William Faulkner’s Life and Writings Essay Example for Free

William Faulkner’s Life and Writings Essay William Faulkner is one of the great American writers of the 20th century. He has written several highly-acclaimed novels, short stories and poems and was among the pioneers who revolutionized storytelling through the use of the stream of consciousness technique, something not common during the time. His works are considered brilliant and remain to be among the required studies for literature in colleges and universities in the United States as well as other English speaking countries. Faulkner’s literary accolades are numerous. He won two Pulitzer Prizes for his 1954 novel A Fable, which received the Pulitzer a year later, and for his 1962 novel, The Reivers, which was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer in 1963. In 1949, or three years before his first Pulitzer, Faulkner received the Nobel Prize for his powerful and artistically unique contribution to the modern American novel. But the journey to literary success was never â€Å"a walk in the clouds†, or so to speak, for William Faulkner who struggled to get recognition for his earlier works. His first book, a collection of poems entitled The Marble Faun, published in 1924 did not immediately hit the mark as it barely got any serious attention from readers. It is also said that it was during this time that William Faulkner decided to change the original spelling of his family name to make it â€Å"sound more British† for the publication of his first book. His real family name came from an old Customer’s last name 2 Southern family named Falkner from New Albany, Mississippi where the novelist was born on September 25, 1897, as the eldest of four sons. But Faulkner spent most of his life at the nearby town of Oxford, Mississippi where his family moved when he was barely five years old. Much of his inspirations for his work were drawn from his personal experiences. And his views were tangible in many of his writings especially those that probe the prejudices of his own region, the deep South. Faulkner started writing novels on 7th Grade at about the same time he lost interest in school after he found the classes boring. His first themes were romance inspired by her childhood sweetheart and later wife, Estelle Oldham. Faulkner remained married to her until his death in July 6, 1962 but his family seems to come only second to his writing, which he puts at the center of his life. In an interview for Writer’s at Work: The Paris Review Interview in 1959, Faulkner described how important his writings to him. He remarked: The writers only responsibility is to his art. He will be completely ruthless if he is a good one. He has a dream. It anguishes him so much he must get rid of it. He has no peace until then. Everything goes by the board: honor, pride, decency, security, happiness, all, to get the book written. If a writer has to rob his mother, he will not hesitate; the Ode on a Grecian Urn is worth any number of old ladies. (Writers at Work: The Paris Review Interviews, 1959) Faulkner’s statement in that interview glared what was already apparent and clear all along to his family, friends, and the people who work closely with the reclusive writer. When Faulkner released his third novel, Sartoris (Flags in the Dust), in 1929, he used his great-grandfather William Clark Falkner, himself a colonel in the American Civil War, as the Customer’s last name 3 model for Colonel John Sartoris. The novel deals with the decay of an aristocratic Southern family following the social upheaval of the American Civil War. This novel is a good example of how the novelist’s life is reflected on his writings. It shows that Faulkner was influenced by the history of his family and the region in which they lived. A critical examination of Faulkner’s masterpieces such as The Sound and the Fury, As I lay Dying, Absalom, Absalom! and A Rose for Emily will reveal that his main focus, as a writer, is to explore and expose the deterioration of values in his own region. Faulkner wrote with such sensitivity of the moral degradation he has witnessed. In the sense, Faulkner is a historian who provided an overcast view of a segment of America during a tumultuous period that demanded radical social change. And albeit his works were fictions, it mirrored the horrendous realities of a society diminishing in its traditional values and unable to embrace the dawn of modern realities. Most of Faulkner’s stories were set in Yoknapatawpha County, a fictional place after his own Lafayete County. The town of Jefferson is within Yoknapatawpha County and is the equivalent of Oxford, the novelist’s hometown. While the setting may not be original, it was easy for Faulkner to provide a vivid description of his settings and characters he based from non-fictions or from something he has intimate knowledge on. Aside from Faulkner’s hometown being modeled for the fictional setting in his writings, it was suggested that some characters from his works were inspired by real people and biblical characters like the 19th century politician Jacob Thomson for the character of Jason Compson III from his The Sound and the Fury novel and the character of Benjamin Compson from the same novel which is said to symbolize a Christ-figure while in his Pulitzer winner novel, A Fable, his main character Corporal Zsettslani Customer’s last name 4 is representative of Jesus. This method made it easy for Faulkner to personalize the characters in his stories. Faulkner’s strong sense of moral and social responsibility is also very much visible in his works. He often deals with the transgression of the Southern whites against the Black with tragic bluntness to denigrate a blatant social aberrant. In a way, Faulkner was the greatest admirer and critic of the Southern life and history. He absorbed the sordid and brilliant, blithe and painful history of the South and transposed it into soul poetry. Moreover, Faulkner also tried to advocate, albeit tacitly, for the preservation of culture and the environment in his writings. In his 1942 novel, The Bear, Faulkner lamented the encroachment of civilization into the natural world. The novel is a tale of initiation into the adult world set against a backdrop of a yearly hunting expedition of Old Ben, a bear believed to be last of its kind in Mississippi woods. The narrative is also about the young Ike McCaslin coming to know both the woods and himself through