Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Economic - Essay Example There are even stray reports of tribes, scavenging the barren earth to seek out any plant life, or sapling which may have grown under cover and beneath the rocks. Concerted efforts have been made to serve cooked food at many centers, and even dry food packets have also been distributed from various locations in order to tackle this menace. The effectiveness of these adopted strategies can be felt to a great extent, but to completely wipe out this menace from the earth’s face, needs a long drawn and sustainable fight. It is indeed an irony, that when hunger and malnutrition is so rampant, large tracks of cultivable land explicitly for agricultural production, is being covertly and illegally altered to cultivate the highly profitable ‘poppy’ crop. The cash rich small farmers brave the authorities’ eyebrow, and a few corrupt officials are bought off by the powerful lobby of drug mafias, not only in Africa but in a few countries of Latin America. The world authority is striving hard, but political boundaries often act as a hindrance. The following table and illustration will make the gap between the income of developed and developing economies prominent: The prominent height of the two columns corresponding to the nations of America and UK shows the stark difference in individual level income or wealth from that of the developing economies of China and India. However, in these less developed countries of the world, the problem is not restricted to the cultivation of ‘poppy’ only by a restricted few – the signs are ominous enough! A whole new generation has been entrapped in its grip. It is quiet widespread in the towns and cities, and that too, among a cross- section of the society who can ill afford to. It is indeed a tragedy that the less fortunate strata among these less developed countries are its worst victims, who could otherwise have lived a life not so mucky and enslaved. The rehabilitation

Impact of Globalisation on Toyota Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Impact of Globalisation on Toyota - Essay Example Globalisation has played a major part in the emergence of automobile industry and Toyota has been a leading name in the industry which has also been impacted due to globalisation. The paper will discuss and explore the characteristics or issues of globalisation along with its impact on Toyota. Theoretical Framework Globalisation does not have any definite or specific definition. According to Vogel (2010), â€Å"Globalisation is known as the domination of the world economy by multinational companies†. Free trade policies and practices have enabled these large corporation entities to operate their business globally further influencing world economy. Capitalist nations have been mostly benefitted by globalisation. Trade and multinational companies have been highly benefited as a result of globalisation (Vogel, 2010). Globalisation has influenced the political as well as technical environment of the world. However, globalisation can be termed as practice of trading among the natio ns through the operations of the internationally operating corporations. The exchange of goods and services were possible as globalisation enabled these companies to operate in various nations facing minimum friction (Martin Frost, 2011). The effect of globalisation was noticeable after the World War II. The monetary and corporative movement was highly noticeable after the World War II which can be marked as increasing pace towards globalisation. The advancement of technology, establishment of new organisations along with introduction of legal policies and establishment of legal systems are highly responsible for globalisation to flourish and develop. The characteristics of globalisation has... This research focuses upon Toyota that is considered to be amongst the largest car and vehicle manufacturing companies. The company operates its business in a global market and industry where intense competitions are observed. As a result of globalisation, the industry the company deals in is facing many emerging potential competitors from various nations. The advancement of technology has created huge demand in the markets. The advancement of technology has allowed better productions which are gaining demand in the market. Toyota has incorporated advanced technologies in the process of its manufacturing goods. Although, the efforts applied by the company need to be enhanced to cope up with increasing pace of globalisation and upgrading of technologies. The company needs to be actively involved in advancing the technologies it incorporates in manufacturing its goods. As the company is globally renowned, the expectations of the customers would grow with the expansion as well as increa sing impacts of globalisation. Toyota is recognised as an environmental friendly company. This has contributed in its image globally, adding to its brand image gaining company goodwill. With the help of various entry strategies accommodated by the company, it has been able to operate well in multiple nations. Being a Japan originated company, the company has been able to generate maximum of its profit from various European nations and the US as well.

