Retail Merchandising And In Store Operations

Retail Merchandising And In Store Operations Introduction Many companies have acknowledged that improving their store layout; they will be able to increase their number of sales per square foot. Even the architecture of a store can lead to an increase in sales. Within the store layout marketing strategy, there are a number of different aspects to take into consideration such as architecture, store ambiance and location, visual merchandising and most importantly the store layout. Visual merchandising can be anything from the store window display to store ambience, all of these artefacts are put into action when companies wish to increase their sales per square foot. There are both positive and negative ways in which a change to a store layout can increase the sales per square foot for a company, as because of this numerous actions must be considered before a company drastically changes their layout. Executive Summary The purpose of this report was to research how store layouts and improvements to a store can increase the sales per square foot. â€Å"Store layout and visual merchandising are two important factors that add to the distinctiveness of a store. The interior design of the store plays a more vital role† as show on Indian MBA (2008). Also mentioned on Indian MBA (2008) â€Å"Space is always an extremely expensive and scarce resource. Retailers try to maximize the return on sales per square foot.† This is the best way to describe why retailers see the interior of their store as the best way in which they can increase these sales per square foot. There are various types of store layouts which retailers would consider to increase their sales per square foot. This report will analyse and explore how retail design, store layout and visual merchandising can help increase sales per square foot, by the use of research into trade publications as well as newspapers and other sources. Also in this report, examples of stores that have successfully managed to increase their sales per square foot will be mentioned. Findings Retail architecture is a vital mechanism in the function of market intermediation. Retail architecture is defined as those market spaces that affect the relationship between supply and demand. Architecture can directly illustrate some stores social significations of retail relationships; its brutality as well as its warmth, and its social class. For example Harrods has a high level of retail architecture, as it is not only a tourist attraction due to its external historical architecture but it also denotes peoples social class as people who are of a higher social status or social class would be most likely to shop at Harrods. Liberty the British department store has a high level of appreciation for its buildings history, as Creative Director Tamara Salman of clothing brand Liberty of London adds to her collection the stores extraordinary 130 year heritage. Liberty store is able to build upon their heritage to ensure that they increase their sales per square foot figure. With being such a strong and historical store it is hard for many new and upcoming companies to be able to have such a strong fall back for increasing sales. However, retail store layouts are important determinants of customer behaviour. UK fashion retailers are able to gather critical information regarding their target consumers which in turn enable them to create interiors which successful attract these groups. In the context of the store layout, time-poor and highly mobile consumers require different spaces than shoppers who leisurely shop at discounts, and selectively during sales periods at various stages in the business cycle. Also, gender differences in shopping can justify quite specific changes to fashion store formats and space allocation. Store layouts and the merchandise offered are matched to the targeted consumers to the extent that customers ‘buy into branding statements. It is important that the retailer gains a positive reaction to the new layout of its merchandise within the store as a negative reaction would then cause sales to decrease. To ensure that a company is using the right type of store layout, the retailer would look into their own store layout analysis. Within a store layout analysis, careful consideration is given to the products being sold and their location; this can also be seen as basic psychology used to entice customers to spend more money usually through impulse buying. Retailers can also increase their competitiveness by closely targeting and fulfilling their customers needs. Tauber (1972) hypothesised three reasons for shopping; personal motives, social motives and impulse buying. Creating consumer satisfaction involves delivering quality products that meet their needs and is core in highly competitive environments. The allocation of space within any store can be on the basis of many factors such as historical sales, daily average sales, profits, margins, industry averages and strategic reasons. A store layout must also include space for essential functions such as inventory, customer service desks and changing rooms. For any retailer to have success in increasing their sales per square foot, the must look at a number of aspects such as their fixtures and fittings, colours of the store interior, lighting, and window displays. Store interiors are designed in a way which influences consumer behaviour which is referred to as Visual Merchandising. Company visual merchandisers control the use of equipment, displays, colours, illuminations, music, ambience and floor management within a store. Music: Music can be used to increase sales per square feet, as music sets the tone of the environment within the store and as peoples moods change throughout the course of the day it is essential to also have music which reflects the mood of the customers. Music which is played during the morning should be high energy based as customers have lots of energy and this would mean that a company would have more people coming in and purchasing items during the morning hours. Music during the afternoon should be more mellow as peoples energy levels are decreasing and they are more reluctant to browse through the store looking for their wanted items compared to those in the morning. Similarly to the morning during early evening hours, customers respond better to slightly more up-tempo songs. Retailers should also take into consideration their target consumers when deciding on what type of music they should have playing in their stores. Colour: Colour is another factor that can entice customers into shopping at a specific store, colour is immediate, emotional and memorable. Colours bring out emotions and feelings automatically to customers, therefore it is essential to retailers to get the correct colour balance for their store. The colour blue is seen as a natural element, but it is also connected with trust and stability, therefore retailer who use blue within their interior design in informing customers that they are trustworthy and understandable as well as confident. The colour green is found to be a successful colour when linked to hygiene and beauty, which is the main colour for the