Cultural Background Of Hispanic Ethnicity - 1313 Words

People of Hispanic origin have already made their presence felt in various fields of human endeavor in the United States. Whether it is their involvement in politics, corporate management or even sports, Hispanics have showed that they have what it takes to perform at par with any other racial group. When it comes to the involvement of a particular minority in any activity there are bound to be certain issues. This paper will explore the themes of sporting identities to analyze the experiences of Latino males in sport. An attempt will be made to understand the barriers and prejudices that Latino males have had to encounter in the field of sports in the United States of America. Latinos have managed to make a profound impact in the field of American sports. Their interest in sports helped them assimilate themselves into American mainstream culture. They were also able to maintain their entire families’ ethnic identity at the same time. Since they had limited economic opportunities and had to face racial discrimination they were able to use sports as a refuge from the grim realities of the society. They used the field of sports to negotiate race relations, nationalism and citizenship. Sport was an arena that they could use to learn how to behave according to societal gender norms. Even for female athletes sports arenas provided the space to achieve gender equality, something that could never be achieved outside the field of sports (Alamillo, n.d). Every sportsperson has anShow MoreRelatedWho Is Hispanic? : An Individual Of Cuban928 Words   |  4 PagesWho is Hispanic? The conceptual definition for the word Hispanic used in this paper is: an individual of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish-speaking country, culture or origin. This conception of the word Hispanic is board because it includes all people with ties to a Latin American country or country with Spanish culture, while remaining specific by maintaining that that these connections are through origin or culture. Every ten years the U.S. government issuesRead MoreEthnic Variability Of Hispanic Latino936 Words   |  4 PagesAn Analysis of the Ethnic Variability of the Latino/Hispanic Group in the United States Census (112) The historical development of ethnic categorization as a distinct concept from race in the U.S. Census was defined through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in October 1997. This criterion was meant to discern between biological/genetic factors and the ethnic aspects of Latino/Hispanic identity as part of this governmental decree: â€Å"The racial and ethnic categories set forth in the standardsRead MoreMinority Teacher Shortage And Minority Students1743 Words   |  7 PagesIn the United States, each and every day, more minority children are born than white children. Fewer and fewer white parents are giving birth to multiple children, while many minority parents from African-American cultures to Hispanic cultures are continuing to have the same number of children, and possibly more. With all these minority children entering the U.S. education system, there is a problem current minority students are facing; there is a shortage of minority teachers. While there are min orityRead MoreUnited States Census Bureau Population Projection1497 Words   |  6 Pagesconsistent diversification. By 2024, the non-Hispanic white population will show a decrease in numbers. Minorities including Hispanics, African Americans and Asians will double, and other groups will increase by at least half. Eventually, non-Hispanic whites will not be seen as a majority, but as an equally represented group among its ethnic counterparts (U.S. Bureau, 2014). This projection can not be transposed to the country’s nursing population. Non-Hispanic white nurses often vastly outnumber otherRead MoreRace Is Not Biological And Unimportant Factor Essay1095 Words   |  5 PagesIn order to study ethnicity, one must know what it isn’t. Ethnicity is not race, nationality, locality, or religious denomination. Ethnicity is when people share the same cultural heritage. However, in society individuals are often categorized by race. Many believe that race is genetic, meaning th at different races are genetically different. This idea has been in practiced since the early 18th century. With the development of technology, specifically DNA testing, scientists studied whether racialRead MoreHispanic And Non Hispanic Americans951 Words   |  4 PagesLatinos/ Hispanics are one of the races that have a background with the higher risk to get diabetes type 2, but in what way does being Latino affect the course of the illness and what roll does culture takes in this problematic? There is a considerable difference between Hispanic and Non-Hispanics. Many factors can be the reasons for this difference in numbers, but the most influential factors are culture, acculturation and, the medical cultural competence. First, for Latinos, studies have foundRead MoreTranscultural Nursing : An Essential Aspect Of Healthcare Today1174 Words   |  5 Pagesmulticultural population in the United States poses a significant challenge to nurses providing individualized and holistic care to their patients. This requires nurses to recognize and appreciate cultural differences in healthcare values, beliefs, and customs. Nurses must acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in cultural competency. Culturally competent nursing care helps ensure patient satisfaction and positive outcomes. This article discusses changes that are important to transcultural nursing. It identifiesRead MoreThe Latino/Hispanic Class Is The Only Racial Grouping Calculated1128 Words   |  5 PagesThe Latino/Hispanic class is the only racial grouping calculated individually by the United States Census. According to the U.S. Census, a Latino/Hispanic individual can be of several nationalities. There is an extreme amount of variables in the cultural class, which may puzzle some individuals on what is considered to be a Hispanic person or something different. The census classification of Hispanic became approved about the late 20th century. The term