Managing Innovation at Nypro, Inc.

Table of Contents Introduction Nypro Inc.’s Competitive Edge Nypro’s strategy Knowledge management Strategy development Recommendation References Introduction Nypro Inc. is a plastic injection molding company which was established in 1955 as Nypro products cooperation and the performance of the company was average, similar to other companies in the plastic injection molding industry. Only when Gordon Lankton joined the company as general manager in 1962 did the company improve in performance and sales.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Managing Innovation at Nypro, Inc. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nypro Inc.’s Competitive Edge In comparison to other companies, Nypro has numerous competitive advantages that have made the company unique. Nypro has fostered internal competition rather than external competition to perpetuate growth and innovation, basically this means that Nypro competes within its self rather than with other companies. The competition is also broad in its implementation beginning within each of the 21 Nypro plants. Employees in these plants are subdivided into teams, and these teams are assigned a similar project to work on (Voorheis 1998). Members of the most successful team are then rewarded through the stock program depending on their consistent performance. Additionally, aggressive competition has been nurtured between all of Nypro’s 21 plants to encourage innovation. Performance statistics are collected on a quarterly basis and the performance results of all plants are distributed to all plants. The successful procedures of the best plants are emphasized together with the failures of the plant that performed worst. This way, plants have the opportunity to learn from each other and implement successful procedures while avoiding errors committed by other plants. A good example is the Burlington North Carolina plant which used de dicated hoses to supply different viscous plastic to each machine reducing on impurities and cleaning costs; soon after, every Nypro plant was copying the innovation and using dedicated hoses (Voorheis 1998). Nypro’s strategy Nypro has been able to formulate an intricate yet successful strategy to govern how organizational procedures, manufacturing, sales and product developments are managed. The first step into crafting the strategy was the selection of prime locations for their plants. Plants are located in metropolitan environments where their products are readily accessible to clients. In addition, these plants specialize in the manufacturing of custom injection plastics that are of high demand in their locale. For example the plant in Illinois specializes in providing for the healthcare industry in northern Chicago while the Oregon plant serves the needs of Hewlett-Packard. The clientele base was also shrunk by focusing on corporate clients rather than individual clients . In reference to the internal organization of the plants, each plant had its own board of directors rather than a centralized form of leadership for all plants (Voorheis 1998).Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The board of directors is selected from different plants, with every member of the board coming from different departments of different plants. In so doing, the board is composed of a variety of individuals with vast experiences ranging in all aspects that pertain to the interests of Nypro (Clayton, 1999). In product development, development teams are set up comprising of Nypro engineers and the client firm’s engineers; the responsibility of these teams is to conceptualize the product and recommend cost effective processes for production. Once through, the development teams are disbanded and Continuous Improvement teams set in place to analyze manufac turing, procurement of materials and marketing. Once the product is released to the market, a business review committee is set up to follow up on the success of the product. Knowledge management Nypro has shown exceptional information and knowledge management, a strong reason to the success of this company. Even though they encourage internal friendly competition, vital information on successful processes and failed processes has to be shared. The quarterly performance reports was not enough to ensure the consistent flow of information and therefore the Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP2) software systems were integrated into Nypro to ensure there was proper knowledge management between all plants. The software provided a platform where all plants and their customers could communicate on the production planning of particular products and share data regarding different production models. Additionally, knowledge management can be demonstrated by the integration of different individ uals from diverse plants who are successful in various departments, to form a board of directors for each plant. It is therefore evident that a board of directors has a vast wealth of knowledge from a cross section of the company and they are responsible for propelling growth by incorporating their expertise (Voorheis 1998). Strategy development The de facto strategy at Nypro during its initial years was similar to other existing molding companies in that they focused on small scale customers such as individuals and small companies to supply them with custom injected plastics. However, with the introduction of the strategic planning process, Nypro took on large scale customers with demanding technologically progressive jobs. This approach saw the number of Nypro†s customers drop drastically but the remaining clients were large multi-national companies and as a consequence, the revenue per customer rose by more than 500%.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Managing Innovation at Nypro, Inc. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the high demand that came with the customers also came the need for a larger workforce and new manufacturing technology. The de facto strategy can be considered as redundant in that it did not produce significant results or apply a different approach to production. In comparison, the strategic planning process was highly efficient and progressive and it led to the expansion of Nypro and the increase in revenue. Recommendation At the end of the case, it is recommend that Lankton also considers the manufacturing of custom injection plastics for individuals and small scale companies; this means that Lankton can expand on the current workforce to include a department for small-scale production to carter for these small scale companies (Clayton, 1999). This department can receive two NovaPlast molders and function effectively both in production and sales, be aring in mind the prime locations and goodwill the company has. References Clayton, M.C. (1999).Innovation and the general manager. California: rwin/McGraw-Hill. Voorheis, R. (1998). Managing Innovation at Nypro, Inc. (A). Harvard Business School Journal 9:696-061. This critical writing on Managing Innovation at Nypro, Inc. was written and submitted by user Mohammed Stark 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.

