Constitutional Law of the European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Constitutional Law of the European Union - Essay Example A regulation shall have general application. It shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. A directive shall be binding, as to the result to be achieved, upon each Member State to which it is addressed, but shall leave to the national authorities the choice of form and methods. A decision shall be binding in its entirety upon those to whom it is addressed. Recommendations and opinions shall have no binding force.†1 The directive will only inform the end result of the directive without dictating as to how it should be implemented. Generally a time period is given to the member states to implement the directive by passing necessary legislation. The directive in question is to make it an option available to the purchaser of goods through mail order business to return the goods so purchased within fifteen days without having to assign any reason for doing so and to make it obligatory for the supplier to accept the return and refund the purchase price within 7 days after deducting reasonable expenditure incurred for the supply. The directives are applicable to which ever member state it is addressed to or to all the member states. It is binding on the member state to implement within the time frame given by the council which is called transposing into the national law of the member state failing which it is open for the European commission to initiate legal action against the defaulting member states in the European court of justice, first in the Court of First Instance Decisions, for necessary action depending upon the seriousness and also award damages for the affected individuals. Though originally the directive to be implemented by the member state as it may feel fit, lately 2the law has evolved to make the member state liable for non implementation of the directive. This is Direct Effect

Beowulf Essay Example for Free

Beowulf Essay When Beowulf dies, the Geats dwell upon his greatness. They see him as a hero, not just because of the things he accomplished, but because of the sacrifices he made for them. The character, Beowulf, is a classic example of someone who fights for pride and glory. He is a brave warrior who is trying to repay his father’s debts to the king of Denmark. Beowulf is a tragic hero because he is noble, has a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall, and sacrifices himself for the good of his people. The achievements that Beowulf accomplishes make the people believe in him as a tragic hero. To be noble, one has to possess power and authority, but still fulfill obligations to their people. Beowulf stands as a noble king. He earns his power, and leads and fights for his people. At the end of the story, Beowulf battles a dragon that has been troubling his people. This shows us the sacrifice he makes for the Geats to try to save them. After Beowulf is defeated and killed by the dragon, his loyal warrior, Wiglaf, speaks. Wiglaf, the only warrior standing by his side during the fight, tells the other warriors that they have betrayed Beowulf, the king â€Å"who showered you with gifts† (2866). In this quote, Wiglaf is saying that Beowulf has proven his loyalty to his warriors by giving them weapons, armor, and treasure, which in their society was expected of a king or ring-giver. After Beowulf’s death, the Geats realize his nobility, generosity, and bravery. Although Beowulf is a noble king, he, like every tragic hero, has a tragic flaw. In Beowulf’s case it is hubris. Hubris is a characteristic of someone who is over confident or prideful. Pride has a good and a bad consequence for Beowulf. One benefit of pride is that it promotes confidence in battles. For example, when Beowulf goes to fight Grendel, he says, â€Å"now I mean to be a match for Grendel, / settle the outcome in single combat† (425-426). In this quote, Beowulf is saying that he wants to keep the matchup fair between Grendel and himself, so to keep the playing field level he will fight him without any weapons. This is a great example of Beowulf being over confident in himself by saying he doesn’t need weapons to kill Grendel. When he is young, his pride helps him win battles, but at an old age, hubris can be a flaw. This is seen when Beowulf faces the dragon after he has been king for 50 years. At this old age, Beowulf is still so prideful that he wants to fight the dragon alone. This is an example of how his hubris is a detriment. Because of his hubris, Beowulf does not regard age and thinks he will be victorious just as in previous battles. He finds out this is not so when he is defeated. Beowulf makes many sacrifices in the course of the story to protect his people. The final sacrifice even leads to his death. Near the end of the story, Beowulf hears of a dragon that has been terrorizing his people. To destroy this figure, which the people fear, he goes to fight the dragon with his warriors. When he arrives to the area where the dragon lives, he turns around to his men and says, â€Å"this fight is not yours, / nor is it up to any man except me/ to measure his strength against the monster or to prove his worth† (2533-2535). In this quote, Beowulf tells his warriors he wants to fight the dragon alone. He commands them to stay back so that he may kill the dragon by himself. The main reason why he does this is because he feels responsible for his people and he believes he is the only one that should defend them. His men obey his words, and he goes into battle by himself. At the end of the fight, Wiglaf sees Beowulf die, and realizes the honorable king he was and the heroic sacrifice that he made for his people. Throughout the story and his many battles, Beowulf displays the characteristics of a tragic hero. He was noble, and made many great sacrifices for his people. Beowulf shows that performing his duty as king was more important to him than his own life. This ultimate sacrifice shows the Geats the true hero he was for them. Beowulf, not only in this book, but in all old English literature is one of the best examples of a tragic hero.

Essay --

The entire book is told from the view of Robert D. Hare, PhD., a psychologist and researcher of psychopathy. Hare decided to write this book to shed light on the many psychopaths that live among all of us from day to day. Hare does this by using evidence from case studies, stories told to him, and the private meetings he had with the psychopaths that he has met along the way. Hare’s account was an excellent read because he was very modest, even admitting to being fooled by some of the psychopaths he encountered, which made him seem more like a real person. The mind of a psychopath is still far from being explained, however Hare feels the best way to figure out a psychopath operates is to stop them before they are able to cause any damage. Doing so, victims would not be harmed; mentally and physically, saving tax payers money due to court costs, rehabilitation and parole programs that simply don’t work. Psychopath 1 The Mind of a Psychopath Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us describes how Hare began his career in a prison and first realized he was face to face with a psychopath named Ray, who was a prisoner. At that time, Hare believed the inmates could be rehabilitated. Ray was Hare’s first patient and they worked together for several months before Hare realized Ray was manipulating him. Hare used his own practices, diagnoses, as well as interviews from serial killers to let readers know what a psychopath was really like. Hare also believed a psychopath is not crazy or insane, but the decisions made by a psychopath are conscientiously made. Hare goes onto stress that not all serial killers are psychopaths, that some are actually insane. According to Hare, â€Å"psychopathy cannot be understo... ...sychopaths should integrate their persistent self-interest, pointing out how time after time their anti-social behavior is not ultimately in their best interest. As shocking as it may sound, so many people have either come face to face, or know of someone that has met a real life psychopath. Unfortunately, most won't know it until it's too late, and even then, it could be almost impossible to understand that it has happened. These aren’t just the Manson’s or Jeffrey Dahmer’s of the world. Psychopaths are not always killers, and some are not even violent. As Dr. Hare pointed out in this book, some of the best trained and most experienced mental health professionals can and will be fooled at least once in their lifetime. This book was very easy to read and to comprehend, leaving someone prepared to handle a situation if dealt with a psychopath a little bit easier.

