Technology Makes the World Smaller - 1697 Words

Technology Make the World Smaller Office 2004 Test Drive User Table of Contents Commerce 4 Dell6 Ebay 7 E-cash8 Work Cited11 Footnotes12 Technology Makes the World Smaller The international marketplace is changing very fast every day. E-commerce and E-Business is now one of the standard ways to do business. The Internet has opened up vast opportunities for business to tap into new markets all over the world. The use of the Internet removes all geographical constraints, permits the instant establishment of virtual branches throughout the world, and allows direct and immediate foreign market entry to the smallest of businesses to the biggest. As the economy is becoming more global in nature, companies are handling more business on an†¦show more content†¦Co.s services offerings include infrastructure technology, consulting and applications, and business process services. Co. also provides a range of financing alternatives, asset management services, and other customer financial services for business and consumer customers. Co.s customers include corporate, government, healthcare, and education accounts. Co. conducts its businesses through four r eportable segments: Large Enterprise; Public; Small and Medium Business; and Consumer. Dell is a straightforward company that, like Gateway 2000, and a host of others, sells custom configured PCs to consumers and businesses around the world. Dell started as a mail order company that advertised in the back of magazines and sold their computers over the phone. Like the book Direct from Dell explains â€Å"Dells WebPages have enabled Dell computers to reduce their expenditures and become much more efficient in their production and distribution of their computers. Dells success at using the built to order system and internet has enabled them to become a much more efficient manufacturer of computers allowing Dell to maximize profits. Dells e-commerce presence is widely publicized these days because Dell is able to sell so much merchandise over the web. Dell currently sells something like $14,000,000 in equipment every day. 25% of Dells sales is over the web. Simplified e-commerce isShow MoreRelatedWesternization And Its Effects On Globalization And Westernization1134 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout history, dating back to the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia, larger civilizations have sought to dominate other peoples while smaller nations have struggled to preserve their history, beliefs and culture. Various examples of this can be seen throughout history - assimilation of conquered lands into the Roman Empire, of native South Americans and Africans into Christianity and European culture during colonization, and the assimilation of Native Americans into the culture of the United StatesRead MoreHow Does Technology Change The World Changing Technology Work?946 Words   |  4 Pages2013, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass. General) teamed up to change the world. They developed new technology that would not only take more detailed x-ray images, but also take images of soft tissue that wou ld not have to be enhanced with some form of contrast. This new technology â€Å"could make x-rays ubiquitous, because of its higher resolution, the fact that the dose would be smaller and the hardware smaller, cheaper, and more capable than currentRead MoreThe World As A Global World1369 Words   |  6 PagesBy checking the dictionary can know that â€Å"global† means the whole world, also can be interpreted as multiple and rich. In a global society, there should have many different cultures; races and countries live in the different or same areas of the world. As the technologies developing there are more and more areas of the world have been found, cultures have been discovered. Even though in the past time, people would like to explore the area they live. Such as old China, build relationships throughRead MorePest Analysis of the Fast Food Industry Essay770 Words   |  4 Pagesmonitored on a day-to-day basis. Due to the private sector of business being so competitive , businesses have to keep their overheads to a minimum in order to provide reasonable prices, and still make a profit. Large companies could raise the cost of their menu slightly in order to keep profits up but cost down. Smaller take-away businesses, such as local takeaways, have lower profit margins and therefore may have raise their prices significantly to keep staff employed and may consequently lose customersRead MoreThe Development Of Computer Development1631 Words   |  7 Pagesdevices. A generation refers to the state of improvement in the product development process. This term is also used in the different advancements of new computer technology. With each new generation, the circuitry has gotten smaller and more advanced than the previous generation before it. As a result of the making something much smaller, speed, power, and computer memory have proportionally increased. New discoveries are constantly being developed that affect the way we live, work and play. EachRead MoreThe Characteristics Of Radio Frequency Identification And Its Types779 Words   |  4 PagesRadio Frequency Identification Tracking mobile assets has always been a challenge for all businesses. Radio Frequency Identification, also known as RFID, is an increasingly popular data storage technology used to identify and track any mobile object (Bethel, 2017). An RFID system consists of an RFID tag that is placed on the mobile object, a reader to retrieve information from the tag, local software, and finally the networked central computer system. This system is quickly taking the place ofRead MoreUse of Robotics in Health Care Sector1148 Words   |  5 PagesSECTOR? Scientists say that, by 2050 one in four people in the world will be over the age of 65. The NHS will be unable to cope with the likely increase in chronic illness. To meet this challenge, health and local authority services must reconfigure, placing greater emphasis on community care and the effective use of technology. One promising technology is robotics. WHAT IS ROBOTICS? Robotics is the engineering science and technology of robots, their design, manufacture, application, and structuralRead MoreThe Importance Of Progressing Technology1438 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology is a fast growing industry and humans are always trying to improve it but at what cost. Do humans actually want to progress or are we scared of what could happen if we did. People seem to think this world is very advanced in technology. Technology has progressed in some aspects. Our society is at a stagnation and needs to progress to compete in a globalized society. Technology has played a big role in my life. Ever since I can remember, in my household we had a T.V. A T.V was a bigRead MoreThe Positive Side Of The Internet1365 Words   |  6 PagesHOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT 1 Right from the inception of the Internet in 1969, there has been a drastic increase in its growth. Over the years the world has become more and more dependent on the internet due to its ease in accessibility, reduced cost and tons of information in all fields. As there are two sides to coins, there are two sides to this both positive and negative with respect to its impact on people. The positive side to the internet with reference to Dr.Leonard Klienrock lecture at infocomRead MoreCreative Destruction And Its Impact On Society1512 Words   |  7 Pagesreplacing old technology with new and improved technology that is affordable to society. The following paper will discuss creative destructions and the theories and practices of creative destruction. Also discussed is innovative companies that have produced new and improved technology that has changed the American society as a whole. In this paper, I will be discussing creative destruction and how it’s handled in the smart pho ne world, housing market world and transportation world. First and foremost

Survive by Love, Faith and Will - 1719 Words

At the beginning of the 20th century, anti-Semitism became more serious. Germany began to isolate and eliminate Jews. When the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, comes to power in 1933, he wanted to set up the perfect Nazi state. The Nazis wanted to stamp out any opposition to their rule, so they set up a system of concentration camps, death camps for holding people that they see as â€Å"undesirable†. Those â€Å"undesirables† were Jews. From 1933 to 1945, about six million Jews are murdered and it is called the Holocaust. The Holocaust is the greatest single case of mass murder in history and is difficult to ignore. After World War II, survivors of the Holocaust told their stories directly or wrote down what happened in the Holocaust. One of the†¦show more content†¦He begins writing to free himself. In short, love is the strongest emotion and it gives people motivation to stay strong. Both Elie and Jakob survive because of the timeless power of love. Faith giv es support people in times of difficulties. Life is full of ups and downs, people cannot change the world but they can hold onto their faith to be able to go through bad times. Elie has been a devout Jew since he childhood pass. He is taught that God is everywhere in the world, and that nothing exists without God. After Elie witnesses how Jews are exterminated to Holocaust brutally by Nazis, he loses confidence in God. â€Å"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke†¦Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never† (Wiesel 34). This famous quote shows that Elie’s faith is destroyed. He wants to know why a merciful God could just stand by to see those horrible behaviors happen to His pe ople. But soon Elie embrace to his faith because he can not survive without it. â€Å"Behind me, I heard the same man asking: Where is God now? And I heard a voice within me answer him: ... Here He is—He is hanging here on this gallows† (Wiesel 65). When his father is sick, ElieShow MoreRelatedLife of Pi and Castaway Comparative Essay1463 Words   |  6 Pagesorder for human kind to survive the painfully realistic days of existence, a sort of belief system is direly needed. As shown through Pi Patel from Life of Pi and Chuck Noland from Cast Away, holding onto a belief of something provides one with the determination to survive the worst conditions. Both the novel and the book share the story of two castaways who depend on their belief in something to survive and conquer their respective challenges – Pi Patel who depends on his faith in religion, and ChuckRead MoreLife Of Pi, Let Faith Be Greater Than Fear1005 Words   |  5 PagesPi, Let Faith be greater than Fear The Life of Pi is a book filled with many fantasy adventures that will have an excellent impact on what you may or not believe in. This novel was published in 2001 by author Yann Martel. Yann Martel is a writer who is trying to make sense of life, just like any other human being trying to deal with everyday obstacles. In this book we see that the protagonist, Piscine Molitor also known as Pi takes us through an adventure that will question our faith in religionRead MoreAnalysis Of Yann Martel s Life Of Pi1621 Words   |  7 Pagesdays as they came. Surviving the human condition by keeping his faith in God, having prior knowledge of zoology, and by having Richard Parker as a companion and by keeping Pi on his toes. The novel demonstrates that individuals who are not able to complete the journey to adulthood never reach full maturity. During his most challenging and fearful moments, Pi’s faith in God allows him to survive. His will to survive at sea and his faith in God seems to be the main idea in the novel. Left lost in theRead MoreEssay about Night by Elie Wiesel783 Words   |  4 PagesEliezer was dedicated and absolute in his belief of God, but throughout the events of World War II his faith slowly starts to wither away. Eliezers main conflict that governs the story would be sustaining his belief in God. This becomes especially hard throughout the book, as he has to face more and more challenging issues. Moshe the Beadle is the one character that Eliezer learned about his faith from, Moshes teachings frame the conflict that Eliezer faces during the story. One point that Moshe teachesRead MoreThe Night and Fugitive: Two Impressive Books1266 Words   |  6 Pagesexperiences reflect a truth which is no matter how harsh the situation is, one tends to overcome all obstacles to obtain a life of fulfillment. The courage can be gained from love, faith and intension of survival. Love is so powerful that itself can push a person to move forward or provide energy for a person to live. Love plays a big role in both works Night and Fugitive Pieces. Elie and Jakob are encouraged by their families. Elie and his father are apart with his mother and two young sistersRead MoreSummary Of The By Yann Martel s 1628 Words   |  7 PagesMaxine Malekmehr 18 December 2014 Dr. Hansen Section 1961 Faith as the Key to Survival Albert Einstein once said, â€Å"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.† Some individuals live their lives with strict adherence to logic, while others benefit from the power of imagination. However, both, pragmatism and imagination, contain advantages as well as disadvantages. In Yann Martel’s novel, the story’s protagonist, Piscine Patel, is a religious follower of three religions,Read MoreSymbols in Cast Away1090 Words   |  5 Pagesmeanings that demonstrated his human nature, mainly consisting his drive of survival, faith, hope, and morals, was revealed. I am able to arrive at the conclusion that yes, I do agree with the quote, Cast Away  delivers a strong message of fear,  survival,  faith  and  hope. After Chuck Noland is chucked onto an inhabited island, we as an audience immediately see various symbolisms of hope. As an example, in order to survive, he begins to open the FedEx boxes with high anticipations that they will consistRead MoreNight654 Words   |  3 Pagesall he had to go through could turn his faith, religion, humanity, or beliefs. Before the Nazis took Elie and his family we could notice that Elie was a strong, religious boy who wanted to learn the Cabbala. Moshe the Beadle taught him it, and answered all Elie’s questions. By the point of Elie learning the Cabbala his faith was very strong. Elie compared praying with breathing, it is something so important for him that he does it without thinking. He’s faith in god is unconditional, and he believesRead MoreLife Of Pi By Yann Martel1630 Words   |  7 Pagesstrength to conquer various obstacles through a journey that allow many people to survive. The novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel allows readers to imagine a young boy trying to survive a shipwreck using everything that he learns and experiences. Piscine Patel survives many things such as the lifeboat, dehydration, drowning, starvation and the island. The personality traits of Piscine Patel are what enable him to survive and the three most important character traits he possesses are hope, intell igenceRead MoreThe movie Alive1331 Words   |  6 Pagesaccomplish particular essential needs in order to ensure their physiological and psychological health. The movie Alive is a fascinating story that demonstrates heroism and faith through a team mainly consisted of teenage boys. In addition, this movie emphasizes and displays the perseverance and interminable will to survive and pull through together by manipulating different tools and objects to meet their needs. This remarkable movie provides many examples and insights for the vital needs that

