or another (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Some of the most commonly affected organs are the brain, heart, liver, pancreas, stomach, kidneys, and lungs (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Alcohol consumption has also been shown to affect one’s mental health as well as cause damage to the developing fetus (Fergusson, 2009). â€Å"Short-term† alcohol abuse refers alcohol consumption over days, weeks, or a few months; while â€Å"long-term† alcohol abuse is referring to high consumption of alcohol over several months to several years. Alcohol abuse also goes beyond the human body; it touches every part of society, particularly families and the economy, and likely has affected every human being in way or another. Organs Affected by Long-Term Alcohol Consumption Brain The short-term effects of alcohol consumption are more obvious because they are the effects that are seen when someone is intoxicated: slurred speech, lack of balance, poor memory, and blurred vision. The long-term effects of alcohol consumption on the brain are a little more subtle. One of the most common findings amongst long-term alcohol consumers is thiamine deficiency (thiamine is also known as vitamin B1), which is an essential nutrient for all tissues in the body (â€Å"Alcohol Alert†, 2004). The approximately 80 percent of alcoholics that have a thiamine deficiency are at a great risk of developing Wernike-Korsakoff Syndrome, a disease that consists of two syndromes, Wernike’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis (â€Å"Alcohol Alert†, 2004). Wernike’s encephalopathy causes mental confusion, paralysis of the nerves that move the eyes, and difficulty with muscle coordination, which 80-90 percent of the time develops into Korsakoff’s psychosis, a chronic syndrome characterized by memory and learning problems (â€Å"Alcohol Alert†, 2004). Heart While studies have shown in recent years that the antioxidants found in red wine can actually decrease one’s risk of developing heart disease, The American Heart Association states, â€Å"Drinking too much alcohol can raise the levels of some fats in the blood (triglycerides). It can also lead to high blood pressure, heart failure and an increased calorie intake†¦Excessive drinking and binge drinking can lead to stroke. Other serious problems include fetal alcohol syndrome, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death† (American Heart Association, 2012). Alcohol can also affect the heart indirectly. Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to conditions such as obesity and/or diabetes, which put one at a greater risk of developing coronary artery disease (American Heart Association, 2012). Liver The liver is the organ in your body that filters out toxins, such as alcohol, from the blood. Drinking more alcohol than the liver can process can actually damage liver cells, and over a long period of time can cause alcohol related liver diseases such as fatty liver disease (build up of extra fat in liver cells), alcoholic hepatitis (swelling and damage of the liver), and alcoholic cirrhosis (scarring of the liver where soft healthy tissue is replaced with hard scar tissue) (American Liver Foundation, 2011). The damaged liver cells caused from long-term alcohol abuse can lead to inflammation, increasing the risk of liver cancer (â€Å"Alcohol Use and Cancer†, 2012). Liver disease can be fatal, and complications from liver disease may include build up of fluid in the abdomen, bleeding from veins in the esophagus or stomach, an enlarged spleen, high blood pressure in the liver, brain disorders or coma (from hepatic encephalopathy), and/or kidney failure (American Liver Foundation, 2011). Pancreas Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to chronic pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas. Pancreatitis can result from blockages in the pancreatic duct, although in alcoholics it is more commonly caused by damage to the pancreatic tissue due to the by-products of alcohol metabolism (Apte, 1997). Alcohol abuse is the most common cause for patients with chronic pancreatitis, and can usually be treated with diet modifications (avoiding alcohol and low fat diets) and medications for pain relief, without requiring surgical intervention (Freedman, 2012). Some studies even claim that long-term alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, although the studies on these claims have shown only a minor increased risk and have been mostly inconclusive (Ye, 2002). Gastrointestinal Tract The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the first stop that our foods and beverages have in the body. Alcohol usually moves from the stomach to the small intestine rather quickly, however sometimes alcohol is left behind and can actually irritate the inner lining of the stomach (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Unabsorbed alcohol left in the stomach can also increase digestive juices (hydrochloric acid), halt the digestive process and rob the body of necessary nutrients, and react with medications (such as aspirin) causing gastritis, ulcers, or severe bleeding (College Drinking Changing the Culture, 2012). Alcohol has even been linked to cancers in the GI tract. Cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx (voice box), and esophagus are believed to especially increase the risk of cancers of smokers because of the possibility that alcohol acts as a solvent for the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, allowing these harmful chemicals to penetrate the inner linings of the digestive tract (â€Å"Alcohol Use and Cancer†, 2012). Bacteria in the colon and rectum can convert alcohol into large amounts of acetaldehyde, a chemical that has been shown to cause cancer in some lab studies (â€Å"Alcohol Use and Cancer†, 2012). Kidneys Long-term alcohol consumption has also been shown to compromise kidney function, particularly in patients with established liver disease (Epstein, 1997). Some studies have even shown that alcohol abuse can altering the form and structure of the kidneys, noting that many alcoholics have increased kidney size and/or swelling compared to non-alcoholics (Epstein, 1997). In Dr. Murray Epstein’s research on kidney function and alcohol abuse he has stated, â€Å"Chronic alcoholic patients may experience low blood concentrations of key electrolytes as well as potentially severe alterations in the body’s acid-base balance. In addition, alcohol can disrupt the hormonal control mechanisms that govern kidney function† (Epstein, 1997). Lungs One of the systems that is not as widely linked to alcohol consumption is the respiratory system, however recent studies have helped establish this