Revenue allocation Essay Example for Free

Revenue allocation Essay Revenue means income. Allocation means to divide. Revenue allocation is defined as the division of available resources within an organisation or company. At a broader level, it is the process of assigning a cost to the amount of services and products generated. Government revenue is obtained from taxes, licenses and fees and allocated to public facilities. Because of the current revenue allocation formula In Nigeria, though there is a great deal of wealth In the country from the oil Industry, 64% of the population lives below the poverty line. While the federal government akes over half of all the money In the Nigerian federal account, little has been done to promote welfare and development projects that would benefit the general public. According to the Nigerian Revenue Moblllzatlon Allocation and Fiscal Commission, a new revenue allocation formula Is In the works, but It remains to be seen If these measures are enough to remedy the problem. When Nigerias maverick CBN Governor recently In an Interview Justified the sadlstlc, sub-human and horrific terrorist activities going on In the North of Nigeria by attributing It to the fact that 011 evenue was being unfairly shared on the basis of derivation primarily instead of population which is the Norths competitive advantage, I was shocked that such a flawed argument could come from such a respected Nigerian whose controversial reform of the Nigerian banking sector has won him praises and awards locally and internationally. SLS traced the root cause of terrorism in the North to grinding poverty in the North which he claims was caused by Nigerias use of the derivation principle instead of population as the primary yardstick for allocating revenue among he states. He believes that this preference for the derivation principle has short- changed the North and disadvantaged it. I totally disagree with SLS and will articulate in this article my reasons for disagreeing with him and my suggestions on the way forward for Nigeria using history as a guide to arrive at what I believe is a Just solution that will be favourable to all.

Carbon Nanotubes Uses and Properties

Carbon Nanotubes Uses and Properties ABSTRACT: For the first time in the human history, we are close to being able to manipulate the basic forms of all the things, living and inanimate, take them apart and put them together in almost anyway the mind can imagine. The sophistication with which scientists are learning to engineer matter at the nanometer scale is giving us unprecedented mastery of a large part of our environment. The world of the future will be defined by how we use this mastery. Nanotechnology is engineering at the molecular (groups of atoms) level. It is the collective term for a range of technologies, techniques and processes that involve the manipulation of matter at the smallest scale(from 1 to 100 nm2). Carbon nanotubes have been under scientific investigation for more than fifteen years because of their unique properties that predestine them for many potential applications. The field of nanotechnology and nanoscience push their investigation forward to produce carbon nanotubes with suitable parameters for future applications. Carbon nanotubes are one of the most commonly mentioned building blocks of nanotechnology. With one hundred times the tensile strength of steel, thermal conductivity better than all but the purest diamond and electrical conductivity similar to copper, but with the ability to carry much higher currents, they seem to be a wonder material. Field effect transistors using carbon nanotubes came into existence, these have a extremely good properties. CARBON NANOTUBES: Evolution of Nano Importance of Nano in present day scenario Moores Law Greatness of Carbon Graphene Carbon nanotube Synthesis of CNT Properties of CNT Purification methods Real time applications GREATNESS OF CARBON: Carbon is the 4th most abundant element in the Universe by mass after( Hydrogen, Helium and Oxygen). Forms more compounds that any other element, with almost 10 million pure organic compounds. Abundance, unique diversity and unusual polymer forming ability at the temperatures makes the element the chemical basis of life. CARBON NANOTUBES: Carbon nanotubes are long, thin cylinders of carbon which were discovered in 1991 by Sumio Iijima. A sheet of graphene rolled in cylindrical structure results in Carbon nanotube of 1 atom thickness and diameter in nano scale. Nanotubes have a very broad range of electronic, thermal, and structural properties that changes due to change in length, diameter and chirality or twist. Types of Carbon Nano Tubes: Single walled: In these single walled nano tubes are narrower than the multi walled nano tubes ,the diameters typically in the range of 1-2nm ,and tend to be curved rather than straight. In these SWNT only single layer of grephene .Catalyst is required for synthesis .Bulk synthesis is difficult as it requires proper control over growth and atmospheric condition .In these SWNT Purity is poor and less accumulation in body .Characterization and evaluation is easy .It can be easily twisted and are more pliable. These tubes are used to make super strong amour bodies .These single walled nano tubes are used as elastic property and used to make bullet proof vests. Multi walled: Multi walled nano tubes consists of multiple layers of graphite rolled in on themselves to for a tube shape .There are two models which can be used to describe the structures of multi walled nano tubes .In these MWNT multiple layer of grephene and can be produced without catalyst Bulk synthesis is easy .Purity is high ,more accumulation in body .It has very complex structure .It can not be easily twisted. Synthesis: Laser ablation: A pulsed or continuous laser is used which will vaporize a graphite target in an oven at 1200c . Oven is filled with helium argon gas .In order to keep the pressure at 500 torr ,Since the optimum background gas as catalyst mixture is the same as in the arc discharge process Laser ablation method is similar to arc discharge method .This method is vey expensive so it is mainly used for SWNT’s laser vapourization results in higher yield of SWNT’s with narrow size distribution than those produced in arc discharge process .Catalyst used for SWNT is NI:Y (4.2:1 At%). Arc Discharge Method: Arc Discharge method has been reported for producing carbon nano tubes .In these method nano tubes are produced through arc vapourization of two carbon rods placed end to end with a distance of 1mm in an environment of inert gases such as helium argon at pressure b/w 50 to 100 amps driven by 20v which will create high temperature discharge b/w two electrodes ,due to this anode wil get evaporated and rod shaped tubes will be deposited on cathode.Bulk production of CNT’s depends on uniformity of plasma arc and temperature of depositon The Main principle is carbon nano fibres are good at absorbing energy so they can absorb the energy coming from the bullet .The inherent property of elasticity makes the bullet to rebound .Its is 100% stronger thean steel.Lighter than aluminium.Conduct electricity as copper .These fibres can be used as space elevators . Purification Of CNT’s: Nanotubes usually contain a large amount of impurities such as metal particles ,amorphous carbon ,and multishell .These are different steps in purification of nano tubes . Air Oxidation: The Carbon nano tubes are having less purity ,the average purity is about 5-10%.So,Purification is needed before attachment of drugs onto CNT’s .Air oxidation is useful in Reducing the amount of amorphous carbon and metal catalyst particles (Ni,Y). Acid Reflexing: Refluxing the sample in strong acid is effective in reducing the amount of metal particles and amorphous carbon ,different acids used were hydrochloric acid (HCL),nitric acid(HNO3)and sulphuric acid (H2so4)bt HCL is identified to e ideal reflexing acid . Surfactant aided sonication, filtration and annealing: After the acid reflexing ,the CNT’s were purer but ,tubes were entagled together ,trapping most of the impurities,such as carbon particles and catalyst particles ,which were difficult to remove with flitration .so,surfactant –aided sonication was carried out .sodium dodecyl benezene sulphonate (SDBS) aided sonication with ethanol or methanol ,as organic solvent were preferred cz it took the longest ime time fr CNTS to settle down ,indicating an even suspension state was achieved .The sample was then filtered with un ultra filtration unit and annealed at 1273k in N2 for 4H .Annealing is effective in optimizing the CNT structures .It was provided the surfactant –aided sonication is effective to untangle CNT’s thus to free the particulate impurities embedded in the entanglement .Nano tube can also be purified by multistep purification method . Real time applications: Carrier for drug delivery: Carbon Horns (CNHs) are the speherical aggregates of CNT’s with irregular Horn like shape .Research studies have proved CNT’s CNH’s as a potential carrier for drug delivery system . Genetic Engineering: In Genetic engineering ,CNT’s and CNH’s are used to manipulate genes and atoms in the development of bio imaging geneomas protemics and tissue engineering .The unwound DNA (single stranded )winds around SWNT by connecting its specific neucletoids and causes change in its electrostatic property .this creates its potential application diagnostics and in therapeutics Nano tubes and nanohorn’s can adehere various antigens on their surface ,hence act as source of antigen in vaccines .Hence by use of nanotubes ,use of dead bacteria as source for antigen which is sometimes dangerous can be avoided . Pseudo spark switches: These are switches which work upon principle of field emission, this emission is achieved by triggering. Generally the triggering methods are Surface discharge triggering Optical triggering Pulsed low-current glow discharge triggering But cnt’s have a good emitting properties when compared from above methods. For field emission cnt’s are used as cold cathode emitters. The field emission characteristics of cnt’s are mostly reported at high vacuum pressures of 10^-6 and 10^-7 torr. Usage of cnt’s for field emission resulted in good properties and working of pseudo spark switches in both high pressure and low pressure vacuum..

