Purchasing and supplies Essay

Purchasing can be traced as far back as 2800 BC in cuneiform clay tablets purchasing orders. Curiously only during the past two countries has purchasing been addressed in trade books and text books. In 1832 Charles Babbage addressed purchasing in his book â€Å"On the Economy, Machinery and Manufacturing† The first book devoted specifically to purchasing, â€Å"The Handling of Railway Supplies: The Purchase and Disposition† published in 1887 was authored by Marshall M. Kirkman. The first college textbook on purchasing was authorized by Howard T. Lewis of Harvard University in 1933. Although interest of purchasing and supply function has been a phenomenon in the 20th, it was recognized as independent and importing function well before 1900. Growth of interest and attention to purchasing was rather uneven in the early 1900’s but by 1915, several books on purchase had appeared and several articles had been published in trade press primarily in the engineering journals. Yet prior to World War I (1914-1918) most firms regarded the purchase function primarily as a clerical activity. However during the world war, the ability to obtain raw materials supplies ad services needed to keep the factories and mines operating were the 3 key determinates of organizational success. Attention was given to the organization policies and procedures for purchase functions, and so it emerged as a recognized management activity. Historically since management interest has focused on research and development, marketing, finance and operations, purchasing has frequently been subordinated to these functions. Mangers are however becoming aware impact on the bottom line that does any other functions. It is with such insights the purchasing has evolved and evolves through the following four stages. Passive stage- Purchasing function has no strategic direction and primarily reacts to the requests of other functions, This stage is characterized by: a) High proportion and individual communications due to purchasing low visibility b) Supplier selections based on price and availability. Independent stage- Purchasing functions adopts the latest purchasing techniques and processes, but its strategic direction is independent of the firms competitive strategic. In this stage; a) Performance is based primary on cost reduction and efficiency measures. b) Coordination links are established between purchasing and technical discipline. c) Top management recognizes the importance of professional development. d) Top management recognizes the opportunities in purchasing for contribution to profitability Supportive- Purchasing function support the firm’s competitive strategy by adoption purchasing techniques and products which strengthens the firm’s competitive position In this stage; a) Purchase is included in sales proposal teams. b) Suppliers are considered a resource with emphases on experience motivation and attitude. c) Market product and suppliers are continuously monitored and analyzed. iv) Integrative stage- Purchasing strategy is fully integrated into the firm’s competitive strategy and constitutes part of an integrated effort among peers to formulate and implement a strategic plan. In this stage; a) Cross-functional training of purchasing professionals executive is made available b) Permanent lines of communication are established among other functional areas. c) Professional development focuses on strategic elements of the competitive strategy d) Purchasing performance is measures in terms of contributions to the firm’s success 1.3 The Role of the Purchasing Department The purchasing department is expected by the management to fulfill the following five rights Right Time Right Price These rights are also referred to as the principles of purchasing. In order to undertake these rights the purchasing department delineates the following as in roles;   To support company operations with an uninterrupted flow of materials and services. ii)To buy competitively- Keep abreast of the forces of demand and supply that regulate prices and material availability on the market; understanding suppliers cost structure and ability to help reduce it further; price negotiation to help reach a fair price. To buy wisely- Continual search for better vales that yield the best combination of quality service and price; reconciling users needs with suppliers capabilities by use of cross functional teams; To keep inventory investment and inventory losses at a practical minimum. To develop good relationship with suppliers community and good Continuing relationship with active suppliers- good relationship with potential suppliers is invaluable. To achieve maximum integration with other departments of the firmUnderstanding major needs of user departments and provide such support as; standardization of programmes, future price forecasting, make or buy analysis and providing a repository of information and data from suppliers. To handle the purchasing and supply management function proactively and in a professional cost effective manner- Continual analysis of activities to eliminate those that only marginally contribute to the effectiveness of the organization and establishing policies and procedures that achieve departments objectives in the most cost effective manner 1.4 The Contribution of Purchasing Department to the Overall Firm’s Performance As a function, purchasing is common to all types of business operations. The purchasing department however is an organizational unit of a firm whose duties may include responsibility for part or all of the purchasing function and additional activities as well. As a matter of fact, the purchasing function is usually performed most effectively and efficiently by a centralized unit made of buying specialist who a time may work in conjunction with a more comprehensive cross-functional team of specialists. Prior to the 1950, the purchasing department was a clerically oriented order placing unit. In the ensuing years however, managerial emphasis has focused on specialization of individual buying activities, professionalism and contribution to the firm’s profit. This emphasis by the management on the purchasing department has been borne out to of the realization of the profit potential of purchasing as a function. Every shilling saved in purchasing is equivalent to a new shilling in profit. The profit margin of a firm is usually given as.