Pom Study Guide

Service Processes – Session 1 The Lean Enterprise Clear focus in operating decisions leads to superior performance But, limits to flexibility, risk of (market or technical) obsolescence, or the routine Operations Strategy is about deciding what solution to offer (product or service), to who, and how to deliver it. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Manufacturing Process – Session 2 Distinct business processes are appropriate to create distinct value propositions Jumbled flow (job shop) for low volume and highly customized solutions †¢ Disconnected line flow (batch) for multiple products in moderate volumes †¢ Connected line flow (Assembly line) for high volume of major products †¢ Continuous flow for commodity products Important sources of cost differentials †¢ Operations strategy †¢ Operational efficiency The dynamics of the product-process matrix †¢ Positioning in the P-P matrix is not only driven by operations strategy but also by the product lifeline †¢ Moving in the P-P matrix requires changing the entire mindset/culture of the organization [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] pic] Part II – Business Process Analysis and Improvement Customer Response Performance in Services – Session 3 From parameters to performance If s = 1 server [pic]or use lookup table if s > 1 Parameters sNumber of Servers ?Frequency of arrivals -> x/day / x/hr / x/minute ?Average service time -> days / hrs / minutes ?=1/ ? Service rate ?Utilization; ? = /s CVCoefficient of variation; CV = ? /? (stddev/mean) CVSVariation of service time = / , = 1 if Exponential, 0 if constant. CVAVariation of arrival rate = / , = 1 if Poisson. Average performance measures WqWaiting time WTotal throughput timeLqNumber of customers in the queue LNumber of customers in the system Wq + ? Customer response time Single Server What are the parameters? ?,? , CVA, CVS 1. Find ? = 2. Find Wq from the formula above 3. Lq = ? Wq W = Wq + ? L = ? W Multiple Server 1 . What are the parameters? ?,? , s 2. Find ? = /s 3. Find Lq from table using s and ? ; Assumes CVA = 1 and CVS = 1. 4. Wq = Lq/? W = Wq + ? L = ? W Assembly lineJob Shop CVS0> 1 CVA^v Utilization (target)~90%~60% If multiple production machines, equalize Lq across the production lines Waiting is â€Å"inevitable†, even with less than 100% utilization Scale effects, ? †¢ Utilization effects, ? /(1- ? ) †¢ Variability effects, (CVA2 + CVS2)/2 Little’s Law: Inventory = rate x wait (on average) In general, for stable systems (? < 1), the average inventory in system = average arrival rate x average time in system. Can also be used to calculate the average time in system. L = ? W Managing waits/customer response time †¢ Remove non-value added steps to reduce processing time (? v, ? v) †¢ Reduce variability in demand (CVAv) and process (CVSv) †¢ Pool resources to more effectively use existing capacity (s^) Lessons for Life: Keep slackWhat is the Goa l of the Enterprise? – Session 4 Definitions ThroughputThe rate at which the system generates revenues Production is not revenue Capacity utilization is not the goal, only a possible means to achieve it InventoryThe level of capital invested in the system â€Å"It takes money to make money† †¦ just don’t take too much Money costs money; Opportunity cost of equity, interest charged on debt. Managing with bottlenecks 1. Find the bottleneck 2. Maximize throughput by exploiting the bottleneck o Avoid starving the bottleneck (create buffer for some inventory in front of it). Lost capacity at bottleneck is lost forever o Schedule to keep it busy. Reduce number of setups at the bottleneck (big batches) 3. Elevate: Increase capacity at bottleneck o Reduce length of setup time at the bottleneck o Quality check: Don’t let bad parts be processed on the bottleneck o Offload work to any other resource that can handle it (e. g. cross training, task offloading; res ources in-house or contracted out) o More capacity at bottleneck means more throughput 4. As one bottleneck is resolved, a new bottleneck appears elsewhere. Repeat! 5.Minimize inventory at non-bottlenecks o ‘Drum’ and ‘rope’ scheduling to let the bottleneck set the pace for input materials, to ‘balance flow’. o Reduce batch sizes at non bottle-neck o Efficiency & capacity improvements at non-bottleneck may reduce inventory, but won’t improve throughput 6. Bottleneck early in process simplifies flow management 7. The bottleneck may also be o Accounting systems or focus on operational targets (are not goals, should enable achievement of goals) o Mindsets o Suppliers o Market The â€Å"Goal† approach to management 1. Identify your goal . Identify your bottleneck 3. Exploit your bottleneck a. Don’t starve the bottleneck b. Lost capacity at the bottleneck is lost forever 4. Subordinate all other decisions to step 3 a. The bottle neck is the â€Å"drum† for loading the system 5. Elevate your bottleneck a. Find ways to increase the capacity at the bottleneck 6. Identify your next bottleneck a. Don’t let inertia set in Process of Continuous Improvement †¢ WHAT is it that I should seek to achieve? What is the fundamental challenge? †¢ WHERE is the bottleneck? What prohibits me/us from doing better? †¢ HOW to change?How can I alleviate or even remove this bottleneck? It is the task of the manager to create a process for continuous improvement, not just ad hoc solutions. Key Lessons from Industrial Excellence Award (IEA) Changing Strategies3 months Changing Product Design6 months – 2 years Changing Plant Process2 – 4 years Excellence of Plant Managers †¢ Forecast needed changes in company’s manufacturing strategy †¦ before anyone tells them †¢ Prepare plant’s processes for future changes in product mix †¦ before anyone tells them Busines s Process Economics – Session 5 Process Model Effective capacity of process as a whole is determined by the bottleneck step (step with the smallest effective capacity, expressed in units of final output) †¢ Expressed in units of final output, the effective capacity of a process step depends on downstream losses †¢ Effective capacity of a step also depends on the net availability of that step (including working hours, equipment breakdowns, preventive maintenance, †¦) †¢ In a continuous process, no inventory between steps is allowed. If