Food Supply Chain Essays

Food Supply Chain Essays Food Supply Chain Essay Food Supply Chain Essay Food supply chain overview In the present competitive environment customers have become more demanding and asking for quality food which guarantees the safety. On time delivery is becoming a norm to reduce the inventory holding costs. The food industry is facing challenges due to increasing operational complexity, frequently changing consumer needs, government regulations and short product life cycles. It requires a very smart, efficient and agile supply chain to manage the ever changing needs of the end customers Why managing Food Supply Chain is a challenge? The food supply chain is complex and difficult to manage due to its perishable nature and short shelf life of the products as compared to other supply chains like electronics, home needs, consumer durables etc. It also requires a robust infrastructure of warehouses and transportation network connecting suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers. The complexity of food supply chain increases further because of the below mentioned parameters 1 Food safety requirements 2 Regulatory requirements 3 Short shelf life of products leading to expiry and wastage 4 Product recalls Product traceability requirements 6 Effective handling of customer complaints 7 High order frequency and low volumes Food Supply Chain categorization It is basically categorized into two broad categories Perishable and non Perishable Perishable Supply Chain In perishable supply chain the shelf life for the products is very low. It requires managing the end to end supply chain with utmost care. The perishable supply chain typically requires a cold chain to manage it properly. The cold chain infrastructure is very capital intensive. : The infrastructure consists of pre-coolers, temperature controlled warehouses, refrigerated transport etc Non- perishable Supply Chain The shelf life for the product is considerable (varying from 3-18 months). Typically FMCG/Processed products, staples etc fall under this category. Although the shelf life of the product is 3-18 months, the products falling under this category requires strict monitoring of FIFO at distributors end to ensure that the products reaching the end consumer are left with enough shelf life. What is needed to manage this unique and complex supply chain? A well organized supply chain infrastructure of warehouses and transportation covering all the major cities. 2 Sophisticated cold chain for perishable products which guarantees a cost efficient and safe delivery of products 3 Warehouse management system to ensure traceability of products and minimize the losses due to product expiry 4 State of the art warehouse infrastructure equipped with the sophisticated mat erial handling equipments to aid cross docking, flow thru which will reduce transit times and inventory 5 Adherence to well documented GMP at the storage locations. This would ensure food safety in storage condition ( Warehouses) 6 Vehicle tracking abilities GPS/GPRS to continuously evaluate the time to destination. Over a period of time future supply chains (FSC) has developed an expertise in managing the food supply chain in the most efficient manner. FSC has gained and mastered art of managing the food supply chain due to its association with Food Bazaar. In house expertise to manage perishable ( Fruits and vegetables, dairy ,meat, poultry, Bakery ) and non perishable ( FMCG-Food, Staples, Processed food) FSC has state of the art warehouses across the nation which can cater to the customized needs. There is a strong in-house transportation department with fleet of vehicles for every need and type Availability of most advanced warehouse management system which would ensure all aspects like FIFO, Lot management, product traceability, product recalls Availability of transport management system with vehicle tracking facilities to track produc t movement at every stage of transportation ( Real time visibility) Strict adherence to standard operating procedures which ensures food safety at every stage of product handling.

Four Criteria for Identifying a Rock

Four Criteria for Identifying a Rock What is a rock, exactly? After some thought and discussion, most people will agree that rocks are more or less hard solids, of natural origin and made of minerals. But to geologists, all of those criteria have exceptions. Are All Rocks Hard? Not necessarily. Some common rocks can be scratched with your fingernails such as shale, soapstone, gypsum rock, and peat. Others may be soft in the ground, but they harden once they spend time in the air (and vice versa). And there is an imperceptible gradation between consolidated rocks and unconsolidated sediments. Indeed, geologists name and map many formations that dont consist of rock at all. This is why geologists refer to work with igneous and metamorphic rocks as hard-rock geology, opposed to sedimentary petrology. Are All Rocks Solid? Some rocks are far from completely solid. Many rocks include water in their pore spaces. Many geodes   hollow objects found in limestone country hold water inside them like coconuts. Two rocks that are barely solids include fine lava threads known as  Peles hair  and the fine open meshwork of exploded lava reticulite. Then theres the matter of temperature. Mercury is a liquid metal at room temperature (and down to -40 F), and petroleum is a fluid unless its asphalt erupted into cold ocean water. And good old ice meets all the criteria of rock-hood too...in permafrost and in glaciers. Are All Rocks Natural? Not entirely. The longer humans stay on this planet, the more that concrete accumulates. Concrete is a mixture of sand and pebbles (aggregate) and a mineral glue (cement) of calcium silicate compounds. It is a synthetic conglomerate, and it acts just like the natural rock, turning up in riverbeds and on beaches. Some of it has entered the rock cycle to be discovered by future geologists. Brick, too, is an artificial rock in this case, an artificial form of massive slate. Another human product that closely resembles rock is slag, the byproduct of metal smelting. Slag is a complex mixture of oxides that has many uses including road-building and concrete aggregate. It has found its way into sedimentary rocks already. Are All Rocks Made of Minerals? Many are not. Minerals are inorganic compounds with chemical formulas and mineral names such as quartz or pyrite. Coal is made of organic material, not minerals. The various types of stuff in coal are instead called macerals. Similarly, what about coquina...a rock made entirely of seashells? Shells are made of mineral matter, but they arent minerals any more than teeth are. Finally, we have the exception of obsidian. Obsidian is a rock glass, in which little or none of its material has gathered into crystals. It is an undifferentiated mass of geological material, rather like slag but not as colorful. While obsidian has no minerals in it per se, it is unquestionably a rock.