Research Planning Uop Res728 Free Essays

Research Planning Paper University of Phoenix – RES 728 Research Planning Paper Funding for domestic violence shelters in Sebastian County, Arkansas has decreased with the decline of the state’s economy beginning in 2010, when most manufacturing jobs were outsourced to foreign countries. Funding now primarily comes from private and non-profit sponsors and donors. This change in funding has brought about the need to be responsive to the wants and needs of not only the victims but also of the donors that provide the funding for the shelters. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Planning Uop Res728 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The expectations of the donors with regard to the role of paid employees referred to as advocates and the volunteers has also changed. The donors expect the advocates and volunteers to be on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week and the shelters’ executives have had to establish in written form the boundaries established for the role of employees and volunteers. The focus of this study will be the actual role of the employees and volunteers versus the perceived role of the employees and volunteers by the private and non-profit sponsors and donors. This study will require data to be gathered from all persons involved with the domestic violence shelters, which will include donors, executives, employees, and volunteers. The data that will be collected during this study will be relevant to the perceptions of the domestic violence shelters’ executives, employees, and volunteers’ role versus what the donors to the shelters perceive to be the roles of the people that work on either a paid or volunteer basis. The data collection methods will include participant observations, informal interviews, and open-ended questionnaires. Data Collection and Sampling Strategies The data will be collected during the annual fundraiser by observing the interactions of the donors with the executives, employees, and volunteers that are participating in the fund raiser. Observations of the way each cohort interacts with one another, whether there is respect shown toward the employees, volunteers, executives, and donors. According to Kawulich (2005), observations allow the researcher to see the nonverbal expressions, determine who interacts with whom, determine the manner in which communication takes place and to ascertain how much time is spent on the various interactions. Kawulich also posits that observation allows for the checking of definitions of certain terms used within the environment by the participants while also allowing the observation of the mannerisms of the participants that indicate their resolve not to be impolite, politically incorrect, or insensitive. The informal interviews according to Turner (2010), work well for the spontaneous generation of questions within the natural interaction that occurs with informal conversation. The informal interview will not have a predetermined number of or structure of questions. It is the feeling of Turner and this researcher that this would interfere with the flexibility and naturalness of the interviews. The main disadvantage to this method of data collection is the potential to stray from the research topic. The last method of data collection will be the use of open-ended questionnaires, which will have five questions for the participants to answer after receiving instruction about the data collection tool. According to Sapsford and Jupp (2006), the chief advantage of the questionnaire is that it can be administered to a group of people at the same time. Sapsford and Jupp posit that the main disadvantage to questionnaires is that some people will not return the questionnaire to the researcher. Data Management and Analysis According to Merriam (2009), the preferred method of data analysis is to perform the analysis during the data collection. Merriam posits that without ongoing analysis prevents confusion, inability to focus, and may allow the sheer volume of the data to become overwhelming for the researcher. Bogdan and Biklen (1998) as cited by Merriam (2009, p. 171) offer ten suggestions for analyzing data as it is collected. Those suggestions include: 1) Make decisions to narrow the study 2) Make decision about the type of study you want to accomplish 3) Develop analytic questions 4) Plan data collection sessions according to what was previously experienced 5) Record as many observer’s notes as possible as you go 6) Write memos to yourself about what you are learning 7) Try out ideas and themes on participants 8) Begin exploring the literature while in the field 9) Play with metaphors, analogies, and concepts 10) Use visual devices. Data collection and analysis could possibly go on forever but once the researcher has reached saturation or in other words, information starts repeating itself then the researcher knows it is time to stop the collection of data. Managing the data during the collection process requires that coding or the assignment of some sort of shorthand designation that will allow the researcher to find the information quickly and with ease (Merriam, 2009). Data analysis can be performed by hand by developing categories or themes for the data collected. Coding is the assignment of notations next to data as you read over the data. It is like marking in the side margin what you the researcher believes is potentially relevant to your research (Merriam, 2009). Assigning codes to the pieces of data is the way the researcher begins categorizing the data. This process is used for each set of data to be analyzed. Data analysis can also be performed with the use of modern technology such as the computer and software programs developed especially for qualitative data analysis such as CAQDAS (computer assisted qualitative data analysis software), MAXQDA, ATLAS. i, HyperRESEARCH and NVivo. Bazeley asserts that the use of technology for data analysis further than is possible when performing analysis by hand (2006). According to Leech and Onwuegbuzie (2007), CAQDAS programs provide an excellent tool for recording, storing, indexing, and sorting the voluminous data that are the hallmark of many qualitative research studies. Bazeley also posits tha t another advantage to using CAQDAS programs is that the programs can record all of the major analytic decisions that the researcher makes, which then leaves an audit trail. However, it is noted by Leech et al. , that even though programs can help the researcher analyze the data the program cannot analyze the data for the researcher. Denzin and Lincoln (2005) make the point that the researcher is still the main tool for analysis and the flexibility, creativity, insight, and intuition of the researcher should never be replaced by mechanical analysis of data. Conclusion The use of multiple data collection and analysis methods allows the researcher to use the strength of all chosen methods in order to get a better picture of what they are focusing on in the study. Using multiple qualitative data analysis tools can help researchers to address what Denzin and Lincoln (2005) refer to as the crisis of representation, namely, the difficulty in capturing lived experiences via text. Denzin and Lincoln posit that using multiple types of data collection and analysis makes the process of qualitative research more rigorous, which may make qualitative research even more popular than it has become. References Bazeley, P. (2006). The contribution of computer software to integrating qualitative and quantitative data and analyses. Research in the Schools,, 13(1), 64-74. Bogdan, R. C. , Biklen, S. K. (1998). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and methods. Bosston, MA: Allyn Bacon. Denzin, N. K. a. L. , Y S. (2005). Introduction: The discipline and practice of qualitative research. In N. K. D. Y. S. Lincoln (Ed. ), The sage handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Kawulich, B. B. (2005). Participant observation as a data collection method. Forum: Qualitative Social Research: Sozialforschung, 6(2). Leech, N. L. Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2005). Qualitative data analysis: Ways to improve accountability in qualitative research. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada. Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Sapsford, R. J. , V. (2006). Data Collection and Analysis (2nd ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Turner, D. W. , III. (2010). Qualitative interview design: A practical guide for novice investigators. The Qualitative Report, 15(3), 754-760. How to cite Research Planning Uop Res728, Essays