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Issues in the UK and US

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Issues in the UK and US Why it Remains a Pervasive Issue in the United States and the European Union   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unsolicited sexual harassment, especially toward women, has been a serious and harrowing issue all around the world for centuries. Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 in the United States defines sexual harassment as unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature that create offensive or hostile environments (1964, 3). This includes any instance of verbal harassment, molestation, rape, etc. that violate the victim’s dignity while creating a hostile, humiliating, or degrading environment (European Institute for Gender Equality). Sexual harassment has taken many shapes and forms throughout history but one fact remains, women are exploited and discredited while their harassers are more than often unaffected. Women have not been properly represented and advocated for within their respective countries and their voices have been silenced. They have not had a platform to advocate for themselves as well as others because most of the time, their accusations are ignored, discredited, and they are forced to hide their pain and suffering. Both the United States and the European Union have laws and legislature in place that prohibit institutions, like schools and workplaces, from having any gender discrimination and encourage the protection of women’s rights. Additionally, countries in the EU have ratified convention such as the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). However, these measures have been ineffective because there is a severe lack of regulation of these laws and conventions and no monitoring of how they are being implemented. Sexual harassment rates rise steadily in both these regions as over sixty percent of women in the US and EU have been sexually harassed in their lifetime (Clarke 2007, 1) and something must be done about it. Thankfully, testimonies, particularly from the past few years, have sparked the creation of movements that shed light on the horrifying instances of sexual harassment of women around the world and expose the individuals behind such abominable acts. Widespread movements, such as #MeToo and Time’s Up have given victims a community to heal and a voice through which they can combat sexual harassment both in and out of the workplace. There would not be a need for movements like these if harassment and assault were not a prominent issue. Sexual harassment remains a pervasive issue in both the United states and the European Union because, even with conventions, laws, and legislature in place, the lack of regulation, limited monitoring of implementation, and an absence of national recognition leave victims alone in their fight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sexual harassment comes in many different forms and comprehending them is the first step toward understanding the magnitude of this issue. By comparing how both the United States and the European Union define sexual harassment, we can begin to analyze the inner workings of each country in regard to sexual harassment. Cases of sexual harassment are always unsolicited and unwelcome according to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Moreover, the European Institute for Gender Equality defines sexual harassment as a form of gender based violence including acts of unwanted physical, verbal, and non-verbal conduct, which have the grounds or effect of violating the victim’s dignity while creating a hostile or degrading environment (EIGE 1). A key word used in the definition of both the US and the EU is unwelcome. The word unwelcome emphasizes the victims’ discomfort and feelings of entrapment. However, it is not the same as involuntary because a victim may have agreed to certain things before realizing it was offensive or potentially dangerous. The main difference between these two interpretations is their focus. The US centralizes on the act of sexual harassment while the EU concentrates on the results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Additionally, there are two main distinctions of sexual harassment that apply to both the EU and the US. The first is the private sphere. This level details sexual abuse in the home or private life of an individual. A study conducted by Quinnipiac University revealed that fifteen percent of women who have been sexually harassed and/or abused said it happened at home. (Frederick, 2) People often forget that some instances of harassment occur within the victims’ homes because most cases of sexual assault occur in the second sphere, the public sphere. This form involves instances of verbal harassment, sexual advances, molestation, rape, etc. that occur in the general community (RAINN). Also included in the public sphere is sexual harassment in the workplace. United States law recognizes two kinds of sexual harassment within the workplace, quid pro quo sexual harassment and hostile work environment. Quid pro quo involves an employee that has to tolerate and endure sexual harassment in exchange for employment, a promotion, a raise, etc. Hostile work environment, as defined by US law, is an offensive work environment that hinders an employee’s performance as a result of sexual harassment in the workplace (Title VII). On the other hand, the EU does not recognize different forms of sexual harassment in the workplace and uses a general definition. This is a huge part of the problem because the lack of distinction and recognition generates apathy and people forget that sexual harassment in the workplace is an entirely different issue on its own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The impact of sexual harassment on survivors is severe and can range from depression and anxiety to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Victims can grow to fear physical and sexual conduct and avoid leaving their homes (Thomas, 143). According to Equal Rights Advocates, a women’s law center in the US, one in four women, between the ages of 18 and 35, have been sexually harassed in the workplace. This is only a statistic those who have reported sexual assault and, sadly, many women hide their pain and suffering out of fear. Additionally, this ratio gets slimmer as the women get older. The likelihood of women experiencing sexual harassment in or out of the workplace gets higher the older they are. If a study were conducted on women ages 18 to 75, the ratio would be closer to one in two women. 95 percent of these women suffer from debilitating stress reactions including anxiety, headaches, sleep disorders, weight loss or gain, depression, and fear of physical/sexual contact, as mentioned earlier (Equal Rights Advocates).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) concluded that around 90 million women in all EU Member States have experienced at least one form of sexual harassment since the age of 15. That means that almost 60 percent of women have been sexually harassed. These statistics prove that having ratified a convention such as CEDAW has little to no effect on harassment and assault if there is no implementation and hard-set guidelines. Sexual harassment has a disheartening effect that hinders women from asserting themselves within the workplace. Among men, it reinforces the stereotypical view of women as objects. Extreme sexual harassment creates hostile or intimidating work environments that cause women to quit their jobs and look for another one or it discourages them from seeking jobs altogether. Women are too afraid to speak out about the issues theyre facing because they do not want to lose their jobs but if it gets too intense they feel as there is no other option but to quit. For most of American and European history, women quietly endured mistreatment and harassment in the workplace, with little to no protection or way out. By the 1920s, working women were advised to quit their jobs if they cannot handle sexual advances (Hill, 2). These traumatized women, some of which are single mothers, lose their source of income because their voices are silenced and they cannot advocate for their rights. Moreover, sexual harassment at work can have major consequences not only for the victim but for other working women who witness it. Like the harassed individuals, women try not to draw too much attention to themselves to avoid being sexually harassed as well. This hinders them from performing their best because they do not want to stand out, even if it means sacrificing potential promotions, raises, acknowledgements, etc. (Webb, 52) These women are exploited and mistreated because they have no one to fight for them as laws against sexual harassment both in the US and the EU are not adequately enforced.