Business Analytics Finance and Human Resource

Question: Discuss about theBusiness Analytics for Finance and Human Resource. Answer: Introduction Making a sound decision in an organization is the core to the business success. A decision needs to be evidence based judgment so that the business data can be used to understand the past, current business situations, and the future. That is, business analytics is one of the most utilized strategy in business to make data-driven decisions (Stubbs, 2011, p. 7). This scholar also stipulates that organizations have the ability to save quite a massive amount of data. These data can be used to understand the trends, the past business performance as well as project the future. Moreover, business future plans are designed using the industry statistics. Statistics approaches are used to mathematically represent data and using other relevant methodology to explore the business data. Therefore, business analytics are important in different areas like marketing, operations, finance, and human resource (Sharda et al., 2014). Provost Fawcett, (2013) impressively gave some of the fundamental basics that need to be understood before data analysis process. The scholar stipulates that data can be used, but gives a bad information if wrong statistical methods are used. Importantly, the business analysts should incorporate stringent controls to reduce statistical anomalies as a result of methodological rigor. That is, the analyst should ensure that data are validated, stored correctly and appropriately to avoid corruption. Importance of Business Analytics Rouse, (2010) states that business analytics is important as it helps the business to answer a couple of questions like; why a situation occurred? Can it happen again? What are the consequences of changing a variable say ? And also other important information derived from data that people never thought to ask. To answer these questions data explorations, need to be performed. That is, data mining, quantitative data analysis, predictive/regression modeling, and multivariate testing commonly referred as a test of hypothesis. (Stubbs, 2011, p. 4) States every business is unique. This uniqueness makes them competitive in their own right, and an organization should use this to create a competitive advantage through capitalizing on what makes them unique. This can ONLY be achieved through massive investment in their unique resources; their data (Stubbs, 2011, p. 4). Through statistical approach and data management business are able to secure their future. Definitions of Analytics Ecosystem There are some of the common business analytical terms that are used more often. In accordance with (Evans, Lindner, 2012) descriptive analytics give summaries of data and transforms the summaries into meaningful charts and reports. A good example of this is a company that sells five types of beverages in Australia, and the sales department came up with the following summary. Figure 1: Beverages sales in Australia This summary indicates that Cottees drink is the most popular among the Australian people. Also, the statistics suggest that Golden Circle is least sold and maybe there is a need to improve the sales through advertisement or other favorable sales promotion strategies. Predictive analytics revolve around the development of models using past records that can be used to predict the future outcomes of the firm (Waller Fawcett, 2013). In fact, (Patil and Davenport, 2012) showed how sexy or beautiful it is to use predictive analytics and big data to make an important decision that affects the future of the business. Take an example of a public organization that has been keeping the return of the company for the previous twenty years (from 1995). These data can be used to develop a regression model that can be used to predict the future values in a certain year with a particular level of certainty. Figure 2: Returns ('000,000) against Time The plot indicates that the fitted model can explain 89.7% sources of variation of returns. The plot also shows that there is a positive linear relationship between return and time. Prescriptive analytics is one of the powerful statistical approaches that organizations use to optimize the outcomes of the firm. The core process of prescriptive analytics is to identify the best alternatives to minimize or maximize some objectives (Evans, 2012, p. 5). A bank uses this strategy to determine the optimal amount of money in an ATM. This approach determines the number of commodities that need to be produced to maximize the profit, and the number of workers that are required to minimize expenditure. Also, this approach can be used by firms to determine the course of action in case of disaster or any other unforeseen situation. In conjunction with mathematical and statistical techniques, prescriptive analytics can be used to make a decision taking into account uncertainty nature of the data. Halo Blog, Descriptive, Predictive, and Prescriptive Analytics Explained, (2016, May) states that prescriptive analytics goes beyond the commonly used predictive and descriptive analy tics as it recommends one or various course of action to remedy or optimize the objective(s). However, this approach is complex, and most of the institutions have not adopted it in their decision-making process. Business performance management (BPM) is fundamental and can be considered as cornerstones of business success. As (Stubbs, 2011, p. 12) say it, the most important part of the firm analytics is identifying the insights which are valuable given the organizations strategy and technical objectives. Therefore, the organization requires proper skills to manage all the processes within the organization and adopt a data collection habit. This will help the firm to come up with strategies to build competitive advantage. Business Analytics Implementation Plan Businesses are eager to implement the business analytics plan to enjoy higher revenues and at