International Trade and Supply Chain The Foster Group Example

Abstract One of the effects of globalization is that traditional business processes are now opening up to attain a global nature. Supply chains, production lines and markets are now interlinked through a worldwide network of interdependency.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Trade and Supply Chain: The Foster Group Example specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In fact, it is almost unfathomable that a company seeking to expand its net worth can ignore the global business market entirely without recourse to any of the factors of production, supply and marketing. This research paper particularly looks at the various issues that arise when a company has an international supply chain. It finds that doing business at a global level has various challenges which threaten the smooth flow of trade. The paper analyzes the Foster Group as an example of a company that has a global supply chain with the aim of understa nding the dynamics of international operations. Introduction Nagurney (2006) describes a supply chain as â€Å"a system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer (p.2).† Normally, a supply chain begins from the point of initial transformation of the raw natural resource into a component that is consumable or to a degree where it can be processed to a finished product. However, the supply chain can begin from the end product where the product in question is recyclable. Supply chains are therefore value chains since the product is moved across various stages where value is added as every stage. To build a comprehensive supply chain, there must be effective management of the process. Indeed supply chain management has evolved to become a basic need for any manufacturing company. The entire management process is a concerted effort between suppliers, third parties, intermediaries or middlemen and finally, the customer. It is a complex process that interlinks the business tasks and procedures of a company to become included into a unified business network.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The key role of supply chain management is therefore the logistical activities providing smoother flow of manufacturing operations and the coordination of processes in other business functions such as product design, marketing and research. In a supply chain, the aspects of biological or ecological regulation of natural raw materials form the initial stage. From the extraction to the production and finally the transportation of the end product to the customer, the supply chain will have involved several different companies across various geographical areas. All these companies will have a substantial interest in the product and will in one way or another add value to it . While all the players in the entire chain may not necessarily know each other, each plays a crucial role. Company Profile Foster’s Group is a business venture based in Melbourne, Australia that specializes in brewing, soft drink and wine making. The group is listed as a public limited company in the Australian Securities Exchange though it has businesses across Asia, the Americas, Middle East, Africa and Europe. Currently, the group has a presence in 155 countries around the world employing over 6,000 workers (Foster’s Group Website 2011). Foster’s Limited is popular for making the internationally acclaimed Foster’s Lager and a good number of fine wines such as Rosemount, Penfolds and Lindemans. The original brewing company was founded in 1886 in Melbourne by Ralph and William Foster. The two were Americans who owned a refrigeration plant and since the Australian weather is quite hot, the plant enabled them to establish a brewery which they later sold. The brewery was acquired by Elders IXL, an Australian conglomerate in 1983 while trading as Carlton and United Breweries. Due to the Lager’s popularity, Elders rebranded to Foster’s Group in 1990. Foster’s has recently acquired the successful Australian wine company Southcorp which has helped grow its overall revenues tremendously. The Group has continued to do well and it now plans a de-merger of its wine and beer businesses to form two different companies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Trade and Supply Chain: The Foster Group Example specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Speculation has also been rife that the group plans to sell off its beer business, to a bigger conglomerate such as Diageo, Heineken, SAB Miller and Molson Coors. This research paper shall focus on the activities of Foster’s Group in Australia. Product profile: Foster’s Lager Foster’s Lager has been a famous international beer brand for quite some time. The amber lager of 5.0% abv is a product of the Foster’s Group based in Melbourne though it is brewed and sold under license elsewhere in the world. In Europe, the product has been quite popular due to good marketing and because it is marketed by Heineken International which is a renowned name in the beer market. The main consumers of Foster’s Lager in Europe have been the U.K, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Ireland, Belgium, Greece and Ukraine. SAB Miller owns the rights to Foster’s in India and the U.S and Molson owns brewing rights in Canada. Internationally, the lager has been marketed as an Australian product with Australian accents and stereotypes being used in advertisements. This has been well received with the brand being second to Carling in the UK. However, the brand is no longer as popular in Australia as it previously was mainly due to stiff competition in the industr y and changes in consumer preferences. Nevertheless, its international success especially in Europe has helped to keep the brand alive. This paper shall look into the supply chain processes involved in brewing this product in Australia. Research methodology This research utilized both primary and secondary data collection methods. Most of the data used for the research was secondary data obtained from relevant journals, articles, books, magazines, newspapers and online resources that had information that could assist in the better understanding of supply chains especially in the international context. The data provided several authorities on the processes and functions of supply, procurement and logistics which brought in credibility and knowledge in the writing of this research report.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Parties in the supply chain The supply chain involves various parties due to the need for logistics and identifying the right suppliers. To understand who the parties in supply chain are, we must be familiar with the entire process. First, when the business decides that it needs a particular raw material or resource, its procurement department publishes a tender notice and allows suppliers to make tenders according to the established procurement process. Once tenders are placed, the company will analyze them in terms of quoted price, quantity, experience record and quality of service. The firm then decides the bid it shall accept upon which a contract is signed for the supply of the tendered commodity. In smaller businesses, tendering is not the major procurement method due to the complexities involved. Instead, the firm looks for the supplier they need by conducting their own market research. Once the supplier is identified, logistics have to be put in place to coordinate the movem ent of goods from the supplier to the company. Looking at the above process, it is clear that various parties and professions are needed. First we have the supplier who is the key party in the chain and then there is the buyer who in this case is the company. Other parties are those who offer advisory and support services to ensure that the contract between supplier and supplier is reached. These parties include procurement officers, middlemen, agents, 3rd party logisticians (3PL) and 4th party logisticians (4PL). 3PL are those logisticians who facilitate the movement of the goods from the suppliers’ warehouse to that of the customer (Murray 2005). 4PL are professional logisticians who are hired to oversee the entire logistical process including clearing and forwarding, cargo handling, customs clearing etcetera. However, it is to be noted that the term ‘logistics’ and ‘supply chain’ are not synonymous since the latter is more comprehensive as it incl udes manufacturing and procurement processes in addition to distribution. Role of the supply chain The chief role of the supply chain is to ensure that the customer’s needs are fully satisfied through; the efficient use of available resources, timely and cost-efficient distribution and proper inventory management. To be specific, supply chains look to liaise with suppliers to; reduce bottlenecks that come with supply, avail lowest cost but quality material, provide affordable and efficient transportation, maintain well-located factories and warehouses, optimize logistics to reduce the length of the supply chain and finally to implement timely techniques that improve manufacturing flow. All in all, a good supply chain should provide the customer with the right good and at the right time, location and cost. International supply chain Offshore sourcing and globalization have led to the formation of these so-called international/global supply chains. The opening of borders for tr ade has improved business by allowing consumers to obtain the cheapest and best quality products from any corner of the globe. The drive to reduce cost has actually been the major impetus for the acceptance of globalization and the aggressive manner in which business firms have opted for foreign solutions. However, the only difference between the international supply chain and the local chain is the stretching of interests and the increase of suppliers. Global supply chains involve a wide array of suppliers all offering interesting packages to the customer. However, new opportunities usually come with new challenges that have to be effectively dealt with if the company is to reap the fruits of globalization (Gray 2007). Issues of cost must be well-considered since so many factors come into play such as labour costs, freight costs, exchange rates etcetera. Another issue to be considered is the selection of suppliers through comparison of bids. Again, research is needed here since the lowest price might not necessarily mean the best bargain. The company has to appreciate that selecting suppliers from a global list is complex and must be approached with caution. In addition, the number of international suppliers must be considered since fewer are easier to manage but their come with a bigger risk in case of default. Benefits of logistics While the use of the term â€Å"logistics† in the business sense began in the late 1950s, the increase in globalized supply chains has turned the word into an entirely new business profession (Chen Paulraj 2004). Logisticians are now simplifying what was originally thought to be a complicated process-importation. Currently, businesses do not have to worry about logistics; they just furnish logisticians of what they want, where and when and then they can sit and wait for the professionals to work. Logistics go a long way in completing the supply chain and ensuring that the bureaucracies that arise out of international trad e are handled by experienced personnel (Oliver Webber 1982). Specific details on Foster Group supply chain In the brewing of Foster’s Lager, the company usually requires several raw materials. The making of a lager such as Foster’s requires hops, malted barley and water among other additives. Since the company itself does not engage in farming activities, it has to source these products from suppliers in Australia and often from suppliers abroad. According to former C.E.O Trevor O’Hoy, making a lager usually requires select skills and ingredients that have to be balanced. More often than not, Australia does not have all the ingredients needed though it produces the â€Å"pride of Ringwood hops† that provide that famous taste. Foster’s suppliers are many and each produces some unique ingredient that goes into either the wines or the beers. Most overseas suppliers are from Germany mainly due to the established culture of brewing that has been perfec ted in that country (Daniels 2000). Naturally, Foster’s Group deals with the same suppliers in its supply chain. This is because wines and beers have to be made from very specific ingredients so as to replicate the particular taste and aroma attributed to each product. Challenges Involved in International Trade Operations International trade operations come with various challenges and risks. The reason there are more challenges is that first, there is a larger number of actors to deal with before the goods finally reach the customer. Secondly, there is the lack of sound legal protection that is usually present in the local markets due to the laxity of international law and the huge costs of international litigation. However, most of the challenges are also experienced at the local level. One of the biggest challenges in international operations is the lack of security. Since the law does not provide ample protection and the parties do not meet, the business risks and insecuri ty of trade are too great. Another big problem is that which UPS Chain Supply Solutions (2005) refer to as the â€Å"Tower of Babel problem†. This is the challenge posed by dealing with persons from different cultures who speak different languages. The risk with this is that communication may become a barrier especially where the parties do not understand each other (Lee 1997). Another challenge comes in the sense that to achieve an effective international chain, there must be a concerted effort between parties which may not be easy to achieve (Ayers 2001). Lack of ownership of the supply chain sometimes leads to confusion especially where the supplier and customer have conflicting interests. Finally, we have managerial problems that arise due to non-exposure of the managerial staff to foreign audiences. In its experience, Foster’s has faced several challenges in its supply chain due to its international operations. First, the financial crisis of 2007-2008 hit the comp any had and in fact it recorded a loss due to the poor performance of its wine-making business. The exchange rate of the Australian dollar against other currencies was also quite unfavourable. While Fosters’ suppliers have been quite consistent, the rising costs of raw materials have led the company to discontinue the manufacture of certain brands (Ayers and Odegaard 2007). Recommendations Outsourcing is touted by most professionals as the solution to most of the problems that plague international operations. Instead of incurring huge tariff and shipping costs in a bid to manufacture a product, why should the company not outsource the whole manufacturing process and save overall costs? Outsourcing is the in-thing in modern-day business with entire business functions and processes being outsourced to Asian countries such as India or China where costs of manufacturing are generally low e.g. Foster’s has now outsourced its IT department to Wipro company in India. Another way to beat the challenges that come with global supply chains is to outsource the logistics. Both 3PL and 4PL are great ways to avoid the hustles of international operations. Other ingenious ways of dealing with these challenges may include; hiring of staff with international competency (Ferrer 2003), engaging in meticulous market research, looking for better local solutions first, dealing with the same ‘tested’ suppliers (Fisher 1997), avoiding excess risks where there is no background on a supplier (Steermann 2003) and finally, training staff on the needs of the international market. Conclusion From the above, we can see the issues that come with establishing international supply chains. Foster’s utilizes the global supply chain to obtain raw materials such as malted barley as well as support services such as IT. Just like any other firm, Foster’s has experienced various challenges associated with using a global supply chain such as the financial crisis , which led to increased prices of raw materials globally. However, the benefits of reliance on the global supply chain seem to outweigh the demerits judging from Foster’s success. References Ayers, J.B. (2001) Root Cause – Weak Links. Information Strategy: The Executive’s Journal, 2(1), 42-56. Ayers, J.B. and Odegaard, M.A. (2007) Know the ABCs of Retail Supply Chain Costs. Supply Chain Quarterly, 4(2), 229-243. Chen, I. J. and Paulraj, A. (2004) Towards a theory of supply chain management: the constructs and measurements. Journal of Operations Management, 22(2), 119-150. Daniels, R. (2000) Designing Great Beer. Perth: Brewers Publications. Ferrer, J. (2003) European Supply Chain Management Characteristics and Challenges. ASCET, 5, 26. Fisher, M. L. (1997). What is the right supply chain for your product? Harvard Business Review (March-April 1997), 105-116. Foster’s Group Website (2011) Overview of the Group. Web. Gray, P. (2007) Sister Act: A Makeover. New York: Fortune Small Business. Lee, H. (1997). Information distortion in a Supply Chain: The Bullwhip Effect. Management Science, 43, 4. Murray, M (2005) Selecting a Third Party Logistics (3PL) Provider. Retrieved from:  https://www.thebalancesmb.com/selecting-a-third-party-logistics-3pl-provider-2221230 . Nagurney, A. (2006) Supply Chain Network Economics: Dynamics of Prices, Flows, and Profits. London: Edward Elgar Publishing. Oliver, R.K. and Webber, M.D. (1982) Supply-chain management: logistics catches up with strategy. London: Prentice Hall. Steermann, H (2003) A practical look at CPFR: the Sears – Michelin experience. Supply Chain Management Review, July/ August 2003, 46-53. UPS Supply Chain Solutions (2005) Supply Chain Strategy: The Importance of Aligning Your Strategies. New York: United Parcel Service of America. This essay on International Trade and Supply Chain: The Foster Group Example was written and submitted by user Brianna T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Ukita Family and the Skeen Family