The importance of camaraderie in Apologia Pro Poemate Meo Essay Example for Free

The importance of camaraderie in Apologia Pro Poemate Meo Essay Making close reference to language, imagery and verse from, consider ways in which Owen portrays his views of the importance of camaraderie in Apologia Pro Poemate Meo Apologia pro poemate meo means the reasons for my poetry and is about the friendships made throughout the war. As a response to Robert graves letter telling Owen for gods sake cheer up and write more optimistically, and the more positive style is shown throughout the rhyme, metre and rhythm as it is all regular. However the poem reads as a contradiction as it is merry yet still about the war. This upbeat tone throughout could also be portrayed as sarcastic. I will be referring to insensibility as it is a contrast to this poem and gives a different view on how men cope in war. I will also refer to strange meeting as it gives a twist to importance of camaraderie, as the man he killed whom he meets in hell, shows they are more likely friends rather than enemies. The importance of camaraderie is highlighted throughout apologia pro poemate meo, Merry it was to laugh there shows that even though war is such a horrific place, the friendships between the men overcame this and made it enjoyable and merry. The use of paradox is to show the juxtaposition of war and friendships: Found peace where shell-storms spouted reddest spate. . Here, Owens uses of sibilance, shows the soldier has found peace in the battlefield, which is absurd as shells are falling all around them, but again, it shows that the friendships made are so powerful, they make war seem less horrific as it is. Religious imagery is used as well to highlight the importance of camaraderie: I, too, saw God through mud-. Here, to see god could also refer to seeing hope, as soldiers prayed to god for help and safety on the battlefield, so this soldier has seen hope in the war as his friendships made, make it worth baring. However, Owen could be using sarcasm here, as Graves told him to cheer up and write something worthwhile, but war is a horrific and dreary matter. To write of war as something cheery would wrong in all sense. This links to a further point, as towards the end of the poem, Owen again, shows his true feelings towards Jessie Pope (the pro-war propaganda poet). You shall not come to think them well content /by any jest of mine. Here, Owen has a dig towards Jessie Pope, as she writes as if war was a game, yet has never experienced it, so she cant judge their wellbeing. This links to yet a further point; Owen links to the Romantics here, as he was inspired by them: I have perceived much beauty /in the hoarse oaths that kept our courage straight, however, like Pope, they did not experience war and wrote about it as beauty and that it was honourable to fight for your country, so again he dislikes them for this. Owens use of sibilance is another method of portraying how important camaraderie was in war. For love is not the binding of fair lips /with the soft silk of eyes that look and long, here Owen tries to tell us that the fellowships he made were much stronger than friends, it was brotherly love. Owen believed that the friendships made in war had the strongest bond ever achieved, as the men fought cried and died amongst each other. When referring to other poems, Insensibility portrays a different way on how men coped with war, instead of the fellowships, they block off emotion. The use of metaphor here portrays this well: Happy are men who yet before that are killed/can let their veins run cold, this shows that the men who can block off all emotion before their death are happy ones, yet ones who dont will not be. Insensibility goes further to say cursed are the dullards whom no cannon stuns, is it worth the price, if youre blocking off emotion. Strange meeting also portrays the importance of camaraderie in war, as it is about an officer who killed an enemy soldier, and when he is dead and goes to hell they are reunited and realise they have more in common as friends, then they did as enemies. I am the enemy you killed my friend shows that even though they were enemies, after walking through hell, he recaps and wonders whether they are friends. When he reaches hell, the soldier who he killed recognizes him and lifting distressful hands, as if to bless. This religious imagery shows that the soldier forgives him and they are better to be friends than enemies. In conclusion, Owen portrays his views of the importance of camaraderie in Apologia Pro Poemate Meo very effectively. Throughout the selection, no other poem goes into such greater detail about the fellowships made in war. The use of imagery, metaphor and the linkage to other poets shows how he truly felt about the friendships made in war and how important they were to the survival and sanity of the men. Insensibility shows us a different view on how important camaraderie was, as it takes the view that being able to block out emotion is the vital thing that will get you through war. Finally, Strange Meeting adds further to the point that camaraderie is important as even though as enemies in war, in death they become friends, to comfort each other for the rest of eternity. Eventhough portrayed effectively, it is not portrayed throughout, and so Apologia Pro Poemate Meo is the most effective from the selection.

