Supply Chain Management and Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Supply Chain Management and Technology - Essay Example Today with the down fall in economy and the increase in the costs the companies are planning to have a strong and an effective supply chain in their bottom line. The reason is that the implementation of a strong supply chain at the bottom will ensure that the cost is decreased along the production line and the management is effective. However these decreases in the costs and effective management will ensure that the efficiency of the firm gets increases and the profitability and the return on the investment increases. Implementation of Enterprise resource planning in an organization works best in conjunction with a supply chain management system. ERP systems involve a multitude of business activities, including customer service and production planning that are not a part of supply chains (de Burca, Fynes, & Marshall, 2005). The success of supply chain management system lies in the hands of the technology. It can be only successful with the implementation of web- based software and through proper communication. Before the internet the supply chain could not function appropriately the reason is that the collaboration with the other firms was less efficient. The process of feed backs, updates and other important business functions used to take a lot of time. The process of transferring knowledge was all done manually which took time. Collaboration with global partners used to be a challenge for the organizations. But with the introduction of internet and new communication technologies that include email, fax etc. the communication and knowledge and information transfer issue was completely resolved. One of the biggest advantages that the technology has offered to supply chain is the ease of collaboration no matter how distant the customer, the supplier or any other organization is. This helped in developing good relationships at both ends of the supply chain which includes the customers as well as the suppliers. The companies can now also remain updated with their competitors' activities. For example a supplier of consumer goods may be linked up through internet to one of the distributors. In this way whenever the inventory goes down the order will be placed automatically. in this way, the distributor never has to worry about running out of a product and disappointing customers and the supplier doesn't have to worry about maintaining a large inventory in expectation of demand. Systems have also been made to send out multiple requests at a single time. Collaborating this way makes better use of existing resources and paves the way for a larger profit margin on all sides of the eq uation (Chow, 2006). The Importance of Technology Technology today has made both outsourcing and off shoring much easier tasks than they were initially. In a very strong supply chain and a very elaborative business it is sometimes considered good to outsource certain business functions. This helps in saving upon a lot of costs at times. Technology today like internet and some systems have made the task of outsourcing much easier. For outsourcing a task

Likewise the conclusion of my research Essay Example for Free

Likewise the conclusion of my research Essay I would like to study and research about Japanese business culture and Japanese way of making decisions, and analyze them. Every country’s business culture has always close relationship with its own culture, so I have to approach from Japanese culture to business culture for clear understanding. Also, I compare and contrast them with Korean business culture and decision processing. The approach would be Japanese business culture from foreigner (who understand Japanese culture)’s point of view, and analyze it if pros and cons exist. To observe Japanese business culture closer, I am willing to join Japanese company through internship or part-time job. These methods will make me experience the culture and decision process. At the same time, I can immerse myself to the organizational culture it promotes and how the management goes about on processes and ideas. Likewise, by reading a lot of case studies, it can help me to define and develop my research. Moreover, I will compare and contrast how Japanese and Korean companies go through this worldwide recession, not by countries’ policy, but by companies own policy. The company’s result and plans to mitigate the current recession will teach me lessons concerning efficiency and effectiveness. As far as communication and interaction is concerned, I will use a lot of observation and interviews with native Japanese people. Therefore, it is important that I enhance my Japanese language skill so that I could communicate profoundly with Japanese business people and understand Japanese culture better. This is essential in my research so I can actively get the needed information that I want. To conclude my research, I shall try to maximize the information gathered in my selected Japanese company and compare it accordingly to my selected Korean company counterpart. I wish to see that there are traits and cultural aspects of Japanese culture that are embedded in its organizational culture. There are specific factors that affect the company to make decisions and strategies accordingly and proved to be successful in addressing the problems and issue. Likewise, the conclusion of my research will highlight the similarities and differences between the organizational cultures of Japan and Korea. Under this framework, there are several traits that shall be given to fully understand how each mindset of such company operates. Lastly, the conclusion seeks to address the limitations of this study and what it has failed to address during the course of interview and analysis.