the help of an old Chickasaw who is symbolically named Sam Fathers (Castor 37). In Faulkner’s narrative, the death of Sam Fathers is symbolically linked to the death of the bear and the wilderness (Castor 38). To Faulkner, the economic conquest of the southern landscape was inextricably linked, not only to the conquest of blacks and women through the legacy of slavery, but also to the conquest of Indian cultures as represented by Sam Fathers. (Castor 39) The Bear was written by Faulkner at the time when there is a tremendous environmental upheaval in Mississippi and the South. There was massive deforestation activity and thousands of acres of land are being cleared for timber. The setting, the plot, and the character in The Bear Customer’s last name 5 reflect an historical development and Faulkner was able to relate his sentiments with what is happening in his writings. Faulkner was a brilliant writer who examines his environment and reflects on his life experiences for inspirations in his writings. Much of the plot and the theme of his novels were based on his hindsight on the degeneration of the values of the Sought. Through his tragic stories, Faulkner was able to depict â€Å"the effect of the dissolution of the traditional values and authority on all levels of Southern society†. His novels were rich of his views, sentiments, experiences and personal convictions. He was never very famous as a writer for most part of his life but he has dedicated his life to this profession. He was a reclusive and a taciturn writer who found comfort in his solitude. But in his writings, he spoke volumes and his voice holds a resonating sound for many more generations to hear. He was a legend in the world of literature and his stories are immortalize by its unforgettable characters, unbelievable and challenging stories and the unique manner these stories were told that continues to captivate millions of followers. Faulkner told many great stories but along with it, he told the story of his life too. The challenge is to continue to unravel the mystery and discover how of much his own story was told in his many great masterpieces. Customer’s last name 6 Works cited Nobelprize. org. William Faulkner Biography. Retrieved December 21, 2007 frm http://nobelprize. org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1949/faulkner-bio. html Reference. com. William Faulkner. Retrieved December 21, 2007 from http://www. reference. com/search? q=william%20faulkner Castor, L. Hunting History and Myth in Linda Hogan’s Power and William Faulkner’s The Bear. Retrieved December 21, 2007 from http://www. hum. uit. no/nordlit/12/03_Castor. pdf William Faulkner on the Web. Retrieved December 21, 2007 from http://www. mcsr. olemiss. edu/~egjbp/faulkner/faulkner. html

Supply Chain Of Motorola Smartphones Commerce Essay

Supply Chain Of Motorola Smartphones Commerce Essay In the dynamic market of smart phone competition, companies need to establish a responsive supply chain to adapt with the changing environment and Motorola is not an exception. As they introduce their innovative Droid 2 to Vietnamese market, Motorola looks for suitable solutions to strengthen their competitive supply chain, especially in this country. Through the overview of Motorolas internal and external aspects in dynamic Vietnam logistics environment, this paper exams the difficulties the enterprises supply chain is facing and proposed three possible solutions in logistics and supply chain perspectives. The strength of Motorola lies in their experience, technology, and competency in managing electronics supply chain in different countries. Although outsourcing non-core business such as transportation may cause the enterprise to lose control on the activity, yet it also enables them to focus more in their core operations. Thus, the supply chain is more adaptive to the dynamic Vietnamese logistics environment, where the transportation and information infrastructures are under-developed. They lead to five major issues for Motorola supply chain mentioned in this paper: holding high level of inventory, low lead time, inaccurate demand forecast, timeliness, and inventory condition. To solve the suggested issues, the paper proposes three logistics strategy for Motorola: transportation-based third party logistics (3PL), collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR), and using radio frequency identification (RFID). Transportation-based 3PL is expected to solve the transportation difficulties for Motorola, as well as ensuring in-transit stock quality and timeliness. CPFR enhances the collaboration between trading partners to improve forecasting, reducing lead time and decreasing the risks of overstock and stock-out. Lastly, RFID supports inventory visibility, leading to accurate inventory management and replenishment. Among the three strategies, CPFR is the most suitable for Motorola to adapt due to the advantages of collaborating, planning, and forecasting. Thus, lead time will be reduced and inventory is better managed, the burden will be shared by many firms in the supply chain, and customers will be served better. Adapting CPFR, in the first quarter of 2010, Motorola is expected to reduce forecast error to 2%, lead time to 5 days and stock-out rate to 2.5%. Although CPFR is expensive and raises risks of sharing information, the benefits of accurate forecast, shorter lead time, better managing inventory, and above all better customer services will be critical for the successful launch of Droid 2 into Vietnam. CHANNEL OF DISTRIBUTION FOR THE SUPPLY CHAIN FOR MOTOROLA Inbound logistics Outbound logistics Apparition Game Tech (software and USB pads) Indonesia supplier (components) China supplier (components) Vinaphone Mobile phone stores Department stores Electronics stores Mobile phone single stores Mobile phone store chain warehouses Camera shops Mobile phone stores Department stores Electronics stores Mobile phone single stores Mobile phone store chain warehouses Camera shops Customers Motorola Malaysia (manufacturing and assembling) Motorola Hanoi distribution centers Motorola HCMC distribution center Packaging, labeling, and manual printing provider Research and Analysis: 1.1 Description: From China and Indonesia suppliers, 60% of components will be shipped to Motorola factory in Malaysia by air. Apparition Game Tech (AGT) will ship the USB game pads to the Malaysia plant to install with the phones. AGT will also supply the software to