Paper Cranes :: Creative Writing Essays

Paper Cranes 1. From the Menninger Institute's seven criteria for emotional maturity: The capacity to find more satisfaction in giving than receiving. The capacity to relate to other people in a consistent manner with mutual satisfaction and helpfulness. The capacity to love. 2. In the opening scene of the film L.I.E., the main character, Howie, a fifteen-year-old boy with baggie jeans and hair that does a chipmunk tail flip at the top of his forehead, jumps up to stand on the railing of an overpass on the Long Island Expressway. Arms extended to the sides, he tightrope walks to the left. He stops, turns, and begins back. Then stops again and lifts one foot so he's balanced only on the tip of one sneaker, on a metal beam the width of a cassette tape. We, the audience, see him from behind: a thin figure in too-big clothes, car after car after car whizzing by beneath him, all oblivious to the boy who, with just the slightest sudden gust, could land, crumpled, on their roof. As you watch, all you want to do is wrap your arms around the boy and hug him to the ground, to safety, to chiding words about what could've happened, and keep on hugging him. And as you watch the rest of the movie, that feeling never leaves: Howie only seems more and more alone. You see th e already motherless Howie abandoned by his father, abandoned by the boy he'd thought was his best friend, bullied at school, until the only person left to listen to him at all is a middle-aged man who also happens to be a pedophile. At first I was outraged that the director portrayed this pedophile as the only person willing to put a supportive arm around Howie's shoulder. After all, aren't pedophiles scum? But then I realized that maybe that was the point. It's easy to judge. And it's easy to keep speeding home, aware only of the other metal boxes zooming along next to you in tenuous synchrony. 3. When I was little I got fevers. They were uncomfortable fevers that made it so all I could think about was feeling nauseous and anticipating the moment when I would feel well enough to eat the promised popsicle. But the worst part was at night, when I'd float somewhere in and out of consciousness: since I wasn't always sure if I was sleeping or not, I wasn't sure when I was dreaming or not, either.

UML and its fit in the business community :: essays research papers

UML in the Business Community In the modern world, business analysts use UML as a communication tool to relay business needs to the IT professionals. What is the Unified Modeling Language (UML)? Here is a definition of UML according to the Object Management Group (OMG) specification. â€Å"The Unified Modeling Language is a graphical language for visualizing, specifying, constructing, and documenting the artifacts of a software-intensive system. The UML offers a standard way to write systems blueprints, including conceptual things such as programming language statements, database schemas, and reusable software components.† First I will start out with a brief discussion on the history of UML. I will then briefly go over the different modeling aspects. Last, I will cover the different UML diagram types. What do you get when you take the different concepts of Booch, OMT, OOSE and Class-Relation then integrate them all into one single modeling language? Do you give up? You create a common and widely usable modeling language such as UML. UML strives to be the standard modeling language which can monitor both concurrent and distributed systems. According to Wikipedia, the OMG has in fact made UML into an industry standard by calling for information on object-orientated (OO) methodologies that might create a rigorous software modeling language. Many industry leaders answered this calling to help create the standard. There are three different aspects of the modeled system which are handled by UML. These three modeling aspects are the functional model, object model and the dynamic model. The functional model is concerned with how the system functions from the user’s point of view. This model includes use case diagrams. The object model deals with the structure and substructure of the system using objects, operations, associations, and attributes. This model includes class diagrams. The dynamic model deals with the internal behavior of the system. This model includes sequence diagrams, activity diagrams and statechart diagrams. There are many types of UML diagram types. These diagram types consist of use case diagrams, class diagrams, collaboration diagrams, sequence diagrams, statechart diagrams, activity diagrams, and deployment diagrams. Use case diagrams are used to obtain system requirements from a user’s perspective. The use case diagram can be thought of as an interaction that a user has with a system to achieve a goal. Class diagrams represent static structure of the classes and their relationships in a system. Interaction diagrams consist of both sequence diagrams and collaboration diagrams.

Ebags Case Study

eBags Case Study BUSI: 2003 Operations Management 11/16/2012 The eBags Corporation The purpose of this paper is analyze the business operations of the eBags Corporation, and provide recommendations for both the European luggage market and footwear industry based on current strengths and weaknesses eBags demonstrates. Through research and analysis, as a group we will map out the managing growth of the eBags Corporation. eBags is known for their innovative breakthrough of one stop shopping for luggage such as traditional travel bags and suitcases in addition to travel accessories like handbags, computer cases, and briefcases just to name a few.Operations management is a key component to the success of the eBags Corporation, and eBags has demonstrated innovative and cost effective business strategies by utilizing cross functional teams within their organization. With business growing, eBags has been able to increase their manufacturers from 10 to 300 and product lines increasing from 10 00 Stock Keeping Units (SKU’s) to over 15,000 SKU’s (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011).Due to the level of success eBags has accomplished they were able to create the eBags product line to consumers seeking low end luggage at an affordable price; the private label