Free Essays on Catepillar Case

Caterpillar Case Between the 1980’s and 1990’s, Caterpillar was experiencing problems that could shake the foundation of their company’s stability and future. Several strategic analyses were done on the company along with solutions to get the company back on its feet. Some of the problems Caterpillar was experiencing included, core operations were too costly, some of their equipment was old, their production process was slow, their production design activities were too costly and they were having union disagreements. In the 1980’s, Caterpillar’s name was recognized globally and they were considered a leader in the heavy-duty construction equipment industry. They were facing an industry collapse and union difficulties. Global demand was dropping and the yen was weak which allowed their biggest rival, Japan’s Komatsu Ltd., to undercut prices by 40% and Komatsu began gaining market share. This coupled with a lengthy, debilitating strike with the Union Auto Workers (UAW) in 1990-91 made the situation worse. Donald Fites, who was named CEO of Caterpillar took an aggressive stance toward the UAW and put a strategy in place to rebuild Caterpillar as the industry leader. Mr. Fites strategic plan began with, seeking low-cost and speed enhancing leadership advantages. He would do this by integrating production activities across multiple models to gain economies of scale, speed up production processes with newer technology, and reduce inventory costs with increased JIT accommodated with speedier production activities: Mr. Fites began overhauling in Caterpillar’s manufacturing in the core truck and tractor operations. Almost $2 billion was invested to modernize his U.S. plants with new state of the art machinery, which helped to slash time, and vastly simplified production. Cat can now build 20 different models from the same basic design and coupled with the increased use of temporary workers in the nonunion plants h... Free Essays on Catepillar Case Free Essays on Catepillar Case Caterpillar Case Between the 1980’s and 1990’s, Caterpillar was experiencing problems that could shake the foundation of their company’s stability and future. Several strategic analyses were done on the company along with solutions to get the company back on its feet. Some of the problems Caterpillar was experiencing included, core operations were too costly, some of their equipment was old, their production process was slow, their production design activities were too costly and they were having union disagreements. In the 1980’s, Caterpillar’s name was recognized globally and they were considered a leader in the heavy-duty construction equipment industry. They were facing an industry collapse and union difficulties. Global demand was dropping and the yen was weak which allowed their biggest rival, Japan’s Komatsu Ltd., to undercut prices by 40% and Komatsu began gaining market share. This coupled with a lengthy, debilitating strike with the Union Auto Workers (UAW) in 1990-91 made the situation worse. Donald Fites, who was named CEO of Caterpillar took an aggressive stance toward the UAW and put a strategy in place to rebuild Caterpillar as the industry leader. Mr. Fites strategic plan began with, seeking low-cost and speed enhancing leadership advantages. He would do this by integrating production activities across multiple models to gain economies of scale, speed up production processes with newer technology, and reduce inventory costs with increased JIT accommodated with speedier production activities: Mr. Fites began overhauling in Caterpillar’s manufacturing in the core truck and tractor operations. Almost $2 billion was invested to modernize his U.S. plants with new state of the art machinery, which helped to slash time, and vastly simplified production. Cat can now build 20 different models from the same basic design and coupled with the increased use of temporary workers in the nonunion plants h...

The Future of Early Education Importance of Preschool

The Future of Early Education Importance of Preschool Did you know that  Forbes.com reports that the Department of Education has awarded almost $250 million in an effort to ensure that development of early education programs, preschool, continue to best serve children from low- and moderate-income families? This is one example of the Presidents long-standing plan to offer free, universal pre-school for these families. However, President Trumps latest budget for 2019 education appears to be reducing funding   for schools. As we know, in President Obamas 2013 State of the Union address he unveiled his plan for universal Pre-K or pre-kindergarten education for four-year-olds. His plan would guarantee kids whose household income is at or below 200% of the poverty line a free pre-K education with local schools and local partners, and their teachers would have the same training as K-12 teachers. In addition, the programs would offer many of the benefits of private school pre-kindergarten programs, including small class sizes, high adult-to-child ratios, and assessment of the programs provided. The program would also expand the number of full-day kindergarten programs available. Unease in Regards to the Future of Early Childhood Education However, despite these advancements, there is unease as a result of the new leadership of our nation coming; many people are unsure about the future of early childhood programs. Betsy DeVos has been chosen by President Donald Trump to take on the role of Education Secretary, and her position on pre-school funding is not clear; the same can be said for the President. As a result, there are some who are uncomfortable with the uncertainty, and the latest budget developments are not alieviating fears.   Why Pre-Kindergarten is So Important While many private schools offer high-quality pre-kindergarten programs and full-day kindergartens, providing enriching educational opportunities for children under age 6, many children who attend public schools, particularly children living in poverty, do not have access to these programs. According to the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) in New Brunswick, New Jersey, 28% of 4-year-olds were enrolled in a pre-kindergarten program in the 2011-2012 school year, which represents an increase over the 14% of four-year-olds who did so in 2002. Yet, pre-kindergarten programs are critical to children’s long-term success, and experts at NIEER have documented that children who have been enrolled in high-quality pre-kindergarten programs enter kindergarten with better vocabularies and more advanced pre-reading and math skills than children who don’t have access to these programs. Kids enrolled in pre-k programs aren’t just learning how to recognize letters and numbers; they are also learning critical social skills and the importance of working independently in the classroom. Through high-quality pre-k programs, they develop the confidence to take on more advanced classroom work. Many children struggle with social skills and behavioral problems in kindergarten, and many children are even kicked out of kindergarten. Pre-kindergarten programs are essential in teaching kids the social skills they need for later grades, not just the academic skills. Pre-K Benefits Last a Lifetime The benefits of pre-kindergarten education last well beyond kindergarten. According to research conducted by NIEER, there are amazing long-term economic benefits from early childhood education for children in poverty. For example, life-time earnings of some children increase by hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the economics benefits of these programs outweigh the costs by a factor of up to 16 (in some programs). In addition, such programs show that participants have lower crime rates and decreased rates of welfare dependence as adults, so the benefits of early childhood education can last a lifetime. According to the White House Fact Sheet on Obama’s educational plan, children from low-income families are less likely to have access to pre-kindergarten programs, and middle-class families also struggle to afford private pre-school programs, yet these programs are critical to children’s long-term school success. Children from low-income families who are not reading at grade level by third grade are six times less likely to graduate from high school. According to the Fact Sheet from the White House, only 60% of American children have access to full-day kindergarten programs, yet these programs are also essential to teaching children skills critical skills for later academic success. Pre-kindergarten programs are a promising way to reduce adult poverty in this country and to provide the essential skills workers need as adults. Working with at-risk children in the primary or middle school years may be too late, and while private schools offer high-quality pre-school and early education programs, research studies have documented the need to expand these programs to state-funded programs across the country. Article updated by Stacy Jagodowski

A Single American Nation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Single American Nation - Assignment Example he failures includes: Failure to achieve a massive federal works program, full and fair employment, decent housing and adequate integration education. Martin Luther King Jr. was a devoted Christian whose mission was to get his accomplishment without aggression or violence whereas Malcom X was a Muslim who wanted there to be a clear segregation of the white and black people in America because he felt that they would never coexist together. Even though King and Malcom differed majorly on racial segregation they both struggled in their own ways to bring about Africa American into a beta position in the society. Many movements had erupted 1960s including civil rights, women movements and environmental movements. These movements had emerged due to several interrelated reasons: Because American people looked upon the federal government to solve their problems, economic disparity, political competition and a moral culture that fostered unity in America. U.S. was more united in the 1970s than in the 1950s because of the remarkable achievements of all the movements especially the civil rights movements in the 1960s. This could be indicated by rights to vote for all people and integration in education and the coexistence of all races

Tesco Supermarket Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tesco Supermarket - Case Study Example Organizational culture is the highly important aspect of today's corporate life. Culture is defined as a set of assumptions, beliefs, customs, traditions and other personal, social and organizational methods that are owned and practiced by a group of life (Teegarden et al., 2011). This definition clearly mentions two important aspects: beliefs and group. For a culture to exist and perform the function, it is highly essential that it must have both these elements without their existence, a culture will not exist and nor will be able to perform. Based on this definition, organizational culture can be defined as â€Å"the way things are done in an organization† (Karwowski, 2006.p. 2204; Cameron and Quinn, 2006). In simple words, organizational culture reflects that how employees think, carry out their actions and make decisions within an organization (Karwowski, 2006). In this regard, it is also important to highlight that every organization has its different culture which is alw ays unique and because of this uniqueness, each organization is culturally different and unique as well (Karwowski, 2006). On the other hand, organizational culture has also been identified as diverse and complex because numerous and range of behaviors, attitudes, and activities are being carried out simultaneously (Vavrusa, 2008).Before going to highlight Tesco supermarket’s organizational culture, it is highly essential to mention that organizational culture has different dimensions for Tesco customers and Tesco employees.

