...A STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF A FACILITY SUPPLY DISTRIBUTOR IN BRITISH COLUMBIA by Derek Brooks B.A., Simon Fraser University, 1993 PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION In the Executive Masters of Business Program of the Faculty of Business Administration ©Derek Brooks, 2014 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Spring 2014 All rights reserved. However in accordance with the Copyright Act of Canada, this work, may be reproduced, without authorization, under the conditions for Fair Dealing. Therefore, limited reproduction of this work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review and news reporting is likely to be in accordance with the law, Particularly if cited appropriately. APPROVAL Name: Degree: Title of Project: Derek Brooks Master of Business Administration A Strategic Analysis of a Facility Supply Distributor in British Columbia Supervisory Committee: _____________________________________ Dr. Aidan Vining Senior Supervisor CNABS Professor of Business and Government Relations & Area Coordinator, Strategy. _______________________________________ Dr. Andrew von Nordenflycht Second Reader Associate Professor Date Approved: _______________________________________ i ABSTRACT This paper presents a business level strategic analysis of RST Corporation’s facility supply division, in British Columbia Canada. The facility supply industry is in decline. Firms find it increasingly...
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...INTEGRATED ANALYSIS HOW INVESTORS ARE ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE FACTORS IN FUNDAMENTAL EQUITY VALUATION FEBRUARY 2013 Co-funded by the PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT In September 2011 the PRI Initiative convened a working group of signatories to investigate how equity investors and analysts are integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) analysis into their fair value calculations. The members of the ESG Integration Working Group are: Neil Brown Alliance Trust Investments - Working Group Chair Bruce Kahn Deutsche Bank Climate Change Advisors Andre Bertolotti Quotient Investors Masahiro Kato Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation – observer Paul Bugala Calvert Investments Tony Campos FTSE Group Erica Lasdon Calvert Investments Cécile Churet RobecoSAM Barb MacDonald British Columbia Investment Management Corporation Leanne Clements London Pension Funds Authority Mary Jane McQuillen ClearBridge Investments Jennifer Coulson British Columbia Investment Management Corporation Christie Stephenson NEI Investments Lisa Domagala Solaris Investment Management Ralf Frank DVFA (Society of Investment Professionals in Germany) Dr. Hendrik Garz Sustainalytics (previously employed by West LB) Bryan Thomson British Columbia Investment Management Corporation Mike Tyrrell SRI-Connect Stéphane Voisin Cheuvreux Niamh Whooley Société Générale Robert Hauser Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) Between...
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...INTEGRATED ANALYSIS HOW INVESTORS ARE ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE FACTORS IN FUNDAMENTAL EQUITY VALUATION FEBRUARY 2013 Co-funded by the PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT In September 2011 the PRI Initiative convened a working group of signatories to investigate how equity investors and analysts are integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) analysis into their fair value calculations. The members of the ESG Integration Working Group are: Neil Brown Alliance Trust Investments - Working Group Chair Bruce Kahn Deutsche Bank Climate Change Advisors Andre Bertolotti Quotient Investors Masahiro Kato Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation – observer Paul Bugala Calvert Investments Tony Campos FTSE Group Erica Lasdon Calvert Investments Cécile Churet RobecoSAM Barb MacDonald British Columbia Investment Management Corporation Leanne Clements London Pension Funds Authority Mary Jane McQuillen ClearBridge Investments Jennifer Coulson British Columbia Investment Management Corporation Christie Stephenson NEI Investments Lisa Domagala Solaris Investment Management Ralf Frank DVFA (Society of Investment Professionals in Germany) Dr. Hendrik Garz Sustainalytics (previously employed by West LB) Bryan Thomson British Columbia Investment Management Corporation Mike Tyrrell SRI-Connect Stéphane Voisin Cheuvreux Niamh Whooley Société Générale Robert Hauser Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) Between...