Motorola Malaysia plant to install into the phones. In Motorola Malaysia factory, they will produce 40% of critical components of Droid 2. The mobile phones will be assembled in this factory with software installed. Then the phones will be temporarily packed. Droid 2 will be shipped to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City distribution centers. The packaging, labelling, and printing provider will deliver the packages and Vietnamese language user manuals to the distribution centres, where the final packaging will be processed. From the distribution centers, Droid 2 will be delivered to retailers, including mobile phone store chains warehouses, single mobile stores, electronics stores, department stores, and camera stores carrying cell phone. The mobile phone store chains then will deliver Droid 2 to their shops. From retailers, Droid 2 is sold to end users. Vinaphone provides SIM card for customers in the retail shops so they can use the phones. For users already having a Vinaphone account, Vinaphone will guide them to activate their 3G functions. All the transportation in the supply chain will be outsourced to third party logistics. 1.2 SWOT analysis Strength: Motorola has the technology, experience and skill in managing electronics supply chain internationally. Outsourcing the transportation for third party providers, they can focus on its core competency. With their specialization, the third parties can reduce transporting time and contribute to the responsive supply chain Motorola aims to build. The two distribution centers located in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, which have the most cohesive transportation systems in Vietnam and concentrate complex retail systems, will enable the product flow from manufacturing to distribution and retailing move smoothly. Weakness: Transportation of the supply chain will be outsourced to transportation based third party logistic service providers. Thus, Motorola may loss some control over its transportation activities and in-transit inventory. Moreover, as two partners in the supply chain, such as Motorola and its retailers, will not deal directly with each other when inventory delivered, it can weaken the collaboration and communications between them, and challenges the demand forecast ability in the supply chain. Motorola does not deal directly with Vietnamese end-users but through retailers. This creates difficulties for Motorola to adapt to the trend in smart phone market, reducing the responsiveness of the supply chain. Opportunities: Improving telecommunication infrastructure a priority of Vietnamese government, so improving the flow of information in supply chain. After WTO accession, Vietnamese logistics is more welcome to foreign investors. Third party logistics providers in Vietnam is also improving their services to more sophisticated level (Nguyen 2009), so Motorola can access to more competent third party services to fasten and improve the supply chain performance. Threat: The lack of mix transport agency (Venard 1996) forces Motorola to use more than one third party in transportation activities. The wide information sharing between the firms can raise the information security risk There is no advanced technology and information system such as EDI (Nguyen 2009.p15) to support logistics, affecting the ability for Motorola to communicate with their partners. Vietnam transportation systems is under developed with intensive roads, the lack of cargo planes and facilities (Goh Ang 2000,p.897); congested ports even in Ho Chi Minh city, only handling ships up to 25,000 DWT, causing dramatic bottleneck in supply system (Goh Ang 2000,p.901). The problems result in longer lead time and adding up logistics costs and risks, so the timeliness in Motorola distribution will also be affected. The rise in air cargo fee regarding higher demand near New Year may increase the cost of delivering USB pads to Malaysia and shipping Droid 2 in 2010. The shortage of automatic warehouse results in most material handlings are done manually (Goh Ang 2000,p.905), possibly damaging SKUs as well as lengthen lead time. Vietnamese companies are reluctant to share information (Tuang Stringer 2008.p398). This creates barriers to improve relationship and information sharing within Motorola channel partnership, decreasing demand forecasting. SWOT matrix: Strength Weakness Opportunities -Focus on improving demand management by investing in information sharing technology and improve coordination between firms in the supply chain -Continue outsource non-core activities such as transportation -Need a detailed benchmark to controlling the outsourcing activities to identify problems in those activities on time. -Maintaining and improving the relationship with third party service providers to plan the transportation as well as other activities better, which can reduce transit cost and time. Threat Choosing a local third party transportation provider since they have more understanding the roads system and transportation process. Construct an automatic distribution centers to reduce manual work in material handlings. Improve the visibility over the product flow to control the condition and timeliness of inventory and delivering. Improving partnership with firms in supply chain, especially with retailers to catch up with the trends and improve the demand forecasting. Need a strict evaluation process to choose a highly competent and responsive third party service providers 1.3 Issues: 1/ Holding high level of inventory: mostly in-transit stock due to the poor transportation infrastructure and the complicated customs procedures; safety stock due to the uncertainty in demand forecasting and transportation problems affecting supply. 2/ Long lead time: possibly regarding to the low transportation structure and vehicles, the shortage of automatic warehouse and technology facilitating ordering. 3/ Imprecise demand forecast: due to the weak relationship and communication between channel partners. 4/ Timeliness: possibly due to the unforeseen factors in transportation and material handling. Moreover, Vietnamese companies still do not pay adequate attention on on-time delivery (Nguyen 2009,p.17), which reducing the customer service quality. 