Business continuity Essay Example for Free

Business continuity Essay Just in time concept is a lean operation concept applied in supply chain management where an enterprise strives to produce only what is needed, whenever it is needed and in the amount that is needed. It allows for efficient production of quality products through complete waste elimination, avoidance of inconsistencies and also elimination of non-value addition activities within the production line. (Lieb Miller 1988) According to (Stank Crum 1997) the wastes that are eliminated are related to labour, where over staffing is a waste, time, in this case idle time or use of extra time to accomplish a goal is considered waste. Just in time concept emphasizes on customer requests and avoids making decisions based on forecast. In this concept, inventory is considered as an additional cost to the process. Traditionally, it would be considered to be value adding in the system. In this case, businesses and organisations are advised to eliminate any form of inventory that does not impact any additional value to the product. The just in time concept has various benefits to a business firm or enterprise. The benefits include an improvement in the flow of goods into, within and from the warehouse. There is also better planning and consistency in the organisation. Manpower can be reduced when production process has stopped mainly due to planned shut downs for maintenance, stocktaking activities, or any other reason (Stank Crum 1997). This helps the enterprise to save on cost related to labour and other production overheads. When an organisation adopts the JIT concept and implements it, it helps in the production of better quality products and also increases the efficiency of production. All the aforementioned benefits are customer oriented. We therefore realise from the benefits customer satisfaction is enhanced. This in turn has an impact on customer loyalty and improved sales by the organisation. The net effect of this is improved profits by the organisation (Swamidass 2000). Despite having all the above benefits, the outcome of the terror attacks on September 11 has cast a lot of doubt on the just in time (JIT) concept deliveries in the supply chain. In a supply chain, each organisation along the chain depends upon a supplier and therefore in case of a hitch along the chain, the repercussions are felt along the whole chain. Before the September 11 attack the â€Å"JIT† was comfortably applicable and implemented to various businesses. Until this time, overstocking was avoided and components were delivered to the right place at the right time and in the right form with no hitch. Piling of inventory was avoided and production processes proceeded smoothly. However, the events of September 11 reversed all these, there were delays caused by grounding of aircrafts and also a longer time was required for border inspections. Transport on land was also highly affected. As an example, due to these interruptions, commodities destined for the Gap, Banana republic and the old navy stores ended up to a warehouse next to an airport. The business environment, both external and internal will always be fluctuating. External environment like the impact from natural calamities e. g. hurricanes, snow, storms, floods, earthquakes and internal environments like strikes, affect business operations. Therefore, for an organisation with a JIT system, in case of any fluctuation in the business environment, the supply chain will be disrupted and therefore flow of products downstream will not be realized (McClenahen Jusko 2001). For a sudden change in the business environment, the shocks will be felt throughout the supply chain. There will be a gap that will be created along the chain at the point where the fluctuation is highly felt. It is a noble idea for businesses to consider having some safety stock on hand at each link of supply chain, which will take care of the emergencies in case of any eventuality. Since a supply chain consists of a network/series of suppliers and consumers, a hitch on one supplier side will affect the consumer who is also a supplier to the next consumer. Therefore in a business that has adopted the JIT system, it might end up being grounded because of lack of inventory to process or sell to the next stage of the chains. It is therefore highly recommended for such businesses to develop a Just in case system, a system that allows for a safety supplies that will take care of any eventualities. Even though the JIT system has a number of shortcomings in case of shocks within the supply chain, it is important to note that organisations can still implement JIT and maintain an attractive supply chain with lean inventories even during emergencies. To achieve this, one of the moves that a firm can make is locate where there is stock piling of inventories (Lu Kyokai 1989). Firms can have most of its inventories stocked next to or near their locations. This will help overcome the problems due to shipment or air transport in case these modes of transport are affected. A firm can also consider having more than one supplier for a given commodity, this