Carnivals readings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Carnivals readings - Essay Example Every social position within a society has sacred attributes, and such attributes are only gained through a rite of passage from one position to the other. The role of liminality is not to simply confer the sacred state of the social positions, but rather to act as the bond that unites society in its different levels and structures. Liminality acts as a bond without which there could be no society, since there could be no high, unless the low existed, while no society could be complete even without the social class like the hippies, who do not observe the rites of passage, but still demonstrate the requisite liminality behaviors (Turner, 1969:370). The state of the rite of passage represents a moment in life during which the lesser in society wields more power than the individuals who are well endowed politically, economically and socially, since the weakness dominates greatness during the rite of passage, denoted by the words, â€Å"Even if your child is a chief’s son, tomor row he will be like a slave†, words spoken to mothers on the day before the initiation of their children (Turner, 1969:367). The relevance of the rights of passage within a society is that; the rites of passage serve as the bridge through which men are released from structure into communitas, and will only go back to structure after their experience of the communitas (Turner, 1969:373). The characteristics of liminality include: humility, passivity, nakedness and expression of the power of the weak, where the weak in society are the powerful in rituals, because they are the ones who administer them to the well-endowed, and those seeking to rise into a position of power in the society (Turner, 1969:368). The difference between communitas and community is that; communitas refer to the social bond created by the socio-cultural systems of rites of passage to bond the society together and makes

Java Multithreaded Genetic Algorithm In Solving Computer Science Essay

Java Multithreaded Genetic Algorithm In Solving Computer Science Essay Time table problem is a kind of scheduling problems with many variations. It defines a class of hard-to-solve constrained optimization problems of combinatorial nature (Bhaduri, 2009, p.289). Constraints are the rules that control the schedule process and it not necessarily be satisfied but for certain constraints, it may be inviolable for the problem. Based on the constrains, sometime the scheduling problem may also facing the problem that it only be to obtain a feasible solution but all feasible solution have equal cost. Furthermore, the time table problem (TTP) also is an NP-hard problem and by conventional methods, it is very hard to solve (Even cited in Verma, 2012, p.919).The timetable problem can be of few kinds. E.g. for the transportation purpose, educational institutes, or a hospital roster for nurses. This project is considers a time table in educational, especially for the case of a School (Sapru et al, 2010, p.1). In recent years, interest in meta-heuristic approaches such as simulated annealing, tabu search and genetic algorithms (for school timetabling) has increased due to the ability of these approaches to generate solutions to solving TTP. (Schaerf, 1999, pp.87-127 and Burke et al, 2002, pp.266-280). Solving the real world school timetable problem manually often need a lot of time and resources. In order to handle the problem, many researches in this area has been invested over the year, the automated school timetabling is one of the part or idea in this area for those researches. It is a task that can save a lot of man-hours work. However it is difficult tasks faced by educational institutions. For example, it involves the allocation and distribution of resources to different tasks subjected to different constraints (Verma, 2012, p.919). Those are including of teachers, rooms, classes at a fixed number of available time slots and subjects. The constraints in School Time Table problem are: Certain room (computer lab, music room) cannot have more than one class in a given time slot. No class can have more than one subject in a given time slot. The number of classes per week is a fixed number for each subject, and this number must be met by the prepared schedule. Genetic algorithm (GA) have been used for solving timetable problem since 1990(Bhaduri cited in Bhaduri, 2009, p.289). The GA has global optimization strategy which can avoid falling into local optimum and it also is one kind of the iterative adaptive heuristic probabilistic searching algorithm (Yunfeng Dong, 2011, p.3703). besides that , GA also is the widespread algorithm for the timetable problem(TTP).The main reason for widespread of GA uses are GA do not require a continuous data set or objective function; they also require no gradient or other information (Sapru et al., 2010, p.2). In this project, we attempt to compare the results in time table solving based on the GA with java multithreaded and the GA without java multithreaded. An objective of this study is to prove that java multithreaded optimize the GA in solving school time table problem. Literature Review Genetic algorithm (GA) Li et.al. (2010, p.21) using the genetic algorithm to solve the university test timetable problem, from the experiment result show that the genetic algorithm able to get the optimal solution. However, the examination place is not in a big situation, so it only can guarantee obtains the overall situation optimal solution in the two number random situation. Yunfeng Dong et.al. (2011, p.3705) describe a new algorithm for scheduling system, it is genetic search algorithm . Traditional genetic algorithm has shortcomings of early convergence and variation problem . Genetic search algorithm is an algorithm that makes the improvement based on the genetic algorithm merit . It use partially matched crossover to solve the early convergence problem and the Tabu search algorithm concept instead of using mutation operator to solve the variation problem. A test for solving school time tabling between genetic algorithm, simulated annealing and genetic search algorithm, can be found in the paper .From the test, the time complexity of genetic search algorithm is the most optimal, compare to other .However, the test is only set the population size is 50 and genetic generation is 50 .The next experiment in the paper for the genetic search algorithm also can find out that more genetic generation, consuming more time for the genetic search algorithm . Whil e the genetic generation is increasing , the result is not so optimal compare to the performance in test. In Sheung et.al. (1993, p.448) , a comparison between the results produced by the GA-based (Genetic Algorithm) and the SA-based (Simulated Annealing) time table optimizer was found. From the result (figure 5) , find that the SA-based time table optimizer is better than GA-based time table optimizer , that is because the comparison only until generation is 50.But from the figure 6 , can find that the convergence curve of GA looks more stable and smooth for the larger population. Sheung et.al. (1993, p.448)- figure 5 Sheung et.al. (1993, p.448)- figure 6 Project Scope and Objectives In the title of the project, we find that this project is solving the school timetable problem based on the genetic algorithm (GA) with java multithreaded. By using java multithreaded, it will solve the problem of the speed of generate school timetable based on GA. The speed will faster than the GA without using java multithreaded. 3.1 Project Scope The scope of this project is the systems that generating the school timetable by the GA with java multithreaded and the GA without java multithreaded. The following details will describe the functions that both timetabling system will perform. The systems should be able to generate timetable for students and teachers. The systems should be able to let the students and teachers view their timetable online at anytime. The systems should be able to let teachers to check availability of the lab and book the lab online at any time. The systems should be able to let the officer in charged to add, modify, and delete teachers detail at any time. The systems should be able to provide a user friendly interface for users to use it. The system should be able to provide a simple and nice timetable interface for users to view. 3.2 Project Objectives Based on the project scope, the projects objectives are the proposed idea are: Main Objective Enhance the genetic algorithm (GA) in solving the school timetable problem by using multithreaded programming. The system will apply GA concept into the time tabling procedures to get the result and using the multithreaded programming to increase the speed of generate time table schedule. Sub-Objective To optimize the use of time. The time of generate the school timetable will be decrease. To save workload of the officer in changed and teacher. The system will perform time tabling automatically rather than the officer need to manually schedule the timetable. The system able to let teachers to check availability of the class room and book the class room online. 3.3 Conclusion The system able fully utilize processors to using genetic algorithms (GA) generate the time table schedule faster without changing the concept of GA .That is the innovation of this project compare with other. Methods/Technologies Involved 4.1 Methods GENETIC ALGORITHM (GA) Genetic algorithm (GA) is an optimization and search technique based on the principles of genetics and natural selection.GA uses the concept of genetic recombination of parent chromosomes for traits sharing among their offspring, mutation to bring change among the offspring and survival of the fittest for the population to evolve [17,18]. In this project, the system apply GA concept into the time tabling procedures to get the result (time table schedule). MULTITHREADED PROGRAMMING Sometimes a lightweight process refers by a thread; multithreaded programming allows multiple threads to exist within the context of a single process. These threads execute independently but share the same processà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ resources. So, multithreaded program able to operate faster, if that computer system for the program has multiple CPUs or CPUs with multi cores. Java multithreaded is one of the multithreaded programming. The advantages of java multithreaded are given below: Processors are fully utilized. Threads share the same address space. Context-switching between threads is normally inexpensive. Not have as much OS overhead. In this project, the system using the multithreaded programming to increase the speed of generate time table schedule. 4.2 Technologies Involved Notebook (Window) with multi core: writing Java Language and running the system Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE): Developing time tabling system 4.3 Project Methodology The development method that will use for this project is incremental development, because the functions will be implementing in order the rank of according to ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s important in the project and release the latest version from time-to-time until the final version. C:UsersmirroDownloadsincremental.PNG

Use of Imagery in Chopin’s The Awakening Essay -- Chopin Awakening

Use of Imagery in Chopin’s The Awakening Several passages in The Awakening struck me because of their similar imagery—a bird, wings, and nudity. The first passage I looked at is in Chapter 9 where Edna Pontellier has a vision of a naked man â€Å"standing beside a desolate rock† (47) on a beach who is watching a bird fly away. This image was evoked by a one particular piece that Mme Ratignolle plays which Edna significantly calls â€Å"Solitude. † Apparently Edna frequently envisions certain images while listening to music: â€Å"Musical strains, well rendered, had a way of evoking pictures in her mind† (47). Listening to this piece Edna envisions a solitary, naked man with an â€Å"attitude [†¦] of hopeless resignation† (47). This scene presents solitude in many different ways. The figure standing alone and naked near the â€Å"desolate rock† illustrates the mood of solitude and resignation. I was reminded of that scene at the end of the novel in chapter 39 where we find a description of a very similar situation. Now it is Edna Pontellier herself standing alone on the beach at Grand Isle. She takes ...

