Wal-mart Economics Essays - Walmart, Sam Walton, Cross-docking

Wal-mart Economics Wal-mart Economics Sam Walton, a leader with an innovative vision, started his own company and made it into the leader in discount retailing that it is today. Through his savvy, and sometimes unusual, business practices, he and his associates led the company forward for thirty years. Today, four years after his death, the company is still growing steadily. Wal-Mart executives continue to rely on many of the traditional goals and philosophies that Sam's legacy left behind, while simultaneously keeping one step ahead of the ever-changing technology and methods of today's fast-paced business environment. The organization has faced, and is still facing, a significant amount of controversy over several different issues; however, none of these have done much more than scrape the exterior of this gigantic operation. The future also looks bright for Wal-Mart, especially if it is able to strike a comfortable balance between increasing its profits and recognizing its social and ethical responsibilities. Why is Wal-Mart so Successful? Is it Good Strategy or Good Strategy Implementation? -- In 1962, when Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas, no one could have ever predicted the enormous success this small-town merchant would have. Sam Walton's talent for discounts retailing not only made Wal-Mart the world's largest retailer, but also the world's number one retailer in sales. Indeed, Wal-Mart was named "Retailer of the Decade" by Discount Store News in 1989, and on several occasions has been included in Fortune's list of the "10 most admired corporations." Even with Walton's death (after a two-year battle with bone cancer) in 1992, Wal-Mart's sales continue to grow significantly. Wal-Mart is successful not only because it makes sound strategic management decisions, but also for its innovative implementation of those strategic decisions. Regarded by many as the entrepreneur of the century, Walton had a reputation for caring about his customers, his employees (or "associates" as he referred to them), and the community. In order to maintain its market position in the discount retail business, Wal-Mart executives continue to adhere to the management guidelines Sam developed. Walton was a man of simple tastes and took a keen interest in people. He believed in three guiding principles: 1. Customer value and service; 2. Partnership with its associates; 3. Community involvement (The Story of Wal-Mart, 1995). The word "always" can be seen in virtually all of Wal-Mart's literature. One of Walton's deepest beliefs was that the customer is always right, and his stores are still driven by this philosophy. When questioned about Wal-Mart's secrets of success, Walton has been quoted as saying, "It has to do with our desire to exceed our customers' expectations every hour of every day" (Wal-Mart Annual Report, 1994, p. 5). Walton's greatest accomplishment was his ability to empower, enrich, and train his employees (Longo, 1994). He believed in listening to employees and challenging them to come up with ideas and suggestions to make the company better. At each of the Wal-Mart stores, signs are displayed which read; "Our People Make the Difference." Associates regularly make suggestions for cutting costs through their "Yes We Can Sam" program. The sum of the savings generated by the associates actually paid for the construction of a new store in Texas (The story of Wal-Mart, 1995). One of Wal-Mart's goals was to provide its employees with the appropriate tools to do their jobs efficiently. The technology was not used as a means of replacing existing employees, but to provide them with a means to succeed in the retail market (Thompson Strickland, 1995). Wal-Mart's popularity can be linked to its hometown identity. Walton believed that every customer should be greeted upon entering a store, and that each store should be a reflection of the values of its customers and its community. Wal-Mart is involved in many community outreach programs and has launched several national efforts through industrial development grants. What are the Key Features of Wal-Mart's Approach to Implementing the Strategy Put Together by Sam Walton -- The key features of Wal-Mart's approach to implementing the strategy put together by Sam Walton emphasizes building solid working relationships with both suppliers and employees, being aware and taking notice of the most intricate details in store layouts and merchandising techniques, capitalizing on every cost saving opportunity, and creating a high performance spirit. This strategic formula is used to provide customers access to quality goods, to make these goods available when and where customers want them, to develop a cost structure that enables competitive pricing, and to build and maintain a reputation for absolute trustworthiness (Stalk, Evan, Shulman, 1992). Wal-Mart stores operate according to their "Everyday Low Price" philosophy. Wal-Mart has emerged

Transportation Changes in Morocco essays

Transportation Changes in Morocco essays Transportation is a movement from place to place by some type of vehicle - car, boat, plane, train, motorcycle, skateboard - whatever moves us from point A to point B. The transportation system has changed and developed in many ways over the past two or three decades. In Morocco, which is my country, transportation has changed dramatically from my grandmother's day to the present including the cost of transportation, it's rules and regulations. Some of those changes have improved the transportation system while other changes have been detrimental. First, the time component is an important consideration and it's associated with service. In the past, 40% of the roads in Morocco were in poor condition. This issue led to wasting time getting from one place to another. Today, it's easier than ever because back roads have improved and freeways have been built to solve the congestion issue. As a result, this change helped improve the entire economic system in Morocco. For example, most companies are no longer wasting time delivering their products by using old, dangerous roads, or poorly constructed freeways. Second, the cost of transportation in my Grandmother's day was much less expensive than today. In the past, people visited their families every holiday and during the summer because the cost of transportation was affordable; but today, the cost of transportation in Morocco has increased two or three times to what it was before due to high fuel costs, security and safety issues. So families with low incomes can't afford transportation - leading them to work and shop as close to home as possible. In this way, improved transportation in Morocco has stopped the overall betterment of the country. Finally, the new rules and regulations of transportation in Morocco are not accepted by all the Moroccan people. In addition, in my Grandmother's day, people were afraid of breaking the law. That is why most of them followed rules and ...