link. For example, recent studies have shown that alcoholics are actually more prone to lung infections (such as pneumonia) (Joshi, 2007). More specifically, long-term alcohol consumption can decrease the levels of glutathione (an important antioxidant) in the lungs by as much as 80-90 percent (Joshi, 2007), which in turn leaves the lungs more susceptible to infection. Some pulmonologists have even found that prolonged and heavy exposure to alcohol can complicate asthma management, as well as worsen lung function and increase mortality in patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) (Sisson, 2007). The reason why the effects of long-term alcohol consumption on the lungs is not as widely studied is because most often the lung impairment goes undetected until acutely insulted by trauma or sepsis (system wide infection) (Joshi, 2007). Breasts Recent studies are now showing that even a few alcoholic drinks can increase the risk of breast cancer in women, particularly of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer (â€Å"Drinking Alcohol†, 2012). Alcohol can increase levels of estrogen and other hormones associated with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer (â€Å"Drinking Alcohol†, 2012). According to breastcancer.org, â€Å"Compared to women who dont drink at all, women who have three alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer. Experts estimate that the risk of breast cancer goes up another 10% for each additional drink women regularly have each day† (â€Å"Drinking Alcohol†, 2012). The Effect of Alcohol Abuse on Society Families Alcoholism affects each member of the family, and can even affect unborn children. The most commonly affected family members are the spouses and children of alcoholics (Berger, Silverstein, and Wekesser, 2003). Studies have shown that some of the most common symptoms found amongst spouses of alcoholics are feelings of hatred, self-pity, avoidance of social contacts, suffering from exhaustion, and/or becoming physically or mentally ill (Berger, Silverstein, and Wekesser, 2003). Children of alcoholics commonly express symptoms such as low self-esteem, loneliness, guilt, feelings of helplessness, fears of abandonment, poor performance in school, and/or chronic depression (Berger, Silverstein, and Wekesser, 2003). Unborn children can be affected by alcohol abuse when a woman drinks a significant amount of alcohol during the pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most common disorder related to alcohol use during pregnancy. A baby that has been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome may have the following symptoms: poor developmental growth in the womb and after birth, decreased muscle tone and poor coordination, delayed development, heart defects such as ventricular septal defect (VSD) or atrial septal defect (ASD), and/or problems with facial features (â€Å"Fetal alcohol syndrome†, 2012). The Economy In 2011 the U.S. Centers for disease Control (the CDC) reported that alcohol abuse costs the United States approximately $223.5 billion a year, with the government paying more than 60% of the health care costs of alcohol abusers (Fox, 2011). This enormous cost includes, but is not limited to, factors such as lost productivity due to alcohol-related illnesses, medical/health consequences of alcohol abuse, lost productivity of criminals/victims from crimes involving alcohol, and motor vehicle accidents (fatal and non-fatal) in which alcohol was involved (â€Å"Economic Costs of Alcohol Abuse in the United States†, 2000). Source Article: McCambridge J, McAlaney J, Rowe R (2011) Adult Consequences of Late Adolescent Alcohol Consumption: A Systematic Review of Cohort Studies. PLoS Med 8(2): e1000413. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000413 References: Alcohol Alert. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Oct 2004. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa63/aa63.htm. Alcohol Use and Cancer. American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society, 27 Jan 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012.http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/DietandPhysicalActivity/alcohol-use-and-cancer. American Heart Association. Alcohol and Heart Disease.www.heart.org. American Heart Association, 04 Apr 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/Alcohol-and-Heart-Disease_UCM_305173_Article.jsp. American Liver Foundation, . Alcohol-Related Liver Disease. American Liver Foundation. American Liver Foundation, 04 Oct 2011. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/alcohol/. Apte, M, M Med, J Wilson, and M Korsten. Alcohol-Related Pancreatic Damage. Alcohol Health Research World. 21.1 (1997): 13-20. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh21-1/13.pdf. Berger, G, H Silverstein, and C Wekesser. Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family . AllPsych Journal. AllPsych Journal, 14 2003. Web. 23 Oct 2012. http://allpsych.com/journal/alcoholism.html. College Drinking Changing the Culture. Alcohol and You: An Interactive Body. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 13 Aug 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov Drinking Alcohol. Breastcancer.org. Breastcancer.org, 17 Sep 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/alcohol. Epstein, Murray. Alcohol’s Impact on Kidney Function.Alcohol Health Research World. 1.21 (1997): 84-93. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh21-1/84.pdf. Fergusson, DM, JM Boden, and LJ Horwood. Tests of causal links between alcohol abuse or dependence and major depression. PubMed. March (2009): n. page. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19255375. Fetal alcohol syndrome. PubMed Health. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 08 Aug 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. Fox, Maggie. CDC: Alcohol Abuse Costs U.S. $224 Billion a Year. National Journal. National Journal, 17 2011. Web. 23 Oct 2012. http://www.nationaljournal.com/healthcare/cdc-alcohol-abuse-costs-u-s-224-billion-a-year-20111017. Freedman, Steven, and J. Thomas LaMont, eds. Patient information: Chronic pancreatitis (Beyond the Basics). Up To Date. Wolters Kluwer Health, 11 Jul 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2012. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/chronic-pancreatitis-beyond-the-basics?source=see_link. Joshi, Pratibha, and David Guidot. The alcoholic lung: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and potential therapies. American Journal of Physiology Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. 292.4 (2007): L813-L823. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. http://ajplung.physiology.org/content/292/4/L813.full.pdf html. Sisson, JH. PubMed. PubMed. 41.5 (2007): 293-307. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17764883. United States. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Economic Costs of Alcohol Abuse in the United States. 2000. Web. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/economic-2000/alcoholcost.PDF. Ye, W, J Lagergren, E Weiderpass, O Nyrà ©n, H-O Adami, and A Ekbom. Alcohol abuse and the risk of pancreatic cancer. GUT An Internati onal Journal of