Burundi’s Millenium Development Goals Essay

This paper aims to examine the millennium development goals for Burundi, a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa. Burundi has 8 different millennium development goals that it is attempting to achieve and this paper will examine five of those goals. The millennium development goals of Burundi that will be addressed are to: (1) eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, (2) achieve universal primary education, (3) promote gender equality and empower women, (4) reduce child mortality, and (5) improve maternal health. Burundi, as well as all other less developed countries, is aiming to meet its development goals by the year 2015. And in order for Burundi to achieve each of its millennium development goals on time, the country has created targets that directly affect each of the goals and give insight into whether or not Burundi is on track to accomplish its goals. The first millennium development goal of Burundi is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. In order to accomplish this, the first target that Burundi wants to meet is to cut in half, between 1990 and 2015, the number of people whose income is less than one dollar a day. The second target is to halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger between 1990 and 2015. There are many factors that must be examined to determine if progress is being made to accomplish both of these targets and essentially the overall development goal. When looking at the first target, it is important to examine the percentage of population below $1 (PPP) of consumption per day, percentage of total population below national poverty line, and the percent of the poorest quintile’s share in national income or consumption. In doing so, we see that in 1990, 84.2% of Burundi’s population that was under $1 (PPP) of consumption per day and there has been little progress since then, as it reached 86.4% in 2000 and then decreased to 81.3% in 2010. We also see that there was a very significant decrease in the percentage of total population below national poverty, going from 91.3% in 1990 to 52.4% in 2010 – which represents significant progress toward eradicating extreme poverty. It is evident that the percent of the poorest quintile’s share in national income or consumption has made little progress over the years, as it went from 8.3% in 1990, down to 5.0% in 2000 and then back up to 9.0% in 2010. For the second target, we must look at the percentage of children under 5 that are moderately or severely underweight and the percentage of population that is undernourished. When doing so, it is evident that the percentages of children under 5 that are moderately or severely underweight have greatly decreased from 1990 to 2010, as it went from 51.6% to 30.4%. Although this represents some progress, the percentage of Burundi’s population that is undernourished has not improved. In fact, Burundi’s undernourished population rose dramatically over time as it went from 49.0% in 1990 to 73.1% in 2010. The second development goal of Burundi is to achieve universal primary education. In order to achieve this goal, the country is aiming for all children, boys and girls alike, to complete a full course of primary schooling by 2015. In order to determine if Burundi is on track to meet this goal, it is essential to look at the percentage of literacy rates of 15-24 year olds, net enrollment in primary education (both sexes), and the percentage of pupils starting grade 1 and reaching grade 5 (both sexes). When examining these three measures, the numbers show that there was only slight advancement over the years in the percentage of literacy rates of 15-24 year olds and the percentage of pupils who started 1st grade and reached 5th grade. Although that was the case, there was major advancement for net enrolment in primary education. The percent of literacy rates of 15-24 year olds was 65.3% in 1990, had a slight increase to 73.3% in 2000, and then slightly increased again to 77.6% in 2010. This was similar to trends for the children who started 1st grade and made it to 5th grade, which was 44.3% in 1990, rose to 53.8% in 2000 and then hit 56.10% in 2010. On the other hand, net enrollment in primary education has seen major progress as it jumped from 19.8% in 1990 to 44.9% in 2000 to 94.5% in 2010. The third development goal of Burundi is to promote gender equality and empower women. The target to reach this goal was to eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and to all levels of education no later than 2015. The percentage of seats held by women in national parliament and the Gender Parity Index for primary and secondary education enrollment levels can both be used to see if Burundi is on track to meet this goal by 2015. When observing the percentage of seats held by women in national parliament over the years, it is evident that major progress has been made. This is evidenced by the fact that it went from 2.2% in 1990 and reached 94.5% in 2010. In addition, the Gender Parity Index in primary level enrollment has made pretty consistent progress over the years, but the major advancement has occurred in secondary level enrollment, as it went from .56 in 1990 to .72 in 2010. The fourth millennium development goal of Burundi is to reduce child mortality where the country set a target to reduce the under-five mortality rate by two thirds from 1990 to 2015. We can study the percentage of 1-year-old children that are immunized against measles and the mortality rate per 1,000 births for children under five years old to determine the progress that has been made to accomplish this goal. When viewing the percentage of 1-year-old children that are immunized against measles, it is apparent that this has been a key focus in Burundi over the years, as it has gone from 74% in 1990 to an astounding 94% in 2010. The mortality rate per 1,000 births for children under five years old has also shown advancement in Burundi. This can be seen by the fact that it fell from 182.6 in 1990, to 164.6 in 2000, and to 141.7 in 2010. A fifth development goal that Burundi hopes to accomplish by 2015 is to improve maternal health. They aim to reach this goal by reducing the maternal mortality rate by three quarters between 1990 and 2015. The percentage of births attended by skilled health personnel and the maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births are key indicators to show if Burundi is on the right path to achieve this goal. After examining the percentage of births that were attended by skilled health personnel in Burundi in 2000 compared to that of 2010, it is clear that a great amount of progress had been made. Skilled health personnel participated in only 25.2% of births in 2000 but significantly increased to 60.3% of births in 2010. And lastly, the maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births has slowly decreased over the last 20 years, as it went from 1100 to 1000 from 1990 to 2000 and from 1000 down to 800 from 2000 to 2010. After examining the millennium development goals for Burundi, it is evident that there has been a significant amount of progress made in many different areas. This can be seen when examining the percent of total population below national poverty line, percent of children under 5 moderately or severely underweight, percent of population that is undernourished, net enrollment in primary education (both sexes), percent of seats held by women in national parliament, Gender Parity Index in both primary and secondary level enrollment, percent of 1-year-old children that are immunized against measles, and the percent of births attended by skilled health personnel. This progress is essential because it is the only way a less developed country like Burundi has a chance to become a developed country in the future. Despite this progress, it is clear that there are also some targets that have shown minimal or no advancement and this will hinder Burundi from reaching its millennium development goals. These targets include the percent of population below $1 (PPP) consumption per day, percentage of the poorest quintile’s share in national income or consumption, percent of literacy rates of 15-24 year olds, and the percent of pupils (both sexes) starting grade 1 and reaching grade 5. If these specific targets are not achieved, it will be difficult for Burundi to reach all of its millennium development goals by 2015 despite its progress in the other targeted areas.