has produced a lot of misunderstanding. InRead MoreThe Reform Of The United States1549 Words   |  7 Pages and train current employees to be understanding of cultural transformations within the company. We should increase the ethnic group, specifically African American and Hispanic, by educating Facebook s Human Resources Department. Currently there are only 1 percent African Americans and 4 percent Hispanic that are working for Facebook. It is critical that more minority groups are hired, because bringing in individuals from different backgrounds and experiences could potentially make a business moreRead MoreCreating A School Of Diverse Learners. Texas Schools Are1646 Words   |  7 PagesDiverse Learners Texas schools are becoming more diverse every year. The Texas Tribune (2015) released an article stating well over half of the 5.2 million students in the Texas schools were Hispanic. This number has increased from 15 years ago, when the number was around 40 percent. Not only has the Hispanic numbers increased, but the number of Asian students have doubled as well. Even more surprising is the percentage of the white student population. The number of white students in Texas has

Charles Darwin Naturalist and Leader in Science - 1414 Words

Over the course of this analysis, I will use information from Gardner’s Changing Minds (Gardner, 2006) and Uzzi and Dunlap’s How to Build Your Network (Uzzi, 2005) to assess Charles Darwin’s influence as a non-positional leader. I will also show a historical analysis, including my reasons for choosing Darwin as my subject, his background, the success and failures of his influence, as well as his legacy. Finally, I will submit my vision of non-positional leadership and mechanisms for leaders to explore their non-positional roles. Charles Darwin’s influence uses some of Gardner’s â€Å"levers† or factors that are at work in the case of Darwin’s scientific theories changing minds (Gardner, 2006), and so there is a good level of measure for†¦show more content†¦His initial audience was made up of people with common ground and specialized knowledge, allowing him more leeway to use scientific and research specific terms and information than the general population at that time may have understood. Part of influence in a non-positional role involves the network of individuals you know. Darwin’s ideas would not have spread so quickly, if at all, if Alfred Russell Wallace had not written him. Because of that letter, Lyell and Hooker had their work added to the agenda of the Linnean Society Meeting, and Darwin went forward with publishing On the Origin of Species. Darwin’s relationships weave a tangled picture of the influences of the 1800’s and beyond. (See Figure 1, based on Uzzi Dunlap (Uzzi, 2005) Julian Huxley, grandson of Thomas Henry Huxley, â€Å"proposed that the Darwinian model, which had been relatively neglected by biologists (although popular with social scientists), could now be rescued by linking it with Mendelian genetics.† (Hewlett, 2005) This brought Darwin’s theory of evolution, which had begun to fade in resonance back to the forefront of science, leading us to the legacy of Charles Darwin’s influence. Figure 1: Charles Darwins Network The legacy Charles Darwin left behind is one of continued evolution of thought. His ideas were merged with that of Gregor Mendel’s ideas on genetics and eventually the modern science of DNA toShow MoreRelatedEssay On Villain Or Victim?2223 Words   |  9 PagesPayton Linder Vickery English 101 12 Dec 2014 Darwin: Villain or Victim All through history, especially the past two hundred years, different theories have tried to determine our existence and they continually have changed depending on the group creating it or researching it. The one thing that has changed is the Holy Bible, God’s written word with our complete history in it. Reading it we come to understand our existence and purpose. With that we also become aware of our gift we receive from GodRead MoreSocial Darwinism Is An Ideology Of Society1566 Words   |  7 Pageswould have to turn to the famous man himself, Charles Darwin. At first glance, Charles Darwin seems an unlikely revolutionary. Born in 1809, Charles grew up a shy and unassuming member of a wealthy British family. He appeared, at least to his father, to be lazy and directionless. But even as a child, Darwin expressed an interest in nature. Later in 1831, while studying botany at Cambridge University, he was offered a chance to work as an unpaid naturalist on the HMS Beagle, a naval vessel embarkingRead MoreLord of the Flies by William Golding1866 Words   |  7 Pagesby the boys’ society. Although, he is worldlier than the other boys and knows more science and survival techniques, he does not show physical strength. He shows that he is smart and can be useful. He is the only one with foresight. The other boys are portrayed as being physically fit and are more likely to live and yet Piggy is the only character with asthma and the lesser chance of surviving. This relates to Charles Darwin’s claim on Darwinism. He coined the phrase â€Å"survival of the fittest†, whichRead MoreThe Doctrine Of Scientific Knowledge Essay1112 Words   |  5 Pagesprescribed it to us in every domain of our life. Governments of almost every country were constituted of religious leaders that exercised their authority through god-given right. But in the last 500 years, science began to challenge these religious principles by bringing a new way to look at the world. Sciences evolutes over time with the contribution of some genies like Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton. I think that scientific knowledge is superior to any other type of knowledge suchRead More Alfred Tennyson, Charles Darwin, Charles Lyell, and Essay3238 Words   |  13 PagesAlfred Tennyson, Charles Darwin, Charles Lyell, and In Memoriam Alfred Lord Tennyson was born August 6, 1809, at Somersby, Lincolnshire. He was the fourth of twelve children. As a boy he led a very miserable and unhappy life. In 1828 Tennyson entered Trinity college, Cambridge. The most important part of his experience there was his friendship with Arthur Henry Hallam, who was the son of a well known historian. Hallam encouraged and inspired Tennyson to write. Hallam died in 1833. TennysonRead More Allusions to the Brave New World Essays1308 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Anthropologist who founded the science of kinship systems. He was famous for his theory of social evolution, which was the belief that people pass through three stages of development: 1. Savagery, 2. Barbarism, 3. Civilization. The different people in the book were also split up into separate stages, two to be in fact: savagery and civilization. The ‘civilized’ were in the BNW and everyone else was a savage. 