Trends in Supply Chain Management

Discussion Lean manufacturing has become one of the biggest trends in the development of supply chain management. Traditionally, organizations faced challenges of increasing wasteful production throughout their operations (Brian, 110).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Trends in Supply Chain Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Following this need, stakeholders across industries have focused on development of production approaches that would enable firms to minimize on the costs resulting from wasteful production. This method provides firms with a mechanism of leveraging costs while promoting the creation of savings in the end (Brian, 110). Besides formulating approaches aimed at reducing the costs of operations, efforts have been scaled up in a bid to embrace environmental sustainability through efficient processes and production practices. The introduction of lean manufacturing practices has proven success ful in yielding numerous environmental benefits such as reduced pollution and waste reduction through reuse practices (Brian, 110). Therefore, the application of lean practices in manufacturing has greatly contributed toward leveraging compliance demands. The lean philosophy in production has brought about possible and constant improvements in mass production because of Just in time (JIT). This aspect of lean manufacturing ensures customization o products while maintaining affordable and cost-effective prices for the customers. Through lean production, employees remain the most valuable asset to the organization since the implementation of the philosophy requires their active participation (Clegg, 188). Toyota remains one of the companies that have successfully implemented the philosophy and practices of lean production in which employee learning is assessed in the production assembly lines. Mutual respect for employees has had potential in establishing Toyota as one of the leading distributers of cars recording over 9 million sales per annum.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The other trend that preoccupies the supply chain management and operations involves the emerging need for sustainability standards (Rosemary Cheryl, 2001). The International standards Organization (ISO) Corporate Social responsibility guideline emphasized on the determination of sustainable products that embraces customer needs and quality measures. The demand for product sustainability and standards may hugely influence the trends in supply chain practices in the future. Since the inception of the practices of ISO, firms have received pressure to organize their production processes in order to embrace the international standards needed for compliance (Rosemary Cheryl, 2001). Similarly, the emergence of the concept of corporate social responsibility continues to add the impetus of the need for a sustainable community growth through organizational initiatives. The ongoing concerns of many organizations to coordinate community activities aimed at revamping organizational image has received much emphasis across the board (Jonson 45). Besides the universal call for embracing a sustainable environment, the communities in have shown immense need for more concerted efforts from the firms to actively take part in their developmental activities. Needs such as human rights, eradication of poverty among others have taken center stage. Using this platform, organizations have endeavored to utilize their presence in community initiatives to build their organizational goodwill in order to gain from the benefits that arise from their community initiatives. Employee involvement- traditionally, firms treated employees as a separate input in the production processes. Ordinarily, organizations assumed the human perspective of employees, thus treating them as mere machines eng aged in the production of goods and services. Therefore, the concerns of the workers have been put within the confines of neglect (Hurchins 78). The explosion in knowledge and the need for technical skills in the work place have cooperated to call for increased competence at work place settings.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Trends in Supply Chain Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The organizations have called up their response to the social and professional needs of their employees by switching the decision processes toward employee-based approach. According to Hanna (2000), this trend continues to lead to the development of the human resources management in order to emphasize the need for employee empowerment (149). As a result, quality management training that relies on the practices of lean philosophy has remained the major trend in the contemporary organizational setting (ICMR 119). The applicat ion of computer-aided production methods has preoccupied the contemporary supply chain management (Heizer Render 67). The need for efficient and fast processing of supplies in the distribution channels serves as the greatest impetus for the rising need for usage of computers and advanced technologies in moving the supply chains to a higher level. Such trends have aimed at embracing timely distribution of products from the manufacturer’s premises to the final end users (Christopher 54). The application of this method has involved mechanisms such as the use of computerized inventory management systems that enhance high inventory turnover while cutting on the overall costs of ordering and storing the inventory (134). Although the debates about the need for sustainable environment, the continued rallying for this urgent need has influenced the trends in the supply chain management. Organizations have been pressured to respond more vigorously in reducing the devastating effects o f environmental pollution on the ecosystem. To respond toward this critical initiative, organizations have mounted efforts aimed at ensuring the application of production and supply methods that minimize their contribution toward the detriment of the environment (Davis 35). Conclusion The recent and continuing trends in the supply chain and operations management have influenced the operations of organizations across the world. Some of the factors that have necessitated the trends remain both internally and internally driven. In essence, the need for a sustained organizational performance has called for firms to act speedily in a bid to fulfill the need for efficient production.