will be a second option during emergency situations. For an organisation to succeed in its implementation of the JIT system, major changes within the organisation need to be undertaken. The top management need to show commitment and offer full support. They are also required to lead from the front if the benefits of the JIT system are to be realised. The adoption and implementation of the JIT system will substantially affect the mode and criteria through which carriers and other logistics services providers will be recruited by the organisation. Organisations should be able to come up with service providers who are very efficient so as to pass on the efficiency downstream the supply chain. The just in time concept is highly dependent on the speed and efficiency with which products are moving at along the chain. It is therefore worthy to mention that the JIT system will highly affect the style of operations in the logistics industry. The number of logistics service providers to be recruited will also be determined by the success of the JIT system. According to (Ian 1988), constant and effective communication between business firms and their suppliers is another important factor that will affect the future of JIT in the global business environment. The quality of information that will be conveyed should also be put into consideration. The right information should be conveyed to the right place, at the right time and to the right person. A successful implementation of the JIT system in the future will highly depend on additional training of the implementing personnel (Abuhilal, Rabadi, Sousa-Poza 2006). A lot of emphasise should be on the training of the personnel that are directly involved in the implementation of the JIT concept. This should not be taken to mean that other employees in the organisation should not be trained. An elaborate training plan on this system should be unveiled and the concerned departments or functions for example, production, logistics, marketing should be given intense training. The major areas to be considered should include: policies on JIT system, communication skills and training on commitment to the principles of JIT. The future of the just in time (JIT) system in the global environment will highly depend on the level of technology that will be embraced by an organisation. This includes both in machinery and other office operations. Adoption of improved technology for material handling is a key area that firms need to look at. They should consider embracing cross docking or flowing inventory through a distribution centre. With an improved material handling facility, the businesses can absorb shocks easily in the event that there is disruption in the supply chain (Kreng Wang 2005) The use of information technology is in inventory management is particularly crucial if the growth and success of the JIT system is to be guaranteed. Business organisations should utilise information technology resources both in hardware and software so as to enhance the success of the JIT system. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) modules should be adopted for inventory management and controls within the organisation. Internet resources should be highly utilised for an effective JIT system. The most applicable resources include e-procurement, e- marketing. e-banking and e-mailing. When an organisation conducts procurement via internet, a variety of goods both in terms of quality and quantity may be obtained. The business deal is also conducted in an accelerated speed. Marketing via the internet allows for the organisation to reach many customers within a very short time and hence improve on the organisation’s sales. Internet banking allows for faster business transactions hence delays associated with payments are reduced and therefore the supply chain is protected from such delays (Hale 1997). To ensure that the intended results of the JIT concept are achieved, it is important for firms doing business together along a given supply chain be proactive in their operations. By being proactive, it means that a consumer should be involved directly in what their supplier is producing. The consumers should be involved in product design so as to have a product of their own making. On the hand it is very important for the suppliers to follow up and find out how their products are serving the customers. This will help in the elimination of ripples along the chain and hence easy implementation of the JIT system. The players in the supply chain should develop a culture of sharing problems when they occur at a particular point of the supply chain, this in a nutshell will reduce the overall effect that the problem would have on the entire supply chain (Titone 1996). The just in case system is another approach that will have an impact on the future of JIT system in the global environment. It is very important for firms to have a buffer stock that can bail it out when events in the supply chain don’t seem to be favourable. The idea of having safety stocks for emergency times should not be confused by firms holding inventories. It is a different concept from overstocking.