The Ukita Family and the Skeen Family The Ukita family has a medium degree of well-being because it owns all necessary household appliances, including the washing machine, two TV sets, the microwave oven, and the kitchen machine. The children and parents are well dressed and they have enough clothing in their wardrobe.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Ukita Family and the Skeen Family specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They also have a family car, which is another necessary attribute of wealth. As per the Skeen family, it has relatively similar level of well-being because they have enough household appliances, two cars, and good furniture. They also garage for their automobile. Both the Japanese family and the American family seem to be happy and well off, but in a difference sense. The Ukita family is more concerned with material well-being, which can be judged from the things that are placed in front of the house. Besides, the family itself is sitting around the table and watching TV. Therefore, it can be concluded that the parents are more interested on earning more money and become richer. Despite their focus on household values, the Ukita family still adheres to the Japanese traditions by eating traditional dishes and sitting at the table without shoes on. The family leaves the shoes outside the kitchen before entering the room. In contrast, the Skeen family attaches much more importance to spiritual and cultural values rather than to the material ones. Mrs. Skeen holding the Bible is another evidence of the family’s adherence to religion and traditions. The wall with family photos handing on it is another thing that supports the family’s adherence to family values. Therefore, the members of the Skeen family are less concerned with material well-being because all household appliances are placed in the background of the photo. Aside from economic well-being, the photos depict the differences in social well-being and its influence on the families. In particular, the Ukita family is depicted as sitting in front of the TV and watching news. So, it is possible to suggest that they are interested in what is going on in the world, but are less concerned with what is going on in the neighboring house. In contrast, the Skeen family rely less on mass media because they are more focused on face-to-face communication. They are more open-minded and less prejudiced. Environmental issues are also brightly illustrated in the photo. Hence, the Skeen family considers environmental problems a priority because all of the furniture items seem to be made up from the ecologically pure materials. Unlike the Skeens, the Ukita do not pay much attention to the environment because there is no sign of their interest in the surrounding world.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While comparing these two famil ies, it should be stressed that the Japanese family is under greater influence of popular culture and consumerism trends because all of the items presented are traditional objects that an average family should have, including clothing, appliances, and car. Unlike the Japanese interior, the American family is more likely to stay beyond the media culture expansion because they are less attracted with the material values. The poses of the Skeen member are also more open and they look happier than Japanese family members. Allocation of objects, including car and furniture in the foreground serve as a sound argument for the adherence to consumerism. The Skeen family stands separately from the interior, which indicates their indifference to material objects. â€Å"MW-Japan†. n. d. JPEG File. 20. Nov. 2012. Print. â€Å"MW-US†. n. d. JPEG File. 20 Nov. 2012. Print.