Understanding Americas Digital Divide

Understanding America's Digital Divide While America’s once vast digital divide is narrowing, the gap between groups of people who have those who lack access to computers and the internet persists, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. What is the Digital Divide? The term â€Å"digital divide† refers to the gap between those who have easy access to computers and the internet and those who do not due to various demographic factors. Once referring mainly to the gap between those with and without access to information shared via telephones, radios, or televisions, the term is now used mainly to describe the gap between those with and without internet access, particularly high-speed broadband. Despite having some level of access to digital information and communication technologies, various groups continue to suffer the limitations of the digital divide in the form of lower-performance computers and slower, unreliable internet connections such as dial-up. Making quantifying the information gap even more complex, the list of devices used to connect to the internet has grown from basic desktop computers to include devices such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, MP3 music players, video gaming consoles, and electronic readers. No longer simply a question of having access or not, the digital divide is now best described as â€Å"who connects to what and how?† Or as Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai described it, the gap between â€Å"those who can use cutting-edge communications services and those who cannot.† Drawbacks of Being in the Divide Persons without access to computers and the internet are less able to fully take part in America’s modern economic, political and social life. Perhaps most significantly, children who fall into the communication gap lack access to modern educational technology such as internet-based distance learning. Access to broadband internet has become increasingly important in carrying out simple day-to-day chores like accessing health information, online banking, choosing a place to live, applying for jobs, looking up government services, and taking classes. Just as when the problem was first recognized and addressed by the U.S. federal government in 1998, the digital divide remains concentrated among older, less educated, and less affluent populations, as well as those living in rural areas of the country that tend to have fewer connectivity choices and slower internet connections. Progress in Closing the Divide For historical perspective, the Apple-I personal computer went on sale in 1976. The first IBM PC hit the stores in 1981, and in 1992, the term â€Å"surfing the internet† was coined. In 1984, only 8% of all American households had a computer, according to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS). By 2000, about half of all households (51%) had a computer. In 2015, this percentage grew to nearly 80%. Adding in smartphones, tablets and other internet-enabled devices, the percentage rose to 87% in 2015. However, just owning computers and connecting them to the internet are two different things. When the Census Bureau began collecting data on internet use as well as computer ownership in 1997, only 18% of households used the internet. A decade later, in 2007, this percentage had more than tripled to 62% and increased to 73% in 2015. Of the 73% of households using the internet, 77% had a high-speed, broadband connection. So who are the Americans still in the digital divide? According to the latest Census Bureau report on Computer and Internet Use in the United States compiled in 2015, both computer and internet use continue to vary based on a variety of factors, most notably, age, income, and geographic location. The Age Gap Households headed by persons 65 years and older continue to lag behind households headed by younger persons in both computer ownership and internet use. While up to 85% of households headed by a person under age 44 owned desktop or laptop computers, only 65% of households headed by a person age 65 and older owned or used a desktop or laptop in 2015. Ownership and use of handheld computers showed an even greater variation by age. While up to 90% of households headed by a person less than 44 years of age had a handheld computer, only 47% of households headed by a person 65 years and older used some type of handheld device. Similarly, while up to 84% of households headed by a person less than 44 years of age had a broadband internet connection, the same was true in only 62% of households headed by a person aged 65 and older. Interestingly, 8% of households without a desktop or laptop computer depended on smartphones alone for internet connectivity. This group included 8% of householders ages 15 to 34, versus 2% of households with householders age 65 and older. Of course, the age gap is expected narrow naturally as younger current computer and internet users grow older. The Income Gap Not surprisingly, the Census Bureau found that using a computer, whether a desktop or laptop or handheld computer, increased with household income. The same pattern was observed for a broadband internet subscription. For example, 73% of households with annual incomes of $25,000 to $49,999 owned or used a desktop or laptop, compared with only 52% of households earning less than $25,000. â€Å"Low-income households had the lowest overall connectivity, but the highest proportion of ‘handheld only’ households,† said Census Bureau demographer Camille Ryan. â€Å"Similarly, black and Hispanic households had relatively low connectivity overall but high proportions of handheld only households. As mobile devices continue to evolve and increase in popularity, it will be interesting to see what happens with this group.† The Urban vs. Rural Gap The longstanding gap in computer and internet use between urban and rural Americans not only persists but is growing wider with the increased adoption of new technologies such as the smartphone and social media. In 2015, all persons living in rural areas were less likely to use the internet than their urban counterparts. However, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NITA) found that certain groups of rural residents face a particularly wide digital divide. For example, 78% of Whites, 68% of African Americans, and 66% of Latinos nationwide use the internet. In rural areas, however, only 70% of White Americans had adopted the Internet, compared to 59% of African Americans and 61% of Latinos. Even as internet use has increased dramatically overall, the rural vs. urban gap remains. In 1998, 28% of Americans living in rural areas used the Internet, compared to 34% of those in urban areas. In 2015, over 75% of urban Americans used the internet, compared to 69% of those in rural areas. As NITA points out, the data shows a consistent 6% to 9% gap between rural and urban communities internet use over time. This trend, says NITA, shows that in spite of advances in technology and government policy, the barriers to internet use in rural America are complex and persistent. People who are less likely to use the internet no matter where they live- such as those with lower income or education level- face even greater disadvantages in rural areas. In the words of the FCC chairman, â€Å"If you live in rural America, there’s a better than a 1-in-4 chance that you lack access to fixed high-speed broadband at home, compared to a 1-in-50 probability in our cities.† In an effort to address the problem, the FCC in February 2017, created the Connect America Fund allocating up to $4.53 billion over a period of 10 years to advance high-speed 4G LTE wireless internet service primarily in rural areas. Guidelines regulating the fund will make it easier for rural communities to get federal subsidies for advancing internet availability.

