Strategic Supply Chain Management Business Essay

Strategic Supply Chain anxiety Business EssayAbstractIn early(a) stages interpret mountain chemical chain of mountains of mountainss were seen as just the supply process from a confederations immediate supplier finished to the immediate client. They had their own goals, tar get under ones skins, dead pull backs, margins, and policies and also all these were suppose on them based on how to cater the marketplace demand. It is easy to be capture especially in a monopoly market with very few outlets which is spread in a limited area. But when the trade is growing they have to take solid decisions approximately expansion policies as well as the integration of supply chain operations to survive in the market and to gain the militant proceeds with the rapidly changing belligerent climate.The manufacturing industry faces great challenges equally as any other industry, which is a result of economic crisis, especially when it comes to the modify, large-scale companies with huge expansions and a customer base, as Singer Sri Lanka PLC. In particular to perform in the certain competitive environment its not only the existing methods are important, but the latest logistics and supply chain moldment practices are matters a lot as well. duration has mixtured and out thinking or so the way we manage our improvement activities also has to change. Good is not good enough nevertheless our very best will attract the customers in todays competitive environment. Producing an excellent harvest-feast is not cut the mustard today.Over the years Singer (Sri Lanka) complex body part has strengthen immensely to incorporate with the strategies formulated to face the changes in the environment. A critical study was carried out to understand the major(ip) competitive priorities in genuine supply chain of Singer Sri Lanka PLC the supply chain management principles, strategies and techniques that are used in achieving these competitive priorities other possible tools which could be used for astir(p) the present performance of the organization and how the play along nookie go beyond the excellence by using these practices as well.(Abstract is not included in the member count)1.0 Scope of the AssignmentTo investigate Singer Sri Lanka PLCs supply chain with a view to,Understanding the supply chain brasss and operations and to assess its extend to on the chain.Identify the current supply chain strategies and the influence from various market conditions.Make recommendations in say to improve the current supply chain in the company and over come the identified critical issues and challenges by applying strategic supply chain management principles.Company OverviewSinger Sri Lanka Started its operation in 1872 in Sri Lanka and is a Company that has grown over the years into a benchmark entity in Sri Lanka in terms of popularity, modernity and reach. Singer today is synonymous with quality, capacious reach, and wide point of intersection range a cross diverse lines and wide appeal to consumers across the entire spectrum of buying power. Source -Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC Annual reportSinger Sri Lanka PLC is a diversified, large-scale company, which was established and started its operations with few shops and now Singer has nearly 550 sell outlets spread all over the country with a group of to a greater extent than thousand permanent employees. Furthermore Singer has widely spreaded distribution channels, much(prenominal) as Singer Plus, companys largest distribution channel, Singer Mega ,which optimises true modern trade retailing, declare a shopping experience on par with the best in the world, Singer Homes, the furniture store contributed to off-keyer elevated quality and stylish furniture, Sisil World, promotes in the beginning(a) place Sisil brand products and it is the second slot in the distribution hierarchy, Singer Wholesale, Satellite shops and Duty Free etc are the other channels of distribution. Singers pro duct portfolio is highly diversified and consists of products across a range of household, industrial and financial categories.Singer product portfolio(Source Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC Annual report 2009) governing Structure PyramidSinger Organization structure consists of three main management levels which include Junior, Middle and Senior. Senior and nerve center levels has two sub layers as illustrated below.A Foreign Component Suppliers B Local Component SuppliersProdimix International Germany ArpicoHaffle Fittings Italy Regional SharpenersDolken Company Germany St. Anthonys CompanyHevea Company MalaysiaLaminex Company AustraliaC Other Local Suppliers D Foreign Suppliers whacky Logic National/ PanasonicEpsi Computers SonyCraft Suppliers SamsungNilkamal HitachiTCLWhirlpoolWedgeUnixE Retail Outlets F Corporate CustomersSinger Mega DilmahSinger Homes NestleSinger plus ass Keels HoldingsSisil World Media Services (Pvt) Ltd.The Supply Chain CompetitionSupply Chain is a n etwork of connected and inter estimateent organizations mutually and co-operatively working together to bid, manage and improve the flow of materials and information from suppliers to end users(Source Christopher 2005, p.6)It is clear that current world companies massnot act individually and survive or gain a competitive advantage in the market for a long run. Therefore supply chain integration is a powerful concept for survival and growth in todays business environment. A product or a service should have key attributes to be competitive in the market place, which are known as the competitive priorities. The competitive priorities may change with the market segment. For example, when consider the Singer customers in a rural area may be interested primarily in the cost of product while the customers in urban areas are interested in quality of the same product.3.1 Identifying the Competitive PrioritiesCost AdvantageThis is a system where the company seeks efficient facilities and u ses tight cost controls to produce products more efficiently and in force(p)ly than competitors.Singer Sri Lanka had only around 10 brands in early 2000 and mainly concentrated on market penetration by providing affordable products to the mass market. In order to bring down the price, the company has moved to strategic sourcing of its major brands through an intermediary which purchases for the entire south Asian region which affects economies of scale.Eg i. Discontinued the TV plant at Singer Industries Ltd., Ratmalana in 2001 and started sourcing form China.ii. Started the factory in Piliyandala for furniture water pumps to reduce imports as well as duties and offered innovative products at a competitive prices.At the same cadence manufacturing plants should plan their systems in such a way that all resources such as material, labour and machines are efficiently used to bring down the cost signifi skunktly. Also company should make sure to keep sufficient margin to cover all o ther over compass points before going to reduce the selling price to get more volumes. This cornerstone be illustrated as followsValue AdvantageCustomers dont buy products, they buy benefitsAdding value through assortediation is a powerful concept of achieving