Marketing Plan Boots Company Sri Lanka for Thailand- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theMarketing Plan Boots Company Sri Lanka for Thailand. Answer: Overview Company overview Boot Company is a pharmacy chain the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Thailand as well as other territories. The parent Company, The Boots Company Plc, merged with the Alliance UniChem in 2006 to form the Alliance Boots. In the year 2007, the Alliance Boots was bought by the Kohiberg Kravis Roberts and Stefano Pessina who took the company to Private, and they were able to move the headquarters to Switzerland (McDonald Wilson, 2016). The company operates over two thousand five hundred stores all across the United Kingdom as well as Ireland which ranges from the local pharmacies to the large health and the beauty stores. The stores of the company are primarily located on the high streets and at the shopping centers. They sells many heath and the beauty products, and they also offers optician and hearing care services within their stores as the standalone practices (Asseraf, Luis Shoham, 2017).. Boots was founded in 1849, by an individual known as John Boot. In 1920, the company was sold to Jesse Boot who was the American united Drug organization, but because of the economic circumstances in the company it was sold back to the British hands in 1933. The grandson of the founder of John Boot who inherited the name Baron Trent from his father headed the organization. The CEO of Boots organization is Elizabeth Fagan for the UK operation. She is responsible for the development of the organization pharmacy led health and the beauty retail business outside UK as well as the Republic of Ireland, Asia and Europe (McDonald Wilson, 2016) . The company has employed more than twelve thousand employees and they are operating more than 4600 retail stores and in this number over 4,450 have the pharmacies. Vision To be the first choice for the pharmacy, health as well as beauty caring for individuals, customers along with the communities everywhere. Mission The passion mission of Boot Company is to provide an upscale choice of the pharmacy, health and beauty care to people, clients and the communities that are across the globe. The company exists so as to attract and maintain the customers. The services provided exceed the expectations of the customers. Goals The goal of Boots Company are as follows; To be the center for the health and the beauty customers. To secure the market leadership in the Sri Lanka. To build on their brands. Leading the development of products that are sustainable. Objectives The following are the objective of the Boots Company; To increase the repeat customers by 7% per quarter. To decrease on the acquisition cost of the customers by 8% per year To build an efficient pull campaign, bringing in new clients at the increased rate of 10% per quarter. Boots Company intends to deliver a new wave of reformulation within the business in the next three months. The organization intends to funds programs which are aimed to tackle real public health issues such as influence health policy more positively. Market trend in Sri Lanka The current trend in Sri Lanka is that they intends to develop the pharma industry and enable various organization to penetrate to the global market since the internal market in the country is not sufficient for a big organization to operate at the optimum levels (Piercy Evans, 2014). This will offer Boot Company a market share since the sector has not been utilized fully by the local companies. Why Boots Company should be launched in Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka there is a favorable environment for the Boots Company to set up their outlet. According to the data from the central bank of Sri Lanka, there has been a stable financial system in the country which has provided a favorable environment to the depositors and the investors, which has encouraged many financial institutions as well as the markets to enable them to function more effectively as well as efficiently. This will help the country to promote investment and the economic growth. The data from the central bank shows that the banking sector in Sri Lanka that comprise LCBs and LSBs, have dominated the financial system which have played a liquidity to the entire economy. Boots organization will have an access to the liquidity, which will be useful to them to setup the enterprise in the country as well as get payments to the various services, hence facilitate all entities to carry out their financial transactions. In Sri Lanka economy it has expanded to the average rate of 6% over the past five years. There has been notable economic transition and economic transformation from the political reconciliation and the economic transformation that has helped in the strengthening of the long term development and competitiveness. With the economic transition, Boot Company could gained a significant market share when it has been established. The country do not have properly developed pharmaceutical store outlets and this will enable them gain the market share since the sector has not been fully exploited. PESTEL analysis for Sri Lanka Political The changes in the government rules and the regulation in Sri Lanka will affect the management of the activities of Boots Company. In Sri Lanka there might be trade barriers and this would make it difficult for the organization to bring in the raw materials and products from the other countries. Sometime there are politically motivated strikes as well as the labor strike in Sri Lanka which might affect the performance of Boots in Sri Lanka (Jain Haley, 2009). The government has made changes in the tax policies, labor law policy and trade restrictions. There has been streamline in the business startup process in Sri Lanka and there has been a number of the licensing requirements which have been reduced. Economic If there will be economic strength which will be poor in Sri Lanka it will affect greatly the Boot organization in regards to its growth. In the event that the Sri Lanka economy was to suffer from the Inflation or perhaps recession then it would adversely affect Boot organization (Jain Haley, 2009). Sri Lanka labor market lacks efficiency, which has resulted for the imbalance between the labour supply demand. In 2016, the IMF recommended that Sri Lanka government to phase out some of their extensive system of the control of prices and subsidies which distorted various sectors in the economy. With this implementation of these changes it will be easier for Boots Company to be established in Sri Lanka economy. Social Individuals are becoming more informed. There increased in the aging population provides range and threats to the pharmaceutical industry (Meidan, Moutinho Chan, 2015). Technological There is social media for the Healthcare. Boots organization might be able to advantage for the internet through providing online services. Environmental The organization will need to take care of the issue of pollution which might be created from the product or the service produced by the company. Boots need to see how their business and the marketing plans link in with the environmental aspects (Piercy Evans, 2014). It need to be mandatory to reduce the carbon footprint as well as increase the energy efficiency. Legal Boot will need to take care of the food merchandises, industrial training and also take care of the local child labor laws in Sri Lanka. Legal factors which will affect the organization and it legislation will be on the employment, and the health and safety. Others are changes in the government and the trading policies (Piercy Evans, 2014). In Sri Lanka Pharmaceutical industry there are many regulatory and legislative restrictions, which Boot will need to abide. Porters' five force analysis Supplier power Boots Company in Sri Lanka it will have a strong influence on the suppliers. The switching costs of Boots in the industry has decreased. Threats of New entrants There would be less new entrance in Sri Lanka pharmaceutical and beauty industry. Setting up business in Sri Lanka requires a lot of investment. Degree of Rivalry There is continuous improvement of Boots stores as well as their marketing in order to compete. Threats of substitute Boots organization provides a wide range of products so as to lock the customers. The organization provides wide range of products so as to improve their performance. The company will try to look around for the new innovations (Jain Haley, 2009). Competitive Rivalry This factor would likely be a high pressure for Boots Company. Boots Company currently faces competitors from companies such as Tesco, Asda, and Superdrug which offers similar ranges of products. There is also a low customer loyalty in regards to products of one company to another. The company will also encounter a high cost of leaving the market in case they want to leave the Sri Lanka market in the future. SWOT analysis Strength Sri Lanka is a recognized company globally as one of the largest in dealing with pharmaceutical products. This will enable the brand to be accepted by the customers in Sri Lanka. Boots Company operate international therefore to be accepted in Sri Lanka will be easier. As Boot Company are entering in the Sri Lanka market the franchisor will offer them support which will entail the training, setting up the business and how to run it (McDonald Wilson, 2016). Boots Company has been positioned among ease and fastest developing franchises. To grow in Sri Lanka will be ease to grow. Weaknesses There is a high rental costs for the Licences as well as equipment in Sri Lanka. Boots Company will encounter high costs of the training especially to the workers in this new market. There would be high pricing especially to certain products. Some individuals may not afford to buy products (Piercy Evans, 2014). Opportunities Boots Company has various outlets which are driving profits. Boots Company operated 24 hours a day, and this will provide a competitive edge to the other companies (Asseraf, Luis Shoham, 2017). Threats In Sri Lanka there are existing competition from the other pharmaceutical organizations. There is threat of new entrance organization in Sri Lanka which are offering similar products to those of Boots Company (Piercy Evans, 2014). STP strategy Boots Company will utilize the concepts of Segmentation, target and positioning as they consider to enter Sri Lanka market. These aspects will be analyzed as follows; Segmentation The company has identified various segmentation based on the demographic, behavioral, psychographic segmentation. Geographic segmentation When looking at this segmentation Sri Lanka could be divided in various categories depending on the standards of living of individuals, such as urban and the estate. In this segmentation there is comparison of the demand of the local products versus the foreign brand which the organization will produce. Behavioral segmentation The segment examines at the need for the convenience stores which are operating twenty four hours per days. The organization has looked at how the other large firms shows the qualities of the switchers. Psychographic segmentation This segmentation highlights the convenience which plays a significant role especially when the consumers demand lower prices for the other products. Based on the various culture within Sri Lanka various aspects are condemned since they are against their culture. Targeting Boots Company intends to target the customers from the urban and the estate areas. They will also visit the patients and the visitors in the hospital in order to find the kind of the products which they utilize (Asseraf, Luis Shoham, 2017). Positioning. When it comes to positioning there are various aspects which are analyzed such as the quality and the price. When the quality of the product is high the organization intends to increase the price on the products. There are also other products in the market that are low, but the price is also low to match on the needs of these kind of customers (Asseraf, Luis Shoham, 2017). The location selection will be near the hospital in order to attract more customers. Marketing Mix Product Boot Company has been committed in offering innovative products to the customers. They have a portfolio in relation to the product brands which will be offered in Sri Lanka market which will also include beauty, health as well as personal care range (Asseraf, Luis Shoham, 2017). Price The pricing will be designed to be competitive to the other pharmaceutical organizations which are in Sri Lanka so as to offer the organization competitive edge. Place Boots Company will come to Sri Lanka as a Franchise organization which will have different retail stores that will be opened in strategic areas across Sri Lanka especially in the high streets and in shopping malls. The distribution strategy that will be used will be exclusive where the organization will sell their products directly to the client. Advertising and Promotion Boots will spend a massive amount of money when it comes to advertising and promotional activities. There will be advertising in the public places, use of commercial TV, and the use of the social media advertising (Asseraf, Luis Shoham, 2017). Customer services The company will be offering exceeding customer expectations in Sri Lanka which is inclined to the mission of the organization. People In Sri Lanka there is skilled workers. There are many school leavers and undergraduate individuals who are looking for the part time employment. Therefore, for the Boots Company they will have access to the workforce in case they want to hire. Physical evidence Boots Company will have uniqueness in terms of the appearance of the stores, where they will also have a free Wi-Fi facility which will be accessible by all their customers. This will provide a competitive edge over the other rival organization that are in similar business. Process Sri Lanka economy operate 24/7 and many businesses they are operational all throughout. Boots Company will their product mix will be able to satisfy the customers anytime of the day since they will also be operational all throughout. Theoretical models The approach which would be used to achieve these marketing objective use of Ansoff matrix. Figure 1: The diagram highlight Ansoffs Matrix The matrix highlights the current position of Boot Company in the market. Their products which they produce exists in the current market since they utilize this strategy so as to penetrate the market. Budget for marketing plan Control The marketing plan has been structured in a manner which will enable the organization to achieve on their strategic goals that has been set in relation to increase the overall revenue and differentiating on their products and services as those from competitors (Asseraf, Luis Shoham, 2017). This marketing team will ensure that the plan would be implemented to the best of abilities with high accuracy along with efficiency. The control techniques which will be used is the competitors analysis so as to know how the organization product, services as well as marketing strategy compare to the regional, and international competitors. Action plan Boot Company has a strong benefit of product as comparison to the current offering in the market. In order to achieve our objectives the company will provide a unique watch to various designs (Nijssen Frambach, 2013). The current distribution cover 80% of the market. Therefore at this time the company will not expand on the distribution. Boots Company in Sri Lanka will increase the sales force by 30 individuals and add a sales trainer so as to support the market plan. The trainer name is John MacDonald. The company will utilize one million dollars so as to advertise with some of the revenue going to printing the banners and the point of purchase display. The company will use television advertising which will be scheduled three times in a week in the next 6 months of this campaign. Gantt chart The Gantt chart will provide a graphical illustration of a schedule that helps to coordinate marketing plan for establishment of this business. Research in regards to Sri Lanka market Project analysis based on the data gathered. Presentation of the findings Final changes to be made. Final report for implementation of the plan 11th November 2017 30 December 2017. 25th January 2018 14th March 2018 The above Gantt chart shows the schedule of events that will lead to the final project being given. Conclusion Boot Company is undoubtedly the leader in the Pharmaceutical health care and beauty products in UK. Establishing a franchise in Sri Lanka market will enable the organization to increase market share across the globe. This marketing plan sought to carry an analysis of this market and some of the merits the organization will gain. Additionally, the research has provided recommendations which the company could utilize to thrive in the industry. References Asseraf, Y., Luis, L. F., Shoham, A. (2017). The Marketing FlexibilityMarketing Planning Paradox and New Products Performance: An Abstract. In Marketing at the Confluence between Entertainment and Analytics (pp. 1389-1389). Springer, Cham. Jain, S. C., Haley, G. T. (2009). Marketing planning and strategy. Cincinnati South-Western Publishing Company 1985.. McDonald, M., Wilson, H. (2016). Marketing Plans: How to prepare them, how to profit from them. John Wiley Sons. Meidan, A., Moutinho, L., Chan, R. S. (2015). Marketing Effectiveness Index (MEI)-Tool for Strategic Marketing Planning. In Proceedings of the 1992 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 480-485). Springer, Cham. Nijssen, E. J., Frambach, R. T. (2013). Creating customer value through strategic marketing planning: A management approach. Springer Science Business Media. Piercy, N., Evans, M. (2014). Managing marketing information (rle marketing) (Vol. 17). Routledge.