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is an international treaty that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979. It outlines discrimination against women and calls for national action to end gender based discrimination, harassment, and violence. Additionally, it requires States Parties to legislate provisions, programs, policies, and strategies which prohibit sexual harassment in all spheres. The United States was one of the first signatories on the convention but still has not ratified it. The US claims there are laws and regulations already in place that achieve what CEDAW means to accomplish, one of them being Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It aims to eradicate sexual harassment in schools and workplaces. The goal of the Sexual Harassment Policy, which is in effect at all schools and workplaces, is to provide an environment free of sexual harassment, intimidation, and exploitation. However, it has not worked effectively as sexual assault and harassment rates are steadily increasing. On the other hand, countries in the European Union, such as France and the United Kingdom, have signed and ratified CEDAW. After ratifying the convention, member states are required to meet a series of conditions to end discrimination of women in all forms. This includes assimilating gender equality into their legal system, abolishing discriminatory laws and adopting appropriate ones, establishing public institutions, etc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To monitor the implementation of CEDAW, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was set in place by the UN. It is comprised of 23 independent experts from around the world that conduct observations and propose recommendations to state parties. However, these observations are few and far apart and the recommendations are not heavily enforced. The committee also requests that reports be sent in every few years from all member states that have ratified CEDAW yet many do not comply. If a country does not send in general reports of how gender equality and anti-sexual harassment laws are being enforced, the UN does not take any action. These countries are still considered to have ratified the convention even if they are not adhering to the guidelines set forth by the UN. I wanted to evaluate whether there is a correlation between the rates of sexual harassment and ratification of CEDAW. I concluded that there is no correlation between the two because the United States and countries in the European Union have the same rates of sexual harassment and assault. On average, over sixty percent of women in the US and EU reported they have been sexually harassed in their lifetime and sexual harassment rates have been steadily increasing in both these regions (Clarke 2007, 1). This all leads back to the lack of appropriate application and reinforcement, for both CEDAW and other legislature like Title VII, that leaves victims and survivors of sexual assault unprotected while the perpetrators get away with their crimes. Furthermore, the unwillingness of national governments to properly implement and fully adhere to regulations concerning sexual harassment in the workplace causes this issue to remain pervasive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sexual harassment in the workplace is nothing new and has been an agonizing issue for centuries, but it has seen a massive wave of attention and recognition recently as celebrities, citizens, coworkers, and others use their platforms to advocate for the rights of women around the world. The prevalence of workplace harassment led to the creation of groundbreaking anti-sexual assault and women’s empowerment movements such as #MeToo and Time’s Up. These movements, like many others, would not be necessary if sexual harassment were not an issue or if it were properly addressed by national governments and institutions. Celebrities have stepped up and accused Hollywood producers, directors, and actors who have taken advantage of their positions and sexual harassed women, such as Harvey Weinstein, Louis C. K., and Kevin Spacey. Countless women have spoken out about harassers, specifically Harvey Weinstein whose scandals triggered a series of allegations against similarly powerful men around the world (Rodino-Colocino, 97). These events provoked the creation of the #MeToo movement, a stand against sexual harassment, specifically in the workplace. It started in the United States on social media as a hashtag under which women would share testimonies about their personal experiences with sexual assault, harassment, and rape in the workplace or a professional setting. It provides a community of healing and lets victims and survivors know that they are not alone in their pain. Celebrities are looked up to and their seemingly perfect lives are envied. The #MeToo movement is extremely powerful and shift our view of Hollywood’s elites. Their courage to openly and so vulnerably share their experiences with the world gives women hope. Through their stories, we can also see that fame and fortune does not grant you a perfect life. Celebrities go through pain, discomfort, and fear just like anyone else and this shows women that they can let their voice be heard as well. Victims in European Union countries have found their voice just as Americans through many powerful women’s declarations. The movement went viral in October of 2017 and exposed the widespread prevalence of sexual harassment. Since then, #MeToo has spread to over 200 countries and women in every community, big or small have the courage to speak out and advocate for their own rights (Edge, 22).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In response to the #MeToo movement and the Harvey Weinstein scandal, the Time’s Up movement was founded in January 2018 by Hollywood celebrities. Additionally, many A-listers have assisted in the creation of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund. The fund provides legal support, defense, and advising to victims of sexual harassment, assault, or abuse in the workplace. As of February 2018, Time’s Up has raised 20 million dollars for its legal defense fund. It has also gained over 200 volunteer lawyers who are going to work directly with victims to ensure their rights are protected (Chu 2018, 16). When you visit the Time’s Up website, the first thing you see is a quote that reads, â€Å"The clock has run out on sexual assault, harassment, and inequality in the workplace. It is time to do something about it.† This perfectly exemplifies the goal of the movement. The time is up on silencing women and protecting abusers. It is time to make a change and take matters into our own hands since governments refuse to acknowledge the severity of sexual harassment and do something about it (Time’s Up Now). However, the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements have caught plenty of negative backlash. Many men and, surprisingly, even women argue that these movements are unnecessary. Their claims range from attention seeking to pushing an extremist liberal agenda. The individuals who push back are not educated on the goals these movements. Many individuals have claimed that #MeToo and Time’s Up are only ways for women to get more attention and fame by falsely accusing others. People in opposition claim that since there is no proof of the assaults, other than women’s testimonies, how can they believe them? Additionally, men argue that accusations make male workers and executives have to avoid women in the workplace completely. They claim there is no communication between males and females unless it is directly related to work and this can hurt their work performance (Rodino-Colocino, 98). Nevertheless, the opposition to the movement has only given women a bigger reason to fight for their rights and protection. There will always be antagonists but victims and supporters are doing their part to lift their voices, especially for women who are teared down and silenced.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Additionally, the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements have made their way across the pond, literally. What started in the United States has made an impact all over the globe as more than 200 countries have been actively raising awareness and implementing the goals of these movements into their own communities (Edge, 22). The celebrities that have shown their support for the cause, such as Angelina Jolie, Natalie Portman, Justin Timberlake, Sebastian Stan, and many others, have utilized their platforms to advocate for an issue that is not only current in the United States but it applies all over the world including Europe. The global reach of these movements is massive and shows that women refuse to be silenced and cast aside, rather we will unite our voices and speak out for those who cannot. An example of the expansive influence of Time’s Up and #MeToo is the creation of British versions of them. British media and the entertainment industry have had a surge of simmering issues that leave women feeling hopeful of meaningful change. European celebrities, including Kierra Knightley, Emma Watson, and Daisy Ridley, are speaking out and demanding action. By the end of January, the British Time’s Up initiative had gained the support of over 50 internationally acclaimed women (Chu 2018, 16).They are uniting under this cause and increasingly raising their voices in a post Harvey Weinstein age. Various celebrities have reflected the support of Americans by wearing all black to the BAFTA ceremony much like celebrities who wore all black to the Oscars and the Golden Globes.These effects are mirrored in various countries in the EU and the resulting awareness is causing a change of drastic proportions. These movements have been able to achieve what national governments and legislature have failed to do. They have given all women a hopeful voice and have protected and defended them in the face of injustice and sexual harassment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe that there are many changes that could be implemented in both the United States and the European Union to lower the rates of sexual harassment