8th Grade History Observation

I was very excited about this assignment. I enjoy going into the classroom and being able to observe what is going on and how everyone interacts with each other. I decided to attend a classroom at an expulsion school that has 4th- 12th grade students. Every student has a different story of why they are they at this school, some students made a mistake and want to earn their way back to their school site and some do not care about school and to not try to work towards anything positive. The staff explained that working there is a challenge and takes a special type of person that can adjust to a variety of challenging students and still try to accomplish a positive learning environment. I decided to observe the 8th grade history class for an entire chapter. I wanted to get the full experience from the start of the lesson to testing and see how the whole lesson is presented, delivered and received from start to finish. The text book used is United States History: Independence to 1914. I sat in when the students were learning about the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The book seemed difficult for some students to read and comprehend. There was an aide in the classroom at all times. I sat in a class with 31 students in it and 12 of them had an IEP, 504 plan or BSP. The teacher and aide were constantly walking around and helping the students with a diverse set of challenges. Some students I could see clearly could not read the book. The level of reading was considerably lower that what the textbook was. I could see there were students with a 2nd grade reading level trying to read a 8th grade textbook. There was also one student who caught my eye because he had a one on one aide. The first day of class the teacher passes out a page that is front and back. This has a few vocabulary words that are in the text and has sentences from the text with blanks within the sentences. The student is to read through the text and fill in the blanks and define the vocabulary words. Most students are able to complete this task without help. It took them to look in the glossary or dictionary and copy the definition. The student with a one on one aide did not have the skills to find the words alphabetically. He needed assistance finding the words and then was able to copy the words down on the page. The teacher and aide continued to walk around with the class and that kept everyone on task. I thought this was a good idea and the students seemed to know what to do and got right to work. They are allowed to work in a group of two or independently. The students that seemed serious about getting the work done worked independently. The students who worked â€Å"smarter not harder† split to front and back pages and then copied so that they could finish and have free time. The second day of class was for the students to finish their sheet of work. The students that already finished earned free time. I saw this was a distraction for the students who were still working. They were constantly looing at the students that had free time and could not focus on the job they needed to complete. A few students rushed through their work to earn free time. I did not notice anyone checking their completed work. After this class knowing that all the students were finished I asked the teacher if I could see the answer key and review the students work. He gladly granted my request. Out of 30 students, only 5 students did a great job and it showed in their work that they cared about getting a good grade and had little to no incorrect answers. More than half of the students clearly did not care and wrote in bogus answers. The few that were left copied each other’s work and clearly did not care about what was written. The third day of class the students traded papers and corrected their work with the teacher. He went through every question and had them write in the correct answer if they got it wrong. This was the first time I saw interaction between the teacher and the students. There was no conversation about the information and how this may apply to the students today. The correction of the two sided paper took the whole hour period, mainly because the students were uninterested and wasted a lot of time talking. It was almost like the students did not know how to behave when the teacher was in front of the class. After the students were done correcting their work the teacher collected the papers and recorded their grades. The next day, which was day 4 and the 4th hour of instruction on this lesson, the teacher passed out their work with the correct answers and a similar paper that read â€Å"test†. This format was the same as the assignment and had sentences from the text with blanks for the student to write the correct answer completing the sentence. I reviewed the test and see that the answer or black portion for the student to fill in was the question in the assignment. The question in the assignment was the answer or blank portion in the test. The whole concept seemed a little easy for this age and to be honest very boring and redundant. The next day the teacher had the students watch a history movie on the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The movie had more interest to the kids than the assignment that week. I was disappointed with the teaching aspect of this class. The teacher said he feels this â€Å"packet method† gets through the material and is repetitious for the kids to learn the material. I felt the kids were bored and had no desire to read the material. These kids especially strive for attention and most of the times do not have positive interactions with adults. The Constitution and Bill of Rights is a LARGE part of our history and after this week these kids did not have a better understanding or respect for our country and the rights they take for granted. The teacher and the children were not involved with each other at all with exception to correcting the assignment together. There are many things I would do differently. I would first, to get their attention, had out a blank piece of paper and ask them to make their own rights and make their own Constitution. I would have them do this to grab their interest in the lesson. These kids are more interested in what they think and what they want than anything else so I would use that and ask them what they want. I would then let them speak to the class about what they feel like they should have as right and why. This would teach the kids to respect the student speaking and also teach the kids courage to get up and speak in front of a group of their peers without using foul language. I would want to spark up a conversation about right and how important they are to each and every person. After that I would use the study guide the teacher created and read and answer the study guide as a class. I would also relate the lesson to what the students wrote in their own Bill of Rights. This was a great learning experience for me as an aspiring teacher. I would want more interaction within my classroom and my students. The students were very diverse in the aspect of some wanting to work, some not caring about the work, some unable to do work and some tweeners. I think having control of the classroom is the key in this environment. Being in front of the students and showing them you care about this and they should too, this is the philosophy I would do every day in class. I would have very little time in this environment where the student has the option when they are finished they would have free time. The only incentive there is the quicker you finish the quicker you can do whatever you want. I would have different incentives and a more positive environment that the kids could participate in with me, the teacher, the leader and their peers. In this type of school I feel with the curriculum you are also teaching life skills that they have not had the privilege of learning in their home environment. I cannot wait to have my own classroom and see the outcome of constant interaction and having the students give their personality to the lesson and assignments.

Fire risk assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Fire risk assessment - Essay Example Fires can be avoided, or minimized, through careful risk management. Risk management involves listing down the risks involved in the premises and dealing with these risks. Human error – and fire – can be dealt with effectively with careful planning and an equal amount of study on the possible causes of fire. This paper is a risk management report on a furniture factory which manufactures dining room furniture and directly sells them to the public. Covered in this report are the application of methods of fire risk assessment and the necessary laws and regulations regarding safety in the workplace. We are concerned of the safety of people occupying buildings and premises. Qualitative and quantitative researches on fire safety are included in the discussion. The report will cover several aspects on fire prevention such as the materials used in furnishings and structures and their susceptibility to different types of fires, disposal and handling of dangerous substances that can cause fire in the premises, and many other aspects of fire safety. It is important to note that fire safety is a broad concept that carries many subtopics which are interrelated but relevant to this report. Fire safety is everyone’s concern but puts a lot of pressure and responsibility on the part of the owner and employer of business. The key legal requirements we would like to discuss in addition to risk management issues are the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) and the Explosives Atmosphere Directives 99/92 EC (ATEX 137), which are closely related to our case study of a furniture factory. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 encompasses fire safety methods and prevention which are applicable only for England and Wales. This law covers many aspects of fire prevention and places a lot of responsibility on the shoulder of the employers and owners of business. It is also an ex tension of the first law, the 1997 Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations, which was not fully followed to the letter by employers and owners of business. (Grice, 2009, p. 23) Under the 2005 Order, the owner or employer acts as the ‘responsible person’ who is entrusted to prevent the risks of fire in his/her business premises, the area of responsibility, and must do everything in his/her power to conduct the necessary risk assessment. The provisions of the 2005 Order are clear about the different circumstances when the fire can occur. Risks of fire can be minimized by following the law. The responsible person must ensure that structures are constructed and maintained within guidelines prescribed by law. Fire prevention is safety itself, and this may correlate or link with the use of the right materials prescribed by the 2005 Order to ensure the safety of the persons in the premises. RISK MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES â€Å"Risk management starts and ends with quality.† (Kent, 2004, p. 31) Risk management means early identification of the threat of risks in the premises and finding out the proper solution to the identified risks. This is known as risk management process. It is one of the most important tasks for any company, business, or organization. Without the implementation of an effective risk management plan, the chances of failure of business are increased. Risk management planning is not only important for the success and stability of the business operation but also is