the same time reduce the cost. There are a number of issues facing the implementation like; mapping process of the organizations objectives, understanding the data, availability of resources, budget, and planning. The article by BusinessVibes, (2014) urges that five steps can be used in implementing the business analytics plan. First, the organization needs to identify the business problem, which should use quantitative results to solve the issue at hand. For instance, when an organization wants to solve problems associated with production, market returns they can adopt business analytics approach to resolve the problems (BusinessVibes, 2014). This strategy involves monitoring, capturing, and analyzing the business operation performance and writing reports on the results. Thus, the starting point of the implementation is identifying the business problem. The second step involves determining appropriate metric and analysis technique that aligns with the organizations needs. The analysts also should select the best statistical tools like SPSS, Minitab, Stata among others to analyze data as well as creating visualizations. The third step is collecting the data, which should be of high quality and integrity. The data collected should be in a position to make a projection, help understands the past, and display vital information about the business. The fourth step is the data analysis which exclusively tries to draw an insight about the data. This can be illustrated in econometric modeling, trend analysis, data distribution or deviations, or regression modeling used to adopt strategic business decisions (BusinessVibes, 2014). The last step is the reporting of the results obtained. The recommendations are drawn from the results obtained, which help to propel the business returns forward. As a result, the organization achieves the objective s and at the same time gain competitive advantage. Despite, efforts of organizations in implementing the business analytics in the decision-making process, there are still some drawbacks facing the implementation process. The first problem is the cross-organization collaboration which focuses on incorporating the customers information into the system and then solving the problem as a whole (IÃ…Å ¸Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±k, 2013, p. 14). The key point is to address the issue of the customer so that they can be paid. The second challenge is business sponsors and how they are recruited and integrated into the system. Also, obtaining the right team to perform the organizations mandates to achieve the set objectives is another challenge. The data management is also another drawback that might hinder the development and implementation of the business analytics. This process requires a significant amount of data from most, if not all departments and this may be a challenge as some may be uncooperative, resulting in incomplete records or inaccurate inf ormation. The next issue that might face the implementation of the business analytics is the length of time required to collect vital data that can be used in the system. Therefore, it might take time before full integration of this scheme in the decision-making process. Conclusion Decision-making process using evidence-based strategies is imperative in a number of ways. That is, it can help business analysts understand why things are happening, predict what will happen next, and come up with the best possible solution(s). The business analytics have been seen having some characteristics like; they depend on data, utilizes different mathematical methods to transform, analyze and summarize raw data. The summaries can help me in the form of graphs, and tables. The business analytics are vital as they add value to the raw data, and essential information or knowledge can be drawn. Despite the challenges companies faces when adapting this technique, there has been a great achievement. A lot has been done to incorporate it into the decision-making process so that firms can get a sound judgment of the situations. References BusinessVibes. (2014). 5 Steps to Implementing Business Analytics for Small Business. Retrieved September 26, 2016, from https://www.business2community.com/small-business/5-steps-implementing-business-analytics-small-business-0924778#if8wdjixrcrctvmb.97 Descriptive, Predictive, and Prescriptive Analytics Explained. (2016, May). Retrieved September 26, 2016, from https://halobi.com/2016/07/descriptive-predictive-and-prescriptive-analytics-explained/ Evans, J.R., and Lindner, C.H., 2012. Business analytics: the next frontier for decision sciences. Decision Line, 43(2), pp.4-6. IÃ…Å ¸Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±k, ., Jones, M.C. and Sidorova, A., 2013. Business intelligence success: The roles of BI capabilities and decision environments. Information Management, 50(1), pp.13-23. Patil, T.H. and Davenport, D.J., 2012. Data Scientist: The Sexiest Job of the 21st Century. Harvard Business Review. Provost, F., and Fawcett, T., 2013. Data Science for Business: What you need to know about data mining and data-analytic thinking. " O'Reilly Media, Inc.". Roldan, A. (2010). Implementing Business Analytics. Retrieved September 26, 2016, from https://atomai.blogspot.co.ke/2010/05/implementing-business-analytics.html Rouse, M., 2010. What is business analytics (BA)? - Definition from WhatIs.com. Retrieved September 26, 2016, from https://searchbusinessanalytics.techtarget.com/definition/business-analytics-ba Sharda, R., Delen, D., Turban, E., Aronson, J. and Liang, T.P., 2014. Business Intelligence and Analytics: Systems for Decision Support-(Required). Prentice Hall. Stubbs, E., 2011. The value of business analytics: Identifying the path to profitability (Vol. 43). John Wiley Sons. Waller, M.A. and Fawcett, S.E., 2013. Data science, predictive analytics, and big data: a revolution that will transform supply chain design and management. Journal of Business Logistics, 34(2), pp.77-84.