Which characterization fits best in Zeitoun Essay

Which characterization fits best in Zeitoun - Essay Example On the other hand, there are people who portrayed the heart of humanity and care to both people and animals. Zeitoun is one of those who show endless desire to see that people’s lives are safe and those of animals (Arias et al.). Together with Todd, they ensure they navigate the area helping those in need. Zietoun having distanced himself from his family depicts a sense of care for lives and hard work to ensure the property they had acquired is safe while also making trips around New Orleans helping those trapped with no help. The book, which is non-fictional, and depicts all forms of characters ranging from those who cared for others, regarded as heroes and those whose interest was to take advantage of the situation and loot other people’s properties. Taking advantage of disaster is inhuman and portrays rottenness in a society. Those who engage restlessly in saving other people’s lives represent the few good in the society. During the incident, soldiers get to the city sent to evacuate those trapped during the incident, but some of them engaging in looting contrary to the reason that took them there (Robbie). It depicts the greed among people who care not for others. For example, as Zeitoun paddled across as street to feed the deserted dogs, he sees several armed people looting a Shell gas station but he decides to keep a distance (Arias et al.). The incident reflects two faces of humanity those busy harvesting where they did not sow and those who cares for humankind rolling around the city salvaging whatever he finds. When Kathy leaves Baton Rouge after being unable to stay with the family on worries that her husband may be unsafe, she decides to get to Yuko. In the process worrying of the lawlessness in New Orleans, she calls Claiborne house before the agreed time, she fails to get Zeitoun but speaks to a man with American accent. The issue worries her a lot and suggests that probably Zeitounhad been

Interpersonal Communication in Relationships Research Paper

Interpersonal Communication in Relationships - Research Paper Example So far, the course has provided vast amounts of information that would assist in improving interpersonal relationships through the right application of communication theories and approaches. I would be structuring my advice in five sections: the principles and misconceptions in effective interpersonal communications; barriers to effective interpersonal interactions; the process of developing and maintaining self-concept; assessing your personal communications and improving communication competencies; and finally, developing strategies for active, critical and emphatic listening. I am sure that although this letter is lengthy, the information contained herein is validated from significant findings sources from researches on the subject by authoritative practitioners in the field. Principles and Misconceptions in Effective Interpersonal Communications Effective interpersonal communications must address issues that lead to misconceptions on communication. Remember John and Vivian how mi sunderstandings commonly results from misinterpreting the messages relayed by the sender of the communication to the recipient, or vise versa? A relevant article published in the Health Day News entitled â€Å"Close Relationships Sometimes Mask Poor Communication† (which I will likewise attach for your further reading on you available time), revealed that couples have tendencies to assume that since they have been together for a defined period in time, their close interpersonal relationship presumes that they understand all communications relayed or exchanged in all circumstances. This is a misconception. Experts reveal that one partner should not assume that the message expressed by the other is always understood (Thompson, n.d.). To address the dilemma, couples must repeat what one said to confirm it the message was correctly understood. Accordingly, the implicit rule is to double check with each other (Thompson, n.d.). The Health Day News article cited Nicholas Epley, a pr ofessor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, as explaining the rationale for the misconception, to wit: â€Å"our problem in communicating with friends and spouses is that we have an illusion of insight. Getting close to someone appears to create the illusion of understanding more than actual understanding" (Health Day News, 2011, p. 1). In this regard, to improve communication, John and Vivian, you need to pay closer attention not only on the verbal language that you exchanged, but also on nonverbal modes of communication, such as gesture, body language, tone of the voice, eye contact and even silence (Grohol, n.d.). Caution is likewise advised in the interpretation of nonverbal signals that could also be susceptible to be misinterpreted. The rule on double checking still applies. The website on Family Education provide relevant suggestions to improve communication skills by following the guidelines on steps in clear communication: to observ e undivided attention, figuring out what one really wants to say, and practicing being a good listener, among others (Family Education, n.d.). Now that issues of misconception are resolved, we now proceed to barriers to effective interpersonal interactions. Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Interactions There are diverse sources of barriers that deem to preclude the level of