Business Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Business Information Systems - Essay Example As the demand for BMW products increases, the firm has benefited from a positive relationship with its customers including non boat owners. To ensure that its operations are smooth and that the needs of its customers are met, BMW emulates various departments that include finance, warehousing, manufacturing, human resources, marketing, and distribution among others. In order to remain competitive in the UK market, the company has embarked on an expansion plan that will result to increased number of investors. In addition, the company has embarked on adoption of technology that will be vital in curbing the various problems that are currently been experienced in the manufacturing, design, human resources and customer care departments. This paper seeks to discuss how BMW can use technology to address managerial and other issues that is affecting its operations. Enterprises Resource Planning (ERP) One of the major issues that are experienced in the warehouses is the uncertainty in the del ivery of raw materials. As a result, the workers in the production facilities are not sure on when to start working on any order as specified by the consumers. One of the major strategies that BMW should adopt in order to improve the rate of information flow from external stakeholders including the suppliers who are based in Middle East and Far East is enterprises resource planning (ERP). ERP is a vital information system that enhances the flow of information between all the departments within a firm as well as with other stakeholders (O’Brien, 1999). Based on the need to satisfy its customers by providing their products in a timely manner, it is imperative for BMW to put in place a two-tier ERP. This entails use of software and hardware that will allow the company to run two ERP concurrently. For example, BMW should establish production centers in various regions thus reducing the time taken to deliver the raw materials to the main production center. Similarly, the company s hould establish a database that has the information such as the telephone numbers of the individuals responsible to delivering the raw materials as well as their emails. In this way, the company will be in a position to track the transportation of raw materials from the suppliers to the subsidiaries production centers or to the main production center. Cost benefit analysis and online accounts Being a manufacturing company, BMW should not overlook the composition of their workforce. Key problem that is currently been experienced in the manufacturing department is that it is unclear how many staff the company require to meet the increased demand for its products. To address this issue, it is vital for BMW to emulate an effective scheduling of its activities. This entails allocating each of the employees a particular task and the actual time that it requires for it to be accomplished. To identify the number of workers required in the manufacturing department, it is essential for the su pervisors to undertake a cost-benefit analysis that entails computing the cost of producing a single component and the benefits arising (Laudonet al, 2009). This can be done by determining the hourly wage for the employees and the sales arising from the products. In this way, the supervisors will notice the components that are generating more profits thus increasing the number of staff. To identify individuals with the necessary skills, it is fundamental to come up with clear job description.

