Materials of Logistics in Management Essay Example for Free

Materials of Logistics in Management Essay The efficiency of any manufacturing organisation depends on the availability of component parts and materials in the proper quantity, quality, price, range and time. Failure in any of these areas increases costs and decreases profit as certainly as outmoded production methods or ineffective selling techniques. This simple but obvious point has only recently come to be properly understood. This book presents the principles, methods and strategies that represent the modern approach to materials management in all sectors of the economy. In analysing business operations, the phrase Value-added concept1 is often used to characterise the difference between the cost of component materials and the selling price of the finished product. This difference in value represents the unique contribution of each organisation to the production process. Many companies produce component parts and materials for other firms manufacturing specialised products Remanded by the customers. On an average, a manufacturing firm buys slightly more than half of the rupee value of its sales. In other words, the value added is typically less than 50 per cent of its sales. Conversely, the average company purchases materials valued at more than half of what it sells. Therefore, a firms profit is to a large extent determined by how effectively it procures and manages these materials. The organisational approach known as materials management has gained validity in recent years. Production and operations managers found it necessary to develop an organised body of knowledge related to planning, acquisition and utilisation of materials in the process of production and it has resulted in the discipline known as mate-rials management. All activities involved in bringing materials into and through the plant are combined under one head known as materials manager. By giving the materials manager overall authority, responsibility is centralised to assure that the overall cost of materials is kept at the lowest possible level. The basic rationale for this organisational change is to overcome the problems of conflicting objectives. For cample, purchase departments concern to ensure continuous supply of component materials may conflict with he inventory control departments objective to minimise inventory levels or the objective of shipping in full car load lots. Today organisations view procurement as a professional activity including activities involved in obtaining materials at minimum cost, transporting them and providing storage and moving toward the production process. It also includes economic analysis of supply (i. e. , purchase economics), demand and prices and the assessment of international events that affect materials. * evolution of materials management Historically, the five ‘M’s of manufacturing firms viz. Men, Materials, Machines, Money and Methods have shifted their positions from time to time in their relative importance. In the early days of industrialization, the focus was on men (labour) as they were the main source of productive power. Over a period of time, the emphasis shifted towards machines, which became the main source of industrial power after the Industrial Revolution. As the methods of production became more and more complex due to the increased customer demand for sophisticated products of high quality, there was greater need of efficient management to manage the complex production systems. In the early 1920s, purchasing and maintaining stock of materials was the responsibility of purchasing managers or chief controllers of purchasing and stores in many industries. During and immediately after World War II the focus shifted on various functions associated with materials such as purchasing, receiving, inspecting, storing, preserving, handling, issuing, accounting, transporting and disposing surplus and obsolete materials. These functions grouped under one common head known as materials manager and the department responsible for all these activities came to be known as materials management department. But the head of materials management department performed a staff function to support the production department and had to report to the production head (director of production) in the organizational hierarchy. The oil crisis of the 1970s changed the priorities of industries all over the world. The exorbitant hike in oil prices and the heavy budget allocations on oil made the industries to control their expenditure on the inputs, mainly materials of all kinds because of the large scope to reduce the expenses on materials. Since the beginning of 20th century, materials have been getting more and more attention and will continue to do so in the future also. Now a days material has* become an important and inevitable input of a production system since the cost of materials and cost on materials (cost incurred in purchasing and storing the materials) put together account for 50 to 85% of the production cost depending on the nature of the product and the type of the production system. Modern manufacturing organisations adopted systems approach to management, which resulted in the integrated materials management concept. All functions related to materials such as materials planning, purchasing, storing and inventory control were integrated under materials management function. The position of the head of the integrated materials management department was elevated to be on par with heads of other functional areas viz. production, finance and human resources. * importance of materials in manufacturing organisations Materials are any commodities used directly or indirectly in producing a product or service such as raw materials, component parts, assemblies and supplies. In the manufacturing organisations, the important inputs are referred to as 5 Ms viz. Men (Labour), Machines, Money, Materials and Methods. The relative importance among these five Ms have shifted from time to time. In the beginning of industrialisation the focus was on machines, men (labour) and methods, but from around 1970 onwards the emphasis is on materials. Material is an important and inevitable input gi J production system since the cost of materials and cost on materials (cost incurred in purchasing and storing the materials) put together account for 50 to 85* of the production cost depending on the nature of the product and the type of the production system * importance of materials management Management of materials in most organisations is crucial to their success because the cost of purchasing, storing, moving and shipping materials account for over half of the products cost. Improving productivity is a crucial factor in facing the challenge of competition and this involves driving down the cost of all aspects of business activities. Since there is maximum scope of cost reduction in the area of materials, doing the job of efficient and effective management of materials is seen as the key to higher productivity.