Planning and Organizing Meetings Essay Example for Free

Planning and Organizing Meetings Essay Planning ahead of time is one virtue of Christian leaders. There are a lot of pointers that you need to remind yourself when planning and organizing meetings for your organization. There are details that you need to check because planning a meeting is not just calling people to come together and talking with each other without anything in mind to accomplish. First Things First Prayer is an important discipline for Christian leaders especially in terms of planning and organizing. This is the first and foremost thing that you should do. You should ask the wisdom of God and ask Him to let you know the tasks that are at hand in the organization. This is the time when you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and to let you possess strength that you need. Secondly, set your objectives. As said earlier, calling a meeting is not just getting people in to meet and talk at certain place and time. You should set your objectives even before you call people to come. What do you want to achieve after the meeting is done? Be sure that your objectives are specific, measurable, attainable, reasonable and time-bound. Part of your objectives is planning for the agenda. Setting the agenda means that you need to identify the most important things to go first and the least important to take the lower priority. Thirdly, identify the people that you want to be in the meeting. Will there be people from other organization? Do you need a committee to help you out in contacting people? As a Christian organizing a meeting, it is necessary that you consult people according to their availability so won’t be missing out someone on the date that you will set. Also, identify the place where you will be holding the meeting. Is it conducive to the activities that are involved in the meeting? Do you need food as you talk together? The Important Things When planning, you should make sure that you get the important things under a checklist. Sometimes there are details that we think is important but are actually necessary. On the other hand, we may left out important things that are basically needed. Make a roster of the participants of the meeting. List the names of people and check or cross the name out when they already confirmed or not. List also the equipment that you need and check if they are available on the day and time of your meeting. What about the logistics and financial implications of the meeting? Make a budget and be sure that it is attainable and you will have it released in time for your use. After the Meeting Planning and organizing meeting do not end after the meeting is already done. Your responsibility as the organizer does not end when the meeting ends. During the meeting, you should have talked about a lot of important things that needs action or implementation thereafter. As such, do not lose your checklist. After the meeting you will need another again. Evaluate if your objectives were met, if not, what you can do after to meet them. After the meeting, be in gratitude to all those who attended. Your meeting is only the take off of another planning and organizing so you should plan well your starting point.

Fashion and Women?s Movements in the Past Century Essay -- essays rese

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today’s American women are following centuries old traditions of rebelling against society’s outlook on women around. Earlier in America’s history, it was unheard of for a woman to be in both the public and domestic sphere. Women were forced to spend most of their life in the domestic sphere, and wear ridiculous clothes everyday. For a long time, women have been degraded and pushed around, causing women to initial movements to change the way society treats women. In America, â€Å"the land of the free†, women have to fight for their equal rights. Reformers, such as Fanny Wright, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Amelia Bloomer and many more have done so through their actions, and speeches. Nevertheless, in recent times fashion has become an available source of expression. It is a powerful tool to be able to be seen and not heard--but still get the message across. Since its humble beginnings, fashion has oftentimes just existed, but in the past century, it has existed as a form of expression, art, and liberation Now, women are still being influenced and challenged by the media and their peer, but slowly, more and more women are standing up for themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before the early to mid 1800’s, women were forced to squeeze into corsets made of whalebone, steel or buckram. It gave them the figure eight profile which resulted on a number of health problems, including their organs and body to become deformed. Over the corsets, women wore heavy layers of petticoats despite the weather. (Small Business Administration 3) Dresses emphasized the bust and hips, attempting to make women look very voluptuous. With the spread of commercialism, hundreds of new beauty products were introduced. These ever-popular restricting fashions were later outdated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This fashion was not comfortable in any sort of the imagination, and a social reformer, Wright started to make a difference. She originated a modified version of dresses in the Victorian Age. This new dress was described as â€Å"long-sleeved, high-necked, and loose-fitting tunic over a pair of baggy trousers† (Banner 23). Anthony, Stanton, Bloomer, and along others started to wear this new comfortable fashion. Bloomer promoted this new fashion which become known as â€Å"Bloomers† in The Lily; a newspaper for women promoting â€Å"women’s suffrage, temp... ...shion of the nineties, which did provide liberation. By the end of the century, homosexuality was accepted and commonplace.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The future of women’s fashion is uncertain—in that shock value is harder to come by with each passing year. There is a concept in fashion that nothing is new, everything has been done before. This theory is coming closer to obvious reality, as fashion shows of recent years have visual throwbacks as late as the Victorian era. Although the direction is not yet decided, it is almost definite that women will use fashion as an important tool for expression and freedom in the future. Works Cited Banner, Lois W. Women in Modern America a Brief History. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1974. Guerrilla Girls. â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions.† Guerrilla Girls. 2005. 2 May 2005 . Small Business Administration. â€Å" Women’s History Month Amelia Jenks Bloomer.† Online Women’s Business Center. 16 Apr. 2002. 3 May 2005 . Thomas, Pauline Weston. â€Å"1950’s Glamour Fashion History 1950’s.† Fashion Era. 2005. 2 May 2005 . World Book, Inc. â€Å"The Rise of the Modern Women’s Movement.† The Modern Women’s Movement. 2004 ed. 1. 2 May 2005 .

Algurashi Company

Designing and Planning are two factors that exist before a project comes into operation. Since the two processes are subject to the object we design or plan, it is clear that the specific guidelines may vary in reality. For example, people who intend to build a bridge might have different tools and requirement then ones who intend to build a theatre. Hence, in construction management, the requirement for tendering a project is different from others. There are many particular products in construction management such as roads, offices, apartments, hotels, factories, and houses.Meanwhile, the activities in the industry involve building a completely new structure or merely modifications of existing ones. Concerning the construction business, this paper will discuss about the application of a concept to the start-up of a construction and/or real estate development company. This paper acts as a preliminary proposal for starting new construction company, named Algurashi Company. 2. Segment( s) of construction industry The development of economy has increased the demands for many kinds of buildings to fulfill retail and corporate customers.However, in general, there are three major segments in construction business; they are general contractors or building contractors that build various kinds of building such as industrial, residential/homes, and commercial buildings (U. S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005). Second type of contractors is civil engineering contractors. They duty involves the development and build of bridges, roads, sewers, and highways, to name a few. The Third type is special trade contractors.This contractor conducts activities that occurs during the construction activities such as electrical set up and installation, plumbing, painting etcetera (U. S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005). Concerning type of contractors, Algurashi Company is a construction company that acts as a general contractor especially servin g the residential/homes buildings. The reason of this choice is because the number of residential building grows at faster rate than commercial buildings and customers may change or perform home renovation several times to fulfill their needs. 3. Phases of the development processThe most interesting part in conducting residential construction industry is the products are heavily customized and thus it will give Algurashi Company many experience of dealing with different kind of customers and home designs. Therefore, Algurashi Company will be a general contractor that both design and build residential buildings. However, in the first step, Algurashi Company will focus on building residential building and works with several home designers (architects). At the next stage, the company may obtain some qualified architects to join the company to provide or more complete services to customers.Since greater revenue comes from providing services to customers/home owners, at later stage, when Algurashi Company has developed housing that composes of teens or hundreds houses or apartments, the company may become the property management as well that provides the company with monthly revenue. However, during the development process, Algurashi Company must carefully take their steps in developing their business especially concerning the financing scheme to fund the company’s operation. Another challenging step for start-ups is to gather a sum of money to fund their operational cost as well as the capital expenditure.If entrepreneurs develop start-ups with valuable experience in conducting business in other firm, it is just the matter of creating a good business proposal to attract investors. There are various source of funding available for start-ups such as personal saving, family members, banks’ loan, and venture capitalists. Personal saving is the least risky way since it does not provide any interest. While venture capitalist is a professional investors who may be in charge of a large pool of capital gathered from a range of sources (Isidro, 2004). 4. Type of company formationSince construction business requires a huge amount of money, Algurashi Company would be better to set up joint ventures with other company. By definition, joint venture is a contractual agreement between two or more companies to form a new company aims at executing a particular business undertaking. In this business model, all signed parties commit to share in the profits and losses of the company (WebFinance, 2005). There are at least three benefits of forming a joint venture as a way to expanding business and grab new opportunities as following:? Providing the new company (joint venture) with opportunity to grab new capacity and expertise ? Allowing the new company to explore business opportunities in new geographic market or obtain new technological knowledge ? Offering the new company with creative ways of doing business out of core competence (Kotelnikov, 20 01) 5. Organization chart/duties Following figure is the organization structure for the Algurashi Company. This proposed organization takes into account strengths and benefits of possible joint venture in the future in order to perform well in the new company. Reference:Isidro, Isabel M. (2003). How to Raise Money to Start a Business. PowerHomeBiz. com. Retrieved September 28, 2007 from http://www. powerhomebiz. com/vol8/HowtoRaise. htm Kotelnikov, Vadim. (2001). Joint Ventures (JVs). Retrieved September 28, 2007 from http://www. 1000ventures. com/business_guide/jv_main. html U. S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2005). Construction. Retrieved September 28, 2007 from http://www. bls. gov/oco/cg/cgs003. htm WebFinance. (2005). Joint Venture. Retrieved September 28, 2007 from http://www. investorwords. com/2671/joint_venture. html