Early childhood education Essay Example for Free

Early childhood education Essay In a childcare setting the practitioners has an important role in supporting children. In a childcare setting the practitioner needs to help the children learn and achieve their full potential in their development stages; they must understand where the children are at in their development and know what they should be trying to achieve next, the practitioner can do this by spending time with the child and learning what the child can do and what they are struggling with so then they can plan activities to help the child with what they are struggling with and help them achieve their next stage of development. As a practitioner youve got to think about if the child is ready to be achieving the next stage of development because if they are not ready then it will be harder for them to do it; when a child achieves something new that they have not done before it is the practitioners job to praise them so they will feel like they did something good and will feel like doing it again as they like being praised for it and having that attention. Practitioners must make sure that all children in the setting are safe and secure; at all times children must be supervised, at least 1 of the staff members must be qualified in each room and their must be at least 2 members of staff in the room so if you need anything you can go and get it without the children being left on their own. To keep the children safe you must make sure that all dangerous objects and equipment are kept out of sight of children and make sure if it is equipment outside such as climbing frames or slides etc. that they do not go on them, you must make sure before the children go outside to play that you check whether all the playing equipment is safe so their wont be any accidents or injuries and if it is dangerous weather such as raining or snowing you must not allow the children on the equipment that they could injure themselves on. at my previous placement in the playground their was some monkey bars but in certain conditions when it was raining or snowing this piece of apparatus where not in use and all the children were told they could not use it; they did this so that none of the children would go on it and slip and injure themselves. When children first start the setting the practitioner has to make the child feel safe and secure because if you welcome them and you are warm and comforting they will feel more comfortable in the setting and wont mind leaving their mum and dads and will want to stay their and play with their friends. it is important that you work in partnership with parents because the parents know their child better than anyone, this allows you to find out what the childs likes and dislikes are and if you have good communication with the parents you will know what to expect the child to be like in the day whether they are upset or happy or they might need a sleep as they didn’t have much the night before, when you work with their parents you can find so much about the child which will help you later on and you can talk about the child about how they could help them develop if they are struggling or if they need advice on how to potty train them. (see appendix 1) E2 Many families have to deal with change in their lives and they usually have the support of their families to support them through these changes. Many families face daily issues that affect their family life and often need help to sort them out. These issues could be financial difficulties; all families have a lot of things to pay out for such as housing bills, care provision for their child and food etc. if the families cannot pay for this then it can be very hard on them if they dont have the correct support of their families and organisations as they could not have enough money to keep their house or to buy food and clothes for their child, families could support them with this situation by helping them out with buying stuff for the child for example a few extra clothes, food etc. , but also if the family also cannot afford this there is organisations you can go to within your community that helps in these situations such as food banks. Another issue is employment; if a member of the family loses their job then it can be difficult as you will not be getting enough income as you usually would and will be harder to provide for the child or if the mother wants to go to work and earn some extra money and not just be at home then it could be difficult if both the parents/carers work as you have to find provision for the child and can be difficult if you cannot afford to put the child in the nursery, families can support you with this as you can ask them if they can have the child for a bit some days whilst you are at work or you can try and get government funding at a nursery so you can take them in maybe in the morning depending on when you work and get another member of your family to pick them up if you are unable to. Many families go through divorce and separation and it can affect the family in so many ways; if the two parents separate then their will not be as much income so they will struggle in paying on everything and also may not have somewhere to go straight away so they might have to go and live with some of their families and will be cramped. There are certain organisations that can help you with these situations, you can go on the council list and they will try and find you a place as soon as possible as you will be classed as homeless and you can get housing benefits or benefits as a single parent. There are different types of family structures and it depends what structure you are in with how much support you will be getting not just with family but organisations within you society as well. Parents whose families are married will not need as much support as they will be getting more income and can get support of each other but they will get some support if they need it. when the child is being brought up by a lone parent then they will get support by all their family as they might need help to look after the child when they have something to do or has to work; when a parent is bring up the child on their own then they might be struggling financially as they will only be getting their income and no one elses, if you are a single parent then you can claim money for being a single parent to help you out a bit more. In reconstituted where only one adult is the biological parent to the child and where there may be children who may have different biological parents; in this family they will have the support of both families and will still get benefits to help them out with money. All families need support at some point in their life and there are many organisations and self help groups that can provide this support and there are many different settings where you can take your child and they will be cared for such as respite care, holiday play schemes, parent and toddler groups, schools, workplace nurseries, child minders, pre-school, after school clubs, residential care, day nurseries and creches. There are four different types of sectors that provide care and education for children which are: statutory sector voluntary sector private sector independent sector A statutory sector has to be there by law and is funded by the government. Local schools is an example of a statutory sector, they have to be there by law and gets funding by the government so they can afford all the equipment and everything they need to run the school. Schools look after children from the age of 5-11 years old; they follow a set routine. Foundation stage covers EYFS and year 1 to year 6 covers the national curriculum. Schools are open from 9-3:30 from Monday to Friday. Schools are closed in the holidays such as Christmas, Easter, summer and half terms. Schools are located all over in areas easy to access so it is easy for the parents to drop and collect the children off at their school. In all schools there is always enough space for an outside area for example the playground and an indoor area where they can do P. E activities. Local schools can be adapted when needed for example building ramps for people with disabilities so they find it easy to access the school. Schools also provides snacks for the children which are healthy such as fruit and vegetables to provide them with some of their five a day. they should also have toileting times such as before they go out for break or before dinner. Statutory schools are free apart from paying for school dinners, school trips and some snacks. The aim of a statutory sector school is to provide opportunities of education for every child and to support their learning and to help them in areas where they are struggling. They also aim to provide a safe and secure environment to keep the children from harm. Another aim is to provide social opportunities for the child for example learning to make new friends, learning to socialise with people, learning the difference between adults and children and learning to respect others. It may also provide opportunities for the family as they will be meeting other parents and socialise with them and get support from them if they need it and also they can find different services through schools to help support them. A voluntary sector are provided by organisations such as charities. Volunteers and paid staff provide services in the same way as in the statutory sector. mostly all their fundings come from donations from others. Mother and toddler groups, brownies and pre-school groups are apart of this. Mother and toddler groups are usually for children aged 2-4 years. Mother and toddler groups are usually open between 9-11:30 in the mornings or 1:30-3 in the afternoons. These kinds of organisations are usually placed in a church or community hall. The staff at these groups are usually parents themselves but the person that runs the group has to have a level 3 qualification in childcare. The group may ask for a small donation each week to cover the cost of booking the hall and also for lighting and water bills. The area where the group is located in may not have an outdoor play area for the children to play in. The group should also follow the EYFS Curriculum where children will learn through play and the space may also be Ofsted inspected . The main aim of a mother and toddler group is to provide short term care so the parent or carer gets a little time to themselves in case they need to get anything done and it also gives children the chance to develop their social skills and to make new friends. Another main aim is to get children ready for nursery. Also it provides opportunities for parents or carers to meet new people whilst helping out with the organisation or just dropping the child off at the group; this gives the parents someone to talk to about their child and if they need advice they can talk to someone. A private sector is where you have to pay extra to try and get their best out of their childs education. When you use a private day nursery you are charged for using them, you are approximately charged ?150 a week to use these services, but at some nurseries they offer free government funding for parents who cant afford to keep taking their child there. Nurseries are normally open from 8am-6pm all year except from bank holidays. At nurseries they look after children aged 6 weeks-5 years. They provide all meals including breakfast, snacks, dinner and tea. They also have sleep facilities, indoor and outdoor play areas for children to play in. The building may not of been purposely built to be used for a nursery but can be adapted for the children to provide their size abilities. All the members of staff will be fully qualified, managers and room leaders must be level 3 qualified. Ofsted will come and inspect the building and the staff to make sure it is safe and also to check whether they are following the EYFS curriculum. The aim of a private day nursery is to provide safe and secure environments for children to keep them from harm and to make them feel comfortable in the setting without the parents being there with them. it also gives the children the opportunity to build their social skills and make new friends. Another aim is to provide a stimulating environment with bonding sessions between the child and their key worker. Whilst the children are at nursery it gives the parents the chance to get a job and earn some extra money. E4+C The childrens act 2004 goes on about the rights of the children. This act is concerned with families and the care of children, local authority support for children and their families, fostering, childminding and day care provision. The children act is really important because it says the importance of putting the child first. This act states what is best for the child must always be the first consideration; when caring for children you must always think about what is best for the child because in all situations the child must always come first and you have got to think about how the child is going to react about situations they don’t like, youve especially got to think about the child when it comes to activities because you have to think about where the child is at and got to adapt the activity to suit their needs. It also states that unless the child is at risk or harm, a child should not be taken away from their family without the families agreement; children should never be taken away from their family because families the most important people in their life, the only reason you should take them away is if you have concerns about the child that they are not safe then you would have to contact other services such as social services and get the situated observed. Courts must put the children first when making decisions; when making decisions in court such as who gets to look after the child the mother or father you have to think about who the child would be best looked after with. There are five outcomes for children that the childrens act 2004 talks about. (see appendix 3) In Health and Safety at Work act employers must make the workplace as safe as possible; when working with children you have to make sure all the workplace is safe and none of the children can injure themselves or get hurt. Before the children goes outside to play a member of staff must go out and check whether all the equipment is safe and not broke so the children cant hurt themselves on them. All dangerous equipment or substances must be kept out of all childrens reach so they can not harm themselves on them and all plug sockets must have plug guards in to stop the children from putting their finger in them and all plug sockets must be turned of at all times when not being used. you must decide how to manage health and safety in the setting for example doing a written policy on how to make sure none of the children get hurt and how to keep them safe and healthy. All employees must work safely; if you are given guidance about how to use equipment you must use it that way and no put anyone in danger. E5 E6 When working with other professionals it is important to respect and value the knowledge of other professionals because everyone has better knowledge in certain areas and if you have concerns about something and you are not sure what to do then you could go to other professionals and ask for their opinions such as if you are having concerns about children if their acting a bit strange and you think they are in danger such as at home they are being hurt as they have got some strange markings or bruises appearing then you can take it to other professionals and see what they think and they can take it into their hands and look into it; they can observe the child closely to see what they actually think and the two professionals can work together and keep a close eye on the child and keep exchanging information so it works out best for the child in the end and to put them out of danger. You have got to have good communication skills whilst working with different professionals as you are working with different professionals all day and you have to communicate with them and share information with them for example teachers and teaching assistants work together all day, they share the class such as when doing phoenix or numbers they have half the class each depending on where the children are one of them will have the lower group and the other one will have a higher group and they’ve got to communicate with each other so they know how all the children in the group are doing and if they are improving; when you have shared this information you still have to communicate about what they could do to improve the child’s learning. It helps improve outcomes so if you think something is happening with a child and is bothering them then if you are working with different professionals that expertise in different things then it will benefit children in the end. If you have more professionals working together on a situation then they will pick up on signs quicker and it will benefit the child a lot because the sooner they know what’s going on than the less hurt the child gets and they won’t be as traumatized. If you are working with different professionals then you are learning from each other; each professional knows different things and knows how to handle different situations so if you come across a situation like that then you’ll know what to do. It helps us look at everything as a whole for example if you are looking at the child’s h health. Every professional works on different aspects of the child’s development so if you work together then you can go to them for advice. By working in a multi professional approach it maintains a focus on the child; by putting them at the centre of everything they do and by involving them, this ensures that everyone communicates about the child. It improves communication and strong partnerships between all other professionals which is important as they will have to work together at some point in your career. D1 If you have good knowledge about childcare then it can help you to recognise the care needs of all children in the setting. If you take reliable and valid assessments of the children then you will see exactly where the child is at and what they need help in; they might be really clever in certain areas but might need a bit of a push in others, if you do observations and assessments on the children then you will be able to plan activities where it can help them to know how to plan activities to make them develop their learning. You should always use development norms when thinking about what the children’s needs are because each child has different needs and depending on the age of the child they will have different needs as well so you have to look up where they are supposed to be and where they actually are and see what their needs will be, this will help you plan activities as well as you know where the children are at and whether they are above or below their developmental norms. Prediction of next stages; if you can predict what the next stages are of the children are it will help you to plan activities for them to help them to help them achieve their next stage and push them in that direction. You’ve got to understand that all children are different and have different needs so you’ve got to find out what all the children’s needs. D2 To improve my own practice I could look back at what I’ve done and discuss my strengths and weaknesses. You need to think about how you currently work and looking at what you need to do in order to improve. You should stand back, take a look and recognise what works well, but also you need to be able to recognise what could be changed. To be a reflective practitioner you need to be self-aware and look at how you work with children, colleagues and parents as honest as you can. Evaluating your own practice helps to put you in control of the changed that should be made, enables you to identify your professional development needs and will make you more confident. Being a reflective practitioner involves asking people you work with what they think you do well at and where you could improve. Everyone has their own ways of working and doing things differently, if you ask other people what they think you could improve at then they could tell you what they thinks going well and maybe give you examples of different ways of doing certain things, then you could test them out and see which way works best for you. Other people can look at what you are doing and discuss your strengths and weaknesses accurately, but when you might be looking at what you do well and what needs improving you may not look at every single thing as you can only look back at what you have done and other people can look at It as you are doing the activity. C B A Appendix 1 Nursery Nurse and Nursery assistant job description Nursery nurses provide care for children up to the age of 5 years. they work primarily with young patients, although some are employed in nurseries looking after children of NHS staff. Nursery assistants will work alongside and usually under the supervision of qualified nursery nurses The work of nursery nurses typically includes the following: provide physical, emotional and spiritual care to children coordinating play for children in a range of settings supporting carers in the parenting of their children  developing play as a means of communicating information to children, to distract them during unpleasant procedures and to maintain their stage of development during illness or stress maintaining the environment in a child-friendly manner maintaining toys and play equipment finding ways to stimulate children particularly those with special and sensory needs attending meetings working with members of multidisciplinary agencies within and outside of the NHS organisation they are working for maintaining records nursery assistants will assist nursery nurses in most aspects of their work, ensuring that the children in their care remain safe, happy and stimulated. Additional responsibilities for nursery nurses after further training or experience include: supporting children who have been abused playing a key role in supporting public health assisting in the education of learners/students who are training to work as a nursery nurse or assistant Nursery nurses and nursery assistants work in a variety of settings both in the hospitals and in the community. In hospitals this will include in childrens wards, nurseries and outpatient departments in community settings this could include working in nurseries in a health centre, or in a community centre, GP surgery or childrens centre. Appendix 2 Westdale lane all about us. Westdale infant school is a local authority/community school established over 40 years ago in its new building to educate. The school is placed on a pleasant site in the area of Mapperly area in Nottingham, falling within Gedling Borough although only 3 miles outside the centre of nottingham. The schools capacity is 180 children. 60 per year. The families come from mainly the catchment area or close by. However, there are a number of children who live further away. The school is adjacent to Westdale Juniors where most children move to for year 3 in their education. There is no doubt that teachers, the staff team and governing body pride themselves on the achievements of the school and all work in order to maintain very high standards. Please see our latest Ofsted report (available through this website) to see evidence of our performance. The report shows that out school performs above the national average for overall education attainment and is well lead by senior staff. The school excells in providing a stimulating learning environment for our children and there are many enrichment based activities such as trips outside the school and visits by musicians, story tellers, and theatre groups. Much pride is taken in providing a sense of community particulary involving parents and seeking their views. we have a very successful record on fund raising based on out of school events for all members of the family. The school takes seriously its role in embracing all elements of equalityand diversity to reflect our ever changing communities. we accomadate children with special needs and learning difficutlies and the school makes every effort to support children from different backgrounds and cultures. Appendix 3 Five outcomes for children stay safe- from: maltreatment, neglect, violence, and sexual exploitation; accidential injury and death, bullying and discrimination, crime and anti-social behaviour in and out of school; insecurity and instability. Be healthy- physically healthy, mentally and emotionally healthy, sexually healthy, healthy lifestyles, choose not to take illegal drugs. enjoy and achieve- ready for school, attend and enjoy school, achieve strethcing national educational standards at primary school; achieve personal and social development and enjoy recreation, achieve stretching national educational standards at secondary school. Achieving economic wellbeing- enagage in decision making and support for the community and environment; engage in law abiding and positive behaviour in and out of school, develop positive relationships and choose not to bully or discriminate, develop self-confidence and successfully deal with significant life changes and challenges, develop enterprising behaviour. make a positive contribution- engage in further education, employment or training on leaving school; ready for employment, live in descent homes and sustainable communities, access to transport and material goods, live in households free from low incomes.

