...1. Answer: The United States service sector is currently expanding according to the Non-Manufacturing Index (NMI) found at ISM Report on Business and by analyzing recent US GDP and inflation rates. Per the report, the NMI is registered at 54 % in January 2014. With an NMI greater than 50% we can conclude NMI is expanding. A comparison of NMI over the last 12 months shows an average of 54.6% and a median of 54.5%, also confirming the assumption of expansion. Non-Manufacturing Business Activity Index shows a two percent increase since December and the New Orders Index increased half a percent indicating business expenditures are expanding. The Employment Index, another important economic indicator of growth, also increased year over year. In addition to these factors, the Supplier Deliveries Index indicated slower deliveries compared with December 2013. This is a normal trend during after- holiday period. Non-Manufacturing Inventories Index, Prices Index, Non-Manufacturing Inventory Sentiment Index have increased, further providing evidence of economic expansion. Even with all the positive indications of expansion, Backlog of Orders Index, Imports Index and New Export Orders Index demonstrated contraction. Now let’s talk about US GDP growth for the last few years: in 2012 GDP demonstrated 2.8 % increase, in 2013 GDP increased 1.9%. GDP is important factor which represents economy growth trend and should be considered along with inflation rates. Inflation has shown...
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...1. Describe Village Volvo’s service package. To answer the question we must first identify what a service package is. The service package is defined as a bundle of goods and services that is provided in some environment. It consists of these 5 features: Supporting facility, Facilitating goods, Information, Explicit and Implicit services. All these features are experienced by the customer and form his/her perception of the service. Village Volvo is a company located in a new steel structured building (Butler building) in the suburbs. Since it is not centrally located, a shuttle service couple times a day is considered. The building consists of four workstations, an office, storage room and well equipped waiting area that provides comfortable chairs, light refreshments, TV and reading materials and. This area is used almost exclusively by clients who come in during the drop in time to make them comfortable while waiting. The physical presence of recourse that must be in place before a service can be offered falls under the first requirement of service package – supporting facility. Village Volvo represents two former authorized Volvo dealers that combined their 22 years of experience, training, reputation and satisfied customers to create one independent operation. The company provides a repair service on out of warranty Volvo vehicles at a reasonable cost. Their approach is a little different than you would find at your local dealer. They created a specific time of...
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...Case Study: Village Volvo CASE 2.1 Shahrzad 20121014 Zahra 20121016 Index • Introduction about Village Volvo • Village Volvo’s Service Package • Distinctive characteristic of Service firm • Characterize Nature of Service act • Characterize Relationship customers • Characterize Customization and judgment • Characterize Nature of demand and supply • Characterize Method of service delivery • Village Volvo back-office management • Village Volvo Versa Volvo Dealers • Conclusion Introduction about Village Volvo and their mission statement The mission of the Village Volvo is to profit from the sale of automobiles, parts and services. They are seeking to achieve this by creating an environment for their customers of comfort, reliance and respect. This environment will be formed by the continued emphasis on employee satisfaction, which leads to greater efficiency and productivity through employee retention. They aim their employees to establish a daily goal of anticipating and satisfying the customers’ needs in order to build a relationship-based business, which develops an ever-growing customer base. 1. Describe Village Volvo service package. Village Volvo provides quality repair at a reasonable cost for out of warranty Volvos. Car owners can visit for Routine Services such as tune-ups and oil change or for diagnosis and repairing specific problems in an estimated time. They have CCVD which is Custom...
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...Information Technology (IT) and E-commerce in general as well as in selected industry. For this report, the selected industry is Volvo. The applications of information technology and changes in supply chain using e-logistics are discussed elaborately in this report. This report also clearly draws about the supply chain strategy used in Volvo. In addition, use of electronic commerce is well discussed followed by the uncertainties faced by the Volvo and the overcoming of uncertainty by Volvo. This report ends up with the conclusion. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 APPLICATIONS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 3 APPLICATIONS OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE 4 BENEFITS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN SUPPLY CHAIN 5 LITREATURE REVIEW ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 6 CHANGES IN SUPPLY CHAIN USING E-LOGISTICS 7 ABOUT VOLVO 8 SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGY OF VOLVO 9 APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN VOLVO 11 APPLICATION OF E-COMMERCE IN...