Insulting Language and Swear Words free essay sample

Has insulting become a Nowadays the use of swear-words has become a normal form of speech among population, and probably even more extensive among teenagers. The reasons why insulting is so widespread in modern society may range substantially amongst the different social groups in which society is stratified. It is clear that nowadays insulting might seem to be more natural than some decades before, but this fact becomes very clear once we take into account the evolution concerned to freedom of speech. This aspect does not mean that insulting is something new in todays culture; using swear words in our daily speech is as ancient as life itself, but because of the abovementioned freedom of speech, we are used to hearing or reading this part of our vocabulary in any circumstance, whether on television or on radio or on any situation. One of the main means for the use and, consequently, for the learning of these words is television. We will write a custom essay sample on Insulting: Language and Swear Words or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is almost impossible not to watch a film or a television aerogram in which a swear word is not mentioned.It is on television where people learn not only the meaning of swear words but also the situation In which has to, or might, be used. A very different aspect is to try to analyses whether insulting has become a habit In our society or Just a mean of showing different emotions before a particular situation. Insulting Is not Just using words with more or less strength in their meaning, but it also Implies a deliberate Increase in the tone of the utterance.By intensifying the tone of our speech when we Insult means an attempt to let clear the seriousness of our Intimidation or threaten. To affirm that Insulting has turned out to be a habit In the use of language In modern society might represent a risky statement, but It Is clear that Is not unusual or strange to hear these sorts of words In any situation because all In all they are part of the richness of our vocabulary. What should be analyses Is to try to explain to what extend the use of these words are necessary.

A Survey of Information Technologies in Logistics Management Essay Example

A Survey of Information Technologies in Logistics Management Essay A Survey of Information Technologies in Logistics Management Anil Gurung University of Texas at Arlington Department of Information Systems and Operations Management, College of Business Administration Office: Room 630 Business Building Box 19437 701 S West St. Arlington, Texas 76019-0437 Voice: 817. 272. 3528 Email: [emailprotected] edu ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the impact of information technologies (IT) on logistics by conducting a survey of literatures on academic logistics journals and practitioner journals. The literature survey and practice find that third party logistic providers have better opportunity to leverage IT since they need to have interoperable IT systems with their customers. The business philosophy of Just-In-Time (JIT) has also contributed to the impact of IT in logistics. Further, information technologies are identified that has benefited the logistics. Future directions of logistics are discussed. INTRODUCTION The proliferation of information technologies (IT) and the internet technologies have provided impetus and challenges to the logistics. New technologies present new means to manage the flow of information. IT as a productivity tool can be utilized to both increase the capability and decrease the cost at the same time (Closs et al. , 1997). It has been widely accepted that firms can achieve competitive advantage by cost reduction or differentiation with the proper implementation of IT (Porter Millar, 1985). Enabled by IT the logistics has become a source of competitive advantage for many firms. Two streams of research are identified that highlights the role of IT in logistics. We will write a custom essay sample on A Survey of Information Technologies in Logistics Management specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Survey of Information Technologies in Logistics Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Survey of Information Technologies in Logistics Management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer First stream relates to just-in-time logistics information system (Anderson Quinn, 1986; Bookbinder Dilts, 1989; Das Handfield, 1997; Gomes Mentzer, 1988; Perry, 1988; Schwarz Weng, 2000; Spencer, M. S. et al. , 1994; Spencer, M. S. et al. , 1996; Takahashi Nakamura, 2000; Titone, 1996; Wafa Yasin, 1996). The other stream is the third party logistics (Lewis Talalayevsky, 2000; Peters et al. , 1998; Sauvage, 2003; Sink Langley, 1997; Vaidyanathan, 2005). Importance of IT in logistics has grown to some extent by business philosophy of Just-InTime (JIT) by firms. With the emphasis of firms on JIT, the impact of logistics has grown as it is increasingly recognized as a source of consistent, low lead time, damage free deliveries (Bardi et al. , 1994). In pursuit of competitive advantages, firms outsource their functions which are noncore competencies so that they can focus on their core competencies. A recent survey found that 83 percent of the surveyed Fortune 500 companies reported having at least one contract with a third-party logistics provider (Lieb Bentz, 2004). Over the years, the use of third-party logistics has been increasing. Similar survey of Fortune 500 companies taken in 1991 had only 38 percent of the respondents reporting the use of third-party logistics provider (Lieb, 1992). The 618 third party logistic operators attempt to harness the capability of information technology to provide superior services to their customers. The objective of this paper is to study how IT has impacted logistics. To this end, literature review of both leading academic and practitioner logistic journals is conducted. The next section will report the framework of logistics. The following section will analyze the IT enablers in logistics. Then, the implications of ecommerce are discussed followed by a section on future directions for logistics. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE A classification scheme logistics functions provides a meaningful way to study how IT has impacted the various functions of logistics. Previous research in logistics have categorized the use of information systems in logistics in different ways. A system of logistics functions can be divided into following five broad areas (Bowersox, 1974): facility location, transportation, inventory, communication and material movement. Based on the problem areas that application addresses, seven areas of logistics has been identified as facility location, inventory control, order entry, vehicle scheduling, warehouse layout planning, freight rate retrieval, and product and shipment tracing (Ballou, 1976). Another survey identified five categories as facility location, inventory control, transportation, production scheduling, and total physical distribution (House, 1978). These categories treated each category as individual entities rather than a whole system. Noting this shortcoming, Stenger (1986) proposed another classification consisting of transaction systems, short-term scheduling and inventory replenishment systems, flow planning systems, and network planning and design systems. Expanding on the framework developed by Bowersox, Novack et al (1992) divided logistics function into two categories. The first category refers to physical activities that are required various utilities of customer need. These will include inventory, transportation and customer service operations. The second category refers to flow of information or transaction activities that follow or initiate the physical activities. The physical and information flows in logistics function is well-depicted in Figure 1 that shows the categorization of logistics functions as described by Vaidyanathan (2005). As shown in the figure, information flows between logistics function are managed, coordinated and supported by various logistics technologies. 619 Inventory and Logistics Management: Freight Consolidation Freight Distribution Shipment Planning Traffic Management Inventory Management Carrier Selection Order Entry/ Management Information Flow Customer Service: Freight Payments Auditing Order Management Fulfillment Help Desk Carrier Selection Rate Negotiation Information Flow Warehousing: Packaging Product Making Labeling Warehousing Material Flow Transportation: Fleet Management Cross Docking Product Return Figure 1: Categorization of Logistics Functions (adapted from Vaidyanathan 2005) IT enablers in Logistics The literature in logistics is full of instances where information technology has been touted as a means to enhance logistics competitiveness (Bowersox, 1974; Closs et al. , 1997; Rabinovich et al. , 1999; Stenger, 1986). Yet there has been few empirical studies that relates logistics information capabilities to logistics competence (Closs et al. , 1997). A popular framework in information systems discipline put forward by Gorry Morton (1989) place logistics decisions as structured and varying from operational to strategic. The role of logistics information systems as operational and strategic enablers in different areas of the firm’s supply chain has been stated in the literature (Langley et al. , 1988). There has been a shift of IT from being an enabler of operational and material handling functions to being an enabler of decision-making and activityplanning functions within the supply chain (La Londe Auker, 1973). Logistics Information System Logistics Information System (LIS) is the application component of logistics information technology. An effective LIS facilitates the proper information flow between inventory, 20 Information Flow warehousing and transportation to realize the high level of customer service. The ability to optimize the logistics cost and service levels is affected by the LIS of the firm and its partners. Firms that provide better logistics services at a lower cost can have competitive advantage over its competitors (Bardi et al. , 1994). Two classes of LIS has been recogn ized in the literature (Closs et al. , 1997). Logistics operating systems (LOS) refer to transactional applications such as order entry, order processing, warehousing, and transportation. Logistics planning systems (LPS) refer to coordinating applications such as forecasting, inventory management, and distribution requirements planning. EDI Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) has successfully enhanced the communication between firms which is essential for logistics. This technology requires firms to have common data formatting and transmission standards or protocols. Such technologies have been employed by companies to coordinate their value chain activities including logistics. Early applications of EDI has been on transmitting vehicle location information by railways to their customers. Other types of logistics information carried by EDI are purchase orders/releases and changes, advanced shipping notices, bills of lading, and invoices. Timely and accurate information is crucial in decision making about complex logistics problems. Japan Airlines (JAL) adopted EDI to manage their complex value chain logistics required for their operations, including procurement and just-in-time delivery of aircraft fuel, repair and maintenance aircraft parts, food catering and other customer requirements (Chatfield Bjorn-Andersen, 1997). The competitive advantage gained by companies employing EDI is cited in the literature. Firms utilizing EDI were better able to fulfill greater number of services to their customers (Rogers