Strategic Management in FedEx in response to Competition

Strategic Management in FedEx in response to Competition History of air carriers as given by Coyle et al attributes the use of airplanes for mail transport as the starting point of the airline industry (Coyle et al, 2006:158). From mail transport air transportation moved to passenger, transport where the industry has all through established its dominance especially when it comes to transporting passengers over long distances in very short periods of time. The services offered by for-hire carriers can be classified into all-cargo, air taxi, commuter, charter and international services (Coyle et al, 2006:159). All-cargo carriers such as FedEx and UPS airlines are primarily concerned with the transportation of cargo. Federal Express Corporation, which is a cargo airline, is based at Memphis in the United States of America. Federal Express Corporation also known as FedEx is the largest airline globally with regard to freight tons but in terms of fleet size, it is the worlds second largest airline (Zhang, 2006:98). The corporation provides direction and financial reporting for a number of companies, which collectively compete under the Federal Express name globally. The companies include FedEx Ground, FedEx Express, FedEx Office, FedEx Freight, FedEx Services, FedEx Trade Networks and FedEx Custom Critical (FedEx.com, 2010:110). Before the Federal Express became Federal Express Corporation it was known as FedEx but it adopted the current name under which it currently operate in 1998 when it acquired Caliber System Inc. Federal Express Corporation built on its strength of express delivery service and formed more diversified company which incorporated different but related businesses (Denton, 1992:86). Federal Express Corporation is the leading firm in the transportation industry globally. The company has managed to attain its current position by incorporating what it takes to be a major player in the global market (Gp-Training, n.d.). FedEx Corporation has built superior virtual, physical and people network to shape network economy in the global scale. The following discussion will seek to conduct a strategic management analysis of FedEx based on two models; Porters five forces model and the SWOT analysis. The two models have been selected based on the reason that they provide a step-by-step analysis of an organization. They are objective and can enable a planner or strategic manager to make accurate predictions of a business or project. Further, they greatly assist in prior determinations before capital investments are made, for instance, they greatly assist in determining whether the goals and objectives of a particular business are attainable. SWOT Analysis and five forces model of Federal Express Corporation Introduction SWOT analysis refers to an evaluation technique deployed in determining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and techniques in a business venture. On the other hand, Michael Porter established a structure that models a business as being influenced by five main forces. This model is very important and can be used by industries to understand their operations better. According to Overbeck (2009:126) porters five forces, which is a model for industry analysis, include rivalry, threats of substitutes, Buyer power, Supplier power and Barriers to entry or threat of entry (McGrew Wilson, 1982:75). In addition, FedEx SWOT analysis presents various opportunities as well as strengths of the company, which have made it become one of the market leaders globally. However, the company also has a number of threats and weakness that should be addressed to be able to become even more prosperous in future. Source: Hill, C. and Jones G. (2009:67). Strategic management theory. New York: Cengage Learning. Porters Five Forces model Rivalry According to Hill and Jones (2009:42), competition between rival firms according to traditional economic model drives profit to ultimately zero. However, competition is not perfect and businesses are not basic passive price takers but they strive for competitive advantage over rival firms. Application of rivalry, which is Michael porters first force to the Federal express, is evident. For instance, the corporation was faced with threatening rivalry challenge before it occupied the current position in the industry. For instance, the entry of competitors in their market. UPS in particular, posed a major threat. The company was ready to spend enormous sums of money in market penetration. For example, it invested in a thirty million dollar ad for purposes of competing with FedEx. Another challenge facing FedEx is the progressive developments in technology which act as substitutes to transnight mail delivery, for example, fax and emails. The entry of UPS into the market posed a severe thr eat to FedEx, serious enough to cause Pauline and Farhoomand (2000:88), to report that the transportation volume of FedEx was going down. FedEx Corporation responded to the threat of rivalry that threatened its progress and in January 2000, it resorted to reorganize the company into groups operation by doing business with the whole FedEx family. According to Hill and Jones (2009:42) it is important to reconsider strategy in order to compete effectively in the market. The theory of Porters five