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...Production line The factory of Renault Trucks Vénissieux assembles the 6-cylinder engine blocks of 9 and 11L, which are routed to Sweden where the business unit of five brands of the Volvo Group is installed. The “main” engines (engine block, cylinder head, crankshaft, camshaft and crankcase) are performed by the Volvo Group's business units while the supply of other parts (the circuits of oil, gas, electric ...) is from 680 external suppliers. The Engine of 9 and 11L of all the brands of Volvo Group operates in plant Vénissieux. The plant operates five days a week. The engine factory Vénissieux covers 10,000 m² and engine assembly operations are spread over two production lines, each 15 meters: the line ¾ and the line ¼. Each piece assembled has a serial and manufacturing number, which is common to all suppliers of Renault Trucks, to ensure the traceability of engines and to facilitate communication between the various stakeholders. This system of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) also allows the company to gain speed. The causes of malfunction of an engine due to incorrect assemblage of the pieces can easily be identified and corrected in accordance with the Group's quality policy. Workers have 3 or 4 roles at the same time in the Assembly line. On the main assembly line, several robots are very important. These robots perform tasks in such quality that it would be impossible to assign this task to a human being. They are checking the robots work very often to make sure...
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...I am writing the publisher because I want to try and convince our community that heroes are all around the world and show their powers in different ways. Ohhh… and I’m not talking about NO ordinary superheroes that have all these magical powers; I’m talking about the heroes that simple just uses pure wisdom to influence the ones around them. This story will show the world that there are heroes out there in all different shapes and sizes. And, as far as the story goes, here are the ideas behind my story, so here we go: Way up high in the majestical forests, in the mountain of Emei, in China lives the Somaki people, who had the most inspirational/wise man that ever set foot on the lands called Mr. Morrison. For the people call their village the Spiritual Oracle because of Mr. Morrison; who takes on the form of a monk because of his vibrant white beard and bald head, the fact that he wears glasses and is as short (5’2 to be exact), his face looks as though it is wrinkled in certain areas giving him the effect of audacity allowing him to have the appearance of wisdom. He looks as though he is homeless, but don’t let this fool the reader because even though the cloths are tore up and dirty, he believes these clothes are what gave him the wisdom/ inspirational powers, so he has never changed them; and, even though the clothes are tattered the orange and yellow within the fabric stick out like a sore thumb. He also uses a wood cane that is made from ancient...
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...When Is It Acceptable to be Yourself? Have you ever felt alone? Just looking for something or somebody to be there for you when you need it most? What happens when nobody is there, forcing you to hold all of your feelings in? In “The Secret Society of Starving” by Mim Udovitch, young girls with severe eating disorders talk about the secret world of the online pro-anorexia (“pro-ana”) community, where they truly express themselves and sometimes even encourage each other’s problems. Likewise, in the essay “Can You Tell the Truth in a Small Town?”, writers struggle to put their true words down on paper, knowing the secrets they share could result in their excommunication from the only community they know, causing an even greater sense of being alone. Both “The Secret Society of Starving” and “Can You Tell the Truth in a Small Town?” shine a light on the different lifestyles of two separate societies and how they both hide who they really are from the rest of the world, causing a sense of growing isolation within the members of each group. The members of the communities from both essays hide their true feelings from the people closest to them, including their family and friends. From “The Secret Society of Starving”, members of the pro-ana community hide behind the internet and submerge themselves into a virtual world of chat rooms and blogs where they can (anonymously) state their true most personal feelings. On page 111 one pro-ana girl states, “they know exactly what I’m going...