a defendable advantage in the market. Singer has moved to a differentiation and multi brand strategy to enter into a new era of retailing. In all categories, different brands positioned to appeal different customer segments.Singer trade name has changed to SINGER plus from SINGER on 1st of January 2007 and the slogan to more than BRAND MORE CHOICE. It enables to increase the appeal to customers and the message of choice available in the stores and adds differential plus over competitive offerings.Singer adds value through service by providing unmatched service to their customers by giving not just a product but with a full package which includes super shopping environment, favorable customer care staff, product demonstrati on, discount schemes, easy payment schemes, free delivery to the door step, free installation, customer training, free operate for selected items like A/Cs, extended warranty scheme, excellent after sales service, etc.When considering the product designs, certain designs may increase stocktaking holding or transportation be with long manufacturing lead time. In Singer fundamentally in furniture factories this issue can be seen. This will be a huge impact on the whole production of Singer factories if not mighty address the problem.Multi Channel Strategy(Source Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC Annual report 2007)Delivery Lead Time Consumers in all markets, industrial or consumer are increasingly time sensitive and this is reflected in their purchasing behavior. This should be visible from the time of manufacturing to the delivery of the item.In all the Singer factories they use Computer Numerical Control (CNC Programmable machines) to make sure speedy, efficient and reliable manufacturi ng process. As a policy they also oblige average three months finished goods inventory in all the stock keeping units (SKUs) in general and 1.5 to 2 months finished goods inventory for identified fasting moving items in the sub warehouse. Singer also has the island wide distribution network with more than 500 shops and goods are transporting everyday to all the locations from the central warehouse. Shops are also permit to keep sufficient inventory in their stores.But here the main issue is that the uncertainty of holding more inventories. Though they have reduced their lead-time, with the volatility of the markets whatever times they have resulted in excess inventory situations, where sometimes the loss can be very high. This is mainly for the items such as televisions, refrigerators and white goods (washing machines, home theatre systems) etc. since these can be out dated with the new technology enhancements. This should be addressed for an immediate solution, because it can hav e a huge impact on the whole supply chain in the long run.QualityQuality should be at that place in every aspect including design quality, process quality, product quality, service quality, etc. While obligateing ISO 90012000 standards Singer Sri Lanka factories make sure that every item produced up to the necessitate or expected level in terms of both quality of conformance and quality of design.In overall companys point of view it is also a crucial factor to maintain the balance approach between the price and quality of all the products. So to have a full range of products in each category company has decided to go with multi brand strategy, where the company doesnt want to compromise quality and damage the brand image due to get the price advantage.Analysis of key areas in Singer Supply ChainAnalysis of the above competitive priorities has given a clear insight nearly the issues that can be impacted on the current supply chain and also here I would like to draw the attention on major key areas which should be considered to have an effective and efficient integrated network for the business organization.Areas to be reviewedSupply chain competitive strategySupply chain agility, flexibility and responsivenessHow well the supply chain is synchronized4.1 Supply Chain Competitive StrategyCompetitive context of business continues to change basically because of four major reasonsi. The new rules of competitionii. Globalization of industryiii. Downward pressure on priceiv. Customers take power to demand on goods/ servicesAnalysis of Current smirchCurrently Singer Sri Lanka has an internally integrated system which provides mainly an end to end planning framework and they highly depend on the hierarchy. So there is a high possibility of delaying the decisions due to lack of confidence and authority levels. Also the focus on reducing obsolescence appropriately is also a major issue.Possible Strategic RecommendationsSinger Sri Lanka has to move ahead with externa l integration with their foreignsuppliers this will lead to manage remedy up stream and down stream interaction in orderto maintain an effective and efficient value chain and to get a split cost advantage.By having an effective ERP system they can handle all the transactions and informationregarding the manufacturing, logistics, distribution, shipping, invoicing, accounting,human resources, shop sales, market campaigns, bargain or auction sale sales, promotionactivities, etc. through this and also by applying internet, intranet and extranet facilitiesthe company can avoid having excess inventories and maintain a proper inventorywhich is aligned with customer needs, especially when it comes to the multi brandmulti channel concept. The other important fact is to identify the power position ofSinger relative to their suppliers and customers with regard to the scale matters.Finally in this aspect they have to focus on managing 4Rs (responsiveness, reliability,resilience, relationshi ps) thoroughly to strengthen the linkages between the customersand suppliers, where the competitor would find hard to break.Best fit in an organization can be illustrated as follows4.2 Supply Chain Agility, Flexibility and ResponsivenessDemand in todays volatile markets causes most of the current pressure on supply duress to compete as networks and to use planned network configurations to drive flexibility, agility and responsiveness.Agile or Lean?Analysis of Current SituationIn the current status of Singer Sri Lanka, they keep sufficient stocks of finished goods in ware houses of each channel and also raw materials at the main Singer factories, where some times it can cause huge losses because of excess of stocks. Though the overall lead time is reduced when under taking special orders such as providing customized items for corporate clients locally or internationally, there can be situations where timely response may be poor.Possible Strategic RecommendationsBy reservation the s upply chain more agile it can make the operation of the company moresmoother. For this applying the seven principles which is given in Table 1will be important. in effect(p) responsiveness should be improved by de-coupling the up stream and down stream processes and utilizing the principles of postponement wherever possible.As the company strongly believe that there should be a flexibility and variability in all categories. It can be improved by developing new products, by incorporating some product changes to fit the customer specifications and also