forces model state that such action should only be taken after understanding the structures of the industry (Goodwin, 2001:178). The resolution was that the five subsidiary companies and FedEx corporation was to compete collectively but to function independently, a strategy that boosted their pursuit for an advantage in the industry. This is in accordance with the strategic management theory and the model of Porters five forces, which further advocates the scrutiny of competitive forces in the market before identifying threats and opportunities as well as coming with a suitable strategy (Hill Jones, 2009:201). Another strategy that FedEx Corporation used was improving product differentiation by embracing innovation and offering high quality products and services to customers. According to (Goodwin, 2000:67), FedEx Corporation pooled its marketing, sales and customer service function that enable customers to access services of the group at a single point. The reorganization cost FedEx Corporation 100 million USD in a span of three years, but the end justified the means. These measures retained FedEx in the market, but did not frustrate UPS which in a number of years has managed to scoop its fair share of the market. Today, FedEx has grown into a multi- billion corporation owning various companies namely the FedEx corporation, FedEx Ground, FedEx Express , FedEx Freight, FedEx custom critical, FedEx Trade Networks and FedEx Kinkos . On the other hand, UPS has grown to the largest package delivery company on the globe owning companies like; UPS Mail Innovations, UPS Air Cargo, UPS Capital Corporation, UPS Consulting, UPS Aviation Technologies, UPS Mail Boxes Among Others. Threat of Substitutes A substitute product in Porters model is a product in other industries which could be deployed as an alternative to another product from a different industry. The threat of substitutes according to the five forces theory therefore exists when the demand of a product is affected by change in price of a substitute product (Overbeck, 2009:56). The same way the price elasticity of a product is affected by same substitute products hence when more substitutes become available, it influence demand, which becomes more elastic because customers have more alternatives. Competition can be endangered by threat of substitutes when they come from outside industry. Strategic management theory and five forces theory according to Hill and Jones (2009:53) assert that existence of very close substitutes poses a strong threat in the market and leads to reduced profitability. To deal with such a challenge the two theories support the idea of diversifying a companys products and service as FedEx did (Hill Jones, 2009:53-54). FedEx embraced technology and innovation, which enhanced reliability and speed of deliveries in the firm. The company adopted next day delivery services, which completely revolutionized the industry. This made it preferable to many customers because it became reliable and convenient. Perishable commodities could reach their intended destination with appropriate time, which consequently reduced competition among its rivals. According to Overbeck (2009:45), FedEx Corporation Company under the leadership of Smith pioneered a number of technological breakthrough that propelled the firm above all others. For instance, over 100000 PCs loaded with Federal Express software made to log and link customers into tracking and ordering systems were introduced in FedEx. Federal Express also, became the first to issue their drivers with handle scanners, a device that alerted customers when packages were either delivered or picked up. According to Pauline and Farhoomand (2000:113), Federal Express Co rporation was the first to launch a website with tracking and tracing capabilities. Such strategies helped the company to grow without feeling the pinch of the threat of substitutes. Buyer Power This is the impact that customers (buyers) have on a producing industry. According to Overbeck (2009:89), there are factors that determine the buyer power. Federal Express Corporation has been shaped by the buyer power especially corporate buyers who have enormous bargaining power resulting from the large amounts of purchases they make. Buyer power is also influenced by the switching costs. It is a fact that buyers power greatly influences FedEx. For example, it gained a huge share of the catalogue business because it was able to offer buyers lower prices as compared to UPS. The company has always tried to expand with the demand of its customers (Overbeck, 2009:89). FedEx Company has used information technology that has been quite significant in the globalization of trade, effective and efficient sharing of information within and outside the company, improved customer service and reduced costs of services offered by the company. As a result, the buyer power is skewed towards Federal Express Corporation because it provides the services that the buyer demands. According to five forces theory and strategic management theory, buyer power is a very significant consideration in designing business strategy (Hill Jones, 2009:50-52). On the other hand, buyer power also constrains FedEx in some ways. The delivery has nominal switching costs such that when a customer is not satisfied, they can easily switch to the competitors