Five Words You Can Cut

Five Words You Can Cut Five Words You Can Cut Five Words You Can Cut By Ali Hale One of the best ways to make your writing stronger is to cut unnecessary words. Many people tend to over-write, often in a similar way to how they would speak. Words creep in that add no meaning and can make a piece of writing sound vague and woolly rather than confidence and precise. Just This is one of the worst offenders for me. I over-use it in email, typing: â€Å"I just thought I’d drop you a note†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Just writing to ask†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"If you could just give me a call†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In almost every case, striking out the word â€Å"just† will make a sentence stronger. It tends to make you sound either desperate when applied to yourself (â€Å"I just wondered if you could†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) or demanding when applied to the other person (â€Å"If you would just†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Really Like â€Å"just†, this is another word which can frequently be cut. It’s often found partnering â€Å"just†, in which case you might want to rewrite the whole sentence. â€Å"You can really improve by†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You don’t really want to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I’m really just trying to †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Using the word â€Å"really† about yourself makes it sounds as though you believe the other person is unsure of your intentions; â€Å"I’m really writing the report† can sound defensive. And using it about someone else can sound patronising – phrases like â€Å"that’s really good!† are best kept for the kindergarten. Quite This insidious word tends to water down the meaning of a sentence or, worse, make it unclear. It usually means â€Å"a bit† as in â€Å"I quite liked it†, but can also mean â€Å"completely† as in â€Å"Quite right.† Most people have little difficulty understanding those, but sentences like â€Å"I was quite outraged† can be taken either way. â€Å"I’d quite like you to †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I’m feeling quite upset about it.† â€Å"I don’t think you quite understand† There are some circumstances where you may well want to keep the word â€Å"quite†, particularly when trying to justify something over-running. â€Å"Quite† is useful in suggesting both â€Å"almost there† and â€Å"soon†, and saying â€Å"The files aren’t quite ready yet †¦Ã¢â‚¬  implies it won’t be much longer, whereas â€Å"The files aren’t ready yet† can sound like stone-walling. Perhaps Like many of the words above, â€Å"perhaps† makes your writing sound uncertain. It can obscure meaning, or weaken an otherwise powerful statement, and often causes confusion. â€Å"Perhaps we could meet at twelve for lunch.† â€Å"And then perhaps you’d like to †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Perhaps if I †¦Ã¢â‚¬  The main problem in all these cases is that the word â€Å"perhaps† means your intention is unclear. If you email someone suggesting â€Å"Perhaps we could meet at twelve for lunch†, are you proposing a lunch meeting, or just idly wondering whether it’s possible? The â€Å"perhaps† also makes it unclear what part of the suggestion is in doubt; do you think twelve might not be the best time, or do you suspect the other person won’t want to get lunch? That This is another word which creeps into my writing where it’s not needed. It’s fine when necessary, but can often be cut without any loss of meaning – usually when it’s preceded by a noun. â€Å"This is the house that Jack built.† â€Å"Can you remember the time that we asked people to arrive?† â€Å"I liked the design that you came up with.† Make sure you don’t cut valid instances of the word, usually where â€Å"that† comes before the noun. â€Å"I need that document by five† makes sense, â€Å"I need document by five† is only safe in a very informal context and if you’re sure the other person knows which document you mean. Putting it all together If you email someone with â€Å"I really just wondered if perhaps you could send those documents that I mentioned quite soon.† you come across as diffident, uncertain and sound like you’re babbling. It’s also unclear whether you do need those documents straight away, or whether you’re simply enquiring whether they could be sent soon. But if you delete the five unnecessary words, you’ll get â€Å"I really just wondered if perhaps you could send those documents that I mentioned quite soon.† â€Å"I wondered if you could send those documents I mentioned soon.† This sentence is much clearer, more concise, and likely to elicit a quick response. So when you’ve written an email, article, report or even a piece of fiction, check through for the words just, really, quite, perhaps and that – and see if you can improve the piece by cutting them out. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Greek Words You Should KnowDeck the HallsWhen to use "an"

Nursing Research Utilization Project Proposal Essay

Nursing Research Utilization Project Proposal - Essay Example 5). ESRD and ESRF is diagnosed when the patient loses 85% to 90% of kidney function, which necessitates dialysis, because kidneys can no longer remove toxins from the blood. Dialysis circulates blood on one side of a semipermeable membrane, while the other side circulates dialysis fluid. (Answers.com). Patients on dialysis have to spend four hours, three times a week, which makes dialysis treatment very demanding for the patient (Sonnier, 2000, p. 5). ... Information reinforcement techniques worked in the Barnett (2007) study - after 26 weeks, this group reduced their average IDWG from 2.64 kg to 2.21 kg, and the rate of fluid adherence increased from 47% to 71.5% (Barnett et al. pp. 304-305). Cognitive behavioral therapy has proven effective in the research – for instance, a study conducted by Christensen et al. (2002). In this study the intervention group received a protocol of 9 steps. In this protocol, the patients were taught about self-monitoring, setting goals, coping, reinforcement, and evaluation (Christensen et al., 2002, p. 393).   Their study proved to be effective after 8 weeks – the control group gained around 3.3 pounds, while the intervention group lost around 3 pounds (Christensen, et al., 2002, p. 396).  Ã‚   Behavioural modification is another model that has been studied with regards to dialysis patients and compliance with protocols and regimens. For instance, a study by Hegel et al. (1992) found that the reinforcement produced the greatest drop in IDWG, and that this drop in IDWG was persistent over time – the IDWG continued to be lowered two months after the intervention, even though, during this period of time, the patients only received information about graphing and monitoring (Hegel et al., 1992, p. 326). It is feasible to implement into a work setting, as there is not a need for special equipment. There is a need for special training, but the methods are easy to learn and implement. Because of this, it would be consistent with community culture and resources, because it would not be overly taxing for resources. Introduction When patients have certain diseases, such as hypertension or diabetes, they