quickly able to respond increasing and decreasing demand due to the seasonal sales pattern and also can position different brads to appeal the different customer segments in terms of quality and the price.Table 1 Basic Principles for the creation of agile supply chainPrincipleApplicationSynchronize activities through shared out informationNeeds to enhance the companys new IT systems (ERP system, Electronic fund transfer, Internet, e-ma il etc.) which enable effective on line purchasing other servicesWork Smarter not harderReduce non value adding activities such as manual activities identify the parallel processes in the company (already this is done up to certain level of transactions)Partner suppliers to reduce inbound lead timesWork more closer with suppliers and share information about different demand schedules to reduce time delaysSeek to reduce complexity evoke the advance capabilities of information systems increase the transparency of processes to reduce confusion delays sidestep the final configurationThis is already being used for certain range of itemsManage processes not just functionsNeeds to manage across its supply chain or the inter related cross functional processes to be more flexible agile in responding to demandUtilise appropriate performance prosodySinger already uses performance monitoring metrics, but can make out the other possibilities which fits the structure of the organization do necess ary modifications design improvementsEnhance the supply chain strategies through agility4.3 How well the Singer Sri Lanka Supply Chain is Synchronized?Synchronization implies that each stage in the supply chain is connected to the other and that they all march to the same drumbeat. The way in which entities in a supply chain become connected is through shared information.(Source Christopher 2005, p.177)Key processes that needs to be linked, up stream and down stream to supply chain synchronization of Singer Sri LankaKey ProcessesAnalysis of Current SituationPossible Strategic RecommendationsPlanning SchedulingThis is done by sharing information between each tier, but the main focus is on the first tier customers suppliers.Properly linked information system should be implemented with an integrated ERP system in order to have a proper control over the lead time inventory.DesignSince the poor communication with the tier 2 suppliers it has lead to a lack of market innovation and confide nce about new design developmentsIT based systems (e-mails, internet etc.) can be used to optimize the connectivity among all the tiersNew Product IntroductionThough this is done through the differentiation strategies, still there are loop holes where the trends are not clearly identified and communicatedWhen this comes to the bulk production it is essential to identify obsolete items and interchange them with new product designs. to gain competitive advantage For this properly linked network channel is essentialProduct Content ManagementWhen a change is required it has implemented after going through a very long process where totally based on the hierarchy of management, which is very time consuming and complexShould have a proper alignment with the strategies and the critical processes in the supply chain to minimize the impact over the customersOrder ManagementMost of the main suppliers have their own individual order tracking systems and basically the order processing is done b y basic methods as communication via telephones, where timeliness is a questionTo increase the agility with the highly volatile market demands Singer has to be inline with new technological advancements where they can reduce the order management time and optimize the efficiency of the whole supply chainSourcing ProcurementThis is performed well in the current system, but this is limited due to high confidentialityAs some of the suppliers work with competitors this should be remain but can be improve the visibility by having strategic partnershipsProperly synchronized system would be as follows4.4 Other recommendations for further improvements in supply chain managementMini Warehouse Concept Since singer has more than 500 retail shops islandwide, keeping sufficient stock at each locations is involving considerable amount of money. So its better to locate mini warehouses in each district to maintain required inventories.Be Green Through Reverse Logistics Company can reverting back al l outdated and obsolete goods directly from the customers and try to light these to their suppliers at a nominal amount, which they are sometimes in a position to upgrade the products again. This reverse logistic concept can extend into having a more greeny environment as a responsible corporate citizen.Convert Major Suppliers Into Strategic Partners Singer can try to discuss with its major international suppliers and convert them to strategic partners via joint venture or partnership agreements, which would enable to have a long lasting business relationship to both parties. optimise Supply Chain By nature consumer durable market is categorized as a seasonal market. Singer sales pattern has two main seasonal effects throughout the year (Apr/May and Nov/Dec). Its quite common to run out of the stock during seasonal times and having excess stock during off seasons. Both ways this is not good for the company since they are loosing customers during the season while considerable amount of money tied up in the inventory during the off season period.Structure Vs Strategy Companys typical tall hierarchical structure in not infavour of the decision making system since each minuscule decisions should go above the line to the top hierarchy, which takes tons of time to get the final decision to the down the layers. If the company can adequately empowered its middle and first line managers company can be more proactive than the existing situation.Red to Blue Ocean Strategy Singer has number of head to head competitors in the market who are engaging in the business in similar nature. So company can immediately identify its strengths and competitive priorities (which can be experienced management team, islandwide network, etc) to be edge over the others in the competitive environment. In other words they can enjoy lots of advantages by following the Blue ocean strategy.5.0 ConclusionSupply Chain Management principles and techniques are not common to all the industries. S ome times it can be a complex scenario in which it also change time to time due to internal industrial factors such as union actions, product line changes, design changes, etc. and due to external factors such as changes in economic condition, other company rules and regulations imposed by the government, new market competition, international market forces, etc.Singer Sri Lanka has strong formulated strategies and also as per the analysis carried out considering the strategic recommendations will be more effective in achieving sustainable competitive advantage in the industry by efficiently managing its supply chain.So it is vital to be more realistic when selecting the proper supply chain management principles and tools in a highly volatile and dynamic environment. This also can be result in reflecting the bottom line profitability of the organization.