consisted of 1000 SKU’s held in a warehouse in Dallas, TX (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011) With desires of expanding their business eBags faces a number of hurdles in deciding which line of business will best suit their organization, their suppliers and manufacturers, their customers, all while generating the highest profit for their company. eBags Current Product Flow Process AnalysisTo maintain competitive in today’s market companies need to implement effective process flows. With options such as assembly lines, continuous, batch flow, and job shop it is important for companies to chose the option that is best going to fit both production needs and budget constraints. M aking the wrong choice for the product flow process can be very costly for any company; however, implementing the right process can reduce costs and speed up production time. The purpose of eBags is to create one stop shopping for luggage needs and in order to do so a wide variety of products should be available to their consumers. Bag and their manufactures use a made to stock order fulfillment process, and with various manufacturers and the eBags private label produced, eBags felt best to utilize the batch flow or batch production product flow process. This allowed products to be produced in lower volumes while still offering consumers a wide variety of products to choose from. By utilizing the batch flow process, it requires the use of general purpose equipment that does not specialize in making one specific product, which if loaded to full capacity could create a jumbled flow of products (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011).In order to maintain accurate inventory levels , eBags created the eBags Partner Network (EPN) which allows for the manufactures to post up to date product information to consumers ensuring that discontinued items don’t show available for purchase and consumers know the time needed for back order fulfillment. Analysis of eBags in the Footwear Industry and Recommended Product Flow Process Based on Type of Customer OrderWith such success rates in the luggage industry, eBags saw an opportunity to expand their business into foreign terrain, the footwear industry. With the footwear industry being a well known fragmented market, like the luggage market, allowing for flexibility to produce various different styles, designs, qualities, sizes, and colors while maintaining a competitive price. According to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), the footwear industry is three times the size of the luggage industry, so venturing into this market would not be an easy task.Some of the challenges that eBags faced in this market t hat they did not in the luggage market included: making consumers aware of the ability purchase footwear through an online channel and consumers generally want to try their shoes on to make they are getting the right product before purchasing (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011). However, eBags identified that if they could overcome the hurdles associated with this market they could expand even further with apparel and clothing which Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), described as the largest online retail market.With hopes to exploit the footwear industry with one stop shopping, eBags should continue to utilize the batch flow process for their product flow process of footwear. With the footwear industry being similarly fragmented to the luggage industry, by using the batch flow process eBags will be able to produce at low to medium volumes allowing for an equally wide line of products to choose from. This will allow customer to order multiple pairs of shoes simu ltaneously so they can try them one and decide which pair is going to best fit their style and comfort needs.With this approach, eBags can also implement the EPN with footwear manufacturers to ensure that up to date products are available eliminating issues of consumers trying to order out of stock or discontinued merchandise. Analysis of eBags in the European Luggage Market and Recommended Product-Process Strategy According to a 2002 report, â€Å"190 million internet users had spread across Europe and surpassed the 165 million internet users in the United States† (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011, p. 513). Expanding the current line of business would be safe and effective business strategy for eBags with minor hurdles to consider.The luggage industry is not a foreign concept for eBags, so to be able to expand their products into the European market would require similar business strategies that they are currently using. No one consumer is the same therefore their product needs, including luggage will generally not be the same. The goal is to create one stop shopping for consumers in the European market for their luggage needs and in order to accomplish this, eBags will need to provide a variety of products and lines for their new customers to choose from.Some of the issues that eBags faces, according to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), are language barriers involved in international shipping, shipping requirements, brand awareness, and maintaining the EPN. To overcome the hurdle of international shipping, eBags can create relationships with manufacturers domestic to the European market. eBags will be able to incur the cost of shipping without having to pay the expenses associated with international shipping unless they made their private label available to the European market.Also, this will allow eBags to mirror the drop ship model that contributed significantly to the success of their organization. To achieve the success eBag s is looking for in this market, it is recommended that eBags continues to utilize the batch flow process for product flow. This also allows for incorporation the EPN into the new market still allowing for their consumers to have up to date product information. This process will continue to meet the business needs of the luggage industry by producing at low volumes but offering flexibility to accommodate products that meet the low, middle and high end of the market.As with the American luggage industry, eBags products will use a made to stock order fulfillment and the manufacturer will