one step becomes unavailable all upstream steps are immediately blocked and all downstream steps are immediately starved.Levers for Process Improvement †¢ Yield improvements/quality control o Before bottleneck ? Reduce input cost per unit output (lower variable costs! ) ? Capacity doesn’t change (bottleneck still limiting factor) o After bottleneck ? More output per unit input (lower variable costs! ) ? Capacity i ncreases (effect on fixed cost allocation per unit) ? Might change the bottleneck †¢ Bottleneck speed improvement (infrastructure/availability similar) o Increases capacity – more productive hours o Unit variable costs don’t change (same output per unit input) o Bottleneck might shift Ask to see throughput model †¢ Volatility: Can be in demand and price more than in production process Key Lessons †¢ Process flow analysis is needed to understand economics of production and value of improvement, which is essential for good business decisions †¢ The impact of levers for improvement depend on where (in the system) they are used: o Improvement at bottleneck ? Improves the whole system ? May shift the bottleneck o Yield (and quality) improvement before bottleneck ? Use less input per unit output o Yield (and quality) improvement after bottleneck ? Produce more outputs per unit inputYou can always improve by implementing continuous improvement/learning eff orts. Part III – Inventory: Operations and Tactics Customer Response Performance in Manufacturing Operations – Session 6 The Toyota Production System is the benchmark. Definitions BlockingCaused when downstream is slower than upstream StarvationCaused when downstream is faster than upstream BTFBuild-To-Forecast BTOBuild-To-Order Response Times – CRT ? TPT = OQT + PCT CRTCustomer Response Time TPTThroughput Time OQTOrder Queue Time PCTProcess Cycle Times The role of inventory Blocking goes down with inventory, use idle time to produce buffers.If we have a buffer, then starvation will also go down. Push 1. No WIP control 2. If buffer before has units, you produce at next machine Pull 1. WIP control 2. If inventory buffer after needs units, you produce at previous machine If no variability, PUSH = PULL! As variability increases for each machine, what happens to system capacity and why? †¢ As CV2 increases, we are already losing capacity and further increase ha s less effect. †¢ Asymptotic behaviour – capacity approaches 0. As serial length of facility increases, what happens to system capacity and why? As length increases, we are already losing capacity to variability and further increase has less effect. †¢ Asymptotic behaviour – capacity approaches 0. †¢ Once again, kanban length increases capacity. WIP Strategy | |Push |Pull | |BTO | |Target | |BTF |Compaq Now |>^ | Producing to Forecast – Session 7 Supply Chain Management – How Much To order |Demand |5 |6 |7 | |Probability |1/3 |1/3 |1/3 | Cost: $5 |Price |$5. 05 |$10 |$100 | Order Quantity |5 |6 |7 | Reasoning: Margin vs Cost. If margin < Cost, = Cost or > Cost, order quantity will vary accordingly. |Qty |5 |6 |7 | |E[Sales] |5 |5*1/3 + 6*2/3 |5*1/3 + 6*1/3 + 7 * 1/3| |E[Lost Sales] |1 |1/3 |0 | |E[Salvage] |0 |1/3 |1 | E[Demand] = 6 E[Sales] = E[Demand] – E[Lost Sales] E[Salvages] = i – E[Sales] i = ordered quantity -C + VProb (D ? i) = 0 VProb(D ? i) = C Prob(D ? i) = C/V i = ? + z?E[Profits] = Revenue – Cost = Price * E[Sales] + Salvage*E[Salvage] – i * C E[Sales] = E[Demand] – E[Lost Sales] E[Lost Sales] = E[D – i] = NormalLoss(z)* ? Supply Decisions – Alternative Manufacturing / Processing 1. Calculate â€Å"Profit† function for alternative 1 (piV1 – C1) 2. Calculate â€Å"Profit† function for alternative 2 (piV2 – C2) 3. Solve for pi by setting piV1 – C1 = piV2 – C2 4. pi defines the breakpoint. a. Alternative 1 is better when P(D? i) ? pi b. Alternative 2 is better when P(D? i) > pi 5. Use the z-lookup table to find z for pi a. Use this to calculate the order quantity for Alternative 1 (i1) 6.Calculate the full chance tree for option 2 to find total order quantity (i*) 7. Calculate i2 = i* – i1 Note: If multiple options, repeat process successively. Business Process Competition: M&S and Zara – Session 8 |[pic] |[pic] | Inventory Management depends upon the clock speed of the process †¢ Long lead times -> Forecast -> FGI Process (in contrast to product) innovation is an enormous weapon that can disupt the basis of competition †¢ Drive to mass customization, postponement, †¦ †¢ Shifts the diagonal of the product-process matrix downContinuous improvement is a key competitive weapon too, but can lead to rigidity †¢ Market segments, product needs, and technologies shift o Can you adapt your process and market approach fast enough? †¢ Business process reengineering is a difficult alternative to execute †¢ Business process portfolio management may be a good alternative Part IV – Total Quality Management Quality Management in Services – Session 9 Deming †¢ Prevention rather than cure o Process Improvement o Plan, Do, Check, Act †¢ Variations in Manufacturing and Service performance comes from o Process Design – 99% Process Operati ons – 1% †¢ How to divide process variations across design and operations? †¢ Process variation occurs due to many factors o Normal Distribution! ? Central tendency = mean (? ) ? Variability = standard deviation (? ) Historical Performance †¢ Process is in control – process works well according to historical performance †¢ Process is out of control – process has changed 1. Historical mean [pic] 2. Two points consecutively close to UCL or LCL 3. Five consecutive points above/below mean 4. Increasing or decreasing trends (mean is shifting) Tracking Mechanics Discrete variables (Yes/No or OK/defect measure) †¢ P-chart (or s-chart) track proportion defectives (or cumulative number of defectives) †¢ Identify when process goes outside of lower control limit (LCL) or upper control limit (UCL) †¢ Continuous variables (width, time, temp, †¦) †¢ X-bar identifies changes in central position (process mean) through tracking sample mean †¢ R-bar identifies changes in variability (process variation) through tracking sample range (hi-low) Capability analysis †¢ What is the currently â€Å"inherent† capability of my process when it is â€Å"in control†? Conformance analysis SPC