Explain the Muslim idea of Religious Authority Essay

Revelations are the way in which we receive knowledge of God and this is done through the Holy Books. In the Christian tradition there is an understanding that the Bible is a medium of revelation (Prepositional view), this is where the truths recorded by God are recorded, there is also an understanding that revelation is the way in which God acts with human experience through history (non-prepositional view) In Islam religious authority comes from God via the Qur’an through the process of tanzil. The Qur’an tells them about God and gives them guidance ‘this is the book in its guidance is sure without doubt’. The Sunnah and the Hadith are also sources of authority. The Sunnah, which is the life example of the Prophet Mohammad, is a source of authority because he was a wise and trustworthy man who settled tribal disputes. The Hadith is also a source of authority because Muslims look to Mohammad because he showed true obedience to Allah’s commands. The Imam also has authority, the Shi’ites believe the Imam possess spiritual ability and divine light but the Sunnis simply see the Imam as a leader of prayer who has no superior status. The Shariah is also part of religious authority because this is the Islamic law for Muslims and it gives all the basic rules and regulations as to how human beings should live and act in a political, economic, social and collective individual spheres. The Shariah looks at family life, inheritance, marriage, food regulations and divorce for example Muslims must eat halal foods, those that have been slaughtered by the neck vein being slit and blood drained whilst the name of Allah is invoked. Muslims follow the Shariah so that they are doing what is good and right according to God and removing evil from society, which works through the process of Greater and Lesser Jihad. Greater Jihad is about establishing maruf (right) and removing munkar (evil) from yourself ‘A Muslim learns to control his own bad desires and actions’. Lesser Jihad is the struggle of the Muslim community to remove haram from society. Evil will always exist in society and a Muslim must resist this by showing true dedication to Allah’s commands. In Islam Allah is the main source of religious authority and to help Muslims to show they are showing their authority towards God, Muslims believe that Allah allows evil and suffering in the world to see if they do what is right. Muslims have free will and believe that everything is pre-determined and that Allah knows the present, the past and the future of every creature but this does not mean that man has and freedom of will, its just that they have the choice to obey or disobey Allah and that this will show on the day of judgement whether they will go to Heaven/ Hell because all their actions are judged. Religious authority from the Qur’an is seen to govern every aspect of life for example women in Islam are seen as the most important in the family. She is the one who should keep a halal home and to make sure food and dress laws are kept. The teachings of Islam is that women should have total equality in religion and education but they can never be fully equal, for example the husband has more power but with that comes a lot of responsibilities to perform ‘ The man has full responsibility for the maintenance of his family’ therefore a man has more inheritance than a women’s because his need is seen to be greater. Through the 5 Pillars Muslims are seen to be showing obedience to Allah’s commands this is because they are a very intense and personal struggle to abide by and through reading the Qur’an Muslims believe that it enhances there spiritual development because it is the word of God. They believe it is the pure word of God because it is seen to be a perfect copy of a timeless document. In Islam the Qur’an is more important than the Bile/Torah because they where seen to be distorted to suit their believing communities and the revelations in the Qur’an are believed to be recorded when Mohammad received them. The other basic beliefs of Islam such as Tawhid are also seen as authority. Tawhid implies that everything is created by Allah; it is the belief in Allah with all his powers. It is a source of authority because this is one way a Muslim fulfils Allah’s commands as it reveals Gods loving and caring nature. From a non-religious perspective a philosopher would look to reasoning to emphasise human freedom to make moral choices. They would argue that all of humanity relies upon their conscience to decide what is right and wrong, and for many this authority does not come from God. However from a Christian perspective this higher level of consciousness comes from God. In Islamic terms we gain our conscious awareness from Quranic teachings about Akirah which gives us focus for this temporary life on earth, from taw hid which reveals the qualities of God that we should aim to develop in our own hearts (such as love and compassion), and Al Qadr which ultimately points to a pre-determined path which only God knows about he does not dictate.