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...EIS Final Project RFID Technology A Comparative Study of E-ZPass and Wal-Mart Công nghệ RFID tại Wal-Mart Jose Malpartida, Sebastian Martinez Matias Moral, Avraj Sandhu, Phillip Wittwer 1. Technology overview RFID, or radio frequency identification, is a technology that allows for communication between two devices by means of radio waves. Thus neither a direct line of sight, nor a physical connection is needed. The first device is a reader or antenna, the second is a so called tag. Readers are more complex and expensive devices, whereas the tags are meant to be cheap and produced in high numbers. Tags can be very simple, for example they could transmit a short id code, similar to a bar code, that is powered by an electromagnetic field. Else, they can be more complex: they could be written to, perform calculations for authentication like a pay-tv chipcard, and contain a power source to increase range. Depending on the application, a major share of effort needs to also be put into an operations infrastructure acting on the data received by the antennas, for example time tracking of employees or billing for payment solutions. History The technology was first developed for military aircraft in the 1950s and 60s to allow identification of friendly planes, as the pure radar signature did not answer this question. The first patents for a RFID tag used to unlock a door touch less were awarded in 1973. In the 1980s first applications for toll collection, as discussed...
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...Green Supply Chain Management : Logistics and Distribution Prabhakar Ravishankar White Paper Important Confidentiality Notice This document is disclosed only to the recipient to whom this document is addressed to and is pursuant to a relationship of confidentiality under which the recipient has obligations to confidentiality. This document constitutes confidential information and contains proprietary information belonging to MphasiS Limited. The confidential information is to be used by the recipient only for the purpose for which this document is supplied. The recipient must obtain MphasiS Limiteds written consent before the recipient or any other person acting on its behalf, communicate any information on the contents or the subject matter of this document or part thereof to any third party. The third party to whom the communication is made includes individual, firm or company, or an employee or employees of such a firm and company. The recipient, by its receipt of this document, acknowledges that this document is confidential information and contains proprietary information belonging to MphasiS Limited and further acknowledges its obligation to comply with the provisions of this notice. The contents of this document are provided in commercial confidence, solely for the purpose of evaluating whether the contract should be awarded to MphasiS. The information contained in this document represents the views and opinions of MphasiS on the issues discussed, as of the date...
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...examples only) Approved by (name), (position), on (date) Update Status: (amendment number), on (date) TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary Section Page 1. Strategic Focus 2. The Business 3. Market Analysis 4 Products 5 Marketing 6 Research and Development 7 Production and Delivery 8 Supply Chains 9 Business Systems and Processes 10. Stakeholder Relationships and Alliances 11. Organisational and Management 12 Environmental and Social Impacts 13 Risk Factors and Regulatory Compliance 14 Corporate Governance 15 Financials 16 Application of Investment Funds 17 Strategic Action Plan 18 Plan Improvement Appendices: 1. 2. 3. Some Thoughts on Writing this Plan before We Start • Clearly identify the readers of this document. Then write the plan in a style that is easily understood by readers • Remember that this plan is a working document that has the clear purpose of initiating focussed action and generating clear and measurable results. Avoid the excessive use of descriptive adjectives to 'pad' or over-sell the plan. Flowery, highly descriptive language can cloud key issues, blur the plan's focus and slow/confuse its implementation • Keep the plan 'tight'; ensure it remains concise, balanced, clear and logical. Where possible use quantitative rather than qualitative information. Remember the KISSS approach to planning; keep it simple, short and specific...
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...examples only) Approved by (name), (position), on (date) Update Status: (amendment number), on (date) TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary Section Page 1. Strategic Focus 2. The Business 3. Market Analysis 4 Products 5 Marketing 6 Research and Development 7 Production and Delivery 8 Supply Chains 9 Business Systems and Processes 10. Stakeholder Relationships and Alliances 11. Organisational and Management 12 Environmental and Social Impacts 13 Risk Factors and Regulatory Compliance 14 Corporate Governance 15 Financials 16 Application of Investment Funds 17 Strategic Action Plan 18 Plan Improvement Appendices: 1. 2. 3. Some Thoughts on Writing this Plan before We Start • Clearly identify the readers of this document. Then write the plan in a style that is easily understood by readers • Remember that this plan is a working document that has the clear purpose of initiating focussed action and generating clear and measurable results. Avoid the excessive use of descriptive adjectives to 'pad' or over-sell the plan. Flowery, highly descriptive language can cloud key issues, blur the plan's focus and slow/confuse its implementation • Keep the plan 'tight'; ensure it remains concise, balanced, clear and logical. Where possible use quantitative rather than qualitative information. Remember the KISSS approach to planning; keep it simple, short and specific...