Teen Alcatraz :: essays research papers

Teen Alcatraz   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was the year 1999, I was a reckless little 13 year old. I had been in and out of foster care for years. I had been adopted at 7 years old by a senile 50 year old single woman. She treated my foster siblings and I like we were trash. She was basically the wicked witch from the west. She used us and abused us; she treated us like her personal slaves. I had decided that I could not go on living like this, and I was running away and I would never return that house again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One cold night, my cousin and I decided our lives were intolerable. We planned our great escape. We threw our bags out of our bedroom windows. Then at exactly 10:30, we walked out our front doors and ran to the nearest empty factory, and met there.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We ran for hours and hours, our destination was an old abandoned trailor of my cousins. It was a crazy night.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the time we made it to the trailor, hours later I was dirty, mad, and I had wet pants.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We walked inside, the broken down trailor and just started to get into pajamas and there was headlights in the driveway. I panicked and hid. My cousin yelled, â€Å"Krissy, Krissy, it’s my mommy!,† I said, â€Å"HIDE!!!!!,† because I was not going back to that tyrannical mother of mine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well, I guess my cousin was feeling the same as me and she decided to RUN outside to her mother and rat us both out. Her mother, my aunt, let me stay with her that night.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next day at school, I was called to the principal’s office, and a lady from the Department of Human Services was there. She proceeded to tell me that if I would not go home, right then and there, that their only choice was to send me to shelter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I, being as naà ¯ve as I was, said, â€Å"FINE! At least I can start over!†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  So, that very day they, transferred me in the middle of Social Studies test to a place where they said I would love, and people would treat me how I wanted to be treated, this place would be called, â€Å"Agency Shelter.† It was about five miles from Ottumwa, Ia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was about an hour and half drive. I was terrified, and happy at the same time.

Information and transportation technology Essay

Information and transportation technologies are critical in supporting a leagile supply chain design because both resources are needed to integrate well the manufacturing of products and operations processes including delivery to the customer and customer feedback systems. In a leagile supply chain, lean material flow is upstream of agile material flow. For it to succeed as an agile process, it must be fully documented, understood and engineered. This is readily enabled by initially engineering a lean process and then adapting it by removing specific constraints and capacity limitations, thus enabling agility (Mason-Jones, et.al. , 2000). Integration and coordination are vital parts of this supply chain design and through enhanced collaboration and information exchange using information technology, success can be achieved. Transportation technology is one important component of logistics which directly supports a leagile supply chain. Because of flexible movements of materials needed for production and products from suppliers to customers and vise-versa, a very efficient transportation technology is vital.

Week

Then find a current event in an article at the inline periodical listed to illustrate that concept. Compose an analysis of that event or situation using the weekly operations concept that you selected. Try to choose the concept that has been addressed the least by your classmates. Your post is due by Midnight (Central Time) Thursday. Next, respond to at least three classmates' posts by Midnight (Central Time) Sunday. Remember that content matters. You need to write more than â€Å"Great Job† or â€Å"l agree with you† to get full credit on your discussion responses.Week 1 Discussion The weekly textbook concepts for our discussion this week are: Operational efficiency Operational effectiveness Operational Sustainability Strategic Operations Planning Operational Productivity Operations and Supply Chain Strategy Select one of these concepts and find a related article at the New York Times: http://www. Anytime. Com/ . Try clicking on â€Å"Business† on the left to se e the business related articles or search by entering your topic in the search box. You'll find one (or several articles) to analyze.Remember to focus upon your selected concept in your analysis. After reviewing and analyzing one of the current events articles, post your analysis and comments to your classmates low. For full credit, review three of your classmates postings and reply to them. If you're the first to enter the Discussion there will only BEA Respond button. Otherwise, you will see others' posting below. Click on the + Expand All button to view all of the entries made by your fellow learners. This section lists options that can be used to view responses.Collapse All Print View Show Options Responses Responses are listed below in the following order: response, author and the date and time the response is posted. Response Author Defeatism* Week 1 Nicole Haunt 3/19/2013 PM Speedy Check-Len Lets Hotel Guests Bypass Front Desk The hotel industry is becoming more electronic fr iendly by placing check-in kiosks in their hotels for quick and easy check-in. It is the age of social networking and people like to get things done quickly and having this capability in the hotels will allow things to go a lot quicker.This also allows the hotels to cut down on staffing and increase revenue. They have also added kiosks by the elevators so that if their keys do not work the customer does not have to go all the way to the front desk