5/ Inventory condition and real time information: mostly the lack of information technology to control the product flow causes this issue. Strategy Proposal: 2.1 Strategies: Considering the issues of Motorola supply chain in Vietnam, three logistics strategies are proposed to help solving the problems: transportation based third party logistics, collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment, and RFID technology. 2.1.1 Transportation based third party logistics (3PL): A company can decide to outsource its non-core business. It is the process of shifting a part of business functions within an organization to outside providers (Fawcet, Ellram Ogden 2007,p.282). Third-party logistics means using an outside provider for some logistics activities such as transportation or warehousing (Fawcet, Ellram Ogden 2007,p.283). Transportation based third-party logistics is recommended for the case of Motorola supply chain in Vietnam, which will outsource transportation activities to a third-party logistics service provider. Advantages: Cost saving and improved services, as well as better transportation solution (Bhatnagar, Sohal Millen 1999,p.573). The specialization of the provider reduces lead time and guarantees good condition for in-transit stocks. By outsourcing non-core business, the company can focus on its core business (Bhatnagar, Sohal Millen 1999, p.573). Disadvantages: The loss of control over transportation activities. Disagreement or confusion about work priorities (Harrington 1999,p.60). Since the goal of manufacturers, using transportation-based 3PL is cost saving while the service provider aims to increase revenue, horizontal conflicts may occur between them. Although transportation-base 3PL results in several disadvantages, the strategy is still a suitable solution for transportation for Motorola supply chain. Due to the poor infrastructure of Vietnamese transportation system, there is high transporting risks. The transportation-base 3PL provider, with their specialized understanding of the system and customs procedures, has the ability to foresee and prevent risks in transporting. Thus, the stocks can be delivered on time. Moreover, lead time can be reduced due to providers specialization and highly invested facilities. Using their well-equipped vehicles, 3PL provider can also ensure the condition of in-transit stock, which is very important for electronics products such as Droid 2. Overall, customer service will be improved 2.1.2 Collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR): CPFR is an approach to coordinate activities such as production and purchasing planning, forecasting demand and stock replenishment between trading partners in supply chain base on Web technology (Fliedner 2003). It improves forecasting and increase product availability using synchronized replenishment, so customers will be served better at lower cost (Fawcet, Ellram Ogden 2007,p.482). The strategy required an intense collaboration between trading partners and technology system such as EDI to facilitate the information exchange. The strategy includes nine main activities. Activities in CPFR process (Danese 2007,p182) After agreeing on working methods, how to solve problems and location of meeting, collaborative partners join business plan together. Each company will do their own sales forecast and share them on an CPFR system. If there is too many differences in the two forecasts, the system will alert them and both partners will get together to solve and produce an accurate forecast. After that, manufacturer will forecast the way they produce and supply for retailer, as retailer will also forecast how to receive the order, and CPFR system will ensure the two order forecasts are matched, otherwise two parties will sit together again to work out the difference. Then, the CPFR forecast will be translated into production and replenishment plan, and order delivery (Coyel et al 2009,p.252). CPFR business model (Coyel et al 2009.p153). Advantages: Increase accurate forecasting, leading to better match between supply and demand (Murphy Wood 2008). Reduce inventory holding due to accurate forecasting and replenishment. Disadvantages: The risk of sharing sensitive information to other companies (Fliedner 2003). The high cost of implementing technology (Fliedner 2003), especially EDI system for information exchange. Although the system is complex and costly, a technological enterprise such as Motorola is able to adapt and utilize CPFR. CPFR reduces order response times for retailers and cycle times for manufacturers, so the strategy will contributes to shorter lead time of Motorola supply chain overall. Moreover, the accurate CPFR forecast will enhance on-time delivery the products to customer, especially in cases of introducing upgrading AGT software or a new Droid version. Furthermore, accurate forecasting increases the certainty in demand, so preventing overstock and stock-out as well as reducing safety stock holding cost, for both manufacturer and retailers. Thus, obsolescence and deterioration inventories will also be lower (Flidner 2003), which improve the stock condition, which is very important for phones batteries. Overall, applying CPFR will contribute to the performance and customer service of responsive Motorola supply chain. 2.1.3 Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology: Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a high level of using barcode, reading the information through radio frequency. RFID tag and reader are two main components of RFID system. A microchip is sticked to RFID tag and data will be written on it. The tag is placed on objects or smart cards, and the data can be read by RFID reader through radio signals (Hansen et al 2008,p.1). Unlike barcode, RFID reader does not need to reach the surface of the tag to read information. The data is transferred to the main server and shared to other information systems. RFID system (Reproduced from The Major Learn) Advantages: RFID improves inventory visibility and real time information. It enhances the control over inventory. RFID shortens lead time by reducing manual works in logistics processes. Disadvantages: Security: using RFID readers, competitors, or criminal can track the sensitive data from the tag to use against the company. Moreover, consumers privacy can be violated by too much information about them are shared through RFID. The cost of RFID implementation is expensive as a tag may cost between $0.15 to $0.75 (Michael McCathie 2005,p.6). RFID is highly recommended to be used from the manufacturing plant in Malaysia, not only Motorola Vietnam. RFID gives real time information, which assists