et al. , 1992). Bar coding Bar coding is one of the most IT enablers to date and has made significant impact in the practice. Starting in 1960’s some of the earliest implementation of bar codes were in rail road cars. Nowadays it is rampant in anything that needs to be identified and tracked. The different type of bar codes are available, known as symbologies, for different purposes. In practice, most firms prefer to use industry standards rather than proprietary standards for most of their bar codes on their products. By following industry standards, bar codes reduce the complications inherent in the use of multiple standards and thus provides a strong foundation for integrating the corporate logistics and the supply chain (Closs Kefeng, 2000). Real-time communications capability The logistics IT capability of real-time communications is essential for maintaining the flow of information. As noted by Dudley Lasserre (1989), one of the important roles of logistics IT is to substitute information for inventory. To make real-time tracking of goods, logistic information systems of business partners should have real-time communications capability. The business partners require an integrated messaging architecture which exchanges business data while customizing business flows and format transformation. Real-time communications also allows for schedule plans to change in dynamic routing and scheduling system when the vehicles are 621 already out on the road. Any last minute changes in routing and scheduling system or constant tracking has been possible only with real-time communications ability of the respective systems. RFID RFID helps to identify, track and locate items automatically. The use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is expected to increase rapidly in coming years. Often referred to as the next step in the evolution of bar-coding, RFID is growing rapidly in the automatic data capture and identification market (Srivastava, 2004). RFID is not a new technology, in fact, its use dates back to 1940’s but only now it is starting to make a significant impact within the supply chain. The growth in use of RFID will be enhanced to some extent by mandates from large retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, and the US Department of Defense, who require their suppliers to adopt this technology within the next few years (Asif Mandviwalla, 2005). Among the companies that are piloting RFID in their supply chain management prominent ones are WalMart, Procter Gamble, Coca-cola and Gillette. Although the biggest driver in the popularity of RFID has been supply chain, companies are experimenting in other applications as well. Other applications are theft detection, asset tracking, mobile payments, in-process inventory tracking and luggage tracking. Dell, Seagate, Boeing and Ford are among other companies that are using RFID to track their in-process inventory in manufacturing. An RFID system includes transponders or tags that can identify items ; antennas that allows tags to be interrogated and to respond; and software that controls the RFID equipment, manages the data and interfaces with enterprise applications. RFID has lots of potential to improve the efficiency in the supply chain and reduce waste. For example, efficiency would result from automatic update of inventory system when products with RFID tags are unloaded from trucks into stores. The advantages of RFID over bar coding are as follows: RFID tags can provide longer read distances; store more data; require no direct line of sight between tag and reader; and can collect data from multiple sources simultaneously (Asif Mandviwalla, 2005). There are some technical and business challenges to overcome before RFID can be ubiquitous. Technical issues include problems of interference, security and accuracy while business issues relate to costs and lack of standards. Another significant business challenge in adopting RFID faced by managers is to work out a business case for the executive board. Early adopters of these technologies are marred by problems such as possible adverse consumer outbursts to perceived invasion of privacy, reliability of the RFID system, and issues related to health, safety and IT integration. IMPLICATION OF ECOMMERCE ON LOGISTICS The growth of ecommerce pose opportunities and challenges for logistics. As internet retailing increases the companies are accepting orders from their clientele across the borders. In many instances the location of clients are not covered by any existing distribution system of the companies. On such occasions the companies have no resort but to turn towards third party logistics operators for physical flow of goods. As for the information flow, the companies need to have capabilities for ecommerce applications. The group of technologies and processes for coordinating logistics information flow has been named e-logistics. An important web 622 technology that facilitates the exchange of business data among logistics business partners across different platforms is extra markup language (XML). For example, UPS is exploiting the power of the web services to streamline its information flows for logistics activities such as RFQ, shipping and tracking. Changing Trends in Logistics Consultants are beginning to take an active part in helping out the shippers select third party logistics operators. Shippers hire consultants to help them align business processes with supply chain strategies. The newly coined term â€Å"4PL† for consultants stands for dominant role that consultants will be taking in managing the resources, the technology and the processes in the supply chain. It is yet to be seen whether the shippers will let the consultants manage all the logistics processes. Instead of handing over the authority to manage the logistics processes to the consulting firms, shippers may choose to develop alliance with the third