Inventory Management on Performance

DECLARATION I, Lucy Lakot, do declare hereby that this proposal is my original work and that it has not been submitted for an award of a diploma or a degree in any institution of higher learning anywhere. Signature†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Date †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ APPROVAL This is to satisfy that this research proposal is written under my supervision and is now ready for submission to the Faculty of business and development studies (FBDS) Signed†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Date†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Mr. Mshilla Maghanga DEDICATION I dedicate this proposal to my late mother, Mrs Adong Santina, my father, Mr.Pungole, my brother Okello Innocent, late Okello Alex, my beloved sister Alal Cavin, Atenyo Nighty, Aol Grace and Lucy Lakot TA BLE OF CONTENTS Contents Pages DECLARATIONi APPROVALii DEDICATIONiii TABLE OF CONTENTSiv LISTS OF ABBREVATIONS/ACRONYMSviii LIST OF TABLESix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION1 1. 0Introduction1 1. 1Background1 1. 3Purpose of the Study3 1. 4Objectives of the Study4 1. 5Research Questions4 1. 6Scope of the Study4 1. 6. 1Geographical scope4 1. 6. 2Subject Scope5 1. 6. 3Time Scope5 1. 7 Significance of the Study5 1. Structure of the Research Proposal6 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW7 2. 0Introduction7 2. 1The Concept of Inventory Management7 2. 2Techniques of Inventory Management in Organization8 2. 2. 1First In First Out (FIFO)8 2. 2. 2Last In Fast Out (LIFO)9 2. 2. 3Weighted Average9 2. 2. 4The Re Order Level System (ROL)/ Fixed Order Point System9 2. 2. 5The Periodic Review System/ Fixed Interval10 2. 2. 6The Economic Order Quantity Analysis (EOQ)10 2. 2. 7The ABC Analysis10 2. 2. 8Just In Time Technique10 2. 3Principles of Good Inventory Management11 2. 3. Cleanliness and Organization11 2. 3 . 2The Principles of Stock Rotation12 2. 3. 3Tracking12 2. 4Organizational Performance12 2. 4. 1Indicators of Performance14 2. 4. 2Social Responsibility15 2. 4. 3Strategic Cost Management15 2. 4. 4Information Sharing15 2. 4. 5Flexibility16 2. 5Relationship between Inventory Management and Performance16 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY18 3. 0Introduction18 3. 1Research Design18 3. 2Area of study18 3. 3Target population18 3. 4Population and Sample Size19 3. 4. 1Procedures of Data Collection20 3. 4. 2Sample Technique20 . 5 Data Sources20 3. 5. 1Primary Data21 3. 5. 2Secondary Data21 3. 6Data Collection methods21 3. 6. 1Questionnaires21 3. 6. 2Observation guide22 3. 6. 3Interview guide22 3. 7 Data Processing and Analysis22 3. 7. 1Data Analysis and Management22 3. 8Ethical Considerations23 3. 9Limitation of the Study23 REFERENCE25 APPENDICES27 APENDIX 1: WORK PLAN 201227 APENDIX 2: BUDGET ESTIMATES28 APPENDIX 3: QUESTIONAIRE INSTRUMENTS29 SECTION A: Demographic Characteristic29 SECTION B: Tech niques of inventory management in Anaka General Hospital? 0 SECTION C: Indicator of the organizational performance31 SECTION D: The relationship between inventory management and organizational performance33 SECTION E: Evaluation of the factors that affects the performance of Anaka General Hospital34 LISTS OF ABBREVATIONS/ACRONYMS AGHAnaka General Hospital AVSIAssociazione Volontari Peril Servizio Internationale DHODistrict Health Officer EOQEconomic Order Quantity FIFOFirst in First out LIFOLast in First out MSMedical Superintendent NDLGNwoya District Local Government PHCPrimary Health CareROLReorder Level SWOTStrength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat WHOWorld Health Organization LIST OF TABLES Table 1: 3 The researcher samples sizes CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1. 0Introduction This chapter highlights the inventory management and performance in general public Hospital case study of Anaka General Hospital Nwoya District. This chapter gives the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, scope of the study, significance of the study and report structure. . 1Background Anaka General Hospital (AGH) was constructed in 1969 and opened in 1974 by the president of the Government of Uganda at that time. It is a district Hospital with 100 bed capacity, it is the referral facility and head quarter for Nwoya Health sub district. It provides all primary health care services (PHC), for examples curative, preventive, promotive and rehabilitation to Anaka sub-county and referral to the entire district.The vision is to improve the health of the people of Nwoya district in order to promote a healthy and productive population In early profits and non-profit making organizations, inventories constitute an important element in the management of the organization. The need for inventory management is influenced by the capacity of managing decisions since the existence of inventories will be determined by the ca pacity management strategies which are to be employed ( Wild, 1995).Inventory management refers to the organizational efforts and procedures aimed at protecting the firm from extensive or inadequate levels of inventories and to maintain sufficient inventory for smooth production and sales (Pandey, 2003). Inventory management in Anaka General Hospital stores focuses on how many units of each inventory items are to be held in stock, how much should be issued at a given time and at what point should inventory be issued and dispatched ( Johns, 2002).For effective management of inventories, co-operation of the various departments in the organization is required. The departments vary from organization to another but they usually involve the purchasing department as the most important although each of which has a role to play in coordination amongst themselves to facilitate efficient and smooth process of ordering, receiving, issuing and usage of materials is required (White, 1997).When in ventories are properly managed, it leads to increased production hence improved organizational performance. Organizational performance comprises the actual output or results of an organization as measured against its intended outputs or goals and objectives. According to Richard et al. (2009) organizational performance encompasses three specific areas of a firm outcome: financial performance, product market performance, and shareholder return.In recent years, many organizations have attempted to manage organizational performance using the balanced scorecard methodology where performance is tracked and measured in multiple dimensions such as: In recent years, many organizations have attempted to manage organizational performance using the balanced scorecard methodology where performance is tracked and measured in multiple dimensions such as:- customer service , social responsibility and employee stewardship Although the Balanced Scorecard has become very popular, there is no single v ersion of the model that has been universally accepted.The diversity and unique requirements of different enterprises suggest that no one-size-fits-all approach will ever do the job. Performance measurement is the use of statistical evidence to determine progress towards specific defined organizational objectives. There are many types of measurements. In school, exams are graded to establish the academic abilities; in sports, time is clocked in split seconds to verify the athletic abilities. Similarly in organizations, there are various tools and measurements to determine how well it performs.Gamble, Strickland and Thompson (2007, p. 99) provide a comprehensive method for measuring performance of organizations. How well each company performs is dependent on the strategic plan. Some of the measurements include basic financial ratios such as debt-to-equity ratio and if the levels are an issue with creditworthiness. 1. 2Statement of the Problem Inventory management is concerned with th e management of inventories that are crucial for the efficient and effective running of an organization.However, even if Anaka General Hospital is practicing good inventory management techniques/practices, it has continuously failed to meet the expectations of its customers that is to say the patients in the hospitals and the health centers it serves (The District Board of Survey Report 2011). These facts may be due to untimely delivery of medical supplies, poor quality of the medical supplies as well as employing incompetent workers who lack skills and the knowledge required.This has impacted on the general performance of the Hospital negatively; therefore it is upon this basis that encourages the researcher to carry out an investigation into this anomaly hence prompting the research. 1. 3Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study is to find out whether inventory management affects performance in Anaka General Hospital, Nwoya district 1. 4Objectives of the Study The specific obj ectives of the study will be: 1. To find out the techniques used in inventory management in Anaka General Hospital, Nwoya District 2.To establish the levels of performance in Anaka General Hospital, Nwoya District 3. To examine the relationship between inventory management and performance in Anaka General Hospital, Nwoya District 1. 5Research Questions In order to arrive at the above set objectives, the study will focus on the following research questions. 1. What are the techniques used in inventory management in Anaka General Hospital? 2. What are the levels of performance in Anaka General Hospital? 3. What is the relationship between inventory management and performance in Anaka General Hospital? 1. 6Scope of the Study . 6. 1Geographical scope The study will be carried in Anaka General Hospital Nwoya district. This is chosen because the researcher stays within Anaka Town Council and it’s cheaper in terms of transport and accommodation. 1. 6. 2Subject Scope The study will c over the important aspects in the variables under the study by taking into account the techniques of inventory management, importance of inventory management and the indicators of performance in Anaka General Hospital 1. 6. 3Time Scope The study will be undertaken within a period of five months ranging from February 2012-June 2012.This time is chosen to provide a good cut for the attainment and access to the most recent data on inventory management and performance in Anaka General Hospital. 1. 7 Significance of the Study The study is expected to benefit and contribute through the following ways. 1. The study is part of the partial requirements for the award of a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration in Gulu University 2. The study will also help the researcher to widen the understanding of the relationship between inventory management and its associated costs and will help in acquiring more knowledge in the variable under study. . The study may also act as a basis for future re search in the field of inventory management and performance. 4. The study may help policy makers in coming up with the procedures and strategies in inventory management and performance. 1. 8Structure of the Research Proposal Chapter one contains the introduction, background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study and scope of the study.Chapter two contains the review of relevant literature that has been advanced by different writers in the field of inventory management and performance with the aim of finding the relationship between the two variables. Chapter three consists of descriptions of how the study will be conducted that is, introduction, research design, sampling design, sample size, sampling population, sources of data, data collection methods, data processing analysis and interpretation and limitations to the study.CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 0Introduction This chapter prese nts the existing literature in the field of inventory management and performance . Here the concept of inventory management is defined according to different authors, techniques of inventory management, principles of inventory management, organizational performance, indicators of performance and the relationship between inventory management and performance are presented among others. 