7. Trotsky Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) was the leader of the Bolshevik Revolution in RussiaRead MoreEssay on Brave New World-Allusions1337 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Anthropologist who founded the science of kinship systems. He was famous for his theory of social evolution, which was the belief that people pass through three stages of development: 1. Savagery, 2. Barbarism, 3. Civilization. The different people in the book were also split up into separate stages, two to be in fact: savagery and civilization. The ‘civilized were in the BNW and everyone else was a savage. 7. Trotsky Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) was the leader of the Bolshevik Revolution in RussiaRead MoreDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: A View Into Societal Changes in the 19th Century1398 Words   |  6 Pages[2] Through the use of these characters and newly founded theoretical ideas of this time; Stevenson reflects the modern â€Å"societal† challenges that were occurring in this century. In Britain during the mid eighteen hundreds, the Conservative Party leader Benjamin Disreali, argued that that traditional aristocratic policy of the privileged caring for those below them, made the Conservatives the natural party of social reform.[3] And subsequently, the Europeans begin to take a more conservative approachRead MoreEssay about Intelligent Design of the Universe2128 Words   |  9 PagesThe search for knowledge about the origin of humanity is as old as its inhabitants. Since the early 1800s mankind has narrowed the debate to creation by a Supreme Being and the theory of evolution. Ever since then, science has been at odds against religion. Now it appears that science is returning to religion. Scientists are finding proof that the universe was created by a Supreme Being. The word evolution refers to the change of something over a period of time(Websters 634). In biology, theRead MoreHuman Genetic Engineering And Eugenics1582 Words   |  7 PagesHuman genetic engineering and eugenics have been a largely controversial topic over the past decades. Eugenics can be popularly defined as the science of improving and enhancing a human population or person through manipulating the human genes, selective breeding, and sterilization. The end goal and desired result of eugenics is to basically create a human race or people with more desirable biological, physical, or psychological traits. Eugenics and genetic modification is a current, pressing subject;

Contract and Procurement Management for Mitigation- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theContract and Procurement Management for Mitigation. Answer: The absence of an effective contract management framework has been observed during the project. The contract management framework which means the execution and monitoring of contract in order to maximize the financial gain from the project as well as maximizing the operational performance during the project were not present during the running of project (Kerzner Kerzner, 2017). Impact: The absence of the effective framework of contract management increased the maverick buying and supply risk. At the same time, it decreased the spend leverage. Spend visibility was unclear because of lack of effective contract management framework. Mitigation: The issues can be mitigated by implementing a proper framework of contract management which will maximize the operational performance. Possible learning: An effective contract management framework is thus an integral part of contract and procurement management. The delay in completion of the project was observed as one of the key issue. Compared to the planned schedule of completing the project which led to the dismissal Judith Carr, who was the Project director of RAH and Deputy Simon Morony replaced his position (Harri McCaffer, 2013). Impact: The effects of the project delay were highly significant. Due to the delay of the project, cost of the project was overruned. At the same time more time was consumed unnecessarily. Moreover, several disputes have been reported. Mitigation: The project delay could have been avoided by an effective strategic plan, extensive use of technology and appropriate cost estimation primarily. Possible learning: in order to mitigate the issues that cause the delay of project, the major causes behind the delay need to be studied. Change governance had a crucial influence on the project management. As the management structure changed completely, the overall management restructured again, which created difficulties in the middle of the project. However the changed governance assured quality of the deliverables (Kerzner Kerzner, 2017). Impact: one of the major impacts of the change of the governance was it assured quality of the deliverables during the project. At the same time, it also had negative impact on the contract and procurement management as it created difficulties cope with the changed governance. Mitigation: the negative effect of the governance change could have been mitigated by making the members of management aware of the changes before changing the governance structure. Possible learning: in order to avoid the negative impacts of the governance change, the members of the management should be aware of the new structure of the governance, before it changes. References Harris, F., McCaffer, R. (2013).Modern construction management. John Wiley Sons. Kerzner, H., Kerzner, H. R. (2017).Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley Sons.