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...exhibitions. Countrymen cannot go to the museums or theaters, because many villages are situated far from cities .A further advantage of cities is a wide variety of public transport and it is very easy to get anywhere. Practically in every city there is a metro, the fastest mean of public transport, and people do not spend a lot of their time in traffic jams. As for a village there is no public transport at all and it is very difficult to get anywhere. One more advantage of city life is modern conveniences. In modern cities people have no problems with water .But in villages people face with a problem of lack of water, they cannot use running water all day long. In big cities it is very easy to take care of health, a lot of medical centers and hospitals are situated in every city, and high-qualified specialists will help people even in the most awful situation . As a rule there are no good hospitals in villages and medical services in the countries leave much to be desired. Of course, every big city has disadvantages. For example, air pollution. Every day numerous enterprises emit tones of harmful substances and to breath is often a real threat to people’s health. There is no greenery in big cities. In villages people very close to the nature, they can spent a lot of time at the street and enjoy picturesque landscapes. The cost of living in big cities is very high, most goods are very expensive. However, in villages people have their own fresh products....
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...71 buried in landslides in Negros Oriental Army soldiers used picks, shovels and chainsaws in a race against time to rescue at least 71 people buried in landslides that covered 80 houses in two barangays (villages) in Guihulngan City and the adjacent La Libertad town, both in Negros Oriental. President Benigno Aquino III will visit Dumaguete City, one of the areas affected by the temblor, on Wednesday, his 52nd birthday, Malacañang announced. “(The President) will inspect damaged areas and meet with our countrymen affected by the calamity, as well as with the government workers who are providing much needed relief operations on the ground,” his spokesperson, Edwin Lacierda, said. The number of victims of Monday’s 6.9-magnitude earthquake could still go up as some 90 houses were buried in Barangay Solinggon in La Libertad and in Sitio (sub-village) Moog, Barangay Planas in Guihulngan City. Eighty others were injured. At least 45 people were confirmed dead—28 in Guihulngan, 10 in La Libertad, three in Jimalalud town, two in Tayasan town and two in Bindoy town, officials said. In Moog, 29 houses were buried 6 meters (20 feet) deep when a portion of the mountain fell over the mountainside neighborhood during the temblor. Available tools More than 70 soldiers belonging to the 11th Infantry Battalion had to stop digging the soft ground during aftershocks for fear of another landslide. “But they try to dig and look for survivors,” said Colonel Francisco Patrimonio, commanding...
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...The Beach (Newspaper article written by a former utopian) I once discovered utopia. I saw it, I lived it, and I left it. All men and women strive for the perfect life, the perfect place, utopia. But my visit to this place made me realize, that the dream of utopia is unrealistic, and unreachable. I arrived as many other tourists in Thailand. Bangkok to be exact. I immediately began looking for at hotel room, and I quickly found one. I got a small room, and everything was good. Until .... Until another guest started talking loudly, and smoking weed in his room. To further explain, the rooms were all separated by a thin wall and a mosquito net. I was able to hear and smell him clearly in my room. I decided to ignore him, until he looked though the mosquito net straight into my room. He began talking to me about all of these crazy things. After some minutes of conversation, everything settled back down, and i went to sleep. The next day I went out to get breakfast. When i got back to my room, someone had slit a map under my door. I was really curios and started studying the map. Until I realized who had given me the map. I decided to pay the nuthead from yesterday a visit. I knocked on the door, but the door was not locked, and opened as I knocked on it. I walked in, and I saw him lay beside the bed, dead. As police investigation began, I began talking to this French couple, Etienne and Francoise. I don’t know why, but I decided to tell them about the map. They were...
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...apply these things to their own lives. Communities are simply afraid of change and afraid of the way it may affect their ways of living for the worst. Change will always affect different people and communities differently, whether it is positively or negatively. Following old traditions within small communities has both costs and benefits. The question is whether or not change could overcome both the benefits and costs of following old traditions within the community. According to Nancy Scheper-Hughes, an anthropologist and the author of The Anthropological Looking Glass, communities, such as small villages from Ireland like Ballybran, need to accept change to be able to learn the more modern ways of looking at situations. Scheper-Hughes critiques the Irish villager’s ways of living and, whether or not she actually noticed, compares this village to American way of living. Villages such as Ballybran may have a different way of living, but this does not necessarily mean it should be looked at as uncivilized or the wrong way, though change may have been a wise choice for the villagers, which Scheper-Hughes was trying to imply. Furthermore, Maxine Hong Kingston, the author of No Name Woman, emphasizes on the risks and effects of change when born into such a strict community such as a woman born into Chinese customs and their role within the family. Kingston provides background on the costs and benefits of change and whether change is ever worth it or paid off in the end. The big issue...