The Life of Benjamin Franklin Essay -- American America History

The Life of Benjamin Franklin "Of two things you can be certain; death and taxes," quoted Benjamin Franklin. Having a humorous outlook on life, Franklin tried to make others' lives better. Benjamin was a man who served others and tried to make the world its best until his death. Benjamin Franklin had many accomplishments. He had a busy and eventful life, he played a major role in defending his country, and he was known for his quotes. Franklin was always working to make something better. He accomplished many things, but he started at the bottom of the career chain. Benjamin had many different jobs before he settled. His first job was helping his father make candles. But at age twelve he became restless and ran away to Philadelphia to work. At first, he worked for his brother-in-law as a printer's apprentice, but family problems caused him to find work elsewhere. Because of the training he received, he started to work for the Pennsylvania Gazette and purchased the company in 1729. In 1748, he sold the paper and went to work for the government. During his life he was a printer, author, inventor, and diplomat. Franklin also played the harp, violin, and guitar which expresses his great love for music and his love for learning. Benjamin cared that young people got a good education; he thought that "education today is leadership and success of tomorrow." He thought that it was important to have a love of reading and founded the first public library in America in 1731: the Philadelphia Library. In 1732, Franklin published Poor Richard's Almanac with the pen name 'Richard Saunders.' In 1749, he wrote Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania. In 1751, he established Philadelphia Academy, later known as Univer... ...patients for one particular reason: he wasn't patient (Bingelow 179). This very accomplished man, who, during his eventful life, played a major role for this country and quoted different events will be in the hearts of man for eternity. Benjamin Franklin will live on forever through time, and his courage and faith will never die; as long as there is life on Earth and souls who live in this free country, America. Works Cited Bingelow, John. The Life of Benjamin Franklin. III ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott and Co., 1875. Bingelow, John. The Life of Benjamin Franklin. II ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott and Co., 1875. Davidson, James and Michael Stoff. American Nation. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1986. The Harvard Classics: Franklin, Woolman, Penn. New York: Collier and Sons Corp., 1909. VanDoven, Carl. Benjamin Franklin. New York: The Viking, 1938.

“the Effects of Diversity on Business Performance: Report of the Diversity Research Network”

Crimson Miller MGT 492 Dr. Turnipseed February 19th, 2010 â€Å"The Effects of Diversity on Business Performance: Report of the Diversity Research Network† Article Critique #1 In this article the Business Opportunities for Leadership Diversity (BOLD), The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation came together to examine the effects diversity has on a business and the business’s performance. I agree with the article in that diversity can have a positive and/or negative effect on businesses and their performances. In many ways diversity can be a positive influence on companies and company performances because diversity allows for creativity, challenging others’ ideas, and avoidance of â€Å"group think†. Diversity in business can allow for a wide range of competitive moves from new ideas and differences in cultures. The better the range of knowledge and skill the more innovative and creative employees typically are in organizations. On the other hand diversity can be a major negative effect on business in that it can cause barriers to communication between employees. Employees that cannot communicate with one another do not work well together; many times become confrontational with each other, and many times are not working towards the same goals because of misperceptions. There may be a language barrier, a culture barrier, a religion issue, or even a knowledge or skill difference that makes working as a team less successful. The sample the organizations were able to obtain in the study, used as a base for this report, was a small sample size but I think that the study was very conclusive. In most situations people from a different background will bring new ideas and compete with each other to create a competitive advantage. Yet, if you put a group of people together that do not understand one another the communication will be difficult which may lead to confusion, frustration, or no communication at all. In conclusion I believe the findings of this study were very accurate even in a much larger scale then have been presented.