Kenyas Rose Imports to Holland Essays

Kenyas Rose Imports to Holland Essays Kenyas Rose Imports to Holland Essay Kenyas Rose Imports to Holland Essay 2008). The Future Prospects and Trends of the Flower Industry in Kenya The new trend shows the cost of production is increasing while the overall consumption is declining. Therefore, there is need to shift more attention to consumption oriented approaches. Quality, cost and diversity of products will be determinants for survival in the industry. Consumer demand for fair traded flowers shall take a front stage. Good production practices, competitive advantages and strategic behavior will determine the sustainability of the industry. Modern distribution will dominate the market with new business drivers. Different product concepts and positioning (flowers and plants arrangements) that will satisfy the increasing consumer demand for variation in personal gifts and taste will account for a significant percentage of the turnover of the flower market. Kenya will continue to dominate production in Africa because of the favorable investment policy for the flower industry, the production conditions and the improved infrastructure. It will remain a net exporter of flower products. Like China, it should focus on research so as to improve on its local varieties, strive to develop the home market, be innovative and become a self-bearing industry. In conclusion, Kenya is a very promising country to diversify the Input supply portion of the value chain. (Karabo et. Al, 2011) Background on The Netherlands (Holland) Background and Market Information Holland is located in Europe. Germany lies on Holland’s eastern border and Belgium on Holland’s southern border. On the western and northern borders, Holland lies next to the North Sea. Holland’s total land area is 41,848 km? , of which 8478 km? are under flower and foliage crops. Holland’s land area has a water mass of 18. 41%. Holland has an estimated population of 16,491,852. The average growth rate is 0. 436%. Holland’s fertility rate is below the 2. 1 –rate required to replace natural population. Life expectancy is high; 79 for woman and 78 for men. Senior citizens are seen as a potential market group, as their children left the house and the mortgage are paid off. Thus leaving this target market group with more spending money for luxuries. The opposite of this again, shows an increase of one and two person households, creating an increase in the household market. The most spoken language is Dutch, with recognized regional languages is Low Saxon, Limburgish, Frisian, English and Papiamento. Holland declared their independence on 26 July 1581, and their independence was recognized on 30 January 1648. Holland is ruled by a Parliamentary democracy under a Constitutional Monarch. The current Monarch is Queen Beatrix. Mark Rutte from the VVD is the current Prime Minister. Holland has been playing a key role in the European economy since the 16th century. Shipping, fishing, trade and banking have been leading sectors in the Dutch economy. Holland is one of the worlds 10 leading exporting countries, and has the 16th largest economy in the world. Inflation is 1. 3% and unemployment is 4. 0%. This unemployment percentage is the lowest of all the European Union member states. Holland has a relatively low GINI coefficient of 0. 326. Amsterdam is the 5th busiest tourist destination in Europe, and gets more than 4. 2  million international visitors per year. The Aalsmeer flowers uction is the largest flower market in the world, and is run by FloraHolland. The current sales of cut flowers in Holland are â‚ ¬893 Million. The consumer market is the most important offset market in Holland, since they consume two thirds of these sales. Research had shown that Holland consumers bought fewer flowers in 2005 than in 2000. The ongoing economic crisis in Holland h ad a major effect on consumer spending. Consumers blamed it on less spending money and the high prices of flowers. Quality is one of the most important criteria for buying flowers, but the cost price has become a more important priority, especially to woman. Holland consumers also look at the perishable effect of flowers. About 60% of cut flower sales are spent on flower gift bouquets. This percentage is comparable to France. About 30% of this 60% are spent on birthday bouquets. Mother’s day is also a special day with the highest percentage of sales. In 2004 sales had grown to 26% from the 20% in 2002. Valentine’s Day has also grown the past two years, respectively to 10% and 11%. Flower Industry Background The world’s two biggest flower auctions are based in Aalsmeer (VBA) and in Naaldwijk/ Bleiswijk (BVH). On average 30 million flowers are traded in 100 000 transactions annually. During 1996 each of these markets had an annual turnover of 30 Billion Dollars. These flowers originate from countries such as Holland, Israel, Kenya and Zimbabwe. The Dutch flower auctions play a crucial role in Holland’s leadership in this type of industry. Holland provides efficient centres for price discovery and transactions between buyers and sellers. These auctions use the â€Å"Dutch auction† as the means for price discovery. These auction markets are established as cooperatives by Dutch growers. The Dutch Flower Auction Concept The Dutch auctions are characterized by using a computerized auction clock. The clock provides the buyers information regarding the producer, product, unit of currency, quality and minimum purchase quantity. Flowers are then transported through the auction room, and shown to all the prospective buyers. The clock hand then starts at a high price, which is predetermined by the auctioneer, and drops until a buyer stops the clock by pushing a button. The auctioneer will then communicate with the buyer regarding the quantity he/she would like to buy. After the transaction, the clock is reset or the flowers which are left on the floor, and the process begins all over again. Sometimes a new minimum quantity is set, until all the flowers are sold. The Dutch flower auction is an exceptionally efficient auctioning system, as it can handle a deal every four seconds. Caused by the increased imports, the VBA and BVH were close to its limits in terms of capacity, complexity and expansion room. One of the answers to these limitations was the introduction of new electronic auctioning systems. Four electronic auctioning systems were introduced to the markets. * The Vidifleur Auction (VA) The Sample Based Auction (SBA) * The Tele Flower Auction (TFA) – â€Å"Buyers have to trust the quality blindfold† * The Buying at Distance Auction (BADA) Unfortunately the VA and SBA failed, but the TFA and BADA deemed great successes. The VA was terminated in late 1991, as trading was difficult through screen-based trading. The SBA was discontinued the late 1995, due to decreased numbers of transactions per hour, and the negative effect on the functioning of growers, the auction house and buyers. The TFA The TFA was created by East Africa Flowers (EAF) after the Dutch flower auctions imposed import restrictions. During the traditional import season 30% of the EAF’s flowers could not be traded. During the summer season 100% of EAF’s flowers could not be traded. In December 1994 the EAF announced the creation of the Tele Flower Auction (TFA). On 24 March 1005 TFA was initiated with 70 buyers and 2 growers. A few months later the EAF decided that growers from other countries were also allowed to use the TFA. These were countries such as Colombia, Spain, India, France and Israel. After the TFA had been in use for one year the network increased to 35 growers and 150 buyers. Buyers bid via their personal computer (PC). Their PC’s are connected to a fully computerized auction clock. Flowers are not visible to buyers, as they are not present in the auction room. Each buyer can earmark interesting lots before the auction starts. The system will then warn the buyers before each of his earmarked lots are up for sale. The system provides information regarding the producer, product, unit of currency, quality, and minimum quantity for purchase. For each lot of flowers, 2 images are presented on the PC. The auction system remains the same: Dutch Flower Auction. The buyers see the Dutch auction clock on the PC screen. When the buyer needs to buy, he will stop the clock, the auctioneer will then communicate over an open telephone connection about the quantity of flowers he would like to purchase. The clock is then reset, and the process is repeated, until the lot of flowers is sold. All flower producers send the flowers to EAF, which is situated in Amstelveen. Distribution of the sold flowers is done by transporters of EAF. All transport costs are paid by EAF. The whole TFA process in EAF is done with considerable speed, as some deliveries are made to buyers within half an hour after a sale. 30% of TFA’s buyers regularly inspect the premises and flowers. Quality control is done by TFA’s inspectors at the producers, at the distribution pint in Nairobi and at the TFA in Amstelveen. The flower prices on average were not significantly higher or lower than the traditional Dutch flower auctions. TFA expected a 50 million dollar turnover for the growing season of 1995/1996. Compared to the seven Dutch flower auction markets, TFA ranks forth. On 14 January 2010 the Mavuno Group (Kenya) and the flower auction FloraHolland announced that all activities of TFA would be integrated into FloraHolland. This means a broader sales network to all TFA suppliers. The Mavuno Group in Kenya consists of the Oserian Development Company (250 ha farm) in Naivasha, Bloom (flower exporter/ retail supplier in Holland), World Flowers (Retail supplier in the UK), Fast Track Flowers (Retail supplier in the UK, grown product), East African Flowers (EAF, clearing in Holland) and Airflo (freight forwarding ) in Nairobi. By integrating the Mavuno group and TFA with FloraHolland all their producers were able to access to the virtual clock system, alternative digital selling systems and the direct sales of FloraHolland. For the TFA suppliers and buyers this meant increased efficiency in the logistical chain. The BADA The Buying at Distance Auction (BADA) was started by the Flower Auction Holland in 1996. The concept uses the idea that buyers can connect via a modem to several auction clocks in auction rooms. This project started off with 16 buyers and six clocks. By 1997, 60 buyers were on the waiting list. Lower travel costs were reported for this auctioning system. Some Lessons the Auctioneers Learned 1. The increased use of information technology and the separation of informational and physical trading will permit more varied forms of trading, customized to different buyers’ requirements. 2. Conformance of the actual and perceived quality of the product, logistical performance and IT performance result in an increased trust factor and to a successful electronic auction system. 3. New entrants can quickly build competitive advantage with a modern auction system model. FloraHolland Since the 1950’s Holland has been at the centre of the world flower trade. It has a functional trade system to facilitate the movement of cut flowers. Flower producers from around the world assemble at the famous flower actions. These auctions offer at a central marketplace for the buying and selling of floricultural products. Flowers are imported from various parts of the world, in order to create the largest selection possible. FloraHolland is a modern business with six auction centres, a nationally-operating intermediary organization, and an import department. FloraHolland is a primary cooperative: it is owned by its 6000 members. There is no legal separation between the cooperative and the business. This joining of forces is unique in the world. 39 Clocks are operated daily at the FloraHolland centres. This means 125 000 auction transactions every day, and 12 Billion cut flowers and over half a million plants a year. FloraHolland uses Image Auctioning. This means that flowers and plants are no longer taken into the auction rooms; but stays in the cold stores. Instead, photographs of the flowers are displayed in the auction rooms, from which the buyers can purchase. The advantage of this system is that the flowers and plants can be taken directly from the cold stores to the customer after the sale. The auctioning process continually needs to be renewed and improved. Thus, at the Aalsmeer location, all the traditional clocks have been replaced by projected clocks. These clocks have been redesigned to offer more information to buyers. Now, buyers are assisted with producer logos and photographs to encourage their purchasing decisions. FloraHolland Connect offers customized services to all buyers and their retail buyers. Their intermediaries are able to assist with targeted National and International product sourcing. These FloraHolland Connect packages include negotiation support, proper registration of all agreements between producers and buyers and comprehensible logistic agreements. They also offer assistance with resolving any disputes between producers and buyers. FloraHolland Connect is also an innovative associate for customers to offer commercial support and to contribute creative ideas. Figure 1 Top 10 Cut Flowers Auction Turnover in Euros 1 000 000 Our Current Situation De Roos Florist – Amsterdam Sloten We have a 250m? shop at 8 Ditsloot Laan in Sloten, Amsterdam. We are across the highway from Schipol Airport in Amsterdam and 15 kilometers from Aalsmeer Flower Market. Our marketing consists of a web dress and advertisements in our local newspaper, the Amsterdam News. We supply flowers and gifts for all occasions, specializing in flowers, potted plants and foliage plants. We offer a wide choice of bouquets, wines, champagnes, bears, chocolates and balloons. Orders are easily processed on our website, as customers only need to register once with all their information, and then on their second and later purchases only need to log in. Purchasing methods is possible by cash transfers, iDeal, Visa, Mastercard and American express. For a delivery in Amsterdam, same day deliveries are possible if the order was placed before 12pm. For the rest of Holland, deliveries will be made the day after the order was placed. A delivery fee of â‚ ¬8 will be charged for deliveries outside of Amsterdam. Currently we are daily buying flowers from FloraHolland at the Aalsmeer Flower Market. We have skilled employees who repack the flowers and create the bouquets. Supply Chain Diversification Definition: Supply chain diversification Supply chain diversification is a manufacturing business terminology used to describe the act of increasing choices for when to order what supplies from whom to bring products to the market. In short, it describes the abundance and flexibility of the suppliers for a certain product. Supply chain diversification is not a simple method of making suppliers compete with each other for the best price. It is more about preparing ones supply chain to be flexible for any kind of problem that the market throws at you. Advantages of diversification More emphasis on value chain innovation Efforts to reinvent the industry value chain can have a fourfold payoff: Lower costs, better product or service quality, greater capability to turn out multiple or customized product variations (upgrades), and shorter design-to-market cycles. Growers can mechanize high-cost activities, re-design production practices to improve labor efficiency, build flexibility into the â€Å"assembly† process so that customized product versions can be easily produced, and increase use of advanced technology (robotics, computerized controls, and automated/guided vehicles. ) Suppliers of parts and components, input manufacturers, distributors, and buyers can collaborate on the use of internet technology and e-commerce techniques to streamline various value chain activities and implement cost-saving innovations. A stronger focus on cost reduction Stiffening price competition gives growers extra incentive to drive down unit costs. Company cost-reduction initiatives can cover a broad front. Some of the most frequently pursued options are pushing suppliers for better prices, implementing tighter supply chain management practices, cutting low-value activities out of the value chain, developing more economical product designs, streamline order processing and pulling, reengineering internal processes using e-commerce technology, and shifting to more economical distribution arrangements and systems (e. . racking systems). Increasing sales to present customers In a mature market, growing by taking customers away from rivals may not be as appealing as expanding sales to existing customers. Strategies to increase purchases by existing customers can involve providing complementary items and ancillary services, and finding more ways for customers to use the product. Developing