charts identify when control has likely been lost and assignable cause variation has occurred Investigate for assignable cause †¢ Find â€Å"Root Cause(s)† of Potential Loss of Statistical Control Eliminate or replicate assignable cause †¢ Need Corrective Action To Move Forward Process Capability & Total Quality Management – Session 10 Definitions CpProcess Capability ratio CpkProcess Reliability Index LCLLower Control Limit LSLLower Specification Limit LTLLower Tolerance Limit (See LSL) UCLUpper Control Limit USLUpper Specification Limit UTLUpper Tolerance Limit (See USL) Potential [pic] gt; 1implies that potential is good, i. e. that the specification limits are greater than the potential performance of the system < 1implies that the potential is bad Performance [pic] > 1implies that performance is good, i. e. that the upper and lower specification limits are more than 3 standard deviations away from the mean performance of the system Why Quality? †¢ Revenue Impact – Customer Satisfaction o Value o Fitness of Use †¢ Cost Impact – Cost of poor quality o Prevention costs o Appraisal costs o Internal failure costs o External failure costs Costs of Quality : Juran model Prevention Costs |Appraisal Costs |Internal Failure|External Failure | | | |Costs |Costs | |Very good machines |Inspection costs |Cost of rework |Costs of warranty | |Very well-trained |Review costs |Scrap costs |Customers go to | |workers | | |competitors | |Excellent, |Workers stopping |Lost time on |Legal costs | |well-defined process |the line |machines | | |Standard operating |Process improvement| |Brand image | |procedures defined |costs | |affected | |clearly | | | | At each stage, costs multiply by a factor of 10!!! The Process Improvement Cycle – PDCA †¢ PLAN a quality improvement o Select theme, grasp situation, preliminary analysis, training programmes, introduce tracking measures and controls, etc†¦ †¢ DO the investigations for improvements Investigate the deviations from â€Å"normal† behaviour – these are opportunities for improvement – and find improvement actions †¢ CHECK the effectiveness of improvement actions o Confirm the effect of countermeasures †¢ ACT by implementing the improvement measures throughout the company [pic] PART V – Course in Review Inventory Between Buyers and Suppliers – Session 11 JIT – Just in Time †¢ Produce what the customer wants, when it is wanted, in the amount it is wanted, where it is wanted †¢ High Volume †¢ Low Inventory (raw materials, WIP, FGI) †¢ Demand pull (produce when needed) †¢ Little JIT: scheduling, inve ntory †¢ Bit JIT (â€Å"lean†): eliminate waste in all activities (scheduling, inventory, human resources, vendors, technology) Seven Forms of Waste (â€Å"MUDA†) |Seven Methods to Eliminate Waste | |Overproduction |Focused factory networks | |Waiting time |Group technology | |Transportation waste |Quality at the source | |Inventory waste |JIT production | |Processing waste |Uniform plant loading | |Waste of motion |Kanban production | |Product defects |Minimize setup times | JIT vs JIT II |JIT |JIT I |Ideal view: piece for piece; lot for lot | | | |Eliminate excess (RMI, WIP and FGI) inventory | | | |Pull supply chain view | | | |Supplier timely and efficient source (RMI) | |JIT II |Administration and management | | | |Eliminate administrative waste | | | |Supplier pulls production from his own plant | | | |Supplier is an effective source of ideas too | Potential gains †¢ Reduced lead times of delivery †¢ Reduced costs of procurement †¢ Avoid exces s inventory stock †¢ Better monitoring of incoming quality †¢ Greater role in new product development for supplier Potential hazards †¢ Supplier gains inside information on cost, process & design †¢ Loss of bargaining power with supplier †¢ Cannot change suppliers easily Requirements for JIT II to create opportunities for win-win †¢ Fair prices †¢ Commitment Communication †¢ Transparency Increasing competition leads to greater focus on core competencies and process efficiencies †¢ JIT is about having lean manufacturing processes to reduce waste †¢ JIT II is about reducing waste with suppliers and distributors Benefits of JIT II include †¢ Improve communication across firm boundaries †¢ Reducing rework †¢ Reducing duplication †¢ Offload work to any other resource that can handle it (e. g. cross training, task Real Just-In-Time delivery (less inventory in the supply chain) †¢ Increased involvement in the buyer- supplier relationship results in better products/services for the customer Conditions for JIT II to work Sufficient volume and transactions to generate cost savings †¢ Supplier has good engineering capabilities to improve overall product/service †¢ Supplier does not provide core technologies for the buyer †¢ TRUST†¦. How to build trust? o Common goal, open communication, and commitment ———————– Prob(D< i) -c C = c – s ith unit demanded Prob(D ? i) Salvage Value ith unit not demanded Revenue Value = revenue – salvage Work in Progress PUSH PULL No Inventory Control Inventory Control Finished Goods Inventory Build-To-Forecast Build-To-Order FGI >> 0 FGI ~0 Capability Analysis Conformance Analysis Eliminate Assignable Cause Investigate for Assignable Cause Pom Study Guide Service Processes – Session 1 The Lean Enterprise Clear focus in operating decisions leads to superior performance But, limits to flexibility, risk of (market or technical) obsolescence, or the routine Operations Strategy is about deciding what solution to offer (product or service), to who, and how to deliver it. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Manufacturing Process – Session 2 Distinct business processes are appropriate to create distinct value propositions Jumbled flow (job shop) for low volume and highly customized solutions †¢ Disconnected line flow (batch) for multiple products in moderate volumes †¢ Connected line flow (Assembly line) for high volume of major products †¢ Continuous flow for commodity products Important sources of cost differentials †¢ Operations strategy †¢ Operational efficiency The dynamics of the product-process matrix †¢ Positioning in the P-P matrix is not only driven by operations strategy but also by the product lifeline †¢ Moving in the P-P matrix requires changing the entire mindset/culture of the organization [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] pic] Part II – Business Process Analysis and Improvement Customer Response Performance in Services – Session 3 From parameters to performance If s = 1 server [pic]or use lookup table if s > 1 Parameters sNumber of Servers ?Frequency of arrivals -> x/day / x/hr / x/minute ?Average service time -> days / hrs / minutes ?