services. For instance, when UPS made its entry into the market, offering its services at half the price offered by FedEx, many of its customers disregarded the switching costs and moved to UPS. Supplier Power Supplier power illustrates the ease with which suppliers can determine prices. Supplier power id determined by the number of suppliers available in an industry, the distinctiveness of their services or products their influence over a company. The more supplier options open to a company, the less the likelihood of high supplier power. According to Hill and Jones (2009:52), a powerful supply has the ability to influence the producing industry. According to five forces theory and strategic management theory, suppliers can easily determine the future and progress of a firm and so can the third parties (Hill Jones, 2009:53). While other rival companies in the industry were sub-contracting their shipment to third parties and buying space on commercial airlines, Federal Express Corporation tried to acquire its own transportation fleet and in the tenth year, it became the first company in the United States to achieve 1 billion USD revenue mark in ten years without corporate mergers and acquisitions. According to Farhoomand and Pauline (2000), Federal Express Corporation does not have external factors that influence its internal decision and operation and has been able to advance greatly in the industry this is because Federal Express Corporation has limited influence of buyer power. Barriers to Entry/ Threat of Entry Hill and Jones (2009:43) argue that industries possess some characteristics, which protect the lofty levels of profit of firms in the market, which prevent additional firms from entering the market. It is this inhibition of additional rivals in the market, which is termed as barriers to entry. According to Strategic management and five forces theories, barriers to entry reduce rate of entry of new businesses, which therefore maintains the high level of profit for those firms that are already in the industry (Hill Jones, 2009:87). The sources of such barriers include government created barriers, Asset specificity, patents and proprietary knowledge and organizational economies of scale. Federal Express is already in the industry and dominating the industry already (Farhoomand Pauline, 2000:79). Therefore, it is not faced with any barrier to entry into the industry. FedEx and the other delivery companies already in the market like UPS are the cause of the barriers. They have large brand name as well as established relations with foreign countries. Smaller companies will have an almost impossible task of penetrating the market because of the large capital requirements. With little capital, it will be impossible to offer competitive prices. Further, reaching the standards set by the market giants is an uphill task. Federal Express SWOT Analysis FedEx SWOT analysis presents how the company has been able to use information technology in defining its strategies (Quality-Assurance-Solution, n.d.). Information technology apart from improving the performance has made it possible for the company reaches new associates or groups of people. SWOT analysis of FedEx Company involves analyzing strength, weaknesses, opportunities as well as the threats of the company in accordance with the SWOT analysis theory (Burger, 2008:12) Strengths of FedEx SWOT analysis theory according to Burger (2008:13) is very instrumental in helping companies identify internal and external attributes and factor, which affect the companies resource capability. According to the theory, internal attributes are strengths and weaknesses while external attributes are opportunities and threats (Burger, 2008:13). FedEx strengths in the transport industry include ; Efficient service delivery to customers. The company gives the needs of customers first priority. This has instilled customers with confidence in the company, thereby making it quite preferable among many people in the global market. In addition, Grignard (1994) argues that the strength of the company is the ability to offer express mail services, which ensures that mails are delivered overnight. This has made the company to outdo many major players in the industry such as United States Postal Service in terms of service delivery as well as customer service. According SWOT analysis theory such strength is very crucial in making FedEx realize its objectives (Burger, 2008:13). FedEx Company also has a very strong brand name, which gives it its place in the global market. FedEx is known for its innovativeness. It has proved time and over that it is capable of initiating great ideas that totally change the market. For example, the purchase of their own airplanes and ships instead of hiring. This boosts a customers confidence in the company as they are guaranteed that third parties are not a party to the delivery of their parcels. Further, FedEx is known as a market leader. Its known for its use of advanced technology and effective communications systems in all its operations. Its a recognized worldwide transportation company and its also known for its ability to take in smaller companies to expand its needs. Above all, its greatest strength is its brand name and the goodwill or reputation attached to it. Weaknesses SWOT theory according to Burger (2008:12) states that weaknesses are some of the internal conditions, which prevent companies from achieving their objectives. For instance, the dispute between the company and its pilots is an internal crack which could damage its reputation

