Characteristic of the U.S. health care delivery system Essay

Characteristic of the U.S. health care delivery system - Essay Example 9). These characteristics hinder the delivery of healthcare in the US because they pose problems of delays and legal complications. These characteristics reflect that the US healthcare system is highly fragmented and has immense political, economic, and cultural influences. People belonging to certain ethnicities and age groups e.g. older African Americans receive poor access to effective healthcare treatment. In the researches controlling for insurance of health, the older African Americans have been found to have gotten lesser eye examinations, screening for breast cancer, and various other kinds of treatments (Yeo, 2009, p. 1279).The US healthcare system also reflects lack of a central governing agency in the US. The current system of US healthcare poses many emotional, cultural, and political challenges for the health care administrators. However, support for the model of universal health coverage in the US has increased in the recent years and this is seemingly the best way to make the healthcare system unbiased, cost effective, and of high quality (Pushman and Chung,

MicroEconomics Unit3 & 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MicroEconomics Unit3 & 4 - Assignment Example Railway transportation is a government monopoly in most of the countries. Usually, government prohibits private companies from entering into rail road transport and thus makes it a government monopoly. For example, in India, government is the owner of rail road and no other competitors are allowed in this field. Monopoly eliminates all type of competition and thus results in low quality output. In addition, consumers have no choice to make but forced to buy the item supplied by the monopolist. Consumers are exploited most of the time. Major League Baseball (MLB) is one of the best examples of monopoly in US. Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League by a joint organizational structure. The structure developed between the National League and the American League since 1901. In 2000, the two leagues ceased to be separate legal entities, with the commissioners office assuming all responsibilities for running MLB. MLB operates as a single league and it is the most important sports leagues of the United States and Canada. It is currently composed of 30 teams — twenty-nine in the United States and one in Canada. MLB is governed by the Major League Baseball Constitution. Under the direction of the Commissioner of Baseball, Major League Baseball hires and maintains everything related to baseball from umpiring crews to advertisements. It negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts. After the 1922 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Major League Baseball maintains a unique, controlling relationship over the sport, including most aspects of minor league

System Development Lifecycle

System Development Lifecycle 1.1. Introduction According to Allerano and Taverz (2012), the system development lifecycle has dominated the information technology (IT) arena for numerous decades and remains one of the most commonly used methods in software development and acquisition. It is observed that, though the system development lifecycle has evolved over the years and has gone through a multitude of paradigm shifts with respect to building of software, at its core the process is resilient and its central tenets are applicable in business, industry and research (McMurtrey, 2013). Piccoli (2012), in his research, reflects on the SDLC system as being a dominant system development methodology in the 21st century, along with the method of prototyping. Langer and Langer (2008) define the system development lifecycle as one which promotes the planning, analysis, implementation and maintenance of information systems and which thereby serves as the foundation of the different activities associated with every phase of the SDLC. Accor ding to Hoffer et al. (2011), the process of systems development lifecycle can be broadly categorised into planning, analysis, design, development and testing so as to meet the stages of the various iterations and models of SDLC development. This report will focus on the importance of SDLC in different stages of system implementation and describe three methods of SDLC development. 1.2. Importance of SDCL in System Implementation According to Piccoli (2012), the SDLC is a guide to the project as it provides the flexible and consistent medium required to accommodate specific changes through the information system development and helps meet the objectives of the client. This section will examine the importance of SDLC in the investigation of a specific system through the different phases (Figure 1). This report argues that to date most system analysis and design books identify the need to promote SDLC from these five stages so as to help in the comparison of different models (Kendall and Kendall, 2011). Hoffer et al. (2011), however, criticise the system and argue that the systems analysis and design taking place in a cycle sometimes is pervasive and makes it difficult to develop and model a specific system. This research, however, will focus on the positives of the SDLC by identifying with its role in terms of its objectives to meet organisational requirements and its objectives during different stages of systems development. 