company Body Shop. All Body Shop fronts are green and have some form of a green colour within their interior. The Body Shop also consists of natural colours and woods making customers feel a sense of freshness, healthiness, youthfulness and the colour green can also be linked to money. Colours within the Purple category can be linked to the emotion or sense of royalty, luxury and spiritual. Again the store Liberty link purple into their company in the use of their website, correspondence as well as their company gift bags, this enables their customers to leave the store with a sense of luxury which also makes them more likely to come and purchase from Liberty again. Fixtures and Fittings: Within any retail store, the fixtures and fittings are another key element to increasing sales per square foot. For shelves, eye level and slightly above is the best position to sell garments from, as colour of the garment can catch customers eyes making them stop to look at the item. Displays should be kept simple, and have a theme to them. It is also effective to include the products in use or as a collection which can be paired up e.g. in Primark or Marks and Spencers, many items of clothing a paired together such as shirts are sectioned with trousers, skirts and blazers as this enables the consumer to see what the item will look like paired with something else, this also shows that they do not have far to go to obtain a matching jacket for a work skirt. Also in Primark, shoes are usually opposite the formal or business wear but situated closely to accessories such as handbags and purses; again this is done so that the consumer doesnt have very far to travel in order to complete the outfit they required. It is also important to have impulse items which are usually located close to the tills so that customers are more likely to purchase these along with their inital shopping, this could be anything from socks to lip glosses. Window display: Bright and colourful window displays can make the company store window stand out from other competitors, however the use of too many colours can make the store look cheap and put customers off going into the store. The lighting used within a store front should be bright as this makes it more attractive and appealing to passing customers. A store window is an ideal way of attracting new and existing customers as you can use a store window to build the company image, showcase new arrivals as well as products that are in high demand. Window displays should be changed frequently to keep target customers and new customers interested in the company, and to make them stop and purchase something. The department store Selfridges is the most competent store for their window displays as each window can tell a different story based on whatever theme maybe inspirational at the time. As Selfridges window display tells a store more and more customers are intrigued to know what it is about and where they can find the items shown in the window, this is how Selfridges gains an increase in their sales per square foot. Lighting: Proper lighting can increase sales by up to 20%, therefore all retailers will benefit from using the best bulbs possible when updating their store layout. In 2010, John Lewis changed their store lighting as the dim lighting which was previously in store caused consumers to be less likely to spend money as dim lighting can cause customers to feel tired. Retailers should make use of spot lights, as these can be used to highlight key areas or even key products which may be commission based, therefore the more sold, the more money the company makes. Conclusion: As mentioned throughout this report, companies need to selectively decide which options will be best for them to be able to increase the sales per square feet as the initial reaction of the customers to a new store layout is the deciding factor as to whether the company will target more customers or lose customers as a result. Companies should pay close attention to the information they already poses about their customers and use this to their advantage, they should also be aware of their competitors so that they are able to always be one step ahead, boosting sales as they go.

Resources and Development in an economy :: Economics

Resources and Development in an economy Resources and Development a) Resources influence the structure and progress of an economy. If something is considered a resource it is potentially of economic benefit. However there are three differing types of resources, and it is the relative abundance of all these that dictates the economic structure. It is debatable whether the presence of one resource, e.g. Coal (a natural resource), leads in itself to economic sustainability and strength. There are human, capital and natural resources. Human resources represent the quality and quantity of the workforce and is influenced by factors such as education and demographics. Capital resources come in the form of accumulated wealth in assets such as industry or infrastructure. Natural resources, such as oil, coal or timber, are primary materials which are of utility to man, which man has the willingness (i.e. it will either be of use in other industrial processes or will gain a profit), and ability to exploit. These three factors combine to provide the backbone to an economy, although they often rely on one another, especially the industries on the workforce, to function properly. Natural resources are arguably the 'kick off' necessity of the other two, and is more complex as there are many types of natural resource, both infinite such as timber, and finite such as crude oil. There is therefore the issue of decision-making regarding sustainability, and the appropriateness of using a particular resource for a particular purpose, when a suitable replacement is available, and this often alters which natural materials are regarded as resources. b) Logic would suggest that the presence of natural resources in a country has a positive relationship with its economic development. There are many examples that support this theory, such as with the most developed countries of Western Europe, and renowned anthropologists such as Rostow assume it to be true. However there is well supported evidence that natural resources are not at all essential for economic development, and with the global political structure having evolved the way it has, anthropologists such a Gunder-Frank suggest that natural resources can be more of a hindrance than an advantage regarding the improvement of an economy. In his model for economic development Rostow assumes that natural resources are necessary for economic progression through the 'preconditions for takeoff' and 'takeoff' stages of development. This was originally true in the case of the first industrialised countries in the 18th century. The development of the UK's wool, and later coal industries, directly triggered the processes that have led to the UK's developed economy today. However Gunder-Frank would argue that as soon as the first industrialised nations became rich and began looking to exploit wealth

Analyse Staff Turnover, Its Cost and Effects on the Business and Develop Strategies to Improve Retention.