What is Supply Chain Management Essay Example

What is Supply Chain Management? Paper TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION†¦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‚¬ ¦.. 3 WHAT IS SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT†¦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‚¬ ¦. 4 Three flows of supply chain management†¦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‚¬ ¦4 FIVE COMPONENTS OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 We will write a custom essay sample on What is Supply Chain Management? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What is Supply Chain Management? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What is Supply Chain Management? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer VALUE CREATION THROUGH SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 Three sources of data integration†¦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‚¬ ¦.. 7 SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE CATEGORIES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦. 8 TYPES OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 RFID TECHNOLGY†¦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‚¬ ¦.. 9 Components of RFID†¦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‚¬ ¦ AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK BEFORE INSTALLING A SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SYTEM†¦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‚¬ ¦ 10 POTENTIAL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPLEMENTING A SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM†¦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 SOLLUTIONS OFFERED BY SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 SUPPLY CHAIN ALLIGNMENT†¦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‚¬ ¦12 ALIGNING SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGIES WITH PRODUCT UNCERTAINTY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 Matched Strategies†¦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‚¬ ¦.. 14 THE TRIPLE-A SUPPLY CHAIN†¦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‚¬ ¦14 Building the Triple-A Supply Chain†¦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‚¬ ¦ 15 STRATEGIC ALLIANCE THAT DELIVERS SUPPLY CHAIN AGILITY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 SUMMARY†¦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‚¬ ¦17 REFERENCES†¦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‚¬ ¦ 18 Introduction Supply chain management is a topic that has been widely studied; more so since the 1980’s when companies realized that they needed to create competitive advantage, create value and stay ahead of the competition. In using and utilizing supply chain management not only were companies able to sustain competitive advantage by being responsive to customers’ needs, they also streamlined their processes, and were able to drastically cut cost and increase efficiency in areas such as collaboration using just-in–time ystems to deliver products when they are needed instead of holding inventory on hand, and paying the cost of doing so. Although the just-in-time system of inventory management is not new, it has been fine-tuned over the years with the help of information technology. With information technology being more widespread and easily accessible, it is almost impossible for businesses to stay ahead of the game if their technological system has not been created in such a way that creates value for the company. An article written by Hau L. Lee states that, â€Å"the best supply chains aren’t just fast and cost-effective. They are also agile and adaptable, and ensure that all their companies’ interests stay aligned† (October 2004). When the supply chain of a company is agile, it will be able to respond to sudden changes in supply and demand. Being adaptable is the ability of the supply chain to evolve overtime with economic increase or decline, political changes, demographic trends and technological trends. As with the information systems strategy triangle, the supply chain needs to be aligned with the interests of all the participants in the supply chain so that maximum efficiency can be realized. When all parts of the supply chain are working in harmony then the supply chain is functioning efficiently and will as a result optimize the chain’s performance. In this paper, I will highlight supply chain integration and take an in-depth look at how Wal-Mart and Proctor Gamble have effectively utilized this process to their advantage and have created value for customers in the process. This research will also look at some trade-offs that this practice presents, practices in supply chain management and supply chain management software that is used in the supply chain integration process. What is supply chain management? Supply chain management can be defined as a sequence of processes that goes into improving the way that a company coordinates its activities to obtain the raw materials needed to meet the needs of its customers. This process involves coordinating and integrating processes between and among manufacturers, suppliers, transporters, warehouses, retailers and customers. With so many variables involved in the supply chain, no wonder the ultimate goal of a supply chain management system is to reduce inventory. Supply chain management includes, but is not limited to, new product development, marketing, operations, distribution, finance, and customer service† (Chopra and Meindl, 2001). The flow of supply chain management can be divided into three main flows; I have outlined it in the diagram below to show how each flow is interconnected to the other. Figure 1. The three flows of supply chain management. As outlined by the diagram above, the supply chain management process contains different flows that work in accordance with each other so that effectiveness can be optimized and maintained. The product flow includes the movement of goods from suppliers and ends up in the hands of the customer. The information flow involves transmitting orders and updating delivery status. The financial flow involves credit terms, payment schedules, consignment and title ownership arrangements. Although the just-in-time system had been around for a while; it was not until the early 1980’s when most companies in the United States started to adopt the concept (Mawhinney Presutti Jr. , 2007). Business executives started to recognize the overwhelming potential that effective supply chain management had to offer. Business executives have come to realize that supply chain management can help achieve the businesses objectives on four dimensions – costs, quality, response time and flexibility. Five Components of Supply Chain Management Before the supply chain management can be implemented on any level, there needs to be a series of steps that are taken to ensure that the process is seamless and the end result is not only effective but is a form of value creation for the firm. As with any business process, there are basic components that first need to be addressed. In an article written by Ben Worthen in 2006, entitled ABC: An Introduction to Supply Chain Management: The basics of supply chain management (SCM), he stated that â€Å"there are five basic components of supply chain management†. The components are listed below: 1. Plan – This is the strategic portion of SCM. You need a strategy for managing all the resources that go toward meeting customer demand for your product or service. A set of metrics needs to be developed needs to be developed to monitor the supply chain to make sure it is functioning as it should. 