Lightrail Is A Good Idea :: essays research papers

The installation of a light rail transit system in Austin would be a step in the direction of progress for Austin’s traffic problem. Austin’s present traffic situation is atrocious. There seems to be no real plan on how it will be fixed and paid for. The Capital Metro buses are the only form of mass transit in Austin. The buses run for college students and go around campus and off campus. The buses that only travel on campus never have a very high ridership, where as the buses that go off campus always tend to be overfull. This is where light rail comes in. Light rail is a term that come into being only in the last thirty or forty years. It refers to an electric railway system, constructed in the 1970s or later, characterized by its ability to operate single or multiple car consists, trains. It travels along exclusive rights-of-way track at ground level, on aerial structures, in subways, or in streets. It can board and discharge passengers at station platforms or at street, track, or car-floor level. Light rail can also refer to an electric railway with a "light volume" traffic capacity, as opposed to heavy rail. Light rail may use shared or exclusive rights-of-way, high or low platform loading and multi-car trains or single cars. Also known as "streetcar," "trolley car" or "tramway.† Opponents of Austin’s proposed light rail system usually say that a better solution to Austin’s traffic problem is to add more lanes to the highways and add more miles of road. They also say that the city needs to maintain the current streets better. Houston is a good example of what good roads can do to help traffic problems. Houston Metro, Houston’s transit agency, spent $700 million on 88 miles of carpool lanes in Houston. Carpool lanes, or high occupancy vehicle(HOV) lanes, are lanes that are separated from the main highway by barriers and require that a vehicle be carrying at least two people to use them. The extra HOV lanes have reduced Houston’s overall traffic congestion by six percent. In Katy, southwest Houston, the HOV lanes have reduced congestion by 14 percent. Houston has done a good job with improving their highways, but there are some downsides. Even though the HOV lanes have helped to reduce traffic congestion in most places by up to six percent, they are now carrying more people than designed for.