What are the pros and cons of company's IPO Should company be floated Essay

What are the pros and cons of company's IPO Should company be floated at all - Essay Example Although the aim of growth is to bring benefits to the company, there exist both pros and cons that can arise from this process of going public (Helwege 2004, p.541). Pros and cons of Initial Public Offer (IPO) There are several advantages that accrue to a company by going public. As mentioned above, the principal advantage is the financial benefit through raising capital. An IPO adds a value on the company's stock. In addition, those insiders retaining stock are able to sell their shares or even use them as collateral (Datta 2000, p.715). Going public also creates a currency type in the form of its stock, which can be used in making acquisitions. In addition, there is a possibility that the company can access the capital markets for its future financing needs. Overall, a company's debt-to-equity ratio improves considerably after an initial public offering, which indicates that the business is likely to earn more favorable loan terms from its lenders (Datta 2000, p. 716). Another adv antage is the increase of public awareness of the company. IPOs normally produce more publicity by increasing the awareness of their products to a new group of potential customers. Subsequently this is expected to increase the company’s market share. The founders can also use the IPO as an exit strategy. Many venture capitalists have tried this in an attempt to open up successful companies (Hao 2007, p.112). For others, the prestige associated with the public companies or a post of a director or officer of any public company has a certain allure. Furthermore, going public puts the company ahead for promotion. The publicly traded companies are mostly better known than non-publicly traded ones. The company can gain publicity and a stable image by trading publicly. This makes the public companies offer a wide variety of stock, which has a considerable potential of significant appreciation in value. Those companies will trade publicly and portray a positive image hence attracting highly qualified personnel at all levels of management. It is possible to view such companies as growth-oriented hence their duty is to answer to a board of directors and shareholders who in turn demand increased profitability as frequent as possible, and also act quickly to solve managerial problems and also replace those senior executives who are performing poorly (Benninga 2005, p.117). Although the benefits of an IPO are many, there are certain challenges. One outstanding challenge is the disclosure of information to investors. There is a high cost of complying with the regulatory requirements. Other costs that will also arise include the generation of financial reporting documents and audit fees (Hao 2007, p.112). This will subject the public companies to added pressure of the market. This may force them to focus mainly on short-term results rather than their long-term growth. Since the investor is keen on profits, management will be under scrutiny. This may trigger the manage ment to engage in questionable practices in order to increase earnings. Another setback of going public is that these public companies operate under precise scrutiny. There is disclosure of confidential information touching on the company including those transactions with management; the prospectus divulges prior violation of security law and executive compensation. This may be confidential information belonging to the company that it may be reluctant to reveal. Furthermore, formalisation of the decision-making process follows and with less flexibility when the shareholders are also there. This may bring complexities to these companies. Previously, decision making was quite flexible due to the presence of few people. The company is also subject to

Effect of Television on language development Essay

Effect of Television on language development - Essay Example Modern life is a haven of myriad issues that subject humanity to series of arguments and researches that seek to demystify and define these complex occurrences. Television, though relatively old, is a device that totally revolutionized the social lives of humanity. It brought into focus several issues of concern and continues to elicit heated debates regarding its effects on various aspects of human development and social life. Indeed, it must be emphasized that any technological invention must have its special repercussions on a particular sector of human life. Children today make up much of the population that spends much time in front of the television sets. Perhaps this occurs due to the ample time that children will usually have contrary to their parents and other adults. In that manner, several researches have been conducted with an aim of establishing the influences of television on children and establishing whether these effects are positive or detrimental. One particular iss ue regards the influence of television on children’s language development and the ascertainment of the myriad hypothesis that abound regarding this heated topic. It must be remembered that this concern actually arose out of the noticeable differences that were established after several years of observation that necessitated the commencement of this search of facts. Television programs are very many today with particular programs specifically meant for children through adults. For children, such programs mostly include comedies and other comical scenes that are meant for a child’s enjoyment. In most cases, these programs inhibit language development since the language used is never proper. In several cases, children organizations have raised concerns on the type of language used in some of these situations. The ability of a child to internalize basic concepts like language is normally very high in the early stages of development. As such, a television program that uses improper English may impart a lifelong discrepancy in a child. It is therefore appropriate that the concerned parties be very vigilant in their effort to ensure effective language use in television programs meant for children. In adults, this is never an issue, since most adults watch mostly news and documentaries, which are normally addressed in good languages. In most developed countries, it is established that by the time most children join high school, they shall have spent 15000 hours watching television. Well, that demands serious attention. The effect of such addiction emerges considering that in most of these countries; family planning has reduced most families to have two children. It then implies that a child will spent almost half of their pre-high school waking hours completely alone or with a brother or sister watching television. Indeed, the actual speaking of the language mostly enhances the development of proper language in children. The failure to frequently practic e the language will mean that a child will limit their ability of learning a language and will therefore be impaired in a way. Without doubt, television influences the mental occurrences of children as they simply sit and watch without stimulating their minds and subjecting themselves to reasoning that enhances their aptitude. The several arguments regarding the effects of television on language development majorly revolve around the lack of social interaction in children because of being too much glued to the sets. However, the role of parents in children development is an important aspect that needs much analysis. Several cases abound where parents also become addicted to watching television and thereby spent several hours alongside their children glued to their sets. In such a case,