1.2.1 SDLC Objectives According to Kendall and Kendall (2011), the use of the SDLC framework as part of systems development helps in ensuring the quality of systems. The authors contend that the SDLC should aim at promoting return on investment by enabling cost savings, product flexibility, improved decision support or promotion of strategic and operational planning. Leau et al. (2012) reiterate this view by indicating that through all the stages of the lifecycle development, SDLC helps relate a high degree of intrinsic quality. According to Khan et al. (2013), the importance of SDLC implementation for information system adoption is to provide a certain degree of management control. The author indicates that the use of the SDLC process should ensure that there is sufficient degree of information in terms of predictability (i.e. planning estimates for different stages of the project, the associated resources needed and the various stakeholders involved). It is also contended that the SDLC should promote management control by ensuring time for feedback from the management and the stakeholders. Leau et al. (2012) identify that the role of SDLC is to help in the maximisation of product performance by ensuring that the productivity of the project is promoted by meeting the ROI expectations. Hoffer et al. (2011) further indicate that the SDLC plays a primary role in delineating between the tasks and deliverables of a given project, thereby ensuring that resources are used in the most effective and efficient way possible. 1.2.2. Role of SDLC in Different Stages of the Project According to Hoffer et al. (2011), the use of SDLC in the planning phase is for three primary reasons: identification and selection of the system for development, assessment of project feasibility, and the development of project plan. Kendall and Kendall (2011) contend that in the planning stage the SDCL system is useful in focusing on the most ideal system which can help support the goals of the organisation. Boehm et al. (2000) further reiterate that the identification and selection of a system can be carried out by using specific strategic tools like value chain analysis (which helps identify the extent to which a new system is important to an organisation) and cost benefit analysis (the process by which the benefits and costs are compared). Nurmuliani et al. (2004) argue that the planning stage of the SDLC also helps identify the feasibility of a proposed system adoption and whether the same can be promoted from a financial, technical and organisational perspective. Therefore it is contended that the use of the SDLC is important in the development of the final project plan, wherein the activities of the system development are identified to ensure that the systems development is on time. During the analysis stage of systems development, the SDLC plays a vital role in the gathering and building of business requirements. The SDLC helps define the requirements of a system by identifying the needs of the project during the communication, documentation, management and change processes. Hoffer et al. (2011) contend that the development of a system using the SDLC process also helps in process modelling, wherein the entire system process and the flow of data within the system can be identified. The use of process models and data flow diagrams is to present a visual presentation of the system that is to be integrated with the organisational environment. The SDLC design stage involves the designing of the desired features into the system, wherein the design of the IT infrastructure and the systems model is important. According to Kendall and Kendall (2011), during the design of the IT infrastructure stage the identification of the type of networks, the type of clients and servers are identified, along with the type of database which is to be adopted. The authors further argue that the SDLC design stage helps in the designing of the system models, wherein the graphical user interface (GUI) and data models are used to help present a representation of the system model. In the systems development phase, the development of the IT infrastructure as per the design stage, along with the type of databases and programmes, is carried out. The final stage is the testing phase, where the errors, bugs and interoperability of the product are tested to ensure that the business requirements of the analysis are met. According to Devi (2012), the SDLC helps in the testing of project needs, project requirements and project transition based on the identification of defects and bugs in the project. 1.3. Different Models of Systems Development 1.3.1. Waterfall Model of Systems Development According to Munassar and Govardhan (2010), the first model of SDLC is the waterfall model, which is static in nature and approaches the process of system development in a linear manner, wherein one activity is to be completed before the next activity begins, thereby promoting a sequential approach. Fowler (2004) argues that the adoption of the waterfall style helps breaks up the project activities into requirements analysis (planning and analysis), design, coding (development) and testing. Pfleeger and Atlee (2006), on the other hand, identify the waterfall model as one which needs more detailed steps to present the phases of requirements analysis, systems design, program design, coding, unit and integration testing, systems testing and maintenance during operation. The author expands on the original waterfall approach, as he