Friday, June 14, 2019

Critical Thinking envi 423 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Thinking envi 423 - Essay ExampleThe US economy and in particular the value of dollar is very much dependent on the oil of the Middle East and this is the reason she gives priority to Saudi Arabia and Israel in her foreign policy. on the whole the readings provided during this course were marvelous and has the greatest intellect value. Moreover, the course contributed to enhance my world view and helped me to develop the analytical skill to understand the events in details. However, the following three issues contributed significantly to my learning in this courseThe present age is called the era of information. Media that includes television channels, radio, newspapers, magazines, journals and World Wide Web is busy in generating cognition for viewers, audiences and readers. The media has its own shortcomings and hence it moulds the information as it suits itself or its country. Every piece of reading or broadcast has some sort of information but this cannot be declared a uthentic or we can call it disinformation. Resultantly, the world view based on this disinformation would definitely lead astray. Junline Assange coined the term scientific journalism to screw with this menace but still this is a utopia. prolific speeches by professional orators, logical argumentations and misuse of even true information have become the manor hall mark of the present day media. Moreover, entertainment industry has become the largest industry of the world and even education is also being imparted through the modern techniques of entertainment which led to the creation of new term of infotainment. All this entertainment stuff and dazzling media satisfies the sensory needs of human being and does not fire contemplation. This fuss will end up with the emergence of psychological problems, and ideological width among human beings. There is a dire need to rein the media as it is taking undue benefit of its liberty under the tag of media freedom.Another issue that contri buted

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Audience Contact Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Audience Contact Analysis - Assignment ExampleThe messages that are sent by the organization to its existing and potential customers are c everyed edge points they are also defined as any tools used to distribute the marketing message (Hammond 195). The Toyota Company has been in operation since 1937 and has grown from a bare(a) gild into a multibillion Company worth 397.05 billion yen (as of May 2014). Marketing excellence has been the backbone of their success. Their major contact point is their website that gives all the beau monde details as well as shows their wide range of products. The website is user-friendly and provides their customers with a wide range of information (Hammond 195). The website operates an online help desk to ensure that any brisk customers can have all their questions answered. The website helps retain the existing customers due to the high-quality amenity it offers to them.The company spends over 14 billion dollars every year on advertisements. impe rtinent other companies, their marketing department has the highest number of employees as compared to the other departments. They advertise themselves on television often and also use billboards in strategic points all over the world. They have a distinct company logo which they show in all their adverts, and it acts as a mark of class to their products. Their brand has gained popularity in the market due to their high-quality products and hence their name markets itself.The Toyota Company runs a Toyota exhibition twice a year whereby they showcase all their products. In such exhibitions, the company interacts with its existing customers, and this helps build a healthy relationship between them. The exhibition also brings potential customers since they are not discriminative on who attends the exhibition and do not charge any fee. Apart from exhibitions, another contact point is their warehouses that are often in open space. Customers are allowed to visit the warehouses and view th e vehicles. The layout of the

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Is China a 'rule maker' or a 'rule taker' in the international system Essay

Is china a rule maker or a rule taker in the international system - Essay ExampleSuch a multi-stakeholder system is classify by an increasingly liberal multilateral order and increasingly flexible attitude toward the sovereignty of the state. The perception that China has served as a rule-taker for a gigantic time but is now undergoing a radical transformation to become a rule-maker that is making new game rules in favor of its national interests, is unremarkably help by both realists and neoliberals. A more powerful China, the thinking goes, is likely to promote a statist and more hierarchical brand of international government activity that is inconsistent with the open, multilateral governance architecture that has emerged and developed since the end of World War II under American and European guidance (Kennedy and Cheng, 2012, p. 9). Transformation in Chinas foreign policy since the mid-20th century In the Mao Era between 1949 and 1978, there was a fundamental opposition of China to the international architecture that was derided as the capitalist Wests puppet. However, since the early 1980s, integration of China into the different regimes of the international system improved rapidly. ... enge the traditional regimes, though as soon as China gets in a more powerful position, it would inevitably reshape the international institutions and norms to suit its own preferences. Therefore, the engagement and compliance shortly shown by China toward the international order cannot be thought of as long-lasting. Since the 1990s China sought to improve relations with as many of its neighbors as possible, including settling leftover border disputes with the former Soviet Union (Lanteigne, 2013, p. 3). The longevity of Chinas global engagement There is a lot of subjectiveness about goals and course in the recent foreign policy of China (Sutter, 2012, p. 3). The global engagement of China is not as temporal as it is comprehend to be by some, and there are numerous reasons for that firstly, in spite of the fact that the current international system was not invented by China, it is consistent with the interests of China in different ways. China has increased its military and economic power substantially within the current orders context. Secondly, people and institutions that have more political and economic strength in China have taken advantage of the engagement of China in the present international system. China would detain favoring the status quo till the time these institutions are in power in China and the ruling elite favors them. Thirdly, over the passage of time, China has become so deeply grounded in the international order that outright opposition or disengagement is very difficult to achieve. A lot of Chinese companies have started to ruffle into the networks of production on a global scale, and depend upon growing such linkages in order to survive and expand. The government of China has made a schematic pledge to comply with n umerous treaties