The Network Management Systems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The Network Management Systems - Research Paper Example The network management systems are designed on higher level structures called network management frameworks. There are several network management frameworks like the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and fault-management, configuration, accounting, performance, and security (FCAPS) framework. This report will follow the five staged FCAPS framework to analyze eight NMSs. Selection of a correct NMS relies heavily on an objective requirement analysis. These requirements include hardware, software, and connectivity requirements. Keeping these requirements in mind the report will draw comparisons between various NMSs on the basis of cost, network management standards, future support, relative advantages and security features required at IT LAB. However, the focus of the report will remain on the FCAPS framework for an efficient evaluation of Network Management Systems being gauged. Each of these solutions will be checked for its dynamic response in network fault-managem ent, configuration, and issues related to network security. The assistance provided the by the NMS for remote configuration and fault resolution is another important area which can help in its evaluation of competitive advantage. The selected solution is supposed to be proactive in order to ensure high availability and maximum uptime. Although, provisions like automated setup and configuration are not presently required the availability of such facilities will certainly make a difference in the final selection of a network management solution. No matter how stringent a network security may be, the selected network management system is required to provide a prompt disasters management and recovery mechanisms. All of the NMSs will be assessed for the self-healing and regulated recovery provisions. Another important feature is the ease of use and user-friendliness of the NMS.