other methods of cooperation such as CPFR (Hansen et al 2008,p.13). The inventory and product flow will become visible for the supply chain. Therefore, the manufacturer and distributors will produce and replenish for their retailers the right quantity, on time, minimizing inventory holding. Furthermore, smart phone and its accessories are highly vulnerable, and RFID will help ensure the condition of Droid 2 storage and movement as well as minimize human errors in handling the stocks. Moreover, with automatic tracking on the inventory, RFID reduces picking time, resulting in shorter lead time. And the same as CPFR, Motorola has the technological experience and budget to adapt RFID. Explanation of the Multi-criteria Decision Matrix (Appendix 1) Among the three proposed strategies, CPFR is the most suitable strategy applying for Motorola supply chain. The responsive supply chain system concerns on time, so the short lead time and accurate forecast are critical. By strengthening the connection and collaboration between manufacturer and retailer in the supply chain, CPFR significantly improves the forecast to match real demand, ensuring product availability, which strengthens Motorolas competitiveness better than the others. With the planned operation and transportation, risks and lead time will be reduced. It maintains on-time delivery. Moreover, accurate production and replenishment also prevent stock out and overstock, so the cost of holding inventory is lower and the obsolete inventory can be minimized. Overall, CPFR help the Motorolas supply chain solve the broad set of issues over the two other strategies. It helps the supply chain to be more adaptive and responsive to the changing environment of smart phone market as we ll as overcome Vietnamese logistics issues. An illustration of this is JK Computers Ltd, a 3C products retailer, collaborates with its supplier, Synnex Logistics using CPFR (Chang et al 2007). After together formulating the working mechanism, JP transmits sales and inventory data to supplier in regular basic to confirm on replenishment. If there is a difference, supplier will respond to JP, so JP then identifies another supplier using its database. However, the replenishment will be approved, and supplier will inform JP about the replenishing amounts to each store on agreed time, then processing the order. After delivery, the stores put the date to information system and transmit to the head office. The replenishment is done and payment is collected monthly. Adapting CPFR with Synnex Logistics, JPs stockout rate decreased 4.95% to 2.49%, ROI increased from 1 to 1.5, capital turnover raised from 1.33 to 1.75 and service level improved from 95.05% to 97.51% (Chang et al 2007). 2.3 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): For Motorola manufacturer and retailers in the first quarter of 2010: Reducing forecast error from 5% to 2% from January 2010. Shortening lead time from 7 days to 5 days in three months. Reducing stock-out rate from 5% to 2.5% in three months. A benchmark to control the above KPIs will be formed. A weekly report will be sent to manufacturer, distributors, and retailers about the overall performance to take appropriate correction together if goals are not achieved, ensuring final KPIs reached. 2.4 Costs and Benefits of CPFR implementation: Benefits Costs Significantly improving demand forecast and planning. Better planning and simpler procedures passed between manufacturer and retailers. Thus, lead time will be reduced Stock-out, overstock can be minimized Holding less inventory so reducing cost Ensuring items will be delivered on time and in good conditions High risks: Sensitive information shared maybe caught by competitors. High cost of implementation CPFR system and facilities, and training staff Time consumed in meeting to overcome the lack of trust and set up front-end agreement. Aggregate concerns with number of forecasting and generation (Fliedner 2003). References: Bhatnagar, R Sohal, A Millen, R 1999, Third party logistics services: a Singapore perspective, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, vol. 29, no. 9, pp. 569-587, viewed 7 December 2009, Emerald Management Xtra database. Chang, T Fu, H Lee, W Lin, Y Hsueh, H 2007, A study of an augmented CPFR model for the 3C retail industry, Supply chain management: An international journal, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 200-209, viewed 8 December 2009, Emerald Management Xtra database. Coyle, J Langley, C Gibson, B Novack, R Bardi, E 2008, Supply Chain Management: A Logistics Perspective, 8th edn, Cengage Learning, USA. Danese, P 2007, Designing CPFR collaborations: insights from seven case studies, International Journal of Operation Production Management, vol.27, no. 2, pp.182, viewed 7 December 2009, Emerald Management Xtra database. Fawcett, S Ellram, L Ogden, J 2007, Supply chain management from vision to implementation, Pearson Education, USA, pp.282-283. Fliedner, G 2003, CPFR: an emerging supply chain tool, Industrial Management Data System, vol 103, no. 1, pp. 14-21, viewed 7 December 2009, Emerald Management Xtra database. Goh, M Ang, A 2000, Some logistics realities in Indochina, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, vol.30, no. 10, viewed 6 December 2009, Emerald Management Xtra database. Hansen, W, Gillert, F, Cox, K Schmid, V 2008, RFID for the optimization of business process, John Wiley Sons, Great Britain. Harrington, L 1999, 3PL subcontracting: whos handling your business? Transportation distribution, vol. 40, issue 6, pp.60, viewed 7 December 2009, Business Source Premier database. Michael,K McCathie,L 2005, The pros and cons of RFID in supply chain management, University of Wollongong, viewed on 2 November, 2009, Nguyen, H 2009, Logistics system Vietnam versus Singapore, Vietnam logistics review, vol. 22, no.1, pp. 15-18. Nguyen, PT 2009, Expectations for Vietnamese 3PL service businesses, Vietnam logistics review, viewed 6 December 2009, . TheMajorLearn 2008, Overview RFID Guardian software, viewed on 10 November 2009, . Tuang, A Stringer, C 2008, Trust and commitment in Vietnam: the industrial distributors perspective, International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 905, viewed 7 December 2009, Emerald Management Xtra database. Venard, B 1996, Vietnamese distribution channels, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 32, viewed 6 December 2009, Business Source Premier database.