Love and Desire -A Sober Approach to Gender Equity Essay

Love and Desire -A Sober Approach to Gender Equity - Essay Example It was more of an attempt to subject men to women. Sommers recognized this and rose against it as subjection was not the aim but assimilation and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities across all sexes. There is perhaps no single statement that captures her ideas in entirety as the provided argument. This study seeks to explicate the meaning of her argument and the means she uses to present this argument. At the same time, the study also attempts to offer a personal view on the accuracy, and persuasiveness of the reasons she offers in support of her conclusions. Additionally, the study also traces the quality and accuracy of her argument when representing the views of an average woman and while discrediting the views of radical feminists. Lastly, we weigh her view against a probable response or view by staunch radical feminists such as Marilyn Friedman.This is one that starts with discrediting the views of radical feminists who consider feminism as a representation of two extremes, sexism and assimilation. In understanding these terms, sexism is discrimination based on sex largely defined by long-held stereotypes and traditions. On the other hand, assimilation refers to absorption of the minority by the majority to create a harmonious unit. In this regard, we can understand radical feminism as a fight to absorb the female gender into mainstream masculine activities as a means of fighting existent stereotypes on female inferiority. Sommers views this extreme as misguided as a woman can be free of these stereotypical and oppressive situations and still retain her feminine nature, simply, she does not have to fight to be a ‘man’. In trying to underline this argument, that a woman can enjoy her feminine nature without taking on the roles and mind frames of men, she cites what would satisfy an average woman. She notes that, an average woman is one who would derive utmost satisfaction from bearing children, having ample time to care for th ese children, having fair opportunities and being treated equally with their male counterparts. In summary, she notes that irrespective of the simplicity of these demands, it is still difficult for women to achieve them. It is at this point that she acknowledges that indeed a struggle must ensue for the average woman to achieve these goals. However, she is categorical that such dreams and aspirations cannot be achieved if they are sought through radical means. According to Sommers, a radical approach only underlines furtherance of false consciousness, one that is far from the actual concerns and priorities of a majority of women. This is understandable as a radical means represents a reactive force and not a reasonable force. In essence, a fight for fair inclusion of women is not a fight that can solely be won by women but one that also requires the input and participation of men. Having this in mind, it is quite apparent that men would be open to a reasonable means as opposed to a radical means. It is quite clear that Sommers’s argument is guided by this sobering reality.  Ã‚  

Quality management Essay Example for Free

Quality management Essay Dialogue 2: Identify two (2) thought leaders relative to quality management. Research each to determine their core ideas and contributions. Synthesize your thoughts about each into a one paragraph (per leader) that contains important and meaningful statements about each thought leader, their contributions, and the relevance of the contribution today regarding the work of project managers. Joseph M. Juran Dr. Juran devoted 70 years to his books, thoughts, and life work revolutionizing the philosophy of total quality management. His developed quality management ideas work around the quality trilogy of Quality Planning, Quality Improvement, and Quality Control. Through the Juran Institute, Dr. Juran has maintained the capability to continually broaden the experiential learning of economist, scientist, and engineers around his work. Dr. Juran’s teachings and guidance focus efforts on the customer and their needs, optimizes the product for those individuals, optimizes the processes involved, and ensures that the process will actually produce the product. Dr. Juran understood that the human component (the customer, the manager, the scientist, the engineer) was an integral piece of the quality process. His lessons contributed to the rise of the Japanese economy after his hands on workings with the Union of Japanese Scientist and Engineers. The push of information today has allowed these theories to flourish. Customer satisfaction is an ever pressing position for large and small businesses. Today’s managers would be hard pressed to understand the human factor, if individuals like Dr. Juran did not lay the ground work to focus effo rts on the human factors. Genichi Taguchi Taguchi was a Japanese Textile Engineer that understood the processes and influences of small and large businesses. He realized there were variables within management’s control and others that we not. His major contributions/theories were the following: The Loss Function- an equation to quantify the decline of a customer’s perceived value of a product, as the quality declines; Orthogonal Arrays and Linear Graphs- tools to identify and isolate the items concerned when dealing with effective costs and time; Robustness- the identified course of developing products and processes that perform uniformly regardless of the uncontrollable forces.