be able to control the inventory by using the EPN. Customer Contact Matrix Analysis of eBags: Strengths and Weaknesses of eBags Processes The level of customer contact for eBags is low which puts them at the high end of a buffered system and the low end of the permeable system on the customer contact matrix. The eBags website is set up to help consumers be self sufficient during the ordering process f rom beginning to end, and because there is no interaction involved their customer service is buffered.In the event the consumer needs additional assistance, they can call the customer service center and the phone interaction would fall under permeable on the customer matrix. This can be considered as strength for eBags because â€Å"separating the customer from the service production system allows for greater standardization of processes and therefore better efficiency† (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011, p. 91). eBags is able to focus their attention on product production and quality management of their products without having consumer interruptions.This is what Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, (2011), refers to as variability from uncertainty, specifically arrival variability. With a made to stock fulfillment, consumers use the eBags website to choose from preselected inventory decided by the manufacturer. This process is also built to have low level custome r contact to eliminate the request variability, which puts eBags at the advantage of having a high efficient system because orders are completed away from the customer. Weaknesses with a low level customer ontact causes eBags to miss out additional business opportunities. According to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), high customer contact allows for opportunities to up-sell the customer with accessories or additional sale items in creating more revenue for the company. If eBags entered the footwear industry, eventually expanding into apparel and clothing, they will miss out on great deal of potential revenue. Secondly, consumers who have difficulties navigating through the eBags website will cost eBags a sale resulting in loss of business.Analysis of eBags Use of Technology in Providing Competitive Customer Service Technology it vital to business of eBags as all of their business transactions occur through the internet, so it is important that eBags employs a high skill ed technology department to ensure business runs smoothly. The systematic technology used allows the consumer to filter their results by type brand, features, color, price, by size, etc, making it easy and quick to find the right product (Horwitt, 2011). To enhance the customer experience eBags has invested a great deal into the online shopping experience for their consumers.According to PRNewswire (2012), eBags has implemented the FreeFlow system, which has allowed them to provide better rich product information to their consumers with limited interruptions in website downloads. eBags also incorporated what is referred to as ColdFusion software, which will create the ultimate customer experience by creating personalized stores for their consumers (PRNewswire, 2012). The personalized store will track the customers spending habits and provide product recommendations based on previous purchased items. Another important way the internet is used to provide competitive customer service i s through the EPN.The EPN is a way to connect the consumer with up to date product information, and with the scorecard system the manufacturers can track product sales, returns, and customer feedback (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011). Analysis of eBags’ Useof Three Aspects of the â€Å"Philosophy of Lean† Lean business practices are important to corporation survival in today’s business market. Companies are looking for ways to stay in business by bringing new products to the market with faster delivery times and higher standards of quality.In order to stay in competition with the surrounding market most of today’s businesses have incorporated lean thinking into their business practices by adopting some if not all of the five lean tenets. The five tenets are: 1) what about product or service creates value, 2) improve value stream for each product or service, 3) flow within a process is simple, smooth, and error free, reducing waste, 4) produce only what is pulled by the customer, 5) strive for perfection ((Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011).The first tenet that eBags demonstrates is creating both a product and a service that adds value for their consumers. eBags carries a wide selection of products and labels to choose from all while offering their customers the convenience to one stop shop from anywhere with an internet connection. This has saved eBags’ customers time and money from having to travel to a retail store that may or may not have what they are looking for.According to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), this lean tenet has allowed eBags to compete on product breadth, selection, and convenience instead of price. The second tenet that eBags demonstrates is improvement of value stream mapping by incorporated the drop-ship model, which is another way putting the customer in contact with the manufacturer by eliminating the middleman. With the customer orders going directly to the manufac turer, eBags was able to eliminate the middle man (retail merchant location), and create a direct customer-manufacturer relationship.The visual representation described on page 509 of Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), shows the customer placing their order on the eBags website, eBags then sends the order to the manufacturer electronically, the manufacturer ships the merchandise to the customer, eBags provides the customer with the shipping tracking number and customer is billed for the merchandise, the manufacturer sends eBags an invoice, and finally the manufacturer is paid.The third tenet seen by eBags is the creating simple, smooth, and error free process flows that reduce waste, which can be seen through the incorporation of EPN. Because this system allows the manufacturers to control inventory levels eBags has been able to avoid any waste associated with inventory costs and reduce