Developing A Mobile Application For Kingston Library Computer Science Essay

Developing A Mobile Application For Kingston Library Computer Science Essay As part of my course, I will be developing a mobile application for Kingston University Library for my dissertation. The application will be designed for Android devices. I chose Android platform because it is distributed under open source licence and becoming hugely popular. Also Android app developer can take advantage of the mobile hardware design and can sell the app easily in Android market. The main users of my application will be students where they can access the system by login using their ID and password. My application will have a library catalogue search feature which will return a brief summary, book details and availability for each entry. The application will also include basic information about all libraries, such as locations, opening times, contact details etc. Accessing the online resources and Epay are currently not included in the requirements but which can be implemented if time permits or at a later stage. As the code will be written in Java, JDK from Sun has to be installed on the system. I will be using Eclipse IDE to develop the application. Android developer website offers all the guidance and required tools needed to develop an Android app which will be extremely beneficial for me as I am completely new to mobile application development. The initial stages in project development will include SWOT analysis, Use Case diagrams, requirements specification, and UML diagrams. A project plan and a risk analysis has been devised for the smooth running of the project by taking into consideration of the varying demands of each phase. Introduction and Background Mobile devices have evolved significantly during the last decade making it a necessity in everyday life. They are now more than just a means to make a phone conversation. The smart phones cater for all kinds of users whether they want to do business or just to have fun. This created a boom in mobile software applications ranges from simple games to complex navigational systems. There are apps suitable for every customer making them a must have to make life a lot easier in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s busy lifestyle. The most popular Smartphones in the current industry are Apple iPhone, Blackberry, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Android and Symbian. I have chosen Android platform by Open Handset Alliance to develop my application because it is open source and its members such as Google, HTC and T-mobile offers extensive developer support through its developer website. According to market research Android phones are set to increase their current market share of 9% to 30% by 2014. As the Android market offers an online application store to download both paid and free apps for its customers it is easier to access a variety of Android apps. I will be developing an Android application for Kingston University Library System that will enable the students to access the library account to login, search books, renew books and access library hours, location and contact information. My initial approach will be to focus on Android platform but if possible I would develop this app compatible with other platforms as well. Some institutions such as Cambridge University have their library app already implemented. So this will be a first step towards having a mobile library application for Kingston University. I will be looking into other organisationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ mobile library applications as well to give me an insight into the field. The major stakeholders of this application will be I and students of Kingston University but maybe in the future this learning experience will enable me to develop apps for other institutions or create a universal library system by collaborating with other institutions. Aims and Objectives The main aim of the project will be to design and deliver a mobile application for the Kingston University Library on time. During this process I can learn about the latest trends and technologies available in the market so that after the completion of my course I can either secure a job in the mobile app development or work as a freelance app developer. This project will enable be to implement the skills I have learned so far during the course and widen my knowledge about mobile application development tools and techniques. I am hoping to produce a professional and effective library app for Kingston University. I will take this learning experience as an opportunity to explore the latest standards and approaches towards developing effective mobile applications. I am planning to implement extra functionalities that are not already available in other mobile apps such as adding credit to library card, though the security in mobile devices is questionable. Technologies and Resources Android software comes with an operating system, a middleware and key applications. It is a multi user Linux system in which each application is treated as a different user. The platform uses Java programming language. Android 2.3 is the latest version of Android operating system for Smartphone which will be used in developing my application. Android Architecture Following are the major development tools required: Sunà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Java Development Kit Eclipse IDE Android Software Development Kit The Android Developer tool (ADT) Plug-in for Eclipse The Android emulator can be used to debug applications but latest Android phones such as Samsung Galaxy S || which uses Android 2.3 can be used to run the application in a real time environment. Kingston Universityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s current library system uses Aquabrowser by Serial Solutions which has a user friendly interface and a feature rich environment. It will be a challenge to implement all the features of Aquabrowser for a mobile device. So at this point I am concentrating on the basic library operations. During the project analysis phase, SWOT analysis will be executed to get a better understanding of the industry. A requirements analysis will be carried out to specify the functional and non-functional requirements. UML diagram is also very useful in plotting the activity and sequence diagrams so is the Use Case analysis. I will be adopting Agile software development approach to execute my project which involves iterations that are of short time frames. Project Planning A project plan has been developed using Gantt chart by breaking the project in to small manageable processes for the smooth operation. The duration allocated for each steps reflect the effort and skills needed, allocating maximum duration for implementation. Project Management Gantt Chart Tasks Start Date Duration End Date Project Proposal 01/02/2011 30 03/03/2011 Analysis 01/03/2011 32 02/04/2011 Design 02/04/2011 31 03/05/2011 Interim Report 20/06/2011 10 30/06/2011 Poster Presentation 24/06/2011 10 04/07/2011 Implementation 03/05/2011 83 25/07/2011 Evaluation 25/07/2011 21 15/08/2011 Documentation 15/08/2011 31 15/09/2011 Submission 15/09/2011 7 22/09/2011 Risk Assessment and Evaluation The major risks involved in this process that will make the project to fall behind schedule will be lack of development knowledge, hardware failure, and requirements modifications. I have developed an action plan to minimise these risks and any unforeseen circumstances not to affect the project deadline. Risks Action Requirements modifications Update the requirements and continue Conflict in requirements Update the requirements and continue Hardware failure Always back up, Locate alternatives Competitors new releases Propose something different Flaws in schedule Edit and update the schedule Lagging behind schedule Always keep a diary to note activities Poor productivity Update skills and allocate more time