European Gothic Sculpture

â€Å"Name and discuss in detail two Gothic sculptures making references to the period in which they were produced, them, composition and style. Discuss briefly the role of a sculpture in a named Cathedral from the Gothic Period. † The word â€Å"Gothic† was given to the style of architecture that evolved between 1150 and 1499 in Europe. It was invented by the Renaissance historians and artists to express their negative attitude to an art they thought was barbaric. Gothic culture was urban based unlike Romanesque culture which was, for the most part, rural based.Cathedrals became retreat centers for education and political power during the Gothic period. Initially, it was slow to spread throughout Europe but it lasted for a long time. The Gothic style evolved through three distinct phases; The early or Archaic phase which retained a lot of Romanesque features such as heaviness and solidity, the middle phase which captured Gothic features and characteristics in perfect h armony and the Flamboyant phase where the features were wholly gothic and the cathedrals were mainly skeletal structures made mainly with glass.The sculptures I will discuss from the Gothic period are the Well of Moses and the tomb of Philip the Bold, both sculpted by Claus Cluster. The hexagonal â€Å"Well Of Moses†, which is now lacking the crucifixion scene it originally possessed, presents six life-sized prophets holding books, scrolls or both. The theme is that o sadness and deeper as the hexagonal base is surrounded by the figures of the six prophets who had foreseen the death of Christ on the Cross. Standing on slender colonnades on the corners between these prophets are six weeping angels.The figures, beginning with Moses, continue anti-clockwise around n subculture to David, Jeremiah, Escherichia, Daniel vigorously points to his prophecy. On the other side of Daniel, serving to balance Daniels passionate temperament, is the calm and reflective, Isaiah. This Juxtaposi tion defines Cluster's use of alternating naturalistic balances. The head and torso fragment of Christ from the Calvary reveals a power and intensity of retained expression that conveys overwhelming grandeur.Christ is portrayed as suffering and being resigned, this is epitomizes by the fact that his brow is knitted, though the lower part of his face, narrow and emancipated, is alma and free of stress. In my opinion, Moses is the most accomplished figure in this sculpture as the detail in his beard is outstanding on Cluster's behalf. He is depicted as powerful being as a result of the barely noticeable pair of horns on his forehead. The detail in his face has also been beautifully executed.The figures of the composition dominate the architectural framework but also reinforce the feeling of support that the structure provides through the figures' largeness of movement. It is unfortunate that this sculpture was damaged by weathering as a result of being coated outside and then again da maged in the 17th Century during the French Revolution as it is an extraordinary piece of work. The Tomb of Philip the Bold is located at the Dijon Cathedral in France. It was made by Claus Cluster and Claus De Were, Cluster's nephew, and commissioned by Jean De Marvel.It is an example of Cluster's latest preserved work. Jean De Marvel was only responsible for the arcaded gallery below the slab of black marble from Dianna. The theme of this sculpture is one of sorrow and death as it was created to hold the body of Duke Philip when he died. The tomb itself was not ready when Duke Philip died in 1404 and it was rather the Duke's son, Duke John the Fearless, who resides in it today. There are forty figures, each about 41 CM, that make up the mourning procession. These were either designed or executed by Cluster himself.Not all of these figures are still with the tomb, however. Three are lost, three are in the Cleveland Museum of Art and one is in a French Private Collection. These figu res are all unique as although Cluster did not invent the mourning procession, nor did he like it, he conceived some of the figures as weepers, of whom no two are alike. Some openly express sorrow while other contain their grief. However all are wrapped in heavy wool, draping garments that occasionally veil a bowed head and face to convey a hidden mourning.The style is wholly gothic and intricate as the folds in the garments of the mourners are meticulously sculpted and one could mistake them easily for being real. One of the few structures to survive the Gothic period was that of Chartres Cathedral and the Royal Portal which was integrated into the design of the Cathedral after the fire in 1194. This portal which was begun in about 1150 gives us an idea of the imagery and he technical aspects of Gothic portals which were partially inherited from Romanesque portals.The theme is a brief summing up of the CHristian doctrine of the time and it illustrates the links between the New and Old Testaments. On the jambs are he prophets and the forerunners of Christ and on the tympanums from the left to the right are depicted as the Ascension, CHrist of the Apocalypse and the Mystery of Incarnation. The harmonious appearance of the facade results from the relative proportions of the central and lateral portals, whose widths are 10:7. Although the upper parts of the portal are treated separately, two sculptural elements run horizontally across the facade, uniting its different parts.The most obvious of these are the Jamb statues attached to the columns flanking the doorways which consist of tall, slender standing figures of kings and queens from which some think the Royal Portal got its name. Some believe these figures are the past monarchs of France and others believe they are monarchs from the Old Testament. Some also believe that the term ‘Royal Portal' refers to the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven. The tympanum on the left portal shows Christ standing on a cloud, supported by two angels.Some see this as a depiction of the Ascension of Christ while others see it as representing the Second Coming of Christ. There are angels in the upper lintel, descending from a cloud and apparently shouting to those below. The archivists on this tympanum contain the signs of the zodiac and the labors of the months. These aspects can be seen in many different gothic portals. In the centre of the tympanum Christ is depicted as being surrounded by four symbols of the evangelists. The lintels also show the Twelve Apostles while the archivists show the twenty-four Elder of the Apocalypse.Less obvious than the Jamb statues but far more intricately carved is the image that stretches all across the fade in the sculpted capitals on top of the Jamb columns. Carved into these capitals is a very lengthy narrative depicting the life of the Virgin and the life and Passion of Christ. As we can see, this Royal Portal on the West of CHartres Cathedral is one of the more impr essive structures from the Gothic period. In conclusion, it can be clearly seen here that the sculptures from the Gothic centuries were of grandeur quality and the artwork that was executed in this time is truly amazing.