deeper relationships with key buyers (through personal visits , customized mailings, etc. ) will more often than not pay big dividends. Building new or more flexible competition The stiffening pressures of competition in a maturing or already mature market can often be combated by strengthening the company’s resource base and competitive capabilities. This can mean adding new competencies or capabilities (by either making or buying them), deepening existing competencies to make them harder to imitate, or striving to make core competencies more adaptable to changing customer requirements and expectations. Disadvantages Perhaps the biggest strategic mistake a company can make as the floricultural industry matures is steering a middle course between low cost, differentiation, and focusing; blending efforts to achieve low cost with efforts to incorporate differentiating features and efforts to focus on a limited (niche or cache) target market. Such strategic compromises typically result in a firm ending up stuck in the middle, with a fuzzy strategy, too little commitment to winning a competitive advantage, an average image with buyers, and little chance of springing into the leading ranks of the industry. Other strategic pitfalls include being slow to adapt existing competencies and capabilities to defend against stiffening competitive pressures, concentrating more on protecting short-term profitability than on building or maintaining long-term competitive position, waiting too long to respond to price cutting by rivals, over-expanding in the face of slowing growth, overspending on advertising and sales promotion efforts in a losing effort to combat the growth slowdown, and failing to pursue cost reductions and/or production efficiencies soon enough or aggressively enough. Supply Chain Decisions Supply chain management decisions are classified into two broad categories strategic and operational. As the term implies, strategic decisions are made typically over a longer time horizon. These are closely linked to the corporate strategy, and guide supply chain policies from a design perspective. On the other hand, operational decisions are short term, and focus on activities over a day-to-day basis. The effort in these types of decisions is to effectively and efficiently manage the product flow in the strategically planned supply chain. There are four major ecision areas in supply chain management: 1) location, 2) production, 3) inventory, and 4) transportation (distribution), and there are both strategic and operational elements in each of these decision areas. 1. Location Decisions: The geographic placement of production facilities, stocking points, and sourcing points is the natural first step in creating a supply chain. The location of facilities invol ves a commitment of resources to a long-term plan. Once the size, number, and location of these are determined, so are the possible paths by which the product flows through to the final customer. These decisions are of great significance to a firm since they represent the basic strategy for accessing customer markets, and will have a considerable impact on revenue, cost, and level of service. These decisions should be determined by an optimization routine that considers production costs, taxes, duties and duty drawback, tariffs, local content, distribution costs, production limitations, etc. Although location decisions are primarily strategic, they also have implications on an operational level. 2. Production Decisions A. The strategic decisions include what products to produce, and which plants to produce them in, allocation of suppliers to plants, plants to DCs, and DCs to customer markets. As before, these decisions have a big impact on the revenues, costs and customer service levels of the firm. These decisions assume the existence of the facilities, but determine the exact path(s) through which a product flows to and from these facilities. Another critical issue is the capacity of the manufacturing facilitiesand this largely depends the degree of vertical integration within the firm. Operational decisions focus on detailed production scheduling. These decisions include the construction of the master production schedules, scheduling production on machines, and equipment maintenance. Other considerations include workload balancing, and quality control measures at a production facility. * Increase production of summer flowers and lilies * Increasing scale of production of Roses and deliver to supermarkets and other mass retail chains B. Market channels in production decisions * Value-oriented customers Value in terms of prices has a significant effect on flower and plant expenditures and eventually plays an important role in explaining part of the trends in marketing these products. For example, the flats in the bedding and garden segment are assumed to be cheaper flower products compared to the others. Therefore, they are increasingly available in mass merchandise stores. People with low income who tend to buy these flowers are attracted to these low-price super centers. Value segmentation appears to be the most important market driver in selling De Roos flowers. Value will play an important role in raising sales from De Roos florist by introducing cheaper bedding plant cultivars and make large-volume sales through mass merchandise stores and supermarkets. Price will play a selective role in raising sales from potted flowering plants, foliages and cut flowers. With the increasing demand for large containers that have high-quality combinations, roses would continue to be expensive for value-oriented consumers. * Convenience Convenience will have an important role in raising sales from cut flowers and potted flowering plants. The indulgence market segment also plays a moderately important role in selling Roses, and other plant products. These market segments will provide broad opportunities for cut flower products that are mainly used as gift items, especially during calendar holidays and for special occasions. Cut flowers and potted flowering plants also fit into the coordinated and seasonal fashion trend and mostly they are a key element in indoor designs and decorations. As foliage plants continue to be widely used for interior decorations, the fashion and design market segment would also play a significant role in selling these plants. Convenience is becoming increasingly important for consumers when buying different flower and plant products. An increasing number of consumers are busy and perceive that they have less time for feeding and watering plants. Or some consumers want to buy plants and flowers that do not take weeks and months to mature. Others want to buy them in convenient containers and pots or they want products that are easily portable from one place to the other. Convenience is also one of the key factors in selling De Roos flower products. In particular, convenience would have an important role in raising sales from ut flowers and potted flowering plants. Convenience-oriented consumers will not be attracted to some of the bedding and garden plants, particularly the flats. Because these consumers do not have the time to continuously water and feed plants and flowers. They rather look for larger near-mature potted flowering plants or cut flowers. Large container and pot innovations that make plant ha ndling and growing easier or packaging innovations that improve the outside look of the container maintaining and improving plant quality would help to increase sales in this market segment. Cut flowers are coming well prepared and ready for use in arrangements, boutiques or consumers can buy them in single stems and they are easily transportable products. * Indulgence Indulgence considers a broad array of flower and plant attributes designed to meet consumers’ desires, as opposed to their needs. In this market segment, the consumers have unique attachment to the products, and they are buying not the item but the experience expressed in some ways. These consumers will buy the product because they might have connection to the products since childhood, they may like gardening and working with the plants, etc. In this group, there are also luxury or impulse buyers who pursue their intense emotion in purchasing flowers and plants. Holidays and special occasions are other aspects of indulgence that influence the market for flowers and plants. Cut flowers are the leading floral products that are used as gift items, especially during calendar holidays and for special occasions. They are also becoming increasingly appealing to the impulse purchaser. Therefore, the indulgence market segment will provide broad product development opportunities for De Roos florist. In the indulgence market segment, foliage plant will benefit from different consumer groups that purchase these plants for different purposes. Some consumers may want to have these plants, simply because they like them from experience or they know the performances of the plant from previous years. 3. Inventory Decisions These refer to means by which inventories are managed. Inventories exist at every stage of the supply chain as either raw material, semi-finished or finished goods. They can also be in-process between locations. Their primary urpose is to buffer against any uncertainty that might exist in the supply chain. Since holding of inventories can cost anywhere between 20 to 40 percent of their value, their efficient management is critical in supply chain operations. It is strategic in the sense that top management sets goals. However, most researchers have approached the management of inventory from an operational perspective. These include deployment strategies (push versus pull), control policies the determination of the optimal levels of order quantities and reorder points, and setting safety stock levels, at each stocking location. These levels are critical, since they are primary determinants of customer service levels. 4. Transportation Decisions The mode choice aspects of these decisions are the more strategic ones. These are closely linked to the inventory decisions, since the best choice of mode is often found by trading-off the cost of using the particular mode of transport with the indirect cost of inventory associated with that mode. While air shipments may be fast, reliable, and warrant lesser safety stocks, they are expensive. Meanwhile shipping by sea or rail may be much cheaper, but they necessitate holding relatively large amounts of inventory to buffer against the inherent uncertainty associated with them. Therefore customer service levels and geographic location play vital roles in such decisions. Since transportation is more than 30 percent of the logistics costs, operating efficiently makes good economic sense. Shipment sizes (consolidated bulk shipments versus Lot-for-Lot), routing and scheduling of equipment are key in effective management of the firms transport strategy. Kenya’s Cut Flower Cluster Value Chain Growers Growers grow flowers, suppliers procure them, they then sell these flowers to the wholesalers or retailers before the flowers finally reach consumers. This sounds like a simple value chain, except that the players involved come from all over the world. The vast majority of flowers are grown in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America and the consumer base comprises of Western Europe along with North America and Japan. However, despite this fact, the biggest trade center is the Netherlands. The world cut flower trade is characterized by a high degree of concentration by sources. Germany is the main market for imports, and the Netherlands the worlds leading exporter. Exports from the Netherlands to Germany are a principal component of the world cut flower trade; they make a significant part of the intra EU trade, which itself accounts for a large part of the world trade. In the Americas, Colombia is the major supplier to the United States. Japan receives its supplies from a more diversified base, with Taiwan, New Zealand and Europe being the most important ones. Since the 1950? s Netherlands has been at the center of the world flower trade. It has a good and functional trade system to facilitate the movement of cut flowers, which form a majority of flowers which are traded. Flower growers from all over the world assemble at the famed flower auctions to find suitable buyers for their produce. These flower auctions offer a central marketplace for buying and selling of floricultural products with good facilities for growers and buyers and effective logistics. Flowers are imported from various countries in order to create the largest possible assortment of flowers. This allows the industry to overcome the handicap of wholesalers not having the opportunity to import directly out of these countries. Roses Roses need labour-intensive watering, pruning and treating before they can be clipped and flown daily to buyers in Amsterdam and London. The best are sold through (Dutch) auctions to florists; the less good end up in European supermarkets. Kenya emerged as a flower power when Israel scaled down its own industry. It has since lost business to neighbouring Ethiopia, which offers tax breaks and better security, but Naivashas perfect intensity of sunlight and days of near-constant length should keep it on top. In any case, the owners are stoical. Figure 2 EU Consumption of Cut Flowers and Foliage Inventory Control Inventory is the stored accumulation of any item which can be used in a process; usually applies to material resources but may also be used for inventories of information. This can include: raw materials, finished goods, and work – in – process. Operations Management; 6th Edition; Slack, Chambers, Johnston) As a retailer / wholesaler / distributor, we have decided to follow the ‘Single – Period Model’ for stock inventory. This model is used to handle ordering of perishables and items that have a limited shelf life. Currently as a retailer, we function with the following Inventory which is ordered, distributed, processed and kept on site: * Cut flowers * Ex. Roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, orchids * supply flowers to wholesale florists across Netherlands and Europe * Potted flowering plants * Ex. Poinsettias, chrysanthemums, Easter lilies, African violets * Pot and plant shipped to market * Foliage plants * Ex. Philodendrons, dieffenbachia’s, figs, scheffleras, dracaenas * Potted plants to be grown and sold for their leaves instead of their flowers (houseplants) * Flower Themes: * By Occasion Birthdays, anniversary, sympathy * By Sentiment Congratulations, Romantic occasions, thank you, get well soon * By variety Roses, tulips, plants and orchids Inventory Rules Rules which we will follow in order to optimise our Inventory Decision making will include: 1) Simplistic inventory policies work well. Using the ABCD inventory policies or simple weeks-of supply rules frequently get 15-30% more inventory than needed and lower service levels. 2) Holding all items at all levels in our finished goods network will give us the highest service levels. Companies with multiple tiers of finished goods distribution frequently hold wrongs amount of inventory in wrong locations and suffer out of stocks despite high inventory investments. 3) It’s fine for each location or tier in the supply chain to set its own service level targets and replenishment planning frequencies. The lack of synchronized inventory policies across manufacturing stages and distribution tiers builds up unneeded inventory across the supply chain. 