Biomechanics of Tyrannosaurus Rex :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Biomechanics of Tyrannosaurus Rex Do you remember sitting in the movie theatre as an 8 year old child watching Jurassic Park? The continuous action left your bones chilled and your frail youthful body stuck to the seat. But you couldn’t get enough of this movie because you knew that it was a privilege for you to see a rated R flick. But just when you thought that you could take no more, enormous Tyrannosaurus Rex flooded the screen running after a jeep going at least 50 miles per hour. The problem wasn’t that T-Rex looked fearsome but it was that he outran the jeep. In your mind you wondered how such an extremely large animal could move like the wind but you decided not to question it. As a kid you knew that a T-Rex couldn’t move that swift but just recently the scientific world began to catch on. Scientists have come to some very valuable conclusions through the study of biomechanics. Biomechanics is the application of the principles of mechanics to living systems, particularly those living systems that have coordinated actions. Unlike claims, dinosaurs can be analyzed through biomechanics because they move systematically. But the question still remains could Tyrannosaurus Rex run as fast as they say? Many people have attempted to answer this question, only few have come to a valid conclusion. The most famous study on the biomechanics of T-Rex was by Hutchison and Garcia. They discussed whether or not the short-armed T-Rex could run very fast considering its massive size. Through this hypothesis a model was created. The model designed by Hutchinson and Garcia used physics and biological equations to calculate the amount of leg muscle an animal needs to remain balanced during fast running. While running at great speeds an animal pushes against the ground in order to support itself. This also means that the animal exerts force proportional to its weight every time its foot hits the ground. As a result, the ground pushes back upwards on the leg with a vertical force. That vertical force, called a ground reaction force, is about 2.5 times body weight during fast running. Hutchinson and Garcia's model calculates the ground reaction force along with other necessary factors such as the length of limbs and stance to determine the amount of muscle mass that would be needed to maintain equilibrium. Biomechanics of Tyrannosaurus Rex :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers Biomechanics of Tyrannosaurus Rex Do you remember sitting in the movie theatre as an 8 year old child watching Jurassic Park? The continuous action left your bones chilled and your frail youthful body stuck to the seat. But you couldn’t get enough of this movie because you knew that it was a privilege for you to see a rated R flick. But just when you thought that you could take no more, enormous Tyrannosaurus Rex flooded the screen running after a jeep going at least 50 miles per hour. The problem wasn’t that T-Rex looked fearsome but it was that he outran the jeep. In your mind you wondered how such an extremely large animal could move like the wind but you decided not to question it. As a kid you knew that a T-Rex couldn’t move that swift but just recently the scientific world began to catch on. Scientists have come to some very valuable conclusions through the study of biomechanics. Biomechanics is the application of the principles of mechanics to living systems, particularly those living systems that have coordinated actions. Unlike claims, dinosaurs can be analyzed through biomechanics because they move systematically. But the question still remains could Tyrannosaurus Rex run as fast as they say? Many people have attempted to answer this question, only few have come to a valid conclusion. The most famous study on the biomechanics of T-Rex was by Hutchison and Garcia. They discussed whether or not the short-armed T-Rex could run very fast considering its massive size. Through this hypothesis a model was created. The model designed by Hutchinson and Garcia used physics and biological equations to calculate the amount of leg muscle an animal needs to remain balanced during fast running. While running at great speeds an animal pushes against the ground in order to support itself. This also means that the animal exerts force proportional to its weight every time its foot hits the ground. As a result, the ground pushes back upwards on the leg with a vertical force. That vertical force, called a ground reaction force, is about 2.5 times body weight during fast running. Hutchinson and Garcia's model calculates the ground reaction force along with other necessary factors such as the length of limbs and stance to determine the amount of muscle mass that would be needed to maintain equilibrium.

Women in the Work Force- 1960s Essay -- Essays Papers

Women in the Work Force- 1960s The 1960s were a time of social and political identification for American women. Despite the victory of voting rights, women still experienced discrimination in daily life. With the current millenium drawing to a close, women today still express concern of unequal treatment. It is important to glance backwards in history and remember the struggles that our mothers and grandmothers experienced. Thanks to the women of the past, women of the present are able to participate in politics and receive equal pay for equal jobs. The struggle continues, but we conquer more discrimination every year. It has always been a popular misconception that women are the weaker sex.1 This idea leads to the opinion that women can not possibly perform the same job requirements as men. Why should a woman seek further education when she cannot handle a job physically and psychologically in the male work force? A woman who does decide to work out of the home could not expect to earn as much as her male counterpart since she can not do the job nearly as well. History paints the picture of women staying home as homemakers where they belong. We see the ideal woman as June Cleaver from the TV sitcom Leave it to Beaver. A feminist author Betty Friedan wrote a best-selling book arguing that magazines, advertisements, educators, and social scientists portray women as happy as housewives.2The Feminine Mystique explained this portrayal of the trapped women into a life of raising children, taking care of the home, and giving no chance labor outside the home. Despite the expectation of women as homemakers, women broke free. They wanted to take more active roles in politics, society, and the work force. One arena of support cam... ... Jovanovich, 1987) p.236. 4 John Winters, Jr., http://nimbus.ocis.temple.edu/~rkarras/winters2.htm, Representation of Women in the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement. 5 See Robert L. Daniel, p.263. 6 See Robert L. Daniel, p.264. 7 See Robert L. Daniel, p.264. 8 See Robert L. Daniel, p.276. 9 See Robert L. Daniel, p.277. 10 See Robert L. Daniel, p.277. 11 See Robert L. Daniel, p.277. 12 See Robert L. Daniel, p.257. 13 See Robert L. Daniel, p.257. 14 See Robert L. Daniel, p.258. 15 See Robert L. Daniel, p.258. - Gabin, Nancy F. Feminism in the Labor Movement: Women and the United Auto Workers, 1935-1975. London: Cornell University Press, 1990. - Spain, Daphne and Suzanne M. Bianchi. Balancing Act: Motherhood, Marriage, and Employment among American Women. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1996.