Term Exam Sample Paper free essay sample

This sample test should only be used as a guide to the styles of questions. The topics covered here are not exhaustive. Your revision should not be based on these set of questions only. The level of difficulty of this sample test is also NOT indicative of the level of difficulty of the actual test. The answers are provided at the end of the document. 1. A reasonable estimate of the annual standard deviation of return of the stock market would be? a. Less than 5 percent. b. Between 5 and 10 percent. c. Between 15 and 25 percent d. More than 30 percent e. Impossible to estimate 2. A project has an expected cash flow of $200, in year 1. The risk-free rate is 6%, the market rate of return is 16%, and the projects beta is 1. 5. Calculate the certainty equivalent cash flow for year 1. a. $175. 21 b. $164. 29 c. $228. 30 d. $212. 56 e. None of the above 3. Share X has a standard deviation of return of 10%, share Y has a standard deviation of return of 20%. We will write a custom essay sample on Term Exam Sample Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The correlation coefficient between the shares is 0. 5. If you invest 60% of your funds in share X and 40% in share Y, what is the standard deviation of the portfolio? a. 10% b. 20% c. 12. 2% d. 14. 0% e. None of the above 4. Richard Rolls critique of tests of the capital asset pricing model is that: a. Given an efficient market portfolio the CAPM is tautology b. The market portfolio is not efficient c. You need to test the model using the market portfolio for all capital assets d. a and c e. a and b 5. The Template Corporation has an equity beta of 1. 2 and a debt beta of . 8. The firms market value debt to equity ratio is . 6. If it undertakes a new project with the same risk profile, what is the project beta (assuming zero tax rate)? a. 0. 70 b. 0. 72 c. 0. 96 d. 1. 04 e. 1. 05 6. Consider following data on three shares: Share Standard Deviation A 0. 6 B 0. 30 C 0. 20 Beta 1. 00 0. 80 1. 29 Assuming that you wished to minimise risk, you would select share if the share was held in on its own, and you would select share if the share was to be added to a portfolio. a b c d e 7. A, A A, B B, A B, C C, A In a portfolio of three different shares, which of the following is NOT possible? a. b. c. d. e. The ris k of the portfolio is less than the risk of each of the shares held in isolation. The risk of the portfolio is greater than the risk of one of the shares. The beta of the portfolio is less than the beta of each of the individual shares. The beta of the portfolio is greater than the beta of one of the individual shares betas. The standard deviation of the portfolio is greater than the standard deviation of the risk free asset. 8. You hold a diversified portfolio consisting of 20 different shares with $1,000 invested in each. The portfolio beta is equal to 1. 35. You have decided to sell all your holding of Edna Average Cosmetics Ltd which has a beta of 1. You will reinvest the proceeds in Aggressive Action Ltd which has a beta of 2. What is the new beta of the portfolio? a. b. c. d. e. 1. 35 2. 35 1. 45 1. 10 1. 40 9. A company is considering an investment in a new project. That project is best evaluated as though: a. b. c. d. e. It is a stand alone project independent of the company and so its risk is measured as variance. Its risk is adjusted to allow for diversification with the companies existing projects Its cost of capital is the weighted average cost of capital Its risk is evaluated as though it were traded in the capital markets None of the above 10 Is the portfolio with the minimum possible variance an efficient portfolio? a. b. c. d. e. Yes No Yes, but only for risk loving investors Yes, but only for investors who will not take any risk. Yes, but only for investors who are risk neutral. 11. For a two-stock portfolio, the maximum reduction in risk occurs when the correlation coefficient between the two stocks is: A) +1 B) 0 C) -0. 5 D) -1 E) None of the above 12. The variance or standard deviation is a measure of: A) Total risk B) Unique risk C) Market risk D) Bankruptcy risk E) None of the above 13. The risk of a well diversified portfolio depends upon the A) Market risk B) Unique risk of the securities included in the portfolio C) Number of securities in the portfolio D) Variance of the portfolio E) None of the above 4. A factor in APT is a variable that: A) Affects the return of risky assets in a systematic manner B) Correlates with risky asset returns in an unsystematic manner C) Is purely noise D) Affects the return of a risky asset in a random manner E) is generally not correlated with stock returns 15. A company has a cost of capital of 15%. However, it is introducing a new product that it considers to be a ver y risky endeavour to a well diversified investor. What can you say about the appropriate discount rate for the project? A) The rate used should be 15% B) The rate used should be lower than 15% C) The rate used should be greater than 15% D) Any rate between 12% and 18% is acceptable E) The rate should be the expected market return. 16 What has been the average annual rate of return in real terms for a portfolio of U. S. common stocks between 1900 and 2006? a. Less than 2% b. Between 2% and 5% c. Between 5% and 8% d. Greater than 8% e. Greater than 20% 17. Mega Corporation has the following returns for the past three years: 8%, 12% and 10%. Calculate the variance of the return and the standard deviation of the returns.

Shoemaker and the Revolution essays

Shoemaker and the Revolution essays Alfred F. Young shows us a glimpse of the American Revolution through the eyes of George Robert Twelves Hewes, a poor shoemaker of the Humble Class. What do we know about Hewes? Why is it that he is honored when the rest of his associates have been forgotten? What compelled Hewes to explore the chaotic world of Politics? And why is he remembered as a hero? Hewes played a vital role throughout the Revolution. We read three major events in which he participated, in Youngs The Shoemaker and The Tea Party. The three major events shaped the Revolution, and have influenced Americans for hundreds of years. He was a nobody who briefly became a somebody in the Revolution and, for a moment the end of his life, a hero. To understand Hewes ambition and determination one must start from his youth. Hewes was born in Boston in 1742, and was the sixth of nine children. He was unusually short, five feet, one inch. Hewes received very little fortune from his family. His father (a soap boiler), died when he was seven, leaving his family poor and in debt. His mother was a very strict woman, showing almost no love or affection, and often whipping him for his disobedience. Because of such lower standings Hewes was put to shoemaking. Shoemaking was never an occupation of his choice. The only way to escape the Apprentice world was to become like so many other men, a Soldier. The Military to Hewes was his door to opportunity. However, the small misfortune of height stood in the way, He was rejected for his size. I could not pass muster, Hewes told Hawkes, because I was not tall enough. Although small height, his determination was huge. We see this determination when he tries to enlist for a se cond time, heightening his heels and stuffing his stockings with paper and rags. Once again, rejected when the Captain saw through his trick. He then returned to the apprentice world aga...

IRB Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IRB Company - Essay Example Data Gathering Instrument(s): Not addressed from the previous review. Please include all data gathering instruments in the portfolio. IRB needs to review these. I have already included the interview guide. Let me know if you still do not have it so I upload it to you again. How will the participants be contacted about the study?Three levels of contact shall be designed. The first shall be through the use of official e-mail where the researcher shall contact the General Managers of these companies. Upon receiving a reply from the companies, the researcher shall then follow up with a telephone call to all the 8 companies. Where applicable, the researcher shall contact the companies in person to introduce the purpose of the research and the role to be played by the respondents to the managers. Who will contact the potential participants and in what manner? (in person, via email, via the phone, etc.) Also, if contact will be made at a place of business, via a business email or phone numb er, permission from that business too.Potential participants shall be human resource managers. These will first be contacted through their General Managers, using the official e-mail of the companies. Once the researcher visits the companies in person, the human resource managers shall then be contacted in person and presented with the consent forms, which will contain the purpose of the study, the role of participants, and arrangements made to secure the anonymity, confidentiality, and safety of participants.

Measuring Business Performance Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Measuring Business Performance - Coursework Example According to Chary (2009: 19.7) efficiency is defined as the ability of a business to produce a desired effect, service or a product with a minimum amount of effort. While effectiveness is defined as the degree or extent to which objectives are achieved, it is being successful in realizing or achieving what is required. Wharton (2012) defines effectiveness as the total output that is generated while efficiency refers to the economy in the utilization or use of resources to perform a task. Assume a lathe operator assigned to make bushes, makes 500 bushes per shift using 25 kilogram of steel rod. The effectiveness is that the operator makes 500 bushes per shift while the efficiency is that the operator produces 25 bushes per kilogram of steel rod. i) Higher levels of effectiveness and efficiency contribute to better results. They enable the company to increase their productivity by producing lower cost goods and services than competitors. This therefore makes the company to make higher profit for each unit sold or offer lower price than competitors to the customers (Wharton (2012: 24). ii) The company is able to develop a competitive advantage over its competitors. Higher levels of efficiency and effectiveness enable organizations to produce high quality goods and services. The organization is able to utilize their resources optimally to achieve desired output thus being ahead of their competitors (Chary, 2009: 19.8). iii) Finally, achieving higher levels of effectiveness and efficiency enables businesses to learn how to energize their workforce to focus on common goals. It helps the organization to manage and direct their human capital towards goal achievement and mission fulfillment. The organization is therefore able to create better communication, leadership, interaction, direction, adaptability as well as positive environment (Chary,

Comparison Between Parse Theory & Watson Theory Essay

Comparison Between Parse Theory & Watson Theory - Essay Example The human becoming theory gives a clear view of a person's will to achieve goal through the nursing practice. Rosemarie Rizzo Parse had initially published the theory in 1981 as the "Man-living-health" theory, but later in 1992, the name was officially changed to "the human becoming theory" to eradicate the term "man" from the theory, after the alteration in the dictionary definition of the word from its previous meaning of "humankind". The human becoming theory was presented as a human science nursing theory in the practice of Heidegger, Dilthey, Merleau-Ponty, Gadamer and Sartre. Many of the European philosophers such as Heidegger, Sartre, and Merleau-Ponty, along with works by the pioneer American nurse theorist, Martha Rogers, synthesized the assumptions supporting the theory. The theory itself is structured around three unshakable matters or themes, those are meaning, rhythmicity, and transcendence. The first theme, which is meaning, has been mentioned in the first principle of the theory, which states "Structuring meaning multidimensionally is cocreating reality through the languaging of valuing and imaging". The principle means that people take interest in creating what is real for them through self-expression in living their values in a predetermined way. For instance a person who has to be an actor acts at many occasions, this happens because the actor's only concern is with acting and in order to make people realize about his ability, the actor keeps on acting at most of the public places. This means that there is a hope in that person's life, which makes him to act. The second theme is rhythmicity, which has been expressed in the second principle of the theory, which states, "Co-creating rhythmical patterns of relating is living the paradoxical unity of revealing-concealing and enabling-limiting while connecting-separating". This principle means that the unity of life includes noticeable opposites in regular patterns of relating. It means that in living life continuously and in small parts one shows and does not show self as opportunities and boundaries appear in moving with and apart from others. For instance, at times we look for opportunities in life and give sacrifices to avail it, at times according to the situation we lie to others about few matters and hide our things that if known to others can make us ashamed, although every lie is unintentional but we have to lie as not doing so can cause many other problems, it is not something we are in favor of doing always, yet we get bounded to do so. The third theme is transcendence, which is discussed in the third principle of the theory, which states "Cotranscending with the possibles is powering unique ways of originating in the process of transforming". This principle means that moving away from the present moment is like making a unique personal path for oneself, which creates a lot of confusion and also keeps on changing. A good example in everyday life is that all of us keep on dreaming about various things, even when it comes to take decision of our lives, we keep on changing them time after time as we do not keep in mind one goal. The point to be made is that, we all should keep on living life as it has come to us, all