Development Of Cruise Industry And Time Sharing

Development Of tail assemblyvass Industry And Time SharingAbstractSince the pull round ten long time the foodstuff has seen an long growth in the contemporary canvas industry and thither has been an maturation in customer research on the forward-looking naval design ideas, lengths of the cruising ships, including magnificent destinations on the global scale, including on-board and on-shore activities, as these be the plans that can help the people in getting the vacations they want.OBJECTIVESThis paper will attempt to explore Cruise food mart Timesharing on with heavy market predispositions, and important and valuable markets for the cruising business. The paper will overly explore the competitive nature of the cruising industry along with the major competitors in the cruising industry also taking into account the leading business strategy.INTRODUCTIONDevelopment of Cruise IndustryCruise industry symbolizes a small pop out of the vacation business environment which itself is a very small portion of the leisure business. The canvas industry is attributed by extraordinary value proposition, ample demand, affectionate guest demographics, high guest fulfillment rate and positive supply vs. demand balance. The business has seen a large development over time and it is pass judgment to grow much in the following years. Though, in 2009, the development in business has turned down, but it is anticipated to lift up again as the global economy improves progressively from the recession. Seeing the development potential in journey industry, the number of competitors has rustled and the existing competitors will be growing their capabilities in the following years. (Middlemiss McNulty, 2007)The journey industry has its roots dating back to the 1970s and this is the era that has been seen an enormous growth in the North American industry. It has been seen that there has been an ontogeny of popularization that is considered as a key factor in the tourism sector with an step-up in the cruising business becoming an important economic factor.Cruise industry is an important example of the globalization having many destinations all around the world, the customers of cruising industry belong to mixed countries as well as the employees of the cruising industries be from various continents. In addition to this an important fact is that in the past there was an increase level of detachment from the rest of the societies and the countries that ar now reduced along with an increase in an economic, legal, ecological and social implication. A crisis-resistant industry with a varied offer of airlift choices and ports that are more(prenominal) than modernized take make people choose cruising as an option for having vacations as there is an increase in the consumers knowing the fact that cruising is more relaxing, eventful and an adventurous choice for more than a million consumers coming in to canvas from global destinations.Crui sing is now considered as a dynamic business that has been known for an increase in the products that it has offered with a development in potential markets. As ob answerd there has been an average 8.5% increase in the annual growth in cruising industry since the last 20 years, with an addition of almost 90 million passengers since the 80s. the reports have suggested that more than 60% of the current customers have been generated in the last ten years . since that time there has been no slowing down as there were more than 13 and 13.5 million passengers between 2008 and 2009 as compared to 13 million in the year of 2007, and these increases are also being observed in the coming years.An important lead off to be considered in the object lesson of cruising industry is the mental ability and since the last ten years and more there has been an increase in the capacity of cruise industry. The history has it that there were only 40 cruise ships in 1980s, with an addition of 80 vessels i n the 1990s, with a 40% increase between the years of 2000 and 2005. These years these fleets have joined newly designed ships that have caused a 25% increase in the cruise ships.Recently there has been an increase investment in newer and more innovative ships that have a capacity of more than 3,000 passengers. These ships promise to offer cut back shipping and cruising rates thereby helping in developing a break away economy of scale . Some of the activities that are offered by these ships include multi-story obtain centers, cafes, restaurants, art galleries. Thereby these ships offer more than just the cruising experience to the customers.In the case of cruising ships it has been seen that there is a fleet that has a capacity to carry more than hundred cruise ships having the capacity of carrying more than millions of passengers. These ships travel and cruise through many geographical locations on the global scale that can cover more than 500 destinations worldwide. Of these, t hese old age, Caribbean cruises are the most popular onenesss, than the Mediterranean cruises and European cruise ships that have r each(prenominal)ed destinations that include Barcelona, Athens and the Greek Islands, Amsterdam, the Scandinavia Fjords, Helsinki, and San Petersburg.However, the North America is the main market for cruise trade. Though the area signifies the most mature market of cruise business, with mainstream of travelers originating from the United States, it is still immature with large potential. Therefore, business players are working to raise their ship capabilities and lower berth capabilities to fulfill the increasing need of the business. Europe is the 2nd largest marketplace after North America, symbolizing the fastest developing marketplace. The European cruise business continues to hike its share of the international cruise marketplace, with United Kingdom being the biggest shareholder in the European marketplace. (Anonymous, 2006)The major strengths of the cruise extraction market are its extreme desirability among customers. Cruises attract to the US citizens desire of adventure. The 2nd strength is that cruise lines industry has demonstrated a great electrical capacity to modify their product to fulfill famous social trends and extend into untapped marketplaces. The current trend to present a large range of entertainments and the current fame of home Cruises has been a worthwhile as crash. The presenting of different priced cruises is also sign of the industrys capability to change and as a consequence expand their marketplace. The spreading out into foreign marketplace is further proof of this strength (Mancini, 2003). The cruise line market has shown the capability to not only discover new marketplaces, but to take over them as well. And the final benefit is that the cruise line business operates at 100 percent capacity.The international cruise business is now looking towards Asia as a key development engine. The Asian c ruise industry is increasing at a good growth pace. With the increasing middle class group and the growing interest of individuals in cruising businesses, this