Analyse staff turnover, its cost and effects on the business and develop strategies to improve retention. Subject: Human Resource Management MGT 201 Student Name: Brenda Lai (YUN-CHU LAI) Student Number: 00038680T Lecturer: Alison Knight Staff turnover, or labour turnover, is a percentage of a number of employees that leave a firm in a period of time. Reasons for leaving can be voluntary, such as resignation, relocation to another company or any other personal reasons that cause the employees unable to continue the job.It may also be involuntary such as being terminated due to poor job performance, absenteeism or violation of work policies. Companies that have too low or too high turnover rate are generally inefficient and low-productive. Firms that have high turnover rate will have an overall decreasing in competency and productivity because the frequent replacement of workers as well as increasing in costs. However, it is not necessarily true that the lower the turnover rate, the b etter for the business. Businesses that have very low turnover rate could result in a tiring, inactive and demotivating work environment.As employees form the backbone of every organization, it is critical for managers to analyse the causes for high or low turnover rate, develop retention practices and maintain a steady, satisfied workforce. Turnover costs for many organizations are high and can have significant impacts on the financial performance of an organization. Turnover costs can be categorized into two kinds, direct costs and indirect costs. Direct costs include recruitment, selection and training of new employees, expense of advertising positions, and costs of temporary replacement of employees.Indirect costs, which refer to loss of efficiency and productivity, can be caused by a variety of reasons such as inefficiency and lack of experience of the newly appointed employees, breakage of tools caused by mishandling of equipment by new employees, lack of cooperation and coord ination between old and new employees, costs of increased supervision and support for the new employees, the time used for reading resumes and interviewing the candidates. The costs mentioned above are only general ideas that can be found in most businesses, however turnover costs can vary from different industries.For example, as a sales company, losing one sale could mean losing more than one important client at the same time. If the business is service-based, employers need to make sure they keep key employees. If employees leave, the company can face serious problems due to lack of professional services resulting in high staff turnover which could cost the business more than anything else. Smart companies pay attention to retaining of employees and minimize the act of turnover, which will then be discussed more in details in the following paragraphs.In a human resource perspective, for most organizations the goal is to lower staff turnover, maintain consistency in the workforce and train more skilled employees. High staff turnover can be costly to the business financially and also create problems internally. Internal problems include low employee morale, low employee royalty and stressful employees. This can then lead to decrease of productivity and efficiency. On the other hand, companies that have a low staff turnover rate are generally more productive and successful. (This is not an assumption; low voluntary turnover might sometimes be a negative for organizations.Details will be discussed at the next paragraph. ) Reasons being are that the employees trust each other, respect their leaders and feel a sense of belonging while working in the company. Employees in a positive and motivated work environment are normally more loyal and willing to dedicate their personal energy to the job. In addition, an organization that offers a better payroll system compared with others with similar jobs is likely to have lower turnover rate. Companies that offer satisfyin g bonuses and incentives tend to entice their employees to stay longer.Another reason for companies that have low turnover is that they help the employees to see the career benefits that lie ahead for them to achieve. Ultimately people search for settlement and a long-term career that helps to reach their goals. Therefore a well thought out career plan for employees is always a good way to keep them engaged. For instance, most hotels offer management training programmes for employees who have worked in the establishment over 1-2 years. It encourages employees who desire a long-term career goal to remain, and to continuously dedicate their skills to the hotel.Hotels also offer department transfer opportunities for employees who have been in the firm over 6 months or 1 year. By doing so, the hotel can keep the workers that are loyal to the company, and reducing some of the costs of training if they are transferred or promoted to or within a similar department. Overall a low staff turn over means a more productive, positive and efficient work environment and in some cases, successful business. It is important for companies to keep the staff turnover rate down, however according to Dr.John Sullivan who is an expert in recruitment management says that from his experience, voluntary turnover rate below 4% is not a good sign and should be taken into serious discussions by the company. (Dr. J. Sullivan, 8/8/2011, Final Thoughts, http://www. ere. net/2011/08/08/a-low-turnover-rate-could-mean-that-you-have-ugly-employees/). The article says that a low voluntary turnover rate could at the same time mean the employees in the firm are unskilled therefore seemed unattractive to other competitors or unambitious to seek external jobs.A very low voluntary turnover could sometimes be caused by inactive management or a lack of courage to terminate unsuitable employees. It is also crucial for companies to receive exit or a post-exit interview for feedback from departing employees. With almost no circulation in human resource, companies will find it