Analysis of E-Commerce and Supply Chain for Silver Spoon

Analysis of E-Commerce and Supply Chain for Silver Spoon Silver Spoon Snacks is a fast food eatery established first in Gulshan in the year 1965. It has expanded to a second branch in Tariq road. During its heyday it revolutionized the fast food industry by introducing the concept of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"rolls on the menu. It enjoyed this untapped market till competitors jumped on the band wagon. The menu is diverse, including Pakistani, Chinese, Continental, Western and Indian items. There is plenty of consumer traffic in both branches especially during the evening. The Tariq Road branch serves all kinds of BBQ items, club sandwich, zinger burger and the well known rolls. The restaurant is owned and operated by a family. The branch managers are actually brothers and share shifts during the day and night. There are a total of 4 active brothers that are responsible for handling the day to day running and operations of the system. Key purchase decisions, menu expansion and supply chain decisions are handled solely by them. They have been following a paper based system since its inception. All the accounting work and record keeping is done manually in registers that are stocked at the residence every month. Literature Review According to Laudon and Laudon (Information Systems and Decision making, 2000), the supply chain is a collection of physical entities linked together into processes that supply goods or services from source through consumption. The supply chain consists of suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, retail outlets, logistics and consumers. This list also includes those activities that are necessary in facilitating the supply chain. Managing a supply chain is a difficult task that requires keen insight and understanding of the business processes and the environment in which it operates. The struggle is to create a network which has no weak links in terms of time delays, information gaps or inefficiencies in other words, all processes must be integrated. This is best achieved by the creation of networks with a smooth inflow and outflow of relevant information. This is the heart of e-commerce. The internet has allowed the growth of e-businesses across borders and physical limits. The use of an intranet is greatly appreciated within a company. Based on internet technology, the intranet is used primarily within a single company which allows the internal users to expand and share information across floors and walls. These locations may be domestic or may even be throughout the world (Bartoo, Elliot, and Naik-lyer, 2000). E Commerce is one of the most important facets of the internet to have developed in this day and age. Ecommerce, sometimes referred to as E Business, involves carrying out business over the Internet with the use of computers that are linked to each other forming a network. E-commerce includes the buying, selling, marketing, and servicing of goods or services through telecommunication technologies. E-Business, on the other hand, carries a broader definition, not just the buying and selling of goods and services, but servicing customers, collaborating with business partners, and conducting communications and transactions within and outside an organization. (Electronic Commerce a managerial perspective by Efrahim Turban, David King, Prentice Hall; US Ed edition October, 1999) According to ComScore a marketing research company that provides marketing data and services to many of the Internets largest businesses, E-commerce has had its first $1B day on 2nd December 2010. The heaviest online spending day in history and the first to surpass the billion-dollar threshold, declares ComScore. This goes to show how far and wide the scope of electronic buying and selling has reached. It is revolutionized the way business models are created and defined numerous opportunities for entrepreneurs and the like. E- Commerce can help a supply chain over the internet in areas such as placing and receiving orders, providing product information, tracking orders, filling and managing inventory, and recording inflows and outflows (Sunil Chopra and Jan A, Van Mieghem, Supply Chain Management Review, April 200) A critical area where e-commerce has established its presence in a supply chain is in the resource planning and inventory management function of an organization. It helps users track the inventory and where it is distributed from the organization. It helps plan for future forecasts and deal with shortages. It creates a hub where information is shared among relevant members of a business model; this is known as EDI Electronic Data Interchange. Similarly ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems have emerged that serve similar functions in terms of smooth data flow between members of an organization. Relevant information relating to key business functions is then shared, matched and cross matched between departments and related companies that have partnered with the business. The goal is to streamline operations and produce a cost and time efficient process altogether. IBM and Siemens are 2 prime examples of organizations that heavily rely on supply chain applications produced by business management software such as SAP. This application has streamlined its processes thereby creating a real-time and efficient business model. Inventory management models are heavily used in large scale organizations in the fast food industry. Giant franchises such as Subway, KFC and Pizza Hut use business intelligence software for its operations. Zap is a leading software house that creates web based packages for KFC and Pizza Hut. As a starting point, a basic open source inventory management software coupled with internet technologies is an ideal way for a small to mid-sized business to start. The diagram below shows how e-commerce can efficiently distribute and coordinate the flow of information between the entities and business functions of the supply chain. The importance of information sharing and interchange is crucial to improve operational effectiveness. Research methodology Secondary research Secondary research consisted of going through research articles and existing information on e-commerce and supply chain models. Text books, class lectures and the internet served as sources for secondary research. This type of research was necessary to gain an understanding of existing supply chain models that are benefitting with the integration of e-ecommerce and its technologies. Primary research This is first hand research that needed to be conducted to gain an understanding of Silver Spoon Snacks This form of research was conducted over 2 face to face interviews and short telephone calls with the Branch Manager and Operations Manager A set of questions were asked to understand the existing supply chain model and how operations are carried out on a daily and weekly basis These questions also attempted to surface any inefficiencies and weaknesses that exist in the current setup Interviews were necessary to collect direct and relevant information from the involved people Data Analysis Input details pertaining to the Tariq Road branch Raw material listing Chicken Beef Mutton Flour Vegetables Ketchup/mustard Seasonings Equipment used Oven Fryer Coal Freezers Stove Tables and chairs Utilities used Electricity Gas Telephone Water Labour employed Head Chef Kitchen staff Head Waiter Waiters Cleaners Watchman For simplicity, the supply chain of chicken as a key and widely used ingredient will be studied throughout this report. Supply Chain system of Silver Spoon Snacks explained with the help of a flow chart. Supply Chain Defined Chicken Butcher Thursday morning or earlier depending on needs, the Chicken supplier receives an order of Boneless Chicken and Tikka pieces for the week. This order is placed via telephone by the branch manager. The quantity for chicken in Tikka and Boneless variation is verbally specified via telephone. The supplier confirms the order and a delivery time is specified. The butcher cuts the chicken according to pieces specified either Tikka pieces or Boneless for Chicken rolls. Delivery vehicle As per initial agreement between Silver Spoon and the supplier, the chicken supply will be delivered to the warehouse in the suppliers vehicle. This is part of the negotiation. The supplier will have the chicken delivered to the warehouse and settle the payment at the end of the month. Warehouse The warehouse is owned and operated by Silver Spoon owners. It has been part of the business model since 40 years and is situated off Tariq road near the Tariq road branch. The warehouse serves as a sorting point most of the raw materials. Individual branch demand is catered to and planned here. The warehouse has a large kitchen and a storage bay. Warehouse kitchen The warehouse kitchen department is responsible for all the cleaning and preparation of the raw food. This entails cleaning the chicken, removing the fat and making it hygienic and fit for cooking. Staff is employed in this department to manage the cleaning. Warehouse storage After the chicken has been cleaned, it goes into cold storage. The amount which has to be distributed to the branches on a daily basis is dispatched and the rest goes into freezers. The amount is determined in advance by branch managers. Keep in mind that a weeks supply is available for both branches at the warehouse. Official vehicle A Suzuki Pickup is on standby at the warehouse and the workers load a days worth of chicken and transport it to the both branches. 60% of the chicken goes to the Tariq Road Branch as its chicken utilization is the highest. Tariq road branch At the Tariq Road branch, the official vehicle arrives shortly with the chicken for the day. This chicken thawed, cleaned and semi marinated at the individual branches before it is ready to be finally added with the secret spices and recipes. It is immediately transported by the workers to the freezer. Kitchen + freezer As noon approaches a portion of the boneless chicken is removed from the freezer and brought to the preparation room. Here the chicken is added with seasoning, sauce and the secret spices which are made early during the day. This preparation is done by the head chef. The boneless chicken goes to the Roll preparation area and the Tikka pieces go to the BBQ area where they are cooked. Customer Once cooked, the Rolls and Tikkas are served to customers Planning system For the sake of simplicity we will go through a typical week of ordering chicken to get a grasp of the current supply system at the Tariq Road branch. This boneless chicken is used for Chicken Rolls and Chicken Boti. Whereas full chickens are used to create 4 Tikka pieces per chicken. Demand for the week is established by looking at previous trends. Basically a base demand for consumption has been established for boneless chicken of 210 kg per week. The base demand of 210kg worth of boneless chicken is always used for Rolls and Chicken Boti. On an average, 220-250kgs of boneless chicken is purchased as demand from consumers never dips below 210kg per week. For Tikkas, the base demand is 80 Tikkas per day, which makes it 560 Tikkas on an average per week. A full chicken is able to provide 4 Tikka pieces. The key considerations that determine and influence demand for chicken are: Stage of the week Friday, Saturday and Sunday are days where demand for boneless chicken is at its highest. During these days the public goes out to eat with family. Public holidays the restaurant operates during public holidays. During these days of the calendar, families choose to visit eateries and therefore the consumption of boneless chicken is high. City turmoil during expected city turmoil and expected strikes, the public operates at an accelerated pace and attempts to get things out of the way. This may entail visiting Tariq Road for work 1-2 days before the expected turmoil or unrest. Furthermore, consumption of boneless chicken falls during the days of turmoil, hence purchasing is planned accordingly. Level of commercial activity Tariq Road is heavily populated with shops and vendors. If the activity in malls and shopping strips is high, then demand for food, especially Chicken Rolls is also high as it serves the fast food concept and is economical. The factors above have the capacity to influence demand for chicken and hence the purchasing patterns vary. Chicken that is not used is then stored in freezers for next days use. This chicken is bought on Thursdays of the week from a vendor that has been partnered with the business. An order is placed via telephone on Thursday morning by the Branch Manager and it arrives by noon. If for some reason demand is abnormally high, the regular chicken supplier is contacted and is urged to make an emergency drop to the warehouse. If he is unable to do so from his own inventory, then he is responsible for making other arrangements. Supplier selection A chicken supplier is selected on the basis of: Total cost Cleaning and cutting Cost is the most important factor that ultimately determines which supplier/butcher to choose from. Silver Spoon negotiates on the basis of the foremost is cost (low or discounted price), quality, and delivery service. Secondly, it is favourable if the supplier can clean and cut the chicken into pieces at his outlet before delivering it to the Silver Spoon warehouse. Although Silver Spoon has a chicken slaughtering and cleaning/cutting facility, but is used for only further cleaning of the chicken and cutting for marinating purposes. Financial costs pertaining to Tariq Road Branch Cost for chicken: this rate is Rs. 4 per kilo less than the prevailing marketing rate. The chicken suppliers set the price every Thursday of the week. Price of chicken per kilo varies on a weekly basis and is determined by the laws of demand and supply. For example, if chicken is in excess supply then the price falls. Conversely if there is high demand then the price rises such as on weekends. Due to this the chicken suppliers set their prices on Thursday. The Tariq Road branch bears 60% of the total cost of the chicken whereas the Gulshan branch, only 40%. Consumption and sale of chicken items is the highest at the Tariq Road branch. The basis for making profits for Tikkas is to earn Rs. 20-25 profit per Tikka. Utilities Electricity Bill: varies between Rs. 50,000 to 60,000 per month. Gas Bill: varies between Rs. 10,000 to 12,000 per month Telephone Bill: Rs. 1,000 per month on an average Coal Usage: worth Rs. 1,500 on a daily basis.    