The Symlar San Fernando Valley Earthquake of 1971 :: Seismology natural disaster

Earthquakes are best described as a shaking or vibration of the ground caused by breaking of rock. Sometimes they are very strong and other times you would hardly notice them. This shaking occurs when stress that builds up in the crust is suddenly released as the crust breaks free and/or slides against the other pieces of crust. Earthquakes may also be thought of as the breaking of a popsicle stick by applying pressure to both ends at the same time. Should you try this experiment , you will feel the pressure build up as you apply more force until the stick snaps. When the stick snaps you will feel an instant of pain at your fingers as the stress reduces and energy waves move throughout the stick. When the earth's crust is placed under similar types of stress, binding as the stress builds, it will also snap and release the energy into the surrounding rocks, 'ooch'. Thinking about earthquakes will become more clear if you try another experiment. Experiment Find two regular red bricks, or any color will do. Place them on the table side-by-side touching each other. Now push them together with a little bit of force and slide one past the other while applying the force. You will find that they do not slide past each other very easily while applying a force to push them together. As you manage to force the bricks past each other, you may notice by feeling and hearing a vibration and a jerking type of movement. You have simulated an earthquake . Now set a small toy , a rubber eraser, a coin or other item on each of the bricks and do the experiment again. You can see that the objects bounce, fall and move about as the bricks slide past each other. Taadaa! You have created an earthquake in the toy world! Now place one of the bricks one on top of the other. Put some toys on top of the upper brick and slide the top brick across the bottom brick. This is called a 'thrust' fault when one piece of crust slides over top of the other. This is much mo re like what happened during the Sylmar earthquake. Are the toys O.K.? Unfortunately, this is what happens in the real world too. Real Life The vibration and jerky movements cause things to fall, bounce around and sometimes break.

Boundaries in a dual relationship Essay

What does it mean to have boundaries in a relationship? In the profession of counseling, there is a code of ethics that guides counseling in standards that are required. The code of ethics is designed by The American Counseling Association to protect and serve clients and counselors. Boundaries can include small things such as gifts, outside of the office meeting, eating lunch, and of course physical touch, sexual relations and personally networking socially. A dual relationship can be defined as both therapeutic and personal when it comes to the relationships that occur between counselor and client (Pearson, B & Piazza N). Although they are relatively easy to define, it can be considered difficult when legality and ethics are involved. In order to integrate certain criteria into an ethical decision-making model, one must first understand what is ethically appropriate in the world of counseling. Nearly most of the common types of dual relationships exist because there is a lack of ju dgment on the professional side (AASCB American Association of Studies Counseling). By integrating an ethical decision-making model, both counselors and clients can grasp on the indication of whether dual relationships are ethical and/or appropriate. Information-Gathering is a valuable and reliable source for a first step in decision making model. Counselors need to understanding that all of the facts, data, scientific insights, laws and reliable information is imperative and needs to be put together in the right way before making any assumptions. Determining the nature and dimensions of the dilemma can lead to an ethical decision making resolution. Ethical decisions; even those decisions that may be small, having a clear conceptual clarity in regards to what the boundaries are for a client and a counselor is imperative. In the ACA Code of Ethics, if counselors extend boundaries such as going to a client’s graduation or wedding then it must be officially documented in writing before the event that added the rationale for such an interaction. The ACA code of Ethics is a document by which professionals in the world of Counseling used for determining standards and laws. For example if a counselor finds out that her daughter was dating the son of a marriage couple she is counseling in her group sessions. With this kind of case the complexity of issues around dual relationships is not exactly clear. The first step in this case should be to consult with a supervisor. The relationship between the daughter and son is meaningless in the long run.