Research Paper- the Effects of Domestic Violence

A woman wakes up in the middle of the kitchen floor, and as she opens the one eye that isn’t swollen shut, she frantically searches for her minor child with no avail. She calls the police who take her report and then question her about her bruises and black eye. She tells them what happened; they take her report and begin the search for her daughter. When they find her daughter and husband they return them both home because the daughter is â€Å"safe† in their eyes and she has fearfully corroborated her father’s alibi that they haven’t been home all day.The officers leave, satisfied that they have done their jobs, only to discover the next day that the man they returned home safe has now beaten his wife and child unconscious. This situation may not be how every domestic violence situation plays out but it is all too often the case. Domestic violence is a serious problem in America that affects the victims and children involved, but does not seem to have co nsistent enough consequences for the offender, or strong enough protection for the victims. The Effects on the VictimsThe number of domestic violence incidents is at a staggering amount. According to the Domestic Violence Resource Center (2010), one in four women has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime. That is one quarter of the female population. This means that the majority of us probably know someone who has been a victim, whether they have admitted it or not. This could be your mother, sister, aunt or daughter. Whether you can see the physical effects there are other signs that may suggest they are in a violent or abusive situation.Victims involved in this kind of abuse typically withdraw themselves from their friends and family. They don’t participate in activities that they once loved. They may also change the way they groom themselves on a daily basis. For example someone who would typically take pride in her appearance may now dress very casually, wearing à ¢â‚¬Å"sloppy clothing† and wearing hats and sun glasses to â€Å"hide† their face. Domestic violence victims suffer many immediate physical symptoms such as bruising and broken or fractured bones, and though most may think that is the extent of the physical problems, it is not.The BRFSS (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) is an annual, state-based, random-digit, dialed telephone survey of noninstitutionalized , US civilian population greater than 18 years of age. In a study conducted by BRFSS the findings in their report linked IPV (Intimate Partner Violence) with poor general health, chronic disease, disability, somatic syndromes, injury, chronic pain, STD, functional gastrointestinal disorders, and changes in endocrine and immune functions (Shannon, 2009).Symptoms like these can cause problems with the victims for many years to come, and in some cases, the victim’s entire life. Some of the physical effects are irreversible. Women are abused every day, and the below picture is an example of only a portion of the pain caused to the victim. This abuse affects many aspects of their lives other than aesthetics. [pic] In addition to the horrifying physical effects of domestic violence, the victims are subject to many psychological effects as well. Some of the abusers involved don’t start out hitting their partner.The abuse begins sometimes, long before the hitting. Sometimes it could start off with something as seemingly insignificant as the abuser saying â€Å"I don’t think you need that much make-up†. This may be an innocent enough comment in the right moment that the woman believes her partner is giving her a compliment and so she complies. The problem is now, her partner has realized how to approach her in a deceiving way to slowly gain control of her. After that control has been established, those once â€Å"flattering suggestions† have now become expected demands to the victim.In most cases by the time the victim has realized she does not want to comply with these demands, her abuser has already started demanding her compliance by hitting her. Now she does not know how to escape from her abuser. According to Encyclopedia Britannica for some victims the unrelenting cycle of violence produces diminished self-esteem, helplessness, depression, and exaggerated feelings of imprisonment, even the belief that they deserve the abuse. Once the victim has reached this phase of the relationship it becomes almost impossible for her to escape.She is under the impression that if she leaves, her abuser will find her and hurt her even worse, and possibly even kill her. She may also believe that there is no point in leaving because her abuser has made her believe that he is the only one who could ever love her, and that nobody else could ever want her. This fear of total loneliness if she was to leave can be enough to make her stay. At this point the self-esteem is so low that she needs what small portion of distorted attention she does get from her abuser. The Effects on ChildrenWhile a woman is dealing with this amount of abuse from her abuser, if she is a mother, she may not realize the consequences her child is suffering. While she may feel she is protecting her child from this violence by sending them to their room prior to an argument, many children report witnessing the violence anyway. According to the Domestic Violence Resource Center studies suggest that 3. 