Ecommerce And The Supply Chain - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 21 Words: 6178 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Silver Spoon Snacks is a fast food eatery established first in Gulshan in the year 1965. It has expanded to a second branch in Tariq road. During its heyday it revolutionized the fast food industry by introducing the concept of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"rollsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ on the menu. It enjoyed this untapped market till competitors jumped on the band wagon. The menu is diverse, including Pakistani, Chinese, Continental, Western and Indian items. There is plenty of consumer traffic in both branches especially during the evening. The Tariq Road branch serves all kinds of BBQ items, club sandwich, zinger burger and the well known rolls. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Ecommerce And The Supply Chain" essay for you Create order The restaurant is owned and operated by a family. The branch managers are actually brothers and share shifts during the day and night. There are a total of 4 active brothers that are responsible for handling the day to day running and operations of the system. Key purchase decisions, menu expansion and supply chain decisions are handled solely by them. They have been following a paper based system since its inception. All the accounting work and record keeping is done manually in registers that are stocked at the residence every month. Literature Review According to Laudon and Laudon (Information Systems and Decision making, 2000), the supply chain is a collection of physical entities linked together into processes that supply goods or services from source through consumption. The supply chain consists of suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, retail outlets, logistics and consumers. This list also includes those activities that are necessary in facilitating the supply chain. Managing a supply chain is a difficult task that requires keen insight and understanding of the business processes and the environment in which it operates. The struggle is to create a network which has no weak links in terms of time delays, information gaps or inefficiencies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" in other words, all processes must be integrated. This is best achieved by the creation of networks with a smooth inflow and outflow of relevant information. This is the heart of e-commerce. The internet has allowed the growth of e-businesses across borders and physical limits. The use of an intranet is greatly appreciated within a company. Based on internet technology, the intranet is used primarily within a single company which allows the internal users to expand and share information across floors and walls. These locations may be domestic or may even be throughout the world (Bartoo, Elliot, and Naik-lyer, 2000). E Commerce is one of the most important facets of the internet to have developed in this day and age. Ecommerce, sometimes referred to as E Business, involves carrying out business over the Internet with the use of computers that are linked to each other forming a network. E-commerce includes the buying, selling, marketing, and servicing of goods or services through telecommunication technologies. E-Business, on the other hand, carries a broader definition, not just the buying and selling of goods and services, but servicing customers, collaborating with business partners, and conducting communications and transactions within and outside an organization. (Electronic Commerce a managerial perspective by Efrahim Turban, David King, Prentice Hall; US Ed edition October, 1999) According to ComScore à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" a marketing research company that provides marketing data and services to many of the Internets largest businesses, E-commerce has had its first $1B day on 2nd December 2010. The à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“heaviest online spending day in history and the first to surpass the billion-dollar threshold,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? declares ComScore. This goes to show how far and wide the scope of electronic buying and selling has reached. It is revolutionized the way business models are created and defined numerous opportunities for entrepreneurs and the like. E- Commerce can help a supply chain over the internet in areas such as placing and receiving orders, providing product information, tracking orders, filling and managing inventory, and recording inflows and outflows (Sunil Chopra and Jan A, Van Mieghem, Supply Chain Management Review, April 200) A critical area where e-commerce has established its presence in a supply chain is in the resource planning and inventory management function of an organization. It helps users track the inventory and where it is distributed from the organization. It helps plan for future forecasts and deal with shortages. It creates a hub where information is shared among relevant members of a business model; this is known as EDI à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Electronic Data Interchange. Similarly ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems have emerged that serve similar functions in terms of smooth data flow between members of an organization. Relevant information relating to key business functions is then shared, matched and cross matched between departments and related companies that have partnered with the business. The goal is to streamline operations and produce a cost and time efficient process altogether. IBM and Siemens are 2 prime examples of organizations that heavily rely on supply chain applications produced by business management software such as SAP. This application has streamlined its processes thereby creating a real-time and efficient business model. Inventory management models are heavily used in large scale organizations in the fast food industry. Giant franchises such as Subway, KFC and Pizza Hut use business intelligence software for its operations. Zap is a leading software house that creates web based packages for KFC and Pizza Hut. As a starting point, a basic open source inventory management software coupled with internet technologies is an ideal way for a small to mid-sized business to start. The diagram below shows how e-commerce can efficiently distribute and coordinate the flow of information between the entities and business functions of the supply chain. The importance of information sharing and interchange is crucial to improve operational effectiveness. Research methodology Secondary research Secondary research consisted of going through research articles and existing information on e-commerce and supply chain models. Text books, class lectures and the internet served as sources for secondary research. This type of research was necessary to gain an understanding of existing supply chain models that are benefitting with the integration of e-ecommerce and its technologies. Primary research This is first hand research that needed to be conducted to gain an understanding of Silver Spoon Snacks This form of research was conducted over 2 face to face interviews and short telephone calls with the Branch Manager and Operations