Network Rail Quality Improvement

Network Rail Quality Improvement In simple terms, an organisation can be illustrated as a systematically structured and constructed social unit of people who are managed with the aim of meeting a specific need or to pursue collective goals. It is an observable yet concrete association of individuals involved in collective activities for the achievement of common goals and objectives. Within this view, a service organisation may be best identified as an association of organised for their coordination, services of whom extend to the public. This assignment will discuss management of quality with respect to service delivery in a service organisation. In the current scenario, globalisation has exerted pressure on governments all over the world to incorporate the concept of minimum standards in every aspect of organisational management. This implies both in the field of human rights and other aspects of good management such as delivery of public services (Shadrach and Ekeanyanwu, 2003). One such organisation involved in service delivery in the UK is the Network Rail, engaged in public transportation. Network Rails commitment to its customers has been focused over years through their efforts to run trains safely, punctually as well as reliably. Britains rail infrastructure was entrusted to Network rail, almost a decade ago, with the objectives of improving quality, safety, reliability and efficiency of the railway. Since then, a massive, sustained programme for renewing track, signals, power and telecom equipment was run by the Network Rail with the support of Government, thus striving hard to restore the public confidence in the sa fety and punctuality of the railway networks in the UK. Emphasis was placed on predict and prevent approach, rather than find and fix and this required new standardised ways of working on the basis of technological support. Equal importance had to be attached to investing in their stake holders in order to sustain the developments and success. Stakeholders may be illustrated as an individual, group of people or an organisation having direct or indirect responsibility and stake in an organisation as it can affect or be affected by the organisations actions, goals and policies. The stake holders of Network Rail consist of two sets of people. These include industry members and public members. Industry members comprise mainly of train operators, while public members implies people drawn from a cross section of the community who represent the public interest (Network, 2003). In addition, a third member, often referred to as the Special member has been added to the list of stake holders. This is the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) of the UK. In order to prohibit the control of national rail infrastructure companies by train operating companies, industry members are made minority of the total stake holders, whereas public members make up the vast majority. According to terms of network license of the Network Rail, stake holders are viewed as any person providing services relating to the railways; any person providing a railway facility or network, including one which is proposed for, or in the course of construction; any founder ; or any person who has provided in writing to the licence holder a credibility to provide finance for service relating to railways; The Railway Passengers Council and The London Transport users committee; and The Mayor of London and Transport for London, in respect for their services and functions relating to the railway services (Network Rail, 2004). The main funding bodies include Passenger Transport Executives, bodies who provide one off funding like local authority, Assembly Government, Transport Scotland and other regional bodies. Whether funding railway services or providing services or providing services and facilities, these stake holders rely on the Network Rail to realise their aspirations. Their pri mary expectation from this service delivery organisation is provision of highest quality of service, with an assurance of transparency in every action. This requires clear communication and streamlining of objectives and expectations through good relationship between the organisation and the stakeholders. Quality may be broadly viewed as a magnitude of excellence (Shiba et al, 1993). There are several dimensions of quality which determine the concept of quality. One of these dimensions is the conformance to specifications which is determined by designers of the product or service. This relates to how well the service or the product meets the target. The other dimensions include fitness for the use value for price paid, support services and psychological criteria. While fitness for use measures performance of the product or the effectiveness of the service, value for price paid focuses on the usefulness of the service or the product with respect to the amount of money spent. Judgement of a product or service is made on the basis of support services, which determines the quality since the concept of quality is not confined to the product or service alone. It applies to the people, processes involved and the associated organisational environment. On the other hand, psychological criteria present a more subjective definition to the concept of quality since it focuses on the critical evaluation of the constitution of the product or service. Such an evaluation is influenced by many factors such as environmental factors, the prestige of the product as perceived by the customers (Reid and Sanders, 2003). Whether in product manufacture or in service delivery, quality and performance of the organisation affect stake holders. The concept of quality has currently obtained priority in most of the organisations, including those involved in product manufacture as well as those related to service delivery, since they have realised the cost of poor quality. The most adverse consequence of poor quality is the creation of dissatisfied customers, loss of money invested and eventually loss of business. The cost consequences of poor quality may be broadly classified under internal failure costs and external failure costs. Internal failure costs are related to the identification of poor quality of service or product before it reaches the customer. This may include the correction of the defect or rework. This also includes material losses and the cost of labour and machine. On the other hand, external failure costs are linked to the problems with quality after the product or service reaches the customer. This may result in the loss of faith and loyalty of customers. This can eventually lead to customer loss (Reid and Sanders, 2005) and loss of business. With the aim of meeting the expectations of stake holders and ensuring the quality of service, the Network Rail has adopted a code of practice (Network Rail, 2004). Through this code of practice, the Network Rail responds to the requests of stake holders quickly and appropriately, thus listening and taking into account their views. Code of practice acts as a promise to act fairly, treating all stake holders equally and consistently without any discrimination, to establish contacts and allocate with managers with adequate expertise for providing necessary service and to provide complete, accurate and current information to the stake holders. This code of practice also attempts to resolve any enquiries, concerns or complaints without delay, thereby enhancing quality of service. These would also ensure the satisfaction of the stake holders, which is essential for the sustained development of the organisation. Garvin (1988) suggested five principal approaches towards understanding quality and its related aspects. The transcendent approach views quality as a concept which is timeless that transcends changes in tastes or preferences, thus making quality absolute and universally recognisable. Product based view, however, suggests that quality is measurable and hence precise. On the other hand, user based definitions are based on the view that quality is more or less a subjective phenomenon. The need and wants of customers are satisfied through services or products having highest quality. Another approach to understand quality is the manufacture based view which places emphasis on the supply aspect, concerned with the manufacturing and designing practices. The final approach is value based view that adopts the ideas of other approaches, evaluating whether the product or service provide conformance to requirements at a reasonable price (Galvin, 1988). However it must be remembered that the conc ept of quality differs when considering service delivery and product manufacture. According to Reid and Sanders (2005), organisations involved in product manufacture produce products which can be seen, touched and measured. Thus, quality definitions with respect to product manufacture generally places emphasises on product features which are tangible. These definitions include conformance on the magnitude to which the product features meet the standards set by the organisation and the public, performance on the effectiveness of the functioning of the product; reliability or the expectations of the product to function without failure; and serviceability which implies how easily the product can be repaired or fixed. A complete contrast to this approach is the concept of quality in terms of service delivery. This difference rises out of the intangible nature of the product produced by service organisations. On the contrary, these can only be experienced. Hence, quality in service deliv ery is based on perceptions including responsiveness to customer needs, contrary and approach of staff, atmosphere and the promptness in solving issues and complaints (Reid and Sanders, 2005). ISO 8402 (1994) defined quality management as All activities of the overall management that determine the quality policy, objectives and responsibilities, and implement them by means such as quality planning, quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement within the quality system. Quality management is ensured through continuous improvement, also called Kaizen, which encourages organisations to strive continuously to perform better through learning and problem solving. Continuous improvement maybe described as a quality philosophy that places emphasis on going efforts to seek improvements in products, services on processes, with the aim of enhancing quality and decreasing waste (Mc Kee, 