Labour Employed Waiter: The starting salary per waiter is Rs. 6000 per month. Senior waiters (determined by length of employment) are paid Rs. 8000 per month. There are a total of 8 senior waiters (8 x 8000 = Rs. 64,000 per month) and 6 junior waiters (6 x 6000 = Rs. 36,000 per month). Kitchen Staff: these employees include assistants to the chef (3 assistants), and additional workers who produce other items on the menu (5 kitchen workers). They are assigned various tasks in the kitchen to add value to the system. On an average, the total labour costs assigned to the kitchen staff are Rs. 75,000 Head chef: There is 1 head Chef who is paid Rs. 12,000 per month. Total labour costs per month = Rs 64,000 + Rs 36,000 + Rs. 65,000 + 12,000 = Rs 187,000 Discussion Inefficiencies or weaknesses in the supply chain Supplier/butcher: Silver Spoon has had the same supplier for chicken for nearly 20 years. They should search the market for other suppliers that can offer competitive rates for bulk purchases of chicken. The order is placed on the phone and a Silver Spoon official does not personally monitor the chicken selection, which means an old chicken or unhealthy chicken can be part of the mix Warehouse: At the warehouse, the supplier delivery vehicle drops off the chicken and drives away after collecting the payment. There is no check here, no one counts the chicken or weighs it upon arrival so there is no way of making sure if they received the amount they paid for. There is no record system or inventory management. The chicken is not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"logged in, just immediately shifted to the kitchen where it is cleaned for use. Therefore there is no actual account or record for the amount of chicken that entered the facility nor is there any receiving slip or receipt. Warehouse Storage: Once the chicken is cleaned and processed fit for use, it goes into storage freezers and only the days worth is kept outside for delivery. However, there is no one who counts the number of chicken breasts or legs, or kilograms of chicken that goes into the freezer. So there is no check or monitor system. Silver Spoon Snacks Vehicle The days worth of chicken is transported to the Tariq Road Branch, but there is no formal record of the amount that leaves the warehouse, nor is there any receiving document from the branches end. Branch Again, there is no counter checking or counting system of the chicken that arrives in the branch. It is blindly kept in the freezer. Customer The customer does not receive an electronic receipt. Which means that there is no formal record at Silver Spoons counter of the items sold and the cash received. There is an informal scribble in a worn out register. Other deficiencies with the current setup Marketing: There are limited marketing efforts carried out by the restaurant. At most, marketing involves re-doing the company banner or releasing a dozen flyers in the area. No website exists. Recording: It is a complete paper based system with not a computer or digital device in sight. Records are loosely maintained at the warehouse and branch in registers and journals. There is no formal record keeping system. Customers are not given receipts therefore there is no cross checking. Tracking: there is no way for Silver Spoon Snacks to forecast demand judging by trends, as figures and statistics for trends do not exist. Paper based: it is a paper based system with information regarding transactions loosely recorded in registers. Checks and balances: checks and balances do not exist, there is no tangible record keeping when it comes to inventory and purchases. It is not possible to confirm orders with suppliers and inter branch as orders are verbally given. There is no proof. Proposed system The proposed system involves the purchase of computer hardware and the use of an internet connection. The idea is to create a basic centralized system at the warehouse as the server with 2 additional linked systems at the branches. The purpose is to track and record inventory that moves into the warehouse and out to the branches. A real time system is proposed where inventory levels are monitored by the hour. The systems will need to be linked by an internet connection to provide a real time feed of information between the branches and warehouse. With an inventory management and tracking software, the loopholes and loose-ends in the current system will be neutralized. How it works Once the systems have been installed and made operational, the current stock, inventory and work in progress are uploaded to the servers. The software will be used be the warehouse, and both the branches. Each user will update the records from their end so it can be seen at the warehouse server. The software will have section for the warehouse, branch A and branch B. Depending on the fresh demand levels, the warehouse determines the quantity of chicken needed and sends an order via telephone to the butcher. Had the butcher/supplier been using a computer system (example Makro), then an email would have been dispatched instead. The quantity ordered is punched into the system and falls under the status of pending. The rate per kilo is noted. Order time is also noted. Once the stock of chicken arrives at the warehouse, its exact quantity is manually counted and weighed by an employee and then the numbers are punched into the warehouse server. This will cross check the amount ordered with the amount received. Once the figures tally, a receiving slip is generated electronically and printed after the order has been confirmed and accounted for. A slip is generated and given to the supplier and a formal record now exists in the system. A notification is sent in a matter of seconds to both branches informing them of the added inventory levels. The levels now appear on the screens of both branch A and B (Tariq road and Gulshan). Preparations are made. Depending on the opening inventory and the base level demand of 210kg of chicken and 80 Tikka pieces, each branch sends its required amount of chicken (bonless and Tikka pieces) through the softwares built in messaging system. Each transaction and order is then recorded. After the warehouse server acknowledges receipt of the order from the branch, it then forwards it verbally to the warehouse freezer where the employee loads the Silver Spoon vehicle (Suzuki pickup). The vehicle then travels to the relevant branch. A printed slip is dispatched. From the warehouse, the inventory levels are then reduced and this is also reflected in each branches terminal. Once the vehicle is unloaded at the branch, a branch employee manually supervises the unloading and stocking of the chicken in the freezer. Once confirmed and signed, the branch manager then updates his terminal with the added inventory of chicken. Back at the warehouse, the reduction in inventory is equal to the gain in inventory at both branches. As the day goes by and the orders accumulate and dispatch, the inventory levels are monitored not only at the branch, but at the warehouse as well. Each chicken Tikka order placed or each chicken roll uses a certain portion of the inventory. And once the orders are fed and updated in the Silver Spoon register, the chicken based inventory is automatically deducted. Towards the end of the day, the ending inventory is tallied and counted. The warehouse manager reads these inventories on an hourly basis and incase of a shortage dispatches a vehicle to make up for the shortfall. The cycle is then repeated every day depending on the closing inventory levels. Notes on the proposed system The recommended software for Silver Spoon Snacks is inFlow Inventory management software (http://www.inflowinventory.com/). The software is easy to use and does not require extensive training. A simple understanding of images, inputting data and confirming orders is all it takes. Free software exists, but does not provide security, reliability and expansion as inFlows suite. Each terminal is given a unique pin code which only the operator is aware of. This means only the relevant person in charge can use the terminal which is a security check as well as a confirmation. Each transaction is logged and stored in a log file sent to the warehouse computer. Backups are made on a daily basis Financial Costs involved with this system Software: although many free software packages exist, inFlow Inventory Management provides the best balance between features and cost. To create a multi user network (ideal in this case), the license cost $299 per computer for lifetime use. 3 licenses will be needed. $299 x 3 = $897 = ~ Rs. 75000 (@ Rs. 84 per U.S Dollar) Hardware needed: processor, motherboard, RAM, hard drive, casing, power supply, monitor. Based on the software requirements, the hardware cost is as follows: Tariq Road Branch cost: Rs 23,000 Gulshan Branch cost : Rs 23,000 Warehouse cost: Rs. 27,000 Total : Rs. 73,000 Internet connection: 3 connections Initial setup cost : Rs. 800 x 3 Monthly cost: Rs. 1000 x 3 Total initial investment: Rs. 75,000 (3 licenses) + (73,000 (hardware) + 2,400 (internet setup) + 3000 (first month internet payment) = Rs. 153,400 Benefits of the proposed system Accountability: first and foremost, the new system will hold each branch accountable for what it has received in its inventory. Once its handed over the inventory, it is held accountable for its storage, sales and payment. The sales of the branch should match the inventory received. Inventory control: from the moment the chicken supply reaches the warehouse, it will be tracked and accounted for. The system will make sure that there is adequate supply at all branches at all times so as to not lose out on potential sales Economic order quantity: the ideal quantity of chicken to order each week and the ideal quantity to store in the freezers can be calculated based on demand and supply conditions. Inventory planning is thereby improved. Accuracy: with figures, statistics and numbers well accounted for and cross references, the books of Silver Spoon will present and accurate picture of state of affairs. A reduction in human error in terms of calculations, counting and so on will also be witnessed. Record keeping: instead of scribbling in registers and writing journals, an electronic system with constant updates is hence created with the use of e-commerce technologies. Past transactions, exchanges, buying and selling are stored electronically thereby staying safe. The option to print out the records exists, thereby creating tangible records. Electronic Data Interchange: Information sharing between branches and the warehouse will be more convenient as real time updates and inventory levels can be monitored. Offers and promotional schemes by suppliers can also be entertained. Expansion: This inventory monitoring and management system is not just limited to chicken; it can be used for the entire product line, mutton, beef, vegetables, cold drinks, seasoning, flour and so on. The scope is limitless with unlimited suppliers and customers. Improved Customer Service and loyalty: when a customer always gets his or her desired order in desired quantity, it creates customer satisfaction and creates repeat customers. It improves loyalty as well. A computerized receipt also creates a positive impression on the customers. Reduce stock-outs and overstocks: with supply synchronized with demand, the chances of ending up with à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"expired inventory or facing shortages are greatly reduced. Shortages are prevented as inventory as planned well in advance, and in the same way excess inventory is also reducing thereby curbing inventory carrying costs. Ready alerts: if the inventory dips below a certain level at a branch, an automatically generated alert is sent to the warehouse or Gulshan branch and inventory can be moved around. Furthermore this will act as an early warning sign to the warehouse to acquire more inventory. Meeting demand: demand is almost always met unless outside forces have some play. With inventory always available due to a tracking and trend analysis system, sales will always be met. Forecasting: due to its ability to track charts and record daily transactions, the stored information can be used to conduct trend analysis for certain times of the calendar year. This will allow better planning for inventory and sales. Website: Silver Spoon Snacks Pvt. Ltd. can go on-line and have a web presence. This on its own is a marketing tool Networking: since Silver Spoon is now on-line and has a presence on the world wide web, it will be able to reach out to suppliers and customers on a larger scale. It is a ready marketing tool. It can partner with other restaurants, sponsors, FMCGs and causes. Marketing: with the use of e-commerce technologies, Silver Spoon Snacks can expand its marketing operations by sending out e-mails and creating ad banners and partnering with other websites. Costs of proposed system Change: it is possible that managers and top management may resist the change/transition from a paper based system to a technical system. The current system, though not ideal sets comfortably with current management. A management paradigm shift is required. Training: the system users will require some short initial training to understand the use of the software and technology in general. Although the Operations Manager Mr. Talha Awan is well versed with computer software and hardware, there will still be a slight lag due to training. Initial investment: although a small amount, roughly Rs. 150,000 will need to be diverted for a project that has no immediate monetary returns. Software support: although a helpline for customer support exists, it can become cumbersome to ask for guidance incase of software failure or confusion. Hardware failure: at the mercy of KESC and the elements, the computer hardware may fail thereby causing confusion and a stop in information flow. Although an uninterrupted power supply may be purchased, as well as a warranty plan, it will only add up in costs and delays. Internet failure: from time to time, the internet service provider may fail to provide a 100% uptime. This can cause delays and lags in the system. Industry Standard Bar B Q Tonight Inventory Management System To further add value to this report, I studied Bar B Q Tonights current inventory management setup which is computerized. Information was gathered through telephonic interviews and e-mail exchange with the Operations Managers, Sardar Ishaq and Mr. Abur Rehman. The findings are compiled below. Bar B Q Tonight is one of Karachis most famous restaurants that came into being in 1988. It prepares all kinds of cuisine that caters to thousands of customers on a daily basis. In-fact the multi storeyed establishment can house upto a thousand customers at a time. The restaurant has enjoyed high growth levels consistent with every year. Recently a branch has been erected in Lahore. Chicken, Beef, Fish, vegetables, pastas, fruit, ice cream, mushrooms, sausages, cheese, beverages and tissue rolls are just a small list of the inventory that are in storage and continuous use at the restaurant. These are key inputs needed to give customers a full service and experience backed by quality that the restaurant promises. To ensure proper delivery of storage, roughly 500 employees and 2 dozen management level officers are part of the work force. The availability of sufficient inventory and especially at the right time is perhaps the single most crucial factor at the restaurant. Insufficient inventory levels can result in a loss of potential sales. Furthermore due to the sheer quantity of inventory that enters and exits the building, checks and balances, control and proper monitoring of stock are required. This serves a number of functions such as quality control, waste management and theft protection. The current supply chain is as follows: SUPPLIER à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   DRY/COLD STORAGE à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   CUTTING/PROCESSING à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   RELEVANT FOOD DEPARTMENT à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   CUSTOMER The suppliers supply meat, chicken, tinned items, cold drinks, eggs, vegetables and basically all the inputs needed. Once the orders are received, they go into processing/cleaning/cutting/batching dependin