2. Source – Choose the suppliers that will deliver the goods and services you need to create your product. This is the part of the component where prices are set and delivery schedules and payment processes are created. Processes for managing inventory are also created at this stage. 3. Make – This is the manufacturing step. Schedule the activities necessary for production, testing, packaging and preparation for delivery. This stage of the process is the most metric-intensive portion of the supply chain, quality levels are to be measured at this level, production output and worker productivity. . Deliver – This is the stage most times referred to as logistics. The receipt of orders from customers is coordinated, a network of warehouses is developed, carriers are chosen to deliver the product to customers and the invoicing system is set up to receive payments. 5. Return – Usually referred to as the problem part of the supply chain. A network for receiving defective and excess products back from customers and supporting customers who have problems with delivered products. Planning, sourcing, manufacturing, delivery and product return are all the business processes within the supply chain that helps to deliver superior customer value to the supply chain as whole whilst meeting the needs of all stakeholders within the supply chain. The term ‘value-added activity’ originates from Porter’ value chain framework and characterizes the value created by an activity in relation to the cost of executing it (George Jones, pg. 311). Value Creation through Supply Chain Management Supply chain collaboration has created tremendous amount of value for supply chain participants. Some of the immediate values that the chain experiences are: better delivery performance, increased information availability and a reduction of the time it takes to get the products to the consumer. With better deliver performance the reliability of deliveries are ensured; a participant of the supply chain will not have to worry that a particular item will not arrive in time to meet a customers’ need because that has already been taken into consideration and provisions have been made to make sure that fewer stock outs occur. Since information is readily available and is shared by members of the supply chain, they are better able to predict customers demand; this could be made possible by using statistical data of sales patterns to predict order cycles accurately and in real time. Other than non-profit organization, the majority of companies go into business to make a profit. Supply chain integration reduces costs and accelerates sales. A cost reduction strategy is one that has been adopted by most companies and implementing supply chain integration into a company’s business strategy can help them achieve this goal. With the world being a global economy, companies have to be proactive in the way they do business. They need to create strategies that help them obtain competitive advantage over their rivals but that will also show an increase in their bottom line. In the global economy, managing a supply chain can be a complex task. For the process to function smoothly there needs to be business-to business connectivity were supply chain integration enables manufacturers and suppliers to engage in collaborative planning, electronic transactions, and online reporting. The values created by this type of integration are reductions in the cost of processing orders and more speedy transaction times. Having an effective supply chain where partners within the chain are able to collaborate and share data makes it much easier to increase sales. One prime example of how this process has been effective has been evident with the collaboration of two well respected companies, both of which can be considered as giants in their industry. They have been the subject of many case studies and have shown other companies how this type of integration is done. Procter and Gamble is a major player in the manufacturing industry and Wal-Mart the world’s largest retailer, have found a way to leverage their competencies and share data with the use of information technology. Michael Green and Michael J. Shaw in their case study on the Chanel Partnership of Wal-Mart and Procter and Gamble, have outlined three sources that allows companies to answer key questions when implementing a supply chain (Green Shaw). I have combined these three sources into the following flow chart. Figure 2. The three sources of data integration. The result of this type of collaboration has resulted in the acceleration of sales for both companies. When supplies run low at Wal-Mart they do not need to reorder it is all done automatically and this helps to not only speed up the sales process but creates customer satisfaction as well because, Wal-mart is better able to focus on selling what customers really want. With this type of collaboration, all steps have been taken into consideration, even invoicing and payments. With such a dynamic integration in sharing data between the two companies, Procter and Gamble is able to pass on lower prices to Wal-Mart which creates value for the customer while helping Wal-mart maintain its low cost strategy. For companies to collaborate in the manner that Wal-Mart and Procter and Gamble have done, they need to make sure they acquire the right type of supply chain management software and the technology necessary to get the job done. Supply Chain Management Software Categories Supply chain management software is a computer based application that enables companies to automate their processes. These software packages facilitate business in planning and executing their supply chain steps to ensure efficiency. Software can be placed into two categories. 1. Supply Chain Planning (SCP) – The goal of supply chain planning software is to help businesses improve flow and efficiency of the supply chain and reduce inventory stocks. The accuracy of the planning application is heavily dependent upon the information that is imputed; whether the data is up-to-date will have a critical impact on the effectiveness of the program. 