party logistics operators and maintain the supply chain themselves. The key thing that will allow coordination between shipper firms and the third party logistics will be information technology and management skills to run the supply chain effectively. This implies that firms should also have proper logistic technologies in place to enjoy the full benefits of use of third party logistics. FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS The research directions that are available for researchers in logistics are numerous. Before companies implement new logistic information technologies such as RFID it is important to assess the viability of adopting the technology. What would be the expected benefits? What is the ROI? Researchers can come up with various econometric models to predict the outcomes of adopting logistics technologies. Modeling techniques can be used to assess the scenarios that would be beneficial for adopting new technologies. As companies are entering into ecommerce, better coordinating techniques are required to streamline logistics activities for transactions taking place on the internet. Collaborative technologies for supporting e-logistics would greatly enhance the future logistics. Multi-agent systems (MAS) provide an interesting avenue of research that is applicable for supporting logistics technologies on the internet. Intelligent software agents can be used to assess the bids offered by multiple third-party logistics operators. To support global ecommerce the companies need to have different options for global logistics. The best way to traverse the geographical distribution is through technology. What are the communication channels and technologies that would benefit the company in terms of monitoring and coordination logistics functions? More empirical evidence will be preferred to establish the direct link between organizational performance and logistics information systems. Researchers can seek to examine the complex relationships between logistics technologies and performance from different paradigms and theories. The perspective of organizational learning can be used to evaluate the performance gained by employing logistics information systems. 23 CONCLUSION The objective of this paper was to observe the impact of information technology on the logistics functions. A literature review of the academic and practitioners journals was conducted. The information technologies that have been used to support logistics functions were discussed. It is evident that academic researchers are aware of new tec hnologies in practice such as RFID. Development in technologies offer sources of competitive advantage for companies. Adoption of new technologies provide challenge and opportunities for the companies. Proper business case and calculation of ROI needs to be done to assess the expected benefits from new technologies. Changing trends in business in terms of ecommerce open new markets for firms for all sizes to expand their market share. Strategic use of information resource would bear results of competitive advantage and thus leading to success stories. The best practices in logistic information technologies need to be adopted by firms in alignment of their strategic goals. Future trends in logistics may prompt companies to rethink their logistics strategies. Firms may choose to use third party logistics in order to focus on their core competencies. However, firms need to have logistics information systems in place that is compatible with the third party operators in order to fully benefit from their services. REFERENCES Anderson, D. L. Quinn, R. J. 1986, The Role of Transportation in Long Supply Line Just-InTime Logistics Channels , Journal of Business Logistics, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 68-88. Asif, Z. Mandviwalla, M. 2005, Integrating the Supply Chain with RFID: a Technical and Business Analysis, Communications of the AIS, vol. 15, pp. 393-427. Ballou, R. H. 976, Computer Methods in Transportation-Distribution, Transportation Journal, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 72-85. Bardi, E. J. , Raghunathan, T. S. Bagchi, P. K. 1994, Logistics information systems: The strategic role of top management, Journal of Business Logistics, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 7185. Bookbinder, J. H. Dilts, D. 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Direct Managers Letter of Recommendation for an Employee

Direct Manager's Letter of Recommendation for an Employee SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What does a good recommendation letter look like? Below you’ll find a sample letter written by a direct manager for an employee who works in software sales. If you’re responsible for managing or leading a team, chances are you’ll be called upon to write similar letters. Read on to see how this manager endorses one member of his sales team, and then check out the breakdown of what this letter does well. Sample Letter #1: Written by a Manager for a Full-Time Employee Ms. Greta JohanssenSales ManagerStreambase Corp.66 Western BoulevardSanta Fe, New Mexico 87500 Dear Ms. Johanssen, It’s my pleasure to provide this letter of recommendation for James as he seeks employment in software sales with Streambase. As James’s sole direct manager at Waretech, I’ve worked closely with him over the past three years, sharing the same open office space the majority of the time. James showed excellent communication skills and consistently exceeded company quotas. On a personal level, he’s charismatic and well-spoken, both qualities that have served him well in his role as software sales professional. Due to his wife’s cross-country transfer, James is seeking employment out west. All of us at Waretech will be sad to see such a valuable employee go, but our loss is truly your gain. Allow me to point out three examples of James’s strengths. First, James