feels that there is a need to focus on the functioning of the systems after testing and the need to expand on the testing process. Fowler (2004) further conten d that the waterfall model is most effective for systems implementation, as specific goals for different phases of development are promoted. In this approach, once a single phase is completely developed, it proceeds into the next phase. This supports a structured and process centered approach, wherein every stage is clarified with respect to the objectives of the design (Figure 2). Fowler (2004) argues that though there is a period of handoff between phases and associated backflows, it is important to ensure that this is avoided. Researchers, however, contend that this is a primary drawback of the waterfall model, as there is an inherent inability to revisit a previous stage if there are any errors. For instance Adenowo and Adenowo (2012) contend that if there is an error detected during the implementation (coding) phase, there is limited opportunity to revisit the requirements analysis or the design phase to correct the error. On the other hand, Pfleeger and Atlee (2006), contend that the waterfall approach is promoted in structured systems development, wherein the alteration of the software after coding is prohibited. Over the years there have been improvements made to the waterfall model. McConnell (2010) identifies these models to be modified waterfalls, wherein phases of the project are allowed to overlap, where every phase is found to influence and is influenced by the next and previous phases of the model. The authors contend that the overlap of phases helps address the inherent limitations of lack of flexibility of the waterfall model. 1.3.2. Spiral Model According to Boehm and Hansen (2000), the spiral model of software development is one which places emphasis on risk analysis. The development of any system goes through the four phases of planning, risk analysis, engineering and evaluation. Boehm (1988) argues that the adoption of this model involves the system going through the phases in iterations. The baseline spiral is found to start with the planning phase, wherein the requirements of the system are gathered. The subsequent spiral is built on the baseline spiral, wherein the risks are identified, assessed and methods for risk mitigation are developed. At the end of the risk planning phase, a prototype is generated. The third spiral is the engineering spiral, which enables the development of the system, which is then evaluated by testing in the final phase. In this approach, the angular component represents the progress, while the radius of the spiral represents the cost of the model. 1.3.3. Agile Development According to Cohen et al. (2003), the adoption of an agile process of software development is based on promoting incremental and iterative development, wherein the phases of the development lifecycle are revisited a number of times. Dingsoyor et al. (2012) argue that the adoption of this approach involves the improvement of the software while using customer feedback to ensure that a convergence on the proposed solutions is arrived at. Nerur et al. (2010) identify that in the agile development model, when compared to other traditional models, the process of lifecycle development is not just divided into large phases, but there is use of smaller parts called increments or iterations, which help in promoting the development cycle. Cohen et al. (2003) summarise that the agile development process involves four primary attributes, including the early customer involvement, iterative development, self organising teams and adaptation to change. Nerur et al. (2010) argue that agile development methods are currently predominantly used, of which six primary approaches are promoted extensively, including crystal methods, dynamics development, feature driven development, lean development, extreme programming and scrum. This report will focus on one approach, extreme programming, and present its features. According to Dingsoyor et al. (2010), the adoption of the extreme programming approach relies on development and delivery of small increments in functionality. This process is largely dependent on the improvement in code in a constant manner. This process involves incremental planning where the requirements are recorded to be included along with the release. The key feature of extreme programming is the small releases, wherein the minimal useful set of functionalities providing business value is first developed. In this approach, there are frequent releases with improvement in product functionality. 1.3.4. Comparison of Different Methods This report contends that the agile development methods are better than the traditional development methods. This is because the agile development method promotes the successful delivery of results in a quick and inexpensive manner, with an emphasis on teams and customer collaboration. In contrast, the traditional methods of waterfall development and spiral methods focus on contracts, plans and processes with a one step involvement of the client (Cohen et al., 2003). It is also argued that since the development takes place in iterations, it is possible to change the direction of development at any stage with limited change in cost. Such an approach is effective in ensuring that the productivity and return on investment objectives are met. References Adenowo A.A Adenowo B.A (2012). Software engineering methodologies: A review