The Importance of Spontaneity in Times Square :: Free Essays Online

The Importance of Spontaneity in Times Square 1. The typical large, industrial city can only be described as constantly alive. Crowded streets, sidewalks, restaurants, shops, and apartments all contribute to this aspect of major cities of the world; the bustling and vibrating streets are only indicative of the people who continue to flock to cities for opportunity in participating in the success that has obviously implemented their growth. While city dwellers are attracted to the prospect of fortune and accomplishment, what they might not realize is that their interactions with one another actually create the lively atmosphere. In reference to this idea, one can examine the characteristics of Times Square in New York City. While some areas of the city are actually like small communities, such as apartment buildings and other living spaces which are clustered together, Times Square is more of a commercial space, therefore, a constant motion exists amongst the consumers and commuters that frequent the area. In spaces su ch as these, there is no structure of community because there are so many strangers pushed into a space and individuals usually do not create any sort of relationship with those that they encounter on a given day. However, is this constant bustle not responsible for so many people from around the world being attracted to Times Square? Because Times Square lacks the structure of community that one may find in rural areas or in the noncommercial areas of New York City, a certain spontaneity results that gives the space its own distinct personality and existence. 2. In her essay â€Å"Cities for Sale: Merchandising History at South Street Seaport†, M. Christine Boyer argues that the atmosphere of certain areas in New York City, such as Times Square, has become fake. Boyer compares these spaces to Disneyland in her essay because she firmly believes that many areas in the cities of today have been reconstructed to create a sense of fantasy and security: â€Å"At Disneyland, the American way of life is displayed as a universal sign of progress† (Boyer 200). People are attracted to this type of environment because it creates a dreamland where they can escape reality, and they exist in this dreamland through buying the products that the space has to offer. The Importance of Spontaneity in Times Square :: Free Essays Online The Importance of Spontaneity in Times Square 1. The typical large, industrial city can only be described as constantly alive. Crowded streets, sidewalks, restaurants, shops, and apartments all contribute to this aspect of major cities of the world; the bustling and vibrating streets are only indicative of the people who continue to flock to cities for opportunity in participating in the success that has obviously implemented their growth. While city dwellers are attracted to the prospect of fortune and accomplishment, what they might not realize is that their interactions with one another actually create the lively atmosphere. In reference to this idea, one can examine the characteristics of Times Square in New York City. While some areas of the city are actually like small communities, such as apartment buildings and other living spaces which are clustered together, Times Square is more of a commercial space, therefore, a constant motion exists amongst the consumers and commuters that frequent the area. In spaces su ch as these, there is no structure of community because there are so many strangers pushed into a space and individuals usually do not create any sort of relationship with those that they encounter on a given day. However, is this constant bustle not responsible for so many people from around the world being attracted to Times Square? Because Times Square lacks the structure of community that one may find in rural areas or in the noncommercial areas of New York City, a certain spontaneity results that gives the space its own distinct personality and existence. 2. In her essay â€Å"Cities for Sale: Merchandising History at South Street Seaport†, M. Christine Boyer argues that the atmosphere of certain areas in New York City, such as Times Square, has become fake. Boyer compares these spaces to Disneyland in her essay because she firmly believes that many areas in the cities of today have been reconstructed to create a sense of fantasy and security: â€Å"At Disneyland, the American way of life is displayed as a universal sign of progress† (Boyer 200). People are attracted to this type of environment because it creates a dreamland where they can escape reality, and they exist in this dreamland through buying the products that the space has to offer.

A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream

â€Å"A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream†, Opus:   Op. 61: Wedding March as composed by Felix Mendelssohn. Kind of music as referred or viewed with a referential listener that shows the dramatic end of the twist-love stories of the four major actors.Which, after a long tirey, challenging day of winning each real true love: to the extent of Helena’s following Demetrius just to win his love; and, Lysander escaped Hermia from her father’s eye, live happily ever after to a far place away from theirs’. To the point when Fairies took charged and ‘kind of’ messed up the story at first, but later on had perfectly turned it up with a happy ending.The story was so inspiring as well as to music (march wedding) being composed and used as soundtrack for this movie, in the sense that the referential listener felt each character being portrayed. And â€Å"despite to all odds, there’s still a rainbow after the rain† intention and desired of the musicologist to deliver to his listeners was successful. I, for an instance, was entertained and got associated by his music because I felt the connection, excitement and fulfillment the main personas including others have achieved.They were able to fight for their right to love. The song was played during the marches of the brides through the aisles as they were being waited by their grooms near the altar (although, this was not really seen in the movie but we all can visualize what was happening every time we hear songs like this). It gave courage, hope, and undying love to be bounded forever.The song is arranged for Organ, and is meant to be played for very especial occasions like wedding ceremonies. The kind of instruments also enhances great impact to the composition because it made the song more meaningful, inspiring, solemn, touching and unbreakable.Music is an art, and instruments add up its harmony, expressions, to dwell in people’s heart. Right instruments to be us ed into a certain piece make them (the songs) to be more especial and valued by the listeners who analyze and accept the work of every musician. Composer Mendelssohn had made a fine, perfect and soul-breaking to the lovers who want to make a bind for the rest of their lives become true.