Manager A set of questions were asked to understand the existing supply chain model and how operations are carried out on a daily and weekly basis These questions also attempted to surface any inefficiencies and weaknesses that exist in the current setup Interviews were necessary to collect direct and relevant information from the involved people Data Analysis Input details pertaining to the Tariq Road branch Raw material listing Chicken Beef Mutton Flour Vegetables Ketchup/mustard Seasonings Equipment used Oven Fryer Coal Freezers Stove Tables and chairs Utilities used Electricity Gas Telephone Water Labour employed Head Chef Kitchen staff Head Waiter Waiters Cleaners Watchman For simplicity, the supply chain of chicken as a key and widely used ingredient will be studied throughout this report. Supply Chain system of Silver Spoon Snacks explained with the help of a flow chart. Supply Chain Defined Chicken Butcher Thursday morning or earlier depending on needs, the Chicken supplier receives an order of Boneless Chicken and Tikka pieces for the week. This order is placed via telephone by the branch manager. The quantity for chicken in Tikka and Boneless variation is verbally specified via telephone. The supplier confirms the order and a delivery time is specified. The butcher cuts the chicken according to pieces specified à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" either Tikka pieces or Boneless for Chicken rolls. Delivery vehicle As per initial agreement between Silver Spoon and the supplier, the chicken supply will be delivered to the warehouse in the supplierà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s vehicle. This is part of the negotiation. The supplier will have the chicken delivered to the warehouse and settle the payment at the end of the month. Warehouse The warehouse is owned and operated by Silver Spoon owners. It has been part of the business model since 40 years and is situated off Tariq road near the Tariq road branch. The warehouse serves as a sorting point most of the raw materials. Individual branch demand is catered to and planned here. The warehouse has a large kitchen and a storage bay. Warehouse kitchen The warehouse kitchen department is responsible for all the cleaning and preparation of the raw food. This entails cleaning the chicken, removing the fat and making it hygienic and fit for cooking. Staff is employed in this department to manage the cleaning. Warehouse storage After the chicken has been cleaned, it goes into cold storage. The amount which has to be distributed to the branches on a daily basis is dispatched and the rest goes into freezers. The amount is determined in advance by branch managers. Keep in mind that a weekà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s supply is available for both branches at the warehouse. Official vehicle A Suzuki Pickup is on standby at the warehouse and the workers load a dayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s worth of chicken and transport it to the both branches. 60% of the chicken goes to the Tariq Road Branch as its chicken utilization is the highest. Tariq road branch At the Tariq Road branch, the official vehicle arrives shortly with the chicken for the day. This chicken thawed, cleaned and semi marinated at the individual branches before it is ready to be finally added with the secret spices and recipes. It is immediately transported by the workers to the freezer. Kitchen + freezer As noon approaches a portion of the boneless chicken is removed from the freezer and brought to the preparation room. Here the chicken is added with seasoning, sauce and the secret spices which are made early during the day. This preparation is done by the head chef. The boneless chicken goes to the Roll preparation area and the Tikka pieces go to the BBQ area where they are cooked. Customer Once cooked, the Rolls and Tikkas are served to customers Planning system For the sake of simplicity we will go through a typical week of ordering chicken to get a grasp of the current supply system at the Tariq Road branch. This boneless chicken is used for Chicken Rolls and Chicken Boti. Whereas full chickens are used to create 4 Tikka pieces per chicken. Demand for the week is established by looking at previous trends. Basically a base demand for consumption has been established for boneless chicken of 210 kg per week. The base demand of 210kg worth of boneless chicken is always used for Rolls and Chicken Boti. On an average, 220-250kgs of boneless chicken is purchased as demand from consumers never dips below 210kg per week. For Tikkas, the base demand is 80 Tikkas per day, which makes it 560 Tikkas on an average per week. A full chicken is able to provide 4 Tikka pieces. The key considerations that determine and influence demand for chicken are: Stage of the week à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Friday, Saturday and Sunday are days where demand for boneless chicken is at its highest. During these days the public goes out to eat with family. Public holidays à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" the restaurant operates during public holidays. During these days of the calendar, families choose to visit eateries and therefore the consumption of boneless chicken is high. City turmoil à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" during expected city turmoil and expected strikes, the public operates at an accelerated pace and attempts to get things out of the way. This may entail visiting Tariq Road for work 1-2 days before the expected turmoil or unrest. Furthermore, consumption of boneless chicken falls during the days of turmoil, hence purchasing is planned accordingly. Level of commercial activity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Tariq Road is heavily populated with shops and vendors. If the activity in malls and shopping strips is high, then demand for food, especially Chicken Rolls is also high as it serves the fast food concept and is economical. The factors above have the capacity to influence demand for chicken and hence the purchasing patterns vary. Chicken that is not used is then stored in freezers for next dayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s use. This chicken is bought on Thursdays of the week from a vendor that has been partnered with the business. An order is placed via telephone on Thursday morning by the Branch Manager and it arrives by noon. If for some reason demand is abnormally high, the regular chicken supplier is contacted and is urged to make an emergency drop to the warehouse. If he is unable to do so from his own inventory, then he is responsible for making other arrangements. Supplier selection A chicken supplier is selected on the basis of: Total cost Cleaning and cutting Cost is the most important factor that ultimately determines which supplier/butcher to choose from. Silver Spoon negotiates on the basis of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" the foremost is cost (low or discounted price), quality, and delivery service. Secondly, it is favourable if the supplier can clean and cut the chicken into pieces at his outlet before delivering it to the Silver Spoon warehouse. Although Silver Spoon has a chicken slaughtering and cleaning/cutting facility, but is used for only further