Dynamic Declarations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dynamic Declarations - Essay Example In many ways, then, the Declaration of Sentiments and Revolutions is meant to correct a perceived error in the Jefferson document: that the word â€Å"man† is hardly univocal. Instead, natural rights belong to man and woman equally, and the language used in the Declaration is thereby at best deceptive and at worst mistaken. The very concept of â€Å"natural rights† dictates that they belong to all human beings equally and always, independent or not contingent upon the particular laws or values of any given society. Natural rights are universal constructs that cannot be violated, at least according to the Lockean or Jeffersonian notions of them. Although there are surely natural differences between the sexes of man and woman, this does not entail there are differences in what the individual human being deserves with respect to his or her natural rights. Jefferson and Stanton approach the topic of natural rights with the idea that they are inalienable. Nevertheless, Stanton’s issue is not so much with what natural rights are, but to whom they are given. Jefferson lays the foundation for natural rights, saying, â€Å"[human beings] are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness†. A natural right is thus a freedom, not a power. This declaration of rights does not say that individuals have the right to use others to pursue their own happiness, or to use others to live their life. This would be an example of a power over another person and the Declaration of Independence certainly does not hold to this view, for it is definitive of those things the document was written to combat (namely, the power of the King). Rather, these natural rights are freedoms to not be interfered with in living one’s life and pursuing one’s happiness. A natural right is therefore not

Apple Products Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Apple Products - Research Paper Example et, after the discontinuation of the product one month after its launch according to OGrady Jason (29), the Apple II began its operations in 1977 and later discontinued as a result of poor performance and numerous complaints from users. At the same period, there was the introduction of the Disk II drives and the Apple Silen type printers. Software’s present, at the moment, included the Apple Writer 1.0. At the onset of the 1980’s, there was the introduction of the Apple III which came along with other products including; modem IIB, printers, monitors and disk III drives. As a result of competition, there was an introduction of the Macintosh (128k) compact and Macintosh External Disk Drive. Introduction of the Macintosh IIfx in the 1990’s according to Edson, John, and Ernest Beck (212) created a bigger step in establishing articulate technology advancement. The programs that came with the product included the Centris, Quadra and the PowerBook 165c. At the onset of the year 2000, there was an introduction of the PowerBook and the IBook. The Server Macintosh is also efficient. The Xserve Cluster Node helped to establish an arp server. Later in 2004, the AirPort Express got launched and was in use together with the iPod launched the same year. In 2007, the Apple TV became operational, while the same year, there was launching of the iPhone and the Mac Mini (Schneiders, Sascha 20). Currently, there are iBooks Author, the MacBook Pro and iPhone 5. Apple Inc. sells products and services to consumers, businesses as well as governments. They offer special pricing and promotional packages focusing on government officials. In general government officials receive a lower price compared to commercial customers (Apple). Apple Inc attempts to fulfill the social co-operative responsibilities via protecting environment, providing community services and impose of code of ethical conduct in business. Company ensures providing confidentiality for the customers’ details and

A Dance Choreographer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

A Dance Choreographer - Essay Example As far as dance choreographers, nowadays there are a lot of styles of dances the choreography of which one can choose to be engaged in. These are ballroom dance, ballet dance, hip hop dance, contemporary dance, step dance, folk dance, belly dance, etc. The field is wide for those who see their future as the ones creating works of art with dance movements. To start a career path as a choreographer it is essential to spend years yourself as a dancer. Most dancers begin their formal training at the age of five years old, being a bit older or younger is fine too. By the time one is about 17 years old he/she needs to start auditioning for different dance companies. No matter what style of dance you will choose to perform or choreograph in the future, you must learn the classical form of dance as young as possible. â€Å"Ballet dancing lays emphasis on foot muscle movements which need to be learned right from the formative years in ones life.† (Ballet Basics, para.1) As one choreographer said about the importance of ballet basics: â€Å"To put it simply, a classical dancer can choreograph a western and Bollywood number, but vice versa is not possible. Classical dance equips you with everything; you can fit yourself in all genres of dance and music†. (Shet Sh. 2008, para.24) By the time one is in his teenage years he should start concentrating on specific style of dance and begin intensive training in that style. Students who demonstrate talent in the dancing field can receive more advanced and professional training earlier. When one has chosen the style of dance he would like to get engaged in there are a variety of possibilities of how one can do so. One can attend dance college programs or dance company’s school; there are also summer training programs from the leading dancing schools where it is possible to get further training and even, if