difficult to understand its problems that could cause failure of the business. Companies that have zero or very low voluntary turnover rate is like a stagnant pool of water, with no fresh and clean water coming in, implying lack of new ideas, skills and competitive intelligence that are brought in by new employees.It is always good to recruit on a regular basis. Having skilled new employees input can make the current employees feel threatened and having to compete with them, as a result of creating a motivated and competitive environment. Eventually the lazy and unambitious employees will be forced to leave. Well-managed companies with exceptional management and retention practices generally maintain low voluntary turnover rates, but higher involuntary rates to keep development processes running and avoid talent decay.One of the key ways to prevent high employee turnover is to instill in them a sense of belonging, loyalty and commitment. The following are some ideas to accomplish this. Initially, human resources or recruitment managers want to ensure they recruit the â€Å"right people†. The right people meaning candidates who share similar values, principles and goals with the company. This ensures long-term employee loyalty and retention, because they have the commitment before they start working in the organization. Secondly, providing employees with opportunities for advancement help them to view what they will be in, in the following years.Most employees feel motivated if they have clear vision of what potential positions are available for them in the future at a higher level. To value employees’ voice and contribution and give them praise, helps to build up trust and loyalty between employers and employees. Thirdly, companies with a well-developed compensation package create a favorable environment for employees. The package should include variety of pay scale, incentives , bonuses, welfare and benefits. Additionally, leveling the workload and being flexible with working hours have become a critical issue for employers to look at.Employers should recognize the quality of work life is getting more important for employees. Most importantly, having an exit interview is always a good way to find out the reasons why employees leave and issues that should be addressed to reduce a high staff turnover. Retention practices assist organizations to keep their key employees from leaving to work for other competitors and maintain a healthy turnover rate. To develop a retention strategy, managers firstly need to understand the reasons why people leave. It can be environmental or motivational problems.Low performers tend to leave more often than high performers. However high performers could also leave due to lack of promotional opportunities, training or recognition for effective performance. By implementing exit and post-exit interviews can help managers to under stand what employees need and things they can improve on. Job satisfaction plays an important role in retaining employees. It gives employees a sense of belonging, prestige, a status or authority and power in the organization. Feeling satisfied within their position generally creates motivation.When staff are motivated, they are more likely to perform a higher quality of work. Employees who have good work performance deserve rewards. Businesses often use bonuses, commissions, compensation or employee benefits to reward staff to make sure they keep up the good work. Companies with a substantial reward system and employee welfare are more likely to retain their key employees from leaving the company and work for other competitors. For example, Google offers a list of employee benefits that is called â€Å"I-bet-you-don’t-have-that-where-you-work†.It includes flexible hours for nearly every professional employee, casual dress everyday, pets allowed to work, onsite dental care, free massage and yoga, free drinks, free meals and many other benefits that most employees desire. (HCA Online, 25/07/2006, http://www. hcamag. com/article/a-look-inside-the-google-talent-machine-112999. aspx). Retention and recruitment of key employees will be more critical in the following years as the baby boomer generation moves towards retirement, which leads to shortage of skills in the industry. Managers that recognise their staff as their greatest asset generally are more successful than others who don’t.A successful business requires several factors; one of the most important and most irreplaceable things is its competitive advantage(s). By retaining key employees, the people that create or help to maintain competitive advantages, companies are more likely to achieve its long-term goals and make desirable profits. For example, Google is well known for its special recruitment system and attractive retention strategies that every employee dreams about. One of Goo gle’s interesting programmes is called â€Å"Working with 20 per cent time†. (HCA Online, 25/07/2006, http://www. hcamag. om/article/a-look-inside-the-google-talent-machine-112999. aspx). It means that the employee works one day a week on their own to research individual selected projects that the company funds and supports. Google have crafted every position and element in the workplace so that all employees are working on projects that interest them, continuously learning and being challenged positively to do more. This programme makes the work itself become an attraction and retention force, a driver of motivation and innovation, and a feeling that the employees themselves are adding value to the company.What Google have done is not only make their employees want to remain and work for them but also continually create and develop skilled people. With Google’s perfect retention strategies, they are confident to retain valuable employees and create a positive c ycle. In conclusion, it is essential for organizations to understand staff turnover rates and analyze the cause and effects of turnover, in order to maintain it in a healthy and favorable level. This