Analysis of E-Commerce and Supply Chain for Silver Spoon Analysis of E-Commerce and Supply Chain for Silver Spoon Silver Spoon Snacks is a fast food eatery established first in Gulshan in the year 1965. It has expanded to a second branch in Tariq road. During its heyday it revolutionized the fast food industry by introducing the concept of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"rolls on the menu. It enjoyed this untapped market till competitors jumped on the band wagon. The menu is diverse, including Pakistani, Chinese, Continental, Western and Indian items. There is plenty of consumer traffic in both branches especially during the evening. The Tariq Road branch serves all kinds of BBQ items, club sandwich, zinger burger and the well known rolls. The restaurant is owned and operated by a family. The branch managers are actually brothers and share shifts during the day and night. There are a total of 4 active brothers that are responsible for handling the day to day running and operations of the system. Key purchase decisions, menu expansion and supply chain decisions are handled solely by them. They have been following a paper based system since its inception. All the accounting work and record keeping is done manually in registers that are stocked at the residence every month. Literature Review According to Laudon and Laudon (Information Systems and Decision making, 2000), the supply chain is a collection of physical entities linked together into processes that supply goods or services from source through consumption. The supply chain consists of suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, retail outlets, logistics and consumers. This list also includes those activities that are necessary in facilitating the supply chain. Managing a supply chain is a difficult task that requires keen insight and understanding of the business processes and the environment in which it operates. The struggle is to create a network which has no weak links in terms of time delays, information gaps or inefficiencies in other words, all processes must be integrated. This is best achieved by the creation of networks with a smooth inflow and outflow of relevant information. This is the heart of e-commerce. The internet has allowed the growth of e-businesses across borders and physical limits. The use of an intranet is greatly appreciated within a company. Based on internet technology, the intranet is used primarily within a single company which allows the internal users to expand and share information across floors and walls. These locations may be domestic or may even be throughout the world (Bartoo, Elliot, and Naik-lyer, 2000). E Commerce is one of the most important facets of the internet to have developed in this day and age. Ecommerce, sometimes referred to as E Business, involves carrying out business over the Internet with the use of computers that are linked to each other forming a network. E-commerce includes the buying, selling, marketing, and servicing of goods or services through telecommunication technologies. E-Business, on the other hand, carries a broader definition, not just the buying and selling of goods and services, but servicing customers, collaborating with business partners, and conducting communications and transactions within and outside an organization. (Electronic Commerce a managerial perspective by Efrahim Turban, David King, Prentice Hall; US Ed edition October, 1999) According to ComScore a marketing research company that provides marketing data and services to many of the Internets largest businesses, E-commerce has had its first $1B day on 2nd December 2010. The heaviest online spending day in history and the first to surpass the billion-dollar threshold, declares ComScore. This goes to show how far and wide the scope of electronic buying and selling has reached. It is revolutionized the way business models are created and defined numerous opportunities for entrepreneurs and the like. E- Commerce can help a supply chain over the internet in areas such as placing and receiving orders, providing product information, tracking orders, filling and managing inventory, and recording inflows and outflows (Sunil Chopra and Jan A, Van Mieghem, Supply Chain Management Review, April 200) A critical area where e-commerce has established its presence in a supply chain is in the resource planning and inventory management function of an organization. It helps users track the inventory and where it is distributed from the organization. It helps plan for future forecasts and deal with shortages. It creates a hub where information is shared among relevant members of a business model; this is known as EDI Electronic Data Interchange. Similarly ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems have emerged that serve similar functions in terms of smooth data flow between members of an organization. Relevant information relating to key business functions is then shared, matched and cross matched between departments and related companies that have partnered with the business. The goal is to streamline operations and produce a cost and time efficient process altogether. IBM and Siemens are 2 prime examples of organizations that heavily rely on supply chain applications produced by business management software such as SAP. This application has streamlined its processes thereby creating a real-time and efficient business model. Inventory management models are heavily used in large scale organizations in the fast food industry. Giant franchises such as Subway, KFC and Pizza Hut use business intelligence software for its operations. Zap is a leading software house that creates web based packages for KFC and Pizza Hut. As a starting point, a basic open source inventory management software coupled with internet technologies is an ideal way for a small to mid-sized business to start. The diagram below shows how e-commerce can efficiently distribute and coordinate the flow of information between the entities and business functions of the supply chain. The importance of information sharing and interchange is crucial to improve operational effectiveness. Research methodology Secondary research Secondary research consisted of going through research articles and existing information on e-commerce and supply chain models. Text books, class lectures and the internet served as sources for secondary research. This type of research was necessary to gain an understanding of existing supply chain models that are benefitting with the integration of e-ecommerce and its technologies. Primary research This is first hand research that needed to be conducted to gain an understanding of Silver Spoon Snacks This form of research was conducted over 2 face to face interviews and short telephone calls with the Branch Manager and Operations Manager A set of questions were asked to understand the existing supply chain model and how operations are carried out on a daily and weekly basis These questions also attempted to surface any inefficiencies and weaknesses that exist in the current setup Interviews were necessary to collect direct and relevant information from the involved people Data Analysis Input details pertaining to the Tariq Road branch Raw material listing Chicken Beef Mutton Flour Vegetables Ketchup/mustard Seasonings Equipment used Oven Fryer Coal Freezers Stove Tables and chairs Utilities used Electricity Gas Telephone Water Labour employed Head Chef Kitchen staff Head Waiter Waiters Cleaners Watchman For simplicity, the supply chain of chicken as a key and widely used ingredient will be studied throughout this report. Supply Chain system of Silver Spoon Snacks explained with the help of a flow chart. Supply Chain Defined Chicken Butcher Thursday morning or earlier depending on needs, the Chicken supplier receives an order of Boneless Chicken and Tikka pieces for the week. This order is placed via telephone by the branch manager. The quantity for chicken in Tikka and Boneless variation is verbally specified via telephone. The supplier confirms the order and a delivery time is specified. The butcher cuts the chicken according to pieces specified either Tikka pieces or Boneless for Chicken rolls. Delivery vehicle As per initial agreement between Silver Spoon and the supplier, the chicken supply will be delivered to the warehouse in the suppliers vehicle. This is part of the negotiation. The supplier will have the chicken delivered to the warehouse and settle the payment at the end of the month. Warehouse The warehouse is owned and operated by Silver Spoon owners. It has been part of the business model since 40 years and is situated off Tariq road near the Tariq road branch. The warehouse serves as a sorting point most of the raw materials. Individual branch demand is catered to and planned here. The warehouse has a large kitchen and a storage bay. Warehouse kitchen The warehouse kitchen department is responsible for all the cleaning and preparation of the raw food. This entails cleaning the chicken, removing the fat and making it hygienic and fit for cooking. Staff is employed in this department to manage the cleaning. Warehouse storage After the chicken has been cleaned, it goes into cold storage. The amount which has to be distributed to the branches on a daily basis is dispatched and the rest goes into freezers. The amount is determined in advance by branch managers. Keep in mind that a weeks supply is available for both branches at the warehouse. Official vehicle A Suzuki Pickup is on standby at the warehouse and the workers load a days worth of chicken and transport it to the both branches. 60% of the chicken goes to the Tariq Road Branch as its chicken utilization is the highest. Tariq road branch At the Tariq Road branch, the official vehicle arrives shortly with the chicken for the day. This chicken thawed, cleaned and semi marinated at the individual branches before it is ready to be finally added with the secret spices and recipes. It is immediately transported by the workers to the freezer. Kitchen + freezer As noon approaches a portion of the boneless chicken is removed from the freezer and brought to the preparation room. Here the chicken is added with seasoning, sauce and the secret spices which are made early during the day. This preparation is done by the head chef. The boneless chicken goes to the Roll preparation area and the Tikka pieces go to the BBQ area where they are cooked. Customer Once cooked, the Rolls and Tikkas are served to customers Planning system For the sake of simplicity we will go through a typical week of ordering chicken to get a grasp of the current supply system at the Tariq Road branch. This boneless chicken is used for Chicken Rolls and Chicken Boti. Whereas full chickens are used to create 4 Tikka pieces per chicken. Demand for the week is established by looking at previous trends. Basically a base demand for consumption has been established for boneless chicken of 210 kg per week. The base demand of 210kg worth of boneless chicken is always used for Rolls and Chicken Boti. On an average, 220-250kgs of boneless chicken is purchased as demand from consumers never dips below 210kg per week. For Tikkas, the base demand is 80 Tikkas per day, which makes it 560 Tikkas on an average per week. A full chicken is able to provide 4 Tikka pieces. The key considerations that determine and influence demand for chicken are: Stage of the week Friday, Saturday and Sunday are days where demand for boneless chicken is at its highest. During these days the public goes out to eat with family. Public holidays the restaurant operates during public holidays. During these days of the calendar, families choose to visit eateries and therefore the consumption of boneless chicken is high. City turmoil during expected city turmoil and expected strikes, the public operates at an accelerated pace and attempts to get things out of the way. This may entail visiting Tariq Road for work 1-2 days before the expected turmoil or unrest. Furthermore, consumption of boneless chicken falls during the days of turmoil, hence purchasing is planned accordingly. Level of commercial activity Tariq Road is heavily populated with shops and vendors. If the activity in malls and shopping strips is high, then demand for food, especially Chicken Rolls is also high as it serves the fast food concept and is economical. The factors above have the capacity to influence demand for chicken and hence the purchasing patterns vary. Chicken that is not used is then stored in freezers for next days use. This chicken is bought on Thursdays of the week from a vendor that has been partnered with the business. An order is placed via telephone on Thursday morning by the Branch Manager and it arrives by noon. If for some reason demand is abnormally high, the regular chicken supplier is contacted and is urged to make an emergency drop to the warehouse. If he is unable to do so from his own inventory, then he is responsible for making other arrangements. Supplier selection A chicken supplier is selected on the basis of: Total cost Cleaning and cutting Cost is the most important factor that ultimately determines which supplier/butcher to choose from. Silver Spoon negotiates on the basis of the foremost is cost (low or discounted price), quality, and delivery service. Secondly, it is favourable if the supplier can clean and cut the chicken into pieces at his outlet before delivering it to the Silver Spoon warehouse. Although Silver Spoon has a chicken slaughtering and cleaning/cutting facility, but is used for only further cleaning of the chicken and cutting for marinating purposes. Financial costs pertaining to Tariq Road Branch Cost for chicken: this rate is Rs. 4 per kilo less than the prevailing marketing rate. The chicken suppliers set the price every Thursday of the week. Price of chicken per kilo varies on a weekly basis and is determined by the laws of demand and supply. For example, if chicken is in excess supply then the price falls. Conversely if there is high demand then the price rises such as on weekends. Due to this the chicken suppliers set their prices on Thursday. The Tariq Road branch bears 60% of the total cost of the chicken whereas the Gulshan branch, only 40%. Consumption and sale of chicken items is the highest at the Tariq Road branch. The basis for making profits for Tikkas is to earn Rs. 20-25 profit per Tikka. Utilities Electricity Bill: varies between Rs. 50,000 to 60,000 per month. Gas Bill: varies between Rs. 10,000 to 12,000 per month Telephone Bill: Rs. 1,000 per month on an average Coal Usage: worth Rs. 1,500 on a daily basis.    