area gives ample development potential for the players. Being among the top ideal destination for passengers, the Australian and Singapore cruise market can witness large development in upcoming years.With an increase in the business of the cruising industry there has been an increase in the demand of better organisational structures and better preparedness and strategic structures that can increase competition on the global scale. These competitions are based on the potential markets that are being cerebrate and that have been able to generate higher revenues with an addition of the markets from North America and Britain.Safety and SecurityRecently it has been found that the number of tourists worldwide who hire cruise vacations stands at approximately 13.4 million, symbolizing around 1.8 percent of the total global travel market, as anticipated by the World Tourism Organization. Roger Cartwright and Carolyn Baird, 2007 also mentioned that the cold from being disheartened at this existing level of market portion, the business fully identifies the opportunities ahead as players expand into modern forms of cruises (containing the niche budget option) set their objectives on various demographic groups and, head for new waters. (Cartwright Baird, 2007)Within one year there are more than 13 million passengers who enjoy the cruising each year and the main aim behind these cruises is to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the cruising customers. The help of extra protection provided by law enforcement agencies, FBI and U.S. Coast Guard, ensures the safety of the customers. In crop to maximize the protection of the customers there are numerous codes that are to be followed by the cruise lines. CLIA policies have been youthfully approved that ensure an increased level of security. On an annual terra firma an examination known as Control Verification Certificate examination is conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard.An important part of the cruising industry is a Security Committee that is composed of security officers. These security officers are responsible for meeting the law enforcement and intelligence agencies in order to deal the issues that relate to ship security and intelligence assessments.Competition in Cruise IndustryCurrently the cruise line business has been undergoing a period of Brobdingnagian development over the last 10 years. By or so calculations, the cruise market in US alone has earned over $32 one million million million during 2005. Such income makes sure that the cruise business remains one of the very competitive across all marketplaces. Even smaller marketplaces have been experiencing a boost in cruise business operations. The Canadian marketplace has seen some ports increased over ninety cruise ship callings on a yearly basis and this is a large amount of t raffic for a conventional smaller market. Therefore, the competitive profile for the business has boosted in terms of market share and competitive contention. (Dickinson Vladimir, 2007)These days it has been seen that the cruise shipping volume is smaller as there are barriers associated with the entrance and exits along with higher costs of selling and purchasing the cruise ships. In addition to this there are higher investments needed in the managing cruise lines as there are influences of these purchases on the multiple strategies related to organisational and management of these cruise lines.Important actors that have been identified in the case of increased and changing bargaining power and capability of the cruise industries in order to gain advantages of better economies include the size of the market that is effective in two different waysa) There are a lesser shipbuilders and applied science developers in the cruising industry that are able to accept the prices that are of fered to themb) There are a large number of suppliers and equipment thereby there is a great choice of bargainThereby there are a lesser number of companies left that are more vary of the potential threats that are confront by the companies for the clientele in order to provide the customers with options as improved vacation strategies, sightseeing vacations, including thematic parks. There are many opportunities that have caused planning diverse strategies that can help the specialization in specific areas of business. Newly designed strategies have also helped in the development of better cruising products that help to serve massive consumer markets. There has been a great change in the marketing strategy along with a great change in the vane get a line that has caused an improvement in the commercial environment.DISCUSSIONThe cruise industry has been seen to be threatened by such events as Achille Lauro hijack in 1985, the Iraq and Kosovo wars, and September 11 attacks, and the se include the process of restructuration and merging in the cruising sector. Among the cruising companies, Renaissance Cruises was among the first ones to file for bankruptcy in 2001, after this American Classic Voyages and ten well-known brand names, a result of which there was a cease in operations thereby leaving the market open for the largest cruise companies that include Carnival Corporation, regal Caribbean Cruise Limited and Star Cruises.The Carnival Corporation, having a headquartered in Miami and London is considered as a leader in the cruising industry. This is the company that has over 12 cruise brands in North America, Europe and Australia operating more than 89 cruise ships, along with more than 65,000 shipboard employees and 170,000 guests all around the world.It has been seen that the corporate offices of some of some of the cruise companies are located in the United States and Europe as the clients of these organizations. The companies have their fleets registered in the countries as Panama, Bermuda, Liberia, and Bahamas.Some of the main revenues that are generated in this case are from the passengers and by the help of maintaining the clients that helps in the financial stability. On the other hand, it has been seen that the cruise fares play important roles in the commercial relations of the cruise industry.These days there is an increase in the number of items and run provided by the cruising ships for the customers. For instance as compared to the older days there is an increased number of spa and individual(prenominal) care services, shipboard stores and boutiques, photography departments and art auctions at prices that have been the cause of an increased competition. Some of these services are offered by the concessionaires and subcontractors. Other than these there are some Cruise companies that have started to introduce varied practices in order to build the customer base that makes them spend more money. These services include cyb ercafs, send telephone services, restaurants and bars, and diverse revenue-generating schemes in passengers cabins that include the interactive multimedia and TV, minibars.One of the main aims that are linked with cruising includes relaxing and having a vacation whereas there