Informative speech on music and marketing or Presentation

Informative on music and marketing - Speech or Presentation Example This era is regarded as techno-oriented era more commonly as digital age therefore the old marketing strategies are not going to work here anymore when there is lesser time consuming, cheap and easily accessible marketing strategies are available through social media. Internet is now hailed as â€Å"â€Å"contemporary society’s great equalizer of social, economical, and political power†, with little cost and immense communication effects (Fox, 2009). Various marketing tactics such as viral marketing are spreading consumer awareness of the product even by masking their names generating their attention and intriguing consumers before even revealing the company’s name. Reverse psychology marketing strategies also create interests and awareness among the consumers by tarnishing the brands (Fox, 2009). Buyers no longer wait for the new marketing information and they are not even paying much attention today. They are more interested in seeking out the desired informat ion in their own ways. The flyers, brochures, TV ads, in transit media etc have become too trivial. On the other hand, asking face book about which novel marketing tactic to use is effective, in which it is mired and there is an ongoing debate for that. Zuberance, a firm, allows its customers to advocate about the company on their favorite social media channels. They are requested to write a review or recommendation about the product that is accessible to the company official website endorsed with customer’s name and spread around his peer network and he actually finds himself as a promoter of the product. Our timings of consuming meals is varying greatly due to work load, late night studies, slumber parties, networking hangouts etc. Many of the U.S restaurants are being triggered due to this changed habit of the people around. Consequently, Big M launched a new marketing tactic of luring and targeting these â€Å"up-high nights† and nocturnal diners with value deals. They extended their closing hours till 2 a.m. Furthermore, they also started offering mid night deals on Night Hunger menu with Buffalo wings from Thursday till Saturday. Almost all the restaurants are targeting the Nighters with their light night menus where serving the â€Å"Nighters† has now become a niche. Another significant marketing tactic was used by Target (Big Data) which identified the pregnant ladies before anyone. Target conducted an exclusive and extensive research on the shopping habits of the pregnant females for example when they purchase vitamins, see the couples and kids, and many more. They utilized this research and started sending the valuable coupons to those they had identified as â€Å"pregnant†. A father of a girl who had been receiving such coupons complained about these annoying coupons but later on discovered that he was unaware that her daughter was pregnant but they knew it. So it is a cliche now which says, â€Å"All stores will be doin g this, and all governments will be doing this. Your doctor will do this. Your employer will do this. This is the new norm† (NPR STAFF) Another very amusing tactic is how Google tracks the flu. Google never wastes or ignores any of its searches stores every bit of the searches. Google used to scribble over the searches screening them with intent to look for those searches from the database that were either a likely predictor or related to the outbreak of flu collecting from certain various regions of America. The seasonal flu outbreaks is reported by CDC, â€Å"

Course Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Course - Assignment Example Dr. Deming was a very instrumental figure in the production of quality products from Japan owing to his broad knowledge base, experience, and lectures across Japan. Initially, the award was aimed at awarding and recognizing the prowess of Japanese firms in matters regarding quality assurance. It is, however, through the expansive approach and management by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) that the award started to incorporate companies from outside Japan. JUSE is the principal sponsor of the annual award across the globe. Structurally, the Deming Prize focuses on quality control exhibited by various companies and individuals. This includes; policy formulation, quality effects, collection and use of significant information, standardizing, futuristic planning, quality assurance, and the adequate training on matters surrounding quality. By availability, the award recognizes both individuals and companies who excel in the clusters mentioned above on an annual basis. Noteworthy, the award has no limits to the number of times that an individual or company can win. Here is a detailed approach to the application criteria. First, any company that is interested in the consideration of the award has to examine itself first. This self-evaluation should be in reference to the following viewpoints; the efficiency of the firm to implement TQM, elimination of unnecessary regulations, particular analytical observation of various product divisions, and the sufficient knowledge regarding statistical approach to problems. The applications are vetted using a scale of a hundred points. Establishment of the cut-off points is done with respect to the sessions involved. For instance, the Executive session will require a lower limit of 70 per cent while the Examined session will need a cut-off point of 50 per cent. On the other hand, the company