cleaning of the chicken and cutting for marinating purposes. Financial costs pertaining to Tariq Road Branch Cost for chicken: this rate is Rs. 4 per kilo less than the prevailing marketing rate. The chicken suppliers set the price every Thursday of the week. Price of chicken per kilo varies on a weekly basis and is determined by the laws of demand and supply. For example, if chicken is in excess supply then the price falls. Conversely if there is high demand then the price rises à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" such as on weekends. Due to this the chicken suppliers set their prices on Thursday. The Tariq Road branch bears 60% of the total cost of the chicken whereas the Gulshan branch, only 40%. Consumption and sale of chicken items is the highest at the Tariq Road branch. The basis for making profits for Tikkas is to earn Rs. 20-25 profit per Tikka. Utilities Electricity Bill: varies between Rs. 50,000 to 60,000 per month. Gas Bill: varies between Rs. 10,000 to 12,000 per month Telephone Bill: Rs. 1,000 per month on an average Coal Usage: worth Rs. 1,500 on a daily basis.    Labour Employed Waiter: The starting salary per waiter is Rs. 6000 per month. Senior waiters (determined by length of employment) are paid Rs. 8000 per month. There are a total of 8 senior waiters (8 x 8000 = Rs. 64,000 per month) and 6 junior waiters (6 x 6000 = Rs. 36,000 per month). Kitchen Staff: these employees include assistants to the chef (3 assistants), and additional workers who produce other items on the menu (5 kitchen workers). They are assigned various tasks in the kitchen to add value to the system. On an average, the total labour costs assigned to the kitchen staff are Rs. 75,000 Head chef: There is 1 head Chef who is paid Rs. 12,000 per month. Total labour costs per month = Rs 64,000 + Rs 36,000 + Rs. 65,000 + 12,000 = Rs 187,000 Discussion Inefficiencies or weaknesses in the supply chain Supplier/butcher: Silver Spoon has had the same supplier for chicken for nearly 20 years. They should search the market for other suppliers that can offer competitive rates for bulk purchases of chicken. The order is placed on the phone and a Silver Spoon official does not personally monitor the chicken selection, which means an old chicken or unhealthy chicken can be part of the mix Warehouse: At the warehouse, the supplier delivery vehicle drops off the chicken and drives away after collecting the payment. There is no check here, no one counts the chicken or weighs it upon arrival so there is no way of making sure if they received the amount they paid for. There is no record system or inventory management. The chicken is not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"logged inà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, just immediately shifted to the kitchen where it is cleaned for use. Therefore there is no actual account or record for the amount of chicken that entered the facility nor is there any receiving slip or receipt. Warehouse Storage: Once the chicken is cleaned and processed fit for use, it goes into storage freezers and only the days worth is kept outside for delivery. However, there is no one who counts the number of chicken breasts or legs, or kilograms of chicken that goes into the freezer. So there is no check or monitor system. Silver Spoon Snacks Vehicle The days worth of chicken is transported to the Tariq Road Branch, but there is no formal record of the amount that leaves the warehouse, nor is there any receiving document from the branches end. Branch Again, there is no counter checking or counting system of the chicken that arrives in the branch. It is blindly kept in the freezer. Customer The customer does not receive an electronic receipt. Which means that there is no formal record at Silver Spoonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s counter of the items sold and the cash received. There is an informal scribble in a worn out register. Other deficiencies with the current setup Marketing: There are limited marketing efforts carried out by the restaurant. At most, marketing involves re-doing the company banner or releasing a dozen flyers in the area. No website exists. Recording: It is a complete paper based system with not a computer or digital device in sight. Records are loosely maintained at the warehouse and branch in registers and journals. There is no formal record keeping system. Customers are not given receipts therefore there is no cross checking. Tracking: there is no way for Silver Spoon Snacks to forecast demand judging by trends, as figures and statistics for trends do not exist. Paper based: it is a paper based system with information regarding transactions loosely recorded in registers. Checks and balances: checks and balances do not exist, there is no tangible record keeping when it comes to inventory and purchases. It is not possible to confirm orders with suppliers and inter branch as orders are verbally given. There is no proof. Proposed system The proposed system involves the purchase of computer hardware and the use of an internet connection. The idea is to create a basic centralized system at the warehouse as the server with 2 additional linked systems at the branches. The purpose is to track and record inventory that moves into the warehouse and out to the branches. A real time system is proposed where inventory levels are monitored by the hour. The systems will need to be linked by an internet connection to provide a real time feed of information between the branches and warehouse. With an inventory management and tracking software, the loopholes and loose-ends in the current system will be neutralized. How it works Once the systems have been installed and made operational, the current stock, inventory and work in progress are uploaded to the servers. The software will be used be the warehouse, and both the branches. Each user will update the records from their end so it can be seen at the warehouse server. The software will have section for the warehouse, branch A and branch B. Depending on the fresh demand levels, the warehouse determines the quantity of chicken needed and sends an order via telephone to the butcher. Had the butcher/supplier been using a computer system (example Makro), then an email would have been dispatched instead. The quantity ordered is punched into the system and falls under the status of pending. The rate per kilo is noted. Order time is also noted. Once the stock of chicken arrives at the warehouse, its exact quantity is manually counted and weighed by an employee and then the numbers are punched into the warehouse server. This will cross check the amount ordered with the amount received. Once the figures tally, a receiving slip is generated electronically and printed after the order has been confirmed and accounted for. A slip is generated and given to the supplier and a formal record now exists in the system. A notification is sent in a matter of seconds to both branches informing them of the added inventory levels. The levels now appear on the screens of both branch A and B (Tariq road and Gulshan). Preparations are made. Depending on the opening inventory and the base level demand of 210kg of chicken and 80 Tikka pieces, each branch sends its required amount of chicken (bonless and