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...If I were the Mayor of Burleson Essay By Abby Seamster If I were the Mayor of Burleson, I would take every advantage of it. Being the Mayor comes with great authority and also great responsibility and I would use both of these traits in order to achieve my goals. To start off, if I were mayor I would try to focus on and improve the marketing, advertisement, and publication concerning community wide events and fundraisers. I would work to help reach out to the youth of Burleson so that our generation can become more involved with our community at a younger age. Getting the teenagers and children to participate in community events is vital to contributing to the major goals of our community and to helping Burleson thrive and grow. In addition to connecting the youth to the community, I would also pass an ordinance to raise fines for littering across our town. In continuing to unite the community of Burleson, keeping this city beautiful plays a major part. Littering is just one way in which our town becomes less unified, so I would fight to stop this disrespect of our city. I would also try to organize more money into a budget for making our city more beautiful. This budget would cover more landscaping and maintenance projects across the community. Another thing I would do as mayor would be to set aside more money in our budget to go towards our city’s drug awareness program. It is sad heart-breaking and devastating to see so many of our promising teenagers and young adults...
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...Greening Community Rosanna Khosho CM220: College Composition December 14, 2013 Community Greening will help out communities in all cities, because Community gardens can plan an important role in child development, a garden can teach children how food is grown and what it looks like before arriving at the checkout counter, and it can save our cities quite a bit of money. These are just a few reasons for urban areas and communities to start Community Gardens. Community Gardens provides places for children to play and learn. Community Gardens and green spaces can play an important role in child development. A garden can teach children how food is grown and what it looks like before arriving at the checkout counter. Children will have a better idea on how food is grown and where it comes from. Children will also learn how to grow a garden and it will keep our children out of the house from playing with their video games and watching television, keeping our kids busy with helping out in the community is an amazing thing. Community Greening can help feed people and save money. Community gardens produce food worth hundreds of dollars. This food and financial savings can be critically important to the nutritional and financial health of families living on low incomes or in neighborhoods poorly served by grocery stores. Community gardens are a source of food for the homeless in some cities, and the community garden plot can also be the first step toward self-sufficiency...
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...Harvard Business School 9-600-047 March 3, 2000 A FALL BEFORE RISING: THE STORY OF JAI JAIKUMAR (A) D 434. It would seem almost as though there were a cordon drawn round the upper part of these great peaks beyond which no man may go. The truth of course lies in the fact that, at altitudes of 25,000 feet and beyond, the effects of low atmospheric pressure upon the human body are so severe that really difficult mountaineering is impossible and the consequences even of a mild storm may be deadly, that nothing but the most perfect conditions of weather and snow offers the slightest chance of success, and that on the last lap of the climb no party is in a position to choose its day . . .1 Eric Shipton, Upon that Mountain O A RAPID DESCENT He was 24,000 feet above sea level, but the light was fading, and so Jai Jaikumar knew that he had little time to admire the view. It was 4 p.m. on a summer day in 1966, and Jai, an engineering student at the Indian Institute of Technology, stood with one of his closest climbing buddies at the summit of a Himalayan mountain. The final ascent that day, beginning at high camp at 2 a.m., had been rougher and more difficult than the pair had anticipated. They had originally set 1 p.m. as their “turnaround time,” the point at which considerations of safety dictate that climbers should abandon their ascent and head back to high camp. However, the prospect of waiting a few more days to again challenge the summit held little appeal...
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...communities have to be resettled, with government sanction, in order for important mineral deposits to be accessed. This can cause controversy and divisions in the communities concerned. International best practice sets out a number of key stages in such a process including the need for structured consultation, fair compensation and the importance of restoring and enhancing the livelihoods of people in their new locations. Recently Anglo American has had to undertake two such relocations in South Africa at the villages of Ga Pila and Motlhotlo. These were undertaken with the support of the provincial government and local tribal leadership and after consultation with local people lasting for several years leading to agreement with each householder. New villages have been built with better houses and infrastructure and more land for farming. The relocation programme was voluntary. The relocation programme at Motlhotlo is still under way but at Ga Pila 98% of those living in the old village took up the offer to move to the new...
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