Electronic Medical Records vs. Paper Charting

Electronic Medical records vs. Paper Medical Charts By: Diedre Fitzgerald Rasmussen College Summer 2012 English Composition; Professor Pauley Electronic Medical records vs. Paper Medical Charts It is no secret that the medical profession deals with some of population’s most valuable records; their health information. Not so long ago there was only one method of keeping medical records and this was utilizing paper charts. These charts, although still used in many practices today, have slowly been replaced by a more advanced method; electronic medical records or EMR’s. The manner in which information is currently employed in healthcare is highly inefficient, which slows down communication and can, as a result, reduce the emergence and discovery of problems. Accelerating communication and the use of information creates new opportunities to improve healthcare, but also new opportunities for problems to occur† (Ethan, Norman, Prashila, Samuel, 2011, p. 3-4). Although t hey are very reliable, paper medical records are becoming a thing of the past while electronic medical records are among one of the new advancements in our technologically savvy world.Both paper charts and EMR’s ultimately give clinicians and patients the same result but the journey is far from similar; A paper free work environment was once something to only imagine but in our present day is this new age technology exactly what we imagined? Paper medical records are something that most anyone who has been in the medical field for more than a few years are familiar with. This method of patient charting is very cut and dry and keeps true to its form of being a reliable source of information on a patient.According to the Law and Contemporary Problems Journal, the main function of paper medical records is to serve as a container or storage device that is occasionally opened to add new information while at the same time, preserving an authoritative method of treatment (Ethan, Nor man, Prashila, Samuel, 2011). Another essential need when dealing with any kind of medical record is security. While paper charts only consist of ink and paper they provide a sufficient amount of security because they are hard copies of raw data that cannot be hacked into and/ or ccidentally viewed by the wrong eyes unless someone physically has the chart in their hands. On the other side of the spectrum is a relatively new concept; electronic medical records or EMR’s are booming in many areas of the medical field. EMR’s do much more than just keep records. Electronic health records (as they are sometimes referred to) or â€Å"EHR’s, have a wide range of information and communications technology (ICT) capabilities. EHRs do not simply provide the user with a larger and more convenient record; they provide a record that is continuously linked to other sources† (Ethan, Norman, Prashila, Samuel, 2011, p. 8). There are endless possibilities when it comes to EM R’s. According to many health care professionals, one feature about everything going electronic is the fact that any chart can be accessed at any time by anyone who is allowed access to it, therefore, eliminating the need to wait around on charts to be used by doctors, nurses, therapists etc. â€Å"EMR’s make my life so much easier, I do not have to wait for a doctor to finish dictating in the patients chart to start what I need to do with the insurance portion† (Olivia Widner Pre services coordinator, US Oncology, 2012).In the March issue of Massage Magazine, author Brandi Schlossberg (2012) discusses the enthusiasm about going â€Å"paperless† within different massage practices. â€Å"Going paperless is the best paper decision you can make, and it's something all of us can do to make a difference,† said Timonie Hood (2010), zero waste coordinator with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Pacific Southwest. â€Å"Going paperless elimi nates all the environmental costs and impacts associated with paper† (Schlossberg, 2012, p. 46).Not only are EMR’s the â€Å"green† option between the two but they also take up less space, require less staff to process paperwork, can be backed up on a hard drive to ensure an extra blanket of security and keep the files safe with protection. Just as with paper medical charts, security of the information is an issue to a lot of people and in its own way EMR’s take precaution in keeping people out of the charts that should not be there. Almost all EMR programs are equipped with password protection. Although EMR’s may be taking over the medical world, paper medical charts emain the most well recognized form for keeping medical records. There are however some things within paper charts that some medical personnel might argue make it a primitive aspect of the medical field. One argument in itself is that the abundance of paper that is utilized in paper ch arting doesn’t stand up to the â€Å"green† society we aspire to live in today. â€Å"Paper charting used to take so long, the papers would always get unorganized, they took up so much room in the nurses’ station and the worst was waiting for a doctor to finish with a chart so I could chart what I needed to† (Brittney Guggino LPN, 2012).Another acknowledged concern with paper medical charts is the illegible handwriting of clinicians, which is a common, longstanding problem. Being unable to read orders clearly creates an added risk when dealing with patients treatments, medications etc. Paper charts may be familiar but they come with many downfalls and it’s these downfalls which may sway a person’s decision in the opposite direction in regards to the keeping of medical records.Just as with any new advancement in our hi-tech world, EMR’s have some kinks that need to be worked out and in a lot of cases just dealt with. The cost of implem enting and maintaining an EMR system is significantly larger than that of a paper charting system. â€Å"The CBO recently conducted a study and reported that, on average, EHR implementation costs for hospitals amount to approximately $14,500 per bed for implementation. Annual operating costs amount to $2,700 per bed per year† (Dell, 2010).Some of the medical professionals that have been in the profession for a while may find it difficult to adjust to this completely new way of charting. The same populations of people who have trouble navigating a computer fall short of the typical learning curve when it comes to learning this new method of charting. According to the Health Information Management Journal â€Å"Going paperless is great, but going fully automated paperless is impressive† (Boo, Noh, Kim, Kim, 2011, p. 12). While this may be true, consider how this will affect the job market.There are thousands of people who are clerks, receptionists and medical assistants whose jobs are primarily filing, copying, assembling charts etc. Due to companies moving toward EMR systems, a lot of people are losing their jobs because there is no need for them because the computer is taking over their job, not to mention taking away the personable feel that is found in most offices and or hospitals. â€Å"I used to work at Tampa General Hospital as a clerk on one of the units but because we recently switched to a computer charting system I quit my job due to lack of hours.The only thing I stayed for in the end was scanning paper charts into the new electronic versions† (Justin Mukhalian, telemetry tech, 2012). Either way we view the evolution of medical charts we all know eventually paper products will dissipate so much to the point where they are hardly used in any aspect of our lives; this is just the nature of the beast. Electronic medical records were once a thing of the future, but the future is now and paper medical charts are becoming a practice o f the past.Both methods focus on providing the patient with quality healthcare while providing useful information for other clinicians reviewing patients’ charts to provide that same quality of care. With anything in life, you take the good with the bad and in regards to medical records it is ultimately about what is best for the practice, the patient and clinician. Paper charts are simple, familiar, and almost foolproof but EMR’s are modern, organized, and environmentally friendly.More than 20 years ago, businesses began anticipating a paperless workplace. Today, professionals continue to integrate the latest electronic systems into their business plans hoping to achieve a ‘paper-free’ environment. Is this the right move for our society? Only time will tell. References Cote, C. (2010, October). Going â€Å"paperless† or â€Å"fully automated paperless†? American Chiropractor, 32(10), 22-23. Retrieved from http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. rasmussen. edu/? ehost/? detail? id=4;hid=104;sid=2b51330e-5843-4272-ba93-36c23c748071%40sessionmgr114;bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=awh;AN=54575534 Dell inc. (2010). Electronic health record implementation: Costs and benefits. Retrieved from http://www. perotsystems. com/? MediaRoom/? library/? ServiceOverviews/? ServiceOverview_CostsAndBenefits. pdf Ethan, K. , Norman, S. , Prashila, D. , ; Samuel, S. (2011). Is there an app for that? Electronic health records and a new environment of conflict prevention and resolution. Law and Contemporary Problems, 74(3), 31-56. Retrieved from