paper has discussed the costs, causes and effects for high staff turnover, and also the negative impacts on businesses with a very low turnover rate.It has also mentioned a diverse range of ideas on how to prevent a high staff turnover, as well as develop a thorough retention strategy that encourages key employees to remain within an organization. Some successful real life examples have been provided from the company ‘Google’ have been mentioned and referenced. Overall recruitment and retention are substantial factors for a successful business. Reference List: â€Å"A Look Inside the Google Talent Machine†, â€Å"HCA Online†, , assessed date: 28/03/2013 Dr. J.Sullivan, 8/8/2011, â€Å"A Low Turnover Rate Could Mean That You Have Ugly Employees†, â€Å" RER. net†, < http://www. ere. net/2011/08/08/a-low-turnover-rate-could-mean-that-you-have-ugly-employees/>, Assessed date: 27/03/2013 F. John Reh, â€Å"The High Cost Of High Employee Turnover†, â€Å"About. com Management†, < http://management. about. com/od/money/a/The-High-Cost-Of-High-Employee-Turnover. htm> Assessed date: 27/03/2013 K. May, â€Å"Causes & Effects of High & Low Staff Turnover†, â€Å"Demand Media†, â€Å"Chrone†, < http://smallbusiness. chron. com/causes-effects-high-low-staff-turnover-33939. h

The Impact of Olympic Games on Supply Management

The Impact of Olympic Games on Supply Management Abstract The fact that Olympic Games are to be held next year, it is important to analyze some of the issues relating to the supply of products. This also includes factors of importance to the companies as they prepare to have the service delivery of their best suit, as well as, the most vital considerations in the pursuit of such goals (McCarthy, 2011, p.1).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Impact of Olympic Games on Supply Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Here, let me say that London being the host of the great event, it is important for suppliers and companies at large to have the best preparation before the event. This will save them a lot of agony, which could arise from the failure to plan, in addition to constant reaction disparities. Therefore, it is important to focus on some of the factors that the companies might be undergoing in the pre-preparation of the event with regard to the issues tha t are arising to them now, those that will be portrayed in the actual event also the resultant effects of the whole event thereafter. Possessing the knowledge of the markets as it relates to issues of delivery of products precisely supply as well as the factors that affect the channels and modes of supply, the issue of Olympics games in London is of major concern. This is because it raises various sensitive considerations as it pertains to the companies and their readiness for the event. This paper will therefore, seek to answer the question, why do companies seem unprepared for the Olympic Games in London? This will be based on the article provided for review as well as the actual analysis of management issues relating to supply in the usual market and the issue of disaster management. Introduction To begin with, the article analyzes the previous market behaviors as they relate to issues of supply and the essence of future strategic planning. The Olympic season here is compared to Christmas season in terms of companies’ operations requirements (Albert 1). This is because of the peak, with reference to operative considerations of organizations. It is presumed that even though buyers may not feel directly impacted by such occurrences, their respective supply chains are significantly affected.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A managerial perspective of the situation is given by the UK country’s manager Humphries, where he denoted that a greater risk is even projected in a situation where the customer is not preferred by the supplier. This is because in terms of supply, prioritizing the customer will get a very low position and might end up running short of supply or getting none (Blackstone, 1989). The most advised aspect of the companies getting supplies from similar suppliers to those of the Olympics are in the actual sense in a very dangerous position. This is because when it comes to supplying for them as well as the Olympics they may get the second position in priorities. This is a major threat to the supply requirements of the companies, as it would render them unreliable to their customers and eventually losing the customers. The mentioned risk however, can be mitigated through the establishment of better control of inventories, which will help in the elimination of the error of underestimation or overestimation of demand (Sollish Semanik, 2007). The impact of Olympic Games on the supply of products Actually, some companies will choose to take advantage and use the Olympic branded products seeking to obtain maximum demand of the products. However, such companies ought to be extremely careful when it comes to purchasing because of the risk of being new in the Olympics trade. Another risk relating to the use of the branded products is, though at first they may be well selling, and giving appealing ret urns, they might turn to be a very big disappointment after certain occasions. This is with reference to the case of the 2010 rebranded products whose demand significantly fell after England had dropped out of the tournament. However, this should not hinder the suppliers from accessing the benefits of the branded products, but it is only aimed at cautioning them to be flexible and take advantage of supplies when necessary. The issue of disruption however, is not the only concern for the buyers hindering them from preparation of their contingent plans. Other issues have also been playing a role in the interference with such planning. These include the unrest that has been noticed in the United Kingdom, as well as, the issue of weather disparities.