=1/ ? Service rate ?Utilization; ? = /s CVCoefficient of variation; CV = ? /? (stddev/mean) CVSVariation of service time = / , = 1 if Exponential, 0 if constant. CVAVariation of arrival rate = / , = 1 if Poisson. Average performance measures WqWaiting time WTotal throughput timeLqNumber of customers in the queue LNumber of customers in the system Wq + ? Customer response time Single Server What are the parameters? ?,? , CVA, CVS 1. Find ? = 2. Find Wq from the formula above 3. Lq = ? Wq W = Wq + ? L = ? W Multiple Server 1 . What are the parameters? ?,? , s 2. Find ? = /s 3. Find Lq from table using s and ? ; Assumes CVA = 1 and CVS = 1. 4. Wq = Lq/? W = Wq + ? L = ? W Assembly lineJob Shop CVS0> 1 CVA^v Utilization (target)~90%~60% If multiple production machines, equalize Lq across the production lines Waiting is â€Å"inevitable†, even with less than 100% utilization Scale effects, ? †¢ Utilization effects, ? /(1- ? ) †¢ Variability effects, (CVA2 + CVS2)/2 Little’s Law: Inventory = rate x wait (on average) In general, for stable systems (? < 1), the average inventory in system = average arrival rate x average time in system. Can also be used to calculate the average time in system. L = ? W Managing waits/customer response time †¢ Remove non-value added steps to reduce processing time (? v, ? v) †¢ Reduce variability in demand (CVAv) and process (CVSv) †¢ Pool resources to more effectively use existing capacity (s^) Lessons for Life: Keep slackWhat is the Goa l of the Enterprise? – Session 4 Definitions ThroughputThe rate at which the system generates revenues Production is not revenue Capacity utilization is not the goal, only a possible means to achieve it InventoryThe level of capital invested in the system â€Å"It takes money to make money† †¦ just don’t take too much Money costs money; Opportunity cost of equity, interest charged on debt. Managing with bottlenecks 1. Find the bottleneck 2. Maximize throughput by exploiting the bottleneck o Avoid starving the bottleneck (create buffer for some inventory in front of it). Lost capacity at bottleneck is lost forever o Schedule to keep it busy. Reduce number of setups at the bottleneck (big batches) 3. Elevate: Increase capacity at bottleneck o Reduce length of setup time at the bottleneck o Quality check: Don’t let bad parts be processed on the bottleneck o Offload work to any other resource that can handle it (e. g. cross training, task offloading; res ources in-house or contracted out) o More capacity at bottleneck means more throughput 4. As one bottleneck is resolved, a new bottleneck appears elsewhere. Repeat! 5.Minimize inventory at non-bottlenecks o ‘Drum’ and ‘rope’ scheduling to let the bottleneck set the pace for input materials, to ‘balance flow’. o Reduce batch sizes at non bottle-neck o Efficiency & capacity improvements at non-bottleneck may reduce inventory, but won’t improve throughput 6. Bottleneck early in process simplifies flow management 7. The bottleneck may also be o Accounting systems or focus on operational targets (are not goals, should enable achievement of goals) o Mindsets o Suppliers o Market The â€Å"Goal† approach to management 1. Identify your goal . Identify your bottleneck 3. Exploit your bottleneck a. Don’t starve the bottleneck b. Lost capacity at the bottleneck is lost forever 4. Subordinate all other decisions to step 3 a. The bottle neck is the â€Å"drum† for loading the system 5. Elevate your bottleneck a. Find ways to increase the capacity at the bottleneck 6. Identify your next bottleneck a. Don’t let inertia set in Process of Continuous Improvement †¢ WHAT is it that I should seek to achieve? What is the fundamental challenge? †¢ WHERE is the bottleneck? What prohibits me/us from doing better? †¢ HOW to change?How can I alleviate or even remove this bottleneck? It is the task of the manager to create a process for continuous improvement, not just ad hoc solutions. Key Lessons from Industrial Excellence Award (IEA) Changing Strategies3 months Changing Product Design6 months – 2 years Changing Plant Process2 – 4 years Excellence of Plant Managers †¢ Forecast needed changes in company’s manufacturing strategy †¦ before anyone tells them †¢ Prepare plant’s processes for future changes in product mix †¦ before anyone tells them Busines s Process Economics – Session 5 Process Model Effective capacity of process as a whole is determined by the bottleneck step (step with the smallest effective capacity, expressed in units of final output) †¢ Expressed in units of final output, the effective capacity of a process step depends on downstream losses †¢ Effective capacity of a step also depends on the net availability of that step (including working hours, equipment breakdowns, preventive maintenance, †¦) †¢ In a continuous process, no inventory between steps is allowed. If one step becomes unavailable all upstream steps are immediately blocked and all downstream steps are immediately starved.Levers for Process Improvement †¢ Yield improvements/quality control o Before bottleneck ? Reduce input cost per unit output (lower variable costs! ) ? Capacity doesn’t change (bottleneck still limiting factor) o After bottleneck ? More output per unit input (lower variable costs! ) ? Capacity i ncreases (effect on fixed cost allocation per unit) ? Might change the bottleneck †¢ Bottleneck speed improvement (infrastructure/availability similar) o Increases capacity – more productive hours o Unit variable costs don’t change (same output per unit input) o Bottleneck might shift Ask to see throughput model †¢ Volatility: Can be in demand and price more than in production process Key Lessons †¢ Process flow analysis is needed to understand economics of production and value of improvement, which is essential for good business decisions †¢ The impact of levers for improvement depend on where (in the system) they are used: o Improvement at bottleneck ? Improves