Tikka pieces) through the softwareà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s built in messaging system. Each transaction and order is then recorded. After the warehouse server acknowledges receipt of the order from the branch, it then forwards it verbally to the warehouse freezer where the employee loads the Silver Spoon vehicle (Suzuki pickup). The vehicle then travels to the relevant branch. A printed slip is dispatched. From the warehouse, the inventory levels are then reduced and this is also reflected in each branches terminal. Once the vehicle is unloaded at the branch, a branch employee manually supervises the unloading and stocking of the chicken in the freezer. Once confirmed and signed, the branch manager then updates his terminal with the added inventory of chicken. Back at the warehouse, the reduction in inventory is equal to the gain in inventory at both branches. As the day goes by and the orders accumulate and dispatch, the inventory levels are monitored not only at the branch, but at the warehouse as well. Each chicken Tikka order placed or each chicken roll uses a certain portion of the inventory. And once the orders are fed and updated in the Silver Spoon register, the chicken based inventory is automatically deducted. Towards the end of the day, the ending inventory is tallied and counted. The warehouse manager reads these inventories on an hourly basis and incase of a shortage dispatches a vehicle to make up for the shortfall. The cycle is then repeated every day depending on the closing inventory levels. Notes on the proposed system The recommended software for Silver Spoon Snacks is inFlow Inventory management software (https://www.inflowinventory.com/). The software is easy to use and does not require extensive training. A simple understanding of images, inputting data and confirming orders is all it takes. Free software exists, but does not provide security, reliability and expansion as inFlowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s suite. Each terminal is given a unique pin code which only the operator is aware of. This means only the relevant person in charge can use the terminal which is a security check as well as a confirmation. Each transaction is logged and stored in a log file sent to the warehouse computer. Backups are made on a daily basis Financial Costs involved with this system Software: although many free software packages exist, inFlow Inventory Management provides the best balance between features and cost. To create a multi user network (ideal in this case), the license cost $299 per computer for lifetime use. 3 licenses will be needed. $299 x 3 = $897 = ~ Rs. 75000 (@ Rs. 84 per U.S Dollar) Hardware needed: processor, motherboard, RAM, hard drive, casing, power supply, monitor. Based on the software requirements, the hardware cost is as follows: Tariq Road Branch cost: Rs 23,000 Gulshan Branch cost : Rs 23,000 Warehouse cost: Rs. 27,000 Total : Rs. 73,000 Internet connection: 3 connections Initial setup cost : Rs. 800 x 3 Monthly cost: Rs. 1000 x 3 Total initial investment: Rs. 75,000 (3 licenses) + (73,000 (hardware) + 2,400 (internet setup) + 3000 (first month internet payment) = Rs. 153,400 Benefits of the proposed system Accountability: first and foremost, the new system will hold each branch accountable for what it has received in its inventory. Once its handed over the inventory, it is held accountable for its storage, sales and payment. The sales of the branch should match the inventory received. Inventory control: from the moment the chicken supply reaches the warehouse, it will be tracked and accounted for. The system will make sure that there is adequate supply at all branches at all times so as to not lose out on potential sales Economic order quantity: the ideal quantity of chicken to order each week and the ideal quantity to store in the freezers can be calculated based on demand and supply conditions. Inventory planning is thereby improved. Accuracy: with figures, statistics and numbers well accounted for and cross references, the books of Silver Spoon will present and accurate picture of state of affairs. A reduction in human error in terms of calculations, counting and so on will also be witnessed. Record keeping: instead of scribbling in registers and writing journals, an electronic system with constant updates is hence created with the use of e-commerce technologies. Past transactions, exchanges, buying and selling are stored electronically thereby staying safe. The option to print out the records exists, thereby creating tangible records. Electronic Data Interchange: Information sharing between branches and the warehouse will be more convenient as real time updates and inventory levels can be monitored. Offers and promotional schemes by suppliers can also be entertained. Expansion: This inventory monitoring and management system is not just limited to chicken; it can be used for the entire product line, mutton, beef, vegetables, cold drinks, seasoning, flour and so on. The scope is limitless with unlimited suppliers and customers. Improved Customer Service and loyalty: when a customer always gets his or her desired order in desired quantity, it creates customer satisfaction and creates repeat customers. It improves loyalty as well. A computerized receipt also creates a positive impression on the customers. Reduce stock-outs and overstocks: with supply synchronized with demand, the chances of ending up with à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"expiredà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ inventory or facing shortages are greatly reduced. Shortages are prevented as inventory as planned well in advance, and in the same way excess inventory is also reducing thereby curbing inventory carrying costs. Ready alerts: if the inventory dips below a certain level at a branch, an automatically generated alert is sent to the warehouse or Gulshan branch and inventory can be moved around. Furthermore this will act as an early warning sign to the warehouse to acquire more inventory. Meeting demand: demand is almost always met unless outside forces have some play. With inventory always available due to a tracking and trend analysis system, sales will always be met. Forecasting: due to its ability to track charts and record daily transactions, the stored information can be used to conduct trend analysis for certain times of the calendar year. This will allow better planning for inventory and sales. Website: Silver Spoon Snacks Pvt. Ltd. can go on-line and have a web presence. This on its own is a marketing tool Networking: since Silver Spoon is now on-line and has a presence on the world wide web, it will be able to reach out to suppliers and customers on a larger scale. It is a ready marketing tool. It can partner with other restaurants, sponsors, FMCGs and causes. Marketing: with the use of e-commerce technologies, Silver Spoon Snacks can expand its marketing operations by sending out e-mails and creating ad banners and partnering with other websites. Costs of proposed system Change: it is possible that managers and top management may resist the change/transition from a paper based system to a technical system. The current system, though not ideal sets comfortably with current management. A