Clearwaters Company Objectives and Issues

Clearwaters Company Objectives and Issues Marketing has evolved with the evolving technologies in the world. The emerging technologies have completely changed the marketing processes in the current world. Freeman (2010) observes that for a long time, marketing was considered an operational activity and it was a unit under the production department. This was the time when most firms employed the production strategy. There was a general belief that once a product is availed in the market, consumers would have no otherwise but to buy it. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Clearwaters Company Objectives and Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This notion was held for a long time. Because there was minimal competition in the market, these firms managed to operate with this policy for long. However, the emerging technologies have created a global village where an individual could move from one end of the earth to the other within a very short time. Impr oved means of communication is another aspect that has changed marketing practices. The invention of telephones was a major milestone in making the world a global village. A person in New York would easily communicate with another in Riyadh or Melbourne in real time. As communication was enhanced, people became more knowledgeable and therefore more demanding. Current Marketing Situation It is always very important that before introducing a product to the market, care be taken to ensure that there is a deep understanding of the market situation. Market situation refers to the forces that dictate the condition of the market. They are the forces that would determine if a given product would be acceptable in the market. Of concern would be the acceptability of the product in the market, the size of the market and its sustainability. In order to elaborate on these factors, a number of analyses would be used in this research. In this case, we would discuss the introduction of a new bran d of water, hereinafter referred to as Clearwaters. Market Description Bottled water is one of the new products in the Saudi markets. This product was considered a free product and many people relied on tap water as the preferred clean water for drinking. However, this changed with time. Bottled water has come out strongly as one of the beverages that are considered important goods. Because of the ease to carry it and the fact that it is believed to have nutrients, there has been a consistent increase in the size of the market for this product. The bottled water market has consistently been eating up the market share of other carbonated drinks such as the cola products. Health experts have been raising concerns over the ingredients of the cola products and the possible effect they might have on consumers. As such, those individuals who are health conscious have considered taking bottled water instead of the carbonated drinks.Advertising Looking for research paper on busines s economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This market is relatively young, especially in the Saudi market. However, it has experienced a massive growth over the past few years. Some of the market leaders in the beverage market such as the Coca Cola Company have come up with their own brand of water to help cushion them against the effect of the mass movement of customers from carbonated drinks to bottled water. This brand is relatively strong in the market and its growth has been consistent. Other firms, some of which are locally owned, have come up with their own brands of water as well. They are keen to take their own share of the market. Clearwaters, being a new product in this market, would find an established market with a strong competition that must be countered if the product were to survive a possible elimination. Product Review Clearwaters is new in this industry. It is made of pure drinking water, just like o ther bottled water brands in this industry. This product is meant for human consumption and is sold in bottles of varying sizes, ranging from 300 milliliters to twenty liters. Five, ten and twenty liter-bottles are meant for home use while the three milliliter to one liter bottles target individuals who need water while on a journey or while on such practices as gym and roadwork. The product is new but in a considerably old market. Its brand is barely known and the marketers of this product have a huge responsibility of ensuring that this product penetrates the market. Although the products target the public, five, ten and twenty liters are targeted at middle-class families, who want clean bottled water for home use. The three hundred milliliters, five hundred milliliters, and one-liter bottles have youths as their targets. Competitive Review The market competition is undoubtedly immense. As stated above, there are giant international firms that have established their position in t he market. These firms, as Majer (2011) notes, have strong brands that have gained acceptance in the local market. The biggest challenge is the fact that these firms have developed pools of loyal customers who may not easily be withdrawn by such new brands as Clearwaters. There is a free market entry to firms trading in this product and this would mean that Clearwaters should be ready for new competition from other foreign firms that may want to enter the market. Although the competitors in this particular market have not considered using pricing as a strategy of competition, there are signs indicating that this is a possibility, especially if large firms in this industry consider small industry players as a threat. Thos would mean that elimination of small firms is the only option for survival. Clearwaters must therefore develop clear marketing strategies that would make it unique in the market.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Clearwaters Compan y Objectives and Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Channels and Logistics Review Channels of distribution are some of the most important factors that the management team must consider. Given that this is a new firm and that the market is highly competitive, logistics are some of the factors that can help this firm to be seen as unique in this market. Clearwaters’ products would be delivered to various retail outlets in Riyadh city by use of two tracks. The management would ensure that this product is ever available in all the major stores within this city. The channel would simply be from the manufacturer to the retailers who would finally sell the products to the customers. SWOT Analysis The strength of this project depends on various factors. One of the major strengths of this project is its brand name (Charantimath. (2006). As Stated above, the brand, Clearwaters, is relatively new in the market. However, the name is expecte d to attract the Muslim faithful, who make the majority of the market share. This project also has considerable financial strength. As such, this project is in a position to implement its strategies, including those of research and extension. The project is also expected to operate in various cities outside Riyadh. As such, it would be able to balance its production. When one section of its market would be experiencing economic growth, the other section would be facing recession. Despite the above strengths, the project it has some weaknesses, a fact that might see some of its competitors such as Dasani eat up a section of its market share. Freeman (2010) says that one of the weaknesses that many environmentalists have repeatedly talked about regarding all the firms selling water in plastic bottles, is environmental degradation. The plastic bottles that this firm uses in packing its drinks are causing havoc to the environment. It is apparent that this firm is yet to develop a solut ion to this problem because according to the program, it is yet to replace the plastic bottles with better alternatives. Within the area of operation, some opportunities that can make the firm experience massive growth in its market share exist. Dasani has exploited a vacuum that existed in many countries in the world, especially in the developing countries. Majer (2011) says that there was no competition for this firm in the overseas markets and this company was able to make the most out of its sales. However, with the introduction of new brands such as Clearwaters, Dasani would be under threat. Clearwaters would find it easy to change with the changing technologies because of its small size than would Dasani. Technological advancements will also enable the firm to conduct trade much easily due to improved means of communication and transport means. The economic boom that Saudi Arabia experienced following the improved oil prices in the world market is another opportunity that can help this firm to expand its market.