4) Inventory minimization should is our goal. 5) Using purchase orders or release notices for replenishment is efficient. A growing number of companies that use cut purchase orders or release notices for their suppliers are discovering it is more effective to ask suppliers to take responsibility for maintaining inventory between min/max levels. These misconceptions around inventory impact both top line and bottom line revenue. In order to improve our inventory turnover, we have followed the following guidelines: * Keeping our purchases in small batches to keep items fresh, reduce maintenance labour, and maximize the use of our selling space * Not filling prime retail space with boring inventory items * Large volume shipments may have a lower initial unit cost but when considering the additional floor time to maintain the volume and take the risk of not selling all items before the stock wilts might not be worth the savings * To fill the empty spaces, we can display already made arrangements which can be used for special occasions * Track our profitability by categorising the perishability of: * Cut flowers / Potted Flowering plants / Foliage Plants * Cut flowers and blooming plants typically have greater perishability that demands closer accounting and greater mark-ups. * Use green plants as the safest inventory back-up for funerals and holidays. * Keeping a reasonable mark-up because of the differing deg rees of perishability and maintenance one should use a different mark-up factor for the different categories of inventory. However, because of the high perishability potential, leftovers, and cooler expense, our inventory needs the highest mark-up. * Maintaining a high standard of quality as this: * Reduces spoilage of flowers * Sells easier and faster * Easier to maintain. * Less risk of problems * Commands a greater mark-up * Ability to Upgrade into special containers * Ability to add an array of items including figurines, trellis, balloons, twigs * Design into a unique arrangement * Have something unusual. Types of inventory There are currently 5 types of inventory. These include: 1. Buffer 2. Cycle 3. De-coupling 4. Anticipation 5. Pipeline Our current day to day inventory decisions are based on: 1. How much to order? In order to determine the amount of inventory to order we consider the difference between the costs associated with holding stock and compare it against the costs associated with placing an order. * We use a well known formula to assist in the abovementioned calculations is the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) formula. * By using different stock behaviour assumptions, the EOQ formula can be adapted to different types of inventory profile. * Inventory costs directly associated with the size of the order include: * cost of placing the order * price discount costs * Stock out costs * Working capital costs * Storage costs * Obsolescence costs * Operating inefficiency costs 2. When to order? * This depends partly on the uncertainty of demand. When the order arrives, a certain level of average safety stock is retained. This is how orders are usually timed. * The level of safety stock is influenced by the viability of the lead time usage distribution which is made up of: * demand * lead time of supply * Inventory levels should be continuously reviewed when using the re-order level as a trigger for placing replenishment orders 3. How to control inventory * Computer based information systems are used to manage inventory. These systems have the following functions: * updating stock records * generation of orders * generation of inventory status reports and demand forecasts Supply Chain for Import The figure below describes the domestic part of the export supply chain. The largest flower companies have vertically integrated most of (and in at least one case, all of) the functions described above. However, the social and environmental standards used in the flower industry do not apply to parts of the supply chain beyond the â€Å"Cold room†. When the stock arrives on the aircraft, the aircraft needs to travel at a constant cool to cold temperature to the final destination. In order to maintain the freshness of the inventory throughout the supply chain, the following needs to be considered when transporting and storing: * Inventory, flowers and plants, need to be stored in appropriate packaging to enable it to have as little human handling as possible. Cut flowers and potted plants need to be kept and maintained at cool temperatures throughout the end to end supply chain * Distributors need to drive improvements in flower and plant temperature management during distribution (demand-pull) * Day-ahead flower and plant ordering by growers is requ ired to ensure that adequate time is available to cool the products prior to transportation * Transportation should offer precooling services to ensure that all flowers and plants are transported within the desired cool temperature * Investing in equipment needed to ensure adequate initial cooling and to prevent breaks in the supply chain end to end Source: nri. org/projects/NRET/2607. pdf Export and Import Regulations and Taxes Duties and VAT It is vital to ensure that you pay the correct duties and VAT on all products that you import. There are number of different excise duties (e. g. Alcohol or Tobacco duty) that apply to goods, and you need to be sure that you are paying the correct rates. As small businesses may not be VAT registered, the rules will vary depending on the product, you should be certain to clarify the duty or VAT you will need to pay, and how this will change if you register for VAT in the near future. Depending on the amount you import and export, some business will be entitled to claim back some of the duty or VAT payments that you make. A number of businesses are also entitled to delay payment of duties (mainly for goods imported from outside the EU). Customs Entries If you are importing from outside of the EU or from special EU territories (including the Canary Islands and the Channel Islands), then the goods you bring in will almost always need to be entered and declared to Customs and Excise as they arrive (Either yourself or by an approved agent). If you are importing or exporting from within the EU, then a customs declaration is not usually necessary. Although if you are VAT registered, and your EU imports or exports exceed a set amount (currently ? 233,000 a year) you will need to fill in a supplementary declaration form each month. Payment Currency It is important to remember that when you import or export goods, you may be required to pay (or accept payment) in a number of currencies. You need to arrange with the supplier or buyer in advance who will bear the costs of exchanging the currency (e. g. From Euros to Pounds); this can affect the costs a considerable amount and may need some negotiation to find the fairest option. In most cases the buyer (importer) will pay the currency conversion charges, although it now a lot easier for payment to be converted as it enters the bank account (particularly with Euro payments). Open Account (OA) This type of payment is preferable to small businesses when importing, helping you keep positive cash flow. It is however much more preferable to have payment in advance when exporting. Documentary Letter of Credit (LC) This is where the customer’s bank provides a ‘letter of credit’, which promises to pay the supplier as long as the terms are met (and the bank has the money to pay) (ILC). There s also a ‘confirmed irrevocable letter of credit’ (CILC). This is a promise by a UK (or a large world bank) to pay the supplier, and is even more secure than an ordinary letter of credit. A letter of credit is the most secure way to be paid, but you must be careful to ensure that all documents related to the sale are correct, as a serious mistake can make the letter of credit worthless. Terms of Delivery It is essential that all importing or exporting be covered by an effective set of delivery terms. In the event of a late or damaged delivery, the costs to the importer could be huge. Incoterms are a set of international standard definitions that allow terms to be set without the risk of confusion, even when translated into different languages Incoterms help to set out fair compensation rules in the event of a late, damaged, or missing delivery. They can also set out fair payment details once a complete delivery has been made. Import Duties All merchandise coming into the Netherlands must clear Customs and is subject to customs duty assessment unless the goods are duty or tax exempt by law. Customs duties are, generally, an ad valorem rate (a percentage), which is applied to the transaction value (EU Euro) of the imported goods based on the cost of the goods, insurance, and freight charges. A commercial shipment below 22 Euros: no duty and no VAT collected. * A commercial shipment between 22 Euros and 150 Euros: no duty but VAT is collected. * A commercial shipment over 150 Euros: duty and VAT are collected. Import Taxes On imports the tax is assessed on the CIF d uty-paid value at the port of entry in the Netherlands; if excise taxes or other charges (excluding VAT) are applicable, the amount levied also is included. The VAT rate is the same for both domestic and imported goods Import Regulations of the Netherlands on Plant Health Phytosanitary import requirements of the Netherlands are directly based on the plant health regime of the European Community and its Member States. The purpose of these requirements is to prevent the introduction and spread of (quarantine) pests and diseases within the European Union. Points of entry All points of entry of the Netherlands can be used for the import of plants or plant products for which a phytosanitary certificate is required. The following main points of entry are in use in the Netherlands: * The Airport of Amsterdam Schiphol * The Airport of Rotterdam * The Airport of Maastricht List of importers and Approved places of inspection Upon entry all regulated objects are subject to inspections by the Netherlands Plant Protection Service. Inspections are carried out at an approved place of inspection. In the Netherlands most of these inspections are carried out at the place of destination, such as a place of production, approved by the Netherlands Plant Protection Service, in line with Council Directive 2000/29/EC. Import Declaration Form (IDF) An IDF must be applied for and obtained from the Kenya Revenue Authority for any Commercial Importation. The Importer is responsible for applying for the IDF but may consult us for purposes of Customs Classifications which form the backbone of the information drawn from the Pro-Forma Invoice. The IDF Fee is 2. 75% of the CIF Value of the goods. A minimum payment of Ksh. 5000/= is payable for the IDF to be issued, while the difference if any, will be paid alongside the Import Taxes. Quality Inspection The Kenya Bureau of Standards has appointed two agents namely INTERTEK and SGS for the Pre export Verification of Conformity inspection of the commodities listed on the Guidelines referred bellow. These agents will issue to the Shipper/Supplier a Certificate of Conformity and the Test Results. An IDF will be required before any Inspection can be performed Customs Import Entry The following documents are required for Customs Import Entry Purposes 1. Original Commercial Invoice 2. Packing List 3. Original Bills of Lading – Two Original 4. Original Certificate of Conformity 5. Original Test Result/Report/Analysis 6. Original Certificate of Origin for Preferential Trade Area Partners e. g. COMESA. 7. Import Declaration Form and the Receipt 8. Insurance Debit Note 9. Importers Declaration(C52) Special Permits/Certificates Certain types of Importations are subject to control measures and therefore Permits must be obtained from the concerned authorities such as: * Department of Agriculture (KEPHIS) Plants Importations Permit * Fumigation Certificates The role of the exporters Exporters play an important role in the flower supply chain. They have to perform several functions, and if they are unable to, these functions act as barriers to entry. According to Dolan et al. (1999), exporters have to ensure consistency of quality, reliability of supply and the perseverance of the products. Therefore, they have to help manage the production and processing systems to ensure quality, install control mechanisms to ensure reliability of supply and monitor the use of chemicals to ensure perseverance. Exporters also have to make sure that post-harvest care is done properly so that the products have a longer shelf life. The retail sector demands flexibility and reliability in the supply, and so logistics and transport are two of the most important aspects in this chain (the products only have a short period in which they can be marketed). The exporters, so as to be able to react quickly to orders, have installed a Just-in-Time (JlT) management system. This system reduces time between harvesting, packing and delivery. Efficient logistics depend on the quick exchange of information and knowledge between the participants in the global competitive chain. Integrating the participants in the chain electronically could accomplish this. Thus, the flow of the products throughout the chain could be traced. Exporters have to secure air cargo space to be able to transport the products rapidly in a reliable manner. Large exporters are able to pre-book airfreight services because they have the resources and volumes required. Small exporters, however, have to compete with passengers for air space, which can only be arranged just before departure. Exporters need to constantly develop new products and diversify the existing ones. By working closely with the importers, this could be achieved. Once they develop new products and innovative packaging, they reduce the risk of being substituted by the supermarkets. Exporters are also dependent on importers for market information about the changes in consumer preferences, as well as for technical information. With this information the exporter is able to ensure that the product mix and product packaging adhere to the customer preferences. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Distribution and Transportation ProcessA proper management of the logistics system, that is, the unique combination of packaging, handling, storage and transportation, will ensure that the product is imported and made available to the consumer at the right time and place and in the right condition. International logistics allows country’s to export products in which they have a completive advantage and import products that are either unavailable at home or produced at a lower cost overseas. Natural resource advantages and low-cost labour has enabled countries like Kenya to export flowers to places like the UK by airfreight where in turn the products are distributed nationwide by air, water or by truck. (Seyoum)Flowers take a number of routes to the consumer, depending on where they are grown and how they are to be sold. Some growers cut and pack flowers at their nurseries, sending them directly out to the consumer by mail order. Some flowers are sent to packing companies, who grade the flowers and arrange them in bunches for sale to supermarkets or to deliver by mail order. Some flowers are graded and sleeved by the growers and sold at wholesale flower markets; the wholesalers then sell them on to florists who condition and arrange the flowers for the consumer. Africa is currently responsible for 95% of Dutch rose imports. Our import roses are primarily from Kenya and Ethiopia. The import roses include many different flower types, with a relatively long shelf-life. We have recently begun offering boxed import roses. The advantage of boxed import roses is that the roses from Kenya and Ethiopia can be directly resold to Dutch exporters. The accelerated process gets the roses to the Dutch market two days earlier than those imported in water. Furthermore, we offer boxed import roses at even better prices. Thanks to the extensive purchasing organisation and partnerships with various growers, we are able to offer (almost) all import roses on a daily basis. Even the cultivars that are not auctioned are available from us. We are therefore able to offer you a total package of import roses. Billions of flowers and plants are distributed through the wholesale markets in Holland each year. The flowers are shipped fresh daily to florists, achieving a reliable rate of safe delivery. Most shipping goes by high speed trains. The rest reach their destination by air. Specialized packaging and handling help make the worldwide trade possible. Buyers can make Dutch flower market purchases live from anywhere in the world and have delivery usually within 24 to 48 hours. Most Dutch flowers are sold to European countries, but the eastern United States and the Chicago area are sizable importers as well. (Unknown)Some flowers are sent packed flat in boxes. This enables large amounts of flowers to be packed in small spaces like aircraft holds. Other flowers cannot survive for long periods out of water such as orchids and water lilies. These are either sent with their own sealed water container (called picks) on each stem end for more expensive or tropical flowers or are transported in buckets of water. The latter method extends the life of flowers and reduces labor time as flowers are ready for sale, but obviously also reduces the amount of flowers that can be transported as they are much heavier than dry-packed flowers and hence air transportation charges are higher. (Unknown)The Cool ChainRoses are perishable goods and therefore require a little bit of extra care and attention when they are being exported or transported. Though we might not consider flowers and plants to be perishable in the same way that food stuffs are, we know that cut flowers will continue to bloom but storing them in very low temperatures will slow down their physiological development significantly, which prolongs their life and keeps them fresher for longer. With the exception of tropical breeds, cut flowers and plants should be cooled rapidly to temperatures of around 33-35 F throughout their travelling time. Truck transport of flowers can be a preferable method because temp