2. 1The Concept of Inventory ManagementInventory management refers to the organizational efforts and procedures aimed at protecting the firm from excessive and inadequate levels of inventories and to maintain sufficient inventories for the smooth production (Pandey, 2003). Inventory management is concerned essentially with the use and control of inventories. The need for inventory is influenced by capacity decisions since the existence of inventories will in parts be determined by the capacity management strategies which are to be employed ( Wild, 2002).According to Gilbert et al (2000) inventory manage ment has been defined in terms of an organization that aims at determining the range of qualities of materials and products, which should be stocked, and the regulation of the receipts and issues of materials. He further noted that inventory management must ensure that the business has the right quantity of goods in the right place and at the right time under inventory management, efforts should be made or placed at the right time, with the right quantity, with the right quality at the right place.Broadly Lysons (2002) defines inventory as raw materials, work in progress and finished good. Inventory management aim at providing both internal and external customers with the required service levels in terms of quality and order fill rate, ascertaining present and further arrangements for all types of inventory to avoid over stocking while avoiding bottlenecks in production and costs to a minimum by variety reductions, economic sizes and analysis of costs incurred in obtaining and carry ing inventories.For effective management of inventories, it requires the co-operations of the various departments in the way the organization handles its inventories. The responsibility of managing work in progress and finished products may be with the material control department equally it could line some other section within the organization (Muhleman, 2000). According to Gupta (2001) inventory management is described as the process that involves fixing the minimum and maximum inventory levels, determining the size of the inventory to be carried at a given time and the issue price policy. 2. 2Techniques of Inventory Management in OrganizationAccording to Nixon (2008), inventory management techniques include; 2. 2. 1First In First Out (FIFO) This method often referred to as (FIFO) is based on assumption that the first inventory acquired is the first inventory sold or issued out. In otherwise each sale is made out of the oldest inventories in stock. The ending inventories there for consists of the most recent cost which may be adopted by any business regardless of whether or not the physical flow of merchandise actually corresponds to this assumption of selling the oldest units in stock. 2. 2. 2Last In Fast Out (LIFO)This method is based on the principle that materials entering store/production unit are the most recently purchased. This means materials issued to production are prized/issued using the most recent purchased price, the batch of goods purchased most recently are issued first. The closing stock is therefore valued at the oldest purchase price. 2. 2. 3Weighted Average According to the institute of management Accounting (London) weighted average cost is calculated by dividing total of materials in the sock from which the materials to priced or issued would be drown by the total quantity of materials in stock.When the average costing method is used, the cost figures determined for the ending inventories are influenced by the various price paid during the year. The price paid early at the year may carry as much weight in pricing the ending inventories as a price paid at the end of the year. If the price has been rising during the year, the average unite cost will be less than the current cost prevailing at the balance sheet date. 2. 2. The Re Order Level System (ROL)/ Fixed Order Point System The reorder level is the level at which a replenishment order should be placed in order that delivery is when the minimum level is reached. Orders for the same fixed quantity will be required whenever it becomes necessary to do so. The frequency with which orders are made changes according to the level of demand, ROL system has the following characteristic; a pre determined level is set for each item. When the stock level falls to the ROL, a replenishment order is issued. Organizations operating this system maintain stock records with calculated re order levels.The re order system has three control levels, the ROL which was already defined, the maximum stock level which a level above which stock should not normally rise and the minimum stock level which is a level below which sock should not be allowed to fall. It is also known as safety sock or buffer stock. Incase stock is to fall below this level, stoppage is likely to occur. 2. 2. 5The Periodic Review System/ Fixed Interval This system is sometimes called the constant cycle system. The stock will be reviewed at regular fixed intervals to determine whether more should be ordered.An order will be raised for the required quantity. The system as the following characteristics; stock levels of all parts are reviewed at fixed interval for example every 2 weeks, where necessary, a replenishment order is issued, the quantity of the replenishment order is not a previously calculated economic order quantity but is based up on the likely demand until the next review, the present stock level and lead time. The replenishment order quantity seeks to bring stock up to a pre determ ined level. 2. 2. 6The Economic Order Quantity Analysis (EOQ)EOQ is a model that is used to decide optimum order size of the sock which will minimize the costs of ordering and holding cost. It is a deterministic type of model which assumes that all parameters (factors) are known with certainty. It assumes ordering and holding costs are known with certainty. There is a spontaneous delivery (no time lag between ordering and receiving) of items. The rate of demand is known and the demand period is normally assumed to be one year. There is unknown constant price per unit and all other factors are held constant. 2. 2. 7The ABC AnalysisThis relates to the classification of materials in the store. Materials are classified according to their importance. Group A are crucial for organizational performance, if there were a shortage of such material, production shortage would occur, they represent 70% of investment in inventory. Group B may not be crucial and they may not disrupt production act ivities but still they are also important. They normally represent 20% of investment in the inventory. Group C are materials which may be necessary for a firms production activities but are not so important.They normally represent 10% of investment in inventory. 2. 2. 8Just In Time Technique Here items of very high value that are frequently used, it makes sense to attempt to keep low or possibly no inventory of these items and instead get frequent deliveries possibly on a daily basis. The objective is to avoid tying lots of money in stock (working capital). Organization will need to find extremely reliable suppliers of defect free product who are just in time oriented. Just in time is based on pull concept, where by suppliers wait for a signal from their customers before they deliver or replenish.According to the study carried out by AVSI in 2005 inventory management techniques being used at the moment especially in areas of storage, and supply to medical supplies in Anaka General H ospital is a mixture of techniques . Stock brought today may be mixed up with already existing stock and when giving out stock to the clients, it does not matter which stock comes first either the old stock or the new stock. 2. 3Principles of Good Inventory Management In the business world, not everyone follows good principles that aid in their success.However, the principles of inventory management cannot be ignored if the organization expects to maintain a quality business with a good reputation for always being able to assist a customer. Employing good principles is the best way to profit in any industry because it keeps the organization a float in a world. Principles maintain organizational quality and responsibility to a project and to aspects that are most important in the inventory management (Graham, 2000). 2. 3. 1Cleanliness and Organization This principle of inventory management is simple and easy to follow, if the organization simply makes it a point to do so.For example, one of the top priorities in inventory management is to maintain a clear organized store in which all items are properly stored and labeled. This is important for several reasons. Cleanliness is important for an organization, staff and products the store (Lee, 2001). The organized storage and labeling allows easy location and order pull of stock or any item in the warehouse without any difficulty in searching. 2. 3. 2The Principles of Stock Rotation If the organization employees good principles of inventory management it will be certain to rotate the stock, selling through order stock before delivering into new shipments.This will ensure that the organization always has fresh products and doesn’t lose money by having to write off old items (Gary, 2002). 2. 3. 3Tracking Keeping careful track of all the items in the warehouse is one of the best principles of inventory management. Obviously, one can benefit greatly by employing just a few basic principles of inventory managemen t in the organization work place. The more the organization work towards running a tight ship, the better off the organization will be as managers and the more profitable your department in business will be. 2. Organizational Performance According to Stonner (2002) organizational performance is the measure of how effective and efficient an organization is and how well it achieves the appropriate objectives. It involves the assessment of achievements of organizational objectives and planning for the future change. That is it involves the identification of major issues and solutions relating to one or more areas such as organizational strategy, human resource strategy, human resource policies, organizational structure design, staff skills mix and communication channel.Problems of this nature can significantly limit organizational performance and development (Deloitte, 2006). Armstrong (2000) defined organizational performance as a state of degree of how an organization is governed in relation to the organizational goals; its capacity to successfully implement set objectives in order for it to achieve the organizational goals and objectives. Organizational performance is therefore a process; it can be positive or negative. Negative organizational performance is a degree in which an organization deviates from its set goals and objectives during the implementation of the short term and long term goals.For organizational performance to be positively achieved, management should set short term and specific goals that can be feasible as well as able to guide long term goals. An organizational budget estimate should be tailored to meet its goals and objectives by identifying and removing obstacles during the implementation of the estimates. Pandey (2002) defined performance as the financial strength and weakness of a firm by properly establishing a link between the balance sheet and income statement.He further argued that performance entails effectiveness which refers t o the firm’s ability to serve and produce what is required by the market at a particular time effectively, which refers to the firm’s ability to serve and produce what is required by the market at a particular time effectively, which refers to the firm’s ability to serve and produce what’s required by the market at a particular time effectively which means meeting the objectives of the lower possible cost with the highest benefit.Kotler (2002) stated that performance measures must focus attention on what makes identities and communicates the driver of success, support organizational learning and provide basis for assessment and rewards. He further lamented that it can be looked at in terms of competitive feasibility resource utilization and annotations. When seeking to improve the performance of an organization it is very helpful to regularly conduct assessments of current performance of the organization.Assessment might be planned, systematic and explici t (these often are the best kinds of assessments) or un planned SWOT analysis diagnosis models without recognizing or referring to them as such. Along with comparison of results to various best practices or industry standards (Pearce, 2000). The organization is used to an ongoing performance management for employees, for example setting goals, monitoring the employee’s achievement of those goals, sharing feedback with the employee, evaluating the employee performance, rewarding performance or firing the employees.Performance management applies to organizations too and includes recurring activities to establish organizational goals, monitor progress towards the goals and make adjustment to achieve those goals more effectively and efficiently. Those recurring activities are much of what leaders and managers inherently do in their organizations some do them far better than others. 