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The threats that this product has had to deal with include competition. The market has gotten increasingly competitive. Freeman (2010) notes that many firms like Coca Cola have come up with products, which are close substitutes of the product. They have taken large market share in the country. Security concerns in some parts of the city are another threat that this firm has had to deal with. When there is an internal strife, like the one experienced in Egypt and Libya in the recent past, this firm would lose millions of dollars due to the destruction of its assert. During such periods, the firm would also lose the profits they get from the region, while yet they will have to pay the employees. This would hurt the firm financially. Objectives and issues This is a new product. The issue here is to ensure that this product is successfully introduced into the existing market, and that it gets acceptance from the customers in this region. The objective of this move is to ensure that the firm manages to capture substantial market share that would make it sustainable in an increasingly competitive market. Clearwaters should come out as a strong brand in the bottled water industry. The brand should not only attract positive sales in the market, but also a strong base of loyal customers who would help in ensuring that this firm is sustainable. Positioning Product positioning is always very important. In various occasions, firms would try to position their products in the market as the best. In this case, Clearwaters would be positioned as ‘the end of thirst’. In this context, thirsty customers should consider going for Clearwaters, because in its presence, thirst would end. With proposition is expected to attract travelers who pass by the retail outlets to look for beverages that would help quench their thirst. Product Strategy This product is perfectly similar to other products sold by other market competitors. However much the advertisement may be devi sed to make it appear different, the fact remains that the product is similar to those of other competitors. Therefore, a strategy that would help make it unique must exist. In this regard, the packaging of this product would be made a little unique from others in the market. The packages of this product targeting the youths would have graphics that would be attractive to them. The aim of this is to ensure the product speaks out to the customers the moment customers’ glance at them. Pricing Strategy Pricing is one of the most challenging tasks when introducing a new product in the market. When the price is set higher than the average market, customers would most likely ignore the product and go for their traditional products. When the product is priced lower than the market price, customers may dismiss it as a product of poor quality and therefore it may be ignored. Therefore, most firms would prefer setting the price of the product to be at par with the market price of other products. The rationale is that in the process of choosing for the best brand, given that the prices are the same, customers may consider taking the new brand to test its viability. This firm would employ this strategy. It would avoid setting the price below the market average for this may provoke price wars (Freeman, 2010). Because it is a new firm, it may not be in a position to withstand such a competition. Distribution Strategy This product is intended to be distributed in all the major stores in Riyadh. The product will have to capture this market before moving to other cities in this country. The choice of Riyadh was because it has the biggest market for this product and therefore more promising than other markets. Moreover, with the fact that there is huge competition in this city, a success in this market would mean that it would be easy to reach out to other markets. As stated above, the track would move this product to all the mail retail outlets in the country. The str ategy that would be used would be very simply: the product should never run out of stock in all the selected stores Marketing Communication Strategy Manufacturing and availing products to the market is not enough if there is a considerable level of competition in the market. There would be need to ensure that the market understands that the product is available and that it offers superior value. Clearwaters would therefore be advertised in the main channels of communication within the target market. The marketing department would have to use the mass media like the dailies, the radio and television stations to inform the market that this product is available. This department would also need to ensure that the youths who frequent the social media are also reached. This should be done using such social media as Facebook, Tweeter, and YouTube. The communication that goes to the public should be reviewed carefully. It would be important to ensure that there is no miscommunication, or irrelevant information reaching out to the public. This may damage the reputation of the firm and hinder its move to capture more customers in this market. Marketing Research According to Majer (2011), there has been a massive change in marketing over the recent past. Currently, businesses have been forced to take an inward-out approach to marketing. This would mean that a firm would start by understanding what the market expects of them. After developing this understanding, the firm would then need to ensure that it develops products that will meet the demands of the market. In order to ensure that this is possible, there would be need for research into the market. Market research is always very important because creates understanding of the market. Clearwaters will have to be developed as a strong brand in this market. In this regard, it would be important that the management conduct the research among the target market to get to understand their expectation of the bottled water that is sold in the retail outlets. The data from this research should be analyzed, and compounded with the secondary sources of information like the business journals, an informed decision should be made of the approach that this firm should take in bringing this new product to the market. This way, it will gain a competitive edge over the existing firms because it shall have implemented the recommendations from the research. Implementations Charantimath (2006) says that ideas will always remain ideas unless they are implemented. Good ideas can be turned into wonderful projects if the concerned parties make concerted effort to ensure that it is implemented. The plans for the introduction of this product will have to be implemented by all the concerned members of the project. After the idea has undergone all the stages until there is an inception of a product, a marketer would be expected to take over. In this case, the first step would be market testing. A sample of the product w ould be taken to the market to determine its viability. If the product is confirmed to be viable in the market, the production department would then be instructed to produce the product in mass and then there will be commercialization of the product. In this case, Clearwaters will be taken to various retail outlets in the city. The marketing department will also develop an awareness campaign of the product within this particular city. Most importantly during the implementation process, the team would ensure that all the planned activities are carried out as per the plan with no deviations. The allocation of funds would be based on various factors, such as the importance of the project, its profitability and impact it would have on the firm. Budget The budget for this project would be based on the area of coverage. For a start, this project is expected to cover Riyadh city. However, it would be rolled out to other cities later if it proves successful in this region. The budget for t his project would be categorized into various sections, which include research, manufacturing, logistics, advertising, and others. Based on the percentage, the above categories should be allocated funds as follows. Research- 8% Manufacturing-60% Logistics- 11% Advertising- 12% Others- 9 The above budgetary allocations may be altered as per the need of the organization, but they should not be drastically shifted from the estimates provided. Control It is important that the management ensure that the program would flow smoothly as planned. The control of the entire process would be in the hands of the top management of the project. They have the responsibility to ensure that there is a proper budgetary allocation and that every task is done by the intended persons and within the scheduled time. The top management should be responsible for assigning each member of the team specific roles that would help in ensuring that the overall objective of the firm is achieved. Monitoring is al so part of control and must be undertaken by the management unit. References Charantimath. (2006).Total Quality Management. New Delhi: Pearson Education. Freeman, E. (2010). Ethical leadership practices. KCA Journal of Business Management, 2(1): 1-14. Freeman, E. (2010). Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. New York: Cambridge University Press. Majer, C. (2011). The silent killers of productivity and profit. T+D, 65(2), 62