2. Supply Chain Execution (SCE) – The goal of this software is to automate business processes with little or no human intervention. This is typically used by business-to-business (B2B), business-to-customers (B2C) and internally within the company to avoid human error and improve business efficiency. Types of Supply Chain Management Software 1. Application Service Provider (ASP) – Houses business applications for an organization. The applications are then distributed through network for participants of Supply Chain Management Systems to complete the necessary transaction and interactions within the supply chain. 2. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) – A software package which integrates all departments and functions across an organization into a single computer system that can serve all those department’s particular needs. Enterprise resource planning combines different department systems into one single database, so different departments can easily share information and communicate with each other. Since all departments are able to communicate with each other in real-time, this ensures the accuracy of the information being feed into the supply chain management system and as a result guarantees accurate supply chain planning. Extranet – Used to facilitate information sharing and web communication for participants in a supply chain management system. It is a password authenticated website which resides outside the internal network of users (companies). The security and contact detail are managed by a member administration system and allows administrators to assign full or partial access to different members according to their business requirements. 4. Extensible Markup Language (XML) – A content-based markup language created for structured documents, which can be described, exposed, shared and modified on the web. XML data content is independent of any document style and format; it can facilitate data exchange data exchange between businesses or among different departments with different systems. The supply chain management software listed above provides significant value to businesses within a supply chain. As I mentioned earlier, one of the most obvious values that a supply chain management system provides is cost reduction. The aim of supply chain execution is business automation by minimizing the amount of manual work used in business processes. Author Helen Johnson wrote in an article, â€Å"Wal-mart Stores, Inc. built an inventory and supply chain management system that changed the face of business. By investing early and heavily in cutting edge technology to identify and track sales on the individual item level †¦ its IT infrastructure is a key competitive advantage that has been studied and copied by many companies around the world†. In order to achieve superior competitive advantage it is critical to thoroughly research and invest in the appropriate technology that will be able to achieve that kind of streamlining that is needed for the supply chain. One such technology that Wal-Mart has implemented into its business process is RFID. RFID Technology RFID technology imbeds a chip inside the packaging of an item and is able to be read by a reader when the product is within an appropriate range. A basic RFID system consists of three components. These components are illustrated in the diagram below. Figure 3. Components of RFID The chips that are placed inside the packaging are passive and take energy from the reader and use it to transmit their signal (McGeoch, 2005). The frequency levels of these chips vary some of them can be read through metal, water and practically any surface. Much more data can be store in each chip compared to the data stored in a bar code. The technology allows for multiple RFID tags to be read at once by a single reader; this makes it easier for measuring inventories at all levels within the supply chain. The fact that RFID tags are able to transmit information throughout the supply chain in almost real-time is a definite advantage that RFID technology brings to the supply chain. Having the RFID technology in place will also decrease inventory build-up throughout the supply chain and will in turn increase sales because store would be able to forecast inventory needs. Since the RFID technology has the capability of scanning multiple items at the same time, then companies would not need to hire additional staff to check the accuracy of a load coming in but would rather utilize the technology to take care of it. Wal-mart is known worldwide for its bargaining power. Being the largest retailer in the United States, the company is able to use this status to influence its suppliers and have them implement this technology. Wal-mart has currently mandated the use of RFID technology into their system and as a result suppliers who do not comply with this mandate may not only lose one of their biggest customer but may also run the risk of having their business suffer or even being eliminated from the supply chain. An important question to ask before installing a supply chain management system Supply chain management systems are not by themselves stand-alone systems; after all they are highly dependent on the type of information technology system that is used by the company or companies that are a part of the supply chain. As I mentioned earlier, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a type of supply chain management software that has the ability to integrate all departments and functions across an organization into a centralized database to serve all those department’s particular needs. A small to medium size company who may not yet have this type of software installed would need to seriously consider whether or not they are able to withstand the investment cost of having the system installed. In the event that the cost prohibits the installation of the ERP, then for the purposes of supply chain management that company may want to consider feeding information from software such as excel. There are trade-offs that will no doubt occur by going this route, one such trade-off is the loss of fast flowing information on a reliable basis which could result in inadequate resource planning and inventory levels. Supply chain execution software and supply chain planning software are the two types of software used in the supply chain management process. While ERP is falls into the category of supply chain planning software, other software that are used are for execution purposes; meaning they automate business process with little or no human input. Supply chain execution applications are less dependent upon information gathering from different departments within the company and especially if the company size is already small, data may not need to be integrated for all departments. With this in mind, a financial evaluation between the supply chain execution software and the cost of implementing and maintaining the enterprise resource planning software must be done. Potential Problems Associated with Implementing Supply Chain Management System As with the implementation of any new process, roadblocks may be experienced. The goals of supply chain management are business process automation, return on investment, efficient inventory management processes and customer satisfaction. Although these are the intended