to get it fixed. Having kiosks will allow the staff to monitor people heckling-in and then help then when it is needed. This represents operation effectiveness because it is something that can be continuously improved; it improves the hotels processes, and functional performance. The hotels are maximizing their check-in process by making it faster and reducing wait time. Http://www. Anytime. Mom/2013/03/19/business/speedy-chi eek-in -lets-h Tool- guests-bypass-front-desk. HTML? Ref=business&_r=O RE: Weekly Eduardo Bertha 3/1 9/2013 PM Nico le remember the first time when I encountered the electronic check-in. It was in NY City and it seemed very unusual. There I was checking into the hotel hill the lady was standing behind the counter watching me. This was about 8 years ago and din ‘t understand the point Of having the electronic check-in at a small hotel†¦ It makes sense to have it in a large hotel where the electronic check in will reduce waiting times†¦ RE: weekly Memorable Ramona 3/19/2013 PM Good point Eduardo.In big name hotels like Holiday Inn, Best Western, and Hilton I can see where providing kiosks to their guests would benefit in time managing. This way, the hotel clerks can accommodate and assist their guests in different areas. From experience, have had to check-in to plenty of hotels Ewing in the Air Force Reserves and it does get pretty bothersome having to wait in line, especially after a long tiresome drive. RE: Weekly Nicole Haunt 3/20/2013 AM also agree that it would seem unusual to have a kiosk at a small hotel because I would think that you would want more of a mom and pop feel when you go to small establishments like that.I know that when I go on vacation to Vegas or any where that is popular the last thing I want to do is stand in line so a kiosk would be helpful but then I wonder if customer service will go down because they are not pay too much attention to the customer. RE: Week 1 Nicole, Geisha Bristol 3/20/2013 9:48:49 PM You hit the nail right on the head. Customer service WILL go lacking. L, myself, have worked in the hospitality/hotel field (and hoping to one day get back into this field) and know that customer service is a BIG deal when it comes to that.That first â€Å"meet and greet† is important when checking into a hotel. I can understand the functionality of using kiosks. But can also see the downside. You would still need the staff to clean the rooms from previous guests. Somehow, the status on each room needs to be updated to make the system of the kiosk work. Housekeeping and the front desk work very closely in the hotel setting. As housekeeping cleans the room, the front desk is updated on what rooms have been cleaned and are ready for a new guest.The use of a kiosk, I feel can become a problem down the road. Thatcher's how feel. RE: Weekly Anthony Bennett 3/19/2013 5:44:19 PM Niccole, This was news to me! I was unaware that hotels would start using kiosks to check-in. I suppose it makes sense since the Airlines do it as well and the process has proven to work in that regard. As a customer, this is great. I would think that this is a win/win situation. I hope they do not do away with he bell man though! I kind of of still want my baggage carried for me if I'm on a fancy vacation!Tony RE: Weekly Instructor Cube 3/23/2013 AM Nicole, you wrote that â€Å"Having kiosks will allow the staff to monitor people improves the hotels processes, and functional performance. † You are doing a good job in this analysi s Of illustrating the similarities between services processes and assembly (manufacturing) processes. There really are a lot of similarities that are evident when we consider efficiency and effectiveness improvement methods. Chapter 2 (page 30-31 ) does a good job of illustrating how Operations managers measure productivity (partial, multiracial, total).Which of these methods would you think that a services business, like the hotel in your article, would apply? Class, any ideas on this†¦ RE: weekly Eunice Portfolio 3/23/2013 PM Professor, believe using a partial measure of productivity would be ideal. The Operation manager of a hotel would be interested in the productivity of its staff. Fifth Operations manager were in charge of multiple hotel chains, then he/she would use total measure of productivity or even malefactor measures. According to the textbook, a total factor measure would be used to measure he productivity of an entire organization.This way the Operations manager can compare and make adjustments in the less producing hotel chains. Eunice RE: weekly Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 8:3108 AM Right, in services process with lots of people, labor productivity (partial measure) is a good way to measure productivity. Shell in the Artic Anthony Bennett 3/19/2013 5:37:33 PM In 2012, Shell Oil Company had to suspend operations in the Arctic Ocean when their drilling rig the Kulak was grounded. Shell had attempted to drill for oil in the Arctic but the harsh climate made oversight of the operation very difficult.A recent review concluded â€Å"Shell had failed in a wide range of basic operational tasks, like supervision of contractors that performed critical work, including towing one of the company's two drilling rigs†. This failed operational control caused the rig to be damaged. The ineffectiveness to oversee these operations correctly diminished the value of drilling in the Arctic. For now Shell states that they â€Å"will not return to the Arct ic Ocean in 2013†. Overall, I believe it is wise to pause operations when they become a safety hazard to people or the environment.Despite the unfortunate towing incident, Shell has made the right decision to reevaluate how things are being managed. Brooder, John M. (2013), Interior Dept. Warns Shell on Arctic Drilling. Retrieved March 1 9, 2013 from http://YMMV. Anytime. Com/2013/03/1 5/business/gibbon/ RE: Shell in the Artic Instructor Cube 3/20/2013 8:40:23 AM Anthony, you wrote that â€Å"l believe it is wise to pause operations when they become a safety hazard to people or the environment. Despite the unfortunate towing managed. † Which of the weekly textbook concepts (above) do you thing was involved in this decision?Would it be Operations efficiency, Operations effectiveness, Operations productivity, or some other factor? Class, what do you think†¦.. RE: Shell in the Artic Sandra Rolling 3/20/2013 11 AM think this is would be under Chapter 2 – Page 22 , Exhibit 2. 