American Black Bear Facts

American Black Bear Facts The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is a large omnivore that inhabits the forests, swamps, and tundra throughout the more northerly reaches of North America. In some areas such as the Pacific Northwest, it commonly lives at the edges of towns and suburbs where it has been known to break into storage buildings or cars in search of food. Fast Facts: American Black Bear Scientific Name: Ursus americanusCommon Name: American black bearBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 4.25–6.25 feet longWeight: 120–660 poundsLifespan: 10–30 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: Forested areas in Alaska, Canada, the United States, MexicoPopulation: 600,000Conservation Status:  Least Concern Description Black bears vary considerably in color throughout their range. In the east, bears are usually black with a brown snout. But in the west, their color is more variable and can be black, brown, cinnamon, or even a light buff color. Along the coast of British Columbia and Alaska, there are two color morphs of black bears that are distinct enough to earn them nicknames: the whitish Kermode bear or spirit bear and the blue-gray glacier bear. Although some black bears may be colored like brown bears, the two species can be distinguished by the fact that the smaller black bears lack the dorsal hump characteristic of the larger brown bears. Black bears also have larger ears that stand more erect than brown bears. Black bears have powerful limbs and are equipped with short claws that enable them to break apart logs, climb trees, and collect grubs and worms. They also claw apart beehives and feed on the honey and bee larvae they contain. Habitat and Range The American black bear lives in forested areas throughout North America, from Canada to Mexico and in at least 40 states in the U.S. They used to live in almost all forested areas of North American, but now they are restricted to areas that are less densely populated by  humans. In Canada, the American black bear still lives in most of its historic range, other than the central plains. These bears also once inhabited the mountainous regions of northern Mexico, but their numbers have dwindled in this region. Black bears are one of three bear species that live in North America; the other two are the brown bear and the polar bear. Of these bear species, black bears are the smallest and most timid. When encountered by humans, black bears often flee rather than attack. Diet Black bears are omnivores. Their diet includes grasses, berries, nuts, fruit, seeds, insects, small vertebrates, and carrion. In northern regions, they eat spawning salmon. American black bears will also occasionally kill young deer or moose calves. In the colder parts of their range, black bears seek refuge in their den for the winter where they enter a winter sleep. Their dormancy is not true hibernation, but during their winter sleep, they refrain from eating, drinking, or excreting waste for as long as seven months. During this time, their metabolism slows and heart rate falls. Reproduction and Offspring Black bears reproduce sexually. They reach reproductive maturity at 3 years of age. Their breeding season occurs in spring but the embryo does not implant in the mothers womb until late fall. Two or three cubs are born in January or February. The cubs are very small and spend the next several months nursing in the safety of the den. Cubs emerge from the den with their mother in spring. They remain under the care of their mother until they are about 1 ½ years old at which time they disperse to seek out their own territory. Conservation Status The IUCN classifies the American Black Bears conservation status as least concern.  And, the black bear is the most common bear in North America. However, all large mammals who eat meat- big cats, wolves, and bears- face threats stemming from the loss of prey and habitat. This includes black bears, though they are less affected because 95 percent of their diet is plant-based. American Black Bears and Humans American black bears across North America are also facing a decline in forest areas where they once lived due to the rapid expansion of urban areas. Indeed, most of the challenges black bears face in North America come from humans. American black bears are intelligent and learn quickly where they can find garbage left by people as well as where human food is easily accessible. This makes for the perfect conditions for human-bear conflict, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society. The problem is particularly pronounced in backcountry areas where humans hike and camp as well as populated forest areas, leading to dangerous conditions for black bears and humans alike. Sources â€Å"Black Bears.†Ã‚  WCS.org.â€Å"Basic Facts About Black Bears.†Ã‚  Defenders of Wildlife, 10 Jan. 2019.â€Å"Carnivore Collapse.†Ã‚  Defenders of Wildlife, 10 Jan. 2019.

The Pro & Cons of Affirmative Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Pro & Cons of Affirmative Action - Essay Example imizing diversity in the society, it is easier for organizations and firms to serve a wide range of customers and consumers to achieve instantaneous success, just like Startbucks etc. Similarly, it also helps the society to redress the disadvantage of discrimination by having a quota of diversified workforces in firms. This will move the society towards anti-discriminatory policies and will make sure that equal opportunities prevail in the society for all communities, races and gender. The disadvantages of affirmative actions are that it leads to quota system which is against the norms of efficiency and performance oriented selection. This will discourage people to work hard as they will know that quota system will take lead over their performance. Another disadvantage of quota system is that people will have to learn how to manage diversified workforce. This will involve managerial training and it will add up additional expenses for the firms who are struggling really hard to fight the ongoing