Technology and economy

In his book Nomads of South Persia, Frederik Barth (1967) descibes the social, political and economic structure of the Basseri tribal group. This essay aims to summarize the details on the environment, technology, shelter, transportation, economy, and distribution and consumption of goods and services of the Basseri tribe as explicated by Barth (1961).First of all, the Basseri tribe of the Khamseh Confederacy occupies the region from the Persian Gulf to the desert ranges of Lar. The climate in these areas is hot and dry. However, during winter it is cold in the highlands while it is slightly cold in the grasslands. There are four seasons of the year such as winter, spring, summer, and fall in this part of the world.The geographical structure of the land is mountainous from 2,000 to 3, 000 feet above sea level and its mountains are as high as 13, 000 feet. Water in this area comes from rainfall. The amount of rainfall is higher during the winter unlike the amount of rainfall during sp ring. This water causes vegetation such as sugar cane, dates, fruits and vegetables to grow. These foods together with flour are consumed by the Basseri people.As nomads, the Basseri tribe raises animals such as sheep, goats, donkeys, camels and horses. This animal husbandry causes them to move from one place to another based on the needs of their animals. These animals have varied uses for the tribe. Goats and sheep are useful to the Basseri people for their milk, meat, wool and skin. On the other hand, camels, horses and donkeys are used for transportation especially during the time of migration. In addition to this, camels share a part of the tribe’s source of wool.Even when the Baserri ethnic group is nomadic, it uses technology in the form of its tools and systems. One system is in making butter and buttermilk out of sour milk. This process is done by storing milk in a goatskin placed on a tripod to churn milk into sour milk. Next is the use of wool in weaving and making of ropes. Another is when wool is processed by spinning it on spindle whorl. Lastly, a technology they utilize in continuously producing healthy milk is by placing a small stick through the mouth of a lamb to press down its tongue and is stuck in place with stings (Barth, 1961, 7).Likewise, the Basseri people live in tents which are considered the basic social and economic unit of the tribe. The tents are well-made and are woven out of wool. Tents are usually made when a man and a woman gets married. The mothers of the couple are the ones who weave the tent. Then, the couple begins their lives as a separate unit when they live in the tent.In addition, the Basseri use donkeys, horses and camels for transportation. Donkeys are used to carry women and children. Horses are ridden by men. Camels transport heavy objects or things. Consequently, when it is time for the Basseri to move out from one location to another, they use animals as means of transportation. These animals are the came ls, horses and donkeys. When they migrate, the family members ride on the donkeys, camels or horses which are already laden with the family’s belongings while one family member walks by foot in order to guide their herd of animals. Barth (1961) does not mention about the Basseri tribe travelling on water maybe because they are basically land-based.Furthermore, the Basseri’s economy is based on their cyclical migratory patterns. They are known to be â€Å"pastoralists† for they move to the high lands during the summer season and they transfer to the plains during the winter season due to the presence or absence of pasture that their animals need (Microsoft Student). As previously mentioned, they raise sheep, goats, camels, donkeys and horses which are done by the male members of the tribe.The women, alternatively, are the ones who plant vegetation. The division of labor in the tribe is grounded on the age and sex of the person. However, there are certain tasks wh ich are stereotypical to gender. Domestic work in the form of household chores is the task only for the girls and women of the tribe. These tasks may be preparing food, washing dishes, washing clothes, spinning wool and weaving tents. On the other side, boys and men are mainly assigned to provide water and wool, and to repair damaged equipment and tents. They also watch over the herd and they lead their animals and their family when migrating. They might be allowed to help prepare food, or wash clothes but are not allowed to participate in spinning or weaving.Just like any economic system, the people of the tribe distribute goods and services within its constituents. It employs a system of reciprocity where everyone works and contributes for the mutual benefit of everyone in the tribe. The distribution of goods and services similar to the division of labor starts within each household. In the family, each member, depending on the gender, has a task to accomplish and this task has an implication to economy. For example, when women or men milk the sheep, there is an effect to their economy or when the men look after the herd. There is also distribution of goods or services to outsiders as they trade off externally to other tribes and other markets. They also purchase or trade clothing materials, ready-made clothing and footwear, cooking tools, and glass (Barth, 1961, 9-10).Finally, the Basseri ethnic group is an egalitarian society because they do not put emphasis on material goods or wealth especially that they do not have a permanent place to stay. Their concept of wealth and property is focused on the livestock that a family possesses. They consume the meat of sheep and chicken and milk from the sheep.To sum it up, the Basseri tribal people dwell in areas where their animals can find pasture and they move out when this is no longer available. They have their own economic system and they use low technology. They are also not too concerned about their economic status due to their migratory life.ReferencesBarth, F. (1961). Nomads of South Persia. Waveland Press: Long Grove, IL.Pastoralism. (2007). Microsoft ® Student 2008 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation.

Political Crisis

The recent political crisis in Mali has something to do with the Tuareg people that live in this region and the general religion of the region. The Tuareg people are nomadic farmers. North Africa is primarily Muslim and is heavily influenced by what happens in the Muslim world. Muslim rebel groups like the Ansar Dine seek a nation that abides by Islamic Law. Others like the Islamic Movement for Azawad seek an independent state in Northern Mali and acknowledgement of that state by the world. Mali, like most of North Africa seeks an Islamic government.The NMLA (the National Movement for Liberation of Azawad) is a Tuareg lead group that is fighting for the rights of the nomadic Tuareg people. Mali’s government has never really had much power. In 1979 when the constitution was established Mali still remained under the heavy military control. Then when Mali was a democratic government citizens question the government’s legitimacy when president Toure won in a landslide elect ion in 2002. In 2012 Captain Amadou Sanogo lead a military that ousted president Toure. Also the government has had trouble dealing with rebel groups in the north.Rebel groups like the Ansar Dine and Mujao have taken control of many cities in North Mali. These rebel groups are growing stronger in the passing months, and the government has not been able to stop it. The citizens have had little say in Mali, there was a brief period from 1991 tot the present where the citizens have had a say in the government, the Malian government for the most part has been an authoritarian government. Civilian protest has had little effect on the government in place. The only groups that have been able to make any change are the extremist rebel groups that have taken control of the north.The Mali army is ill equipped to fight this rebel threat. Under president Amadou Toure, the government put their money and resources into fight the MNLA and had ignored the Islamic groups. This allowed the Islamic re bel groups to grow more powerful. Many of the rebels are veterans from Libyan revolution this past year, bringing expertise and powerful weapons into the fray the Captain Sanogo in 2012 promised to fight the Islamic rebels, but the ill-equipped under funded Mali army was no match for the rebel extremists and lost even more control of the North.There are people that have been victims of rebel attacks, some need medical attention, but the government is doing nothing to aid them. The penetration of government policy and laws to the local levels of government has been quite ineffective. Northern Mali is under heavy Islamic control and some parts have been known to follow Sharia law and other Islamic laws. There is a strict dress code on how women should dress.The National government has virtually no power in northern Mali. Mali is a once democratic nation under military influence. The nation is fighting strong resistance from their Mulism and Tuareg communities. It’s government i s losing control of the situation and has virtually lost it’s northern half to extremists. Mali’s government has problems distributing goods to its citizens. The Mali government will need international assistance to combat the resistance in the North.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Republic of Turkey Founder