1 – Shell is actively working their Triple Bottom Line Thanks Sands RE: Shell in the Artic Anthony Bennett 3/21/2013 8:23:38 PM Proof, would think that Operational sustainability was a big factor in considering to terminate operations in the interim. Because of the issues that happen, value was lost and therefore so was effectiveness and efficiency.Its to me that each concept must hold strong for operational management to work. RE: Shell in the Artic Matthew Bat-y 3/22/2013 10:35:02 AM I think, in this case, operational sustainability was going to be lost. There were too many negative consequences in continuing action in the Arctic, not least of which was the safety hazard to the employees. Inclusively, both efficiency and effectiveness would have been diminished. RE: Shell in the At-tic Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 AM Good observations about social responsibility. The way that companies pursue operations is very important.RE: Shell in the Artic Eduardo Bertha 3/24/ 2013 2:02:32 PM Social responsibility has different meanings depending on the culture where the many originates and where it operates†¦ Portfolio Eunice Portfolio 3/19/2013 PM Textbook definition Of efficiency means doing something at the lowest possible cost while effectiveness means doing the right things to create the most value for the company. (Jacobs & Chase 11). An article from the NY Times focuses on Promethean, a biodegrade company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats. (Promethean 2).It develops several medical treatments to meet the critical needs of the united States and its allies by developing and counterclaiming medical entrepreneurs against biological and chemical threats. The company employs both operational efficiency and effectiveness through reduced operating expenses that went from $21. 2 million in 2011 to $19. 5 million in 2012 by cutting unnecessary operating expenses. Also general and administrative expenses went dow n from $14. 3 million to $11. 6 million as a result of a reduction in legal and other general and administrative expenses.As a result of being efficient, some trade-offs were made. â€Å"Trade-offs occur when activities are incompatible so that more of one thing necessitates less of another. (Jacobs & Chase 27). The company had to make decisions of either making the product or delivering services cheap. In this line of business, dealing with break-through medical advancements, the company must strive on process quality. Being effective is more important than being efficient for Promethean. Jacobs, F. Robert & Richard B. Chase. Operations and Supply Chain Management. McGraw-Hill & Irwin. New York, NY, 201 1.Print. Promethean. â€Å"Promethean Reports Year-End 2012 Financial And operational Results. † NY Times. Com. 13 Mar 2013. Web. 19 Mar 2013. RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/20/2013 8137138 AM Eunice, you wrote that â€Å"The company had to make decisions of either making the product or delivering services cheap. † Everyone should note that every business must choose among the focus dimensions (pages 25-27) to decide how they will compete, and then the Operations function of that company has to apply the business level focus dimensions that support the overall business plan.Class and Eunice, in this case above which of the focus dimensions did this firm adopt in its operations function and which did they trade-off? † Any ideas†¦.. RE: Portfolio Jill Davis 3/23/2013 PM Eunice, I liked your post. I think that in terms of product and service safety, especially in the health care fields, companies should make the trade off toward products and service quality, rather than a cheaper or faster service or product. Our text says that a company has to decide on which parameters of performance are critical to success and focus on those.High quality can be a trade off to low cost, but when it comes to health services and pharmaceutical companies the performance parameters critical to success are the well-being of their customers so low cost should have to take a back seat to product and service quality. Jacobs, Robert F. & Chase, Richard B. (2011). Operations and Supply Chain Management. Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 AM Right Jill, we have all seen how a focus on low cost and low quality in the medical industry can endanger consumers.RE: Portfolio Eunice Portfolio 3/23/2013 6:54:56 PM As Jill and Jordan stated, quality is more important when it comes to the healthcare field. Not only would Promethean lose its business if even one person dies from the company's negligence, but it would face tremendous lawsuits from individuals and the government. Its reputation would be destroyed. Promethean understands the repercussions if they don't deliver a quality product so it sacrifices cost in order to deliver quality products. People are willing to spend money on medications that work.I think this is one field where consumers will pay anything for medicine that truly works. RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 8:36:44 AM Right Eunice, so these Operations managers do not focus upon low cost, flexibility, customized products, or high efficiency. They have traded off all of these focus dimensions and their approach is high quality. RE: Portfolio Steven Rice 3/24/2013 3:44139 PM would say the main focus dimension is to focus on quality, or â€Å"Make a great Product† vs.. â€Å"Deliver a great service†. Anything in the healthcare industry has a heavy emphasis in the quality control in design and process quality.I used to work for a company that produced Animal Drugs and was heavily regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, because the animals that received the drugs we produced were farmed for human consumption. As consumer, I always want the best quality for the price I'm willing to spend or can afford. Steve Rice RE-: Portfolio Jordan Edwards 3/20/20 13 PM Modified:3/20/2013 1184 PM Thanks Eunice for the insightful analysis on your article. It seems like a lot of firms/organizations are looking at ways they can save by eliminating inefficiencies or other processes altogether.In this case I would say that Promethean opted to focus on quality or making a great product and sacrificed cost or price-?making the product cheaply. RE: Portfolio Kristin Truer 3/24/2013 PM think that being effective vs. being efficient has paid off for this organization. Sometimes, a company or organization may have to pay a little more to be ore effective in delivering their product that they want and are needing to get out. In the end, its what is going to pay off for the company when the product is sold to its customers.Good info and article. Kristin Operational Sustainability Pamela Chafed 3/19/2013 10:58:43 PM I would not normally think of using Wall-Mart in the same sentence with the term operational sustainability but an article titled Unexpected A lly Helps Wall-Mart Cut Waste changed my