the whole system ? May shift the bottleneck o Yield (and quality) improvement before bottleneck ? Use less input per unit output o Yield (and quality) improvement after bottleneck ? Produce more outputs per unit inputYou can always improve by implementing continuous improvement/learning eff orts. Part III – Inventory: Operations and Tactics Customer Response Performance in Manufacturing Operations – Session 6 The Toyota Production System is the benchmark. Definitions BlockingCaused when downstream is slower than upstream StarvationCaused when downstream is faster than upstream BTFBuild-To-Forecast BTOBuild-To-Order Response Times – CRT ? TPT = OQT + PCT CRTCustomer Response Time TPTThroughput Time OQTOrder Queue Time PCTProcess Cycle Times The role of inventory Blocking goes down with inventory, use idle time to produce buffers.If we have a buffer, then starvation will also go down. Push 1. No WIP control 2. If buffer before has units, you produce at next machine Pull 1. WIP control 2. If inventory buffer after needs units, you produce at previous machine If no variability, PUSH = PULL! As variability increases for each machine, what happens to system capacity and why? †¢ As CV2 increases, we are already losing capacity and further increase ha s less effect. †¢ Asymptotic behaviour – capacity approaches 0. As serial length of facility increases, what happens to system capacity and why? As length increases, we are already losing capacity to variability and further increase has less effect. †¢ Asymptotic behaviour – capacity approaches 0. †¢ Once again, kanban length increases capacity. WIP Strategy | |Push |Pull | |BTO | |Target | |BTF |Compaq Now |>^ | Producing to Forecast – Session 7 Supply Chain Management – How Much To order |Demand |5 |6 |7 | |Probability |1/3 |1/3 |1/3 | Cost: $5 |Price |$5. 05 |$10 |$100 | Order Quantity |5 |6 |7 | Reasoning: Margin vs Cost. If margin < Cost, = Cost or > Cost, order quantity will vary accordingly. |Qty |5 |6 |7 | |E[Sales] |5 |5*1/3 + 6*2/3 |5*1/3 + 6*1/3 + 7 * 1/3| |E[Lost Sales] |1 |1/3 |0 | |E[Salvage] |0 |1/3 |1 | E[Demand] = 6 E[Sales] = E[Demand] – E[Lost Sales] E[Salvages] = i – E[Sales] i = ordered quantity -C + VProb (D ? i) = 0 VProb(D ? i) = C Prob(D ? i) = C/V i = ? + z?E[Profits] = Revenue – Cost = Price * E[Sales] + Salvage*E[Salvage] – i * C E[Sales] = E[Demand] – E[Lost Sales] E[Lost Sales] = E[D – i] = NormalLoss(z)* ? Supply Decisions – Alternative Manufacturing / Processing 1. Calculate â€Å"Profit† function for alternative 1 (piV1 – C1) 2. Calculate â€Å"Profit† function for alternative 2 (piV2 – C2) 3. Solve for pi by setting piV1 – C1 = piV2 – C2 4. pi defines the breakpoint. a. Alternative 1 is better when P(D? i) ? pi b. Alternative 2 is better when P(D? i) > pi 5. Use the z-lookup table to find z for pi a. Use this to calculate the order quantity for Alternative 1 (i1) 6.Calculate the full chance tree for option 2 to find total order quantity (i*) 7. Calculate i2 = i* – i1 Note: If multiple options, repeat process successively. Business Process Competition: M&S and Zara – Session 8 |[pic] |[pic] | Inventory Management depends upon the clock speed of the process †¢ Long lead times -> Forecast -> FGI Process (in contrast to product) innovation is an enormous weapon that can disupt the basis of competition †¢ Drive to mass customization, postponement, †¦ †¢ Shifts the diagonal of the product-process matrix downContinuous improvement is a key competitive weapon too, but can lead to rigidity †¢ Market segments, product needs, and technologies shift o Can you adapt your process and market approach fast enough? †¢ Business process reengineering is a difficult alternative to execute †¢ Business process portfolio management may be a good alternative Part IV – Total Quality Management Quality Management in Services – Session 9 Deming †¢ Prevention rather than cure o Process Improvement o Plan, Do, Check, Act †¢ Variations in Manufacturing and Service performance comes from o Process Design – 99% Process Operati ons – 1% †¢ How to divide process variations across design and operations? †¢ Process variation occurs due to many factors o Normal Distribution! ? Central tendency = mean (? ) ? Variability = standard deviation (? ) Historical Performance †¢ Process is in control – process works well according to historical performance †¢ Process is out of control – process has changed 1. Historical mean [pic] 2. Two points consecutively close to UCL or LCL 3. Five consecutive points above/below mean 4. Increasing or decreasing trends (mean is shifting) Tracking Mechanics Discrete variables (Yes/No or OK/defect measure) †¢ P-chart (or s-chart) track proportion defectives (or cumulative number of defectives) †¢ Identify when process goes outside of lower control limit (LCL) or upper control limit (UCL) †¢ Continuous variables (width, time, temp, †¦) †¢ X-bar identifies changes in central position (process mean) through tracking sample mean †¢ R-bar identifies changes in variability (process variation) through tracking sample range (hi-low) Capability analysis †¢ What is the currently â€Å"inherent† capability of my process when it is â€Å"in control†? Conformance analysis SPC charts identify when control has likely been lost and assignable cause variation has occurred Investigate for assignable cause †¢ Find â€Å"Root Cause(s)† of Potential Loss of Statistical Control Eliminate or replicate assignable cause †¢ Need Corrective Action To Move Forward Process Capability & Total Quality Management – Session 10 Definitions CpProcess Capability ratio CpkProcess Reliability Index LCLLower Control Limit LSLLower Specification Limit LTLLower Tolerance Limit (See LSL) UCLUpper Control Limit USLUpper Specification Limit UTLUpper Tolerance Limit (See USL) Potential [pic] gt; 1implies that potential is good, i. e. that the specification limits are greater than the potential performance of the system < 1implies that the potential is bad Performance [pic] > 1implies that performance is good, i. e. that the upper and lower specification limits are more than 3 standard deviations away from the mean performance of the system Why Quality? †¢ Revenue Impact – Customer Satisfaction o Value o Fitness of Use †¢ Cost Impact – Cost of poor quality o Prevention costs o Appraisal