Mustafa Kemal Atatà ¼rk, Republic of Turkey Founder Mustafa Kemal Atatà ¼rk (May 19, 1881–November 10, 1938) was a Turkish nationalist and military leader who founded the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Atatà ¼rk served as the countrys first president from 1923 to 1938. He oversaw the passage of numerous reforms that were responsible for transforming Turkey into a modern nation-state. Fast Facts: Mustafa Kemal Atatà ¼rk Known For: Atatà ¼rk was a Turkish nationalist who founded the Republic of Turkey.Also Known As: Mustafa Kemal PashaBorn: May 19, 1881 in Salonica, Ottoman EmpireParents: Ali RÄ ±za Efendi and  Zubeyde HanimDied: November 10, 1938 in Istanbul, TurkeySpouse: Latife Usakligil  (m. 1923–1925)Children: 13 Early Life Mustafa Kemal Atatà ¼rk was born on May 19, 1881, in Salonica, then part of the Ottoman Empire (now Thessaloniki, Greece). His father Ali Riza Efendi may have been ethnically Albanian, though some sources state that his family was made up of nomads from the Konya region of Turkey. Ali Riza Efendi was a minor local official and a timber-seller. Mustafas mother Zubeyde Hanim was a blue-eyed Turkish or possibly Macedonian woman who (unusually for that time) could read and write. Zubeyde Hanim wanted her son to study religion, but Mustafa would grow up with a more secular turn of mind. The couple had six children, but only Mustafa and his sister Makbule Atadan survived to adulthood. Religious and Military Education As a young boy, Mustafa reluctantly attended a religious school. His father later allowed him to transfer to the Semsi Efendi School, a secular private school. When Mustafa was 7, his father died. At the age of 12, Mustafa decided, without consulting his mother, that he would take the entrance exam for a military high school. He then attended the Monastir Military High School and in 1899 enrolled in the Ottoman Military Academy. In January 1905, Mustafa graduated and began his career in the army. Military Career After years of military training, Atatà ¼rk entered the Ottoman Army as a captain. He served in the Fifth Army in Damascus until 1907. He then transferred to Manastir, now known as Bitola, in the Republic of Macedonia. In 1910, he fought to suppress the Albanian uprising in Kosovo. His rising reputation as a military man took off the following year, during the Italo-Turkish War of 1911 to 1912. The Italo-Turkish War arose from a 1902 agreement between Italy and France over dividing Ottoman lands in North Africa. The Ottoman Empire was known at that time as the sick man of Europe, so other European powers were deciding how to share the spoils of its collapse long before the event actually took place. France promised Italy control of Libya, then comprised of three Ottoman provinces, in return for non-interference in Morocco. Italy launched a massive 150,000-man army against Ottoman Libya in September 1911. Atatà ¼rk was one of the Ottoman commanders sent to repel this invasion with only 8,000 regular troops, plus 20,000 local Arab and Bedouin militia members. He was key to the December 1911 Ottoman victory in the Battle of Tobruk, in which 200 Turkish and Arab fighters held off 2,000 Italians and drove them back from the  city of Tobruk. Despite this valiant resistance, Italy overwhelmed the Ottomans. In the October  1912 Treaty of Ouchy, the Ottoman Empire signed away control of the provinces of Tripolitania, Fezzan, and Cyrenaica, which became Italian Libya. Balkan Wars As Ottoman control of the empire eroded, ethnic nationalism spread among the various peoples of the Balkan region. In 1912 and 1913, ethnic conflict broke out twice in the First and Second Balkan Wars. In 1912, the Balkan League (made up of the newly independent Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia) attacked the Ottoman Empire in order to wrest away control of areas dominated by their respective ethnic groups that were still under Ottoman suzerainty. Through suzerainty, a nation maintains internal autonomy while another nation or region controls foreign policy and international relations. The Ottomans, including Atatà ¼rks troops, lost the First Balkan War. The following year during the Second Balkan War, the Ottomans regained much of the territory of Thrace that had been seized by Bulgaria. This fighting at the frayed edges of the Ottoman Empire was fed by ethnic nationalism. In 1914, a related ethnic and territorial spat between Serbia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire set off a chain reaction that soon involved all of the European powers in what would become World War I. World War I and Gallipoli World War I was a pivotal period in Atatà ¼rks life. The Ottoman Empire joined its allies (Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire) to form the Central Powers, fighting against Britain, France, Russia, and Italy. Atatà ¼rk predicted that the Allied Powers would attack the Ottoman Empire at Gallipoli; he commanded the 19th Division of the Fifth Army there. Under Atatà ¼rks leadership, the Turks held off a British and French attempt to advance up the Gallipoli Peninsula, inflicting a key defeat on the Allies. Britain and France sent in a total of 568,000 men over the course of the Gallipoli Campaign, including large numbers of Australians and New Zealanders. Of these, 44,000 were killed and almost 100,000 were wounded. The Ottoman force was smaller, numbering about 315,500 men, of whom about 86,700 were killed and over 164,000 were wounded. The Turks held on to the high ground at Gallipoli, keeping the Allied forces pinned to the beaches. This bloody but successful defensive action formed one of the centerpieces of Turkish nationalism in the years to come, and Atatà ¼rk was at the center of it all. Following the Allied withdrawal from Gallipoli in January 1916, Atatà ¼rk fought successful battles against the Russian Imperial Army in the Caucasus. In March 1917, he received command of the entire Second Army, although their Russian opponents withdrew almost immediately due to the outbreak of the Russian Revolution. The sultan was determined to shore up the Ottoman defenses in Arabia  and prevailed upon Atatà ¼rk to go to Palestine after the British captured Jerusalem in December 1917. He wrote to the government, noting that the situation in Palestine was hopeless, and proposed that a new defensive position be established in Syria. When Constantinople rejected this plan, Atatà ¼rk resigned his post and returned to the capital. As the Central Powers defeat loomed, Atatà ¼rk returned once more to the Arabian Peninsula to supervise an orderly retreat. The Ottoman forces lost the Battle of Megiddo in September 1918. This was the beginning of the end of the Ottoman world. Throughout October and early November, under an armistice with the Allied Powers, Atatà ¼rk organized the withdrawal of the remaining Ottoman forces in the Middle East. He returned to Constantinople on November 13, 1918, to find it occupied by the victorious British and French. The Ottoman Empire was no more. Turkish War of Independence Atatà ¼rk was tasked with reorganizing the tattered Ottoman Army in April 1919  so that it could provide internal security during the transition. Instead, he began to organize the army into a nationalist resistance movement. He issued the Amasya Circular in June of that year, warning that Turkeys independence was in peril. Mustafa Kemal was quite right on that point. The Treaty of Sevres, signed in August 1920, called for the partition of Turkey among France, Britain, Greece, Armenia, the Kurds, and an international force at the Bosporus Strait. Only a small state centered around Ankara would remain in Turkish hands. This plan was completely unacceptable to Atatà ¼rk and his fellow Turkish nationalists. In fact, it meant war. Britain took the lead in dissolving Turkeys parliament and strong-arming the sultan into signing away his remaining rights. In response, Atatà ¼rk called a new national election and had a separate parliament installed, with himself as the speaker. This was known as the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. When the Allied occupation forces tried to partition Turkey as per the Treaty of Sevres, the Grand National Assembly (GNA) put together an army and launched the War of Turkish Independence. Throughout 1921, the GNA army under Atatà ¼rk registered victory after victory against the neighboring powers. By the following autumn, Turkish nationalist troops had pushed the occupying powers out of the Turkish peninsula. Republic of Turkey On July 24, 1923, the GNA and the European powers signed the Treaty of Lausanne, recognizing a fully sovereign Republic of Turkey. As the first elected president of the new Republic, Atatà ¼rk would lead one of the worlds swiftest and most effective modernization campaigns ever. Atatà ¼rk abolished the office of the Muslim Caliphate, which had repercussions for all of Islam. However, no new caliph was appointed elsewhere. Atatà ¼rk also secularized education, encouraging the development of non-religious primary schools for both girls and boys. In 1926, in the most radical reform to date, Atatà ¼rk abolished the Islamic courts and instituted secular civil law throughout Turkey. Women now had equal rights to inherit property and divorce their husbands. The president saw women as an essential part of the workforce if Turkey was to become a wealthy modern nation. Finally, Atatà ¼rk replaced the traditional Arabic script for written Turkish with a new alphabet based on Latin. Death Mustafa Kemal became known as Atatà ¼rk, meaning grandfather or ancestor of the Turks, because of his pivotal role in founding and leading the new, independent state of Turkey. Atatà ¼rk died on November 10, 1938, from cirrhosis of the liver due to excessive alcohol consumption. He was 57 years old. Legacy During his service in the army and his 15 years as president, Atatà ¼rk laid the foundations for the modern Turkish state. While his policies are still debated today, Turkey stands as one of the success stories of the 20th century- due, in large part, to Atatà ¼rks reforms. Sources Gingeras, Ryan. Mustafa Kemal Atatà ¼rk: Heir to an Empire. Oxford University Press, 2016.Mango, Andrew. Atatà ¼rk: The Biography of the Founder of Modern Turkey. Overlook Press, 2002.

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