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some of the needs include the significance of people-based organizational decision making process, efficient and timely production, corporate social responsibility, and the environmental concerns. Works Cited Brian, Carroll. Lean Operations Principles, Tools Practices. New York: Auerbach Publications, 2009. Print. Christopher, Martins. Logistics and supply chain management. Harlow: prentice Hall, 1998. Print. Clegg, Robinson. â€Å"A study into the effectiveness of quality management training.† The TQM Journal 22. (2010): 188-208. Davis, Tom. Effective Supply-Chain Management. Harlow: Prentice Hall, 1993. Print. Hanna, Dickens. â€Å"Linking Operational and Environmental improvement through employee involvement.† International Journal of Operations production Management 20.2 (2000): 148-165. Heizer, Jay., and Barry, Render. Operations Management. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Prentice hall, 2010. Print. Hurchins, David. Just In Time. Hempshire: Gower Technical Press, 1998 Pr int. ICMR. General Motors: The CAD-CAM-CAE Journey. IBS Centre for Management, 2002. Jonson, Thomas. â€Å"Sustainability and Lean Operations.† Cost Management (2006): 40-45. Rosemary, Fullertona, and Cheryl, McWatters. â€Å"The Production Performance benefits from JIT Implementation.† Journal of Operations Management, 2001. This essay on Trends in Supply Chain Management was written and submitted by user Dominic Hill to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Different Effects Of Education

Life is a struggle, sometimes you have to lose something in order to get something, but it’s always your choice to consider what you want or need the most. If education improves people’s life style and social environment, it also affects our lives in an undesirable way. I know education is essential in almost every aspect of our lives, but do we really want it to entirely take our place? That is, should we give priority to education only and put everything else behind? People see education from different aspects, but one thing about education that everyone agrees on is that it has done so much, socially and politically, for us. Considering all the improvements and differences that education has made, we are unable to see what it has done to us. Today we see education simply as academic success but that’s not all there is about education. Being yourself, valuing your culture and identity, and remaining in family are the key issues that we should consider when thin king of getting education. The more we are trying hard to achieve academic success, the more we are starting to grow apart from our love ones and it is changing everyone in certain way. According to Jimmy Santiago Baca in, â€Å"Working in The Dark,† â€Å"Only by action, by moving out into the world and confronting and challenging the obstacles, could one learn anything worth knowing.† Usually we have to go out in the world in order to get education and even face lots of problems, but don’t you think sometimes it becomes dilemma for us that we have to chose education over our family or family over education, because there are so few people who get education by not going to school. I am aware of the fact that not all the people have to suffer through these things because who doesn’t want to get education and still remain in culture and family? But it doesn’t always happen this way. Things change, people change. The way we live and where we live doe s affect us in some w... Free Essays on Different Effects Of Education Free Essays on Different Effects Of Education Life is a struggle, sometimes you have to lose something in order to get something, but it’s always your choice to consider what you want or need the most. If education improves people’s life style and social environment, it also affects our lives in an undesirable way. I know education is essential in almost every aspect of our lives, but do we really want it to entirely take our place? That is, should we give priority to education only and put everything else behind? People see education from different aspects, but one thing about education that everyone agrees on is that it has done so much, socially and politically, for us. Considering all the improvements and differences that education has made, we are unable to see what it has done to us. Today we see education simply as academic success but that’s not all there is about education. Being yourself, valuing your culture and identity, and remaining in family are the key issues that we should consider when thin king of getting education. The more we are trying hard to achieve academic success, the more we are starting to grow apart from our love ones and it is changing everyone in certain way. According to Jimmy Santiago Baca in, â€Å"Working in The Dark,† â€Å"Only by action, by moving out into the world and confronting and challenging the obstacles, could one learn anything worth knowing.† Usually we have to go out in the world in order to get education and even face lots of problems, but don’t you think sometimes it becomes dilemma for us that we have to chose education over our family or family over education, because there are so few people who get education by not going to school. I am aware of the fact that not all the people have to suffer through these things because who doesn’t want to get education and still remain in culture and family? But it doesn’t always happen this way. Things change, people change. The way we live and where we live doe s affect us in some w...