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Impact of Olympic Games on Supply Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It has been realized that in most cases, organizations ar e not prepared in advance for the day-to-day unforeseen risks. The organizations in the recent past have not been considerate of the disruption impact brought about by the Games. It is further noted in the article that some suppliers who do their businesses in a small scale have not considered the factor of business continuity sufficiency, which is the main threat on the companies not anticipating for wellbeing of the Olympic Games. Effective supply chain aims at eventually getting the operations back up and ensure the sufficient consistency of the operations. The second thing to consider in the discussion on the readiness for the Olympic Games is that of the supply chains. These chains are facing increased pressures and the purchasers should be ready for it. However, as the Olympic Games get closer, it has been noticed that most of the purchasers have realized the potential too late about the essence of disruption of the supply chains. The exception of the percentage of companies t hat are anticipating and preparing for a disruption as it pertains to the games is 40%, and this is a considerably small figure as compared to the initial performances portrayed. A research to identify the notions and perceptions of the purchasers on issues relating to the supply chain showed that more than four fifths did not think there were any problems associated with the supply chain, which in this situation is a very vital issue of consideration as it relates to the companies’ preparedness for the Olympic Games. Further survey showed that 58 percent did not hold any plans that would be of use in the event that such problems came up. Quoting the statement made by John Mile who is a procurement consultant, it is evident that the effects on the supply chains on an issue relating to the supply chains are inevitable.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This time round therefore, during the Olympics it should be among the suppliers’ considerations to meet these inevitable business surcharges and therefore planning for them should be amongst their most recent and considered a list of priorities (Sollish Semanik, 2007). These inevitable surcharges therefore, require the suppliers to plan and ensure that their councils are strategically protected from any risks they might face. The Olympics therefore, might have a big impact on business continuity. It is presumed that due to the issue that will be accruing to the London Olympics, anyone who at that time will be operating business in and around London must have an issue however, adequately they prepare. In the recent past however, some of the internal risks analysis on the forecasting of the Olympic Games have been underway and the main intend of the analysis is looking at the discovery of alternate working ways which may include stock piling the necessary resources before the start of the Games (Sollish Semanik,2007). Let me now focus on some of the major companies in the London markets also those that are intending to be involved in trading during the Olympic Games. Here, a critical look on the Dixons retail, the company feels that it is ready to handle any issues, which might arise relating to matters of operational considerations, as well as, marketing opportunities. They are different in that in their business consideration unlike other companies who give the first priority to the trading aspect and profit maximization, their major focus is on the expectations for a disruption. In preparation for these, they have already built into their initial plans extra capacity for the accommodation of such disruptions as projected concerning the activities of Olympic Games. Supply chains play a major role in the determination of how reactions in the workplace as issues of riots are treated also their effects to a company’s profitability. What remains to be seen is that contingency planning is a major attribute towards the effective decision making also the eventual solution analysis in the companies’ activities. James Jaggard the best way to avoid disruptions is only through building of reliable and considerably good relationships with vendors. The companies that have used this approach in the preparation of the Olympic Games activities feel that their supply chains will not be negatively impacted and business will go on as usual (Sollish Semanik, 2007). An applicable methodology is the utilization of the existing long-term contracts also the existent partnership agreements as possible. This as per the article is aimed at ensuring that the supplier chain changes are greatly limited as they could lead to project delays as well as, an act as a major financial risk. Where there are no flexible vendors, deals like the one mentioned above due to the lack of good relationships with them, Jaggard believes that the place where act ion should begin is at the identification of the strategic also the technical suppliers who are critical to the business. In the advice of Jaggard, it is important to realize that some of the technicalities that can be handled include the measure of capacity and capability, an understanding of the customers of your supply, the understanding of an own spending profile as well and the supplier’s capability of your own (Cavinato, Flynn Kauffman, 2004). The beliefs of purchasers differ significantly in that other purchasers believe that their focus in terms of risks accruing to them is the future prices. However, this can be treated in due consideration of the activities of making strategies that counter the rise in prices in that a reconsideration of the initial specifications of the products and work on re-designing the whole product for the purpose of changing how well it suits the particular market. Considerations The article ends by giving a review of certain considerations , which are the main attributes of impact assessment. These considerations are the activities of the organization to extend lead