Helping ESL Students Understand and Participate in Small Talk

The ability to make small talk comfortably is one of the most desired objectives  of almost any English student. This is especially true for business English learners but applies to all. The function of small talk is the same the world over. However, which topics are appropriate for small talk can vary from culture to culture. This lesson plan focuses on helping students develop their small talk skills and addresses the issue of appropriate subjects. Difficulties in small talk skills can arise from a number of factors including grammar uncertainties, comprehension problems, lack of topic-specific vocabulary, and a general lack of confidence. The lesson introduces a discussion of appropriate small talk topics. Make sure to give students ample time to delve into the subjects if they seem particularly interested. Aim: Improving small talk skills Activity: Discussion of appropriate small talk subjects followed by a game to be played in small groups Level: Intermediate to Advanced Small Talk Lesson Outline Write Small Talk on the board. Brainstorm as a class to define small talk. Write examples on the board.Discuss the importance of small talk skills with the class.Divide students into groups of 3 - 5.Give students the small talk worksheet.Students begin by reviewing key functions and grammar by matching purpose,  expression, and form. Review as a class. Discuss any questions in usage.Ask students to discuss  whether the topics provided in the second section  are appropriate for making small talk. Students can also decide that some topics are appropriate in certain situations  but not in others.  Once students have discussed the various situations, solicit responses on the various subjects from the class as a whole. Make sure to ask for examples of comments on appropriate subjects, as well as  explanations for those topics which students feel are not appropriate. Feel free to let students debate their opinions to help develop  conversational skills.Have students get back into their groups and play the small talk game in the third section. Circulate around the room helping  students when they run into difficulties.Take notes on subjects that students find difficult. As a class,  brainstorm on appropriate comments. Understanding Forms Used in Small Talk Match the conversational purpose to the expression in the second column. Identify the appropriate grammar structure in the third column. Purpose Expression Structure Ask about experienceGive adviceMake a suggestionExpress an opinionImagine a situationProvide instructionsOffer somethingConfirm informationAsk for more detailsAgree or disagree Open the package. Fill out the Forms.Where can I find out more?Im afraid I dont see it that way.Have you ever visited Rome?Lets go for a walk.To me, that seems like a waste of time.You live in San Francisco, dont you?Would you like something to drink?If you were the boss, what would you do?You should visit Mt. Hood. Conditional formQuestion tagUse of some in questions rather than anyTo me, In my opinion, I thinkInformation questionModal verbs such as should, ought to, and had betterImperative formLets, Why dont you, How about Present perfect for experienceIm afraid I dont see / think / feel that way. Hit Your Small Talk Target Which Topics are  Appropriate? Which topics are appropriate for small talk discussions? For  topics which are appropriate, think of one interesting comment to make when the teacher calls on you. For topics which are not appropriate, explain why you believe they are not appropriate for small talk. The latest filmsThe One True Path to Eternal LifeThe local basketball teamCarsA product you would like to sell to everyoneThe Death PenaltyYour hometownHow much you makeYour last holidayYour favorite movie-starThe correct political partyThe weatherGardeningYour health problemsYour family Small Talk Game Throw one die to move forward from one subject to the next. When you get to the end, return to the beginning to start again. You have 30 seconds to make a comment about the suggested subject. If you dont, you lose your turn! Your best friendThe last film you sawPetsRock and rollA magazineLearning a languagePlaying tennisYour current jobAn interesting excursion nearbyThe InternetMarilyn MonroeKeeping healthyHuman cloningYour favorite foodFinding a job in your countryThe last book you readYour worst holidaySomething youve never done, but would like to doTeachers - what you likeTeachers - what you dont like

A Brief Note On The Mexican Immigrants Oppression Essay