of waterfall model and object oriented approach, International Journal of Scientific Engineering Research, 4(7), 427- 434. Arellano, M. M., Tavarez, J. M. M. (2012, June).A comparative analysis about Software Development Life Cycle Methodologies involving Business Processes and Web Services. InInformation Systems and Technologies (CISTI), 2012 7th Iberian Conference on(pp. 1-6). IEEE. Boehm, B. W. (1988). A spiral model of software development and enhancement.Computer,21(5), 61-72. Boehm, B., Abts, C., Chulani, S. (2000). Software development cost estimation approaches—A survey.Annals of Software Engineering,10(1-4), 177-205. Boehm, B., Hansen, W. J. (2000).Spiral development: Experience, principles, and refinements(No. CMU/SEI-2000-SR-008). CARNEGIE-MELLON UNIV PITTSBURGH PA SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INST. Boehm, B., Egyed, A., Kwan, J., Port, D., Shah, A., Madachy, R. (1998).Using the WinWin spiral model: a case study.Computer,31(7), 33-44. Cohen, D., Lindvall, M., Costa, P. (2003).Agile software development.Data Analysis Center for Software (DACS), New York. Devi, R. (2012). Importance of Testing in Software Development Life Cycle.International Journal of Scientific Engineering Research, 3(5), 1-5. Dingsà ¸yr, T., Nerur, S., Balijepally, V., Moe, N. B. (2012). A decade of agile methodologies: Towards explaining agile software development.Journal of Systems and Software,85(6), 1213-1221. Fowler, M. (2004).UML Distilled: A Brief Guide to the Standard Object ModelingLanguange. Addison-Wesley Professional. Hoffer, J. A., George, J. F. and Valacich, J. S. (2011) Modern Systems Analysis and Design. Prentice Hall, Boston. Kendall, K. and Kendall, J. E. (2011) Systems Analysis and Design, 8/E, Prentice Hall , Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Khan, M. F., Qazi, K. A., Shah, K. A. (2013).Performance Evaluation of Software Development Models.Software Engineering,3(1), 1-4. Langer, A. M., Langer, A. M. (2008). System Development Life Cycle (SDLC).Analysis and Design of Information Systems: Third Edition, 10-20. Leau, Y. B., Loo, W. K., Tham, W. Y., Tan, S. F. (2012). Software Development Life Cycle AGILE vs Traditional Approaches. In2012 International Conference on Information and Network Technology (ICINT 2012) IPCSIT(Vol. 37). McConnell, S. (2010).Rapid development: taming wild software schedules. OReilly. McMurtrey, M. (2013). A Case Study of the Application of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) in 21st Century Health Care: Something Old, Something New?.Journal of the Southern Association for Information Systems,1(1). Munassar, N.M.A Govardhan, A. (2010).A Comparison of Five Models of Software Engineering. International Journal of Computer Science, 7(5). Nerur, S., Cannon, A., Balijepally, V., Bond, P. (2010).Towards an Understanding of the Conceptual Underpinnings of Agile Development Methodologies.InAgile Software Development(pp. 15-29).Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Pfleeeger, S.L. Atlee, J.M. (2006).Software Engineering: Theory and Practice, 3rd Edition. US: Prentice Hall Piccoli, G. (2012) Information Systems for Managers: Text and Cases, John Wiley Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ.

Graduation Speech: Always Look On The Bright Side of Life :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

I have been chosen today to come before you and give some words of encouragement to the graduating class because I am seen as an example of one who has succeeded in school. And yet, I am by no means the only person in our class who has succeeded. Woody Allen once said, â€Å"Success is 80 percent showing up† and since all of you have shown up here today and at school for the last 12 years, you all are most of the way there. So what makes up the remaining 20 percent? Not getting all As on your tests, or going to state or winning first prize in a contest. It is merely trying. If you try your best, you have already succeeded, regardless of where you end up. The world is a fickle place and too often the most deserving, hardest-working people are passed over in favor of the ones who obtain the best-looking accomplishments. Thus, one’s measure of success should be based not on how well you do by society’s standards, but on how hard you worked and how much you got out o f it. As Tennyson once said, â€Å"How dull it is to pause, to make an end, To rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!† But rather, we should be, as he said, like the â€Å"spirit yearning in desire To follow knowledge like a sinking star, Beyond the utmost bound of human thought ... To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.† Just because we are graduating today does not mean we now know everything; rather, it is just the opposite. As we go out into the world we will continue to grow, to learn, to mature. Indeed, this is perhaps one of the greatest qualities of mankind, that we can develop our minds to better understand. It is a rare and important gift that should not be abused through neglect or halfhearted attention. Never stop trying and never stop learning because the moment you do, you begin to die. Once you leave here tonight, you will no longer be seniors. You will be adults, set adrift with the entire world at your disposal. It will be up to you, and you alone, to decide your futures. Today more than ever, as we stand at the dawn of the new millennium, you have the opportunity to become something great, to achieve wondrous deeds.