in the workplace and, eventually, eradicate it. First, the United States should recognize the flaws and failures of its laws to fully protect women and eradicate sexual harassment in all spheres. They should take necessary measures to ratify CEDAW and enact legislative provisions that ensure the safety of women in and out of workplaces. There should also be proper punishment measures set forth for the perpetrators, such as termination of employment and prison sentences where necessary. Too many harassers get away with their crimes and they must be stopped. I believe that the US should also allocate funds to organizations, foundations, and movements like Time’s Up and #MeToo that properly identify harassers and provide defense for the victims of sexual assault. Next, countries in the European Union that have ratified CEDAW should regulate and measure the extent of implementations within their respective governments and institutions. I believe that EU countries would also benefit from recognizing various forms of sexual harassment rather than relying on a general definition. Additionally, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women under CEDAW should recruit more members to monitor application of the convention into law. They could also revoke the member states’ benefits of ratification. If they have not made an effort to implement policies and no change is detected, they should not be able to say they ratified the convention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, the prevalence and pervasiveness of sexual harassment in both the United States can be attributed to their lack of regulation of these laws and conventions and the absence of implementation monitoring. Even so, the creation of movements such as Time’s Up and #MeToo have aided in representing for the victims of sexual assault and giving them a voice to speak out about their experiences. The lack of adequate representation and advocacy in the US left women no choice but to speak out for themselves and help others victims and survivors who have been silences. Their stand was inspiring and other countries like the United Kingdom, France, etc. mirrored their movements and efforts (Chu 2018, 16). This has been bringing about the change that governments failed to. Through the strength and global reach of these movement and fund the rates of sexual harassment and assault can be significantly lowered. Additionally, the US and the EU would benefit from implementing appropriate regulations to conventions, updating and revising current law and legislature, setting adequate punishment measures for perpetrators, and nationally recognizing sexual harassment in and out of the workplace. References Chu, Henry. â€Å"Time’s Up Movement Ripples across Pond.† Variety. 339(1):16. 2018. Clarke, Linda. 2007. †Sexual Harassment Law in the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union: Discriminatory Wrongs and Dignitary Harms† in Common Law World Review, Vol. 36. Edge, Abigail. The #MeToo Movement: Sexual Misconduct Charges Force Industry to Confront Itself† in The Quill. pp. 22. 2018. European Parliament. â€Å"How Could CEDAW be Implemented in the EU Legal Framework?† in Directorate-General for Internal Policies, Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs. Frederick, Bob. 2016. The Victims of Sexual Harassment in America. Connecticut: Quinnipiac University. Latcheva, Rossalina. 2017. Sexual Harassment in the European Union: A Pervasive but Still Hidden Form of Gender-Based Violence† in Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Vienna: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. Rodino-Colocino, Michelle. â€Å"#MeToo: Countering Cruelty with Empathy in Communication & Critical/Cultural Studies, pp. 96-100. 2018. Swift, Evangeline W. Sexual Harassment in the Federal Workplace: Trends, Progress, Continuing Challenges. Pennsylvania: DIANE Publishing. 1996. Thomas, Alison M. Politics, Policies and Practice: Assessing the Impact of Sexual Harassment Policies in UK Universities† in British Journal of Sociology of Education. 2004. Webb, Susan L. Step Forward: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. MasterMedia Publishing Corporation. 1991. Zippel, Kathrin S. The Politics of Sexual Harassment: A Comparative Study of the United States, the European Union, and Germany. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Essay -- Architecture Engineering History Bridge

Tacoma Narrows Bridge One of the most influential engineering discoveries in the past century was the ill-fated Tacoma Narrows Bridge. â€Å"Galloping Gertie† as she was known to local residents, the massive Washington state suspension bridge shook, rattled and rolled its way into the history books. Legendary in its time, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge held many records and drew tourists from around the world in its short life. However, the famous bridge is not known for its creative engineering or speedy construction, unfortunately the bridge was destined to fail. That failure in turn changed the way every building is constructed today as well as further man’s understanding of physics and the forces of nature. In this paper we will examine the history of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge from design to construction, the failure of the bridge, and ultimately the rebuilding project. The bridge was constructed roughly 8 miles west of downtown Tacoma and 40 miles south of Seattle. This area of Washington is a maze of waterways and islands named the Puget Sound where the Pacific Ocean meets the mainland of Washington. The original build location is known as the Tacoma Narrows, due to the proximity of Olympic Peninsula and the mainland. The Olympic Peninsula is home to beaches, the Hoh Rain Forest, the Olympic Mountains and the Victorian Seaport. The span between shores is about a mile wide which is surprisingly the closest in all 20,000 square miles of Puget Sound, hence the name Tacoma Narrows. The Olympic Peninsula rests in the middle of the Puget Sound in Western Washington and is home to wildlife, hunting and fishing, and a few fledgling communities in the 1930’s. State officials had been p... ... due for completion in 2008. Today 90,000 vehicles cross the Tacoma Narrows a day, in the next 5 years the Washington Toll Authority Projects the bridges to transport 120,000 vehicles a day. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was possibly the luckiest engineering catastrophe if there ever was one. Despite the very real danger, no human life was lost and engineers and the human race alike are better off for it. Bibliography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacoma_Narrows_Bridge http://euclid.ucc.ie/applmath/projects/bridge/ http://www.brantacan.co.uk/osclinks.htm http://www.civeng.carleton.ca/Exhibits/Tacoma_Narrows/DSmith/photos.html http://www.civl.port.ac.uk/comp_prog/tacoma/design.htm http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcoll/tnb/ http://www.nwrain.net/~newtsuit/recoveries/narrows/narrows.htm http://www.vibrationdata.com/Tacoma.htm

Equal Opportunities for Disabled Americans :: Research Papers

Equal Opportunities for Disabled Americans Life for the disabled can be difficult physically, emotionally, and financially. Donley Jones talked about his hardships as a disabled American worker in a personal interview on November 25, 2004. However, there have been several legislative changes in the United States, which have put forth the opportunities that many poverty and lower level families have needed to move to higher grounds financially. Cleaver states that there have been many laws and acts put forth by congress to make this move easier for disabled Americans. Donley, a 37 year old janitor at the Johnson City Mall, is legally blind. Donley talks of the prejudices that left him and his family in poverty. He talks of his struggle to provide for his family and how hard it was to get out of poverty. Donley remembers not knowing how he would ever be able to provide opportunities for his children, such as putting them through college, with his income. Donley tells of how he believes the government had a lot to do with his ab ility to move his family out of poverty. The Disabilities Discrimination act of 1995 came into effect on December 2, 1996 (Lockwood 1). Lockwood tells of how this act provided equal opportunities in the work force for disabled Americans . The Act states that to be covered under the act, a person must have a physical or mental impairment, such as but not limited to loss of eyesight, which lasts at least one year (Lockwood 2). Lockwood’s article also states that the impairment must burden daily activities or put the person in risks of danger The law states that the employer may be required to make certain adjustments for disabled people to be employed. Lockwood stresses how important it is for employers not to discriminate against disabled workers. The employer will be committing discrimination, says Lock wood, if he or she refuses to hire treats a disabled person different than the way he or she would treat a person with out a disability. Section 6 of the Act states that an employer must make necessary changes to the work place (Lockwood 2). According to Lockwood these changes must make give disabled employees the same advantages they would have if they were not disabled. If a person feels they are being discriminated against they can file a lawsuit (Lockwood 5). Lockwood tells of several of the lawsuits have been filed since the act since the act took effect.