is one class of consumers that are more into enjoying all kinds of services that are being provided along with enjoying all the destinations. Thereby there has been an increase in the kind of activities that are being offered at the cruise ships that include gambling, videogames, adventure sports, computers, culinary workshops, and virtual reality centers, theme nights and so on.On the other hand it has been seen that passengers on the cruise ships are also encouraged to participate in an increasing number of onshore activities. The marketing campaigns of these activities on the ships began in the 1980s and since that time there has been an increase in the number of excursion tours and port lecturers, contract ed with local concessionaires and tour operators so that later on it can be sold to passengers onboard.Cruising may last for several hours as the time increase when there is anchoring and the ship is docked. These dockings also provide different themes and a number of activities that include sightseeing, as there are sites that include natural, ecological and bio spherical locations. Along with these the destinations include wildlife viewing adventure sports excursions, adventure tours, along with diverse environments that include natural environments and historical places and cultural tours, museums and monolithic heritages.It has been seen that these days the cruise industry has been able to maintain good relationships with the land-based tourism industry. In addition to this the bargaining power has also increased in the recent years and these have impacts on the services and these bargaining powers have also provided additional income from selling of such products and services.I t has been estimated that there is an additional income associated with an arrangement of the On-shore excursions and visits to ports for many cruise companies. Thereby as a service it has been seen that passengers are provided with a map from which the passengers can select their destinations. These maps also include service shops that are associated with the cruise shops along with commercial establishments in a specific area..In the year of 1990, it was seen that there were changes in these strategies provided to the passengers as there was an introduction of the concept of Private Island. This concept was veritable by Norwegian Cruise Lines and was later on adopted by other companies that were providing the cruising services in the Caribbean waters. These strategies have been the cause of additional incomes for these companies. Newer cruise companies have an additional control over some shops.Other than onboard revenue, there are many alternative ways by the help of which cruis e industries are do money having better economic results as there has been an increase in the economies of scale and there has been an improved in the management systems. Economic scales have also shown changes in the case of cruising industries as there has been an increase in the port-related activities with an increase in the port based activities. Thereby ports are now the source of an increased incomes even since the 9/11 attacks, as there has been a redesigning of the cruise routes as these routes are now closer to United States. These changes in routes have now caused a great change in the market trends in the case of Caribbean cities that have offered a reduction in the port charges.One of the most important facts in this case illustrates the fact that cruise companies are now playing important roles in an economic development along with a port facilities and infrastructures. future(a) TrendsWithin a short time, there has been an increase in the potential growth of cruise i ndustry with an increase in the capability to move ships and fleets with an increase in the cruising demands. There has been an increase in the fuel price in the face of economic crisis, an increase in the terrorism, along with an increase in the governmental instability have been some of the most important challenges that are being faced by the cruise industries.Since the last ten years, cruise companies have tenacious new and improved ships on the daily basis. On the other hand, the new ships that have been ordered are the ones that the new ships have added additional 20 zillion dollars with an addition of 85,480 berths in the cruising market. It has been estimated that until 2012 there will be an addition of 4.2 million passengers.On the other hand, cruising companies including Royal Caribbean International have been ordering more innovative and luxurious ships that have additional capacities that also include Genesis-class vessels, and these have the cost of around $1.65 bill ion. On the other hand it has been seen that these new ships have an additional capacity of 5,400 passengers and 2,100 crewmembers. However one of the main changes that have taken place is that there are slower economic changes that have caused reconsideration in the business having a control over the costs and a reduction in the costs.But there have been some studies carried out by the financial analysts and they have argued that there will be no effects of these economic changes on the passengers. There have been many arrangements made by these companies with additional fleets that are equipped with more innovative services and technologies. These services promise better services to the passengers as there has been an increase in the innovative ships that can offer better services and better environments to the passengers.Many cruise executives are convinced that the current economic situation has an advantage on the cruise companies.CONCLUSIONIt has been seen that the cruise comp anies is now a more competitive market business. There has been an increase in the development of the cruise business with an increase in the business competition with latest and more innovative ships and improved technology. With this there is an addition of many clients and customers that have become more demanding with increased demands of 24 hour entertainment. There is an increase in the strains that are being faced.There is a need to increase the clients as these clients are the only source of profits as there is a need to market share and sales volume. Thereby there is a need of new clientele that can help the cruise industry to compete with greater and better challenges. These days it has been seen that the companies are now competing for new Asian markets , Middle East, Amazon and Brazil, Greenland and the Antarctic regions, as it has been realized that there are regions that offer better prospects for profits.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Essay -- Plagiarism at State Univers