Are Asains Becoming White Essay

1) Asian Americans have been stereotyped under the image of being a model minority from the mid-1960s to our present day (Macionis 2010:278). Being a model minority means â€Å"overcoming extreme hardships and discrimination to achieve success (Macionis 2010:278). † Success â€Å"economically, socially, and educationally†¦without resorting to confrontation with Whites (Schaefer 2009: 252). † Asian Americans have done this and the public has â€Å"attributed their winning wealth and respect in American society to hard work, family solidarity, discipline, delayed gratification, non-confrontation, and eschewing welfare (Macionis 2010:278). † Being labeled a model minority might appear to bring only prestige but in fact it brings consequences as well. One such consequence is that being a â€Å"model-minority holds Asian Americans to higher standards (Macionis 2010:279). † Situations that may be accepted for some aren’t accepted from them. They are â€Å"judged by standards different from average Americans (Macionis 2010:279). † Also because of the expectations placed upon them they are channeled to â€Å"specific avenues of success, such as science and engineering (Macionis 2010:279). † This leads up to another consequence of parents â€Å"often discouraging their children from entering fields they regard as unlikely to offer financial security, such as the arts (Schaefer 2009:252). † A child may have a gift as an astounding writer, yet the parents will still discourage it due to worries about job outlook and income in the future (Macionis 2010:279). Another consequence the label causes is that it â€Å"reinforces the myth that the United States is devoid of racism and accords equal opportunity to all (Macionis 2010:279). † This implies that â€Å"those minorities that do not succeed are somehow responsible for their failure†¦this attitude is yet another instance of blaming the victims (Schaefer 2009:252). † Although, not all bad, an advantage of the stereotype is that Asian Americans are more likely to attain a high-paying job. It is common to see â€Å"Asian Americans are concentrated near the top in professional and managerial positions†¦(Schaefer 2009:251). † Simply due to what they are known for Asian Americans are allowed more opportunity and they prove themselves over and over again; with the highest median household income of all racial groups, and the lowest poverty rate of all racial groups (Macionis 2010:278). 2) Min Zhou asks the question, â€Å"Are Asian Americans becoming white? † First off, what does it mean to be White? â€Å"White is an arbitrary label having more to do with privilege than biology (Macionis 2010:276). † Being white means different things to different people. To some becoming white â€Å"can mean distancing oneself from â€Å"people of color† or disowning one’s ethnicity (Macionis 2010:276). † To others becoming white is something to strive for because it means attaining a privileged status (Macionis 2010:280). The most common view accepted by Asian Americans is â€Å"that â€Å"white† is mainstream, average, and normal, and they look to whites as a frame of reference for attaining higher social positions (Macionis 2010:279). † Asian Americans are becoming white as I see it. They are gaining prestige, they working hard and they strive for something greater. Especially since being white is commonly associated with being an American (Macionis 2010:280). â€Å"Asian immigrants tend to believe in the American Dream and measure their achievements materially (Macionis 2010:279). † They share common interests with most Americans such as, â€Å"to own a home, to be my own boss, and to send my children to the Ivy League (Macionis 2010:279)†, as one Chinese immigrant stated. Of course, being an American is more than just these items, but it is a generalized American mentality that shows common ground. If Asian Americans choose to marry a partner of a different racial background, 87 percent of those marry whites (Macionis 2010:280). There are thoughts that some Asian Americans hold, such as, â€Å"You can certainly be as good as or even better than whites, but you will never become accepted as white (Macionis 2010:280). † I believe this to be incorrect. â€Å"According to a new Purdue University study, more than 94 percent would say that having United States citizenship makes someone â€Å"truly American. † http://phys. org/news64938913. html: 3)† If we were to relate being white to being American, most Asian Americans are already there. With the mentality, dedication and perseverance that Asian Americans display, I would say, Yes, Asian Americans are becoming white. 3) The Jews and Asian Americans had two different experiences that could be seen to relate in certain aspects despite the large difference in events. The Jews were intelligent and successful though looked down upon in the United States and they were seen as â€Å"members of an inferior race (Macionis 2010: 266). † It wasn’t until after World War II those things drastically changed. â€Å"Before the war, most Jews, like most other Americans, were working class. Already upwardly mobile before the war relative to other immigrants, Jews floated high on this rising economic tide, and most of them entered the middle class (Macionis 2010:272). † Like Asian Americans, Jews were always ahead of the other races. They were given difficult roads to face and large obstacles to climb, yet they achieved success, following the definition of the model minority. Similarly they struggled with the dilemma of being considered white. Before the war, â€Å"Columbia University took steps to decrease the number of entering Jews by a set of practices†¦(Macionis 2010:269). † It wasn’t until the war that there were â€Å"changes set in motion during the war