The Importance of Life - Our Town.

The Importance of Life - Our Town. There are many phrases that are used today to reference the shortage of time or the importance of life. Carpe diem (seize the day), which is a Latin phrase that has become part of the English language urges people to live for the moment. But no matter how often individuals hear these phrases, they seldom listen. Mankind likes to believe that we control our fate. We position ourselves in what we believe are the most optimal places in our lives. Time on Earth is a gift and an irreplaceable resource that is ours to use as we see fit. The hustle and bustle of everyday life makes us blind of its true value. The play Our Town by Thornton Wilder makes reference to these points as the main theme of the play. When Emily Webb asks the Stage manager, "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it, every, every minute (Wilder)?" The play forces you to reference all of the times that things were too busy, and you did not stop to enjoy the little things in life.English: Photograph of Am erican author Thornton Wi...Throughout the play there are many examples of characters not realizing the importance of life. Our Town is a prime example of how American playwrights used expressionism and symbolism to try to change people's perceptions of life (Haberman 2-3). The main theme of Our Town is that people should appreciate life while they are living it. The author allows the audience to see that ordinary uneventful activities are important.Our Town is presented in three acts. Each act sends a different message. Act one, "Daily Life," shows what the town looks like. This act gives information from the past, lays out the town's structure, and sets up significant events in the town. As this act is played out, the...