As students of high school and college, and even in the professional world, we are asked to inquiry and write on subjects that are seen to be important. The research that we are asked to do, has been done many times in the past, which means people are bound to use others ideas and words with no recognition, sometimes without even intentional it. This leads to plagiarism, which is something many people have heard of, but never learned the true definition and the harm it can create. Schools and society need to be to a greater extent proactive in explaining what plagiarism is, how to write correctly in order to prevent it, and teach the consequences plagiarism has.What is Plagiarism?According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, to plagiarize means, to steal and clog up off (the ideas or words of another) as ones own, to use (anothers production) without crediting the source, to commit literary theft, to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an alive sourc e(Plagiarism Merriam Webster, 2014). Not many people realize this, but plagiarism is an act of fraud since you are stealing something and claiming it as your own (Overview-Plagiarism, 2014). It whitethorn seem that copying a peace of writing is irrelevant to the law, and not important enough to be a crime, but the U.S. laws recognizes original ideas as capable property. Documented original ideas and words are protected by the copyright law(plag.org). An additional source, The Writing and human-centred Studies of MIT, states the definition of plagiarism is, Plagiarism is the use of person elses ideas or language without acknowledging that they were not created by you. This definition applies to ideas, words and unusual structures regardless of where you find ... ...egrity and Plagiarism. (n.d.). English Language and Literatures. (2014). Retrieved January 20, 2014, from https//liberal-arts.wright.edu/english-language-and-literatures/university-writing-program/academic-integrity-and -plagiarismAvoiding Plagiarism. (n.d.). Writing and Humanistic Studies. Retrieved January 20, 2014, from http//writing.mit.edu/wcc/avoidingplagiarismOFFICE OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND STUDENT CONDUCT. (n.d.). Code of Conduct. (2012). Retrieved January 20, 2014, from http//www.wright.edu/students/judicial/integrity.htmlOverview - Plagiarism.org - Best Practices for Ensuring Originality in Written Work. (n.d.). Plagiarism.org. Retrieved January 20, 2014, from http//www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/overviewPlagiarism. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved January 19, 2014, from http//www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarism

Comparing Three Philosophies of Education Essay -- Education Historica

Comparing Three Philosophies of EducationWhat is education? Education can be defined in unitary of four routes 1. The activity of education carried on by teachers, schools and parents (or by sensationself). 2. The process of being educated (or learning) which goes on in the student. 3. The result of numbers one and two. 4. The discipline or field of inquiry that studies or reflects on one, two and three and is taught in schools of education. Education is concerned with the cultivation of the inner resources of individual persons. At its best, it is always an informal, largely unstructured and even an unsystematic process, but the reality of education today is more concerned with examination success, which in turn leads to a spiritless routine. Education derives its reality and true purpose from connection with life. Aristotle, an Ionian Greek born in 384 B.C. had a distinct philosophy on education. Immanual Kant was a philosopher in the 18th century and had another un ique view on education. John Dewey, the most modern of the three, gave us his philosophy on education in the 19th century. Three very different men, from three very different time periods, offering three different views on this topic of education The Greeks were the archetypical to think philosophically about education. The problem of education, as the Greeks saw it, was that of the acquisition of something for which they used the word arete, or excellence. Aristotle was most interested in happiness as excellence. He believed that without a solid base of eudaimonia, or happiness, nothing can be learned. But what is happiness? Some say it is pleasure, some honor, some notes making, and for some contemplation. Aristotle believes that happiness is an activi... ...eaching. To quote from Kants lectures for 1765-66, he is to learn, not thoughts, but thinking he must be guided, not carried, if he is to be satisfactory to walk by himself later. Educators must be aware of the need not to learn philosophy of education, but instead learn how to philosophize. Kant and Dewey agree that the best way to do this is to do it. To generalize Aristotle, as we ferment just by doing just acts, so we acquire any disposition by doing the corresponding acts, and we become philosophers by doing philosophical acts. Education is so important in our culture, and most think that the USA is behind on educational methods. I challenge you to guide this paper a step further, read about these and other philosophers, and see what you learn. It simply amazed me and I just touched on what I saw as the highlights of these philosophers, now its your turn

The Significance of the Earth in The Good Earth :: The Good Earth

  The Significance of the Earth in The Good Earth         And O-lan in the house was not idle. With her own hands she lashed the mats to the rafters and took earth from the fields and mixed it with water and mended the walls of the house, and she built again the oven and filled the holes in the floor that the rain had washed. in that respect can be no doubt that the symbol of earth in Bucks novel, The Good Earth, is one so potent that it permeates and binds the entire tale. It is presented repeatedly throughout the novel, either through gentle allusion or outright statement. None can dispute that the earth itself is a vital component in the livelihood of any farmer, consequently it is not surprising that the farmer Wang Lung places so much value into his lands however, there is a separate element of the earth that Pearl S. Buck brings forth in her tale about a farmers prosperous rise in feudal China, that element of regeneration and revitalization that is so apparent within this selected passage from the book.   many another(prenominal) times throughout the book did the earth pull Wang Lung through hardship and difficulty, and it was the one constant factor in his life, even as things changed--people dies, great houses fell, contend and famine raged, and inner turmoil plagued his very being. Throughout all of these obstacles the earth was always there, waiting for Wang Lung--whether as poor farmer or as blotto man of the village--to return to it, and draw from it those ever-present qualities of life and healing. The very words of the selected passage are pregnant with these qualities, as Wang Lung and his family, returning from the south to his land after a great and terrible period of famine, close those horrible years through the almost magical substance of the earth. It is symbolic how O-lan the wife, tending to the structure of the cultivated land house (a symbol itself in the Wang family) uses the earth from the fields to mend the walls of the house--thus the ailments of the house are healed by the richness of the land.