management paradigm shift is required. Training: the system users will require some short initial training to understand the use of the software and technology in general. Although the Operations Manager à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Mr. Talha Awan is well versed with computer software and hardware, there will still be a slight lag due to training. Initial investment: although a small amount, roughly Rs. 150,000 will need to be diverted for a project that has no immediate monetary returns. Software support: although a helpline for customer support exists, it can become cumbersome to ask for guidance incase of software failure or confusion. Hardware failure: at the mercy of KESC and the elements, the computer hardware may fail thereby causing confusion and a stop in information flow. Although an uninterrupted power supply may be purchased, as well as a warranty plan, it will only add up in costs and delays. Internet failure: from time to time, the internet service provider may fail to provide a 100% uptime. This can cause delays and lags in the system. Industry Standard Bar B Q Tonight à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Inventory Management System To further add value to this report, I studied Bar B Q Tonightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s current inventory management setup which is computerized. Information was gathered through telephonic interviews and e-mail exchange with the Operations Managers, Sardar Ishaq and Mr. Abur Rehman. The findings are compiled below. Bar B Q Tonight is one of Karachià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s most famous restaurants that came into being in 1988. It prepares all kinds of cuisine that caters to thousands of customers on a daily basis. In-fact the multi storeyed establishment can house upto a thousand customers at a time. The restaurant has enjoyed high growth levels consistent with every year. Recently a branch has been erected in Lahore. Chicken, Beef, Fish, vegetables, pastas, fruit, ice cream, mushrooms, sausages, cheese, beverages and tissue rolls are just a small list of the inventory that are in storage and continuous use at the restaurant. These are key inputs needed to give customers a full service and experience backed by quality that the restaurant promises. To ensure proper delivery of storage, roughly 500 employees and 2 dozen management level officers are part of the work force. The availability of sufficient inventory and especially at the right time is perhaps the single most crucial factor at the restaurant. Insufficient inventory levels can result in a loss of potential sales. Furthermore due to the sheer quantity of inventory that enters and exits the building, checks and balances, control and proper monitoring of stock are required. This serves a number of functions such as quality control, waste management and theft protection. The current supply chain is as follows: SUPPLIER à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   DRY/COLD STORAGE à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   CUTTING/PROCESSING à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   RELEVANT FOOD DEPARTMENT à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   CUSTOMER The suppliers supply meat, chicken, tinned items, cold drinks, eggs, vegetables and basically all the inputs needed. Once the orders are received, they go into processing/cleaning/cutting/batching depending on the type of item. For instance, the chicken and meat go into the kitchen to be prepared and made ready to eat and then go to the cold storage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" basically the freezer. This area also contains all the perishable items that need to be frozen to be preserved. Dry storage contains items that are tinned such as mushrooms, sausages, pastas and so on. This is a dry storage area which does not require cooling or temperature monitoring. Dry storage contains the masalas cutlery, packaging materials and similar items. Once the items have been sorted according to usage and servings, they go to the relevant food category area such as Pakistan, Indian, Chinese etc. Here the kitchen and chefs take over. Finally, the items are used to prepare the dish and served to the customer. To manage its inventory levels and inflows and outflows at all times, BBQ Tonight has installed an inventory management software that serves a number of functions. Some of these most basic functions are; Recording of stock levels Recording of consumption Units received Units issues Supplier details and records Wastage Purchase order creation Plates per kilo of material Forecasting Average demand level Inventory shortage alerts; example à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"only 10 tins of mushrooms leftà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Demand level is determined based on average sales, restaurant traffic and past trends. Once the demand has been calculated, the units/kilos to be ordered are punched into the software and it generates a formal purchase order. This software also has the option to create automated purchase orders. Issuance or requisition is always recorded on an issue form for checks and balances. Data from this form is also used to generate the consumption report of all items at the end of the day. The production and usage of inventory has been categorized based on the departments. For instance, there is a pantry for drinks, juices, tea and dessert. Then there is a Tandoor for the usage of flour and oil and seasoning. The kitchen itself is divided into many different departments as discussed earlier. More specifically departments include English Grill (for chops, ribs and so on), Seekh Kebab Grill, Chicken Tikka Grill and the main kitchen (which includes steaks, curry and fried items) Based on trends and previous records, each individual department is given the liberty to issue the demand and material usage to the store and the store eventually generates the requisition orders. Based on this order data, the software is able to compile a consumption report for each individual item and department. This report is helpful for costing, cross checking sales and determining the performance of individual departments. Another benefit of this software is its ability to calculate and record wastage. For example, if 10kg of meat is purchased, after cleaning and processing only 7kg is actually fit for production. This is the same case with many items especially chicken, meat and fish. The software at first assumed a 1:1 ratio for stock incoming and outgoing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" but in reality it is never the case. In reality the weight, volume and size vary when goods reach the store and leave as finished meals. For this purpose, some customization needed to be done. According to the restaurantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s standards, the store issues goods in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"platesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and not kilograms. Raw materials enter the store in kilogram, but the output is recorded as number of plates sold. Also, the weight of plates/meals sold is different (almost always less than) from the raw form when