Mexican Immigrants Oppression in America â€Å"The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.† ~Martin Luther King. Martin Luther King described oppression to be a worldwide problem through the different ethnic groups that made their way to America. Due to the discrimination through economical, educational, and societal ways; non- American citizens trying to regain a peace of mind or in other terms â€Å"freedom†, coming to America consequently face anti-immigration groups and a sense of non- acceptance in America. The Impact of illegal Mexican immigration in the United States has been a focus on the maintenance of the policy and the public. Before getting into depth, a quick debriefing about Mexico will be told below. Mexico, a country rich and complex in history is made up of thirty-one states and a federal district; also known as the national government, located in Mexico City. Mexico ranks third largest state within Latin America and has one of the largest populations. The country being the home of the Spanish speakers than any other Nation, however shows evidence of past cultures and events; despite political and social changes that occurred over centuries. Their rural areas are known to still be inhabited by the indigenous people, whom still practice the lifestyle of their ancestors. Mexico’s land is highly diverse and their history happens to be a part of every piece of land that is walked upon.Show MoreRelatedEssay on Analysis of The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros4759 Words   |  20 Pagesto write it by investigating the novel with special regard to its different dimensions. 1. The Novel 1.1 Summary The novel â€Å"The House on Mango Street† is written by Sandra Cineros. It deals with family, neighbourhood and dreams of a young Mexican girl, Esperanza Cordero growing up in Chicago. The novel begins when the Corderos move into a new house on Mango Street in the Latino section of Chicago. The fact that it is the first house they have ever owned, make them proud. But when EsperanzaRead MoreTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo5187 Words   |  21 PagesRights. The story for Mexican-Americans is no different. The annexations of Texas in 1845 and the Mexican Cession in 1848 make evident the bulldozing efforts of the dominant Anglo culture to fulfill its â€Å"Manifest Destiny,† in spite its own declarations that â€Å"all men are created equal† and that the United States is a nation that believes in the personal freedoms of life, speech, property and religion. Confronted by the reality of Manifest Destiny and annexation, the new Mexican-Americans resistedRead More Latinos, Politics, and American Cinema Essay3885 Words   |  16 Pages Touch of Evil, directed by Orson Welles and called ‘the greatest b-movie of all time,’ exemplifies many of the ideas in Stam’s thesis because it overflows with ethnic-oriented intricacies and contradictions. Welles makes an argument that real Mexicans and their gangs have a tendency to commit vile acts, while upstanding citizens like Vargas who speak English well do not hav e this potential. It is the story of a American bordertown that sets the scene for a mystery of a car-bombing that two lawmenRead MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 Pagestext were created exclusively for this edition and provide opportunities for reading and analysis outside of class. Review questions provided for each case are intended to facilitate lively and productive written analysis or in-class discussion. Our â€Å"Brief Integrative Cases† typically explore a specific situation or challenge facing an individual or team. Our longer and more detailed â€Å"In-Depth Integrative Cases† provide a broader discussion of the challenges facing a company. These two formats allowRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesincluded in a long twentieth century (and perhaps even if it is not), migration served as a mode of escape from oppression and poverty and, in many instances, as an avenue toward advancement for an unprecedented number of people that soared well into the hundreds of millions by century’s end. But for a clear majority of these migrants, movement was coerced by flight from war and oppression or was enticed by labor recruiters who preyed on the desperately poor. The prospects for the great majorityRead MoreLangston Hughes Research Paper25309 Words   |  102 PagesHughes, 1933 (Library of Congress) Langston was not ashamed of being a black American. He had already written poems celebrating his heritage. He felt connected to the oppressed brown people of the world and hated his father for mistreating his Mexican employees. Witnessing his fathers tyranny made Langston sick enough to require hospitalization. By the end of the summer, Langston was glad to return to school in the United States. On the journey to his mothers house in Cleveland, Ohio, he recognizedRead MoreCoco Cola18335 Words   |  74 Pagespossible links to  obesity  and  diabetes.[9] This causes problems with Coke s distribution and bottling network, because specific franchise districts are guaranteed an exclusive market area for Coke products. Mexican-made Coca-Cola may often be found for sale in stores catering to the Hispanic immigrant community.  Kosher  for  Passover  Coke is also made with cane sugar, rather than corn syrup, due to the special dietary restrictions for observant Jews. Some  Orthodox Jews  do not consume corn during the holidayRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 Pagesalready had spent two years under house arrest in Burma for â€Å"endangering the state.† That same year she won the Nobel Prize for Peace. Like Nelson Mandela, Suu Kyi stands as an international symbol of heroic and peaceful resistance to government oppression. Until the age of 43, Suu Kyi led a relatively quiet existence in England as a professional working mother. Her life changed dramatically in 1988 when she returned to her native country of Burma to visit her sick mother. That visit occurred during

