Dells Supply Chain Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Dells Supply Chain Management - Case Study Example It also highlights the key issues or limitations of existing SCM process followed by Dell and recommends specific measures to prevent or overcome those limitations. Dell Inc ('Company') is a multinational technology company that offers a broad range of product categories, including computer desktop systems, servers and networking products, mobility products, software and peripherals and enhanced services. The Company has often been cited as one of the premier innovators in supply chain design and execution. Its demand-driven, outsourced operational model enabled it to achieve market domination, which then allowed it to dictate costs and standards to suppliers. This report is based on analysis of information available on the Company's website and publicly published reports. Supply chain management (SCM) is a comprehensive activity including management of the flow of materials, information, and funds across the entire supply chain, from suppliers to component producers to final assemblers to distributors, and ultimately to the consumer; including after-sales service and sales returns Johnson.(M. Eric & Pyke F. David 1999). In a global environment, firms have to deal with multiple suppliers and customers and are required to manage inventories in new and innovative ways. Various industrial researchers have stressed the importance of viewing SCM as an integrated system. With different methodologies of SCM implemented by various businesses in the same sector, it is more of a competition amongst the various methods of managing the supply chain for businesses, even those belonging to the same sector. SCM has generated much interest in recent years for a number of reasons. It has become crucial for businesses across sectors to realize that weak performance of one member of value chain could ultimately influence the profitability of the entire business. In this highly competitive business environment, cost of poor coordination between suppliers and customers can be extremely high. Especially in sectors characterized by fluctuating demand, a weak SCM can result in inefficient use of production, high transportation costs and high inventory costs. This cost increases as we move up the supply chain from consumer to distributor to producer, a phenomenon known as a 'Bullwhip Effect' (Johnson .M. Eric & Pyke F. David 1999). Similarly, an efficient SCM which is well integrated across the value chain of the business can provide a significant competitive advantage. On a broad level, supply chain management can be based on one of the two approaches; 'push approach' or 'pull approach'. The push system takes full benefit from economies of scale in production and input acquisition by producing optimal output size and then distributing to wholesalers and retailers (Papadakis 2002). On the other hand, pull approach is known for its adaptive efficiency and is applied by sectors where demand is highly volatile and technology is depreciated fast. According to the pull system, a value adding transformation takes place only after someone demands it, in a Just in Time (JIT) fashion, thereby inventory risk is minimized (Papadakis 2002). Dell has applied the pull system of supply chain mana

Child Development and Parental Disorders Research Paper

Child Development and Parental Disorders - Research Paper Example There were three such respondents two of whom admitted to demonstration of pathological symptoms similar to that of their mentally estranged parents. There is a major implication derived from this for the study. Both the respondents who admitted to symptoms of mental disorders had high scores for psychosocial items included in the second part of the questionnaire. This proved that high degree of psychosocial trauma from childhood can trigger off psychiatric pathologies in later life while lesser degrees of it may be more benign. Conversely too, the study has proved ground for more development and research in this important field. It has revealed that a wider range of variables distributed across a broader spectrum of population can disclose more relevant correlations than is presently available. These correlations, once revealed, can lead to better understanding of how to cope with mental disorders in parents and how their children can be better shielded from their psychiatric pathology so that their development is not hampered and they do not fall victim to a vicious circle of psychologically inhibited adulthood. Genetic implication have been touched upon but not elucidated on since data available presently is not extensive enough. The4 statistical analysis conducted by the study was aband... Introduction The 'American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry' (AACAP) advocates that parental psychiatric illnesses can affect children (AACAP, 2004). Studies have proved that children with affected parents are at higher risk than those of mentally sound parents. The risk increases with both parents being mentally unsound. Studies have also proved that parents with the following disorders - bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, ADHD, schizophrenia, alcoholism, drug abuse or depression are more likely to adversely affect their children's behavioral and emotional positions (AACAP, 2004). The 'Center for Mental Health Services and Research' (CMHSR) Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, find in a 2001 study that, statistically, one-third of American women and one-fifth of American men are likely to be mentally affected. Of these, there is likelihood of 65% of the women and 52% of the men of becoming parents. Nevertheless, there have been very little corresponding studies on how incidence of parental mental illnesses and cultural and economic factors correlate to produce children's mental conditions. Thus, most of the studies conducted to this study's date - 2001 - are incidental purely on stressors such as poverty and ethnic minority status. Incidence in the Caucasoid and middle class sections of the American population has not been mapped so thoroughly. The net result is a gap in the understanding of how mental illnesses are distributed across the entire