Present Proposals for Improvements to customer service Essay

Introduction: In this assignment I will research a business through either the Internet or visiting the actual location and describe what type of customer service does that business have. I will pass judgement by listing all the facilities that the business has installed to facilitate and benefit their customers. I will base my research on the Legoland theme park in Windsor as it has a lot of factors to talk about in my assignment and will prove quite interesting in my understanding in what good customer service is. For task 2 I will describe the Acts of Parliament that protects customers and relate each Act according to how it will affect an customer at Legoland. I will then take another business and I will observe all the factors that has been asked of me to do, such as make notes like the â€Å"friendliness that the business makes to its customers† to questions like â€Å"What are the conditions of hygiene to the customers†, all of which will be taken in to account into an overall conclusion to how that business gives satisfaction to customer service. I will visit Mc Donald’s in Hounslow, being as its a very busy environment it will test their behaviour to all the elements that could effect their service and observe how they deal in those predicaments. I will then interpretative my opinion on how Mc Donald’s could improve there business through an oral presentation. Read more:  Advantages of Off The Job Training For task 5 I will obtain information on how an organisation monitor customer service and explain on how Legoland would take out to improve and increase sales for the long term future. Task 1 and Introduction to Legoland I have chosen to visit Legoland Windsor as my organisation, Legoland has 150 acres of wooded landscape. It is set on a beautiful site, nine million families within our target age range. The lego group was founded in 1932 by â€Å"Ole Kirk Chitarisen who started life as a carpenter. today Lego is consistently the only European toy manufacturer in the worlds top ten best sellers list. The Lego group is always being innovative. Manufacturing new designs and different techniques of satisfying children’s fundamental needs. The lego group is still a family owned business. Around 1.2 – 1.4 million people visits Legoland per year. It has all a child aged 2-12 needs. It is near to main motorways and there are several means of access to Legoland. There are many advantages, for example the effect on the local economy. I am visiting Legoland in order to investigate how the business treats its internal and external customers and what methods they have to solve customer complaints. External customers are people that buy or visits. They are private individuals and businesses Legolands main external customers are families, grandparents with children, children from school trips and foreigners. There are 12 – 14 million visitors every year. It is a great idea for parents to take their children to Legoland as it meets their needs. Legoland has five themed activity areas with forty interactive notes and is full of fun for children aged 2 -12. The services that Legoland offer to its customers. * Toilet facilities: Children always need to go to the toilet nearly each hour of the day therefore , there should be a sufficient amount of toilets around the site. * Baby care Centres: This area is a private area for mothers to changed their baby or to breastfeed. It is ideal for mothers as it is convenient and they can rely on them in case of a emergency. * Lockers: Legoland offers lockers to the public as it saves them carrying their luggage around and they know that it is safe. They are non-refundable coin operated lockers . There are a high amount of lockers provided. * Pushchairs and wheelchairs hire: Both pushchairs & wheelchairs can be hired from Legoland. They have a charge but is fair. To make pushchairs & wheelchairs give more access Legoland have provided slopes instead of steps and wide gaps for access in the attractions. For example freestyle workshop. * Public telephone: There are public telephone located on the mini map. This is very pleasing as not everyone has mobile phones. This may be ideal for parents making calls to a taxi firm or friend to pick them up. * First Aid: There is only are first aid centre on the map. This is unpleasant as first aid centres are vital as children may cause injury to themselves and need assistance promptly. * Lost Parents: There are two lost parents sites located. This is a vital need as children need to know where they are and how far they are. A child may get lost and will not know what to do. Normally if a child appears at a lost parents centre, they announce it on speakers around the site giving a full description of a lost child. * Automatic cash machines; There is one cash machine on site. This is useful as parents do not have to visit banks to withdraw cash. Parents would not have to worry if they run out of money. * Restaurants and cafes: There are eight restaurants & cafes in Legoland. This is pleasing as parents and children will have the benefit of eating when they are ready. They would not have to walk far to find a restaurant. The internal customers of Legoland are the employees, support staff and those who work within the organisation. Their needs would be: * A pleasant environment to work in: The employees would require an environment in which it is clean, safe and suitable. * An average salary: All employee want to earn a sufficient amount of money, so they can purchase more goods/services, or of a higher quality of goods or services. Their salary must be able to cover for their own running costs, food and needs. * Uniform: Some jobs require the employees to wear a uniform. The employees would have to wear the uniform as it is presentable and is a form of advertising. It pleases customers & alerts them that the employees are available. * Changing area: Employees need an area in which they can change their clothes into their uniform. Their has to be a male/female changing room. This is convenient for the employees, as they will not have to wear their to and from work. * Lockers: Employees need locker to store their valuables and to reduce the risk of theft. The employees feel a little safer as they know their goods are store somewhere safe. * Toilets: Staff need toilet facilities as this is a basic need. * Car park: Staff who drive need to know where they can park their vechiles without worrying. In some staff car – parks, only the staff have an entrance to it. Business communication Oral. An event when I spoke to an member of staff at Legoland was: 1) At the main entrance, I went to guest services to ask on some more information on Legoland and perhaps that they might have a student information pack, they replied and gladly and gave me a booklet on all the information on the Legoland Corporation. My opinion of the customer service of Legoland. During my visit to Mc Donald I discovered that many of staff were exhausted, unhelpful and bored. There were not many members of the public as the weather was unpleasant. Due to the poor weather, most of the attractions and shops were closed I went on a few attractions to test the staff’s reaction. For example, we went on a ride called â€Å"the ferrous wheel†. The woman working there was being very sarcastic as the ride was for all ages but aimed at younger children but still didn’t give her the right to tell me and the people I’m with â€Å"I hope you not come back†. We went on another ride called â€Å"casserole†. The man who was supervising the ride who was opposite us and phoned the person on the other side of the path and they both started laughing and making jokes, which quite rude and uncomfortable The procedures Legoland adapt to handling customer complaints are. * Listening to the customers complaints. * Try to assess the situation. * Let the customer fill in a customer complaint form * Reassure the customer saying sorry and it will not happen again An situation where a complaint was proceeded. A man came into a restaurant to purchase a cup of coffee for 85p. He begins to drink and realises that the coffee has gone cold. He goes to the server and tells him that his coffee that he just purchased has been cold when he bought it. The server Written communication I got this leaflet from a library. It has all the information the public need to know about Legoland. It has six different languages for everyone’s needs, it gives the statistic information, opening times, advance booking, season passes and where how to get there. It is a very vibrant and bold leaflet. This leaflet is all you need to know about Legoland. It has a big and colourful writing for children to read and uses words like â€Å"excitement†, â€Å"hours of fun† â€Å"nothing better†. These words are emphasised many times to make Legoland sound fun and interesting. Legoland manufactures many leaflets in order to persuade little children and parents to visit. LEAFET * Here in a leaflet, I got from the front desk It tells the public when the opening times are for certain attractions. The second Leaflet is a addition feature that Legoland have added as their last and closing days to their seasonal year. It is shown in a very bright and vibrant layout with space Legoland character shooting a space war over the miniature site attraction. It would attract people into to going to this event but the thing that would put people off is the times that the fireworks will be displayed which is the late evening so some people might need to leave, so they have to miss that event, if it was some other special event that can proceed in the day then the turn out could be large. N/A N/A These are the four acts which protect customers 1)Consumer protection Act 1987 This act states that all goods brought should be safe to use, and prices should not be displayed in a misleading way. Legoland would have to abide by these rules. For example, the price of goods should not be displayed in a confusing way. The price should be bold so customers can clearly see and understand them. 2) Sales of goods act 1979 This law declares that goods should be: * Merchantable quality (Fit to sell, have no faults or damages) * Fit for their purpose (suitable for the purpose for which they are sold) * As describe (must match description given) For example, at Legoland the goods sold should have no faults or damages. If a women purchases a key ring and discovers that there is a crack in the glass that contains a picture of Legoland, she can take it back either to received a refund or exchange, Legoland may lose customer loyalty through damaged goods so they must maintain high quality products. 