Define the terms health care policy, health care law, regulatory body, Term Paper

Define the terms health care policy, health care law, regulatory body, and health care compliance. Provide an example of each wi - Term Paper Example Health care refers to the provision and preservation of all aspects of a person’s health via the services offered by health care professionals (American Heritage ® Medical Dictionary, 2007). The set of rules, regulations, legislations and policies which overlook the orderly and effective delivery of health care is referred to as health care policy. Such policies govern almost all arenas of health care including finances, operations and management, and public, preventive and long term health care (Hoffman, 2003). Most health care policies are based on the integral concept of the universal access to health care for all alike, irrespective of their race, caste, culture and socioeconomic status. Health care policies can be broadly classified into two main types, viz. single payer system and social insurance system. In the United States, the existing health care policy is an amalgamation of both these systems (Hoffman, 2003). Examples of health care policies include Medicare and Medicaid which are government based health care insurance programs (Hoffman, 2003).

Visual Arts and Film Studies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Visual Arts and Film Studies - Research Paper Example Upon its discovery, Cubism had a lasting impact on the artworks which were dominant during its discovery. Cubism was more of an abstract art style, which laid the foundation for the discovery and development of other artworks such as Surrealism and Dadaism. As a result of Cubism, new art modes such as futurism and Orphism came to being. Cubism changed the way people perceive the world in numerous ways (Robinson 7-30). With Cubism, the world was not to look the same again because of the huge impact, which this movement had on the world. The revolutionary nature of this movement was so phenomenal that it changed the way artists viewed the components of art. Cubism also changed the world; through it, all aspects of a subject could be seen at the same time. As a result, this allowed the simultaneous view of the parts that comprised an art work. The development of modern art can also be attributed to the discovery of Cubism as a form of art. This innovative movement led to the establishme nt of a new plastic order, which was different from the form of art that was existent before its discovery. Cubism also enhanced revolutionary changes in visual representation as artists strived to change the look of art images (Robinson 7-30). Analytic and synthetic Cubism was also phenomenal in changing the way people viewed the world. Analytic and synthetic Cubism details phases, which took place in the field of art. Synthetic Cubism helped in the combination of many forms of art as it brought numerous art forms. Analytic Cubism encompassed the bringing together of separate elements of artwork and connected them to the whole. With the changes that it brought to the nature of paintings, Cubism was phenomenal in changing the way people viewed the world. Through Cubism, painting evolved, and it changed from the older forms, which encompassed spatial planning and structure (Cottington 3-36). Cubism changed the way people see the world as it introduced cubes and facets, which were arr anged in transparent and superimposed planes. In addition, the cubes had edges that could be regarded as clearly defined; they introduced aspects such as space, mass, as well as what the movement of Cubism implied. Cubism was also influential as it led to the introduction of such aspects in the art such as muted greens, ochers, browns, as well as grays. Cubism also changed the world as it consisted of a combination of both traditional aspects of art and modern aspects. For example, the Cubist movement included a subject matter consisting of traditional portraits, still life, and traditional landscapes. This was coupled with fragments consisting of wineglasses, faces, as well as guitars that became main subjects of the Cubist works (Chilvers 185-190). The other way in which Cubism changed the way the world is perceived is through introducing the use of bright color in artwork. Cubism also introduced the use of decorative devices such as the stippling technique, which came from pointi llism. As a result of Cubism, artists started using shadow, tone, as well as broken brush strokes in their paintings. These aspects, together with the distance established between planes that used to be denser, led to the introduction of light. Synthetic Cubism was extremely phenomenal as it provided the basis for the creation and description of visual reality, which could now be done without illusionism in painting. The synthesis of objects became a reality with the Cubism as artists were able to use real components in collage (Martin 52-76). Cubism also changed the way people see the world by introducing new forms of art, which replaced Western art. Cubists held the belief that Western art was traditional and that it had become obsolete. As such,