brought great value to Waretech by consistently exceeding quotas and selling in the top 15% of his peers. James has an understanding of market trends and instincts for identifying and pursuing qualified leads. Not only does he provide stellar service to existing clients, but he’s established a number of new business-to-business and business-to-customer accounts during his time at Waretech. Last fall, for instance, he added Voxacorp to our client list, a huge acquisition, and has been working closely with its IT department ever since. James has the combination of business acumen and communication skills that makes him an outstanding salesperson. Second, James has a very strong grasp of technology. He knows our software inside and out and helps relay technical information to customers in an accessible way. He explains our products clearly to customers and makes the most of technological avenues to gain new leads and customize his sales pitch to clients. During an early review, I observed him discuss in detail with a prospective client the specific ways that our software could boost the sales of her online bakery. By monitoring clients’ presence across our website and blog, he provides each one with personalized service to meet his/her needs. James makes the most of technology to find new prospects, provide modern solutions, and drive results. Finally, James has proven himself to be a strong cultural fit here at Waretech. He’s always ready to lend a helping hand to his teammates and contributes during brainstorming sessions and meetings between the sales and marketing teams. Last month, James co-led an enlightening meeting on content marketing and account management. Outside of official events, James also takes turns leading weekly spin classes at our in-house gym. James is an active member of the Waretech team and supports his colleagues professionally and personally (not to mention athletically!). In closing, I’d like to restate my strong support for James’s application to the role of software sales professional with Streambase. I’m confident that he will surpass your expectations in this new role. James is driven, self-confident, proactively helpful, and smart, and I know he will continue to find success in sales. Please feel free to contact me at (866) 8-5546 or ssaasman@waretech.com with any other questions. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Samuel SaasmanSales ManagerWaretech, Inc.ssaasman@waretech.com(866) 8-5546 Based on this letter, should James pack his bags and get ready to move out west? Recommendation Letter 1: The Breakdown This first recommendation letter sample represents a common type of letter,one written by a direct manager for an employee who’s applying to a new company. Right off the bat, the writer gives a strong statement of support for James by saying that it’s his great pleasure to provide the recommendation. If he started by simply saying, â€Å"I am writing this letter of recommendation for James,† it wouldn’t have quite the same impact. Samuel Saasman incorporates the first key feature of strong letters by stating who he is and how he got to know James. He also indicates the reason that James is applying elsewhere. Including this information can be useful for the hiring manager, especially if it’s followed by a statement of support like, â€Å"Our loss is truly your gain.† Samuel structures his letter by presenting three of James’s major strengths: his sales record, his use of technology, and his relationships with his co-workers. This structure can be an effective one for recommendation letters; some writers might choose to use bullet points to clarify their thinking. Samuel writes about James’s qualifications while incorporating specific examples in each paragraph to illustrate his work performance. Since James is applying to a similar position in software sales, all of the strengths described relate directly to the requirements of his target job. Samuel recommends James with highly positive language. He repeats his strong support of James several times and his confidence in his future success. He seems to have chosen with words carefully, using strong descriptors like â€Å"charismatic,† â€Å"driven,† and â€Å"proactively helpful.† As is the custom for recommendation letters, he concludes by inviting the hiring manager to contact him with any further questions. Overall, Samuel writes a glowing letter for James’s application to a new job in software sales. His high opinion is evident, and his examples prove that James has the qualifications to excel in his next position. What's Next? Ready for the next recommendation letter sample? Click hear to read a sample letter written by a principal for a teacher applying to a new school. Want to learn more? If you want to readabout what goes into a strong letter of recommendation or find additional samples, you can head tothe full guide here. Want to provide a strong recommendation for your employee, but don't have the time to craft the perfect letter? PrepScholar's new recommendation tool, SimpleRec, takes you from good intentions and a blank page to a fully written and formatted letter of recommendation in under 5 minutes. All you need to do is give us some simple pieces of information about your employee and your experience working with them, and we'll do the rest. Try out SimpleRec risk-free today: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Rebecca Safier About the Author Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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What is 'Globalisation' and why is it said to be so important for Essay