Clinton’s Captivating DNC Speech Essay Example for Free

Clinton’s Captivating DNC Speech Essay On September 5th 2012, former president Bill Clinton stepped on stage to address citizens at the Democratic National Convention and countless other Americans watching from home. Clinton’s speech took place prior to the Republican National Convention, and responds to many of the misleading claims that were made there. Clinton’s clear goal and objective is to inform and educate the American voters as to why he believes Barak Obama should be re-elected as opposed to Governor Romney. In doing this he not only gives the facts, but cements his ethos by referencing his own presidency and letting his record speak for itself on issues such as; jobs, the economy, healthcare, and even the constant bickering between parties. Clinton instantly dives in by pointing out the major flaw in politics: the fighting between parties. â€Å"Through my foundation, in America and around the world, I work with Democrats, Republicans and Independents who are focused on solving problems and seizing opportunities, not fighting with each other.† (Clinton 1) â€Å"Though I often disagree with Republicans, I never learned to hate them the way the far right that now controls their party seems to hate President Obama and the Democrats.† (Clinton 2) What Clinton does in this passage is put the constant fighting between parties in perspective. He has worked with Republicans before and after his presidency and gives credibility to the idea the compromising is possible. I think that in talking about how his foundation’s focus is â€Å"on solving problems and seizing opportunities, his is connecting to the everyday, average American who is tired of corruption and lack work being done by both sides. To further this argument he throws out a quote made by Reagan and even gets an applause for Bush by stating, â€Å"I worked with President George Hw.W. Bush on national education goals and am grateful to President George W. Bush for his efforts and work with PEPFAR† which is an organization that saves millions of lives in poor countries.† (Clinton 2) By referencing his republican predecessors he not only shows goodwill, but that he and other Democrats are willing to do something the Republicans aren’t; compromise. Before even speaking a word I held this man to great admiration and respect. The opinions that I already had of Clinton were based on the fact that I was a 90’s baby and grew up during his presidency. The economy was booming and both my parents had steady, good paying jobs like many other American’s. Its these economic times that produced four surplus budgets to which the former president references by saying, â€Å"People ask me all the time how we delivered four surplus budgets. What new ideas did we bring? I always give a one work answer: arithmetic.† (Clinton 6) This leads to the thought that it could happen again if only republicans would do the math. This insinuation also invokes many questions regarding the republican’s validity. Can their word be held truthful? In today’s politics it’s getting harder to tell. Taking this into account, Clinton does an excellent job as painting himself as the â€Å"truth teller†, and uses hints of logos to even further his ethos by using data and statistics. Clinton’s strongest and most powerful moment comes when he delivers a moment of silence to get people to listen and to signify that something important was about to be said, and there was. â€Å"I experienced the same thing in 1994 and early 1995. Our policies were working and the economy was growing but most people didn’t feel it yet. By 1996, the economy was roaring, halfway through the longest peacetime expansion in American history. President Obama started with a much weaker economy then I did when I came into office. No president- no me or any of my predecessors could have repaired all the damage in just four years. But conditions are improving and if you’ll renew the president’s contract you will feel it.† (Clinton 3) I believe that this statement alone helps persuade people in favor of Obama and gives really great insight to voters of the severity of the job he inherited due to the short comings of The Bush administration and republican policy. Clinton faced the difficult task of going before the American people and addressing one by one all the claims made against Barak Obama at the Republican National Convention. To wind down his speech he uses the typical presidential line â€Å"my fellow Americans you have to decide what kind of country you want to live in. If you want a you’re on your own, winner take all society you should support the Republican ticket. If you want a country of shared opportunities and shared responsibilities- a â€Å"we’re all in it together† society, you should vote for Barak Obama and Joe Biden.† (Clinton 6) He uses the term â€Å" my fellow Americans† to place himself as one of the people and not above them. This shows one of the many reasons why he is so relatable to the average person. There is no doubt that the role of president is the most powerful position that one person can hold, but with that title comes a great amount of responsibility and at times a certain kind of loneliness that nobody could possibly understand. In saying this I don’t think there could have been anyone better to argue Obama’s case then someone who has held the position and someone who is probably the most popular president of our time. While many may still be on the fence on who they should vote for, but my opinion is that if he is good enough for Bill Clinton then he is good enough for me. Clinton, Bill. â€Å"Democratic Nation Convention Speech†, ABC News: ABC news corp., September 5, 2012. Web.