Minimalism Essay example -- Essays Papers

Minimalism In order to understand minimal artists’ tendency to produce objects and not images, we need to define minimalism. Michael Delahunt at Artlex (1) refers to minimalism as â€Å"A twentieth century style of art stressing the idea of reducing a work of art to the minimum number of colors, values, shapes, lines and textures†. But I think this definition does not completely reflect what minimal artists did. They did not get interested in ‘complex’ things as colors, values, lines etc. They preferred objects to images or I would rather say ‘brushstrokes’. Because that they believed that â€Å"less is more†, even brushstrokes were too much for them. Minimalists were against self expression. They wanted to use the meaning a ready made object already has in it. This was totally suitable for their purpose of using minimum effort and material for an artwork. Preparing an image would consume too much of the artists’ time and effort. And what’s more, it would have self expression in it. They also believed that art could be concieved by mind before execution. That is, one must be able to explain an artwork to another who hasn’t seen it. For example Mohology-Nagy gave instructions by phone to a factory for one of his works(2). This can be thought as a instruction manual for an artwork (I think we can call minimalism as D.I.Y. art!). But you can’t do this kind of art with a painting. Can you think of it? â€Å"put some yellow there, mix red with brown and put it on the tree with ...

Kings Speech

Jordan Blume Blume 1 22/09/11 The Kings Speech Review Refurbished History The King’s Speech is a moving film which provides viewers with an auto- biographic view on King George VI’s reign to power. Set in the 1930’s, The King’s Speech accurately conveys a believable setting and experience through the acting and camera work. Every emotion portrayed by the characters can be witnessed and felt first hand. One can literally feel for the characters and perhaps even relate at some points. Berty’s stubborn and quick tempered personality make it difficult for him to succeed, until he meets Lionel, an elderly man who sees something in Berty, the potential for greatness. Lionel stands by Berty; helping and pushing him outside his comfort zone, trying to eliminate or at least control his speech impediment. The title of King George VI is Berty’s and with Lionel’s help, the two work to overcome the odds and live up to the standards that are king. The Kings Speech is deserving of all the awards it received because it is a great movie. The historical content is accurately portrayed through flawless acting, sensual music, and lessons that anyone can learn from and appreciate. The visual and emotional experience overwhelms viewers making this an enjoyable and award deserving movie. Blume 2 After watching The Kings Speech, one could say that it had an unexpected appeal to it; not something that you would normally like, but did for some reason. Its easily seen the time and energy that was put into the movie, as the scenes all flowed nicely, the music matched what was happening, and the emotions were felt beyond the screen. Even the camera work is well done and edited in a way which strengthens the overall finished product. â€Å"This is art, not just cinema. He doesn't frame everyone in the middle or even just to one side or another, he uses the colors, the atmosphere, the sets, every detail on the walls and everything around them to bring the entire frame, and subsequently the entire film, to life with a stunning elegance. [Alex Billington] Tom Hooper, the director, was nominated for Best Director, and won rightfully so. He adequately transformed history into a present day master piece, while still accurately displaying past events truthfully and with great detail. Drama films tend to drag on, not keeping the attention of most for very long, this is not the case with The Kings Speech. The character Lionel, although not th e main character, kept the movie going at a good pace with his witty humour, always sarcastic tone, and comforting personality. Berty’s character, on the other hand, rectified the same feelings only in a different manner. Berty is a negative character, while Lionel is more positive, and viewers can without doubt feel the struggle the future king has to go through. Anxiety, pressure, doubt, and giving up are all aspects which can be felt outside the screen. A good film is able to make the audience think and feel alongside the characters on the screen. The Kings Speech definitely does this through great acting, directing, and the obvious time and energy spent creating this masterpiece. Blume 3 The title that is King, is passed down from generation to generation, granted that its kept in the family. This is what happened in The Kings Speech, which is based off true events. Colin Firth plays the king, and all throughout the duration of the film we see him partaking in what seems to be a life or death struggle, with his stammer. He was born into a royal family, which didn’t help the situation at all, and thus is expected to fulfill his duty with speeches and public matters. â€Å"The highest of distinctions, is service to others. [King George VI] One will notice that after it is official Berty is to become king, the characters struggle seems to take an immense downward spiral, until meeting his speech therapist and future friend; Lionel. The kings stammer seems to have rooted from past events, which haunt him to the present day. This could perhaps hold true, as Berty becomes disoriented and defensive when being pushed outside his comfort zone. Nevertheless, Li onel does just this, allowing Berty to do things he never thought possible. Berty and Lionel share a unique bond; that which is different yet more recognizable, from the other characters in The Kings Speech. They meet early on, when characters are still being introduced, thanks to Berty’s wife; Elizabeth, who sought out help for her troubled husband. An unlicensed speech therapist, being Lionel, decides to take on the King’s problem after meeting with him. The two clash heads initially until things start to take a turn for the better. Berty has an impulse which tells him he cant do things, whilst Lionel is that voice that is pushing him and telling him that he can in fact overcome his mental block. â€Å"-who’s unconventional techniques helped the second in line Blume 4 o the British throne gain his ’voice‘. † [Gloria Goodale] Berty seems to think that he is unable to beat his flaw, damaging his ego more every time he fails. Prior to Lionel, his therapists seemed to only target the direct problem without going deeper to find out why the problem exists in the first place. In order to dig deeper, Lionel pushes Berty outside of his comfort zone which he carefully built up over the years, allowing Lionel deeper entry into the problems core. It takes a strong mind to deal with mental and psychological issues, and an even stronger mind to overcome those burdens. Berty, or rightfully; King George VI, beat the odds and overcame his underdog status by allowing his problem to be explored and treated by the right person. The Kings Speech is not only a movie, its an enjoyable experience for the eyes, ears, and mind. Through stunning and artistic camera work, to superfluous directing, this film is more then worthy of the awards it received; including best picture, best director, best actor and best original screenplay. Emotions can be felt outside the screen and within the viewers as they witness the cinematic masterpiece that is The Kings Speech. The director, screenplay writer, editors, and actors all deserve the awards they received for their marvellous and exorbitant performances. After taking into account all that has been noted, one must make the decision themselves; but over all, it cannot be argued that the Kings Speech is a movie that will go down in history. Works Cited Blume 5 Billington, Alex. Toronto Review: Tom Hooper's Exceptional ‘The King's Speech'. September 20. 2010. 20/09/2011 Brit Royals. Royal Family History. (King George VI) 20/09/2011 Goodale, Gloria. The Real Story Behind ‘The Kings Speech’. The Christian Science Monitor. February 16. 2011 19/09/2011