Proposal for the Supply Chain of Sadafco-Free-Samples for Students

Questions: 1.Use a framework to determine a suitable supply chain for this Organisation. You may wish to focus on one product or many ? 2.Discuss which aspect of the chain should or could be Optimised and Discuss how this is affected by the various Environmental Impacts on the Supply Chain ? 3.Having determined a suitable supply chain give an outline proposal plan to Implement the new supply chain ? 4.Consider the Financial Implications of this supply chain, investments in plant and equipment, sources of finance and measures of Financial Performance ? 5.For your Chosen Company suggest the Control Policies for items of stock ? Answers: Introduction The purpose of this report is to analyze on the supply chain issues for developing the proposal for supply chain for Sadafco. Saudi Arabia and Foodstuff company ( Sadafco) has been one of the market leader in Milk Market (UHT) in Saudi Arabia. This company captures half of the UHT milk market and near about one third of the total milk. Even this organization also produces different products other than UHT milk that includes Ice-cream, Cheese, Ketchup , Butter etc. The companys mission is to develop, manufacture and market nutritious food for each age groups as well as create high shareholder value through their teamwork. The supply chain refers to the system of companies , activities, resources and information that are involved in distributing the goods from the suppliers to buyers (Aya?, Samanlioglu Bykzkan, 2013). The activities of supply chain involves in transformation of raw materials or natural resources to finished goods, which is then delivered to the buyers. The study also elucidates on the framework that is used to determine suitable supply chain for this company. One of the challenges that the company faces is to incorporate supply chain in appropriate way in order to benefit their customers and maximize profit (Badri, Bashiri Hejazi, 2013). The aspect of the supply chain of this organization that should be optimized is also discussed in this study. The environmental impact on the supply chain that affects this aspect of chain is also illustrated in this report. The study also focuses on the proposal plan for implementation of new supply chain to this company. The financial implications of supply chain, sources of finance and the measures of financial performance of this firm are also explained in this study. The recommendation of control policies for the items of this company is also highlighted in this study. 1.Framework for determining the suitable supply chain for Sadafco In current changing marketplace, as the competition among the companies has been fierce, Sadafco expands their business focus on encompassing the supply chain in order to gain competitive advantage against their rivals. In present decades, the companies implements new business framework that is based on their customized production as well as relationship with the supply chain members (Bilgen elebi, 2013). Historically, there are three basic stages of supply chain including- procurement, manufacturing and distribution that the organization tries to manage it in effective way. Increase in competitive pressures as well as globalization in the market forced the organizations in developing supply chains, which facilitates them in quickly responding to the requirements of the customers. Supply chain integration procedure through investment in technologies as well as cooperative arrangements aids in strategic ranking of the organizations (Brindley, 2017). The conceptual framework helps in emphasizing the nature of supply chain management (SCM) within the organization. The SCM model mainly consists of interrelated elements that includes- The network structure of supply chain The organization participates in the supply chain as the relationship at various points varies between the firms and networks. However, the management of the organization focuses on choosing the partnership level that has been appropriate for that specific supply chain. The business processes of supply chain- Successful SCM mainly need change from supervising the functions of individual to incorporating activities into processes of supply chain (Estampe et al., 2013). The business processes mainly requires flow of information that in turn aids in creating the flow of best commodity. The management components of supply chain- There are nine components of SCM that includes-management procedure, companys structure, planning and controlling, leadership structure, goods flow structure, reward structure, structure of work, business culture, attitude of employees and information flow framework. Figure 1:Framework of supply chain management Source: (Huo, 2012) The framework used for determining the suitable supply chain for Sadafco is SCOR (supply chain operations reference model). This model illustrates the business procedure that is required for satisfying the demand of customers. In addition, this