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...Period January 2002 to December 2005 (dates are examples only) Approved by (name), (position), on (date) Update Status: (amendment number), on (date) TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary Section Page 1. Strategic Focus 2. The Business 3. Market Analysis 4 Products 5 Marketing 6 Research and Development 7 Production and Delivery 8 Supply Chains 9 Business Systems and Processes 10. Stakeholder Relationships and Alliances 11. Organisational and Management 12 Environmental and Social Impacts 13 Risk Factors and Regulatory Compliance 14 Corporate Governance 15 Financials 16 Application of Investment Funds 17 Strategic Action Plan 18 Plan Improvement Appendices: 1. 2. 3. Some Thoughts on Writing this Plan before We Start • Clearly identify the readers of this document. Then write the plan in a style that is easily understood by readers • Remember that this plan is a working document that has the clear purpose of initiating focussed action and generating clear and measurable results. Avoid the excessive use of descriptive adjectives to 'pad' or over-sell the plan. Flowery, highly descriptive language can cloud key issues, blur the plan's focus and slow/confuse its implementation • Keep the plan 'tight'; ensure it remains concise, balanced, clear and logical. Where possible use quantitative rather than qualitative information. Remember the KISSS approach to planning; keep it simple, short and specific. Interlink all...
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...Introduction to the Global Trade Item Number® (GTIN®) Executive Summary ..............................................................................................1 Key Benefits of the GTIN ......................................................................................2 Why is the GTIN Useful? ......................................................................................2 Definitions .............................................................................................................3 Assignment of GTINs to Packaging Levels...........................................................7 Common GTIN Mistakes Explained ......................................................................8 Examples of GTIN Use .......................................................................................10 Frequently Asked Questions ...............................................................................11 Resources...........................................................................................................13 Executive Summary The Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) is the foundation of the GS1 System (formerly the EAN.UCC System) for uniquely identifying trade items, which includes both products and services that are sold, delivered, and invoiced at any point in the supply chain. GTINs provide unique identification worldwide. The GTIN is encountered most frequently at point of sale and on cases and pallets of products in a distribution/warehouse...
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...387 From supply chains to value chains: A spotlight on CSR Malika Bhandarkar and Tarcisio Alvarez-Rivero* 1. Introduction Corporate social responsibility (CSR)1 has become a hot topic in boardrooms across the world. Changes in corporate value systems are being driven by pressures from different actors, including governments, consumers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and institutional investors (diagram 1). Multinational corporations (MNCs) have operations spread across the globe, relying on both foreign affiliates and arm’s-length suppliers arrayed along global supply chains, many of which encompass developing countries. What then does the growing CSR movement mean for developing country producers? The chapter addresses this question. Diagram 1 Institutional Investor Tier I Tier II Tie r III NonGovernmental Organization Multinational Corporation Supply Chain, consisting of: Consumer Government CSR has relevance to many facets of a corporation’s operations. Strong CSR policies can help to recruit the right people for the job, keep attrition rates low by promoting a “feel good” quotient, improve corporate image, prepare for future regulation, empower “soft” laws (Vogel, 2005, p.162), appease green customers, and convince institutional investors that the corporation is following sustainable practices that positively impact the bottom line. * Policy Integration and Analysis Branch, Division for Sustainable Development, UNDESA...
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... |[p| |ic|[pic] |ic| |] | |] | | |Newsletter Summary | | | |The key to organizational success What is core to your contracting function? Resourcing - the alternatives and why you should care Contracting excellence with technology | | | |Crossing the contractual chasm: using contract management automation to improve organizational relationships The evolution of procurement: How CPOs can drive real | | | |competitive advantage, � la Darwin Training and development for competitive advantage - best-in-class practices From the front line... | | | |[pic] | | | | ...