goals of supply chain management, the software packages cannot change problems with management nor is it able to negotiate collaboration between members of the supply chain. With the implementation of a supply chain management system come hindrances to its use. The three key issues that are prevalent are: 1. Resistant to change – â€Å"Organizational change is the movement of an organization away from its present state and toward some desired future state to increase its efficiency and effectiveness (George Jones, p. 456). Whenever an organization is accustomed to doing business a certain way then members of the organization may not readily accept the changes even though the benefits will far out weight the cost overtime. From a suppliers standpoint, the supplier may not be willing to assume more responsibility for inventory management In order to avoid unnecessary resistant to change it is important to maintain open communication, participants of the chain must be willing to compromise and training and assistance must be provided in order for all participants to understand the full benefits and potential of the supply chain management system. . Gaining trust partners within the chain – Our text defines trust as â€Å"the willingness of one person or group to have faith or confidence in the goodwill of another person, even though this puts them at risk† (George Jones, p. 144). Gaining the trust of all participants of the chain is paramount if the chain is to function efficiently and effectively. The difficulty of supply chain management occurs because no one stakeholder has total control over the process unless that stakeholder is as big as Wal-mart. The power of Wal-mart is evident in its collaboration with manufacturing giant Procter and Gamble. â€Å"Wal-mart’s collaboration with PG meant that PG would assume more responsibility for inventory management, something retailers have traditionally done on their own. Wal-mart had the clout to demand this from PG, but it also gave PG something in return – better information about Wal-mart’s product demand, which helped PG manufacture its products more efficiently† (Worthen, 2006). Although it is difficult to trust beyond the walls of your own company, we see how Wal-mart and Procter Gamble have compromised and leveraged information between them and this has resulted in one of the best supply chain management collaboration from which other companies have copied and numerous case studies have been done. 3. Mistakes – For the first few months after the implementation of the supply chain management system it should be expected that there will be errors in the process and flaws that need to be worked out before the system will be functioning as it should. The fact that flaws are found in the beginning of using the new system does not in itself suggest that future data generated by the system will be useless or inaccurate. Users of the system need to be aware of these initial problems, be patient and accept the fact that although they have a new system there will be times when they the users will have to still work manually, until they are able to fully merge their expertise with that of the system and the accuracy can be completely trusted then and only then will users begin to have faith in the potential of the technology. Solutions offered by supply chain management There are a number of companies who are in the business of helping companies reach their goal and achieve effectiveness in their implementation and use of a supply chain management system. The following solutions to problems faced by supply chain participants are as follows: 1. Increased supply chain visibility and control 2. Increased supply chain accountability 3. Accelerated time-to-market through better supply chain project management. Supply Chain Alignment To align means to support or bring in line with. When supply chain strategy is aligned with business strategy then the company is setting itself up to achieving its up to reap overall success. Before a company decides to become part of a supply chain they need to be clear as to what they are trying to achieve in such venture. Not having a clear vision or goals could lead to undesirable results such as loss of customers, too much inventory and lack of participation by other members of the supply chain. Throughout this paper I have been examining how Wal-mart uses supply chain management to its advantage. The company prides itself of being the low cost leader and building customer loyalty by attracting them with some of the lowest prices in the retail industry. Wal-mart became proactive and creating a supply chain management system that is at the center of this competitive strategy. â€Å"Wal-mart’s business strategy demonstrates that effective business strategy requires the achievement of a dynamic balance between the functional details and a broader competitive position (Gattorna, p. 22). Supply chain management plays an integral part in the creation of this balance as it links together stakeholders of the supply chain. Aligning Supply Chain Strategies with Product Uncertainties Life in itself is uncertain; so there is no surprise that characteristics within a supply chain may give rise to uncertainty which in turn causes some degree of risk or even anxiety. Participants of the supply chain will need to have strategies in place to mitigate these risks and respond to uncertainties in a way that provides each chain participant with a competitive edge. The strategies can be classified in four types: 1. Efficient Supply Chain – supply chains that utilize strategies aimed at providing the highest cost efficiencies for the supply chain. In this type of supply chain, anything that does not add value to the chain should be eliminated and replaced with value-added activities. Some value added activities that would need to be pursued includes, economies of scale, optimization techniques and information linkage. 2. Risk-Hedging Supply Chain – In this type of supply chain, risk is pooled and shared among the chain’s participants so that risk associated with supply chain disruptions can be shared. This type of risk hedging strategy reduces the vulnerability of any one party to the chain. 3. Responsive supply chains – Being flexible is the ultimate goal of this type of supply chain strategy. By being responsive companies need to be aware that their customer base is diverse and as a result tailor their products to meet the changing needs of their customers. 