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Analysis Paper - Essay ExampleA powerful question study, namely Stress Tolerance New Challenges for Millennial College Students has been selected for analyse thoroughly on this subject-matter before drawing conclusions. This essay was written in June 2012 collectively by four authors Helen W. Bland, Bridget F. Melton, Paul Welle and Lauren Bigham. The authors deliver the idea therein that relatively newer generations have poor control and tolerance against stress and eventually they engage themselves in avoidance and denial strategies that are damaging for their welfare. The authors have targeted the college students of millennial generations, their families and their mentors who lend a pivotal role in personal and professional development of students. I strongly believe that although stress might non be of gruelling degree as depicted by this term, still considerable amount of trauma is faced by these teenagers and thus measures need to be taken to table service them overcom e these obstacles. This study presents concrete arguments for its thesis and has proved to be highly effective for my research, providing me with extensive literature material and fruitful research benefits. This article entails possible causes for stress, found in college students, alongwith potential solutions to overcome it as it poses severe psychological and physical threats to sensitive youngsters during their critical ages. It concludes that millennial generations bear indecorous characteristics and indulge in unproductive activities to fight stress. My perception revolves more or less around the same grounds as those exhibited by the authors of article in focus. The major part of thesis supported by authors is in line with my personal dissertation regarding this subject-matter college students desperately need to be more trained to check up on coping strategies that shall prove to be helpful for them, in their couple of years spent while studying for an undergraduate degre e, to excel at pressure-handling and stress-busting tools and techniques. The essay selected is glib-tongued and effective in virtually of the arguments presented except for few areas where authors have made controversial claims, contradictory to my beliefs. They have been discussed in the following paragraphs The opening section of the selected article contains an expression stating college years have been considered as one of the most nerve-racking times in a persons life (Bland et al. 362). The above statement is highly inherent and prejudiced to personal experiences and mindsets. The authors are of the view that college life represents one of the most traumatic periods. On the contrary, the masses believe college life to be one of the most memorable periods of life spent in leisure, with no responsibilities and tension. I strongly believe that the later parts of human lives are far more stressful than college days due to pressure to earn a livelihood and survive in the compet itive world. In spite of some powerful notions presented by authors, the exaggerated aspects of the essay weaken their position. The minor degree of academic stress and pressures to meet expectations can, on the other hand, prove out to be positive energy (known as eu-stress) for the students to work hard and perform well. Similarly, the limitations paragraph clearly states, Since the participants were solicited from a medium-size university in the southeastern portion of the United States, the results of the study may not be representative of all college millennials