Contemporary artists - Ackermann, Andre, Applebroog, Arevalo, Acconci Essay

Contemporary artists - Ackermann, Andre, Applebroog, Arevalo, Acconci - Essay Example The essay "Contemporary artists - Ackermann, Andre, Applebroog, Arevalo, Acconci" will specifically discuss the achievements of some contemporary artists like Rita Ackermann, Carl Andre, Ida Applebroog, Javier Arevalo, and Vito Acconci who contributed much to the world of contemporary art. Rita Ackermann, the Hungarian- American painter was born in 1968 at Budapest in Hungry. She completed her basic training from University of Fine Arts Budapest and flew to New York in order to achieve higher degrees in painting from the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture. Even though Ackermann mainly concented in paintings and drawings, she was also interested in T-shirts and skateboard designing. She is a well known contemporary artist who challenged all traditional concepts of painting and depicted contradictions of human nature on her canvas. In her early stages of painting, she focused on the seductive notions of pubescent girls and their conceptual transitions of nymphoma nia in various phases of their lives. She also tries to enlighten a plethora of social factors which influences or inspires these mental abnormalities. Similarly she bases pornographic ideas in her paintings with the intention of reflecting mental variances in human values and relations. In her opinion, attraction of music and other art performances influence her a lot in the works. Ackermann’s â€Å"work is often most striking where it most closely resembles something we have been seen before† (Schjeldahl).