3-10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually. Witnessing this violence can have a lasting effect on children.These effects may include behavioral problems such as aggression, phobias, insomnia, low self-esteem, and depression (Myers, 2006). The aggression that can occur from seeing violence like this can spill over into a child’s own social life. It can affect friendships and cause many problems in school. Being forced to deal with these feelings alone could obviously adversely af fect a child’s learning experience at school and make it nearly impossible to develop and maintain healthy relationships with their peers. These are the effects from just witnessing violence between their parents.This doesn’t include what can happen if a child is caught in the crossfire. There are a terrifying amount of children who are also subject to the physical abuse themselves. So, in addition to seeing the one person who tried to protect them get abused, they are now bearing the brunt of some of these attacks. According to the Domestic Violence Resource Center (2010) In a national survey of American families, 50% of the men who frequently assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children. [pic] This puts a whole new perspective on things for the mothers now.The mothers who have been trying to protect their children from seeing the violence have left their children vulnerable to being abused also. This is a serious and vicious cycle that has to be broken . Children who view this kind of violence and are subject to it themselves will most likely be abusers in their adult life. So what is to be done? Where do these desperate victims and their helpless children turn in these terrifying moments? The Role of Police The victims, of course, have the option of calling the police. However, many women fear calling the police for a variety of reasons.According to Doak (2007) when forty one women were interviewed to find out what kept them from calling the police the factors cited included the idea that they must have physical proof that battering had occurred, the desire to avoid a humiliating physical examination in the case of rape or sexual abuse, cultural attitudes about domestic violence, poor self-esteem, being physically prevented from calling the police by the batterer, poor police response when battering was previously reported, and fears of possible retaliation by the batterer or removal of children from the home by protective servic es.This is a heavy burden to bear for a woman who is already in an extremely volatile situation, doing everything in her power to protect herself and her child. When her last resort is calling the police because she does not know where to go or how to even get out, she needs to know that she can depend on them to â€Å"protect and serve† she and her child and send a strong message to their batterer.When the victim gets the courage and opportunity to finally call the police in an effort to save herself and child the police need to be diligent in helping the victims find resources to get away from the home and away from the abuser at least long enough until the abuser is required to go to court. There is no guarantee that the punishment will be significant enough to make the victim’s home safe for her again, but until that is determined, she and possibly her child will need a safe place to go.Consequences for the Abuser The consequences are not consistent enough for the abuser which makes it difficult for the current victims to feel safe, and it means that in the future another victim could potentially suffer at the hands of this person. Many courts are now using batterer intervention programs instead of incarceration for the offenders. The effectiveness of this does not seem to be very notable. According to the National Institute of Justice two valuations of programs in Broward County, Florida, and Brooklyn, New York, based on rigorous experimental designs, claim that batter treatment programs have little or no effect. If this is the case, then how are the victims supposed to feel safe in their own home? Their abuser gets arrested and sentenced to a batterer treatment program, only for him to leave with the same attitude as he went in with. That is if he even completes the class. Then he is most likely angrier because he had to go through it in the first place; therefore leaves him more likely to recidivate.These batterers need to be supervised mo re thoroughly while they are enrolled in such programs to ensure their rehabilitation, should this be the course of action the courts decide to take in a particular case. Instead it seems that the people in charge of ensuring victim’s safety are merely handing out â€Å"slaps on the wrist†. Recent history has shown that this is not an effective method of repercussion for the offenders, nor does it provide any solace for the victims. There are so many factors in a situation of Domestic Violence.From the start of the relationship where the abuser begins manipulating the victim