Labour Employed Waiter: The starting salary per waiter is Rs. 6000 per month. Senior waiters (determined by length of employment) are paid Rs. 8000 per month. There are a total of 8 senior waiters (8 x 8000 = Rs. 64,000 per month) and 6 junior waiters (6 x 6000 = Rs. 36,000 per month). Kitchen Staff: these employees include assistants to the chef (3 assistants), and additional workers who produce other items on the menu (5 kitchen workers). They are assigned various tasks in the kitchen to add value to the system. On an average, the total labour costs assigned to the kitchen staff are Rs. 75,000 Head chef: There is 1 head Chef who is paid Rs. 12,000 per month. Total labour costs per month = Rs 64,000 + Rs 36,000 + Rs. 65,000 + 12,000 = Rs 187,000 Discussion Inefficiencies or weaknesses in the supply chain Supplier/butcher: Silver Spoon has had the same supplier for chicken for nearly 20 years. They should search the market for other suppliers that can offer competitive rates for bulk purchases of chicken. The order is placed on the phone and a Silver Spoon official does not personally monitor the chicken selection, which means an old chicken or unhealthy chicken can be part of the mix Warehouse: At the warehouse, the supplier delivery vehicle drops off the chicken and drives away after collecting the payment. There is no check here, no one counts the chicken or weighs it upon arrival so there is no way of making sure if they received the amount they paid for. There is no record system or inventory management. The chicken is not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"logged in, just immediately shifted to the kitchen where it is cleaned for use. Therefore there is no actual account or record for the amount of chicken that entered the facility nor is there any receiving slip or receipt. Warehouse Storage: Once the chicken is cleaned and processed fit for use, it goes into storage freezers and only the days worth is kept outside for delivery. However, there is no one who counts the number of chicken breasts or legs, or kilograms of chicken that goes into the freezer. So there is no check or monitor system. Silver Spoon Snacks Vehicle The days worth of chicken is transported to the Tariq Road Branch, but there is no formal record of the amount that leaves the warehouse, nor is there any receiving document from the branches end. Branch Again, there is no counter checking or counting system of the chicken that arrives in the branch. It is blindly kept in the freezer. Customer The customer does not receive an electronic receipt. Which means that there is no formal record at Silver Spoons counter of the items sold and the cash received. There is an informal scribble in a worn out register. Other deficiencies with the current setup Marketing: There are limited marketing efforts carried out by the restaurant. At most, marketing involves re-doing the company banner or releasing a dozen flyers in the area. No website exists. Recording: It is a complete paper based system with not a computer or digital device in sight. Records are loosely maintained at the warehouse and branch in registers and journals. There is no formal record keeping system. Customers are not given receipts therefore there is no cross checking. Tracking: there is no way for Silver Spoon Snacks to forecast demand judging by trends, as figures and statistics for trends do not exist. Paper based: it is a paper based system with information regarding transactions loosely recorded in registers. Checks and balances: checks and balances do not exist, there is no tangible record keeping when it comes to inventory and purchases. It is not possible to confirm orders with suppliers and inter branch as orders are verbally given. There is no proof. Proposed system The proposed system involves the purchase of computer hardware and the use of an internet connection. The idea is to create a basic centralized system at the warehouse as the server with 2 additional linked systems at the branches. The purpose is to track and record inventory that moves into the warehouse and out to the branches. A real time system is proposed where inventory levels are monitored by the hour. The systems will need to be linked by an internet connection to provide a real time feed of information between the branches and warehouse. With an inventory management and tracking software, the loopholes and loose-ends in the current system will be neutralized. How it works Once the systems have been installed and made operational, the current stock, inventory and work in progress are uploaded to the servers. The software will be used be the warehouse, and both the branches. Each user will update the records from their end so it can be seen at the warehouse server. The software will have section for the warehouse, branch A and branch B. Depending on the fresh demand levels, the warehouse determines the quantity of chicken needed and sends an order via telephone to the butcher. Had the butcher/supplier been using a computer system (example Makro), then an email would have been dispatched instead. The quantity ordered is punched into the system and falls under the status of pending. The rate per kilo is noted. Order time is also noted. Once the stock of chicken arrives at the warehouse, its exact quantity is manually counted and weighed by an employee and then the numbers are punched into the warehouse server. This will cross check the amount ordered with the amount received. Once the figures tally, a receiving slip is generated electronically and printed after the order has been confirmed and accounted for. A slip is generated and given to the supplier and a formal record now exists in the system. A notification is sent in a matter of seconds to both branches informing them of the added inventory levels. The levels now appear on the screens of both branch A and B (Tariq road and Gulshan). Preparations are made. Depending on the opening inventory and the base level demand of 210kg of chicken and 80 Tikka pieces, each branch sends its required amount of chicken (bonless and Tikka pieces) through the softwares built in messaging system. Each transaction and order is then recorded. After the warehouse server acknowledges receipt of the order from the branch, it then forwards it verbally to the warehouse freezer where the employee loads the Silver Spoon vehicle (Suzuki pickup). The vehicle then travels to the relevant branch. A printed slip is dispatched. From the warehouse, the inventory levels are then reduced and this is also reflected in each branches terminal. Once the vehicle is unloaded at the branch, a branch employee manually supervises the unloading and stocking of the chicken in the freezer. Once confirmed and signed, the branch manager then updates his terminal with the added inventory of chicken. Back at the warehouse, the reduction in inventory is equal to the gain in inventory at both branches. As the day goes by and the orders accumulate and dispatch, the inventory levels are monitored not only at the branch, but at the warehouse as well. Each chicken Tikka order placed or each chicken roll uses a certain portion of the inventory. And once the orders are fed and updated in the Silver Spoon register, the chicken based inventory is automatically deducted. Towards the end of the day, the ending inventory is tallied and counted. The warehouse manager reads these inventories on an hourly basis and incase of a shortage dispatches a vehicle to make up for the shortfall. The cycle is then repeated every day depending on the closing inventory levels. Notes on the proposed system The recommended software for Silver Spoon Snacks is inFlow Inventory management software (http://www.inflowinventory.com/). The software is easy to use and does not require extensive training. A simple understanding of images, inputting data and confirming orders is all it takes. Free software exists, but does not provide security, reliability and expansion as inFlows suite. Each terminal is given a unique pin code which only the operator is aware of. This means only the relevant person in charge can use the terminal which is a security check as well as a confirmation. Each transaction is logged and stored in a log file sent to the warehouse computer. Backups are made on a daily basis Financial Costs involved with this system Software: although many free software packages exist, inFlow Inventory Management provides the best balance between features and cost. To create a multi user network (ideal in this case), the license cost $299 per computer for lifetime use. 3 licenses will be needed. $299 x 3 = $897 = ~ Rs. 75000 (@ Rs. 84 per U.S Dollar) Hardware needed: processor, motherboard, RAM, hard drive, casing, power supply, monitor. Based on the software requirements, the hardware cost is as follows: Tariq Road Branch cost: Rs 23,000 Gulshan Branch cost : Rs 23,000 Warehouse cost: Rs. 27,000 Total : Rs. 73,000 Internet connection: 3 connections Initial setup cost : Rs. 800 x 3 Monthly cost: Rs. 1000 x 3 Total initial investment: Rs. 75,000 (3 licenses) + (73,000 (hardware) + 2,400 (internet setup) + 3000 (first month internet payment) = Rs. 153,400 Benefits of the proposed system Accountability: first and foremost, the new system will hold each branch accountable for what it has received in its inventory. Once its handed over the inventory, it is held accountable for its storage, sales and payment. The sales of the branch should match the inventory received. Inventory control: from the moment the chicken supply reaches the warehouse, it will be tracked and accounted for. The system will make sure that there is adequate supply at all branches at all times so as to not lose out on potential sales Economic order quantity: the ideal quantity of chicken to order each week and the ideal quantity to store in the freezers can be calculated based on demand and supply conditions. Inventory planning is thereby improved. Accuracy: with figures, statistics and numbers well accounted for and cross references, the books of Silver Spoon will present and accurate picture of state of affairs. A reduction in human error in terms of calculations, counting and so on will also be witnessed. Record keeping: instead of scribbling in registers and writing journals, an electronic system with constant updates is hence created with the use of e-commerce technologies. Past transactions, exchanges, buying and selling are stored electronically thereby staying safe. The option to print out the records exists, thereby creating tangible records. Electronic Data Interchange: Information sharing between branches and the warehouse will be more convenient as real time updates and inventory levels can be monitored. Offers and promotional schemes by suppliers can also be entertained. Expansion: This inventory monitoring and management system is not just limited to chicken; it can be used for the entire product line, mutton, beef, vegetables, cold drinks, seasoning, flour and so on. The scope is limitless with unlimited suppliers and customers. Improved Customer Service and loyalty: when a customer always gets his or her desired order in desired quantity, it creates customer satisfaction and creates repeat customers. It improves loyalty as well. A computerized receipt also creates a positive impression on the customers. Reduce stock-outs and overstocks: with supply synchronized with demand, the chances of ending up with à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"expired inventory or facing shortages are greatly reduced. Shortages are prevented as inventory as planned well in advance, and in the same way excess inventory is also reducing thereby curbing inventory carrying costs. Ready alerts: if the inventory dips below a certain level at a branch, an automatically generated alert is sent to the warehouse or Gulshan branch and inventory can be moved around. Furthermore this will act as an early warning sign to the warehouse to acquire more inventory. Meeting demand: demand is almost always met unless outside forces have some play. With inventory always available due to a tracking and trend analysis system, sales will always be met. Forecasting: due to its ability to track charts and record daily transactions, the stored information can be used to conduct trend analysis for certain times of the calendar year. This will allow better planning for inventory and sales. Website: Silver Spoon Snacks Pvt. Ltd. can go on-line and have a web presence. This on its own is a marketing tool Networking: since Silver Spoon is now on-line and has a presence on the world wide web, it will be able to reach out to suppliers and customers on a larger scale. It is a ready marketing tool. It can partner with other restaurants, sponsors, FMCGs and causes. Marketing: with the use of e-commerce technologies, Silver Spoon Snacks can expand its marketing operations by sending out e-mails and creating ad banners and partnering with other websites. Costs of proposed system Change: it is possible that managers and top management may resist the change/transition from a paper based system to a technical system. The current system, though not ideal sets comfortably with current management. A management paradigm shift is required. Training: the system users will require some short initial training to understand the use of the software and technology in general. Although the Operations Manager Mr. Talha Awan is well versed with computer software and hardware, there will still be a slight lag due to training. Initial investment: although a small amount, roughly Rs. 150,000 will need to be diverted for a project that has no immediate monetary returns. Software support: although a helpline for customer support exists, it can become cumbersome to ask for guidance incase of software failure or confusion. Hardware failure: at the mercy of KESC and the elements, the computer hardware may fail thereby causing confusion and a stop in information flow. Although an uninterrupted power supply may be purchased, as well as a warranty plan, it will only add up in costs and delays. Internet failure: from time to time, the internet service provider may fail to provide a 100% uptime. This can cause delays and lags in the system. Industry Standard Bar B Q Tonight Inventory Management System To further add value to this report, I studied Bar B Q Tonights current inventory management setup which is computerized. Information was gathered through telephonic interviews and e-mail exchange with the Operations Managers, Sardar Ishaq and Mr. Abur Rehman. The findings are compiled below. Bar B Q Tonight is one of Karachis most famous restaurants that came into being in 1988. It prepares all kinds of cuisine that caters to thousands of customers on a daily basis. In-fact the multi storeyed establishment can house upto a thousand customers at a time. The restaurant has enjoyed high growth levels consistent with every year. Recently a branch has been erected in Lahore. Chicken, Beef, Fish, vegetables, pastas, fruit, ice cream, mushrooms, sausages, cheese, beverages and tissue rolls are just a small list of the inventory that are in storage and continuous use at the restaurant. These are key inputs needed to give customers a full service and experience backed by quality that the restaurant promises. To ensure proper delivery of storage, roughly 500 employees and 2 dozen management level officers are part of the work force. The availability of sufficient inventory and especially at the right time is perhaps the single most crucial factor at the restaurant. Insufficient inventory levels can result in a loss of potential sales. Furthermore due to the sheer quantity of inventory that enters and exits the building, checks and balances, control and proper monitoring of stock are required. This serves a number of functions such as quality control, waste management and theft protection. The current supply chain is as follows: SUPPLIER à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   DRY/COLD STORAGE à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   CUTTING/PROCESSING à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   RELEVANT FOOD DEPARTMENT à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   CUSTOMER The suppliers supply meat, chicken, tinned items, cold drinks, eggs, vegetables and basically all the inputs needed. Once the orders are received, they go into processing/cleaning/cutting/batching dependin