times with suppliers in advance aiming at factoring in the possible issues. A good example of how this could be done is through the updating of the Information technology system. Secondly, the organizations should seek to find out possible alternatives for transport and the distribution where goods could be delivered effectively whenever the necessity arises as this could curb disruption issues. There is also need to assess the possibilities of business continuity plans of the partners in the supply chain as well as the ones of your own organization. Back-up servers for the protection of the IT department should be harnessed. A given possession of the article portrays that shortage as the case of fuel should be prioritized and curtailed. Too much reliance on a particular vendor should be avoided since this leads to disparity in the sense that it is acknowl edged for dependence by different suppliers to obtain vendors at will (Trent, 2007). Alternative sources of business critical supplies and enhances ease of access. Payment ought to be backed- up also systems to ensure that vendors continue to be paid no matter the payment circumstances. All the above information as it pertains to the article shows the varied impacts of Olympic Games also the levels of preparedness portrayed by companies as pertains the games. However, the analysis does not clarify the essence of management in the case of London companies also the issues of effects has not been clearly brought out as per the different aspects the Games might impact the companies (Sollish Semanik,2007). Therefore, it is important to note that the most suitable steps should be analyzed considering the various contributions of management. In addition to this, it is important to focus on how these vary to suppliers in the case of a great event like the Olympics in London also in ensurin g that the main aspects of preparedness in supplies and factors of forecasting as well as, good strategic planning are in their rightful positions. Supply management concisely describes the process of corporate or institutional buying. This is mainly in terms of buying for internal as well as, external uses of goods and services. In most of the organizational set ups, buying is mainly contractual between the buying and selling parties for the considerable amounts referred to as price (Trent, 2007). This price is in most cases monetary in nature. In the case of Olympic preparation by the London markets, it is important to realize that in the first place, these companies ought to strategize effectively if they are to win the disruption effects, which might arise in the course of service delivery to customers. Before the actual Games, which are due by several months, companies are facing major challenges in terms of forecasting. Here, companies should be in the frontline to work out st rategies, which will ensure that the problems, which might arise in the due course of operations during the Olympics also the events thereafter, are favorable to their operations. Let me say that strategizing gets a bit tricky when location cannot be predetermined (Hayes, Gary, and Upton, 1996). For instance, it is a matter of fact that the companies ought to forecast the places of residence for many fans, which cannot be predetermined as the interest of people, are very dynamic also, every service provider is in the pursuit of giving the best offers to attract the majority of the customers (Cavinato, Flynn Kauffman, 2004). Therefore, it gets very hard for companies to project specific places to work on in terms of analyzing how supplies will be enhanced in the respective places. This therefore, brings a tragedy in that it is also not possible to invest equally in all areas and ensure an analysis of supplies in all areas is intensified. The companies therefore, in preparation for t he Olympic Games are facing major challenges in terms of the ease of analysis of the supply needs as well as lack of adequate resources to help in financing the required activities due to fear of taking the great risk of investment in the activity (Tersine, 1982). The only solution that can be reached in this case is only to ensure that operations at the company’s level are intensified as well as the motivation for companies to take great risks and make major investments. The second perspective to work from is the issue of the problems that the companies might face during the actual games. Here, it is important to realize that since most of the companies will not have effectively strategized, the risk of shortage of supplies is likely to result. There are possibilities that due to congestion in the towns which in fact will result from the population seeking to be part of the competition the issue of poor system of supply may arise. Here, the main considerations are the access ibility of the areas of delivery, which most probably will be less accessible since most of the people will be heading to the outlets to get their shares of products (Simchi-levi Kaminsky, 2004). On the issue of the major outlets, it will be noted that because of congestion, which might reduce the accessibility of the retail areas, people may opt for the major supply areas where congestion will result and the results of congestion are usually reduced levels of efficiency in operations as well as reduced accountability of transactions. Therefore, for those who might not have planned, their purchasers will be prone to failures in accessibility as well as shortages of goods. For those who might have reliable strategies to work with during the period, there is a risk that they might have invested so much in their operational plans that they might not get returns enough to compensate them as well as gaining those profits. In addition, some of the planners might be disadvantaged in that their strategies might work against the actual happenings of the Olympic Games. When such happens, it is a main disadvantage in that the eventual process and costs of the strategy is useless and the financial