Job Satisfaction in the Workplace Essay

Brent Meyers’ stated,† as employees demand increases in salary, the cost of producing goods or services also increases†. With the unemployment rate where it is today and was, company owners can remain stagnant with his/her current work force as it pertains to wage increases. I believe employees understand that finding employment in this economy can be daunting, and business owners are educated to these thoughts. Another element that plays into job satisfaction is management strategies and personal interaction between managers and company personnel. I recently read an article about new managers and ten mistakes he/she may make. Management: Top 10 New Manager Mistakes. In this article, John F. Reh points out ten critical mistakes new manager make. I believe he is spot on due to shifts in management personnel here at Nypro, my current employer. The first mistake on John’s list is â€Å"thinking he/she knows everything†. Most managers I have come across micromanage his/her team due to lack of trust and believing his/her knowledge is far superior to those working under them. This in turn leaves little room for a team to develop because lack of communication is there between parties. The second leading mistake new managers make is â€Å"showing everyone who’s in charge†. With the shift in new management personnel, I’m sure everyone knows who the new boss is. Pushing one’s weight around, and showing your ego’s true colors will only lead to resentment and failure to cooperate. This in-turn leads to employee dissatisfaction and most likely, a lack in quality produced products. Third on this list is â€Å"change everything†. Trying to † re-invent the wheel† will most likely lead to the discomfort of employees. Most people find it hard to change with the times. Most feel comfortable by staying with routine and what he/she knows. Moving individuals out of his/her comfort zone can have a negative impact on performance. With that said though, sometimes change is necessary, considering that our economic system is financially unstable, which in turn is effecting the way companies are doing business in this globalized business world. This list does continues on with negatives that impact job satisfaction, but I would also like to take the time to point out the positive influences managers can have as well. Bauer, T. , & Erdogan, B. Organizational Behavior. chapter 12. Throughout this course we have learned the behaviors of individuals in the work place, motivation, stress, communication, etc. Chapter 12, â€Å"Leading People Within Organizations† was an eye opener for me. Some of the most fundamental aspects of managing a team or company has been forgot in my eyes by most managers in this current job market. I believe today, employees are missing the â€Å"People orientated leaders†. By definition, â€Å"People Orientated Leaders† are those that † show concern for employee feelings and treating employees with respect and consideration†. Bauer & Erdogan pg. 290. ) Managers of today in my mind follow â€Å"Theory X† which states † employees are lazy, do not enjoy working, and will avoid expending energy on work whenever possible†. ( Bauer & Erdogan pg. 291. ) I clearly stated earlier that companies are struggling to return to a high standing in profitabi lity due to a failing economy. By saying this, managers need to find ways to justify cuts and spending within an organization. So how do they go about making such cut? By having an assertive attitude and pointing the finger at employees. I don’t believe â€Å"theory X† is completely wrong, some workers in our companies are indeed lazy and do not want to expend energy on task provided, but I think if the managers of today were just as concerned with his/her workforce by being † Open, Conscientious, Sociable, and Agreeable†, as he/she is about profits and the stakeholders, the organizational environment may have a more fruitful existence along with a boost in productivity. [Bauer, T. , & Erdogan pg. 286. ] Lisa M. Saari & Timothy a. Judge Case study Employee Attitudes And Job Satisfaction. s an analysis of † three major gaps between HR practice and scientific research in the area of employee attitudes in general and the most focal employee attitude in particular- job satisfaction: 1) the cause of employee attitudes, 2) the result of positive or negative job satisfaction, and 3) how to measure and influence employee attitudes†. [Saari & Judge] Gap-1 † The Cause of Employee Attitudes† The first gap focuses on† employee personalities, cultural influences, and work situation influences†. A study on dispositional influences found that † childhood temperament was statistically related to adult job satisfaction up to 40 years later†. (Staw, Bell, & Clausen, 1986) Further studies have shown that job satisfaction stems from a individuals † disposition or temperament†. (Shane, & Herald, 1996) Despite the findings of these individuals Erez states that † one of the limitations in this literature is that it is not yet informative as to how exactly dispositions affect job satisfaction†. Erez, 1994) The researchers do say there is a correlation between job satisfaction, but know that â€Å"organizations cannot directly impact employee personalities†. So companies take different measures by placing employee into jobs that best suit him/her, and in-turn, improve