Kabbalah Essay Example for Free

Kabbalah Essay Inner Light Kabbalah Research Paper Judaism is the foundation for many other religions, particularly the study of Kabbalah. There are many references to mysticism and mystical experiences in Judaic teachings, including prophetic dreams and visions and interactions with G-d and angels. Ancient Jews were not allowed to even study these teachings until they completed their study of the Torah after the age of forty. And, then, Kabbalah was studied by only a select few who could truly understand its meanings and power. Kabbalah tries to answer the theological questions of heaven and hell, life after death, our reason for existence, G-d and the universe. What sets Judaism and Kabbalah apart is the way the Holy Scriptures are interpreted. Kabbalah followers believe that there are hidden meanings in the Holy Scriptures and once they understand those they will be granted divine status. Known as a form of Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah is unique in its beliefs and practices and is like no other organized mainstream religion. Followers of Kabbalah, known as Kabbalists, believe that G-d taught the secrets of the Holy Scriptures to a group of angels. Those angels came down to earth in human form and taught the religion to the Israelites. Writings of the Kabbalah date back to the first centuries B. C. E. While Judaism is based on the Torah, Kabbalah has a completely different interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. The Torah is the laws and teachings of Judaism. It is also known as the Books of Moses or the first five books of the Old Testament, which include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Kabbalah scriptures include the Book of Zohar or Book of Splendor. The Zohar is a five-volume mystical commentary on the Torah. The Book of Zohar was presented in the thirteenth century by Moses De Leon who claimed the book contained the mystical writings of the second century sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai. Almost all modern academic scholars believe that De Leon wrote the text himself, but Orthodox Kabbalists accept his claim that Bar Yohai wrote them. Kabbalah also studies the teachings in the scripture Sefer Yetzirah, or the Book of Formation, which talks about Creation. Some believe that Abraham, who is known as the father of the Jewish people, wrote Sefer Yetzirah. Kabbalistic study includes a Sephiroth Tree, which organizes the ten basic principals of life. Kabbalah teaches that immortality can be obtained through the understanding of the letters and numbers included in the Holy Scriptures. The hidden meanings in the numbers and letters can only be understood with magical powers. Kabbalists believe that the truth of G-d and the universe can be found in the Sephirot Tree of Life. It organizes and pictures the ten numbers that are the working principals of life. Each of the branches is interconnected and is how G-d interacts with the universe. The ten branches correspond to the qualities of G-d. Kabbalists believe that when the tenth branch is reached, the soul can enter immortality and know G-d. Kabbalists believe that G-d is transcendent and fills every void in both the spiritual universe and the physical universe. The structure of the Sephiroth Tree of Life is important. There are three columns and the roots of the tree are above the branches. The ten Sefirot includes both masculine and feminine qualities. Kabbalah emphasizes the feminine aspects of G-d. The ten branches are: 1 Kether Being/Existence (Will/Selflessness) 2 Chochmah Wisdom (Pure Thought/Connectedness) Binah Intelligence/Understanding (Differentiation/Repentance) 4 Chesed Mercy/Love (Compassion/Healing) 5 Geburah Strength/Severity (Discipline/Boundaries) 6 Tiphareth Beauty (Balance/Harmony) 7 Netzach Firmness (Leadership/Conference) 8 Hod Glory (Dependence/Vulnerability) 9 Yesod Foundation (Union of Male and Female) 10 Malkuth Kingdom Divine (Exile/Physical) There are three different divi sions of Kabbalah Prophetic, Theosophical, and Practical. Prophetic Kabbalah contains detailed instructions for meditative practices, as well as philosophical explanations of what is going on when those practices work. Prophetic Kabbalists believe that language is the core structure of creation and that the meaning of life can be discovered through language. Theosophical Kabbalah explains the nature of G-d, his relationships to man, and how the world was created. In essence, Theosophical Kabbalah aims to explain the structure of this universe that we live in. â€Å"The critical error all of us make, because of how beautifully human nature is designed, is that we suppose that form is separate and real. † Lastly, Practical Kabbalah examines the different experiences that humans go through in their lives. Practical Kabbalists believe in angels and demons, ways to influence the appearance of G-d, fortune telling and understanding ones past lives. The three sections of Kabbalah all have their own specific philosophies yet they are all still linked with the core beliefs of general Kabbalah. Many philosophers and Rabbis have contributed to the growth of Kabbalah throughout time. Abraham Abulafia was one of the first visionary Kabbalah teachers. He was most well known for being a wandering mystic and teacher throughout Spain during the thirteenth century. Moshe Cordovero created the first real school of Kabbalah in Israel in the sixteenth century and laid the groundwork for Kabbalistic thought. During the eighteenth century in Poland, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov founded Hasidism, which is the ultra-orthodox movement based on many of the Kabbalah teachings. Many passages from Kabbalistic sources are still included in traditional Hasidic prayer books. Beginning in the twentieth century, Jews of other denominations besides Hasidism and many non-Jewish followers began to study and practice Kabbalah. However many traditional Jews do not take Kabbalah and its study of mysticism very seriously. One prominent Orthodox scholar said, its nonsense, but its Jewish nonsense, and the study of anything Jewish, even nonsense, is worthwhile. Prayer is an important part of Kabbalah. Kabbalists pray in Hebrew since it is the original language of God. Shabbat is celebrated as the day of rest in the Jewish religion and is a day of quiet, solitude, and reflection. Regardless of one’s belief in the mysticism of the ancient texts, Kabbalah allows a person to feel connected to G-d and the universe in a contemplative and personal way. Kabbalah is truly unique in its beliefs and practices. Works Cited Melton, J. Gordon. The Encyclopedia of American Religions. Wilmington, NC: McGrath Pub. , 1978. Gale Cenage. Web. 12 May 2013. The Kabbalah Centre.   The Kabbalah Centre. N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 May 2013. ;lt;http://www. kabbalah. com/;gt;. Kabbalah.   Kabbalah. N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 May 2013. ;lt;http://www. jewishvirtuallibrary. org/jsource/Judaism/kabbalah. html;gt;. Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism. Judaism 101. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 May 2013. ;lt;www. jewfaq. org/kabbalah. htm? ;gt;. Kabbalah ;amp; Mysticism in Jewish Thought. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 May 2013. ;lt;http://www. myjewishlearning. com/beliefs/Theology/Kabbalah_and_Mysticism. shtml;gt;. |