framework mainly focuses on the five key supply chain areas that includes planning, sourcing, making, delivering and returning. Planning- This step includes planning of demand and supply of products. The elements involve balancing resources according to their needs and communication within the process. This plan includes determination of business rules for improving the efficiency of supply chain. Sourcing- It illustrates sourcing infrastructure as well as material acquisition. It also explains management of inventories, suppliers network and performance. Making- It reflects activities of production, packaging, product staging and launching. It also involves managing manufacturing network, services and transportation. Delivering-This area includes warehousing, order management and transportation. It also involves transportation, requirements of import as well as export, commodities life cycles and management of inventories. Returning- This involves management of assets, inventory, transportation, business rules and other regulatory requirements. Figure 2: Supply chain diagrm of Sadafco Source: (As created by author) The above framework illustrates the supply chain diagram of sadafco orgamization. Technically, the supply chain begins at producing raw milk from the direct inputs to the dairy animals and them moving to their dairy farms. This raw milk is then purchased by sadafcos milk buyers, which is then processed by the dairy processors of sadafco. This dairy processors then pasteurizes the liquid milk that results in yoghurt, milk powders, juices etc. After that it is transported to their dairy factories for processing cheese, butter and other dairy products. Then it passes on to the distributors for selling these dairy products to the customers. 2.Optimization of some aspect of supply chain of Sadafco As the supply chain of the companies has become complex in recent period, it becomes critical for Sadafco in managing the whole supply chain network for optimizing their business performance. Optimization of supply chain refers to the application of processes that facilitates in ensuring the operation of production as well as distribution of product supply chain. This mainly includes optimal inventory placement within the process, reducing cost of operation etc. This organization implements technology for optimizing their supply chain. This company invests in technology in order to track their resources and improve the automated processes. Sadafco selects QAD DSCP (Demand and supply chain planning) in order to improve their forecasting and optimizing their supply chain. QAD is one of the leading providers of software as well as services that has been designed for production organization in the global market. It provides the organization with enterprise applications, ERP (enterprise resource planning) system that aids in supporting their operational needs that includes financial, production, buyers management, planning of demand and supply chain, process management of business and business intelligence. These enterprise applications offers flexible deployment framework in the business environment. It also improves their production, distribution and marketing process of wide variety of commodities in those regions where they operates. QAD DSCP basically consists of various solutions that includes planning of demand, manufacturing, distribution and procurement. It has been noted from the recent study that QAD DSCP helps i n reducing cost as well as inefficiency in the process of supply chain. This company implements QADs application in order to improve their business process and their supply chain. This organization initially adopts demand planning in their business for optimizing their processes. This organization chooses this DSCP for the given reasons that includes- QAD DSCP usually offers comprehensive solution to the company It also helps in integrating with the existing QAD ERP as well as with their van loading system The food industry of QAD is experienced This QAD DSCP is flexible and hence helps in meeting the companys requirements without customization This implementation of QAD DSCP allows the organization in managing their inventories in better way, improving their level of customer service, reduce their lead time of makeup order and improve their promotional profit. It also facilitates in improving their communication with their suppliers that leads to decrease in their purchasing cost. However, it also aids the company in delivering their product at right place in less time. It is well known that the cost of supply chain adversely affects the environment. Therefore, delivering the products efficiently helps in reducing their carbon footprint in the environment. Several environmental affect from the supply chain includes toxic waste, biodiversity loss, long term ecosystem damage, water pollution, deforestation, risky air emissions and greenhouse gas emission. This organization with the initiatives of sustainability works with their suppliers in identifying the pollution sources and waste for discovering preventive measures. This environmental impacts adversely affects the demand and supply chain planning aspect of this