overhead costs. Also, according to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), eBags was able to effectively market their products by removing items that were out of order or discontinued. Bags’ Service Blueprint for Current Product Line Analysis and Recommendation Regarding Business Process Reengineering The basic service blue print is as follows: Based on the group analysis of this service blueprint it is not recommended for eBags to consider a process reengineering. The goal of a process reengineering is to redesign and integrate the business process to increase customer satisfaction. eBags have set themselves apart from their competition with their service blueprint, and any changes can be considered a waste.Footwear Industry Quality Control Analysis and Recommendations The footwear industry is very different from the luggage industry, shoes will be on a person and a level of comfort is important when configuring quality control. One step in maintaining quality control in the footwear industry is to recruit manufacturers with reputable quality assurance guidelines such as material inspection, testing, and final inspections of product before shipped to the consumer. It is also important that the manufacturers hire knowledgeable, competent, and skilled staff to ensure that all quality standards are being met.A second step in quality control, according to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), is to clearly identify the needs of the consumers. Once consumer needs are identified the consumer is not lost from the picture, consumer input is needed design specifications with the use of quality function deployment. This can also include information regarding consumer identified life expectancy of the shoes being produced consumers are not going to spend money on shoes that they are going to have to replace every 6 months. Malcolm Baldrige Award Analysis and Recommendation(s)Established in 1987, the Malcolm Baldrige Awarad was created to encourage businesses to strive for higher quality performance through management practices and im proved quality results (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011). Spread between seven (7) categories: 1) leadership, 2) strategic planning, 3) customer focus, 4) measurement, analysis, and knowledge management, 5) workforce focus, 6) process management, 7) results; the Malcolm Baldrige Award allows for 1000 total points combined between the seven categories measuring quality assurance.As judges for the Malcolm Baldrige Award, our assessment of eBags Incorporated for this strategic award is as follows: Category and Items (2010):| Points| Comments| | | | | 1. Leadership| | | 1. 1. | Senior Leadership| 70| Senior management work collaboratively to analyze previous results and asses future business ventures| 1. 2. |   Governance and Social Responsibilities| 50| According to PRNews (2012), eBags partnered with Susan G Komen to create â€Å"pink program†. Over 900 pink items offered that eBags contributes 10% of retail sales to the Komen Foundation. | 2. Strategic Planning| | | 2. | Strategy Development| 40| Created one-stop shopping for consumers, incorporated the drop-ship model, and added EPN and vendor scorecard to website to keep consumers informed| 2. 2| Strategy Deployment| 30| Meeting to discuss future business plans for eBags (Footwear Industry or European Market) based on previous years sales numbers| 3. Customer Focus| | | 3. 1| Customer Engagement| 40| Customer engagement can be seen in what Yahoo (2012), called the â€Å"Bag an iPad† campaign that created flexibility in customer interaction by expanding to the channels that consumers use most to communicate. 3. 2| Voice of the Customer| 45| Voice of the customer can be seen through the EPN, manufactures and other consumers can read reviews and testimonials. This gives eBags an opportunity to learn what consumers want and make changes to their products and prcesses if needed. | 4. Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management| | 4. 1| Measurement, Analysis, and Improvement of Organ ization Performance| 40| This category reiterates the EPN and vendor score card system. Manufacturers are able to measure performance and use feedback to incorporate innovated ways to increase sales| 4. | Management of Information, Knowledge, and information technology| 40| ExtractTarget program, consumers receive up to date product and sales information, consumer reviews, and receive discount coupons. | 5. Workforce Focus| | | 5. 1| Workforce Engagement| 10| No information provided to support this category| 5. 2| Workforce Environment| 10| No information provided to support this category| 6. Process Management| | | 6. 1| Work Systems| 30| Maintaining the internet to avoid congestion within the website.Flow of the drop ship model| 6. 2| Work Processes| 45| eBags work processes is reflected through their improvement of work systems. | 7. Results| | | 7. 1| Product Outcomes| 90| I believe eBags has a strong product outcome by offering the customers products in the high, middle, and lo w end of the market| 7. 2| Customer-Focused Outcomes| 70| The process of the drop-ship model from eBags demonstrates how effective the experience is with the company, from shopping, to delivery to the vendor getting paid. 7. 3| Financial and Market Outcomes| 65| The financial and market outcomes at eBags have been set by their determination to offer more than 700 different brands to its market. This is done through cross functional teams within each department of eBags| 7. 4| Workforce-Focused Outcomes| 65| | 7. 