Soldiers Personal Narratives of the Vietnam War and The Vietnam War and the Tragedy of Containment :: Vietnam War Essays

Soldier's Personal Narratives of the Vietnam War and The Vietnam War and the Tragedy of Containment After reading the Soldier's Personal Narratives of the Vietnam War and The Vietnam War and the Tragedy of Containment, both information did not contradict each other. What both information actually do is that they compliment each other. When reading The Vietnam War and the Tragedy of Containment, we are reading a historical analysis from a historian's point of view. But not all of the analysis can really give the readers a sense of what the war is really like. So by reading the Soldier's Personal Narratives of the Vietnam War, we are reading what the soldiers of the Vietnam War actually goes through and what the soldiers are thinking. For instance, from The Vietnam War and the Tragedy of Containment, it describes: "The Army wanted proof of enemy casualties--high "kill ratios"--to present to Washington. Philip Caputo recalled: "If it's dead and its Vietnamese, it's Viet Cong, was the rule of thumb" in compiling casualty statistics." Similarly from The Vietnam War and the Tragedy o f Containment, it writes: "In March of 1968 an American unit was patrolling the village of My Lai in Central Vietnam. They had suffered recent losses, were frustrated by their inability to find the enemy and anxious for revenge. They rounded up unarmed women, children, and elderly civilians, raped the women, then opened fire. The killed over 300 Vietnamese civilians, mostly women and children." By reading these passages, it makes readers feel disgusted about the war and how the leaders approached their frustrations of who their enemies were. But reading these passages does not give a personal detail of how the soldiers felt or were thinking as these tragedies were occuring. For instance, from the Soldier's Personal Narratives of the Vietnam War's "The Commo Man," it describes a very powerful narrative of how a Vietnamese civilian was shot by a U.S. soldier: "I knew what the Sarge was going to do, but I didn't say anything. I just watched, as if in a dream, unconnected from the world around me, paralyzed, impotent. I could have stopped it. The Bummer and I were close. All I had to do was say "Bummer, don't do it." Just four little words, and the spell would have been broken. Instead, I said nothing, and watched as Sarge put his rifle to his shoulder, took aim and fired.

The History of Art Essay example -- essays research papers

The History of Art   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When we think of history we don’t often think of art. We don’t realize how the history of art can help us learn more about the people, the cultures, and the belief systems of those who lived hundreds and thousands of years before us. Art has developed, influenced, and contributed starting from the great Stone Age to the present day. Art gives an insight into the changes and evolution that man and culture have gone through to become what is today. Art is culture, art is the essence of the people who make it and the best way to appreciate art is to look at the history of it and it’s evolvement through time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Great Ages consists of four distinct ages: The Old Stone Age, The New Stone Age, The Bronze Age, and The Iron Age. These four Great Ages is the complete history of art from the beginning to the present day. Each age is named characteristically for the type of material used for that time. Stone was used in the Old and New Stone age, bronze in the Bronze Age, and iron in the Iron Age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Great Ages began with The Old Stone Age starting at 100,000 BCE. The people lived in tribes and clans and often moved from place to place, hunting and gathering to live. They believed all life was sacred and all beings were divine, including animals. The tribal teachings taught that man and nature are one. Hunting and gathering was a sacred ritual because they would often believe they were at one with the animal being hunted. Shamens and shamenesses, spiritual healers and seers between the people and spirits of animals, would often lead hunts and call forth the spirit of the animal to which they would ask the animal to offer their life willingly for a successful hunt. An illustration in Art Through The Ages, 1-4, (Hall of the Bulls found in Lasacux, c 15,000-13,000 b.c. Largest bull approx. 11’6† long) a beautiful cave painting of Bulls. It shows how sacred these animals were to the people. The painter took the time not only to paint such a true to nature image but also purposely put it in a remote location hundreds of feet above the entrance. The location of the painting suggest that it was used as a spiritual image that perhaps shamans would use to communicate with the spirit of the animal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Shamans were necessary to the t... ...ng alongside the edifice and stained glass windows that were mystically illuminated with the sun’s rays. 13-29 (Interior of Ste.-Chapelle), 13-33 (St. Martin, St. Jerome, and St Gregory, c. 1220-1230, from the Porch of the Confessors, Chartres Cathedral France.). The beginning of the Renaissance around 1500 CE is considered the start of the Late Iron Age, which is still on going. The Renaissance was the age of enlightenment the rebirth of learning and culture where men were going beyond their ability, where artists were considered geniuses, and private pleasure became the subject of art. Great artists like Leonardo de Vinci, Raphael, and Titian emerged from the great period of the Renaissance; they were not only geniuses, but also great individual intellects, who defined the greatness of art. Individualism still prevails today and is the very core of modern society. Male-dominated societies still exist, but slowly the demand for equality is changing that. During the Four Great Ages, many things have changed, many things have been lost, but time has not taken a sudden halt, nor the art; people, cultures, and mentalities continue to grow and change, and from growth comes greatness.