2. 4. 1Indicators of Performance The key performance indicator is a measure of performance, such me asures are commonly used to help an organization define and evaluate how successful it is typically in terms of making progress towards its long term organizational goals.The performance indicator may be monitored using the business intelligence techniques to assess the present state of the business and to assist in prescribing a course of action (Frank, 1998). The act of monitoring the performance indicators in real term is known as business activity monitoring. The key performance indicators are frequently used to value difficulties in measuring activities such as the benefits of leadership development, engagement service and satisfaction they are typically tied to an organization’s strategy using concepts or techniques such as balanced stored card (Quinn, 2000).The key performance indicators differ depending on the nature of the organization and the organization’s strategy. They help to evaluate the process of an organization towards its vision and long term goals e specially towards difficulties in quantifying knowledge based goals. The performance indicators differ from business drivers and aims or goals. A school might consider the failure rate of its students as a key performance indicator which might help the school under its position in the education community where as a business might consider the percentage of income from customers.Therefore, the indicators of performance include; 2. 4. 2Social Responsibility These are values that guide people in organizations and corporate. Culture that embodies those values and values held by people outside the organization (Robert, 2000). He further says that social responsibility makes people buy a product from a company because of the company’s good reputation. Stonner, (2000), states that corporate culture can be a strong force for organizational performance. 2. 4. 3Strategic Cost ManagementAccording to Pearce (2000) modern businesses strategically manage their costs through identifying cos ts and drivers, developing appropriate process and strategies aimed at reducing or eliminating the costs so as to enhance business performance. 2. 4. 4Information Sharing Quinn (2000) said that improved decision making and performance efficiently is due to realistic informed and detailed information sharing. He further asserts that outcomes of the relationship and interactive feedback are used o make improvements. 2. 4. 5Flexibility Flexibility of an organization is yet another determinant of performance. This means ability to manage change in a business. The increased performance of any organization is reflected in its ability to make changes without and delay. This flexibility can take a form of development needs continuous update of information or improved technology. Therefore, lack of flexibility in an organization’s activities will reflect reduced profits. 2. Relationship between Inventory Management and Performance It was observed that inventory management in organizat ions has a positive significant relationship with performances whereby when all the materials and inventories are properly managed; they lead to increased levels of efficiency and effectiveness that will help indecision making from the organization. According to a study conducted about inventory management by Karamagi (2004), on bank of Uganda, with the introduction of computerized system the overall management of stock has improved with regards to monitoring, reconciliation and reordering and requisition thus performance.Accordingly, inventory management has helped in tracking record process so that stocks are available all the time so that there are no stock outs and for emergency purposes. Receipts and issues are posted directly and automatically on to the system other than stock cards. Akers and Porter (2001) included that the use of inventory management at any level of an organization can have implications for competitive advantage. At the highest echelons of an organization, t he inventory management is crucial to successful strategic planning.Duff (2001) and Mitskavick (2000) also reported that at the operational level, availability of inventory can result in increased organizational efficiencies such as increased sales, decreased inventory, increased customer service, shortened production lead times and lowered labour costs. CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3. 0Introduction This chapter discusses the research design, area of the study, target population and methods to be used by researcher to gather information, study population, sampling size and procedures, data collection tools, data analysis and limitations of the study. 3. 1Research DesignA research design is a plan to carry out a research project/ it is a pattern the research is going to follow/it is the overall plan or strategy for conducting the research. Oso and Onen, 2005 pg 69). For this research purpose, qualitative, quantitative and descriptive research designs will be used. The rationale for sel ection of the designs above is that case study uses smaller samples for in-depth analysis other than covering the entire population; the design is also multi model, concrete and contextual in nature. 3. 2Area of study This research is going to be carried out in Anaka General Hospital, Nwoya district. . 3Target population The study will target the following category of people: – medical superintendant, doctors, store keepers and other employees. They are chosen because of their day today mandate and interface with inventory management issues and Performance in Anaka General Hospital 3. 4Population and Sample Size Aggarwal (1988:14) stated that the term population in research refers to a universe of interest to the study. A population is the group to which a researcher would like the results of a study to be generalisable and make reference to a specific situation or context.The study will include medical superintendant, doctors, store keepers, District Health Officer, nurses, other employees and selected patients and other employees. A number of 54 respondents will be expected to be given the questionnaires and or interviewed. The medical superintendant, doctors, storekeepers, employees and patients will be chosen because they are the people expected to be having enough experience as partners to the field of inventory management in Anaka General Hospital Table 1: 3 Showing the sample sizes S/NO| RESSPONDENTS| NUMBER| 1| Medical superintendent| 1| 2| Doctors| 2| 3| District Health officer| 1| | Store keeper| 2| 5| Nurses| 12| 6| Other employees(Dentist, Pharmacy, Administrator, Record Assistant, Laboratory Assistant, Darkroom Attendant)| 24| 7| Patient| 12| | TOTAL| 54| Sources: Source: Researchers’ proposed sample size 3. 4. 1Procedures of Data Collection This will be based on purposive sampling; According to Shaughnessy and Zechmeister (1997:139) purposive sampling is where the investigator selects individuals to be included in the sample on the basis of their special characteristics. This method shall be used by the researcher to obtain respondents who have some knowledge on the subject matter.Purposive sampling design will be used to choose the area in which the study will be conducted because of the proximity to the researcher in views of time and fund constraints. The study will purposely be based at Anaka medical stores serving in this case as service provider and the community as patients/consumers. 3. 4. 2Sample Technique The researcher will employ systematic random sampling to carry out the study. Systematic random sampling will be used to select the category of respondents to be Included in the sample. The purpose of using this technique is to avoid being bias in the Selection of respondents.Systematic random samplings requires establishing the number from the population List in the camp then later identify every nth member in the population from the Randomized list of the population. This technique will group the population sampled into Separate identical subjects with equal chances that share similar or same characteristics to Ensure equitable representation of the population in the sample. This technique is Preferred because it selects without bias. It also saves time and Money. 3. 5 Data Sources The data source shall compromise of the following; 3. 5. Primary Data The researcher shall collect fresh data and for the first time which will be original in nature from Anaka General Hospital stores and will directly be obtained from the filled records. 3. 5. 2Secondary Data The researcher will review literature which contains the data that has been collected by some other people but relevant to the researcher’s topic of the study for instance from magazines, journals, text books and internet sources. 3. 6Data Collection methods Data from the field will be obtained by use of combination of the following data collection methods.The researcher will use questionnaires, interview and document analysis as the main tool for collecting data. The selection of this tool will be guided by the nature of data to be collected. 3. 6. 1Questionnaires Questionnaires will be used since the research is mainly with variables that cannot be directly observed such as views, opinions, perceptions and feelings of the respondents. Such information is best collected through questionnaires. The sample size comprise of (54) Respondents and given the time constraints, questionnaires is the ideal tool for collecting data.The researcher intends to use categorized instrument that is both open and closed questions and optional responses. This will enable the researcher to balance between quality and quantity of data. It will also simplify data analysis and coming out with clear report on the study. 3. 6. 2Observation guide This will be employed by the researcher to collect information from Anaka General Hospital by observing how the drugs are issued to the respective users and how they are stocked in the stores. 3. 6. 3Interview guide Data shall be collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.Colin (1993:47) stated that â€Å"a guide can be directed on a given set of predetermined questions†. The researcher used an in-depth interview guide to gather information about the study. The in-depth interview approach is relevant because of the sensitivity of the issues being studied which required in-depth exploration. This will be conducted by the researcher to probe for more information in a face to face discussion with the Anaka General Hospital management. This will target the doctors and storekeepers at the Hospital 3. 