result could ruin the business due to the failure of returns from an investment (Simchi-levi Kaminsky, 2004). Aftermath of the Olympic Games The third perspective of the Olympic Games is the factors that may affect the companies after the actual Games. Here, the discussion will take three courses. The first one involves the companies that will have participated in the supply during the actual games, secondly will be the companies that had intended to take part but their strategies did not work for the Games and the third group encompasses those that never participated at all. The companies that will be favored by the activates of the Olympic Games are bound to get considerably very high profit returns from it and eventually increase their scope of operations as well as booster their cooperate image which might lead to them extending their functionality globally (Rose and Spiegel, 2011, p.1). Therefore, it is important to note that however, a shortcoming of such participating organization would be a lack of efficient resources to use later, the returns obtained from the venture would be adequate to acquire the organization resources from any location (Cavinato, Flynn Kauffman, 2004). For companies that will have been interested in the venture but their strategies failed them, the makeup activity for them will be a hard one since such risks might end up in giving the company a financial crisis which might end up to the closure of companies that lack a wide market share. However, the companies may recuperate through action of aggressive advertisement to ensure that they re-attain a major market share also to give them the capacity to work for the organizations wellbeing. The third category of the companies in due consideration of the effects of the Olympic Games as forecasted is the group that will not take part at all in the affairs of the Olympic Games (Preuss, 2000). Here, let me say that these companies will be improved in terms of the economies of scale of the other companies but dealing with similar products. Therefore, they will directly benefit from the policies that may be made pertaining to their line of service delivery by the legislation. Conclusion In summation, it is worth to note that supply chains are very sensitive chains in the delivery of service to customers. Therefore, London ought to take advantage of the activity in their country and maximize from the opportunity in that they should allow for more flexible rates and terms of operations during the Games to accommodate a wider audience for business. Reference List Albert, A. 2011. Ready for anything. Supply Chain Management. Web. Blackstone, H. 1989. Capacity Management. Cincinnati: South-Western Publishing. Cavinato, J. L., Flynn, A. E., Kauffman, R. G. 2006. T he supply management  handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill. Hayes, R., Gary, P., and Upton, M. 1996. Strategic Operations: Competing through  Capabilities. New York: Free Press. McCarthy, S. 2011. Sustaining Olympic Sustainability. Supply Chain Management. Web. Pooler, V. H., Pooler, D. J., Farney, S. D. 2004. Global purchasing and supply management. Boston, Mass: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Preuss, H. 2000. Economics of the Olympic Games: Hosting the Games 1972-2000, Petersham, Walla Walla Press. Rose, A., and Spiegel, M. 2009. The Olympic Effect. Centre for Economic Policy Research. Web. Simchi-levi, D., Kaminsky, P., Simchi-levi, E., 2004. Managing the supply chain: the definitive guide for the business professional. New York: McGraw-Hill. Sollish., F., Semanik., J. (2007). The procurement and supply managers desk reference. Hoboken: NJ, J. Wiley. Tersine, R. 1982. Principles of Inventory and Materials Management. New York: Elsevier Science Publishing. Trent, R. J., 2007. Strat egic supply management: creating the next source of competitive advantage. Ft. Lauderdale: Ross Publishers.

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Ozone Depletion...Give Me a Break! This essay explains the myths and rumors about ozone depletions and CFCs. It has much information, but lacks sources. One of my better controversial papers. Some scientists have proclaimed that the human race is slowly depleting the layer of ozone which protects us from ultra violet light. In reality, humans have very little control of the world in which we live. Scientific evidence has shown that there is very little depletion in the ozone layer and the contributions the human race makes towards this depletion is and always will be insignificant compared to nature. The theories of the depletion and what it would cause are flawed and contradictory. Where and when did this global killing threat begin? It all began in the mid 1960's when the United States government began pursuing super sonic transports. These would be planes which would travel in the stratosphere, very close to the ozone layer. The first environmentalist complaints were actually of the noise factor. These large planes would be traveling in excess of the speed of sound. Subsequently there would be sonic booms heard on the surface (Singer).Lowest value of ozone measured by TOMS each year i...The arguments fell on deaf ears in Washington.The next objection came in the form of ozone depletion. A fleet of over 500 of these planes would ultimately destroy the ozone. This would allow more ultra violet radiation to fall to the earth and in turn skin cancer rates would sky rocket. That was more than enough for the federal government to get involved, they immediately canceled the project. At that time there was no study done to investigate these claims, but there has been since. The initial estimation was that a fleet of 500 SSTs would effectively reduce the ozone layer seventy percent. In the 1970's that number fell to ten percent. With the emergence of the Concorde, which is a SST, in the 1980's, studies were done that show the emissions from these planes actually insulate the ozone layer...

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