to obtain control of her, through each step from verbal to ultimately physical abuse. The abusers make their victims feel like they are signing their own death certificate if they try to leave. This is enough to leave any victim afraid to ask for help. Domestic violence has such an impact on so many lives. Outside family members often are unaware of the violence. Also, in staggering amounts of case s, inside family members such as children are all too aware.These abusers are so vicious that they have poisoned their victims with fear. In their minds, the threat of their attackers supersedes any protection law enforcement may offer because in reality all they have is a piece of paper between the two of them. This is a behavior that could gradually be changed if our justice system would remain firm and consistent with the offenders. This would show the victims that they do have a choice. They would know that they could break free from these unstable, unrelenting predators and start their lives over.Nobody in this world deserves to feel dehumanized by anyone nor should any one person ever feel like they have that amount of control over another life. It is imperative to get this message through to all abusers and their victims so this cycle of abuse can cease once and for all.ReferencesDoak, M. J. (2007). Information Plus Reference Series. Detroit, MI: Thompson Gale. Domestic Viole nce (2010). In  Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved October 09, 2010, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online:   http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/168589/domestic-violenceDomestic Violence Resource Center. 2010). Domestic Violence Resource Center. Retrieved from http://www. dvrc-or. org/domestic/violence/resources/C61/#domestic-violence Myers, John E. B.. (2006). Child Protection in America: Past, Present, and Future. Oxford University Press USA. Retrieved 9 October 2010, from Shannon, J. B. (2009).Domestic Violence Sourcebook  (3rd ed. ). Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics. US Dept of Justice. (2003). NIJ Special Report. Retrieved from http://www. ncjrs. gov/pdffiles1/nij/195079. pdf

Role of Operations Management

Role of Operations Management Operations management is the design operations and improvement of systems that create and deliver a company’s products and services. In other words, â€Å"is the process of taking input such as raw material and component and turning it in to out put by adding values† (Shaikh, 2010). Any activity that relates to the management of the entire business process that produces goods and services falls into the operations category. Competition among today’s organizations has become immense and is getting tougher and tougher day by day since more new companies are starting businesses in the same industry.Whether they are from the manufacturing sector or service sector, the need for cutting the unnecessary costs, achieving maximum efficiency, and implementing operations management strategies is increasing with the passage of time. Therefore, more focus is being laid on Supply Chain Management these days by the businesses in order to set up cer tain operations approaches, distribution systems, and capacity layouts that not only reduce redundant costs but also provide better quality goods and services to the customers.This paper will discuss two operations approaches for each of these sectors manufacturing and service and would relate those approaches to quality control and efficiency that can be achieved by the businesses. Operational Approaches for Manufacturing Organization There is no wonder to know that the manufacturing organizations deal with the inventory much more as compared to the service organization. The inventory includes raw materials, complementary parts, actual or finished products, and other packing materials therefore, the two most used operational approaches for by these organizations are Lean manufacturing approach and Outsourcing.Lean manufacturing is the approach that identifies and minimizes waste by adopting continuous improvement to satisfy the customer’s demands. It ensures maximum quality by examining each part of the good after its production to identify the flaws that might be there (Blacharski, 2010). Second approach is outsourcing where the organizations that are not efficient enough in producing a certain product or material, assigns that production task to some other company, entity, business, or vendor that actually possesses the skills, mastery, technology, and resources to produce and deliver it.Operational Approaches for Service Organizations Just-in-time approach and the Balance between Degree of labor and degree of customization are the two operational approaches that are often used by the service organizations. Just-in-time or JIT system is designed and implemented in order to produce or deliver services just as they are needed. In this approach the raw material or inventory (potatoes or chicken) is delivered to the service department or facility such as, Mc Donald’s restaurant just at the time when it is needed.And secondly service organizations often try to maintain the balance between the degree of labor employed for the provision of services and the degree of customization based on the needs and wants of the customers. Advantages and Disadvantages