World War II in American Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World War II in American Scenario - Essay Example Before the war, the American women primarily played the role of as housewives and mothers to the children. However, that changed after the initiation of the World War II, as the women folk were encouraged to join the industries and importantly even in the war efforts. This was pointed out by Quintile who states â€Å"The American Propaganda of 1941-1945 was aimed at persuading American Women to become involved in supporting the war effort, encouraging them to fill roles previously filled by men.† Thus various propaganda and continual appeals were issued from the American Government throughout the war to trigger the patriotic feeling among the women and to get their attention. Most of the propaganda aimed at the women during the World War II was three fold and that included the following. Firstly, they were done to fill the vacancies in the production area, which was caused by the departure of men from the workforce into the armed forces. Secondly, the other main aim of the pro paganda includes involving the women folk in the armed forces to fill up the desk activities and other roles such as the medical practitioners, nurses, civilians, chaplains, etc. Lastly actively support the armed forces by joining the troops in combative environments. Thus the government mainly focused on coming up with various approaches to make the American women contribute to the nation in a variety of ways. In that direction, the armed forces launched crash recruiting programmes such as conducting rallies, advertising campaigns, and other community outreach programmes to invite the female youth and women in other age groups. The War department publicists also produced huge posters that portrayed women in uniforms so as to make them involved in the armed forces. They particularly used the movie, ‘the Rosie the Riveter’, which depicted the life story of a woman who worked in the plane factory during World War II, as a publicity campaign to enroll more women into the a rmy. Even before the war, men were considered as the breadwinners who need to work outside the homes, while the women’s role was ‘contained’ within the confines of the house. The scene changed completely with the commencement of the Second World War. With respect to the increase in the demand of the military needs, the government decided to utilize the women folk in noncombatant and auxiliary military forces. As said above, women took over the traditional women’s work such as secretarial duties and other desk work inside the military operations. In 1942, US government â€Å"instituted the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps, later upgraded to the Women's Army Corps, which had full military status† and the female members of it, â€Å"known as WACs, worked in more than 200 non-combatant jobs stateside and in every theater of the war.† (â€Å"American Women in World War II.†). Then, women were efficiently used in support functions such as nurses , physicians, etc. The nurses from these groups sprang to the war front and they attended to the wounded soldiers. Also some of the nurses became Red Cross nurses and some served in the military nursing units. Moreover the cadet nurse crops recruited nursing students to work in military and other critical care facilities while they were in school. The cadet nurses and the medical practitioners joined the army to render critical nursing services to the wounded soldiers. They visited many military camps and attended to the needs of the soldiers apart from supplying with critical care medicines and other medical accessories to the camp. . Apart from non-combative roles, women also played active roles in the armed force

Steeple Analysis Of UK Supermarket

Steeple Analysis Of UK Supermarket The UK supermarket industry is the fastest growing sector of the UK economy that has made a great contribution to its economic development. Currently, the supermarket industry employs more than 1.1 million people and contributes more than 8% to the UK GDP (Euromonitor International, 2010). In every business environment, macro analysis is important to identify the factors that can hamper operations of organisations progress in the industry. STEEPLE (Social, Technological, Environmental, Economic, Political, Legal and Ethical) analysis is amongst the most effective tools that are used to monitor changes taking place in the environment of the business (Brown, 2007; Griffith Harmgart, 2008); the analysis is done to identify all important factors that can have a significant impact on any organisation operating in the UK supermarket industry. Li (2008) and Vasquez-Nicholson (2011) emphasized that Morrison PLC is a dominant brand in the UK supermarket industry as it derives its competitive edge by doing STEEPLE analysis frequently. It has successfully achieved its target market size by exploiting all strengths and availing opportunities present in its external environment. STEEPLE Analysis of UK Supermarket Every market is significantly impacted by both micro and macro environmental factors, but macro environmental