thought process. Wall-Mart courted environmental groups and sought their input on its policies since it first announced a sustainability program. The major push for Wall-Mart to strive towards operational sustainability was to transform the publics' opinion of the corporation.With negative public views towards Wall-Marts environmental impacts and treatment of women in the workforce, H. Lee Scott, the chief executive, now retired, announced wide ranged plans to lessen the environmental impact the company had on the communities it served. The company has met some environmental goals and missed others. One of these was increasing reuse or recycle of waste produced in its stores by 64 percent, not quite the zero-waste goal that was set, but a huge step forward s progress continues to be made. Week Then find a current event in an article at the inline periodical listed to illustrate that concept. Compose an analysis of that event or situation using the weekly operations concept that you selected. Try to choose the concept that has been addressed the least by your classmates. Your post is due by Midnight (Central Time) Thursday. Next, respond to at least three classmates' posts by Midnight (Central Time) Sunday. Remember that content matters. You need to write more than â€Å"Great Job† or â€Å"l agree with you† to get full credit on your discussion responses.Week 1 Discussion The weekly textbook concepts for our discussion this week are: Operational efficiency Operational effectiveness Operational Sustainability Strategic Operations Planning Operational Productivity Operations and Supply Chain Strategy Select one of these concepts and find a related article at the New York Times: http://www. Anytime. Com/ . Try clicking on â€Å"Business† on the left to se e the business related articles or search by entering your topic in the search box. You'll find one (or several articles) to analyze.Remember to focus upon your selected concept in your analysis. After reviewing and analyzing one of the current events articles, post your analysis and comments to your classmates low. For full credit, review three of your classmates postings and reply to them. If you're the first to enter the Discussion there will only BEA Respond button. Otherwise, you will see others' posting below. Click on the + Expand All button to view all of the entries made by your fellow learners. This section lists options that can be used to view responses.Collapse All Print View Show Options Responses Responses are listed below in the following order: response, author and the date and time the response is posted. Response Author Defeatism* Week 1 Nicole Haunt 3/19/2013 PM Speedy Check-Len Lets Hotel Guests Bypass Front Desk The hotel industry is becoming more electronic fr iendly by placing check-in kiosks in their hotels for quick and easy check-in. It is the age of social networking and people like to get things done quickly and having this capability in the hotels will allow things to go a lot quicker.This also allows the hotels to cut down on staffing and increase revenue. They have also added kiosks by the elevators so that if their keys do not work the customer does not have to go all the way to the front desk to get it fixed. Having kiosks will allow the staff to monitor people heckling-in and then help then when it is needed. This represents operation effectiveness because it is something that can be continuously improved; it improves the hotels processes, and functional performance. The hotels are maximizing their check-in process by making it faster and reducing wait time. Http://www. Anytime. Mom/2013/03/19/business/speedy-chi eek-in -lets-h Tool- guests-bypass-front-desk. HTML? Ref=business&_r=O RE: Weekly Eduardo Bertha 3/1 9/2013 PM Nico le remember the first time when I encountered the electronic check-in. It was in NY City and it seemed very unusual. There I was checking into the hotel hill the lady was standing behind the counter watching me. This was about 8 years ago and din ‘t understand the point Of having the electronic check-in at a small hotel†¦ It makes sense to have it in a large hotel where the electronic check in will reduce waiting times†¦ RE: weekly Memorable Ramona 3/19/2013 PM Good point Eduardo.In big name hotels like Holiday Inn, Best Western, and Hilton I can see where providing kiosks to their guests would benefit in time managing. This way, the hotel clerks can accommodate and assist their guests in different areas. From experience, have had to check-in to plenty of hotels Ewing in the Air Force Reserves and it does get pretty bothersome having to wait in line, especially after a long tiresome drive. RE: Weekly Nicole Haunt 3/20/2013 AM also agree that it would seem unusual to have a kiosk at a small hotel because I would think that you would want more of a mom and pop feel when you go to small establishments like that.I know that when I go on vacation to Vegas or any where that is popular the last thing I want to do is stand in line so a kiosk would be helpful but then I wonder if customer service will go down because they are not pay too much attention to the customer. RE: Week 1 Nicole, Geisha Bristol 3/20/2013 9:48:49 PM You hit the nail right on the head. Customer service WILL go lacking. L, myself, have worked in the hospitality/hotel field (and hoping to one day get back into this field) and know that customer service is a BIG deal when it comes to that.That first â€Å"meet and greet† is important when checking into a hotel. I can understand the functionality of using kiosks. But can also see the downside. You would still need the staff to clean the rooms from previous guests. Somehow, the status on each room needs to be updated to make the system of the kiosk work. Housekeeping and the front desk work very closely in the hotel setting. As housekeeping cleans the room, the front desk is updated on what rooms have been cleaned and are ready for a new guest.The use of a kiosk, I feel can become a problem down the road. Thatcher's how feel. RE: Weekly Anthony Bennett 3/19/2013 5:44:19 PM Niccole, This was news to me! I was unaware that hotels would start using kiosks to check-in. I suppose it makes sense since the Airlines do it as well and the process has proven to work in that regard. As a customer, this is great. I would think that this is a win/win situation. I hope they do not do away with he bell man though! I kind of of still want my baggage carried for me if I'm on a fancy vacation!Tony RE: Weekly Instructor Cube 3/23/2013 AM Nicole, you wrote that â€Å"Having kiosks will allow the staff to monitor people improves the hotels processes, and functional performance. † You are doing a good job in this analysi s Of illustrating