received. This caused recording problems as units of measure used were different. To rectify this, management developed a formula to convert kilograms into plate servings and this was fed into the softwareà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s functions. For example, the weight of one plate of ribs by restaurant standards is around 700-800grams à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" but when received the recorded weight is actually 1300-1500grams and this is because of water, fat and bone content. The same can be said for chicken à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" the restaurant does not get pre cut chicken, is is bought in whole. One chicken is able to supply 4 Tikkas, in other words 4 servings/plates. The store issues Tikkas to the Tikka Grill in terms of plates à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" which means that 1 plate is actually 1/4th of the quantity of 1 chicken purchase. Therefore the software needed to be fed a formula that accepts chicken as 1 whole unit but converts it into 4 servings/plates. Hence recoding standards became easier. Finally, suppliers are paid on the basis of KG, but sales at the restaurant are recorded on the basis of pieces sold. Hence a formula was derived to link demand/receiving to consumption and supplier payment was standardized. On a typical day, the software works as follows: The store (dry or cold) makes the purchase order and the purchase officers then telephone the supplier once the store manager approves the quantity to be ordered. The store receives the goods and the butchers/kitchen staff prepare/marinate the meat and then it goes into storage. The departments then make a request for the stored goods for production purposes and so on. The software is able to record this shift of inventory for storage to department while monitoring inventory levels on a real time basis throughout. This software has been in the testing phase since the past 6 months at the restaurant in Karachi. It is still in trial mode and most of its features are being used to the maximum. Benefits have been noticed mostly in the form of checks and balancing, equating supply with demand and keeping a watch on the movement of materials from department to department. There is adherence to quality, minimum wastage and more security in the stores. Bar B Q Tonight plans to make this software fully functional after further testing in the near future. Conclusion The purpose of this research report was two fold; first to study and uncover the problems in the supply chain system of Silver Spoon Snacks Pvt. Ltd à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" a fast food restaurant in Karachi. Secondly to propose an inventory management system as an alternate to their current paper based system to enforce checks and balances of materials. Shifting from a traditional, paper based system to a computerized system is always going to cause conflicts and resistance to change. Friction will exist no doubt. Unfortunately, the management at Silver Spoon Snacks Pvt. Ltd comes from a rather traditional setup and has not seen the benefits of the proposed system. They are not to blame as they have been operating within the current system since nearly 5 decades and are quite comfortable with it. Profit is the singly strongest motive for and this proposed system does not generate any immediate monetary returns à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" it is instead a strategic move. This was the main reason for this proposition to fail à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" it does not yield any financial returns or return on investment. What management was looking for was a reduction in operation costs and perhaps an increase in restaurant traffic. However, the idea to implement a computerized system was not shot down completely. Instead of an investment of 3 computers and a $900 software, the managers were open to the idea of using one computer at the warehouse and creating simple spreadsheets to log in and out data. It is not the ideal setup and many of the above mentioned benefits of the proposed system will be lost, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.

Police Stations Are The Same - 908 Words

Not all police stations are the same. Each police station has a different way of dealing with criminals and incidents in each state. There are a lot of aspects that make up a police station especially the San Diego Police Department. It ranges from officers to procedures to Vehicles. Some of these things are The Geographic size of patrol areas/population size, types of vehicles, the number of officers on patrol, arrest procedures, organizational structure, jail and detention, investigation units and methods. There are Twenty police stations in San Diego and they patrol a total of 329.6 Square miles. The San Diego police departments divide the 329.6 square miles into nine divisions. The Central, Eastern, Mid-City, Northern,†¦show more content†¦There are this many officers on patrol because they have to patrol 3329.6 square miles and protect 1.356 million people. When Officers go on patrol, each car consists of two officers, also known as the buddy system. The San Diego police department arrest procedures are quite unique. Police officials are authorized to arrest people without a warrant whenever the officer has reasonable cause to believe that a person has committed a violation of the Municipal code. Officers only arrest a person by issuing a misdemeanor field citation. When an officer has a believable reason for a person to be arrested that has committed a crime or public/private offense, they do not demand to be taken before a magistrate, they can be released according to the procedures set forth. The San Diego police depart organization structure is the same as other police stations. At the top of the structure is the Chief of Police. Next is the Executive Assistant Chief Department Operations. They are in charge of the wellness unit, internal affairs, media and the Chief’s Office of administration. The third tier is Patrol Operations, Neighborhood Policing, Centralized Investigation, and Special operations. The patrol operations are in charge of the central, eastern, mid-city, northeastern, northern, southeastern, southern and water division patrol areas and the watch commander. The neighborhood policing are in charge of recruiting, communication, human resources, police foundation,Show MoreRelatedWhat Causes The High Crime Rates?1253 Words   |  6 Pagesonly causes bad impacts on local residents’ lives, but also reduces the population of Cincinnati—people are tending to move out of Cincinnati. To know why and what causes the high crime rate in Cinci nnati, I chose four factors—the location of police stations , unemployment, median household income and population density—as my variable elements which may have a great impact on the crime rate. This research will use GIS to transfer the data to visual maps and some GIS tools to combine and compare theRead MoreEssay Crime in South Africa1400 Words   |  6 Pagesits citizens to improve their safety and security through initiatives which would ensure that the NCPS was effectively implemented through government initiatives. One such operationalisation