factors have more influence on operational activities of a business (Jarett, 2012). Each factor of STEEPLE analysis with its relation to the UK supermarket industry is discussed below: Social Analysis The current trends of consumers in the UK market depict that they are moving from one stop shopping to a bulk buying mode as there are various social changes happening in the country. Supermarkets have availability of various non-food items which are usually on sale in the market. There have been demographic changes because there is an increase in old people, the number of female workers is increasing, and there is a significant reduction in homemade meals (Davis and Relly, 2009). There is more emphasis on the private label share of every business mix, efficiency in supply chain, and improvements in operational activities so that the overall cost of business is reduced. Most of the retail giants in UK are now shifting to local suppliers for their purchases and stock requirements (Vasquez-Nicholson, 2011; Waterman, 2007). In addition, consumers demand of products and services has changed because of their social conditioning along with their beliefs and attitudes (Lyan, 2007). Technological Analysis Technological developments have enhanced the service level of supermarkets in UK as they have benefitted both consumers and companies. With the help of technological gadgets, products are available quickly, personalized services are offered to customers and shopping has become convenient (Akter, 2012). The major systems that have enhanced UK supermarkets functioning are Electronic Point of Sale, Efficient Consumer Response, Electronic scanners and Electronic Funds Transfer System; these systems have assisted in efficient distribution and merchandizing activities so that requirements of each company are effectively communicated on time to the supplier (Grugulis, Bozkurt and Clegg, 2010). Environmental Analysis All organisations have to show that they engage in environment friendly activities; there is increased pressure on various managers and companies for acknowledging their social responsibility and they are required to behave in a beneficial way for the society (Smith, 2004). In the UK supermarket industry, the main issue at hand is that food retailers have to demonstrate that they conduct their operations in ways that are beneficial for the society as a whole and that is why every leading supermarket has taken initiatives to show their Corporate Social Responsibility promise. Even the UK government has launched a strategy for consumption in a sustainable manner and made mandatory changes in production methods to cut down waste, reduce resource consumption that produces harmful gases or particles which can cause pollution, and minimize damage to the environment (Trail, 2006). Economic Analysis The main factors to be studied in economic analysis are demands, costs, prices, profits, inflation, unemployment, interest rates and fluctuation in exchange rates along with various micro economic factors such as labour availability, product market, competitive structure and nature of competition. Considering the UK economys performance in 2012, its GDP growth rate is 1%, CPI rate is 2.2 %, unemployment rate is 7.9% and the current balance of payments is account deficit of GBP 2.8 billion (Trading Economics, 2012). Micro Economic Analysis Since international businesses of these supermarkets are growing, they are likely to get affected by reduction in the demand of UK food market and there is an increased exposure to risk of market concentration. There is immense pressure on existing companies to make sure that every factor is well studied so that all resources are effectively utilized. The Product Market All supermarkets have been developed with providing one stop buying facility and they have provided a wide range of options to the customers. Nowadays, people are looking for healthy and nutritious food so that they remain fit and healthy; the demand of organic foods has increased and customers are looking for easy access to these food items. The supermarkets are now placing these food items in their outlets to respond to their customer demands. The Labour Market As the number of supermarkets is increasing in UK, there is a huge requirement for workforce that can provide services to customers with perfection. Since skills required for performing necessary tasks are of a lower level, people with minimum education can easily find a job in this market. The labour availability is high as people have many jobs available in this field. Also, the demand of products is increasing, so supermarkets have added huge variations in each category. Competitive Structure In UK, the supermarket industry is believed to be an oligopoly market, which is highly competitive; there are four main firms in this industry, i.e. Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Morrison, which have more than 75% of the overall market share (Jarett, 2012). The pricing is almost the same, so customers are able to buy the products they need within their affordable range. Nature of Competition The nature of competition is getting intensified: the number of competitors is increasing because other companies are entering this field, such as Waitrose, Marks Spencer and many more (Seely, 2012). Political and Legal Analysis The political parties in UK are taking aggressive steps to protect the small shops and stores in the country so that their business does not close down; they have imposed many restrictions on the supermarkets so that a fair and competitive environment is created in the grocery industry. The Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission are the two main bodies that ensure that supermarkets do not create monopoly and offer fair prices to the customers. Recently, the government has relaxed UK Sunday Trading Laws for benefits of the employees and introduced a new style of food labelling so that shoppers in the supermarket can make healthy choices. Since obesity is the primary issue in the UK population, there is a growing trend of organic and healthy food and various initiatives are being taken by the government to create awareness of eating healthy and nutritious food. The government has also passed the laws for reducing the usage of single carrier plastic bags so that the environment is protected from any kind of pollution. Ethic Analysis In the UK supermarket industry, each company has to ensure that its business operations are conducted in accordance with the ethical standards. The sector is assumed by law to be observing ethical behaviour and conduct business practices in accordance with corporate governance. Every organisation has to ensure that it conducts its practices with integrity, transparency, accountability and honesty (Nicholls and Opal, 2005). Linkage of STEEPLE Analysis with Morrison PLC STEEPLE analysis plays an important role in identifying all important factors that are impacting Morrison PLC, but the most important factors are social, economic and legal ones. The social factors are of utmost importance because every company exists to serve its customers; it is important to understand their changing trends so that products and services are modified accordingly. Likewise, analysis of economic factors gives an idea of economic condition along with spending power of customers; with the help of these factors, it can decide on its operational activities and further expansion plans. Since legislation is a mandatory part of every business environment, Morrison will have to ensure that it follows all rules and regulations to ensure compliance with the legislative framework; in case any rule is broken, a heavy penalty will be charged, which can be costly for the company. Hence, these three factors are the most important areas of concern for Morrison PLC. Importance of Human Resource Management in Supermarkets HRM is an integral part of every business organisation, and it is important for them to have a highly skilled and motivated workforce that will assist them in achieving their desired goals and move successfully ahead in the industry (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2008). Following are the two examples of importance of HRM in the UK supermarket industry: Tesco Tesco is among the largest supermarkets of UK that employs more than 326,000 people and has been earning a consistent stream of revenue in the last couple of years (Euromonitor International, 2010). The company has done a competitive analysis to improve the ways in which interaction is done with customers. In order to enhance its position in the supermarket industry of UK, it has used concepts of welfare management, continuous improvement and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) along with well designed HRM strategies. The employees are treated as champions and are even rewarded for their extraordinary achievements; they are involved in decision making process as well. All of these interactive initiatives enhanced employees satisfaction level, motivation and productivity along with acceptance to change and have high morale for work. In order to ensure that Tesco provides a favourable working environment to its employees, it has properly implemented all important laws that will ensure employees are given their rights. For instance, they are given competent compensation packages, working environment is conducive, preventive measures are taken to provide healthy and a safe environment, and equal job opportunities and various other benefits are given (Freeman, 2009). In order to ensure that everyone is given the best employment opportunities, it is important for Tesco to conduct market analysis on an ongoing basis. It seeks help from marketing agencies that evaluate environment and ensure that they design competent compensation packages. By focusing on efficient development of its workforce, Tesco has been able to gain a competitive edge in the market. The satisfaction surveys of employees have shown that they are satisfied with their working environment and they will remain loyal to the company forever. With the help of a participative management culture, Tesco has been able to identify its weak areas and has successfully made the required changes so that overall performance of the company improves (Grugulis, Bozkurt