American Economy During World War II Essay

Prior to its entry in the Second World War, the United States asumed an isolationist (neutral) stance by the 1930’s even though the threat of war was looming over Europe and Asia with the rise of militarism when democracies in these regions failed to address the economic problems they were having which were similar to the US. Through the efforts of President Franklin D. Roosvelt, the US took a more â€Å"democratic† approach in addressing the socio-economic problems created by the Great Depression called the New Deal and this saw the American economy gradually recovering and the confidence and self-esteem of individual citizens returning. When the US entered World War II following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, America committed itself to â€Å"total war. † The entire nation was mobilized but it was not merely limited to raising an armed force and preparing it for combat, it was getting every sector of American society involved. Even those who did not serve in the military had significant roles to play, especially in the economic aspect of the war. Rationing became the norm as food production and resources had to be redirected to support America’s fighting forces. This was in line with an aphorism alluded to Napoleon that an army travels on its stomach (cited in Murray & Millet, 2000). Despite the rationing, the home front did not suffer considerably from food shortage compared to those in the occupied countries of Europe or Asia where German and Japanese forces would confiscate their foodstuffs and commodities to feed their own people and sustain their war effort. Nevertheless, it showed that these nations too were exceeding their requirements and were resorting to pilfering the resources of the occupied territories, depriving the local inhabitants of their needs and causing deaths from starvation in these countries. American farmers were able to exceed their expectations by producing considerably higher outputs following the end of the First World War. They were to produce huge volumes of foodstuffs that American forces overseas were amply fed and had plenty to share to their allies. It was because of this that the United States became known as the â€Å"Granary of Democracy. † (Murray and Millet, 2000, 530) America was also known as the â€Å"Arsenal of Democracy. † Even before the start of the war, the United States was already rearming as there was already cooperation between government and industry. Despite the isolationist stance and commitment to peace, there was still that commitment to develop and employ new weapons to keep pace with the changing times and not become stagnant or their weapons obsolete. America’s entry into the war, the transition of its industries to war production was smooth, owing the to relationship between the government and businesses. Not only was it able to amply supply their armed forces, they had surplus material that they distributed to their allies as well (Murray & Millett, 2000, 533). Contrary to what others thought, that women took over the factories when all the men left to fight the war; not all able-bodied men were called up to serve in the military. There were a considerable number of them kept to sustain the production of the industries as they churned out war machines for use by their fighting forces. The government ensured there was balanced distribution of able-bodied males in the workforce so as not to completely cripple their economy as opposed to the Axis nations that committed its able-bodied men to fight, leaving women and the less-abled to manage their economies (Murray & Millett, 2000, 544-545). In conclusion, the economy of the United States was prepared for wartime production mode. They were aware of the growing threats the world was facing and prepared accordingly. Ironically, the war solved the problems caused by the Great Depression by providing people much-needed jobs and made them productive again. America’s strategic grographic location of being bordered by two great oceans shielded it from the ravages of war which prevented it from reaching its shores. The shift to a wartime economy also underscored the commitment of the American people in fighting for a just cause. They believed that their cause was just and fully committed themselves to it regardless of their role from paying one’s taxes to working continuously in the factories. One did not have to serve in the military to prove their patriotism and commitment to the war and the people on the home front demonstrated it and it can be seen that their contribution of keeping America’s fighting forces fed and supplied with everything the need to fight was instrumental to final victory. Reference Murray, W. & Millett, A. R. (2000). A War to be Won: Fighting the Second World War. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.

Free Essays on Man And Aviation

Man and Flight Man’s dream of flying has been apparent almost as long as mankind himself. However, the concept of an aircraft has only been around for approximately two hundred years. Before this time, man tried to fulfill this dream by mimicking the birds. They first built machines called ornithopters to utilize mans own power to propel himself through the air. It did not take long for the inventors to realize that this concept was not practical for human flight. It took about twenty more years for technology to catch up. Beginning around 1783, a few aeronauts, as they were known, made daring uncontrolled flights in â€Å"lighter-than-air† balloons, but it was soon realized that this was not a practical way to fly either. It wasn’t until the early nineteenth century that Sir George Cayley designed the first true fixed wing flying machine. His design used a kite mounted to a stick with a moveable tail and rows of flappers under the wings for thrust. Cayley’s craft however, still did not utilize the principle of engine propulsion. In 1900, a man named of Gustave Whitehead had been building and flying gliders for the Boston Aeronautical Society when he decided to start experimenting with a flying machine of his own. His design, which had foldable wings and a motor, took roughly a year and a half to construct. Although highly controversial, Whitehead claimed that on August 14, 1901 he piloted the world’s first motorized flight, which was approximately two years before the Wright Brothers infamous flight in Kitty Hawk. On this day, Whitehead had a series of four flights the longest was said to cover one and a half miles at an altitude of two hundred feet. These notable claims remain in question to this day due to fact that Whitehead failed to record flight attempts and successes throughout his experiments. The only data for any of his experiments are estimates of witnesses who were present at the flights. (Gustave Whitehe... Free Essays on Man And Aviation Free Essays on Man And Aviation Man and Flight Man’s dream of flying has been apparent almost as long as mankind himself. However, the concept of an aircraft has only been around for approximately two hundred years. Before this time, man tried to fulfill this dream by mimicking the birds. They first built machines called ornithopters to utilize mans own power to propel himself through the air. It did not take long for the inventors to realize that this concept was not practical for human flight. It took about twenty more years for technology to catch up. Beginning around 1783, a few aeronauts, as they were known, made daring uncontrolled flights in â€Å"lighter-than-air† balloons, but it was soon realized that this was not a practical way to fly either. It wasn’t until the early nineteenth century that Sir George Cayley designed the first true fixed wing flying machine. His design used a kite mounted to a stick with a moveable tail and rows of flappers under the wings for thrust. Cayley’s craft however, still did not utilize the principle of engine propulsion. In 1900, a man named of Gustave Whitehead had been building and flying gliders for the Boston Aeronautical Society when he decided to start experimenting with a flying machine of his own. His design, which had foldable wings and a motor, took roughly a year and a half to construct. Although highly controversial, Whitehead claimed that on August 14, 1901 he piloted the world’s first motorized flight, which was approximately two years before the Wright Brothers infamous flight in Kitty Hawk. On this day, Whitehead had a series of four flights the longest was said to cover one and a half miles at an altitude of two hundred feet. These notable claims remain in question to this day due to fact that Whitehead failed to record flight attempts and successes throughout his experiments. The only data for any of his experiments are estimates of witnesses who were present at the flights. (Gustave Whitehe...

