Contract and Procurement Essay Example for Free

Contract and Procurement Essay Contract and procurement are imperative operations that should be done appropriately for the success of an organization. More often than not, people who are in judge of procurement do take these activities less seriously (MOLENAAR, 2007). Due to such concern most institutions have put in place stringent measures that control all the procurement transactions. In addition to that, people should be employed to be responsible for this duty according to the policies of many institutions should be highly trained (MOSEY, 2009). This sudden change that has taken place in many companies and organizations has real improved the output of the department of procurement hence most activities run smoothly as scheduled. The directors of the department of procurement partly determine the success or the failure of a project that is undergoing. Therefore, the managers of projects work very closely with the procurement officers to ensure that everything that is required is provided whenever its need arises. It is significant that, there exists a good relationship between the project managers and the procurement officers (MOSEY, 2009). If that is not the case, then there shall be contradicting ideas that will jeopardize the progress of the project. It is worth noting that, the duties and responsibilities of the procurement officers vary in accordance with the structure of an organization. This shows that, different procurement divisions have got structures which are designed to make management coordination and monitoring. This arrangement is imperative in improvement of the efficiency of the procurement activities. As aforementioned, the project manager should coordinate the transaction in collaboration with procurement manager to acquire all the requirements. The transactions which are carried out to achieve this are done un der the interpretation of the set policies, rules and regulations (BOWER, 2003). The rules and regulations set by the institution to ensure that the activities are carried out in harmony within all the departments that exist in a company. Unlike in the past, procurement process has dynamically changed and incorporated more activities. It only used to involve purchasing of goods and services required, but that is not the case nowadays (MOSEY, 2009). In procurement planning is done first. It determines whether to purchase a given commodity and if it should be bought the way it should be bought and quantity to be supplied. After this, reliable and potential supplies are determined, and contracts made with to supply the goods ordered (MOLENAAR, 2007). Before a contract is signed, thorough scrutiny is done by evaluating the proposals of the shortlisted vendors and interviews conducted to select the one that is unparalleled in offering those services and goods. After that, the one that emerges the best is awarded the contract. Supervision of the supply is done by the procurement office. Procurement process gives support to the internal activities that are done within an organization. The operations served include management, production and marketing services. It supports all the processes, infrastructure and systems required by the projects. In other the dimension, a procurement body that is independent and separate provides all the things required by the project on a transaction basis (BOWER, 2003). In this case, the director of the project gives a list of things which are required and the procurement officer buys and coordinates the goods until they reach at the company to be used. In either organizational structure, the procurement manager is involved in generating and managing the operational transactions and the linkage that exists between all the stakeholders of the project. This relationship that is created by the procurement manager exists in the whole procurement cycle period (MOSEY, 2009). The relationship between procurement professionals and the project management team is significant in that it creates a better environment for cross functional participation of all stakeholders. Moreover, it enables the procurement department to produce the best services to the project (DINSMORE CABANIS-BREWIN, 2011). Therefore, for the procurement office to fit properly in the organization it must be well acquitted with the management strategies of the project. In a project based organization, there are about five general steps of procurement. Foremost, in collaboration with management, the procurement office should determine the requirements of the project. After determining what the requirements, the supplier is selected, who in agreement with project managers and the procurement professionals is given a contract to supply goods and services. The procurement department supervises and conducts routine assessment on the performance of the supplier until the contract ends (DINSMORE CABANIS-BREWIN, 2011). In centralized corporate management, there is an interaction between the principal stakeholders; the corporate purchasing coordination team, the chief executive officer, the chief purchasing officer, the managers of the business units and the purchasers of the business unit (SANKAR RAU, 2006). All of them have well defined roles and responsibilities in the procurement process. Most companies use formal organizational mechanisms like working groups and commodity teams, non-formal mechanisms of networking like employing competent people and initiating development programs, advanced systems of communication and use of complex management strategies (PENFIELD, 2010). In the centralized business unit procurement, the business units operate autonomously despite the fact that they are under one enterprise. The business unit creates a procurement order ships it to another business unit for supplier. Proper accounting records are kept to show the financial transactions between the two business units (SANKAR RAU, 2006). References BOWER, D. (2003). Management of procurement. London, Thomas Telford. DINSMORE, P. C., CABANIS-BREWIN, J. (2011). The AMA handbook of project management. New York, American Management Association MOLENAAR, K. R. (2007). Alternative project delivery, procurement, and contracting methods for highways. Reston, American Society of Civil Engineers. PENFIELD, P. C. (2010). A primer on negotiating corporate purchase contracts. [New York, N.Y.] (222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017), Business Expert Press SANKAR, C. S., RAU, K.-H. (2006). Implementation strategies for SAP R/3 in a multinational organization: lessons from a real-world case study. Hershey, Pennsylvania, CyberTech. MOSEY, D. (2009). Early Contractor Involvement in Building Procurement Contracts, Partnering and Project Management. Chichester, John Wiley Sons.