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...Toward Sustainability The Roles and Limitations of Certification Final RepoRt June 2012 prepared by the Steering Committee of the State-of-Knowledge assessment of Standards and Certification Toward Sustainability The Roles and Limitations of Certification Steering Committee Mike Barry Head of Sustainable Business, Marks & Spencer Ben Cashore Professor, Environmental Governance and Political Science; Director, Governance, Environment and Markets (GEM) Initiative; and Director, Program on Forest Policy and Governance; Yale University Jason Clay Senior Vice President, Market Transformation, World Wildlife Fund Michael Fernandez Director of Public Policy and Global Partnerships, Mars, Incorporated Louis Lebel Director, Unit for Social and Environmental Research, Chiang Mai University Tom Lyon Director, Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, University of Michigan Patrick Mallet (Steering Committee chair) Director of Credibility, ISEAL Alliance Kira Matus Lecturer in Public Policy and Management, London School of Economics and Political Science Peter Melchett Policy Director, Soil Association Michael Vandenbergh Professor of Law, Tarkington Chair in Teaching Excellence; Director, Climate Change Research Network, Vanderbilt University Jan Kees Vis Global Director, Sustainable Sourcing Development, Unilever Tensie Whelan President, Rainforest Alliance RESOLVE Staff Abby Dilley Vice President of Program Development Jennifer Peyser Senior Mediator Taylor...
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...Introduction Supply chain sustainability is recognized as a key factor for generating business value, it is a positive driver of competitive advantage that requires constant innovation and commitment in all levels of the organization, but how do parent companies influence their subsidiaries to adopt a sustainable supply chain approach?. Nowadays, contemporary thinking on the role of subsidiaries and its evolution in regards to multinational enterprises state that resources and capabilities of the enterprise do not reside only under the responsibility of the parent company level. Even if the subsidiaries and the parent company have different industry sectors and geographic origin, they share an important thing: they both recognize the risk dimension of the challenge presented by sustainability, and identify the competitive opportunities on the other hand. In the following case study we will research how does the model of Johnson et al. (2001) can be applied in the case of a parent company and its subsidiaries. Literature review Sustainability issues are becoming a powerful determinant of a company’s competitiveness and financial performance and therefore is sustainability rapidly becoming a new competitive advantage. The interest in the sustainability of supply chains has been a rising issue in recent years (Beske, 2012). This concept is defined by Seuring & Muller, 2008, p. 1700 as: “the management of material, information and capital flows as well as cooperation...
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...Business as Usual is Not an Option Supply Chains and Sourcing after Rana Plaza Sarah Labowitz and Dorothée Baumann-Pauly April 2014 About the Center for Business and Human Rights at New York University Stern School of Business “At NYU Stern, we develop people and ideas that transform the challenges of the 21st century into opportunities to create value for business and society. Our Center for Business and Human Rights is the embodiment of that mission. By creating a safe haven for open dialogue and convening relevant voices for discussion around practical solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems, the Center, and by extension this report, demonstrate that profit and principle can co-exist. ” –Peter Henry, Dean NYU Stern School of Business Dean Henry launched the Center for Business and Human Rights in March 2013 with a strong belief in the power of business to create positive change in society. In that spirit, the Center’s mission is to challenge and empower businesses to make practical progress on human rights in their own operations. It is the first center to focus on human rights as an integral part of a business school. We start from the premise that business can and does work for the good of society. We support the goal of business to create value while emphasizing high standards for human rights performance. Each year, we take on a major project around a set of human rights challenges in a sector that is of foremost concern for companies, consumers...
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...Objective The purpose of this report is to conduct an External Environmental analysis influencing UK Fashion retail company Primark. The report reviews Political, environmental, societal, technological and legal factors that could affect the functioning of the retail chain. The analysis is then used to draw a conclusion on opportunities and threats that are faced by the company. Primark - An Overview Launched in 1969 on Mary Street, Dublin as ‘Penny’s’, Primark is an Irish retailer with 254 stores across Ireland, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain & Portugal. Headquartered in Dublin, the company is a subsidiary of Associated British Foods Plc. Their product categories include ladies wear, menswear, children’s wear, lingerie, fashion accessories, cosmetics and home products. Primarily the company’s merchandize is made specifically for its own brands, but they also stocks certain products from other well known brands like Haribo sweets, Disney, Warner Brothers & Nivea. Primark’s business model includes faster turnaround of product lines at cheap prices. It prides itself as a brand that sells ‘Fast Fashion’ and targets its product towards customers who are looking for bargain shopping. Its apparel product lines typically showcase simple fabrics and designs in popular sizes. Primark launches it stores in high street locations and the all product categories/lines are stocked in bulk at each location. Its main market competitors include...
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