of the NCPS was the creation of the Presidential Police stations. During that speech, he said the implementation of the NCPS would be focus on areas where serious and violent crime occurred and these areas included: Include such areas as Tsolo in the Eastern Cape, Thabong in the Free State, Katlehong in GautengRead MoreFilm, Fruitvale Station, Directed By Ryan Coogler1481 Words   |  6 Pagesthrough popular culture and media. The compelling film, Fruitvale Station, directed by Ryan Coogler is a nod to many social problems found in the United States of America today. The film portrays social problems like poverty among minorities, racial profiling and especially police brutality through the last 24 hours of Oscar Julius Grant III’s life. The star-studded film not only pays homage to Grant but also to the ideas of poverty and police brutality. The film all but shouts at the audience that theRead MoreReasons For File A Police Report Essay1510 Words   |  7 Pagesthe significance of the study. Organization of the remaining chapters is provided towards the end of this chapter. We focus on the modelling of police reporting processes in Malaysia. The fact that everybody knows, under the law, people have the right to lodge a police report. In the past, the police would actually dissuade people from filing a police report some times. One could not get their schedule as to when those times struck and so that made it difficult and frustrating. They will tell peopleRead MoreA Short Story : The Story Of The Story1011 Words   |  5 PagesIt is a rainy afternoon, KYOKO OTONASHI is sitting in the classroom as the teacher is giving a lecture in front of the room. Her phone buzzes and she takes it out to check it.Dads messageTheres been another murder, come to the station as soon as possible.Kyokos textI will, after class ends.The bell rings, Kyoko puts her books into her bag and head towards the entrance of the school.As she approaches the exit, she notices that the rain is quite heavy. She doesnt have an umbrella and hesitatesRead MoreCase Study Organizational Beha vior1424 Words   |  6 Pages 2004). A large American city was putting on some seminars for managers, and the main topic of the discussion was motivation. During the seminar a problem came to light that a captain of a police station was dealing with some issues with his police officers. When his officers first came to the police station were all very young and inexperienced. Although they really enjoyed going out on the streets, helping people and having contact with the public, one thing they really hated was paperwork. TheRead MoreImproving Current System Of Police Reporting1160 Words   |  5 Pagesimprove current system of police reporting in Malaysia which is the Police Reporting System (PRS) to ensure that the function of the PRS will definitely helped to record and transfer the report in a better and easier way. 5.5.1 Role As mentioned above, role is very important factor in police reporting in order to make the report, received statement from complainant, and most important thing is to transfer the report to another police officers. As a recommendation, police organization in MalaysiaRead MoreComplete Report in the Field884 Words   |  4 Pages10-00 to 11-00 a.m., when he returned at field he does not found his bullocks in the field, hence he lodged the report at Buldana Police Station. P.W. 2, stated that his bullock-cart was not found, hence P.W.1 lodged the report. Hence, lodging of report is proved by the complainant. 12. P.W.1, further stated that, after 5-6 days of lodging the complaint, police came towards him and informed that there is bullock cart at village Anjani khurd, and asked to identify it. Therefore, he went atRead MoreSamantha Currey1300 Words   |  6 Pagesman who was convicted of first degree murder. Carlos was executed by the state of Texas for the killing of a 24 year old woman at the Shamrock gas station. The victim Wanda Lopez was stabbed multiple times apparently from a buck knife. Wanda Lopez was the attendant of the gas station and the police was senseless and oblivious to the tape at the gas station and only saw when she was giving the murderer the money yelling â€Å"You want it? I’ll give it to you. I’m not going to do nothing to you. Please!!Read MoreEssay on Amanda Knox Accused of Murder in Italy1129 Words   |  5 Pages.Amanda and Rafaela Questioned Police questioned Amanda and Rafaela several times over the next several days and on November 6, authorities arrested Amanda and Rafaela taking them to are the police station where police held Knox for five days. During the time at the station, police observed Knox doing some very bizarre activities. For example, at one point, authorities allowed Knox to sit on Sollecito’s lap and authorities observe him kissing and hugging on her. In her memoir, Knox claims this behavior

Business Politics Search Engine Comparative -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Business Politics Search Engine Comparative? Answer: Introdiucation Politics in the broader sense of the term is the process or system by which an individual amend and modify or observe the rules under whose compliance they sustain their daily lives. Politics has the power to influence an individual by re-shaping thoughts and perception and requires subjugation of one section of the society by the other. At the very core, politics is the very essence through which one achieves the desired outcomes. Rooted in the system of class and authority, politics can be termed as the most concentrated form of economy. According to Langdon Winner, technology can be argued as political because of their autocratic nature and it is concerned with governmental apparatus. Winner states that certain technologies have social aspect on their implementation in the society and the consequences that rolls forth due to their existence. For instance, he states that the tomato harvesting machine that was built to pick tomatoes which resulted in the centralization of powers in the hands of larger producers thereby eliminating the smaller ones who dominated the market. Based on Winners ideas, in a political system, it is argued that there follows a persistent pattern which is used to govern individual relationship in relation to power and authority. The machine came into existence at the expense of the rural agricultural communities due to the concentration of power into the hands of a few rich people. The machine yielded private profit and enhanced their economic power thereby carrying the stain of politics. It clearly privileged one section of the society over the other bestowing them with autonomy and supremacy over the other. In a political sphere, state is bound to maintain a social order which controls production, distribution and usage of resources, like the introduction of machines reshuffled the means of production in the rural community. The same was introduced to increase production. The interaction between state and society is considered to be one of the primary aspects of politics. (Stevens, Xie Peng, 2016). One media subject that is definitely political is the World Wide Web and more precisely the search engines. Google, according to researchers is synchronized in a manner that excludes the voices of the marginalized and repeatedly fails