2009). It requires an organisation to constantly measure the effectiveness of its performance and strive to meet more difficult challenges and objectives to satisfy stake holders and customers. It is the belief that further improvements are always possible, thus encouraging continuous eva luation of processes and implementation of improvements. No matter how satisfactory the present state of an organisation is, Kaizen is founded in the concept of dissatisfaction with the statuesque, which is necessary to ensure continuous improvement in every aspect. Foundation of improvement is built on the quality standards, which have to be set and monitored in every organisation. According to Shiba et al (1993), quality is checked by making a comparison of output of an organisation and the specifications through standardisation, statistical quality control and inspection. Standardisation refers to a series of action taken for the product and process to be clearly identified. Benchmarking is another tool to measure and monitor the degree of improvement. An improvement part of continuous is the ability to examine and study how other organisations perform. Benchmarking, according to Reid and Sanders (2005), is the process of studying the performance and practices of other organisations which are considered the best for the purpose of comparison. In order to enable organisations to objectively document their quality practices around the world, the need for universal standards were recognised as necessary. This led to the creation of International Organisation for Standardisation, whose objective is to establish an agreement on international quality standards. The ISO 9000: 2000 Quality Management Systems- Fundamentals and Standards provides a basis for understanding the system of standards. This standard set by ISO provides the terminology and specific definitions used in the standards. The standards used for the certification of an organisations quality management system is the ISO 9000: 2000 Quality Management Systems- Requirements. The guidelines for establishing a quality management system is given by ISO 9000: 2000 Quality Management Systems- Guidelines for Performance. These standards focus on meeting the customer requirements as well as on continuous improvement. Continuous improvement is an essential aspect in service delivery, especially in the case of organisations like National Rail, which are involved in public transport. Studies have revealed the sad state of public transport. Five case studies of bad customer service were examined by Dale et al in 2001. Zeithaml et al (1990) identified the four components of the gap between the expectations of the customers and the stake holders and the perception of the actual service by the customers and the stake holders. The understanding gap occurs usually when the management fails to perceive the expectations of stake holders and customers accurately. Design gap occurs when the management is unable to specify and design a service accordingly to their understanding of the stakeholders and customers. Due to the shortage of resources, lack of commitment, inadequate quality control or inadequate training, there might be a failure in the delivery of what is specified and this is recognised as a servic e delivery gap. A communication gap, on the other hand, occurs when what is specified and what is delivered are not accurately publicised. Several studies have identified these gaps in service delivery organisation and these points to the need for continuous improvement in these organisations. This could in turn improve the quality of services, enhance the loyalty and trust placed by customers as well as stake holders on organisations, improve retention of staff and ensure satisfaction of stakeholders and customers. Several methods have been identified for the implementation of continuous improvement or Kaizen. One of the most popular systems this genre is Total Quality Management According to Tague (2005), Total Quality Management (TQM) can be described as any quality management system that makes an effort to address all areas of an organisation, emphasizing customer satisfaction and using continuous improvement methods and tools. TQM focuses on the identification of the root causes of quality defects and problems and correcting these at the source. It emphasis that quality is customer driven. TQM encompasses the organisation as a whole, attempting to embed quality in every single aspect of the organisation. Not only does it include the technical aspects of quality, but it is concerned with the involvement of people in quality including stakeholders (Reid and Sanders, 2005), thus making it an important method to ensure continuous improvement in service delivery organisations like Network Rail. The most prominent feature of TQM is the organisations focus on stakeholders including customers. This philosophy defines quality as meeting and exceeding the expectations of stakeholders, including customers. Thus the first and foremost objective of organisation adopting TQM will be the identified of needs of customers and stakeholders after which these have to be met appropriately. This will require continuous gathering of information. Berry (1991) suggested that TQM process is a total corporate emphasis on meeting and exceeding expectations of customers while significantly decreasing costs resulting from poor quality by adopting a novel management system and corporate culture. Dahlgaard et al., (1998) views TQM as a way of managing an organisation or an enterprise towards achieving complete excellence. The principles of TQM encompass numerous elements including management leadership and commitment, involvement of employees, continuous improvement, and supplier partnership and so on. Shea and Gobeli (1995) identified the motives behind the adoption of TQM by organisations; management philosophy and belief in the principle of stakeholder as well as customer satisfaction and employee empowerment, competitive nature arising out of the changing expectations of customers even for those organisations which are performing well; and to improve poor performance of organisations which are not performing well in order to ensure survival. The seven QC tools were brought to organisational attention by Ishikawa, the Father of Quality Circles. His original seven tools included cause-and-effect diagram, check sheet, Shewharts control charts, histograms, Pareto chart, Scatter diagram and Stratification or Flowchart. Quality Function Deployment (QFD), the Baldrige Award, Six Sigma, theory of constraints and Lean manufacturing are the new tools or revitalisation and replacing of previous concepts and tools. Implementation and effectiveness are often assessed using PDSA cycle. All these approaches are astonishingly compatible with one another and hence several enterprise are combining these tools for the successful implementation of continuous improvement since ISO 9000 focuses on consistency through standardisation it can be used by organisations to create a foundation for the development of continuous improvement through Six Sigma and Lean which focuses on quality through elimination of defects and speed and efficiency by elimination of waste respectively. The criteria set by MBNQA can act as a support and guidance for the senior management for the development and establishment of organisational systems and culture that support continuous improvement (Reid and Sanders, 2005). QFD, Total Quality Management, Theory of Constraints and Synchronous flow can be utilised to understand the wants and needs of customers while improving every phase involved in the process focussing particularly on the slowest phase. These approaches can be integrated with bench mar king and other approaches of standardisation to evaluate the quality of service or product and to encourage continuous improvement within the organisation irrespective of present state. However, it must be noted that each of these approaches should be selected on the basis of requirement of the organisation (Tague, 2005). For organisations, including those involved in product manufacture and service delivery, an important approach that help with continuous improvement is the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle which illustrates never ending process of continuous improvement in its circular nature. The first step in this process is to plan, where the managers must evaluate and document the current system and develop plans based on the defects detected. The next step in PDSA cycle is the implementation of the plan (Do), during which the managers must collect adequate data for evaluation and document all changes made. Studying the data collected constitute the third step. On the basis of first three phases the final phase require the managers to act and the whole process is repeated (Reid and Sanders, 2005). Success of continuous improvement approaches depends upon team approach. Quality must be viewed as an organisational effort. This may be achieved through techniques such as quality control tools, group discussions, and brain storming and so on. There for time must be set aside for team meetings. Importance must also be given to measures for employee empowerment to seek out qualities and rectify them, through workshops, employee educations and good communication. All these depend upon leadership and management structure of the organisation. Successful implementation of continuous improvement processes also requires effective workplace relationships and understanding of wants and needs of stake holders and customers. Adoption of these aspects is essential for the sustain success and development of organisations like Network Rail. This assignment, thus, has attempted to study the influence of stake holders on organisation. Examining the aspect of quality improvement in Network Rail this assignment discuss the various approaches for improving quality in service delivery. It can be concluded that for ensuring a sustained development and benefit to organisations it is necessary to ensure that all improvements made satisfy all the stake holders. It has to be remembered that the ultimate goal of quality management is to satisfy the needs of stake holders including customers. Teamwork , effective leadership and communication within the organisation and efforts to understand the changing needs and wants of stakeholders and customers are the essential ingredients for the successful implementation of such a venture