7 Data Processing and Analysis 3. 7. 1Data Analysis and ManagementData analysis is defined as â€Å"a process of inspecting data with the goal of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting decision making†. Data shall be obtained from detailed field notes and written data collected through questionnair es. The analysis shall involve the organization of data into themes by searching for patterns emerging from data collected. The information from the questionnaires shall be written and presented by researcher as provided by the respondents. This data shall be used by the researcher to provide a descriptive analysis of the respondents’ understanding of store management.The findings will later be analyzed using Micro soft Excel to present the data in term of percentages using pie-charts and bar graph. This will be useful in displaying pattern in the collected data, and these patterns were used to make generalization on the basis of recommendation made. 3. 8Ethical Considerations The research topic was first approved by faculty of Business and Development Studies of Gulu University research committee . The researcher will then obtain a letter of introduction from Gulu University which will be presented to the District Health Officer Nwoya District and Medical superintendent of A naka General Hospital.All respondents will be informed about the purpose of the study, their freedom to participant, and also assured of confidentiality, the researcher also promise to provide copies of his finding to the University and the MS, DHO of Anaka General Hospital 3. 9Limitation of the Study The following are the anticipated limitations; Some respondents may intend to withhold information for fear of exposing their incompetence. This will be overcomed by, assuring them of confidentiality of the information that they also stand to benefit if implementation of the recommendation of the study are taken.There may be inadequate inventory control record for review by the researcher, more so because the Hospital does not even used electronic databases. To bridge the gap, interview and discussion will be used to identify and explain the missing or inaccurate data respectively. Financial constraint may also disturb the researcher since he is self-sponsored and to reduce the cost, t he researcher will undertake some activities such as typing, binding the research proposal, the questionnaires, the interview schedules.Time is a limitation in that the frame for submitting the search proposal is short considering the size of departments and the distance of Anaka General Hospital its 56KM from Gulu town and some respondents may delay completing of questionnaires due to their personal commitment and these may slow down the compilation of data. To prevent these, the researcher will engage a research assistant to speed up data collection. REFERENCE Aggarwal, Y. P. (1988). Better Sampling: Concepts, Techniques, Evaluation. Sterling Publishers Private Limited, India.Board of survey report, Nwoya district local government 2011Duff (2000) Automated Accounting in modern times, Ms Graw Hill, inventory control Frank Gamble, Strickland and Thompson (2007) Environmental impacts, focus on improving landscape performance Akers and Porter (2001), the relationship between GSCM prac tice and performance, JIT approach to inventory management | Gilbert et al (2000), from computing journal of introduction system management, Vol 34, No 25, PP 23-28 Graham et al (2006), financial management 2nd edition, Viskas publishing house put limited Gray John (2000), Organizational behavior 4th edition, Prentince Hall, Great Britain Karamagi. H. 2004), Inventory management and profitability in business organization Kenneth Lysons (2000) purchasing and supply chain management, 5th edition, person Education: London Kotler. P. (2002), Principle of marketing, 7th edition, Pearson London Muhleman (2000), production and operations management 2nd edition, MC Graw Hill New York Oso and Onen 2005, a guide in writing research proposal and report Pandy. I. M, (2003), financial management, 8th edition, MC Graw Hill, Great Britain Ray wild (2002), implementing effective management: Inc Oracle Corporations (2002), www. oracle. com Richard Mcclelan (2009) inventory management system Shaughne ssy, J. J and Zechmeister, E. B (1997). Research Methods in Psychology, 4th Edition.The McGraw – Hill Companies, Inc. United States of America Stonner et al (2003), Principle and practice of management, 8th edition White 1997, Optimization Engine for Inventory Control†, white paper from Golden Embryo †¦ [ web page], Bogazici University 1997 www. freepatentsonline. com APPENDICES APENDIX 1: WORK PLAN 2012 PHASE/ACTIVITY| Jan| Feb| Mar| Apr| May| Jun| Jul| Responsible person| Developing synthesis | | | | | | | | Researcher and supervisor| Developing a proposal| | | | | | | | Researcher and supervisor| Developing and piloting of instrument| | | | | | | | Researcher and supervisor| Data collection| | | | | | | | Researcher |Data organization, analysis and interpretation| | | | | | | | Researcher and supervisor| Typing, editing/report submission| | | | | | | | Researcher| APENDIX 2: BUDGET ESTIMATES S/NO| ITEMS| DESCRIPTION| PRICE| ESTIMATED AMOUNT| | Stationeries| | | | | Rim of papers| 2| 20,000| 40,000| | Pens| 10| 500| 5,000| | Flask disk| 1| 70,000| 70,000| | Typing and Printing| | | 200,000| | Binding| | | 60,000| | PERSONNEL| | | | | Research Assistant| 1| | 50,000| | Communication| | | 60,000| | Meals| | | 80,000| | TOTAL| | | 565,000| APPENDIX 3: QUESTIONAIRE INSTRUMENTS Dear Respondent I am Ocen Alfred Ayella a third year student of Business Administration of Gulu University.Currently I am undertaking a research study about â€Å"Inventory management and organizational performance†, A case of Anaka General Hospital. The purpose of the study is to enable me to obtain a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Gulu University. The information provided shall not only be for academic purposes but also to improve on the services delivery in success of inventory management and organizational performance in Anaka General Hospital Nwoya district. The information that you will give will be strictly confidential Instruction * Tick wh ere options are given * Fill in the space provided * Be as objective as possible SECTION A: Demographic Characteristic 1. Name (optional) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2. What is your gender?Male Female 3. In which age bracket do you fall? Below 18 years 20-29 years 30-39 years above 40 years 4. Marital status? Single Married Divorced SeparatedWidowed 5. Highest level of education attained? Non O and A level Certificate Diploma Degree Postgraduate Master PHD 6. Current job position held at Anaka General Hospital? Medical superintendentDoctorDistrict Health officer Store keeper A NurseLaboratory AssistantPatientOther specify †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7. How long have you been in this position? Below 2 years 3 years and above 5 years and above SECTION B:Techniques of inventory management in Anaka General Hospital? 8. What kind of inventory management do you have in the Hospital? Fixing minimum levels Maximum inventory levels Determine size of inventory All the above 9. Which techniques do you use in managing inventory? Stock rotation, just in time Last in first out (LIFO) First in First out (FIFO) Economic order quantity Weighted averages The periodic review system All the above 10. Is just in time techniques more important as pertain to inventory management? Yes No If yes, state your opinion how is it important? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11.The principle of good inventory management include (Tick all that apply) Cleanliness of the organization The principle of stock rotation Tracking All the above 12. What measures are used to improved inventory management in Anaka General Hospital? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 13. The strategy that helps the Hospital to achieve the high level of inventory management? You are required to show the extent to which your agree or disagree (Please tick (v) most appropriate of; strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Not Sure (NS), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (S. D) | Statement | S. A| A. | NS| D | SD| 1. Inventory managers are responsible for receiving inventory when they arrive| | | | | | 2. | The Hospital always verifies stock received against delivery orders| | | | | | 3. | Does the Hospital order for inventory monthly| | | | | | 4. | Does the Hos pital order for inventory quarterly| | | | | | 5. | Does the Hospital carried out stock taking on monthly basis | | | | | | 6. | Does the Hospital carried out stock taking on quarterly basis| | | | | | 8. | All relevant employees participate in Inventory management| | | | | | SECTION C: Indicator of the organizational performance 14. Organizational performance is measured by efficiency and effectiveness of resources to achieve stated objectives Yes No 15.Organizational performance improvement includes assessment which is inform of Planned Systematic Explicit All the above 16. What are the indicators of organizational performance? Social responsibility Information sharing Flexibility Flexibility Strategic cost management Strategic cost management All the above 17. Organization performance is measured by both financial and non financial performance a) State the financial organizational performance i. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ii. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ iii. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ iv. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ b) Non financial organizational performance i. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ii. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ iii. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ SECTION D: The relationship between inventory management and organizational performance You are required to show the extent to which your agree or disagree (Please tick (v) most appropriate of; strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Not Sure (NS), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (S. D) STATEMENT| SA| A| NS| SD| D| There is a direct relationship between inventory management and organizational performance| | | | | | Carrying out inventory management reduces costs related with over and under stocking| | | | | Without proper inventory management, The organization can’t meet her customers needs in time| | | | | | There is high service delivery attained as a result of inventory management| | | | | | The organization has large assets and capital as a result of proper inventory management| | | | | | The organizations services are reliable and in good condition| | | | | | There are ranges of services delivery option for Patient when they come | | | | | | The organization is able to adjust the amount of products in the store and are able to reschedule priorities demand | | | | | | Your organization is able to obtain out of stock products in time. | | | | | | SECTION E:Evaluation of the factors that affects the performance of Anaka General Hospital You are requested to state the extent to which you agree or disagree (Please tick the most appropriate of; Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Not Sure (NS), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (S. D) | Statement | S. A| A. | NS| D | SD| 1. | The re is inspection of goods in your organization in order to determine defective goods. | | | | | | 2. | There is expire of drugs when kept for a long time| | | | | | 3. | There is inadequate skills and knowledge of inventory planning and management in Anaka General Hospital| | | | | | 4. | There is high rate of theft of inventories In your organization| | | | | | 5. | There are qualified personnel who are responsible for managing inventories. | | | | | | Thanks you for your response and time