organization. The demand of the product depends on the climatic conditions as the consumers flock outdoors. Increase in demand for product owing to weather conditions influences the organizations supply chain through reduction of inventories as well as creating challenges that the sellers tries to meet. In addition, the supply of goods beco mes restricted due to this harmful environmental impact as the adverse weather impacts production of products (Chopra Sodhi, 2014). The toxic waste that has been caused due to supply chain kill the crops , which in turn affects the health of dairy animals and this results in poor quality of raw materials. Moreover, it also creates delivery issues from distributors to retailers. As a result, the shortage in supply of goods occurs due to this inconvenience of transportation and reduced production. 3.Proposal plan for implementing the new supply chain to Sadafco This organization is mainly based on IDI (Interfirm demand integration) process. IDI process refers to the systematic coordination of functions that is consumer focused and tactics used in the process of supply chain. It main purpose is to improve the financial performance of each organization and whole of its supply chain. (Rushton, Croucher Baker, 2012) This procedure mainly consists of three activities that are being coordinated between the trading partners that includes demand management, demand planning and collaborative forecasting. Each of this helps in improving the performance of supply chain. Demand management- These activities are applied for creating demand in order to optimize product supply. This might include various forms namely- exclusive goods, packaging as well as bundling options. Brand promotions etc, Demand planning- it refers to the coordination of dependent flow through organization in supply chain. Therefore, dependent demand refers to the demand for materials that has been taken from customer demand for any particular commodities. Collaborative planning- it refers to the exchange of information among the trading partners for developing single shared demand projection. The implementation of this process revealed the direct relationship between incorporation of activities in business and enhancing performance of supply chain. Figure 2: Framework of IDI process Source: (Rangel, de Oliveira Leite,2015) There are some key supply chain issues including alliance, transportation, storage and financing that creates problem in their supply chain operation. Transportation plays significant role in the supply chain that aids in providing the movement of commodities. As dairy products have short life span, transportation has become major problem in the supply chain. In addition, distance of delivery route also creates problems in customer service as well as the cost of transportation. Strategic alliance refers to the agreement among the parties for pursuing upon the objectives that is required by the business (Prajogo Olhager,, 2012). This alliance involves transfer of technology or access to expertise, shared risk as well expenses and specialization in the economy. However, the partners might provide alliance with some resources that includes commodities, manufacturing capability, funding of project, capital equipment and intellectual property. This might create problem of congestion in t he organization while technology and expertise transfer might adversely affects the product quality and total productivity. Storing milk and dairy products at right temperature helps in keeping the products fresh. If the storage is not done at right temperature, then it affects the quality of dairy product and this in turn dissatisfies the customer (Rangel, de Oliveira Leite,, 2015). Flow of finance within the supply chain helps the organization in reducing total cost of production of dairy products. But it might create problem in the supply chain management if the flow of finance is improper. Supply chain of Sadafco continues its function in sourcing, buying, transporting, storing unprocessed materials and packaging materials that has been required for domestic production of this organizations product (Seuring, 2013). The proposal plan for implementing new supply chain to Sadafco is explained below: Firstly, the collection of raw materials should be monitored with the implementation of new technology and then should be transferred from firm to the factory Then the planning should be done for the total quantity of dairy products to be manufactured according to the consumers demand. The milk that is sent to the factory should undergo some processes that include chilling as well as processing of raw milk. While manufacturing the products, the activities must be scheduled and the product quality must be measured In order to keep the milk as well as the milk products fresh, the company should transport these products through refrigerated vans, insulated tanker vans etc from one region to another. These processed products should be delivered by coordinating order receipt and developing warehouses to the retail markets. The product then reaches to the customers from this retail market. The company should create the network with the help of new information technology in order to receive defective commodities and gather feedback from customers. This stage also helps in developing new product according to the preference of their customers. 