Who The Hell Is Connie Chung? :: essays research papers fc

Who the Hell is Connie Chung? How does one go from being called â€Å"America’s sweetheart† to being labeled a â€Å"shameless tabloid whore† (Revah 10)? Connie Chung knows. Co-anchoring the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather and hosting her own Eye to Eye, she was once on top of the broadcast journalism world, yet all good things must come to an end. Connie Chung had a glorious rise and a dramatic fall. Connie Chung began her career as an assignment editor and on-the-air-reporter at a local Washington, D.C. television station WTTG. But her big break came in 1971, when the Federal Communications Commission began pressuring television networks to hire more minorities and women. Chung applied at CBS’s Washington bureau. She once told Daniel Paisner, â€Å"They had only one woman at CBS News at the time, and I think they wanted to hire more. So, they hired me, they hired Leslie Stahl, they hired Michelle Clark, and they hired Sylvia Chase.... In other words, a Chinese woman a black woman, a nice Jewish girl, and a blond shiska. And so they took care of years of discrimination.† (Moritz 107) Chung covered George McGovern’s presidential campaign in 1971 and accompanied Richard Nixon on trips to the Middle East and the Soviet Union in 1972. In 1976, she became a news anchor for KNXT, the local CBS television station in Los Angeles. There, her salary went from about $27,000 a year to an estimated $600,000, making Connie Chung one of the country’s highest-paid local news anchors in 1983. She received many honors, including an award for best television reporting from the Los Angeles Press Club in 1977 and Local Emmys in 1978 and 1980. (Moritz 108) In 1984, Chung, eager to return to reporting national politics, was asked to anchor NBC News at Sunrise. Of course, she did not let this opportunity pass her by. Chung’s â€Å"new job....also included serving as a political correspondent for the NBC Nightly News program, anchoring the network’s Saturday evening news, and doing three prime-time, ninety-second news casts a week† (Moritz 108). Chung’s â€Å"status as a rising network star was reaffirmed when, in November 1983, she made the first of many appearances on the Today show as a substitute for anchorwoman Jane Pauley† (Moroitz 108). Connie Chung announced in March 1989 that she would rejoin CBS after her NBC contract expired in May. She was to anchor a revamped West 57th Street and the CBS Sunday Night News, and to be one of the main substitute anchors for Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News. This agreement was worth nearly $1.

Member of the Wedding

The Member of The Wedding, Carson McCullers Main Characters: Frankie Addams is a twelve year old who in the middle of a sexual and emotional awakening. She feels totally isolated and disconnected from the world all around her. She isn't a member of any clique or group, because of this she becomes obsessed with the fact that she is going to be a member of her brother Jarvis' wedding. Frankie puts all her hopes in dreams into this one event and plans to make. Connection with another group of people, and to disconnect herself from being lonely again.Getting away from childhood is a hard task for her and she has trouble with it, she tries to make changes on the outside to get a better impression but that is a fail. Her biggest struggle is getting over something's that relate to being a female adult like getting her menstruation cycle and sex, Frankie is extremely ignorant when it comes to these two subjects. My first impression of Frankie is that someone needs to teach her how to grow u p. Setting: Frankie Addams is a 12 year old living in the American south in 1944. Summary: Frankie Addams is a young 12 year old living in the American South, the book is about her main frustration with feeling like she doesn't belong as a member in any group and that she's disconnected from the world all around her. She is the daughter of a jeweler and a mom who died during child birth. She spends most of her time being obsessed with her brothers wedding. Frankie tries to find unity with other people and this causes major conflict in the story. When Frankie tries to grow up and become apart of the adult world she notices that there is some stuff she doesn't like about the adult world.One major thing she didn't like is that married couples only include two people which makes her not apart of her dream of being a threesome with Jarvis and Janice. Bernice helped Frankie understand what she needed to know about the adult world and some of the struggles of being an adult. My favorite p assage was â€Å"Bernice tells of a couple she knows in which a woman fell in love with a man who later had a sex change. † that was my favorite because it was so funny. My first impression was to laugh. Conclusion: I liked the ending of the story because it kind of gave some insight on how Frankie matured a little, I wouldn't change the end.