employee attitudes. Cultural influences is another hot topic in this globalized job market. With the United States being the melting pot of the world, cross cultural work forces are inevitable. A study performed by Hofstede stated that there are † four cross-cultural dimensions, (1) Individualism- collectivism; (2) uncertainty avoidance versus risk taking; (3) Power distance; (4) masculinity/femininity. (Hofstede, 1980) The importance of HR to understand these four † cross-cultural factors† is detrimental to the adjustment of different cultural attitudes within an organization. [Hofstede] The last portions of gap-1 is â€Å"Work Situation Influence†. This to me is one if not the most important factor of job satisfaction, â€Å"is the nature of the work itself† satisfying. Also, these surveys provide data that a company can use to pinpoint problem areas within the organization. Nypro uses such surveys via internet to determine employee job satisfaction, would you recommend a relative or friend to work at Nypro, and are you satisfied with the work provided, question like that. This case study concludes its research with the view that more in-depth study is needed to measure the impact that employee attitudes have on an organization. Furthermore, this research will dive deeper into the understanding of † relationships between employee attitudes and business performance†. This in-turn â€Å"will Assist HR professionals as they strive to enhance the essential people side of the business in a highly competitive, global arena†. Lisa M. [Saari ;amp; Timothy a. Judge] I believe this case study pointed out some very strong facts that dictate a positive or negative attitude as it pertains to job satisfaction. Although the work performed was a focal point for this research and how it plays into a fruitful work environment. Managers attitude, friendship in the workplace, and economic stability, should have been focal points too of their research. I believe these three key factors play just as much a role in job satisfaction and employee attitudes as any other facet of a work environment. Understanding not just the employee and his/her personality, but the scope of the work environment, and management personnel that govern action among employees, will surely improve employee performance, attitude, and overall wellbeing of a company’s workforce. In conclusion, I chose this topic out of the many provided because job satisfaction in the work place has become a sore subject to discuss among co-workers in recent years. Since I have been in the manufacturing industry, I have heard talk of the business not being what it used to be. Employees are dissatisfied with the way companies in the manufacturing sector of business treat their employees. People don’t feel a sense of job security, are overworked, understaffed, and underpaid. In this declining economy, companies that once saw rising profits, now find themselves making cut anywhere they can. This of course will impact the company’s workforce itself. My degree pertains to management, and although there is areas of the business that are hard to control at the time, price of natural resources, conomic stability of the firm, competitors prices, and wages for employees, does not mean that managers have to forget fundamental areas he/she can control, company functions for staff members, personal interaction with the workforce, and letters or emails of praise to employees. I understand the financial collapse of the economy in 2008-2009 hurt a lot of firms, and those firms are still recovering from unethical acts performed by banks, wall street, and government personnel, but let’s not forget that the way we treat our employees has a huge impact on, production, employee morals, customer satisfaction, and the firm itself. I hope to one day be in a management position so that I can make a difference in employees lives as it pertains to his/her work environment. I want to lend an ear, be open, be passive and assertive to get task done, and most importantly, understand that the backbone of the organization lies within a happy and productive employee. During my journey through this course, Organizational Behavior, I have learned the importance of understanding people from the standpoint of work ethic, cultural differences, and how different personalities play into how a organization blends its population and functions as a team. Although the book covers managing and leading people within organizations, proper decision making skills, and the political aspect of power within companies. I believe an effective manager that is trying to create job satisfaction for his/her workforce needs personal people skill, and an understanding of cultural differences. I believe these fundamental characteristics, especially people skill, are sorely lacking in today’s job market of managers. The main focus of most managers today seems to lie with the financial wellbeing of the company rather than having a balance between finances and employee welfare. This course has taught me how to interact with people on a professional level. Sure, I may not get along with everyone and may not have all the answers when I am a manager, but treating everyone with dignity and respect far outweighs one’s ability to make the bottom line look good. Besides, without a mentally healthy workforce, profits and success could be far out