Management Style Essay

Management style is the method of leadership that an administrator usually employs when running a business. Depending on business situation, a manager might need to employ more than one management style in a more or less formal way to accomplish the highest degree of effectiveness In their role. A range of management styles exist, such as active leadership, democratic leadership, directive leadership, paternalistic leadership, participatory leadership, servant leadership, and task-oriented leadership. Active leaders tend to lead by example and set a high standard for themselves and their employees. They wouldn’t ask an employee to take on a task they would be reluctant to do themselves. Democratic leaders seek to take all stakeholders’ opinion into account and achieve consensus before reaching a final decision. Although directive leaders are less authoritative than autocratic managers, they do not typically seek employees input. They often cite a short timeframe, and unpredictable client or an emergency situation as the reason for acting unilaterally. Participatory leaders are based on a coaching philosophy and focuses on empowering employees to seek their own knowledge and make their own decisions. It can be very effective in fluid work environments with shifting priorities. Servant leaders are based on a â€Å"people-come-first† philosophy. This style is about finding the most talented people to fun your organization and then empowering them to do what they do best. Paternalistic leaders are also similar to autocratic managers, except more sensitive to employees’ perspective. Managers who embrace this style are concerned with employees’ feeling and wellbeing. Task-oriented leaders may have once been project managers. They are experts in planning projects, allocating resources, assigning roles, setting benchmarks and keeping to strict deadlines. Management is about getting things done. Leadership is about achieving goals by creating a direction for a business and inspiring employees to take initiative and make the right decision.

Hip-Hop and R&B Essay

It is safe to say that expressing oneself is exerted differently amongst individuals and forms, and in many cases an art is created. The list of different art forms, artists, art-type etc. extends, and a popular art form on this list includes music. Music is a category in relation to art, but also contains many categories within itself. It is a broad subject that connects from: Country, Pop, Gospel, Opera, Hip-Hop, Rap, Tech, R&B etc. I am an individual who sees the beauty and greatness in all music, but happens to be passionate about two particular genres previously listed. R&B and Hip-Hop are two genres of music that are capable of dissection into small details, separating their differences and similarities. When I listen to and/or observe these two genres, I tend to notice certain contrasts and comparisons. The two music genres, Hip-Hop and R&B, share many similarities and differences especially involving the formatting, lyricism, and tone and/or melodies. Hip-Hop and R&B songs are both constructed with different instrumentals, but sometimes vary in style. R&B songs tend to portray more of a relaxed, sensual feel, whereas Hip-Hop songs are more for dancing actively. Two of my favorite R&B and Hip-Hop songs at the moment, â€Å"Paint This House† and â€Å"Senile†, exemplify this. In these songs, like many others, certain keys are used promoting a base sound. Base appears often in Hip-Hip songs, and is usually recognized by its distinct sound in relation to a â€Å"boom† noise. Parties and clubs show how this sound incorporated with music affects people. Along with the crowd, the Hip-Hop songs’ instrumentals, inclusive of a base, makes people want to dance; as also, the case with me. The instrumental also plays a role in the vocalization of a song, leading to an artist’s approach to the song. When I hear certain R&B beats, I automatically think of how I would sing on it and lyrics. The simple formation of the instrumental affects my mindset and mood, leading to sadness, anger, or happiness etc. related lyricism. The occurrence of these emotions in songs could also display its genre. Various artists belonging to these groups outline their songs based on their  genre. The artist’s genre affects the song’s lyricism with the two genres’ different purposes. There have been countless times that I have altered the way I sing or rap a song, because of its genre amplifying or altering my mood. A television show I watched one time, broadcasted an interview with the R&B artist Brandy; an interview in which Brandy exemplified how the instrumental she received, moved her and in a sense, her voice. Most Hip-Hop artists’ songs differ in lyricism from R&B songs, to appeal to different audiences. Some people only enjoy certain types of music, leaving the void filled by artists that make such songs. Certain vocalization could also prove to attract people, like high-pitched vocals on songs. With the exception of a rapper on an R&B song, singers display more vocal-play on songs. With the melodies singers create, R&B songs differ from Hip-Hop songs; though Hip-Hop artists sometimes create melodies without always singing. Pop and rap songs played on the radio today provide examples of a method of singing, without having to actually sing much; this method is known as Auto-tune, which makes a computerized noise. A singer can also create a Hip-Hop song, though Hip-Hop songs are usually rap-oriented. Different R&B artists have experimented with rap in their music, reciting rap-influenced lyrics with a melody. Various cases even show how singers use Hip-Hop instrumentals at times, but sing personal, self-written, or unrelated lyrics. I have covered songs with friends in which I sang and was at an advantage on certain vocal parts, seeing as how I naturally sing. This ability allows me to alter songs in a different way, including Hip-Hop songs. ​Music is one factor possessing the ability of creation through countless amount of ways. A slight noise could trigger my instinct to create a melodic beat from it, and sing random lyrics. This effect is not only the case with me, but many musical geniuses existing today or previously. Music serves as a stress-reliever, escape etc. so it ultimately affects the production of a song. It is these changes in the formation, that leads to noticeable similarities and differences of a song. The music genres, Hip-Hop and R&B, play a major role in society differentiating whilst also relating; this, in terms of different factors shaping the production of a song. To make a song,  many aspects could be assessed connecting from choice of words, beat etc. These particular aspects are the main ones I pay attention to when listening to music, providing a platform in which to compare and/or contrast in many ways.