4. Agile supply chains- This supply chain strategy is a combination of the risk-hedging and responsive supply chains. Within this chain, customer’s needs are being satisfied as they change while simultaneously, the risks of supply chain disruption are being minimized. The following diagram was adopted from an article written by Hau L. Lee and shows how each strategy matches up to mitigate uncertainties. Figure 4. Matched Strategies The supply chain strategy chosen by a company may be largely determined by their supply and demand. Supply chain adaptability is critical as the life cycle of products become shorter; companies must have the ability to meet the changing demands of customers’ needs. While agility within a supply chain is an important factor the alignment of the supply chain with the interest of all participants within the chain is a definite must. The Triple-A Supply Chain Hau L. Lee wrote an article which he cleverly titled, â€Å"The Triple-A Supply Chain†. In this article he outlined how a supply chain that fosters agility, adaptability and alignment, has the ability to achieve and sustain competitive advantage (Lee, 2004). He went on to say, â€Å"the best supply chains identify structural shifts, sometimes before they occur, by capturing the latest data, filtering out noise, and tracking key patterns†. In his article Mr. Lee demonstrated how companies can achieve and sustain competitive advantage using the ‘Triple-A’ approach. Mr. Lee’s article was brilliantly written and I give him full credit for the following: Figure 5. Building the Triple-A Supply Chain (Hau L. Lee, 2004) Strategic Alliance that Delivers Supply Chain Agility Supply chain management is about collaboration and data integration that creates a platform of trust among supply chain participants whose collective efforts are directed towards the goal of achieving superior competitive advantage that must be sustained in order for the chain to function efficiently and effectively. Companies that are part of a supply chain are indeed allies; they leverage their competencies for the good of the chain and create competitive advantage over rivals within the marketplace. There are numerous companies that are in the business of providing other companies with solutions to their supply chain management challenges, questions and software. Two such companies are i2 Technologies, Inc. and Microsoft Corp. One could argue that both companies are competitors, after all they both assist companies with software issues that are used to maximize efficiency. Just like Wal-mart and Procter and Gamble, Microsoft Corp. and i2 Technologies Inc. are well respected companies. Microsoft Corp. was founded in 1975 and is the world’s leader in software; services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. I2 Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of demand-driven supply chain solutions designed to enable business agility. On may 11, 2005 both companies announced their strategic alliance aimed at providing companies with more flexibility, greater ease of use and a lower total cost of ownership of supply chain management solutions for customers. The alliance allows i2 to deliver its own solutions using the Microsoft platform, allowing businesses to customize and use Microsoft Office products as interface for i2 applications. This type of collaboration has brought about a tremendous amount of flexibility by developing i2 solutions using Microsoft. Most people in the business world are already familiar with Microsoft’s software environment which helps to streamline efficiencies. Summary Alliances such as that of i2 Technologies Inc and Microsoft Corp. re helping to shape the mountains of possibilities that can be achieved when companies collaborate to create value for themselves and their counterparts who are a part of the supply chain. The very first thing that companies need to be aware of is what exactly supply chain management is. Being able to define the term will bring about a better understanding of what is expected. The way information flows through the chain to create value for the chain’s participants is a critical component in determining the sources from which the data will be integrated whether it be from the manufacturer, retailer or a third party. As collaboration takes place all participants will need to be knowledgeable of the different types of supply chain software that are available and make a decision as to which one creates more value for what the chain is trying to achieve. Emergent technology has the potential to create value for the supply chain; one such technology is the RFID technology which Wal-mart has utilized in its business process. When a company decides to implement a supply chain management system, the company’s management will need to ask certain questions to help them decide what the exact needs of the company are. Once the decision has been made to use a system things just does not automatically work the way they are supposed to but will instead take some time before it functions efficient and effectively. Three major problems are usually experienced when a supply chain management system is new, they are: resistant to change, gaining trust from partners within the change and mistakes. The chain’s participants will need to exercise patience and slowly take advantage of the different solutions that are offered from having a supply chain management system. For maximum effectiveness then, the supply chain’s strategies must be aligned with the overall business strategy. When strategies are aligned then the chain’s participants will have a better opportunity of mitigating the risks that are associated with uncertainties. By employing these four strategies this can be accomplished; the four strategies are: 1. having an efficient supply chain, 2. engaging in a supply chain that has risk-hedging capabilities, 3. creating a supply chain that is responsive, and 4. making sure that the supply chain is agile. As author Hau L. Lee puts it, â€Å"the best supply chains aren’t just fast and cost-effective. They are also agile and adaptable, and they ensure that all their companies’ interests stay aligned†. By keeping all these strategies in mind when designing a supply chain management system, companies are well on their way to achieving and sustaining the kind of competitive advantage that Wal-mart has so long experienced and enjoyed and who knows we may even see a company in the future who is able to out-smart Wal-mart at its own game and take over the lead as it relates to supply chain management. Anything is possible! References (Anonymous, 2008). Strategy: Framing supply chain complexity. Supply Chain Standard. Retrieved June 10, 2008, from PROQUEST Complete database. (Document ID: 1491708931). Gattorna, John L. (1998). Strategic Supply Chain Alignment: Best Practice in Supply Chain Management. Burlington: Gower. George, Jennifer M. Jones, Gareth R. (2008). Contemporary Management (5th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill. Green, Michael Shaw, Michael, J. Supply Chain Integration through Information Sharing: Channel Partnership between Wal-mart and Procter Gamble. 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Retrieved May 29, 2008, from http://www. orl. wur. nl/NR/rdonlyres/FD1FCC16-C84B-4C93-9211-BE419B6563B0/26752/SupplyChainManagementbijdrageJackvanderVorstv10. pdf Worthen, Ben. (2007). ABC: An Introduction to Supply Chain Management. The basics of Supply Chain Management (SCM). Retrieved May 29, 2008, from http://www. cio. com/article/40940/ABC_An_Introduction_to_Supply_Chain_Management/5