The Persian Gulf War: A view through the themes of individual and society :: Essays Papers

The Persian Gulf War A view through the themes of individual and society The Persian Gulf War began in 1990 when Iraqi forces invaded the border of capital of capital of Kuwait. The United States led a compression of forces between other countries eventually ending the war in 1991.1 The Persian Gulf War do many people of different backgrounds suffer by starvation, malnutrition and disease. The Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, was the main(prenominal) cause for this suffering. Problems between Iraq and Kuwait started when Kuwait gained their independence and gained protection from British. Iraq did non want to recognize Kuwait as a separate country because Iraq believed that Kuwait was in their territory. Iraq and Kuwait were both part of the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century, and Iraq thought Kuwait was still a province from the South of Iraq.2 Oil became the main problem that led to war. Iraqi leaders blamed Kuwait for pumping oil from Iraqi territory, and for non paying revenues for the oil taken out. Since Iraq had debts with Kuwait, Iraq then started harassing Kuwait. Another accusation Iraq placed on Kuwait was that Kuwait was pumping too more than oil. According to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), there is a limit of oil extraction on every country.3 All of these complaints led then to war. Kuwait did not want any confrontation and Iraq was not there to take any land away but to intimidate Kuwait. Talks between them did not help and invasion took place in August 2, 1990, when Iraq started mobilizing towards adjoining borders.4 On February 26, 1991 the war was, if not in its end, but to close to the defeat of the Iraqis by the coalition led powerfully by the United States. Public communication mainly by radio in Iraq told the contrary but not even its feature people could belief victory but they all accepted defeat. Statistics showed that 148 Americans were dead, and 467 wounded. Many of these d eaths or injuries were result of friendly fire. According to New York Times of September 1990, 200,000 Iraqis died.5 The main task for the world and the coalition was to stop Saddam Hussein, Iraqs Mandatary.

Social Class in the Classroom Essay -- Sociology, Lower, Middle and Up

Social var. has a large effect on the lifestyles of solely Americans. But what does it really mean to be a part of the lower, diaphragm or upper class? These divisions of fond class ar defined by aspects such as family income and lifestyle however, education plays a large role in determining ones social class. That does not mean that it will gibe triumph in ones life but to interpret, many people with a further education usually have a higher income as well. Those of the upper class have higher standards for education and career aspirations in contrast to those of the lower and middle class. Besides the differentiation of aspirations of the individuals of each social class, it is also used to lay out who will go to college, depending on who can afford it or have no other priorities that can get in the way. There are some 20 percent of Americans in the lower class (Long, Social Class Stratification, 18). In contrast with these 20% of Americans a long with the other 80% are a lot of differences when it comes to learning in the classroom. According to Lee Warren of Harvard University, In many parts of the country, class differences are sharply defined by accent people talk like the neighborhood they came from(Class in the Classroom, 2) where as someone from a more run-down neighborhood might have a less sophisticated vocabulary, just because they do not speak that way on a daily basis. However, that is all stereotypical. People wrongly anticipate the fellowship or potential of specific classes of children and as a result children from high-class families are sometimes viewed as being more intelligent than those from lower social classes (Social Class-Effects 1), which is not right at all. The amount of mo... ...tudents in high-poverty schools. Indeed, low-income students given a chance to attend more-affluent schools performed more than half a year better, on average, than middle income students who attend high-poverty schools (Kahlenberg, Middle Clas s Schools for All 2). From this data, it is clear to see that the type of school is what matters most, not income. Ones social income class should not be used to determine their intelligence, but to only advertise their yearly salary. Social class is a determinant used to define where a family stands in terms of salary and socioeconomic status. However, it is used to determine what will be offered to the family, for example, the type of school that each child will attend. But what it does not determine is the success of that students education attainment. Money can buy a college education yet, it will not buy literacy.