the similarities between services processes and assembly (manufacturing) processes. There really are a lot of similarities that are evident when we consider efficiency and effectiveness improvement methods. Chapter 2 (page 30-31 ) does a good job of illustrating how Operations managers measure productivity (partial, multiracial, total).Which of these methods would you think that a services business, like the hotel in your article, would apply? Class, any ideas on this†¦ RE: weekly Eunice Portfolio 3/23/2013 PM Professor, believe using a partial measure of productivity would be ideal. The Operation manager of a hotel would be interested in the productivity of its staff. Fifth Operations manager were in charge of multiple hotel chains, then he/she would use total measure of productivity or even malefactor measures. According to the textbook, a total factor measure would be used to measure he productivity of an entire organization.This way the Operations manager can compare and make adjustments in the less producing hotel chains. Eunice RE: weekly Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 8:3108 AM Right, in services process with lots of people, labor productivity (partial measure) is a good way to measure productivity. Shell in the Artic Anthony Bennett 3/19/2013 5:37:33 PM In 2012, Shell Oil Company had to suspend operations in the Arctic Ocean when their drilling rig the Kulak was grounded. Shell had attempted to drill for oil in the Arctic but the harsh climate made oversight of the operation very difficult.A recent review concluded â€Å"Shell had failed in a wide range of basic operational tasks, like supervision of contractors that performed critical work, including towing one of the company's two drilling rigs†. This failed operational control caused the rig to be damaged. The ineffectiveness to oversee these operations correctly diminished the value of drilling in the Arctic. For now Shell states that they â€Å"will not return to the Arct ic Ocean in 2013†. Overall, I believe it is wise to pause operations when they become a safety hazard to people or the environment.Despite the unfortunate towing incident, Shell has made the right decision to reevaluate how things are being managed. Brooder, John M. (2013), Interior Dept. Warns Shell on Arctic Drilling. Retrieved March 1 9, 2013 from http://YMMV. Anytime. Com/2013/03/1 5/business/gibbon/ RE: Shell in the Artic Instructor Cube 3/20/2013 8:40:23 AM Anthony, you wrote that â€Å"l believe it is wise to pause operations when they become a safety hazard to people or the environment. Despite the unfortunate towing managed. † Which of the weekly textbook concepts (above) do you thing was involved in this decision?Would it be Operations efficiency, Operations effectiveness, Operations productivity, or some other factor? Class, what do you think†¦.. RE: Shell in the Artic Sandra Rolling 3/20/2013 11 AM think this is would be under Chapter 2 – Page 22 , Exhibit 2. 1 – Shell is actively working their Triple Bottom Line Thanks Sands RE: Shell in the Artic Anthony Bennett 3/21/2013 8:23:38 PM Proof, would think that Operational sustainability was a big factor in considering to terminate operations in the interim. Because of the issues that happen, value was lost and therefore so was effectiveness and efficiency.Its to me that each concept must hold strong for operational management to work. RE: Shell in the Artic Matthew Bat-y 3/22/2013 10:35:02 AM I think, in this case, operational sustainability was going to be lost. There were too many negative consequences in continuing action in the Arctic, not least of which was the safety hazard to the employees. Inclusively, both efficiency and effectiveness would have been diminished. RE: Shell in the At-tic Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 AM Good observations about social responsibility. The way that companies pursue operations is very important.RE: Shell in the Artic Eduardo Bertha 3/24/ 2013 2:02:32 PM Social responsibility has different meanings depending on the culture where the many originates and where it operates†¦ Portfolio Eunice Portfolio 3/19/2013 PM Textbook definition Of efficiency means doing something at the lowest possible cost while effectiveness means doing the right things to create the most value for the company. (Jacobs & Chase 11). An article from the NY Times focuses on Promethean, a biodegrade company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats. (Promethean 2).It develops several medical treatments to meet the critical needs of the united States and its allies by developing and counterclaiming medical entrepreneurs against biological and chemical threats. The company employs both operational efficiency and effectiveness through reduced operating expenses that went from $21. 2 million in 2011 to $19. 5 million in 2012 by cutting unnecessary operating expenses. Also general and administrative expenses went dow n from $14. 3 million to $11. 6 million as a result of a reduction in legal and other general and administrative expenses.As a result of being efficient, some trade-offs were made. â€Å"Trade-offs occur when activities are incompatible so that more of one thing necessitates less of another. (Jacobs & Chase 27). The company had to make decisions of either making the product or delivering services cheap. In this line of business, dealing with break-through medical advancements, the company must strive on process quality. Being effective is more important than being efficient for Promethean. Jacobs, F. Robert & Richard B. Chase. Operations and Supply Chain Management. McGraw-Hill & Irwin. New York, NY, 201 1.Print. Promethean. â€Å"Promethean Reports Year-End 2012 Financial And operational Results. † NY Times. Com. 13 Mar 2013. Web. 19 Mar 2013. RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/20/2013 8137138 AM Eunice, you wrote that â€Å"The company had to make decisions of either making the product or delivering services cheap. † Everyone should note that every business must choose among the focus dimensions (pages 25-27) to decide how they will compete, and then the Operations function of that company has to apply the business level focus dimensions that support the overall business plan.Class and Eunice, in this case above which of the focus dimensions did this firm adopt in its operations function and which did they trade-off? † Any ideas†¦.. RE: Portfolio Jill Davis 3/23/2013 PM Eunice, I liked your post. I think that in terms of product and service safety, especially in the health care fields, companies should make the trade off toward products and service quality, rather than a cheaper or faster service or product. Our text says that a company has to decide on which parameters of performance are critical to success and focus on those.High quality can be a trade off to low cost, but when it comes to health services and pharmaceutical companies the performance parameters critical to success are the well-being of their customers so low cost should have to take a back seat to product and service quality. Jacobs, Robert F. & Chase, Richard B. (2011). Operations and Supply Chain Management. Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 AM Right Jill, we have all seen how a focus on low cost and low quality in the medical industry can endanger consumers.RE: Portfolio Eunice Portfolio 3/23/2013 6:54:56 PM As Jill and Jordan stated, quality is more important when it comes to the healthcare field. Not only would Promethean lose its business if even one person dies from the company's negligence, but it would face tremendous lawsuits from individuals and the government. Its reputation would be destroyed. Promethean understands the repercussions if they don't deliver a quality product so it sacrifices cost in order to deliver quality products. People are willing to spend money on medications that work.I think this is one field where consumers will pay anything for medicine that truly works. RE: Portfolio Instructor Cube 3/24/2013 8:36:44 AM Right Eunice, so these Operations managers do not focus upon low cost, flexibility, customized products, or high efficiency. They have traded off all of these focus dimensions and their approach is high quality. RE: Portfolio Steven Rice 3/24/2013 3:44139 PM would say the main focus dimension is to focus on quality, or â€Å"Make a great Product† vs.. â€Å"Deliver a great service†. Anything in the healthcare industry has a heavy emphasis in the quality control in design and process quality.I used to work for a company that produced Animal Drugs and was heavily regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, because the animals that received the drugs we produced were farmed for human consumption. As consumer, I always want the best quality for the price I'm willing to spend or can afford. Steve Rice RE-: Portfolio Jordan Edwards 3/20/20 13 PM Modified:3/20/2013 1184 PM Thanks Eunice for the insightful analysis on your article. It seems like a lot of firms/organizations are looking at ways they can save by eliminating inefficiencies or other processes altogether.In this case I would say that Promethean opted to focus on quality or making a great product and sacrificed cost or price-?making the product cheaply. RE: Portfolio Kristin Truer 3/24/2013 PM think that being effective vs. being efficient has paid off for this organization. Sometimes, a company or organization may have to pay a little more to be ore effective in delivering their product that they want and are needing to get out. In the end, its what is going to pay off for the company when the product is sold to its customers.Good info and article. Kristin Operational Sustainability Pamela Chafed 3/19/2013 10:58:43 PM I would not normally think of using Wall-Mart in the same sentence with the term operational sustainability but an article titled Unexpected A lly Helps Wall-Mart Cut Waste changed my thought process. Wall-Mart courted environmental groups and sought their input on its policies since it first announced a sustainability program. The major push for Wall-Mart to strive towards operational sustainability was to transform the publics' opinion of the corporation.With negative public views towards Wall-Marts environmental impacts and treatment of women in the workforce, H. Lee Scott, the chief executive, now retired, announced wide ranged plans to lessen the environmental impact the company had on the communities it served. The company has met some environmental goals and missed others. One of these was increasing reuse or recycle of waste produced in its stores by 64 percent, not quite the zero-waste goal that was set, but a huge step forward s progress continues to be made. Week In the trolley car problem I would hit the switch to save the 4 people and sacrifice the one because I would not be able to live with myself Just by allowing them all to die. At least even though I would be sacrificing one person I would still be able to save the rest of the people. The reasoning that has allowed me to come up with this decision is based upon my own personal values that I have which Is If there Is omitting that I can do some way shape or form that will allow me to make a difference I am willing to do It especially If It Is for the greater good to be helpful to someone else.By me Just sitting by and watching the trolley car and letting them all die would be something that I would physically be able to do because of the heart that I have. Though I am not a killer I would still weigh the options between the two and come up with one person dying Is better the all 5. When this problem was first Introduced I had the same decision to pull the switch to save the four guys op posed to letting them all die.But I can say that my reasoning behind the decision has somewhat changed before I looked at the situation as damage reduction and choosing between the lesser of the two but now I look at the situation as being to take into account the right thing to do and what I would want someone else to do for me if I were in that same situation. Week In the trolley car problem I would hit the switch to save the 4 people and sacrifice the one because I would not be able to live with myself Just by allowing them all to die. At least even though I would be sacrificing one person I would still be able to save the rest of the people. The reasoning that has allowed me to come up with this decision is based upon my own personal values that I have which Is If there Is omitting that I can do some way shape or form that will allow me to make a difference I am willing to do It especially If It Is for the greater good to be helpful to someone else.By me Just sitting by and watching the trolley car and letting them all die would be something that I would physically be able to do because of the heart that I have. Though I am not a killer I would still weigh the options between the two and come up with one person dying Is better the all 5. When this problem was first Introduced I had the same decision to pull the switch to save the four guys op posed to letting them all die.But I can say that my reasoning behind the decision has somewhat changed before I looked at the situation as damage reduction and choosing between the lesser of the two but now I look at the situation as being to take into account the right thing to do and what I would want someone else to do for me if I were in that same situation.