Guide to Using SAT Practice Tests 20 Hour Prep

Guide to Using SAT Practice Tests 20 Hour Prep SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips It's important to learn how to use official SAT practice tests as study resources because they will give you the most accurate reading of what to expect on the real SAT. If you only have twenty hours to prepare, this guide will teach you how to use practice tests to your best advantage within that limited time. I'll walk you through why SAT practice tests are important and how you can use a step by step twenty hour plan to get the most out of them. Why Are SAT Practice Tests a Good Tool for Short-Term Prep? Practice tests can be very helpful if you only have a short time to prepare for the SAT.You’ll experience larger point gains through enhancing yourunderstanding of the overall format of the test than you would through focusing solely on specific content issues.Practice tests will introduce you to the time constraints and question types you’ll see on the real test, so you’ll be prepared to deal with the time pressure and confusing wording that tends to stump students who have less experience with the SAT. The benefits of practice tests increase even further if you can evaluate your mistakes accurately and take steps to fix them.Although you don’t have much time, higher level weaknesses in test-taking strategy can be fixed relatively quickly.Practice tests give you the power to recognize these weaknesses and take simple steps to eliminate them. How to Prep for the SAT in 20 Hours Using Practice Tests Here's a step-by-step guide to using practice tests in a twenty hour study plan. You can adjust the times to your personal needs, but this plan provides a rough outline of how to go about the process of taking practice tests and evaluating your mistakes. Step 1: Take a Baseline Test (4 Hours) You will need to take an initial practice test to see where you stand score-wise and diagnose your weaknesses.Make sure that you use the appropriate time constraints and set yourself up in a quiet environment.You should also print out the test so that you can simulate realistic testing conditions. Print out this picture and give it to your family when you're taking an SAT practice test. Step 2: Analyze and Fix Your Mistakes (4 Hours) Now that you’ve taken a practice test, you can look at your incorrect answers to figure out your biggest problems.You won’t have time to fix all of your issues on the test in this short study period, but you can tackle some of the most common mistakes at a higher level. Take note of whether you messed up on certain sections in particular.If you find that you had a lot of difficulty on one part of the test, you should devote some time to figuring out what went wrong and how you can fix it.There may be a few different issues that need addressing if you hope to raise your scores significantly. Here are a couple of scenarios you might encounter and some short-term strategies for improving your performance. Running Out of Time If running out of time is an issue for you, you will be able to improve your performance through greater familiarity with the test material and smarter test-taking strategies.Do you tend to get stuck on difficult questions? On your next practice test, skip any question that you can’t figure out within 30 seconds on the Reading and Writing sections or within a minute on the Math section.You shouldn’t waste too much time struggling on hard questions. If you do, you run the risk of missing easier questions at the end of the section and losingmajor points! If you’re running into problems with time on the Reading section, you might try switching up your strategy.Most students instinctively read the passages on the SAT closely, but this can lead to time issues if you’re a slower reader.Try skimming the passages instead (read the introduction and conclusion paragraphs and the first and last sentences of each body paragraph).You should be able to answer most questions just by skimming, and it will save you a ton of time.If you find that you don't know the answer to a question, you can always go back and read specific parts of the passage more closely. Another method that might work for you is skipping the passage altogether and heading straight for the questions.On the SAT, you’re given line numbers for most of the passage-based reading questions, so you can just read the lines indicated in the questions rather than the entire passage. For more strategies to combat time management issues on the SAT, see these articles with tips for how to stop running out of time on Reading and Math. Ah, time, the forever-ticking demon that haunts us all. Careless Mistakes If you made a lot of careless mistakes, you might be rushing or not reading the questions closely enough. Acareless mistake is an incorrect answer to a question that should have been easy for you.It might be a result of misreading what the question was asking for or being overly confident and not thinking it through. Issues with careless mistakes can be fixed through more practice testing (yay!) and awareness of your time management.Careless mistakes are also easy to spot if you double check your answers for each section. You should make a point of doing this if you have any extra time at the end! Question Misunderstandings Did you find that you genuinely misunderstood some of the questions on the test? If you're running into these types of mistakes, you should continue to practice similar questions. Make sure you fully understand why the correct answer makes sense.Once you know the solution, try working through the question or problem on your own to see where you might have gone wrong.This strategy will help train your brain to handle similar questions in the future. Lack of Content Knowledge Since you don’t have very much time, gaps in your content knowledge aren’t going to be easy to fill.If there are minor things you don’t know (such as a mathematical formula or grammar rule that you need to memorize), you can review them before the next practice test.If you’re struggling with an entire content area, like functions or geometry, you might not have enough time to fix those problems.Focus on surface-level content issues to maximize your point gains in this short time window. Make sure you're content with your content knowledge. For more tips on how to review your mistakes, check out this article.You might not be able to comb meticulously through all the questions you got wrong, but there are some useful strategies that can still be implemented by students who are pressed for time. Step 3: Repeat Steps 1 and 2 (8 Hours) Now that you’ve reviewed your mistakes and tried to fix most of the issues you had on the last test, you can take another practice test to see whether you’ve improved.Go through the same process with this test as you did on the previous one.If you find that you’ve improved significantly, that’s a good sign! You may be making different types of mistakes now, so it’s worth it to do another analysis. If you didn’t improve, you should consider how you went through the process of fixing your mistakes on the first test and whether you need to implement different strategies. Step 4: Take a Final Practice Test (4 Hours) After reviewing and fixing your mistakes on the second practice test, you should take a final test to prepare for the real SAT.You can take this practice test a couple of days before your test date. Make sure you keep all the strategies in mind that you developed from reviewing your other practice tests, and don’t change your methods between now and the real SAT. Total Time: 20 Hours! Wahoo! You did it! Will 20 Hours Be Enough for Me? Depending on how much you need to improve, 20 hours might be more than enough time, but it's not an ideal amount of prep time for students who are looking for significant score improvements on the SAT.You should start preparing earlierif you hope to raise your scores by more than 200 points or are looking for a perfect score. If you're hoping to improve by 300 points or so, you may be looking at 80 hours of studying as a more realistic amount of time. Take a look at this article on how long you should study for the SAT for more information. You can also read some of these resources to learn more about why your studying for the SAT now will pay off in the future. That being said, anyone can make moderate improvements in twenty hours if she'shonest about hermistakes and takes practice tests under realistic testing conditions.If you’re new to the SAT, you will probably see some big changes in your scores from the first practice test to the third.As a general rule, however, starting your studying earlier will be better for your mental health and your performance on the test! What's Next? Worried about low SAT scores? Here are some prep and test-taking strategies specifically targeted towards low scorers that will help you improve! Do you have procrastination issues when it comes to SAT prep? Find out how to combat procrastination in preparing for standardized tests. If you have a bit more time on your hands and want to learn how to get the best scores possible, read PrepScholar's ultimate guide to SAT prep. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Samantha Lindsay About the Author Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. Samantha is also passionate about art and graduated with honors from Dartmouth College as a Studio Art major in 2014. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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120 Introduction to Political Science Assignment

120 Introduction to Political Science - Assignment Example For instance, in some countries the voting process is flared due to political interference with the body in charge of the elections. The current political leaders in such countries might not be willing to relinquish power even after being defeated hence rigging their opponents out. Therefore, the results of the voting process might not reflect the true value of the voting process hence an individual’s vote might not count nor add to the change process. In contrast, participation in a group gives that sense of satisfaction and the motivation to push on even if you fail. As much as it is a risky and demanding process-especially in a heated political society-There are several groups that have succeeded in bringing changes in their communities. For instance, Martin Luther King was active in fighting against racial discrimination in the US and he died for what he believed in. It is worth noting that some countries with stable election structures experience the true value of the voting process. Corporatism is the socio-political organization of a society by major interest groups or corporate groups such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, scientific affiliation or military on the basis of common interests. It is theoretically based upon the interpretation of a community as an organic body. Corporatism is an economic ideology developed mostly in Europe where the influence of the Catholic Church and of the authoritarian conservative state was strongest. However, this political and economic ideology has experienced decline in many European countries and as a result, capitalism and communism has taken center stage. This is because, corporatism maintains and reinforces social cleavages in addition to the fact that it is very sensitive to employment conditions and demographics. Most economies that have adapted corporatism are characterized by high labor

Intermediate Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Intermediate Macroeconomics - Essay Example Finally the interest rates are increased by the central bank in a manner to curd the increased investment rate. The IS curves shifts up (Farrokh, 2009, 133). Overall, this move by the central bank reduces the investment and controls the spending. There is no crowding out of investments because the increase in interest rate discourages borrowings and reduces lending by the banks hence limits the investments made by individuals and private investors. There are only few people left in the trade market hence the LM curve shifts downward. However, some economists like Paul Krugman argue that spending by the government causes crowding in instead i.e. investments increases from private sectors but this has not been measured or quantified (Michel and Kevin, 2008, 107) Question 2 The Uncovered Interest Parity (UIP) condition is the condition where the difference in the interest rates of two countries equates to the resulting change in exchange rates of the two countries. The exchange rates ar e expressed as a comparison of currency in two different countries. High interest rates in a country correlate with high exchanges. This is examined towards a situation where an increase in interest rates attracts more foreign investments hence causing a rise in exchange rates. This condition is given by the formula (I1-12) =Ee (Hendrik, 2010, 155). Taking an example where UIP exists, assume USA has an interest of 12% and that of Britain is 7%, then the America dollar is expected to depreciate at 5% against the British sterling pound (Maurice, 2009, 169;Michel and Kevin, 2008, 231). Taking an example where UIP does not exist i.e. a profit is actually realized - exchange rate between the Japanese yen and the U.S. dollar is usually stated in yen per dollar (?/$); assuming that exchange rate increases from , say, ?102 to ?109 is an appreciation of the dollar. The UIP is covered against the risk of falling through hedging (Jeff, 2009, 243). Question 3 The LM curve depicts output and the IS curve depicts exchange rate when nominal rate is flexible. This is because a flexible rate leads to balance of buying and selling of bonds and maintains cash at lower levels than other assets. The lower interest rates lead to more investment and vice versa. The essence is that people regulate the markets through spending. The goods market IS, depict exchange rate since if the rate is higher of importing products, consumers use local products more and vice versa. This gives a balance or equilibrium. On the other hand if the exchange rate is fixed, the goods market i.e. IS curve depicts output because the central bank is at the control of funds creating reserves to absorb float rates. Therefore investors’ behavior is directly regulated by the central bank’s decisions (David, 2005, 28). Question 4 For a profit maximizing organization, it is important to hire real labour up to the point where it equals to marginal product labour. Labour is one of the factors of product ion that is demand driven. If an organization intends to increase its output that relies on workers then they have to hire more labourers and vice versa. The output from any one labourer has its limits i.e. the margin (Francois & Radu, 2006, 44). When wages are increased, workers tend to substitute work with leisure hence maintaining the normal production output. They further reach a point where the amount of money they earn doesn’t affect the production (Karl, 2007, 260). At this point economists refer to it as marginal utility. Efficiency wages