costs o Internal failure costs o External failure costs Costs of Quality : Juran model Prevention Costs |Appraisal Costs |Internal Failure|External Failure | | | |Costs |Costs | |Very good machines |Inspection costs |Cost of rework |Costs of warranty | |Very well-trained |Review costs |Scrap costs |Customers go to | |workers | | |competitors | |Excellent, |Workers stopping |Lost time on |Legal costs | |well-defined process |the line |machines | | |Standard operating |Process improvement| |Brand image | |procedures defined |costs | |affected | |clearly | | | | At each stage, costs multiply by a factor of 10!!! The Process Improvement Cycle – PDCA †¢ PLAN a quality improvement o Select theme, grasp situation, preliminary analysis, training programmes, introduce tracking measures and controls, etc†¦ †¢ DO the investigations for improvements Investigate the deviations from â€Å"normal† behaviour – these are opportunities for improvement – and find improvement actions †¢ CHECK the effectiveness of improvement actions o Confirm the effect of countermeasures †¢ ACT by implementing the improvement measures throughout the company [pic] PART V – Course in Review Inventory Between Buyers and Suppliers – Session 11 JIT – Just in Time †¢ Produce what the customer wants, when it is wanted, in the amount it is wanted, where it is wanted †¢ High Volume †¢ Low Inventory (raw materials, WIP, FGI) †¢ Demand pull (produce when needed) †¢ Little JIT: scheduling, inve ntory †¢ Bit JIT (â€Å"lean†): eliminate waste in all activities (scheduling, inventory, human resources, vendors, technology) Seven Forms of Waste (â€Å"MUDA†) |Seven Methods to Eliminate Waste | |Overproduction |Focused factory networks | |Waiting time |Group technology | |Transportation waste |Quality at the source | |Inventory waste |JIT production | |Processing waste |Uniform plant loading | |Waste of motion |Kanban production | |Product defects |Minimize setup times | JIT vs JIT II |JIT |JIT I |Ideal view: piece for piece; lot for lot | | | |Eliminate excess (RMI, WIP and FGI) inventory | | | |Pull supply chain view | | | |Supplier timely and efficient source (RMI) | |JIT II |Administration and management | | | |Eliminate administrative waste | | | |Supplier pulls production from his own plant | | | |Supplier is an effective source of ideas too | Potential gains †¢ Reduced lead times of delivery †¢ Reduced costs of procurement †¢ Avoid exces s inventory stock †¢ Better monitoring of incoming quality †¢ Greater role in new product development for supplier Potential hazards †¢ Supplier gains inside information on cost, process & design †¢ Loss of bargaining power with supplier †¢ Cannot change suppliers easily Requirements for JIT II to create opportunities for win-win †¢ Fair prices †¢ Commitment Communication †¢ Transparency Increasing competition leads to greater focus on core competencies and process efficiencies †¢ JIT is about having lean manufacturing processes to reduce waste †¢ JIT II is about reducing waste with suppliers and distributors Benefits of JIT II include †¢ Improve communication across firm boundaries †¢ Reducing rework †¢ Reducing duplication †¢ Offload work to any other resource that can handle it (e. g. cross training, task Real Just-In-Time delivery (less inventory in the supply chain) †¢ Increased involvement in the buyer- supplier relationship results in better products/services for the customer Conditions for JIT II to work Sufficient volume and transactions to generate cost savings †¢ Supplier has good engineering capabilities to improve overall product/service †¢ Supplier does not provide core technologies for the buyer †¢ TRUST†¦. How to build trust? o Common goal, open communication, and commitment ———————– Prob(D< i) -c C = c – s ith unit demanded Prob(D ? i) Salvage Value ith unit not demanded Revenue Value = revenue – salvage Work in Progress PUSH PULL No Inventory Control Inventory Control Finished Goods Inventory Build-To-Forecast Build-To-Order FGI >> 0 FGI ~0 Capability Analysis Conformance Analysis Eliminate Assignable Cause Investigate for Assignable Cause

Life of Pi Response

Life of Pi: Reading Response When I began reading ‘Life of Pi’ by Yann Martel I had little expectation it would peak my interest. I expected it to be a boring school assignment that I would have to get through, process the information and put on paper. To my relief, this book was completely the opposite. I must admit, the beginning chapters were quite dry. I would have never chosen in the beginning of a book to mention a sloth, probably the most uninteresting mammal ever. Slowly, the book progresses to where it gives you a little background information on Piscine Patel and his life in India. In part one, I really liked where Mamaji taught Piscine to swim. Looking back it proved to be a very important for Pi’s survival I dislike stories where the hero’s journey is clearly defined anda once weak man overcomes unrealistic circumstances to become a stronger man. That was not the case in this book. I like the realness of the book, especially in the case of Richard Parker. He wasn’t personified in any way really. He was what I think a natural tiger would be given the conditions. What I really enjoyed about this book was the deep thinking it evoked. The author allowed you to come to your own conclusion as to whether the story with the animals or the story with the people was true. Normal logic and reasoning tells you that the story with the people would be right, because the chance of the story with the animals happening is hard to believe. Both stories have the same circumstances and follow the same events. The zebra represents the sailor, the hyena is the cook, the orangutan is the mother and Richard Parker is Pi, but I believe the story with the humans is the true story. I think that the story with the animals was Pi’s way of coping with the reality that his mother was murdered and that he murdered someone as well. I believe the choice that the members of the Ministry of Transport had to make about the stories is a metaphor for religion. Science and many religions all have an explanation for certain events and some seem farfetched, yet they could all be possible. In the end, it’s all up to what you believe, and the way you interpret it.