Compensation and Organizational Culture

Compensation and Organizational Culture Abstract This is a research paper that is based on a case study. The paper seeks to explain the compensation strategies in a company and how they impact on the culture of the organization. Microsoft Corporation is used in this case. The paper establishes the link between organizational culture and compensation policies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Compensation and Organizational Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It justifies in the explanation how these components of organizational health impact on each other. The compensation and reward system of Microsoft has been identified and analyzed. Each side of this component has been included in the analysis. In the final analysis, the paper links the compensation and reward system to the prevalent organization culture of Microsoft. Introduction Organizational culture is built on a number of things, one of them being the reward system. This is a crucial exercise because it improves the performance of employees in an organization (Heneman, 2002). Research has revealed that many companies have been working on setting up compensation systems. Compensation is one of the prevailing demands of the business environment in the modern business scenario. However, many firms keep failing in implementing the compensation systems because there are problems in the payment systems (Driskill Brenton, 2010). Compensation systems and organizational cultures are inter-linked. The ways in which compensation programs are structured and implemented have a direct impact on the culture of an organization. On the other hand, the already established organizational culture determines how the compensation programs or systems will be enforced in the organization (GoÃŒ mez-MejiÃŒ a, Berrone Franco-Santos, 2010). With highly skilled workforce, Microsoft has a compensation system, which has experienced sharp criticism in the recent times. In this article, the author l ooks into the compensation system of Microsoft Corporation. The author discusses the benefits and shortfalls of the compensation system, and how it affects the development strategy of the company (Zobal, 1999). Methodology The information used in the analysis has been sourced from academic sources, like books and journals. Non-academic sources, like company websites, have been used to supply pertinent information. Analysis has been based on knowledge and concepts from academic sources.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Linking compensation to organizational culture Many people have the assumption that true culture of an organization is portrayed in its reward and compensation system. Indeed, compensation has been termed as a core function of human resource management. When it is implemented in its true sense and meaning, compensation can reinforce the key values and culture of an organization. It can also gear the organization in achieving its strategic business objectives. The major objective of compensation is to attract and maintain the desired mix and quality of workers (Kuhn, 2009). Compensation has a direct impact on prevailing conditions employees in an organization. Compensation systems convey powerful messages concerning the practices and values of an organization towards its employees. The execution of organizational functions determines the culture of the organization. Employees programs are key to a functional organization. The benefits obtained from the output determine how the employees respond to strategies developed by an organization. This is codded in the compensation system of the organization (Cable Judge, 1993). Microsoft Corporation is a large company that has been a leader in the computing industry. The company plans on a long-term basis, depending on the long-term strategies. Compensation is based on the long-term goals of the organization; for instance, the long term survival of Microsoft Inc. is founded on the perfect compensation system applied. Compensation, incentives and related programs are aligned to the general strategy of the company. The top executive team implements and oversees successful implementation of the strategies of the company. In such a large company, compensation systems are extremely wide. They extend to even the investors of the company. Therefore, the compensation policies of Microsoft are comprehensive so that it can cover all those who ought to be covered with the program (Society for Human Resource Management, 2012). Compensation policies are related to performance measures, and top executives emphasize on the creation of value for a long-term basis. The top management is also ensuring that progress in the compensation system is communicated to the wider audience. This is in line with the goals of management of creating a strong image of the company to the publics. Co mpensation systems are reflectors of corporate governance by organization. Corporate governance is used in creating a corporate culture for the organization. Effective compensation programs bring about a robust corporate governance picture of the organization. Therefore, managers strive to improve the compensation system with the knowledge that these systems are crucial in corporate performance of the organization (Deloitte, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Compensation and Organizational Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Microsoft Corporation has a compensation committee, which is one of the pointers of commitment to compensation. The company has realized the significance of compensation in strategic planning and the realization of the strategic objectives of the organization. The role of the compensation committee is discharging the responsibilities of the board as it relates to the compensation polic y of the company. The committee is bestowed with the mandate of ensuring that the company adopts policies that govern the benefits and compensation programs in the company. The committee oversees the evaluation of the compensation system of the company. It comes up with compensation policies and oversees their implementation. The committee has been given room to seek external counsel before coming up with recommendations on improving compensation programs. The recommendations made by the committee are taken to the board of the company, where they are deliberated. The Board is the chief decision maker. The committee reviews compensation at various levels of the organization and proposes recommendations to the board (Microsoft Corporation Website, 2011). Reward and Compensation system in Microsoft Corporation Microsoft is in the list of the top companies in the world in terms of wealth and success. Microsoft is a widely respected company because it has been leading in the computer ind ustry. Microsoft is a company that is entirely driven by the employees because of its nature of products. The success of the company depends on the effectiveness of the workforce. This shows that short term goals and long term goals can be achieved by developing effective workforce in an organization. This means that the employees of Microsoft form part of the most essential assets for the company. In the early stages of its operation, the company used to source its workforce from Universities. It believed that the young people from the universities were highly motivated and talented to take up the tasks in the company. However, as the company continued to grow, it realized the need to hire more experienced people. Therefore, it launched a head hunting campaign, from which it recruited experienced staffs from other companies. The experienced employees have been hugely resourceful during the growth of the organization. The company valued individual performance and encouraged performa nce through rewards. Semiannual performance reviews were done, to determine the effectiveness of all employees. The effectiveness of employees at the workplace was closely linked to bonus awards, pay increments among many other benefits.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This formed part of the company performance strategies. It is quite clear that performance goals were reached when the reward and compensation system was intact and of benefit to all employees. The formal review of the company was highly respected by everybody in the company, from management to all ranks of employees. The management held meetings with the employees and discussed the review. Common evaluations were included in the formal reviews. This was done to eliminate the unexpected deviations in the reward system. The system even gave a room for self-evaluation by the employees (Bohlander, 2010). Compensation programs have to benefit all employees of the company because all employees are players in the strategic plans of the organization. Whether the compensation committee is helping Microsoft to reach its objectives, is a question which cannot be fully answered. While Microsoft has a compensation and review system, an internal in-look of the organization reveals that there are serious flaws within the system which have serious effects on the strategic performance of the organization. One of the effects of the flawed system of compensation in Microsoft is the high rate of employee turnover. The company is losing highly skilled employees to younger companies like Google and Yahoo (Smite, Palmer Van, 2000). Problems in Compensation and Reward System There has been a reported growth in frustration amongst the employees of Microsoft due to stagnant salaries. The company takes too long to review the performance of its employees. Microsoft has 21 salary categories for its workers. Statistics from the company shows that, between the year 2004 and 2006, the minimum, midpoint and maximum compensation guidelines remained unchanged for eight salary categories. The other salary categories recorded unusually low increment, less than three percent. The compensation and reward system of the company favors the top management employees of the company. The review system i s not helping to improve the compensation programs and the reward of employees. Therefore, many critics point out that the system is inefficient (Nachtigal, 2006). The lapses in compensation and rewarding system have many negative effects to a company especially to a technological company. As it was noted earlier, organization reward and compensation system has a direct impact on the corporate culture of the firm. The corporate culture of a firm is the enticing factor of many organizations. It determines which staffs they will be able to attract from the labor market. Microsoft has been losing staffs to other competitor companies in the information technology industry because of the poor reward and compensation system witnessed in the recent year. The loss of experienced skilled workers in such an industry brings a sizeable gap. This is because the cost of hiring and training these employees is exceptionally high. In cases where the entire market is aware of the culture of the organ ization, it becomes extremely hard for a company to acquire the right employees. This has an adverse impact on the performance of the company as competition mounts from other companies that have a magnificent reward programs for their workers. Also, the overall reputation of the company is lost as the company loses creativity to continue inventing newer products for its customers in the market (Ferris, 1999). Microsoft has to copy examples from other high tech companies like Boeing. Boeing has a highly elaborate and open compensation and reward programs for its employees. Both firms employ highly skilled laborers. However, the employees of Boeing enjoy transparency on pay levels and the review system. Boeing encourages collective bargaining system. This results into collective agreements that are satisfying to all employees. The information about the salary grade levels is availed to all employees of Boeing. The rate of retention, salary adjustments and the number, layoff informatio n and all other kinds of information which is considered sensitive is also availed to Boeing employees. The review scores and annual bonuses in Microsoft are done by the management behind closed doors. The systems are so closed in Microsoft such that the employees rarely understand how the reward system is structured. Boeing has motivated employees because they understand the benefits that they get from the organization in exchange for their services. They understand the system of compensation and reward because they fully participate in it. The rate of employee retention in the company is unusually high (Griffin, 2012). The only way through which Microsoft can regain its performance is through aping the examples such as the one in Boeing. The employees of Microsoft have to be more involved in the reward and compensation programs. The company has to stop sidelining employees when making decisions or formulating policies on reward and compensation. Organizational performance advocate s note that rewards are effective when they are designed or chosen by the recipients themselves (Griffin, 2012). Conclusion Compensation and reward is a component of organizational performance management that focuses on employees. Compensation and reward systems play a crucial role in motivating the employees in organizations. Despite its popular name and presence in the market, Microsoft Corporation has been accused of having ineffective compensation system. This is affecting their performance as it is causing unrest and high turnover in its workforce. This is affecting its performance in the global markets. The company can salvage itself by reviving its reward and compensation system by copying examples from companies like Boeing. References Bohlander, G. W. (2010). Managing human resources: [Hauptbd.]. Mason, Ohio [u.a.: South-Western Cengage Learning. Cable, D. M Judge, T. A. (1993). Effects of Compensation Systems on Job Search Decisions: An Application of Person-Organization Fit. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1268context=cahrswp Deloitte Website (2009). Earnings Guidance: The Current State of Play A Follow-up Discussion of Earnings Guidance and Other Forward-looking Information Provided to Investors. Retrieved from corpgov.deloitte.com/binary/com.epicentric.contentmanagement.servlet.ContentDeliveryServlet/USEng/Documents/Board%20Governance/Short-%20and%20Long-termism/Earnings%20Guidance%20Current%20State%20of%20Play_Deloitte%20FERF_071309.pdf Driskill, G. W., Brenton, A. L. (2010). Organizational culture in action: A cultural analysis workbook. London: SAGE. Ferris, G. R. (1999). Research in personnel and human resources management. Amsterdam: JAI Press. GoÃŒ mez-MejiÃŒ a, L. R., Berrone, P., Franco-Santos, M. (2010). Compensation and organizational performance: Theory, research, and practice. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. Griffin, R. W. (2012). Fundamentals of management. Mason, OH: South-Western Ceng age Learning. Griffin, R. W. (2012). Management. Mason, OH: CENGAGE Learning Custom Publishing. Heneman, R. L. (2002). Strategic reward management: Design, implementation, and evaluation. Greenwich, Conn: Information Age Pub. Kuhn, K. M. (2009). â€Å"Compensation as a signal of organizational culture: the effects of advertising individual or collective incentives†. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(7). Microsoft Corporation Website. (2011). Microsoft Corporation Compensation Committee Charter. Retrieved from microsoft.com/investor/CorporateGovernance/BoardOfDirectors/committees/compensation.aspx Nachtigal, J. (2006). Rising Frustration with Microsofts Compensation and Review System. Retrieved from http://archive.washtech.org/news/industry/display.php?ID_Content=5041 Smite, P. J., Palmer, P. N., Van,. M. M. A. (2000). Strategy implementation: Readings. Kenwyn: Juta. Society For Human Resource Management. (2012). Integrating Performance Management and Rewards at Microsoft. Retrieved from weknownext.com/workplace/integrating-performance-management-and-rewards-at-microsoft Zobal, C. (1999) The â€Å"ideal† team compensation system an overview, part II, Team Performance Management, 5(1), 23 – 45.