Understand the Meaning of Heterozygous

In diploid organisms, heterozygous refers to an individual having two different alleles for a specific trait. An allele is a version of a gene or specific DNA sequence on a chromosome. Alleles are inherited through sexual reproduction as the resulting offspring inherit half of their chromosomes from the mother and half from the father. The cells in diploid organisms contain sets of homologous chromosomes, which are paired chromosomes that have the same genes at the same positions along each chromosome pair. Although homologous chromosomes have the same genes, they may have different alleles for those genes. Alleles determine how particular traits are expressed or observed. Example: The gene for seed shape in pea plants exists in two forms, one form or allele for round seed shape (R) and the other for wrinkled seed shape (r). A heterozygous plant would contain the following alleles for seed shape: (Rr). Heterozygous Inheritance The three types of heterozygous inheritance are complete dominance, incomplete dominance, and codominance. Complete Dominance: Diploid organisms have two alleles for each trait, and those alleles are different in heterozygous individuals. In complete dominance inheritance, one allele is dominant and the other is recessive. The dominant trait is observed and the recessive trait is masked. Using the previous example, round seed shape (R) is dominant and wrinkled seed shape (r) is recessive. A plant with round seeds would have either of the following genotypes: (RR) or (Rr).  A plant with wrinkled seeds would have the following genotype: (rr). The heterozygous genotype (Rr) has the dominant round seed shape as its recessive allele (r) is masked in the phenotype.Incomplete dominance: One of the heterozygous alleles does not completely mask the other. Instead, a different phenotype is seen that is a combination of the phenotypes of the two alleles. An example of this is the pink flower color in snapdragons. The allele that produces red flower color (R) is not completely expressed over the al lele that produces white flower color (r). The result in the heterozygous genotype (Rr) is a phenotype that is a mixture of red and white, or pink.Codominance: Both of the heterozygous alleles are fully expressed in the phenotype. An example of codominance is AB blood type inheritance. The A and B alleles are expressed fully and equally in the phenotype and are said to be codominant. Heterozygous vs. Homozygous An individual that is homozygous for a trait has alleles that are similar. Unlike heterozygous individuals with different alleles, homozygotes produce only homozygous offspring. These offspring may be either homozygous dominant (RR) or homozygous recessive (rr) for a trait. They may not have both dominant and recessive alleles. In contrast, both heterozygous and homozygous offspring may be derived from a heterozygote (Rr). The heterozygous offspring have both dominant and recessive alleles that may express complete dominance, incomplete dominance, or codominance. Heterozygous Mutations Sometimes, mutations can occur on chromosomes that change the DNA sequence. These mutations are typically the result of either errors that happen during meiosis or by exposure to mutagens. In diploid organisms, a mutation that occurs on only one allele for a gene is called a heterozygous mutation. Identical mutations that occur on both alleles of the same gene are called homozygous mutations. Compound heterozygous mutations occur as a result of different mutations that happen on both alleles for the same gene.