Death penalty Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fifty years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the trend towards worldwide abolition of the death penalty is unmistakable. When the Declaration was adopted in 1948, eight countries had abolished the death penalty for all crimes; today, as of November 1998, the number stands at 63. More than half the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice, and the numbers continue to grow. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty as a violation of fundamental human rights - the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment. Both of these rights are recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, other international and regional human rights instruments and national constitutions and laws. Defense of life and defense of the state may be held to justify, in some cases, the taking of life by state officials; for example, when law-enforcement officials must act immediately to save their own lives or those of others or when a country is engaged in armed conflict. Even in such situations the use of lethal force is surrounded by internationally accepted standards of human rights and humanitarian law to inhibit abuse. The death penalty, however, is not an act of defense against an immediate threat to life. It is the premeditated killing of a prisoner for the purpose of punishment - a purpose that can be met by other means. The cruelty of the death penalty is manifest not only in the execution but in the time spent under sentence of death, during which the prisoner is constantly contemplating his or her own death at the hands of the state. This cruelty cannot be justified, no matter how cruel the crime of which the prisoner has been convicted. The cruelty of the death penalty extends beyond the prisoner to the prisoner's family, to the prison guards and to the officials who have to carry out an execution. Information from various parts of the world shows that the role of an executioner can be deeply disturbing, even traumatic. The right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment are the two human rights most often cited in debates about the death penalty. But the death penalty also attacks other rights. In many cases prisoners are sentenced to death in trials which do not conform to int... ...ting the public on the uncertainty of the deterrent effect of capital punishment. A better public understanding of crime prevention and criminal justice would produce more support for anti-crime measures which are genuine and not merely palliative. At the very least, politicians should not make demagogic calls for the death penalty, misleading the public and obscuring the need for genuine anti-crime measures. Often the national debate on the death penalty is conducted in purely national terms. The international dimension needs to be brought in. Countries can learn from other countries' experience. Over the centuries, laws and public attitudes relating to torture have evolved. It is no longer permissible to use thumbscrews or the rack as legally sanctioned means of interrogation and punishment. Attitudes toward the death penalty are also changing, and bringing about abolition requires courageous political leadership, leadership that will be exercised in the defense of human rights. The requirement of respect for human rights has to include the abolition of the death penalty. It is not possible for a government to respect human rights and retain the death penalty at the same time.

Clothing Retailer Hennes & Mauritz Essay

A key ingredient in retailing success is the strength of a company’s distribution channels. Kerry Capell’s (2002) Business Week article looks at Sweden-based Hennes & Mauritz’s (H&M) sourcing and inventory management strategies and their reliance on distribution channel partners. H&M has developed a unique distribution channel strategy to compete with better entrenched retailers including Gap, Old Navy, Zara and FCUK. H&M Product Strategy Understanding H&M’s distribution strategy requires a clear understanding of their product philosophy and strategy. Like Gap and other clothing retailers, H&M markets to a particular segment of the fashion consumer market. H&M’s philosophy is â€Å"Fashion and quality at the best price† (H&M, 2004). H&M keeps up with its competitors by providing a variety of styles from â€Å"updated classics and fashion basics† to cutting-edge fashion trends (H&M, 2004). Kotler defines the product as a combination of goods and services (Kotler et al, 2001). H&M seeks a product edge by providing affordable fashion lines similar to its competitors, but with a â€Å"fast turnaround† from design to production to sales floor (Capell, 2002). Capell focused on this integrated distribution channel in his article. Distribution Channel Outline Marketers often refer to the fourth P, place, as placement, logistics or distribution. Marketers must create a place or a way for logistics and physical delivery to get a product to market and into the hands of target consumers (McColl-Kennedy and Kiel, 2003). A distribution channel refers to the type of intermediary or linkage between producers and consumers. A one-channel distribution network involves only the retailer between producer and consumer. Direct distribution occurs when the producer directly supplies the product to the buyer. The choice of distribution channel depends on a  variety of factors, including the type of product. While not all clothing retailers use direct distribution models, H&M and its competitors in the low- and mid-range clothing market use this model to maintain low costs and a fast time to market (Capell, 2002). Unlike many industries, time-to-market is critical to retail clothiers, as trends and fashions can change quickly. To minimize time-to-market, H&M employs a team of in-house designers in 21 production offices worldwide that work to forecast trends and find inspiration for clothing designs â€Å"in everything from street trends, to films, to flea markets† (H&M, 2004). From its headquarters in Stockholm, the company directs a rapid-response manufacturing process to capitalize on design trends immediately (H&M, 2004). H&M moves designs through production and into its retail sales channel with a three week to six month lead time. With low-wage, high-volume production in China and Turkey, the company can maintain low input costs and often outfit its stores with the latest trends within a month of the initial design (Capell, 2002). H&M constantly redefines its distribution strategies in response to changing retail market conditions and production conditions in its worldwide manufacturing centers (Capell, 2002). This adaptation ensures that the company can to improve the efficiency of its production flow. This model has direct application in H&M’s retail stores where it sells its products to consumers. H&M’s corporate buyers in Sweden actively manage its inventory, researching itemized sales reports by country, store, and, most importantly, type of merchandise daily (Capell, 2002). The buyers use this information to reallocate production or shipments, reducing potential overstock problems. The itemized reports also allow buyers to maintain a high level of turnover, keeping apparel on the sales floor up to date. Enhancing the company’s competitive advantage in this area, the integrated direct distribution channel ensures that H&M stores receive new shipments daily, giving the company further control over responses to supply and demand shifts (Capell, 2002). The company estimates that each store receives between 500 and 1,000 new items daily, with total sales of over 550 million  items annually company-wide. For example, if a particular fashion proves exceptionally popular to men in the U.S., but not in Europe, the company can shift inventory in that product from European stores to meet demand in the U.S. The channel also enables H&M to respond to market segment changes. When its $39 pants line proved too upscale for inner city malls, H&M used its integrated channel to shift that inventory to suburban locations and rotate new inventory into the mall stores (Hjelt, 2004). As with virtually every industry, H&M’s continued success and prosperity depends on efficient distribution channels. H&M has effectively incorporated its supply chain and retail distribution channels into its business strategy. As the company expands more heavily into the U.S. market, its unique streamlined distribution channel will be a critical component of its success. Works Cited Capell, Kerry. (2002, November 11). Hip H&M: The Swedish retailer is reinventing the business of affordable fashion. Business Week. 106-109. Hjelt, Paola. (2004). Will $39 Pants = Profits? H&M was too trendy for many mall shoppers. Fortune.com. Retrieved August 23, 2004 from the World Wide Web at: http://www.fortune.com/fortune/subs/article/0,15114,395434,00.html H&M. (2004). About H&M. HM.com. Retrieved August 23, 2004 from the World Wide Web at: http://www.hm.com/us/hm/facts_history/srt.jsp Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Brown, L. and Adam, S. (1998). Marketing. Sydney: Prentice Hall. McColl-Kennedy, J.R. and Kiel, G. (2003). Services Marketing. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley and Sons.