Buisness and the Recession

How AIG was affected by U. S. recession: AIG is an insurance corporation that is multinational. They have headquarters in New York City, London, Paris, and Hong Kong. In the year 2000, the company held the title for the 29th largest company in the world. Things took a turn for the worse in this company when, in 2008, they suffered from a liquidity crisis and its credit ratings were downgraded below â€Å"AA† level. AIG had to take out a number of down loans and had to sell a number of its subsidiaries to pay them all off. Source: Johnson, Rodney. â€Å"Is AIG a Tipping Point in This Recession? Chief Marketer Home Page. 24 Mar. 2009. Web. 14 May 2012. . How Sallie Mae was affected by U. S. recession: This Company was one of the few companies in business at this time of recession that was affected in a positive way. With more and more companies failing and people losing their jobs, this gives all Americans many more reasons to want to have higher education and provide their chi ldren with higher education. With the need for more education, comes all the extra costs, and with more and more people without jobs, there is a great increase in needing loans.That is exactly what this company’s strategy was and they took full advantage of the opportunity to give student loans to students across the country hoping for a successful future. Source: â€Å"Sallie Mae. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2012. Web. 14 May 2012. . How Lehman brothers was affected by U. S. recession: the Lehman brothers crisis first began when Britain’s biggest mortgage lender crashed 34 percent in early trading. Next, billions of dollars were wiped out when the FTSE fell below 4000 and it seemed to be all downhill from there.Within the next month following the Lehman Brothers crash, Bank of America took over Merrill Lynch and Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac practically fell apart. Source: Gamm, Scott. â€Å"Three Years Ago: Lehman Brothers Collapse d. † How to Save Money, Reduce Debt and Manage Credit Cards. 15 Sept. 2011. Web. 14 May 2012. . Government action: In response to the economies recession the government took a number of actions. Programs were put in place called automatic stabilizers that would increase spending or cut taxes to whoever was impacted by the ecession, without new legislation. Actions were taken by the Federal Government in support of the housing and financial markets, increases in discretionary spending, and the passing of stimulus bills. Source: Romer, Christina D. â€Å"From Recession to Recovery: The Economic Crisis, the Policy Response, and the Challenges We Face Going Forward. † The White House. White House, 22 Oct. 2009. Web. 14 May 2012. . Do you feel any of the companies played a role in creating the current recession or their own financial hardships?Do you feel they should have been more prepared to overcome financial hardships? Why or why not? I think for the most part, companies did the best they could to avoid recession, but when it comes to creating their own financial hardships, taking out multiple loans did not help any of the companies at all. I do agree that yes, they should have been more prepared to overcome the financial hardships and have more options instead of putting themselves further into debt. Should the government get involved in â€Å"bailing out† major U.S. corporations? Why or why not? If the government can be of any help that doesn’t push themselves or the company into further damage then I don’t believe there is any reason not to. Should companies be required to pay the government back? Yes absolutely. The governments money comes from us, the citizens and it is not fair that we would have to be paying off someone’s financial burdens without the government being paid back, because then we would be having to give more money when we may have financial burdens of our own.