against fascism that led to a more inclusive version of whiteness (Macionis 2010:270). † Though the struggle was different, it was still there for both groups. The Jews compared to Asian Americans benefited most from government programs that spurred upward mobility because after the war the government was in need of a rise in the economy and they created great programs to assist in that matter (Macionis 2010:270). The â€Å"Jews’ and other white ethnics’ upward mobility was the result of programs that allowed us to float on a rising economic tide (Macionis 2010:273). † Asian Americans on the other hand, upward mobility wasn’t based off of programs as much, as their heritage and culture. Instead, â€Å"In spite of these obstacles, Asian Americans students soldier on with strong support from their parents (Schaefer 2009:252). † As for comparison with African Americans and Asian Americans they are in two completely different categories. Both are minority groups, though they are on opposite sides of the court. Asian Americans have higher income rates than Whites, African Americans on the other hand, have their â€Å"household income of Blacks is still 60 percent that of Whites, and the unemployment rate among Blacks is more than twice that of Whites (Schaefer 2009:250). † Still to this day Blacks â€Å"remain significantly underrepresented, despite Senator Barack Obama†¦(Schaefer 2009:520). † Asian Americans are well represented due to being the model minority. Asian Americans are a very diverse group of people. â€Å"Their diverse origins include drastic differences in languages and dialects, religions, cuisines, and customs (Macionis 2010:278). † Because of this â€Å"all of these differences create obstacles to fostering a cohesive pan-Asian solidarity (Macionis 2010:278). †

Significance of Reverse Logistics

To the corporate world, it is all about making a profit. To the corporate world, efficiency is a means to achieving that profit. To the corporate world, one can not achieve profit with logistics. To modern researchers, the corporate world has just truly begun to turn its eyes towards reverse logistics. To us business students today, without reverse logistics there can be only limited profit. Within the scope of this analysis we shall be examining the significance of reverse logistics.To comprehend the importance of this study we must first ensure that the reader understands that reverse logistics is an acutely fascinating yet highly misunderstood concept which differs from company to company. Reverse logistics is a manner of reversing the supply chain. In this analytical reversal lies a world of opportunities to businesses. In a manner of speaking, reverse logistics is a highly analytical procedure which calls for the usage of statistical tools and highly trained managers and financi al accountants to understand how to place products back into a supply chain in order to achieve profits.Part of this definition means that businesses should be aware of which products they can expect to see as ‘returned items’. These items should be anticipated to be sold to another supplier to be turned into scraps for another project. Also customization needs to occur to increase the positive user experience; including warranty programs as well to increase the satisfaction level of customers. Businesses highly dislike having items returned to their inventory. Items returned that fail to sell are regarded as a loss in profits and revenue.For companies seeking to understand why such rates of returns occur they must turn to reverse logistics, as a seemingly modern tool, used towards understanding why this occurs to begin with. For businesses it is vital that they analyze, among other information, why such items are returned, how to alleviate this revenue loss, what techn iques or selling tools can be used to prevent this from occurring, and perhaps how to protect the entire company should this occur in various divisions within the company. In analyzing why this occurs we must turn to reverse logistics management.This management solution takes crucial time and effort to look at how to manage the entire returns process. By managing this process, companies can increase the recovery of net assets and revenue goals. As the introduction paragraph points out it is all about ensuring that the profit margin and supply chain is being fulfilled. At this time we shall examine how textile and apparel industries are adversely affected by returned items. When examining the online marketplaces, researchers have determined that typically garments are in danger of being returned by consumers who purchased them online.Purchasing decisions are driven by a consumer’s feelings about themselves and their bodies or physical image of themselves. For instance, when a woman is seeking to purchase clothing which is dependent on a fashionable image they expect the color, feel, fit, image, and expectations to match what they thought they ‘saw’ on the internet. As you can not ‘feel’ or ‘wear’ the garment when purchasing online, you are making the decision to purchase based upon other factors. These factors include color and style.Because consumers are attempting to make an effective choice on what to purchase they are often disappointed by what actually arrives in the mail. As a process hierarchy situation businesses are finding it pertinent to have marketing and sales staff which are willing to communicate with the supplier chain about how to survey consumers and generate more purchasing power in the online stores. Engineering teams are being used to modify the online appearance to appeal to more consumers (Hammond, website).The article, â€Å"In the Virtual Dressing Room Returns are a Real Problem† by J an Hammond and Kristin Kohler, it is emphasized that