4.Financial implication of supply chain, investment in plant and equipment, finance sources and measures of financial performance of Sadafco The three basic functions of the organization supply chain includes procurement, planning operations and logistics. However, investment in plant and equipment facilitates in improving productivity as well as performance of the supply chains. This investment in technologies enhances the return on investment (ROI) of the organization. Automatic milking system (AMS) is basically the robotic systems that helps the company in organizing the whole milking process. In addition, it reduces the workload of the workers due to implementation of equipment in the company. The cost of production reduces and quality of product improves due to adoption of equipment (Stadtler, 2015). Moreover, it also minimizes adverse environmental affect and satisfies the customers in providing the product at right time. As a result, it utilizes the resource in proper way and improves the efficiency in supply chain operations. The sources of finance in the supply chain are also termed as supply chain finance. These includes letters of credit, trade loans, bills collection, bank guarantees etc where the customers are usually given the time period for paying for the products that has been supplied to them. There are various measures of financial performance including- liquidity, profitability, financial efficiency, solvency, working capital etc. Liquidity refers to the measurement of firms business ability for meeting the financial obligations without disrupting the existing business operations. Liquidity of the company is measured by current ratio as well as working capital. Solvency measures total amount of capital borrowed that has been utilized by the company. It is mainly concerned with short-term as well as long-term liabilities and assets. It is usually measured by debt-to asset and equity- to asset ratio. Profitability refers to the total amount of profit generated by business from the production factors such as management, labor and capital. ROA( rate of return on assets of firm), operating profit margin etc are some of the profitability measurement. Financial efficiency measures the efficiency degree in utilizing labor and capital. Asset turnover ratio, depreciation expense r atio are few measures of financial efficiency. Proper implementation of supply chain management enhances the competitiveness of supply chain through coordination of activities (Huo, 2012). The function of supply chain affects the working capital of the organization. This means that sourcing as well as delivery time, bad debt, predicting accuracy, change in exchange rate etc creates problem in supply chain and this in turn influences their financial performance. In addition, lead time, product quality and returns, stock out, inventory and transportation cost , packaging cost also affects the company profitability level (Wagner, Grosse-Ruyken Erhun, 2012) 5.Recommendation on control policies for the items of stock The basic purpose of management of stock is to enhance the profit of store by ensuring that stock levels are available in the store every time. The following recommendations on control policies for the items of stock will help Sadafco in expanding their business in the global market. These include- The management of Sadafco must establish stocking policies annually and must set optimized safety level of stock and inventory level The company must plan as well as evaluate the range of their product for meeting the requirements of the target market Each store must vary in procedures and technology that is mainly used for controlling stock. However, it is recommended that Sadafco must implement new systems that will provide unit control, dollar control and manage inventory. The management of Sadafco must keep documentation of stock in order to monitor it in the store (Wisner, Tan Leong, 2013). These documentation will help the company in identifying the present state of inventory in store with regards to fast or slow movement of stock , damaged stock and stockturn. In addition, the company should also interpret the information of stock in a report in order to enhance the operation in the store. Conclusion From the above report, it can be concluded that Sadafco has good position in the marketplace. The mission and values of this organization reflects that it is mainly focused on ethical business operation, which not only improves its value of shareholder but also manufactures commodities that benefits their customers. Additionally, internal assessment also highlights that the supply chain operation of this organization is better as compared to other dairy firms in this nation and hence shows good leadership structure. This company has managed in creating the business culture that focuses on positive business values. Although this organization faces huge competition from other rivals, their business strategy helps them in gaining competitive advantage in the marketplace. Furthermore, the proposal plan for implementation of new supply chain to this organization might improve their supply chain operations and enhance their financial performance. Selection of DSCP is appropriate as it help s them in optimizing their supply chain. The implementation of new technology improves their supply chain operations and hence enables them in overcoming the challenges from external environment. References Aya?, Z., Samanlioglu, F., Bykzkan, G. (2013). A fuzzy QFD approach to determine supply chain management strategies in the dairy industry.Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing,24(6), 1111-1122. Badri, H., Bashiri, M., Hejazi, T. H. (2013). Integrated strategic and tactical planning in a supply chain network design with a heuristic solution method.Computers Operations Research,40(4), 1143-1154. Bilgen, B., elebi, Y. (2013). Integrated production scheduling and distribution planning in dairy supply chain by hybrid modelling.Annals of Operations Research,211(1), 55-82. Brindley, C. (Ed.). (2017).Supply chain risk. Taylor Francis. Carter, C. R., Rogers, D. S., Choi, T. Y. (2015). Toward the theory of the supply chain.Journal of Supply Chain Management,51(2), 89-97. Cho, D. W., Lee, Y. H., Ahn, S. H., Hwang, M. K. (2012). A framework for measuring the performance of service supply chain management.Computers Industrial Engineering,62(3), 801-818. Chopra, S., Sodhi, M. S. (2014). Reducing the risk of supply chain disruptions.MIT Sloan Management Review,55(3), 73. Christopher, M. (2016).Logistics supply chain management. Pearson UK. Esmaeilikia, M., Fahimnia, B., Sarkis, J., Govindan, K., Kumar, A., Mo, J. (2016). Tactical supply chain planning models with inherent flexibility: definition and review.Annals of Operations Research,244(2), 407-427. Estampe, D., Lamouri, S., Paris, J. L., Brahim-Djelloul, S. (2013). A framework for analysing supply chain performance evaluation models.International Journal of Production Economics,142(2), 247-258. Huo, B. (2012). The impact of supply chain integration on company performance: an organizational capability perspective.Supply Chain Management: An International Journal,17(6), 596-610. Kumar, S. K., Tiwari, M. K. (2013). Supply chain system design integrated with risk pooling.Computers Industrial Engineering,64(2), 580-588. Liu, H., Ke, W., Wei, K. K., Hua, Z. (2013). The impact of IT capabilities on firm performance: The mediating roles of absorptive capacity and supply chain agility.Decision Support Systems,54(3), 1452-1462. Manzini, R., Accorsi, R. (2013). The new conceptual framework for food supply chain assessment.Journal of Food Engineering,115(2), 251-263. Manzini, R., Accorsi, R. (2013). The new conceptual framework for food supply chain assessment.Journal of Food Engineering,115(2), 251-263. Monczka, R. M., Handfield, R. B., Giunipero, L. C., Patterson, J. L. (2015).Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Pettersson, A. I., Segerstedt, A. (2013). Measuring supply chain cost.International Journal of Production Economics,143(2), 357-363. Prajogo, D., Olhager, J. (2012). Supply chain integration and performance: The effects of long-term relationships, information technology and sharing, and logistics integration.International Journal of Production Economics,135(1), 514-522. Rangel, D. A., de Oliveira, T. K., Leite, M. S. A. (2015). Supply chain risk classification: discussion and proposal.International Journal of Production Research,53(22), 6868-6887. Rushton, A., Croucher, P., Baker, P. (2014).The handbook of logistics and distribution management: Understanding the supply chain. Kogan Page Publishers. Schaltegger, S., Burritt, R. (2014). Measuring and managing sustainability performance of supply chains: Review and sustainability supply chain management framework.Supply Chain Management: An International Journal,19(3), 232-24 Seuring, S. (2013). A review of modeling approaches for sustainable supply chain management.Decision support systems,54(4), 1513-1520. Stadtler, H. (2015). Supply chain management: An overview. InSupply chain management and advanced planning(pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Tayur, S., Ganeshan, R., Magazine, M. (Eds.). (2012).Quantitative models for supply chain management(Vol. 17). Springer Science Business Media. Wagner, S. M., Grosse-Ruyken, P. T., Erhun, F. (2012). The link between supply chain fit and financial performance of the firm.Journal of Operations Management,30(4), 340-353. Wisner, J. D., Tan, K. C., Leong, G. K. (2014).Principles of supply chain management: A balanced approach. Cengage Learning. Yang, G. Q., Liu, Y. K., Yang, K. (2015). Multi-objective biogeography-based optimization for supply chain network design under uncertainty.Computers Industrial Engineering,85, 145-156. Yu, M., Nagurney, A. (2013). Competitive food supply chain networks with application to fresh produce.European Journal of Operational Research,224(2), 273-282. Yu, W., Jacobs, M. A., Salisbury, W. D., Enns, H. (2013). The effects of supply chain integration on customer satisfaction and financial performance: An organizational learning perspective.International Journal of Production Economics,146(1), 346-358.