Apply to, Apply for, and Apply with

Apply to, Apply for, and Apply with Apply to, Apply for, and Apply with Apply to, Apply for, and Apply with By Maeve Maddox How does one know which of these three idioms to use? Does an undergraduate apply for a graduate program or to it? Does a job applicant apply to a company or with it? The following examples illustrate mistaken use of â€Å"apply for† and â€Å"apply with† in contexts calling for â€Å"apply to†: Winston is applying for the teaching program at Harvard. Interested in applying with the worlds largest retailer? Customer Service Careers | Apply with DISH apply to This is the idiom to use when you are putting yourself forward as a candidate for something such as a course of study, or a job. You apply to graduate school. You apply to a company for employment. You apply to a bank’s loan department for a loan. apply for This is the expression to use if your intention is to obtain something. You apply for scholarship money. You apply for admission. You apply for a job. apply with The word with in this idiom implies agency, the means â€Å"by which† you apply. You can apply with the click of a mouse. You can apply with a printed application. You can apply with a program like Compass, or a service like Monster. The correct usage for the three examples given above: Winston is applying to the teaching program at Harvard. Interested in applying to the world’s largest retailer? Customer Service Careers | Apply to DISH Here are some other uses of the verb apply, with and without dependent prepositions: apply paint to a surface apply ointment to a wound apply oneself to one’s studies apply a cause to a quarrel apply a remedy to a problem apply a rule to a situation apply pressure to a wound apply pressure to a person apply one’s talents apply a patch to a garment Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?Difference between "Pressing" and "Ironing"Honorary vs. Honourary

Feasibility study of cell-phone store in Riyadh,KSA Essay

Feasibility study of cell-phone store in Riyadh,KSA - Essay Example One such small enterprise that embraced this opportunity is KSA, a cell phone store, which operates in Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh. The cell phone store has continued to grow over the years, with rates almost equivalent to cell phones’ evolution. However, this enterprise is not exempt from external pressures, which affect virtually all business in Riyadh, among other places in Saudi Arabia. These external influences constitute the Saudi Arabian business environment, and they include aspects such as political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal considerations. In technical business terms these business environment elements make up a model referred to as PESTEL framework. With the remarkable evolution of cell phones in Saudi Arabia, KSA has to evolve in a similar trend, in order to conform to the surrounding environment and adapt to the ever changing business trends. Critically evaluating its external environment and taking proper measures t o exploit available opportunities while overcoming challenges encountered; will enable KSA to benefit extensively from the constantly growing demand for up-to-date mobile phones. Additionally, strategies made after extensively considering external business factors, will enable KSA to extend its operations beyond Riyadh, to rural townships that do not have direct access to stores where they can purchase trendy mobile phones (Latham and Watkins, 2010, p.6). Riyadh Business Overview It is important to make note of the fact that use of mobile phones, not only in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but also in the entire world has grown tremendously. Cellular phones are currently considered to be a crucial part of people’s social, as well as, business lives. Being an integral part of a person’s life implies that people have to buy phones thus guaranteeing constant business opportunities for establishments like KSA. For specificity, however, it is noteworthy to mention that, Saudi Arabia is currently ranked number one in terms of market size and fast growth, in the Middle East region. This ranking particularly focuses on the Kingdom’s demand for electronics and since Riyadh, is the Kingdom’s Capital city; businesses here are bound to benefit from this remarkable growth. Additionally Riyadh provides diverse opportunities in virtually every chief economic sector, thus offering individuals a suitable platform to benefit from Saudi Arabia’s strong economy which gains significantly from religious tourism and oil investments. Riyadh has excellent infrastructure, and since the Kingdom’s economy is largely diversified through sale of processed foodstuffs, petroleum products, and diversified agricultural practices; the city is undoubtedly a hub for foreign investors thus creating additional development opportunities for the small businesses. Further, Riyadh hosts numerous international business expos and shows, providing the small businesses with an opportunity to showcase their products, hence increasing