The advantages of Lean manufacturing include reduced set up times, less lead times, lower expenditure of materials, simplification of materials for easy identification, reducing wastes, standardizing operating procedures, sustaining better environment and results, good maintenance, and safe practices (Heizer & Render, 2010).Disadvantages can be excess time spent on cleaning and identification purposes, also with the use of resources and money. Advantages of outsourcing include reduction in inventory costs, reciprocity, preserve supplier commitment, better production results, and offsetting the lower technical expertise and capacity the company has. Disadvantages include increase in expenditure, high production costs, and the company might not obtain desired quality or core comp etence. Advantages of JIT include reduction in inventory costs, storage costs, handling costs, cutting costs of quality, and improving quality.There is one major disadvantage that can be the stoppage of production or delivery of services if inventory is not delivered at the right time. The degree of labor and customization provides better customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, increased ordered and sales, less wage costs, and service variety. Disadvantages might be the increased costs in setting up new technology or method for providing unique or customized service for different customers, their maintenance costs, technology costs, and increased layoffs.In conclusion, I think this will improve my approach as in one day starting my own business to understand how operations management can be beneficial to a wide variety of organizations, both big and small. Operations management plays a vital role in the daily functions of an organization whether the company has identified this or n ot. Every process that a company employs to meet its strategic goals is a result of operations management.Operations management aids a company in becoming well-organized, operating more efficiently and productively, staying competitive and improving customer relations. Nationwide Business Interview I expect to learn what is fundamental to achieving and more importantly sustaining a career and business success, particularly within a competitive sales and marketing environment. The most challenging task is to motivate and manage employees to get on the same page and get something planned and completed on time and within a budget.The most critical skill you need as a manager is to understand and manage through tough current economic conditions, such as planning and executing, cost-control, developing and motivating employees and communicating and managing change. To have great communication skills for sales, negotiaton and networking also leadership skills is essential in order to reac h your goals. . A big part of surviving in business is about solving problems fast and effectively. An manager needs good problem solving skills.The important trend I have experienced is and crucial is customer experiences scanning our consumer trends, you will be able to understand where your industry may be headed, or even better, shape its direction yourself, by introducing new products and services that catch the competition off guard. The steps I take to organize my task for today is to first make a list of all tasks that you have to do. At the start of the day I select my most important items and start working on them. If a new task comes up during the day, I keep working on the current task unless the new task is more important.When deciding which tasks take priority when completing a project is deciding what needs to be completed first and it depends what is critical to meet deadline. To be effective in a business crisis your communication plan must be and easy to reference document that contains decisions, action, resources and contacts you and your team will need to represent your organization in the high pressure of a crisis. Employees should always keep in mind the interests of the organization and realize the company standards are more important than the customer’s nterests to bend the rules.Bibliography 1. Blacharski. D. (2010). What is Lean Manufacturing. Retrieved on November 13, 2010. From http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-lean-manufacturing. htm 2. Heizer. J & Render. B. (2010). Operations Management. Eighth edition. Pearson Education, Inc. Prentice Hall. Dorling Kindersley India Pvt. Ltd. 3. Shaikh. S (2010). Operational Approaches. Retrieved on November 8, 2010. From http://safeshaikh. com/business/supply-chain-management/operational-approaches/ Role of Operations Management This paper describes operations management and how it is applied in the banking field. Operations management is fundamental for any business seeking a competitive advantage in productivity. The role of operations management is to efficiently and effectively produce quality goods and services to create wealth. Bank operations management is the foundation of banking. Processing daily transactions, controlling and managing trades and sales and supporting front and back officers is part of the many functions of operations management. According to Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilano, 2006, operations management is defined as the design, operation, and improvement of the systems that