3) Trades Description Act 1963. The code conveys that traders must give an accurate description of their goods & services. Legoland must show clearly their goods & services they sell. For example, In the leaflets it describes the goods it sells. 4) Health and safety at work Act 1974 This act states that External customers can sue if they: * get injured because he/she sold a faulty product * suffer financial lost/distress, because of poor workmanship, professional negligence * Injure themselves because lack of care by an employee due to unsafe fittings. For Example, a customer walks into Burger king and slips over and breaks his arm. There were no signs of safety to alert the customer. The customer can sue the business for this. Task 4 Intro: In this part of the assignment I am going to observes the customer service at McDonald. This requires me to purchase something from the fast food chain and take in all the details which will help me explain what are my thought on the overall service of that particular restaurant. ________________________________________________________________ During my visit to a well known restaurant I discovered that many of staff treated their customers very well. I went into a restaurant called â€Å"McDonald†. The service was satisfactory as they treated me in a good manner. There were limited amounts of food to choose from. They had a chicken burger, chicken nuggets, beefburgers & chips, all in total of 6 meals to choose from. I thought there would be more of a variety to choose from. I paid 79p for a medium portion of chips. its was not filling at all, whereas if I went to a general fish and chip shop the portions that they give for 79p is quite handsome and leaves you quite full. The time it took to order an potion of chips was very quick as it was almost instant. It took almost for the cashier at Mc Donald’s to despense the money I gave her in order to give me my order about 40secs, which was very impressive. I was in a long queue to test the amount of time it took to place my order. It took 3 mins to place my order in a queue with 7 people ahead of me. The hygiene of the restaurant was only satisfactory as the place was over crowded and I think due to the poor weather conditions most staff were ill and tired to meet the standards of cleanliness required by the Health and Safety Act to their customers. Despite the hygienic of the restaurant the ergonomics of the seats and tables and all other design features to the chain restaurant is in general quite good. For a family of four could easily seat together in a booth that is to assist a number of people at once to sit. The tables is on average in the right height to eat, and the seats just complement the table with the right height. The only disadvantage to the comfort to the seats is that its 100% plastic and that can be quite uncomfortable if sat down for a long time, but due to the constant redesigning to the restaurants it may just be a costing objective. In overall comfort to the restaurant is very welcoming and due to the winter they have set the climate to a comfortable temperature. The hygiene of the lavatories was at a high standard. No matter how busy it is, Mc Donald’s always maintained the lavatories clean and the all the way into the mensroom neat. The floors are always mopeds and the cubicles are always smelling fresh. The access for the disabled people is just satisfactory. As I walked in I noticed instant that the space between the tray and bin stand and the parallel table was quite close together, and if I just squeezed through a person going the other direction then someone in a wheelchair is going to have a frustrating time getting to order and finally having a place to eat in McDonalds. There is a disabled toilet which is at a very good standard, so Mc Donald’s are to facilitate disabled people but there ideas would need to have concerns on how they are meant to get in their restaurant. Mc Donald’s have always been concern for the environment. From when a customer opens there boxed burger to reading the sheet that covers the tray, Mc Donald’s always mentions and expresses that all there packaging and wrapping is produced from recycled paper and other materials. The majority of the disposable rubbish is always mention to be recycled too. The surrounding environment to Mc Donald’s is clean and members of staff take shifts into picking up any other rubbish that surrounds Mc Donald’s. The bins around the restaurant are always being replaced with an empty black bag, and on the outside of the restaurant which is the front, is a bin which is always being monitored by the staff. The safety of the restaurant was excellent as they had taken all precautions to prevent accidents from occurring. For example a sign symbolising that theirs a wet floor was put up, this was to reduce the risk of injury. The improvements that Mc Donald’s need to take in to action are: The three improvements to customer service that I have chosen are: a) Friendliness b) Availabilty of Goods and services a) Friendliness When I went into Mc’Donalds the staff did greeted me nice but in self forcefully way. As I ordered my fries the cashier almost shouted and said â€Å"Is that all† I quietly replied â€Å"no that would be fine†. Then when I received my order She said â€Å"Thank you enjoy your meal† even when I ordered a portion of fries and in the way she said it was in a insincere way. The way that the staff at Mc Donald’s could improve its courtesy to their customer would be to hire more cashiers and give them a longer break as on the day I went to the restaurant it was a very busy day and the amount of customers and stress combined can did lead to satisfactory behaviour. b) Availability of goods. From time to time McDonalds do have a wider variety of extra value meals but only for limited time period such as the new Chinese themed meals. As in a any other working day you would go into have lunch at their restaurants you would find yourself limited amounts of foods to choose and soon enough you would become fed up of eaten the same thing time and time again. Mc Donald’s could improve this by introducing more different extra value meals and fixing them into the ordering system in the restaurant so they become a regular fixture. How businesses monitor customer satisfaction Legoland monitor the number of customers by looking at their level of sales. If their sales are low, this means that the numbers of customer’s visits are low. This may be due to high price unhelpful or rude staff or validity of goods/services. Legoland monitors the level of sales by seeing if the sales have increased. This means that more customers are buying more. If the sales are rising this may indicate that customers that customers are happy with the service or find the goods at a reasonable price. Legoland monitor feedback by asking their customers to fill a form on their service. If a customer went into a shop to purchase a magazine and was unable to find it, he/she says thank you. This is a method of feedback as the customers was happy with their good/service. Some businesses issue surveys to their customers because then they can detect if people are happy with their good/service. Legoland monitor repeats business by checking the name and address of a person and how many times his names appears. For example a man buys a jumper on credit card. It shows the name and address. Another day, the same man returns and purchases a jacket, his name will appear again. Therefore the company can conclude that this is a frequent customer.

Supplier Relationships: a Strategic Initiative

Supplier Relationships: A Strategic Initiative Jagdish N. Sheth Goizueta Business School Emory University Arun Sharma University of Miami Jagdish N. Sheth is Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing, Emory Business School, Emory University and Arun Sharma is Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Miami. This paper extends research published by the authors in Industrial Marketing Management (March 1997). Please address correspondence to Arun Sharma, Department of Marketing, University of Miami, P. O. Box 248147, Coral Gables FL 33124, Telephone: (305) 284 1770, FAX: (305) 284 5326.Supplier Relationships: A Strategic Initiative* Abstract In an increasing competitive marketplace, firms are seeking new methods of enhancing competitive advantage. Today, purchasing is becoming a strategic function and a key factor in competitive positioning. This paper suggests that effective relationship with suppliers will provide firms with next-generational competitive advantage. With conso lidation of firms within industries, continuos product evolution and constant pressure on costs, supplier relationships will become more critical in the future.This paper discusses the emergence of supplier relationships, and how this shift toward supplier relationships has and will change the role, processes and strategies of firms. Although purchasing has strategic importance within a firm, good relationships between customers and suppliers are elusive. Firms, therefore, need to emphasize aspects that will enhance supplier relationships. * This paper extends research published by the authors in Industrial Marketing Management (March 1997). Supplier Relationships: A Strategic InitiativeIntroduction Firms are facing increasingly competitive environments characterized by continuos pressure on costs, large global players, continuously evolving products, customer fragmentation and emerging technologies. To ensure success, firms realize that they cannot be experts in all businesses and are concentrating on their core competencies. As an example, Westinghouse is selling its power and defense lines to concentrate on the broadcasting business. To enhance their performance in non-core competency areas, companies are reevaluating business relationships so as to form closer relationships with strategic suppliers [1, 2, 3].Firms have realized that collaborative business relationships improve a firm's ability to respond to the new business environment by allowing them to focus on their core businesses and reduce costs in business processes. In an earlier paper, we had suggested that the source of next-generational competitive advantage will be collaborative relationships that firms have with their suppliers [4]. We suggested four reasons for this phenomena. First, marketers or sellers are driving this change as firms have started identifying and catering to the needs of specific customers.Thus, having a relationship with suppliers will enable firms to receive better servi ce and therefore be more efficient in procurement. Second, firms recognize that supplier relationships will allow them to be more effective. It is easier to implement strategies such as quality platforms, if firms have relationships with their suppliers. Third, there are enabling technologies that allow firms to select their best customers and suppliers. Computer programs allow firms to calculate profitability Page 2 associated with each customer or supplier.Finally, competition and the growth of alliances are forcing firms to develop better supplier relationships to maintain a competitive edge. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize that supplier partnerships will provide a strategic advantage to firms. This paper identifies the benefits of supplier partnerships and provides guidelines for future supplier partnering. Shift in Organizational Strategy The reason for the emerging emphasis on supplier relationships is the shift in organizational buying strategies [4]. Organizational purchasing strategies have been dramatically changing for four reasons (please see Figure 1).First, global competitiveness had made firms realize the competitive advantages of creating and managing supply chain relationships. Second, emergence of the Total Quality Management philosophy has encouraged â€Å"reverse marketing† starting with external customers and moving backward into procurement processes. For example, Demand Driven Manufacturing or flexible manufacturing and operations have been instituted in order to serve the diversity of demand with respect to form, place and time value to customers. The role of suppliers is critical in this regard.Third, industry restructuring through mergers, acquisitions and alliances on a global basis has reorganized the procurement function from a decentralized administrative function to a centralized strategic function. This is further intensified by outsourcing many support functions such as data processing, and human resources. Fin ally, uses of information technologies have restructured the buying philosophy, processes and platforms by allowing firms to share market information and use market information to schedule design and manufacturing of products better. Page 3Fundamentally, the consequence of changing paradigms of organizational strategy is likely to result in a two dimensional shift as shown in Figure 2. Organizational purchasing strategy shifts from a transaction oriented to a relational oriented philosophy, and from a decentralized domestic sourcing to a centralized global sourcing process. Relationship with Suppliers As stated earlier, we suggest that developing relationship with suppliers will be critical for the effective functioning of firms. This trend is reflected in Table 1 that shows that large firms have substantially reduced their number of suppliers.This trend also suggests that some suppliers would be exclusive to firms. The primary reasons are that corporations are becoming leaner. The procurement function is becoming more centralized while the profit-and-loss (P) responsibility of firms is becoming less centralized. Business-unit heads are raising more questions about the way things are bought. And as vertically integrated companies – those that have complete internal capabilities and are self-sufficient – become relics and outsourcing of operations become a reality, more opportunities to partner with suppliers will arise.Taking advantage of these opportunities is increasingly important for several reasons: †¢ Declining market prices. Nobody expects prices to rise anymore. There is going to be a tighter squeeze on the margins of customer companies. They would like to get that margin reestablished by working with suppliers. †¢ Rising competitive intensity. With the restructuring of the world economy, the formation of the World Trade Organization, and greater economic integration within and between regions, global and regional consolidation is clearly taking place and resulting in greater Page 4 competition. Advanced technology enablers. Electronic commerce and networked computing are here. Dramatically reduced cycle times are becoming an ordinary achievement. These require partnering with suppliers. †¢ Reverse marketing strategies. The traditional process flow – from R and sourcing to manufacturing, sales and service – is becoming a thing of the past. Today, market-focused organizations are organizing into reverse marketing – starting with the end users. Partnering with suppliers is critical to this strategy. †¢ Strategic positioning. In the past, companies partnered primarily for operational efficiency (i. . , just-in-time procedures or zero-inventory models). Today, intense competition is coming from existing rivals, new entrants and the threat of substitutes. Partnering with suppliers is an increasingly important way of minimizing the competition’s negative impact on an industr y. Example of Companies Benefitting from Supplier Relationships The major research regarding the advantage of supplier relationships comes from a study of the Japanese automotive component industry [5]. They found that the average length of the relationship between suppliers and buyers was 22 years.In addition, the major customer bought about half the output of the supplier firm. About 26% of the supplier’s development effort was devoted to a single customer. Competition was restricted to 2-4 other suppliers. Finally, the quality of delivered product was very good. The data would suggest that supplier relationship enhanced the design efforts of the buying company and reduced uncertainty and costs for the Page 5 supplier company. Eastman Kodak, Ford Motor Company, Levi Strauss, DuPont , McKesson and Bose corporation demonstrate that some savings can be achieved by supplier relationships [2].These firms as well as examples of other firms using specific tactics to benefit from s uccessful relationships are discussed next: Eastman Kodak Company: Eastman Kodak Company has outsourced its data and information processing system to IBM. Kodak has achieved substantial cost savings through reducing personnel, assets and capital expenditures in an area that is not its area of core competency. This shift toward asking data processing and systems management consultants to manage the information and data processing of a firm has accelerated as major firms such as Xerox and Ryder have outsourced their internal data processing systems.Ford Motor Company: Ford formed a relationship with one of their own clutch suppliers. Ford examined the production process of their supplier and was able to reduce the cost of the clutch by 20% benefitting both Ford and the clutch supplier. Similarly, based on their past experience with Donnelly, Honda picked Donnelly as an exterior mirror supplier, although Donnelly had no experience in the area [3]. Honda sent its engineers into Donnelly ’s plant, and Honda and Donnelly engineers reorganized the plant and re engineered the product process.Sales are expected to be $60 million in 1997 and costs are expected to decline 2% annually benefitting both Honda and Donnelly. JC Penny and Levi Strauss: JC Penny and Levi Strauss are linked with an electronic Data Page 6 interchange (EDI) that allows Levi Strauss to obtain sales data. Levi Strauss obtains data on the exact size of jeans sold in individual stores. This data allows Levi Strauss to better plan the production process as well as better control inventory and delivery. This saving leads to a reduction in costs and prices benefitting both JC Penny and Levi Strauss.DuPont: Dupont has reduced the costs of each purchase transaction in the maintenance and repair supplies division from $120 to $16 by working with a smaller number of suppliers. DuPont selected one distributor in each region for a supplier relationship. They then implemented a paperless order, receipt an d payment process. In addition to decreased costs of transaction, inventory at the maintenance and repair facilities were reduced by 50%. McKesson Drug Company: McKesson a major drug distributor, developed a relationship with Johnson and Johnson, one of their major suppliers.Through a joint computer system development effort, both firms receive data on inventory, point of sale, demand, and customer information. This has led to Johnson and Johnson providing better service to McKesson increasing the level of service that McKesson provides to its customers. Due to the success of the relationship, Johnson and Johnson has turned over a million dollars worth of business to McKesson. Bose Corporation: Bose corporation has attempted to eliminate both purchasers and salespeople by bringing suppliers into the manufacturing process.Suppliers have access to Bose’s data, employees and processes. They work with Bose’s engineers on present and future products. The Page 7 reduction in personnel reduces costs for both sides, and a direct contact between the user and producer enhances quality and innovation. Establishing and Maintaining Supplier Relationships Wilson [6] suggests that the majority of alliances fail. We feel that most of the problems are associated with the selection and maintaining of supplier relationships. We present research finding from academic research, USGAO [2] and our own experiences.In order to establish relationships, we suggest that firms be very selective in their criteria. In addition to the normal criteria of competency and quality, we suggest the following additional factors be taken into consideration: †¢ Trust and Commitment to Long-term Goals. Both suppliers and buyers need to demonstrate trust and commitment toward a long-term vision. Trust and commitment have been shown to be the major predictors of successful relationships. †¢ Mutual Benefit. The relationship should be of benefit to both the buyer and the seller.If t he relationship has one-sided benefits, the relationship will not last. †¢ Top Management Support. Most successful relationships are associated with support from the top managers of a firm. As examples, the success of Walmart and Corning in forming relationships is because their CEOs have supported