Joseph Conrad Essays (4069 words) - Fiction, Literature,

Joseph Conrad Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, relies on the historical period of imperialism in order to describe its protagonist, Charlie Marlow, and his struggle. Marlow's catharsis in the novel, as he goes to the Congo, rests on how he visualizes the effects of imperialism. This paper will analyze Marlow's "change," as caused by his exposure to the imperialistic nature of the historical period in which he lived. Marlow is asked by "the company", the organization for whom he works, to travel to the Congo river and report back to them about Mr. Kurtz, a top notch officer of theirs. When he sets sail, he doesn't know what to expect. When his journey is completed, this little "trip" will have changed Marlow forever! Heart of Darkness is a story of one man's journey through the African Congo and the "enlightenment" of his soul. It begins with Charlie Marlow, along with a few of his comrades, cruising aboard the Nellie, a traditional sailboat. On the boat, Marlow begins to tell of his experiences in the Congo. Conrad uses Marlow to reveal all the personal thoughts and emotions that he wants to portray while Marlow goes on this "voyage of a lifetime". Marlow begins his voyage as an ordinary English sailor who is traveling to the African Congo on a "business trip". He is an Englishmen through and through. He's never been exposed to any alternative form of culture, similar to the one he will encounter in Africa, and he has no idea about the drastically different culture that exists out there. Throughout the book, Conrad, via Marlow's observations, reveals to the reader the naive mentality shared by every European. Marlow as well, shares this naivet? in the beginning of his voyage. However, after his first few moments in the Congo, he realizes the ignorance he and all his comrades possess. We first recognize the general naivet? of the Europeans when Marlow's aunt is seeing him for the last time before he embarks on his journey. Marlow's aunt is under the assumption that the voyage is a mission to "wean those ignorant millions from their horrid ways"(18-19). In reality, however, the Europeans are there in the name of imperialism and their sole objective is to earn a substantial profit by collecting all the ivory in Africa. Another manifestation of the Europeans obliviousness towards reality is seen when Marlow is recounting his adventure aboard the Nellie. He addresses his comrades who are on board saying: "When you have to attend to things of that sort, to the mere incidents of the surface, the reality--the reality I tell you---fades. The inner truth is hidden luckily, luckily. But I felt it all the same; I felt often its mysterious stillness watching over me at my monkey tricks, just as it watches you fellows performing on your respective tight ropes for---what is it? half a crown a tumble---(56)." What Marlow is saying is that while he is in the Congo, although he has to concentrate on the petty little everyday things, such as overseeing the repair of his boat, he is still aware of what is going on around him and of the horrible reality in which he is in the midst of. On the other hand, his friends on the boat simply don't know of these realities. It is their ignorance, as well as their innocence which provokes them to say "Try to be civil, Marlow"(57). Not only are they oblivious to the reality which Marlow is exposed to, but their naivet? is so great, they can't even comprehend a place where this 'so called' reality would even be a bad dream! Hence, their response is clearly rebuking the words of a "savage" for having said something so ridiculous and "uncivilized". Quite surprisingly, this mentality does not pertain exclusively to the Englishmen in Europe. At one point during Marlow's voyage down the Congo, his boat hits an enormous patch of fog. At that very instant, a "very loud cry" is let out(66). After Marlow looks around and makes sure everything is all right, he observes the contrasts of the whites and the blacks expressions. It was very curious to see the contrast of expression of the white men and of the black fellows