buy custom The Road by Cormac Mcarthy essay

buy custom The Road by Cormac Mcarthy essay Nothing could have been timelier than Comarc McCarthys novel The Road. The novel is not only interesting to read but also relevant of our society today. Though he has not used charts, graphs and statistical data to explain his point he has succeeded in using art to portray his message. No wonder the many awards the book has scooped since its publishing in 2006. This paper seeks to explain how McCarthy has used symbolism as a literature tool to pass his message to the world. Symbolism by way of definition is the practice of representing real things or happenings using events, objects or relationships. The objects and events carry meaning in the happenings of the earth. These objects and events represent others by convention, association or resemblance. In the novel the The Road Cormac has used a number of symbolisms (McCarthy 45). The main reason McCarthy used symbolism is to show the current position concerning various aspects of life including environment, humanity and effects of untamed civilization. He wanted to inform his audience the need for change and the looming danger if we do not embrace change of attitude and behavior. Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable and to ensure that it meets the needs of the present world without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The story happens after a great cataclysm wipes out most of the life on earth and its civilization. In the story we are told that of the general environment after the cataclysm. The ground is filled with ash. It is cold and dark. No vegetation covers the ground and therere very few living organism if any. The area experiences electric storms and gray snow (McCarthy 45). The events and happenings in this scene symbolize what is to be fall the world very soon if precautions are not taken. This is a true reflection of our world owing to the current data and situation at hand. According to this data the world has undergone habitat destruction since man first set his foot on planet earth. But what is habitat destruction? This is the process of tearing down the natural environment making it unable to sustain the living things living there. When this is done it leads to depletion of the natural resources and extinction of living organisms. When evironmental degradation occurs no life remains on earth just as in the case of the setting of Comarcs novel. Man has destroyed most of its areas rich in biodiversity (Berbault 201). Most of tropical regions and islands such as Philippines, New Zealand, Japan and Madagascar have been destroyed by human activities. Globally only 9 million kilometers squared of the tropical rainforest exist currently out of a total of 16 million kilometers squared that initially existed. Marine areas have also suffered due to environmental degradation (Barbault 90). The places which have suffered extreme effects include the northern coastal areas of Caribbean Sea, eastern coastal areas of Africa and Asia. The northern coastal areas of South America have also suffered from environmental degradation. These coastal areas have suffered in that their coral reefs are undergoing destruction by human activities. In the United States of America not more than 25 percent of the vegetation remaining is natural. Furthermore more than a greater percentage of more than 50% of its wetlands has been destroyed in the last two centuries. If this trend continues then what comarc speaks of in his book The road about lack of vegetation is unavoidable. Destruction of the areas with rich in biodiversity does not only lead to killing of the organisms present in the habitat. It also leads to reduction of the carrying capacity of these areas (Barbault 97) Furthermore the range of organisms existing in a certain habitat decreases. These increases the chances of the organisms mating with their related species hence decrease in diversification of genetics and therefore low chances of disease resistance and high chances of infertile offspring. Another symbol that has been used in the book is the road. The writer uses the road as the title of his book. Its also clear from the unfolding of events in the novel that a lot of time is spent on the road by characters (McCarthy 67). From the novel the road used by the characters is not a smooth one. It is a dangerous road as seen by dead bodies lying on it. The road is also deserted. These may symbolize that the process to bringing sanity and ending the evils in the society is a journey. The journey is not an easy one and only few people have embarked on it owing to the desolate state of the roads. There is high possibbility of people losing their lives in the course of their journey and only few people survive. This road may also symbolize a life that people decided to live whose end claims many lives. Another symbol that has been used in this novel is the killing of snakes. The father in the novel returns home with a high fever and also experiences nightmares. At the same time the father remembers what happened one time during his youthful life (McCarthy 61). Here members how many snakes were killed during his youthful life. In many communities snakes symbolizes evil. The burning of these snakes symbolizes the destruction of evil. But what are these evils in this society. The novel demonstrates evil in that community when the boy realizes a headless burnt infant body along the road. This shows the extent of rot and violence in the community. These scenes clearly demonstrate the rot in our current community. These are seen by civil wars, coups and border wars in many countries of the world today. Human life is not respected in the world today. Even the weakest and the innocent like infants are not spared this evil. Burning the snakes may only symbolize that the rot or the actual evil was not destroyed but just temporarily dealt with. Evil or the real problem still lives with and in us. No wonder evil has not ceased in our society long after the bill of right s and much other legislation to protect mankind have been instituted (Wannebo 94). Conclusion It is therefore clear that more has to be done to save humanity or else our current behaviors will lead to extinction of humanity. Governments must therefore step up their mandate and save this endangered generation of human beings and animals. Some of the policies these governments can put into consideration include enhancing family planning especially in high populated areas. This will avoid destroying more forests for settlement which is a major cause for environmental degradation. Legislations should be made to protect the natural environment from human destruction. Ways to increase agricultural output without putting more land under cultivation should be promoted. People should also be taught on the importance of protecting biodiversity and natural environment. Finally good and democratic governments should be instituted (Wannebo 97). Buy custom "The Road" by Cormac Mcarthy essay

Jacksonian Democrcay essays

Jacksonian Democrcay essays As a guardian of individual liberty, Andrew Jackson, once again, had good intentions but was blind to his own mistakes and wrongdoing. No different from almost all of the whites in the 1820s and 1830s, Jackson failed accept blacks and Indians as true people of America. Would a man truly set out to fight for individual liberty support, and participate in slavery or to deny Native American the ability to own land? Absolutly not. The Jacksonian Democrats saw themselves as guardians of equality of economic opportunity; this was far from the truth. The first action that failed to make the American economy equal and more effective was Jacksons Tariff of Abominations. These selfish tariffs, created mainly to obtain supporters in the North, undoubtedly helped the Mid-Atlantic States, along with New England, and their manufacturing of goods and textiles. However, contrary to equal economic opportunity, the Southern states were severely hurt by the new polices. The high tariffs led the Southern plantation owners to fear a decline in cotton and tobacco exports, which would ultimately lead to a decline in slavery the backbone of the Southern economy. Again, in 1832, Jackson made a decision that would eventually leave America in its worst depression yet. It was a gutsy veto, coming in an election year, but it did show Jackson would do everything to fight for the common folk when he said, It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes. (Doc. B) By selfishly vetoing the renewal of the National Bank, he set America back and he failed to realize the positive side of having such an institution. Understanding the true power the bank had and that most states supported it, Daniel Webster replied to this veto by simply stating, It raises a cry that liberty is in danger. (Doc. C) Liberty truly was in dan...