â€Å"†¦high return rate of apparel products purchased online†¦mirrors the rate of catalog apparel purchases†¦returns for apparel bought from catalogs ranged from 12 to 35 percent.. † This return rate process is a serious concern of companies marketing apparel online and in catalogs. On the other hand, the article shows that decisions to buy generic goods like books, music, electronic, etc..are less reflecting a return rate because less emotional factors tie in to the consumer’s decision to purchase those items. This article indicates that accuracy of color plays a crucial role in decision making of consumers on the web. Surveys conducted, including one by InfoTrends Research Group, indicated that 88% of consumers will shop at online stores which guarantee that their products reflect â€Å"true and accurate† color standards and schematics. Because of feelings of insecurity about acquiring the it ems which meets their color standards and expectations, consumers are less prone to make the initial decision to purchase.Because of this ‘risk’ of purchasing an item â€Å"unseen†, â€Å"untouched† , and â€Å"unworn†, consumers surveyed have become interested in companies which use the new initiatives to improve the color on their websites. For example, detail and color would be greatly improved with companies using zoom technology such as HP Open Pix and Live Picture (Hammond, website). Other companies are seeing products such as BodyMetrics LTD, which can ‘on-line visualize’ body dimensions on a mannequin to see how the item would fit the consumer’s body composition.These tactics are all methods of reverse logistics management, because they improve the online visibility of items which can increase the purchasing of consumers while decreasing the rate of return behavior that companies experience. In addition, as companies are seeking to place their products in online supply markets they can provide those supplier companies with an up-selling tool which aids in their own sales protection. For instance, let us closely examine IKEA’s effective operation management. IKEA, a furniture retailer, has invoked in its company a strong usage of operations management.Operations management is a means towards which a company organizes its hierarchy, sales structure, approach to service, strategic operations, systematic direction of the company, and finally the control of internal and external processes which turn inputs into completed goods and services. IKEA’s experience in operations management is highly organized and analyzed by reverse logistics management. In understanding IKEA’s operations management style we must first recognize that IKEA believes in a self-service concept.This means that IKEA believes that customers service their own needs by picking up their furniture themselves from the warehouse. IDEA’s furniture is built with high quality in mind and displays a wide variety of choice for the every day consumer. Showrooms have been explicitly designed to reflect various rooms and items related to the household goods. Because the ordering and picking up of items is performed by the customer, there is no chance that the consumer be unaware of what they are purchasing. Catalogues and notices are placed around the store explicitly showing the illustrations, dimensions, and availability of color of the goods.These room settings also allow customers to make educated decisions and comparisons about items without being infringed upon by sales personnel hoping to make a sale. As part of the reverse logistic management, this customization of user experience allows for the customer to examine and make decisions while not being under sales pressures (Slack 14-15). As the customer knows exactly where in the store they are purchasing the items from they have the opportun ity to return to the area for further decision making.This operational strategy is very successful to IKEA because of the piece of mind given to customers. Customers see how smooth the process is from selecting their items, to loading their items in a large loading area explicitly for customers, to non-pestering salespeople, to sufficient variety of quality goods at less expensive prices, to well-designed showplace environments, and to staff which willingly help customers at request. This attitude fosters a good mindset in consumers and presents the every day customer with a pleasant environment.Should consumers seek to return items the customer service is guaranteed to be a pleasant one. For customers this operations management has considered all reverse logistics and countered them with a steady aptitude for impressing the every day customer. This situation is truly a competitive advantage for IKEA over the competition. While reading this case study I was impressed with the idea t hat they have an eatery and a location where parents can drop off their children for daycare services while they shop peacefully.In general, this design contains such attractive features which allows for the operations of the organization to be seen on various levels (Slack 14-16). The case study also relates how the transformation process model works at IKEA. In this concept lies the idea of how the resources are used to â€Å"change the state or condition of something to produce outputs. † The nature of this operational concept is that a company can use its resources to literally transform itself and its resources into goods and services. IKEA has done both.It has used quality items from global companies and its in-store services to create the groundwork for a pleasant customized experience. Customers experience a variety of feelings about the IKEA stores while shopping which has a positive affect upon their decision to make purchases. For instance, the daycare allows paren ts to cope with making the decision to purchase while not have the added responsibility of watching over rampant children. Considered a customer processing strategy, this helps the psychological state of customers.In addition, IKEA stores have allowed for showroom settings and customized ideas to help differentiate one product from another. Non-lingering salespersons also alleviate any pressure of making an immediate decision to purchase versus feeling hounded by expectant salespeople. The nature of this process allows for the consumer to feel that they are making the right decision making the purchase. Like all competitive companies they feel that the inputs to the transformation process needs to be â€Å"error-free, fast, and efficient information processing.