Ordinary Men :: essays research papers

Should The Policemen be put on Trial?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I personally believe that the policemen in Reserve Police Battalion 101 should be placed on trial for murder. The first chapter of the book states that Trapp explained the men what they had to do, he offered any of the older men among them to leave the mission if they decided that they did not want to carry out with it. That is what I feel is the main argument here. They were given the option to leave, and those who did not leave, and killed the Jews in Jozefow should be put on trial for murder. They pulled the trigger, and nobody forced them to do it. Yes, you can argue that they were orders, and they did not want to look like cowards in front of their comrades, but what they are dealing with is murder. That should be enough of a reason not to do it. To kill not only one person, but over a thousand people so that you do not look like a coward in front of your comrades is a very pathetic thing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other side of the coin, we have the thought that they should be placed on trial because they committed murder to unarmed civilians, and most of the men did not take up the offer to withdraw from the mission.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These German soldiers were to take â€Å"The male Jews of working age were to be separated and taken to a work camp. The remaining Jews-the women, children, and elderly-were to be shot on the spot by the Battalion†(Browning 2). The men in this battalion were to round up all of these Jews, lie them down, and shoot each and every one in the back of the neck. That is murder. They did this because the Jews had instigated the American boycott that had damaged Germany. I do not think that killing thousands of them is the best way to resolve this issue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many Jews were taken to killing graves, and they began at the last row of the barracks. They would make them undress, and then they would put them into killing graves. Heinrich Bocholt gave a very descriptive account of what he saw. â€Å"Behind each shooter stood several other SD men who constantly kept the magazines of the submachine guns full and handed them to the shooter. I definitely remember that the naked Jews were driven directly into graves and forced to lie down quite precisely on top of those who had been shot before them.

The Physician Assistant Program

The Physician Assistant Program, on the other hand, delivers a comprehensive masters education teachings that are essential for the aspiring physician assistant (â€Å"Physician Assistants,† n.d.). This program entails   thorough learnings in the formal practice of a physician assistant.Furthermore, the master's program for physician assistant equips the aspirants the necessary academic and clinical background in able to achieve professional certification to become qualified, reliable and competent physician assistant (â€Å"Physician Assistants,† n.d.).  As an aspiring Physician assistant, I truly understand that my clinical role will include primary and specialty care in medical as well in surgical practice. I understand that a physician assistant position is a complex task to do that focuses to provide of patient care. With this, I hereby accept the fact that the only way to achieve this and be competent in the position is submit myself into the formal education program for Physician Assistant.With the kind of training I had as a Nurse aid for two years, I decided to pursue a career as physician assistant. Although, I hold a masters degree in Library Science from University of Wisconsin, I could not find the appropriate job or work that is in line with the education that I have finished.Hence, in my two years of stay in the hospital as a nurse aid, I came to a point of realization that I am comfortable to work in such position and finally pursue a career in physical assistance.Being in hospital as a nurse aid, I can say my preparation for this objective of is my formal experience in medical field by providing nursing aid. In terms of preparation, I can say that I am on the ideal shape to start a new career as I am familiar with the practice in the clinic and in hospital chores. Moreover, I attended and completed all the prerequisite courses in nurse aid.Being an alumna of the school, I prefer to have my formal physician assistant education program in University of Wisconsin, as I believe that the method of teaching by the university is proven and effective. Therefore, I wish to achieve another milestone in my life as a qualified and ratified physician assistant under the uplifting educational support of the University that I truly trust and believe.In the end, if I get the chance to complete the program and be one of the countries prime physician assistant, my primary goal as a professional is a effect changes that I believe to be the best in providing patient care. Thus, I wish to achieve the reputation that I long as valuable and competent physician assistant, through my whole hearted service with my patient and with the attending physician.ReferencesPhysician Assistants. (n.d.). Retrieved July 10, 2008 from http://www.answers.com/topic/physician-assistant?cat=health