5| Process Effectiveness Outcomes| 70| The process of the drop-ship model from eBags demonstrates how effective the experience is with the company, from shopping, to delivery to the vendor getting paid. | 7. | Leadership Outcomes| 70| By utilizing cross functional teams to create efficient and effective product and process flows, eBags has been able to shine among the industry setting precedence for future businesses. | | | | | | Total | 880| | In conclusion even though eBag s has some strong characteristics that can be appreciated in quality management it also has some weaknesses that can be improved on. These weaknesses impede eBags attempts at trying to win the Malcolm Baldridge Award. Analysis and Recommendation(s) for eBags Supply Chain Improvements The supply chain of eBags has been slimmed down as low as it can get.By implementing the drop ship model and EPN, all those involved in the supply chain are needed and the current processes are keeping consumers happy with wide selections of merchandise that can fit any style. It is recommendation that eBags is not in need of improvement in structure or infrastructure. By maintaining cross functional teams in product and process development eBags can stay on top of the competition by implementing innovative ways to improve process flows. Conclusion Over the years eBags has made a big name for itself being named Internet Retailer Magazine’s Top 50 Websites (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2 011).With hopes to expand, eBags can venture into a brand new industry that can eventually open more doors or they can expand their current market into the unknown terrain of Europe. Both ventures will require cross functional teams to ensure that consumer wants and needs are addressed while creating process flows that will generate revenue for the company. Regardless of the industry eBags continues to expand in, the use of batch flow process and made to stock order process will accommodate any needs within any industry. Bags has set precedence for their innovate ways of conducting business such as with the drop ship model, EPN, vendor scorecard system, private label, and one stop shopping with the use of technology. eBags has also adapted well to current business practices and implanted the five tenets of lean which was a vital part of their success during a time of economic crisis. By conducting all business transactions, eBags has been deemed a low customer contact company becaus e all contact is done through the eBags website or on the phone with customer service representatives.Although eBags is missing out on opportunities for up-sale because of limited customer engagement, they make up their losses by saving consumers time and money from having to travel for their luggage needs. eBags scored rather high with the Malcolm Baldrige Award but was not quite at the mark to win. The category that had the biggest impact was workforce focus and very little information was available to support a higher score in this category. eBags can work on all areas in this category for improvement to secure a win of the Malcolm Baldrige Award.References: PRNewswire. (2012). eBags. com Raises Breast Cancer Awareness Year-Round with Pick Pink Program. Retrieved November 9, 2012 from http://www. prnewswire. com/news-releases/ebagscom-raises-breast-cancer-awareness-year-round-with-pick-pink-program-57176017. html PRNewswire. (2012). eBags. com Redefines Customer Service with Cutt ing-Edge Internet Technology. Retrieved November 2, 2012 from http://www. prnewswire. com/news- releases/ebagscom-redefines-customer-service-with-cutting-edge-internet-technology-73251862. html Horwitt, E. (2011).The Systematic Web gets Down to Business. Retrieved November 3, 2012 from http://www. computerworld. com/s/article/9209118/The_semantic_Web_gets_down_to_business Schroeder, R. G. , Goldstein, S. M. , & Rungusanatham, M. J. (2011). Operations management: contemporary concepts and cases. (5th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Yahoo Finance. (2012). eBags Boosts Fall Sales with New ExactTarget-Powered Cross Channel Marketing on Facebook, Email, and Mobile. Retrieved November 10, 2012 from http://finance. yahoo. com/news/ebags-boosts-fall-sales-exacttarget-153000369. html.

Divine Command Theory Essay

There are millions of people who believe in God, but among these people the differences lie in to what extent each believes that God has control over what is right and wrong. Are people’s moral standards right because God commands them, or does God command them because they are right? The Divine Command Theory most simply states that God’s commands are what is morally right, and what God forbids is morally wrong. This means that loving one another is right because God commands humans to do so. Advocates of the Divine Command Theory believe this, and believe that morality is the same as that which God commands. Things are good because God created them and/or willed them. Divine Command Theorists believe that there are objective moral standard that are the same for everyone and are independent of individual beliefs. These moral standards are true for everyone regardless of whether or not they believe them or know of them. These ultimate moral standards exist in commands given by God. God commands only things that are good, and he would never command a person to act immorally. God is all-powerful, all knowing, and all loving. God commands these things in order to do what is good for us as humans, and his commands are automatically morally right. The opponents of the Divine Command Theory do not believe that God has that much control over the earth and what is morally just and unjust. They believe that morality is subjective, and that even if there is a God morality would still be subjective. What does it matter anyway what God commands or thinks since it is just another subjective opinion? One of the only reasons that people obey God’s commands is that they fear that they will be punished in someway if they do not. They fear that they will go to hell if they do not obey, or that something bad will happen to them. This would mean that their motives are merely self-interested. But, a Divine Command Theory advocate would argue that God created us, and it is our obligation as his creation to obey Him just as a child would obey its parents. Is it even possible though to compare one’s parents with the divine? Opponent’s say that it is not possible to compare the divine with a child’s parents. However, to continue with the comparison, if a child were to want  to do something and the parent told them â€Å"no, because I said so†, then, like God, the rationale for the action being wrong is simply because it is commanded. If the command were to change to ordering the child to kill, then the right thing to do would be changed to killing. Likewise, if God’s commands are automatically what is right, then if God were to command humans to kill, killing would be a morally just action. Supporters would argue that the situation