What is 'Globalisation' and why is it said to be so important for current international relations - Essay Example Globalization of Economy has taken place thanks to the improvement in transportation technology, and due to the concept of a Free-market society which the WTO is currently promulgating. When different nationalities begin to manage their economic decisions along the same procedures or guidelines or when the economy becomes internationally interconnected globalization of economy is believed to have taken place. There are different viewpoints as to whether the globalization of economy is beneficial or not. In a study conducted by IMF it was discovered that in the last two decades income inequality has risen thanks to financial globalization and technological advancements (which is a factor of Economic Globalization). However it was also discovered that the per capita income has also seen an increase even in the poorer classes. Inequality is on the rise between the different income classes as the well-to-do have a steeper rise in their per capita income as compared to the middle classes. Globalization has raised the eyebrows of even its supporters as they believe that its gains must be more widely distributed to actually encourage other countries to promote globalization. (Falk, 2007) Initially the responsibility of national governments was to protect the citizens of the state by outsiders, provide shelter and to take care of their needs. But as the global scenario has been changing over time the responsibility of the governments has also included becoming members of global organizations for their survival. This has been due to the global ecological changes, an integrated global economy and other global trends decision making has progressed to the global arena. Institutions such as IMF, European Union, United Nations, and World Bank are the major decision makers and enforcers of policies which should be established by member countries. This factor of globalization is the most related to International Relations. With the entrance of America into

Columbia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Columbia - Essay Example can exacerbate civil wars.† The United States has experienced limited tactical success in fighting the drug menace, by dismantling drug cartels, pressuring the Colombian Government to attack these cartels and fumigating the coco crops. But this has not diffused the problem because drug production continues despite the crackdown measures of the U.S. Government, with drug production shifting inland into territory controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and aiding in the insurrection of this Party against the Colombian Government. How then can the proliferation in coca production and thereby increase in drug traffic be curtailed? Studies appear to suggest that it is the economic benefits that are to be gained by coca production which is the causal factor that increases production, therefore one of the ways to tackle this problem appears to be by providing better economic incentives. Another reason for the explosion in drug trafficking is the civil war in Colombia which enables the coca and poppy growers to escape the crackdown by the Government and law enforcement authorities. Lastly, the most important reason why the drug trade is flourishing has to do with the strong demand that exist in the United States. This is the major reason why drug production thrives, therefore it appears that coca eradication and aid to end the civil war in Colombia may not be as effective in eliminating the drug problem as tackling the problem of the demand that exists in the United States, through a comprehensive drug eradication policy. Therefore, the best way to control excess production of illegal crops in Colombia is for the United States to clamp down on the growing demand within its own territories. 1. It appears that it is largely economic factors that are propelling the proliferation in growth of coca in Columbia and the concomitant violence that ahs been the result. In a recent, comprehensive study conducted by Holmes et al (2006), the relation between

Social entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social entrepreneurship - Essay Example While this aspect may seem obvious, the distinction interests me deeply because of social entrepreneurship’s potential to produce breakthrough outputs that could solve the perennial social problems such as income disparity, monopolies and so on. We should remember that we have been under some economic systems but our world is still confronted with issues such poverty, exploitation and so forth. In the course of my studies and research in this field, I have come across a lot of business models that sought to define what constitutes business and its purpose. There has been some degree of confusion for me since it seemed logical and reasonable to follow the popular economic theories, such as those of Milton Friedman’s which place profit as the main objective of a business’ existence. This was where things got interesting because the concept of the social entrepreneur disproved some widely accepted notions, say, in terms of the stakeholders in an enterprise. For the traditional business people, the sole stakeholder in a business organization is the stockholder or the owner of the capital and that the management is working for his benefit. In social entrepreneurship, the stakeholder is not only the entrepreneur but they include the community, the employees, their clients and all the participants in the organization and its operation. The attributes cited by William Drayton, which differentiates an entrepreneur from the social entrepreneur further underscores my point: â€Å"Social entrepreneurs have the same core temperament as their industry-creating, business entrepreneur peers but instead, use their talents to solve social problems.† (Drayton, 2002) If this concept would be refined into a successful business model and integrated in the mainstream, then there is a chance of a radical positive change not just in business but in the society as well. In line with the previously mentioned â€Å"pearl† the second important point that I would like to discuss