create and deliver the firm’s primary products and services (p. 9). Bank operations are behind the scenes and commonly referred to back office operations because it does not handle front office sales. However a bank cannot move forward without operations management. Thus operations strategy is vital to banking to function at its optimal level. By definition â€Å"operations strategy is concerned with setting broad policies and plans for using the resources of a firm to best support its long-term competitive strategy† (Chase, Jacobs, & Aquilano, 2006, p. 24). Typically a strategy breaks down into three major components: operations effectiveness, customer management, and product innovation. It is important that a firm’s strategy aligns with its mission of serving the customer. JPMorgan Chase, the bank with which I am familiar, strategizes into three major components: operations effectiveness, customer management, and product innovation. A strategy must always align with a firm’s mission statement to make sure goals are attained by focusing on customer service. In the banking business some of the many competitive dimensions are the following: cost or price of service or product, quality, and speed. JPMorgan Chase bank is a recognized national bank that integrates competitive dimensions in business strategy. Some of the services offered are free checking accounts with fee waiver requirements. Read also Exam Operations Management The starting fees are $12 a month for some checking accounts but there are fee waivers that some customers qualify for to waive the monthly fees. One common fee waiver is a recurring direct deposit totaling $500 or more each month. Price is an important factor for some customers but quality is an even greater concern for others. Because Chase bank offers high technology banking through Quick Pay and Quick Deposit at no cost to all customers, a monthly service fee for a checking account may be less important for customers seeking convenience and quality products. The next dimension Chase focuses on is speed and delivery of online payments. Chase is dedicated to providing the best customer experience in all areas of banking, including online and mobile banking. Chase bank is mainly focused on customer service, which is the reason for business growth. There are three dimensions of value by which businesses differentiate themselves in the marketplace, according to Chase, Jacobs, & Aquilano, 2006. The three ways are through: product leadership, customer intimacy, and operational excellence. Chase strives to keep a proportionate balance of all values to maintain the good reputation and strong name. All the competitive dimensions mentioned above are controlled and managed by back office operations. Therefore operations management is the cohesiveness of the banking business as a whole. It interconnects all functions of banking to maximize productivity in the most effective and efficient manner, creating wealth. Without back office operations support, JPMorgan Chase bank would not have the ability to excel in the banking business.

North American Migratory Bird Species - 1359 Words

North American migratory bird species that forage on air-borne insects, known as aerial insectivores are experiencing widespread regional declines in population, but the cause remains poorly understood (Paquette et al., 2014). Climate change as well pesticides which both cause changes in the abundance of insect prey can be a possible cause (). Agricultural and farming intensification in addition to other land use developments on the birds over-wintering habitat may also be a contributing factor to aerial insectivore decline (Fraser et al., 2012). For example,), have shown that numerous environmental pressures have rapidly decreased the population of many insect species. This has led to a steep decline in aerial foraging bird populations.†¦show more content†¦To begin with, in order to understand mechanisms that influence avian population changes biologists often seek to explore similar characteristics such as biological and ecological similarities that occur across entire â €˜guilds’. A guild in this sense, is a grouping of species sharing a common life-history or an ecological trait such as a shared niche. There are numerous guilds that could be classified according to factors such as comparable habitat and food varieties, reproduction and clutch size, as well as migration and nesting strategies used by the species in question. The guild of ‘aerial insectivores’- consist of birds that feed exclusively on flying insects. These insects include flies, mayflies, moths, butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and other insects Aerial insectivores in other words, are classified as a dietary guild because of their similarities in allocating food resources. The guild of aerial insectivores consist of flycatchers, nighthawks, martins, swifts, swallows, and whip-poor-wills As this research essay is constrained in its nature it is thus impractical to spotlight the entire guild of aerial insectivores. In this research essay rather, I will be focusing on one particular species of aerial insectivore: Chrodeiles minor, otherwise known as common nighthawk, a species that consists of nine subspecies that inhabit Canada (as well as the United Sates) during the breeding season from May to