Chemistry Abbreviations Starting With the Letter S

Chemistry abbreviations and acronyms are common in all fields of science. This collection offers common abbreviations and acronyms beginning with the letter S used in chemistry and chemical engineering. S - Entropys - secondsS - Sulfurs - solids - spin quantum numberSA - Salicylic AcidSA - Surface AreaSAC - S-Allyl CysteineSAC - Strong Acid Cationsal - salt (Latin)SAM - S-Adenosyl MethionineSAM - Spin Angular MomentumSAN - Styrene-AcryloNitrileSAP - Super Absorbant PolymerSAQ - Soluble AnthraQunoneSAS - Small Angle ScatteringSATP - Standard Ambient Temperature and PressureSb - AntimonySB - Solvent BasedSBA - Strong Base AnionSBC - Styrene Butadiene CopolymerSBR - Sequencing Batch ReactorSBS - Styrene Butadiene StyreneSc - ScandiumSC - Silicon CarbideSCBA - Specific Chemical and Biologic AgentsSCC - Stress Corrosion CrackingSci - ScienceSCO - Super Charged OxygenSCS - Single Crystal SiliconSCU - Scoville UnitsSCVF - Single Chamber Vacuum FurnaceSCW - Super Critical WaterSCX - Strong Cation eXchangerSDMS - Scientific Data Management SystemSDV - Shut Down ValveSDW - Spin Density WaveSE - Sample ErrorSe - SeleniumSec - SecondsSCN - ThiocyanateSEP - SeparateSEU - Slightly Enriched Uraniu mSF - Safety FactorSF - Significant FiguresSFC - Supercritical Fluid ChromatographySFPM - Suspended Fine Particulate MatterSg - SeaborgiumSG - Specific GravitySG - Spheroidal GraphiteSH - Thiol functional groupSHE - Standard Hydrogen ElectrodeSHF - Super High FrequencySHC - Synthetic HydroCarbonSi - SiliconSI units - Systà ¨me international dunità ©s (International System of Units)SL - Sea LevelSL - Short-LivedSLI - Solid-Liquid InterfaceSLP - Sea Level PressureSm - SamariumSM - Semi-MetalSM - Standard ModelSMILES - Simplified Molecular Input Line Entry SystemSN - Sodium NitrateSn - TinSNAP S-Nitroso-N-AcetylPenicillamineSNP - Single-Nucleotide Polymorphismsp - hybrid orbital between s and p orbitalsSP - Solubility ProductSp - SpecialSP - Starting PointSPDF - atomic electron orbital namesSQ - squaredSr - StrontiumSS - Solid SolutionSS - Stainless SteelSSP - Steady-State PlasmaSTEL - Short Term Exposure LimitSTP - Standard Temperature and PressureSTM - Scanning Tunneling Microscop eSUS - SUSpension