† Customers feel that this information is an aid for allowing the consumer to be satisfied that their concerns and questions on how to use or install the items will be handled in a professional and efficient manner (Sla ck 17-23). In general, all these processes from business processes to the customer-supplier relationship and interacting relationships are vital to competitive businesses. Whether it be an online stores or a physical store, it is important to recognize that reverse logistics plays a key role in ensuring a satisfied customer while providing a way to generate revenue.Works Cited: Reverse Logistics Management: Manage Returns Processing Across Multiple Channels. Viewed March 26, 2007. http://www. manh. com/reverse_logistics_management/index. html? g=4&gclid=CNG4kM HsjYsCFQlQWAodVUPdWA In the Virtual Dressing Room Returns Are A Real Problem. Published: April 15, 2002 . Jan Hammond and Kristin Kohler. Viewed March 26, 2007. http://hbswk. hbs. edu/item/2883. html Slack, Nigel, Stuart Chambers, Christine Harland, Alan Harrison, and Robert Johnston. Effective Operations Management. 1998. London, Pitman

Free Essays on Impulse Plus Caution Equals Sense And Sensibility

In the novel, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen portrays the adversities of two sisters by emphasizing one’s impulsiveness and the other’s cautiousness. The two sisters, Marianne and Elinor Dashwood, have contrasting, yet complementary qualities. Elinor being the disciplined one, is cautious about all aspects of her life, especially her love for Edward Ferrars. Marianne is the impulsive one. She does not sit back and wait, she goes after what she wants. Elinor Dashwood, the eldest daughter, is expressive and loving but also disciplined. She surpasses her mother and sister in her ability to manage her emotions. She acts as the â€Å"sense† of the family. Her disciplined nature keeps her from acting on her feelings toward Edward. â€Å"I do not attempt to deny that I think very highly of him-greatly esteem, that I like him,† (p. 17, Austen). Elinor is unwilling to just confess her deep feelings for Edward to Marianne. He has not yet confessed the way he feels about her, therefore, she does not want to assume that he cares for her anymore than a friend. Elinor stays realistic in fear of being disappointed. Her serious personality is the exact opposite of her sister, Marianne’s. Marianne Dashwood is the middle sister. She shares Elinor’s kind and caring nature, but acts only with her heart and emotions. She is very honest but also impulsive and vulnerable. She falls head over feet for a young man named John Willoughby. She knows him for only a short period of time, yet is swept away by him. â€Å"It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy; it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others,† (p.51, Austen). Marianne does not think that her short acquaintance with Willoughby is improper. She is more than willing to confess her love for him almost instantly. Jane Austen describes her as â€Å"anyth... Free Essays on Impulse Plus Caution Equals Sense And Sensibility Free Essays on Impulse Plus Caution Equals Sense And Sensibility In the novel, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen portrays the adversities of two sisters by emphasizing one’s impulsiveness and the other’s cautiousness. The two sisters, Marianne and Elinor Dashwood, have contrasting, yet complementary qualities. Elinor being the disciplined one, is cautious about all aspects of her life, especially her love for Edward Ferrars. Marianne is the impulsive one. She does not sit back and wait, she goes after what she wants. Elinor Dashwood, the eldest daughter, is expressive and loving but also disciplined. She surpasses her mother and sister in her ability to manage her emotions. She acts as the â€Å"sense† of the family. Her disciplined nature keeps her from acting on her feelings toward Edward. â€Å"I do not attempt to deny that I think very highly of him-greatly esteem, that I like him,† (p. 17, Austen). Elinor is unwilling to just confess her deep feelings for Edward to Marianne. He has not yet confessed the way he feels about her, therefore, she does not want to assume that he cares for her anymore than a friend. Elinor stays realistic in fear of being disappointed. Her serious personality is the exact opposite of her sister, Marianne’s. Marianne Dashwood is the middle sister. She shares Elinor’s kind and caring nature, but acts only with her heart and emotions. She is very honest but also impulsive and vulnerable. She falls head over feet for a young man named John Willoughby. She knows him for only a short period of time, yet is swept away by him. â€Å"It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy; it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others,† (p.51, Austen). Marianne does not think that her short acquaintance with Willoughby is improper. She is more than willing to confess her love for him almost instantly. Jane Austen describes her as â€Å"anyth...