to sustain a democratic regime (Halavais, 2017). This even goes to exclude major news channels and is distorted in order to favor those who are politically and financially well-equipped. According to data, the web is estimated to be consisting of some 800 million pages and the search engines like Google are incompetent and ineffective in catering to the users and showing them a homogenous result (Jiang, 2014). The wealthier site owners have reportedly created a number of sites thereby increasing the viewers and audiences. Ranking algorithms have accomplished very little other than making the rich, richer. The links which increases website traffic are basically symbols of power, thereby increasing the potential viewers for the particular site like in cas e of news media site (Partridge, 2017). The benefits or information that Google offer, are filtered to hoodwink people in the name of serving wider public and society. One of the ways that can be used to handle the above issue, the search engine should rank the sites based on opinions, feedback and features which will satisfy the curiosity of the internet users. In this way, the search engines will operate on a swift analysis of opinions and the algorithm will be responsible for filtering reviews according to its negative, positive and neutral reviews. In this way, Google, a major media object can be liberated from being colonized by a mass of privileged individuals. The above study therefore shows how Google performs systematic invisibility and conceal of facts and sites. Reference List: Halavais, A. (2017). Search engine society. John Wiley Sons. Jiang, M. (2014). The business and politics of search engines: A comparative study of Baidu and Googles search results of Internet events in China. New Media Society, 16(2), 212-233. Partridge, M. D. (2017). The Geography of Rural American Poverty. Stevens, C. E., Xie, E., Peng, M. W. (2016). Toward a legitimacy?based view of political risk: The case of Google and Yahoo in China. Strategic Management Journal, 37(5), 945-963.

Technology And Stock Market Essays - Financial Markets, Stock Market

Technology And Stock Market The purpose of this research paper is to prove that technology has been good for the stock market. Thanks to technology, there are now more traders than ever because of the ease of trading online with firms such as Auditrade and Ameritrade. There are also more stocks that are doing well because they are in the technology field. The New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ have both benefitted from the recent technological movement. The NYSE says they "are dedicated to maintaining the most efficient and technologically advanced marketplace in the world." The key to that leadership has been the state-of-the-art technology and systems development. Technology serves to support and enhance the human judgement at point-of-sale. NASDAQ, the world's first fully electronic stock market, started trading on February 8th, 1971. Today, it is the fastest growing stock market in the United States. It alo ranks second among the world's securities in terms of dollar value. By constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of investors and public companies, NASDAQ has achieved more than almost any other market, in a shorter period of time. Technology has also helped investors buy stocks in other markets. Markets used to open at standard local times. This would cause an American trader to sleep through the majority of a Japanese trading day. With more online and afterhours trading, investors have more access to markets so that American traders can still trade Japanese stocks. This is also helped by an expansion of most market times. Afterhours trading is available from most online trading firms. For investing specialists, technology provides operational capability for handling more stocks and greatly increased volumes of trading. Specialists can follow additional sources of market information, and multiple trading and post-trade functions, all on "one screen" at work or at home. They are also given interfaces to "upstairs" risk-management systems. They also have flexiblity to rearrange their physical workspaces, terminals and functional activities. Floor brokers are helped with supports for an industry-wide effort to compare buy/sell contracts for accuracy shortly after the trade. They are also given flexibility in establishing working relationships using the new wireless voice headsets and hand-held data terminals. The ability to provide new and enhanced information services to their trading desks and institutional customers is provided. They have a comprehensive order-management system, that systematizes and tracks all outstanding orders. Technology gives a market's member organizations flexibility in determining how to staff their trading floor operations as well as flexiblity in using that market's provided systems, networks and terminals or interfacing their own technology. They are given assurance that their market will have the systems capacity and trading floor operations to handle daily trading and in billions of shares. Member organizations get faster order handling and associated reports to their customers, along with speedier and enhanced market information. They also have a regulatory environment, which assures member organiztions that their customers, large and small, can trade with confidence. Technology also allows lower costs, despite increasing volumes and enhanced products. Companies listed on the NYSE are provided with an electronic link so they may analyze daily trading in their stock, and compare market performance during various time periods. The technology also supports the visibility of operations and information, and regulated auction-market procedures, which listed companies expect from their"primary" market in support of their capital-raising activities and their shareholder services. Institutions get enhanced information flow from the trading floor, using new wireless technologies, as to pre-opening situations, depth of market, and indications of buy/sell interest by other large traders. Also supported are the fair, orderly, and deeply liquid markets which institutions require in order to allocate the funds they have under management whether placing orders in size for individual stocks (block orders) or executing programs (a series of up to 500 orders usually related to an index). For institutional investors, technology gives information on timely trades and quotes and makes them available through member firms, market data services, cable broadcasts and news media. They also are provided with a very effective way of handling "smaller" orders, giving them communications priority and full auction market participation for "price improvement" yet turning the average market order around in 22 seconds. Price continuitity and narrow quotation spreads, which are under constant market surveillence and a regulatory environment which enforces trading rules designed to protect "small investors" are also supported. There are many different kinds of equipment used on the stock market. One of these machines is SuperDot, an electronic order-routing system through which member firms of the NYSE transmit market and limit orders directly to the trading post where the