and Clegg, 2010). Sainsburys When Sainsburys noticed that its sales were declining and it was unable to achieve its target market share, it decided to do its competitive analysis, which meant doing both internal and external analysis. The main problem highlighted in the analysis was that it lacked a competent and loyal workforce and there was misalignment between the organisation strategy and the companys overall strategy. There was a lot of miscommunication in the organisation as employees had lack of clarity about their jobs and how they were supposed to make contribution in the company. Overall, its HR department was not functioning smoothly as the right workforce was not employed at that time (Fox and Vorley 2004; Li, 2008). The foremost thing that was required was to change the culture of the organisation and it was made possible by receiving top management support. The code of conduct along with HR policies and regulations were distributed to employees so that they were aware of new rules and regulations that they had to abide by; job descriptions were changed to match demands of every position. Sainsburys even did a market survey to identify HR structures of its competitors and also compensation packages that should be offered to employees. After planning of HRM, it was implemented properly and monitored at small intervals to check its progress; six months later, Sainsburys observed an upward trend in its sales figures, along with an improved satisfaction level of employees. The company made changes in its recruitment and selection, training and developments, compensation and benefits and performance appraisal processes so that everything in HRM was well-integrated. Conclusion In order to be competitive in todays supermarket industry, companies have to make sure that they do analysis of their internal and external environments on an ongoing basis so that they have the latest information about things that are happening in their surroundings. Although STEEPLE analysis is important for identifying the factors which have a tendency of influencing the working environment of supermarkets, equally important are their workforces as they are the ones who are in direct interaction with customers. The main factor affecting the supermarket industry of UK is the workforce as it is important for the supermarkets to employ people who are well-skilled and efficient in helping the companies in achieving their corporate objectives. Since the number of employees in this sector is increasing, there are more chances that the employment level increases and spending power of people is enhanced. Another important factor that needs to be addressed is the growing concern for a healthy lifestyle and food; the consumers are now shifting to organic food. Therefore, the supermarkets have to ensure that they have a specific range of products that are demanded by customers, so that they can ensure that they maintain their position in the market.

Terry Kays To Dance With the White Dog :: To Dance With the White Dog

The Power of Love in Terry Kay's To Dance With the White Dog Terry Kay said there was a grand romance of life between his parents. (179). Kay captures his parent’s undying love and celebrates his family in his novel To Dance With the White Dog. Kay believes that his parent’s love still carried on, even after their death. Sam and Cora Peek’s love is portrayed through the white dog that Sam saw licking up grease on his back porch. Strangely, the white dog looked just like a dog that Sam and his wife had when they first were married. Another factor that makes the occurrence of the white dog even stranger is that it did not show up at Sam’s house until after Cora died. Kay said that his parents had an undying love; he uses his novel to express his parent’s love. Kay also notes that true love does not recognize the concept of time and can possibly carry on lasting for eternity. Whenever Sam Peek needed anyone, the white dog was there for him. The White dog would only show herself when she felt necessary. One night Sam Peek’s hip was bothering him very bad. Sam got out of his chair to get a pain pill but hit the floor soon after. The white dog strangely opened the door and was running around the yard. Kate, one of Sam’s daughters, saw the white dog. The white dog was trying to protect Sam and was only there for him in times of crisis. The white dog was possibly Cora’s undying love extending from heaven. Cora wanted to be there for Sam regardless of the boundaries and she was able to through the white dog. Later on in the book, Sam died from cancer. Sam’s youngest child, James, went to his parent’s grave. â€Å"James walked into the plot, between the grave mounds of his mother and father, and he knelt. Then he saw them: across the chest of sand on the grave of Robert Samuel Peek, he saw the paw prints, prints so light they could have been made by air.† (178). Cora did not have to worry about Sam since he was finally with her in heaven. So as soon as Sam died, the white dog disappeared. Terry Kay believed that there was an undying love between his parents. That was evident in the short time the white dog was with Sam.