with God is different. They would also argue that God would not command something that is immoral. But, why wouldn’t God command something immoral? The only answers would be because it is wrong or because God only commands that which is right. But saying this would therefore disprove the Divine Command Theory entirely. This states that what is right and wrong is independent of God, and that what God commands and condemns is subject to these independent standards of what is right and what is wrong. This also proves that a supporter could not say that God is good because â€Å"God† and â€Å"good† do not have the same definition. In order to state this, one must concede that in order for this to be true God must be independent of the standards of goodness that the definition of â€Å"good† entails. There are only two possibilities for the existence of God and moral standards: 1. God creates the moral standards, or 2. God is subject to the moral standards that are independent of him. If God is independent of what is right and wrong and commands what is right and wrong, then God becomes another rational being who decides from these standards of right and wrong what to command. The moral values are accepted by God and therefore commanded. If this is true, then in no way does God create the moral standards. The only way for a Divine Command Theorist to prove their beliefs is for them to prove that without God there would be no morality. If God commands things because they are good, then humans could live moral lives without God because God is also subject to the standards of morality. Humans could, as rational beings, understand the moral values that determine right and wrong and choose how they should live. Humans could decide what actions are moral or immoral without God. Divine Command Theory advocates may try to support their beliefs by saying  that there is nothing above God, good and bad is determined by God’s commands, and things are good and moral because God commands them. However, if there is nothing independent of God causing him to decide what to command, then there is nothing to prevent God from commanding evils such as murder. The only answers again are that God wouldn’t do that because God is good, or that God only commands that which is good. Both of which again disprove the Divine Command Theory. Divine Command Theorists feel that those are not the only answers. The main reason behind God not commanding evil is because God is a loving God, an all-loving God. Because he is such, He would not command evil, and evil would not be moral. God actually exists and loves his creations. He loves and cares for them, and commands in a way that is considerate of their well being and creates a unity/togetherness among them. Not to act according to his commands is to act contrary to a loving way, and to act in this manner is wrong. How does one know what God’s commands are? Are they sent directly from God into people’s brains or souls? Are they given to us via a messenger i.e. a priest? It would seem easy to say that rational human beings have an intuition that tells them what is right and wrong and that God is not the one telling them what is right and what is wrong. There is no need for a God to tell humans what is considered moral and immoral because humans have knowledge and a sense that is independent of God to tell them the right ways to live. God does not create the moral laws. The moral laws exist separately from God and can be understood by any rational being. All that humans need in order to live a moral life is an understanding of these moral laws and a conscience to guide them through their life. Advocates would argue, however, that this is not the case. The moral laws exist because God commands them, and his commands are found in the Bible’s teachings. God commands us through the teachings of the Bible to live a moral life. He teaches us that to love one another is a moral way of life, and evils result in an immoral life. This can be seen in the Ten Commandments and various other passages in the Bible. A person can  understand the way of life that God intended through what can be read in the Bible and inferred from it. This is where morality and God’s commands can be found. However, the Bible can be very contradictory and unclear. In many passages God directly commands murder, and in others commands that death is the correct punishment for actions such as homosexuality. Are things immoral with the exceptions of the instances when God deems them as the right thing to do? Can God say that murder is wrong but change it to right depending on the situation? Is a person supposed to read the Bible and make their own decisions about what the passages mean and what they are telling humans are the right and wrong ways of life? The Bible should not be the source of God’s commands. Suppose that a person reads a book that someone has told them contains the moral standards given to humans by God that all people are supposed to live by, and this book says that a person should kill people over the age of 50, would it be morally correct for this person to kill everyone over the age of 50? There are many religions that do not worship God based on the Bible. Are these religions wrong, and are they worshipping incorrectly? The Judeo-Christian God cannot be the absolute correct belief. If God created all human beings, then he wouldn’t only enlighten Christians of his existence and the correct moral laws. If God’s commands are found in the Bible, then does this mean that before the composition of the Bible there was no God or moral laws? The use of the Bible to explain the Divine Command Theory is a very unstable method. Clearly, the Divine Command Theory is a very sensitive subject to discuss. Despite the strength of each argument, there is no real proof on either side of the argument than can without a doubt prove that what God commands is right because he commands is or that God commands that which is right because it is right. Both can be considered valid arguments of the amount of control God has over the moral standards of the universe, but it is much easier to attempt to disprove something that has no concrete evidence. The question of whether moral standards exist because of God or if God is  subject to them remains a very good one.