Compare and contrast your expectations of college to the reality you Essay

Compare and contrast your expectations of college to the reality you have expierenced..describe both imagined and real expierenc - Essay Example University life is not just challenging and full of responsibilities expected to be completed on time but also presents an interesting social life to every student. One can meet a lot of people whom he/she could get along with, not to mention, learn from, not only with regards scholastic related topics but those that help widen an individual’s foresight as well. This information learned from outside the four walls of the classroom sometimes are even more valuable because they teach practical lessons, first hand experiences that open someone’s understanding to another level. As expected, papers and a lot of reading are parts of a student’s everyday life so that this did not present any problem but has actually encouraged this writer to be ready to whatever should be expected from the modern American student. It sure makes a person wholly developed when he accepts the challenges of university life because the mind is not the only aspect improved but includes the so cial, psychological and even physical aspect with the various activities opened to all students regardless of race or sex.

World Hunger Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

World Hunger - Research Paper Example It should be noted that most of the countries are spending huge amounts of money for conducting wars whereas their expenditure for wiping off hunger from their soil remains relatively low. Many people have the false belief that hunger is a problem only in developing and underdeveloped world whereas it is not a problem in developed countries such as United Sates. According to Usborne (2008), â€Å"28 million people in the US will be using government food stamps to buy essential groceries in the fiscal year 2008, the highest level since the food assistance program was introduced in the 1960s† (Usborne). Some people believe that United States is responsible for world hunger whereas many others are of the view that it is illogical to blame America alone for the world hunger. This paper analyses various reasons of world hunger and the role of America in contributing to world hunger. The main argument against America with respect to world hunger is that America is spending too much money for defense purpose and conducting wars. The current war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan is causing huge poverty and food deficiency not only in the victim countries, but also in America as well. Being the only superpower in the world at present, America definitely has a huge role to play in eradicating world hunger. America has a decisive control over global economic and political matters. No other country enjoys the same power over global matters as America does. Even half of the amount spent for conducting war on terror can be enough for eradicating world hunger. It should be noted that America has a major role in the allocation of financial aids to poor countries from international bodies such as World Bank, IMF etc. Shah (2009) has pointed out that â€Å"being a major player of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, US actions can be felt around the world (Shah). However, United Sates is more interested in providing assistance to their allies and majority of t heir policies with respect to the dispersion of aids from international bodies are politically motivated. According to LaFollette, (2003) â€Å"decisions taken at one part of the world have economic ripples elsewhere† (LaFollette). In the current globalized world, the argument of LaFollette seems to be more relevant. It should be noted that the recent American economic crisis has been affected many other countries in different continents. Same way American policies and activities can cause severe problems to other countries, especially to the poor countries. In that respect also, one can argue that America is contributing heavily to global hunger or world hunger. Somali pirates believe that America like developed countries are dumping toxic wastes near their coastal region and destroying their marine wealth. As a result of that, poverty in Somalia and other African countries are increasing day by day since their major revenue sources is destroyed by America like countries. â €Å"Reports suggest that illegal fishing and dumping have disrupted Somalia’s coastal economy. Recent estimates by the United Nations suggest that Somalia may lose $95 million annually to illegal fishing† (Ploch et al, 2011, p.9). America on the other hand argues that they are not responsible for world hunger. They cite examples from Africa in order to substantiate their arguments. African countries are the worst, as far as world hunger in concerned. Majority of these countries do not have good governance and the autocratic administrators in this region are more interested in safeguarding their interests rather than safeguarding the interests of the