supplier relationships. Also, DuPont and Roadway Express have formed an Executive Board that meets at both companies to enhance their relationship [2]. †¢ Compatible Organizational Culture. The culture of firms should be compatible. This Page 8 uggests that they share common values and share common reward systems. A major relationship initiative between two telecommunication firms did not work because they did not share a common work philosophy. One firm was very intense, whereas the other firm was laid back. The relationship dissolved in six months. †¢ Sharing of Information. Relationships require sharing of information. The benefits of relationships arise from reducing th e uncertainty associated with transaction oriented exchanges. Information increases certainty and reduces needless interaction.As an example, Bailey Controls, a manufacturer of control systems shares data with two of its main electronic distributors that has allowed Bailey to reduce inventory and costs [3]. †¢ Strong and Open Communications. Strong and open communications reduces misunderstanding and enhances the quality of relationships. Maintaining Successful Relationships The following aspects are regarded as important for the successful maintenance of relationships. †¢ Simple and Flexible Contract. Simple and flexible contracts enhance relationships as they are used as guides rather than specifying all contingencies.For example, when Kodak outsourced their computer support services to IBM, they used an eleven-page contract [2]. In contrast, typically simple business contracts run to about 30 pages. †¢ Intensive Management Involvement. Cross functional teams from b oth the supplier and buyer organizations that meet periodically to enhance their relationships. For example, Ford uses salespeople to provide suppliers with consumer feedback [2]. Page 9 †¢ Periodic Performance Monitoring. We have found that performance monitoring is critical for relationships. Suppliers also appreciate a formal performance evaluation method.As an example, Motorola evaluates and generates a score card for all of its suppliers [3]. The supplier’s next order is based on the supplier’s previous performance. Suppliers appreciate this knowledge and compete better. †¢ Internal Controls. It is intuitive but companies need to protect access and distribution of confidential information with rigorous internal controls. †¢ Problem Solving Procedures. Companies need to establish problem solving procedures that reduce conflicts or prevent conflicts. One of the simplest forms is frequent communication at all levels of the customer and supplier organiz ation.Organizational Changes Need to Establish Supplier Relationships As stated earlier, as we traverse from a transaction and domestic orientation to a relationship and global orientation, firms will need to emphasize the development of relationship with suppliers. This emphasis of a relationship orientation toward suppliers will lead to an expertise in many aspects of business buying. These areas are highlighted in Figure 3, raised in our earlier paper [4] and discussed next. 1. Supplier as a Customer. As discussed earlier, there will be a thrust toward developing and maintaining relationship with customers.However, firms’ understanding in this area is very limited. Firms will need to develop commitment, trust and cooperation with their suppliers. Firms will need to invest in mutual goals, interdependence, structural bonds, adaptation, non Page 10 retrievable assets, shared technology and social bonds to ensure successful relationships [6]. 2. Cross-Functional Supplier Team s. Marketers have used interdisciplinary teams to contact and maintain relationships with their customers. As individual suppliers relationships become more important we expect a similar thrust toward cross-functional teams that are dedicated or focused on their key suppliers.The importance of individual suppliers is expected to increase because of the emergence of sourcing on a global and relational basis with a few key suppliers. Firms will need to change goals, reward structure and group norms of the purchasing function. 3. Does Partnering Pay? Firms will need to monitor the return on investment in establishing relationships with suppliers. Therefore, firms will need to develop a performance metric that analytically quantifies supplier relationship equity. We feel that supplier partnering with smaller share suppliers will not be economical.The cost-benefit analysis of supplier relationships should result in increased supplier selectivity. 4. Supply Experience Curves. Managing sup plier relationships will not be an easy task. The task of managing relationships on a global basis will be more complex and not analogous to domestic supplier management as most business customers have realized. Therefore, in industries where supply function is a key strategic advantage, companies need to focus on creating core competency in supply side management and develop sharper experience curves. Page 11 5. Hub and Spokes Organization. We expect organizations to reduce the number of uppliers in each product or service category. In addition, re engineering has forced firms to out source internal activities. We expect the results of these two trends to lead to a hub and spoke organization in which one or two suppliers in each product or service category are the spokes and the procurement organization becomes the hub on a global basis. 6. Bonding with Suppliers. Marketers, specifically those that practice relationship marketing have learned to bond with their customers. Bonding r elates to the empathy that the marketing organizations feel toward their customer groups.With an increasing trend toward creating, managing, and enhancing ongoing relationships with suppliers on a global basis, organizations will have to invest in supplier bonding processes and philosophies. 7. Global Sourcing. We expect global sourcing to be a source of strategic advantage. While several global enterprises, especially in the automotive, high technology and the aerospace industries are establishing processes and platforms, it is still at an infancy stage of practice in other industries. Firms will have to develop expertise in global sourcing strategies as well as global logistics. . Cross-Culture Values. Firms will need to be more aware of cross-cultural values. These values may be in conflict with the firm’s present value system. As an example, firms in the US are accused of focusing on short-term profitability whereas firms in Japan are concerned about long-term positioning . Similarly, in some cultures, reciprocity is declared illegal and unethical Page 12 whereas in other cultures it is the preferred way of doing business. What is considered as an agency fee in one country is recognized as a bribe, subject to prosecution under the anticorruption laws.Similarly, doing business with family members and politically connected individuals are presumed to provide a sense of trust and commitment in some cultures whereas it is considered as nepotism and unethical behavior in others. 9. Cross-National Rules. Firms will also have to learn about cross national rules. Specifically, the two tier regulations (one for domestic and the other for foreign enterprises) are common with respect to ownership, management control, and co-production practices in countries such as China.With the rise of nationalism in recent years, this has become a key issue for global enterprises such as McDonald's, Coca-Cola, General Electric, and Enron, especially as they expand their mark et scope and supply scope in large emerging nations such as India, China, and Indonesia. 10. Services Procurement. As organizations out source more and more internal services, and as suppliers engage in providing value-added services to their customers, firms need to better understand and research services procurement. Additionally, as most advanced countries are services economies, services procurement will rise in prominence.Conclusions The paper examined the reasons for the emergence supplier relations as source of Page 13 competitive advantage. The paper discusses successful relationships, rules for developing relationships and concludes with organizational strategies that will enhance supplier relationships. Page 14 References 1. Napolitano, Lisa, Customer-Supplier Partnering; A Strategy Whose Time has Come, Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, 4 (Fall), 1-8 (1997). United States General Accounting Office, Partnerships: Customer-Supplier Relationships can be Improv ed through Partnering, Report Number 94-173, Washington, D.C. (1994). Magnet, Myron, The New Golden Rule of Business, Fortune, February 21, 60-64 (1994). Sheth, Jagdish N. , and Arun Sharma, Supplier Relationships: Emerging Issues and Challenges, Industrial Marketing Management, 26 (2), 91-100 (1997). Wasti, S Nazli, Jeffrey K. Liker, Risky business or competitive power? Supplier involvement in Japanese product design, Journal of Product Innovation Management, 14 (September), 337-55 (1997). Wilson, David T. , An Integrated Model of Buyer Seller Relationships, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 23, 4, 335-45, (1995). Emshwiller, John R. Suppliers Struggle to Improve Quality as Big Firms Slash their Vendor Roles, Wall Street Journal, August 16, B1, (1991). 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Page 15 Table 1 Reduction in the Number of Suppliers Company Number of Suppliers Current Previous 5,000 10,000 9,000 10,000 1,800 22,000 520 7,500 Percentage Change 90. 00% 70. 00% 66. 66% 45. 00% 44. 44% 36. 36% 26. 92% 20. 00% Xerox Motorola Digital Equipment General Motors Ford Motor Texas Instruments Rainbird Allied-Signal Aerospace 500 3,000 3,000 5,500 1,000 14,000 380 6,000 Source: Emshwiller [7]. Page 16 Figure 1 Changing Paradigm of Organizational Purchasing StrategyGlobal Competitiveness Technology Enablers Changing Paradigms of Procurement TQM Philosophy Industry Restructuring Page 17 Figure 2 Shift in Organizational Purchasing Strategy Global Sourcing Changing Paradigms of Procurement Transaction Oriented Relationship Oriented Industry Restructuring Domestic Sourcing Page 18 Figure 3 Emerging Areas of Expertise in Supplier Relationships Service Procurement Supplier as a Customer Cross Functional Supplier Teams Cross-National Rules Partnering Cross Cultural Values Supply Experience Curve Global Sourcing Bonding with Suppliers Hub and Spoke Organization Page 19