Post-production of Donnie Darko essays

Post-production of Donnie Darko essays The post-production in the movie Donnie Darko played a huge role in the filming of this movie. The audio, which was music from the 80s, give the movie the feeling of the time when the story took place. The narrative had to be done before the actual shooting because they had to know when and where to narrate certain parts of the film. Since the movie took place in more of a suburban neighborhood the producer had to figure out where he wanted to film the majority of the movie. So im sure some re-search had to be done to find the perfect place he was thinking of. The special effects had to be planned out long before the shooting began or else they wouldnt be able to show what the director was trying to get across to the audience. Finding someone to do the effects for him to had to be put into place im sure also. Before any location or special effects can be done the over all budget of the film and to be put into place. As a first time producer im sure the budget wasnt too high so everything had to be right in order so the film didnt bust its over all budget. So when post production is planned out and followed through right the results can come out just as you wanted. Knowing what you want and how you want it to be done takes time and a budget but it can be done with careful planning. ...

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening essays

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening essays "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" Whose woods these are I think I know. To watch his woods fill up with snow. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, The rhyme scheme is: aaba bbcb ccdc dddd Since there are 4 iambs per line, this is a tetrameter. This poem is an "iambic tetrameter." Thesis: Robert Frost uses metaphors with euphonic sounds to express his desire for adventure in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Many people consider Robert Frost to be one of America's greatest poets, myself included. I believe one of his best poems to be Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. In this poem, Frost describes a person stopping just outside of town in a wooded area with his horse. He stops for a moment to appreciate the wonder of the world that he has spent so much time in, something that he may not have done much in his younger years or lately. This horse could be a metaphor for the pressures of the rest of the society. The horse nudges the speaker on as if to ask if there is some mistake, just as society might nudge someone into movement and not understand the necessity of stopping to smell the roses. The last three lines of the poem could be the realization that, although the speaker might like to stay in the woods much longer, there are responsibilities that must be attended to or adventures desired before the final rest, or death, takes him. The poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening is, therefore, an al ...

Case brief Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Brief - Case Study Example The Labor Secretary has been given the constitutional powers to assess whether the employer has observed the necessary precautions to ensure employees safety in work place. Also the commission was tasked with constitutional powers to review such cases when they occur and deliver its ruling. Also the decision to determine which measure is safe for employees environment is left to the employer but not limited only to his knowledge but also to the familiarity of risks in the industry (Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Â § 5(a) (1),). The company’s preventive measures simply involved the use of a single terminal manager to supervise the facility. The company used tanks to deliver petroleum products from one location to another. The scheduling of the delivery systems was scheduled months prior to delivery. It is a requirement for the terminal manager to be present on duty an hour before delivery to ensure the capacity of empty tanks available. However it’s not mandatory for him to be present during delivery. His presence is required on completion of delivery. Thus, probably anything can go wrong during the delivery time. The terminal manager is also tasked with stopping of any delivery if deemed necessary even with a just a phone call away. At the date of the accident there was an overflow during the delivery period. And when the terminal manager arrived tried to make his way to close the valves despite advice from firefighters not to do so. After he proceeded unluckily there was an explosion which led to his death and two other staffs from the nearby plant. Judge Phillips ruled that: from the evidence presented it was evident that the continental oil company was aware of the dangers that spill over can cause. Its inability to put in place automatic detection systems which can close the valves in the event of a spillage detected. There wasn’t enough manual labor to constantly monitor progress

Big Ideas Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Big Ideas Assignment - Essay Example Through this activity, the partners would be able to learn about each other. Later on the students would exchange partners and do the same thing. Each student would at least have four partners during the activity consuming at least 4o minutes. Then after which, each student shall be required to present to class who they have known and tell what they know about the said partners. So for each student, there would at least be three presentations each. The partners would then confirm the information relayed about them by their partner. Expectations on the Application of the Activity: It is expected by the proctor of the activity that the understanding of the students on themselves and how they see themselves with others or from others view point should increase. Besides that, it is also hoped that each student be given the chance to see through the situation thus making it easier for them to establish camaraderie with the whole class as part of their social development. To instill aesthetic procedures in the activity is one of the main aims of the educator herein. To do so, several ice breakers in the middle of each division of the process is expected thus giving ample motivation to the students to pursue with the activity. Through bodily activities, the educator believes that the students would have greater sense of grasping the lessons that they are undergoing hence giving them the chance to refuel their minds so as to be able to accept the different points that are presented to them in class. Education has always been an important aspect in the course of personal and societal development as a whole. Every individual has an urge and personal willingness to learn valuable information that varies from either practical knowledge o scientific ones. However, all of these relevant informations are very much needed by every individual to be able to develop their own self and become self-sufficient and