Monday, June 10, 2019

AIG Insurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

AIG Insurance - Essay ExampleThough the company had to fag out seventeen long years in the wait, the breakthrough came when AIG had already owned twelve subsidiaries in China allowing it to apply for an insurance license. The group had access to the Chinese market through its subsidiaries and by getting licenses to sell various insurance products in multiple cities, AUIG was able to break into the institutional void of the Chinese market. The means in which AIG tailored its products to suit the Chinese market was another way in which the company ensured that its preciously procured licenses were not wasted away. The institutional void in the Chinese market was filled not only by AIG but later on by the Italian insurance giant too. However, AIG had the benefit of organism the first in the market. The framework developed by Khanna regarding strategic policies and planning of an insurance company provides set guidelines that can be adopted by firms go in newer markets. The emphasis o f companies should be to develop global policies and strategic standards in homogenous markets. However, the Chinese market was not comparable to any previous market that AIG had operated in - the key was to use Khannas framework and adopt the insurance products in order to suit the Chinese market.AIG trans... It is obvious that there was no lying on separate of AIG, however, the emphasis of the marketing program was to project the life insurance policies as savings schemes so that the Chinese market would pay attention to the products. The FSAs developed by AIG in the markets provided it the advantage that it needed in the Chinese market. It allowed AIG to target the Chinese population and attract it to products that had not been there in the market earlier imputable to the institutional voids. However, AIG was not able to reap the complete benefits of the first movers advantage due to the other companies getting licenses for insurance in the Chinese market short after. This led to a reduction in the effectiveness of the program that AIG had initialized and in spite of the fact that it had invested in training and agents earlier, the company was unable to create a huge mark in its profits due to the benefit is had procured so preciously.Question 4AIG was able to thrive in the market as the loss leader for several years because of its operational effectiveness. However, the FSAs developed in the Chinese market shield it from competition. The competition in the market was inevitable for AIG and thus the overtaking of AIG was intelligible once the Chinese market was open to further foreign insurance companies. The question was always a matter of time the duration that AIG spent as the market leader was critical for it and was the best time for it to make profits from operations.The Italian invasion of the market proved to be fatal fgor AIG as it never recovered. Profitability was not the central goal of AIG it needed something beyond that. Its first mover ad vantage got eroded once the Italians got hold of

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Politics Through Chinese History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Politics Through Chinese History - Essay ExampleThe basis of Chinese society was the family. A Chinese family consisted of grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren, daughters-in-law, and servants. Family ties were very close. Every fragment of the family was duty-bound to safeguard the family honor and prestige. If a son did something wrong, he and the family will lose face, that is, disgraced. The parents were the absolute masters in the family. They arranged the marriage of the children and decided what professions they would bewilder. noncompliance to parents was regarded as a serious sin. If the father died, the oldest son took his place. A family with many children was believed to be blessed by the gods. Women had few rights. Their place was at home. Their duties were to serve the men, to take care of the children and to attend to household work. They also worked in the fields like male laborers.The economic life in Old China centered on agriculture. About 80% of the Ch inese people were peasants who lived in villages and toiled daily in their small farms. Those without farms were engaged in various industries such as bakery, carpentry, brickmaking, weaving, and retail merchandising. (Grousset, p. 99)Guilds existed in China long before they were established in Medieval Europe. A guild was an association of men engaged in an occupation. Hence, there were merchants guilds, bakers guilds, musicians guilds, and carpenters guilds. The guilds fixed the prices of goods, determined wages, and working conditions, and looked after the welfare of the members. In matters of religion, the Chinese were very practical. They were deeply concerned about the gods, religious dogmas, and the future life. Heaven to them was abstract thing. They simply worshipped their ancestors and gods and paid homage to heaven and earth, mountains in other objects of nature. They were free from religious bigotry. They were free from being Confucians, Taoists and Buddhists at the re sembling time. (Labourette, p. 56)Political life in Old China was regulated by Confucian precepts. At the head of the empire was the Emperor, who was regarded as the Son of the Heaven. He control by the mandate of heaven, that is, by permission of the gods. If he became corrupt, he immediately lost the mandate of heaven, and the people can overthrow him by mutation and place another ruler on the throne. (Labourette, p. 54)Below the emperor was a bureaucracy consisting of ministers, viceroys and governor

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Supply Chain and Logistics in Thailand Essay Example for Free

Supply Chain and Logistics in Thailand EssayAbstractSupply drawstring and Logistics management has become an emerging schema for a underdeveloped country, like Thailand, in this new economy. Low labour toll as a competitive advantage factor is no longer sufficient for surviving under this high pressure and competitive economy. However, at the time that the concept plays a key role in Thailand exertion and a number of inquiryes have been conducted, all the knowledge in the field are still not effectively managed. The actual lacks, styles and counsels are still missing. The typography examines look into and knowledge management fashions as well as needs in ply stove and logistics management in Thailand industry based on recommendation from the TRF (Thailand Research Fund) sponsored workshop, and subsequent by the authors effort to synthesizing and extract the visions formed in the workshop. A main goal of this paper is to extend on the needs of Thailand industry in deliver orbit and logistics development and to lie down the directions of research that should be subsequently conducted for armed service the country needs. We proposed a framework that, firstly, high potential and key competitive industrial crowd should be selected for in-depth break down.Then, exploratory research should be done in order to get out and indicate all the needs for implementing make out scope in each cluster. The critical activities in each industrial mathematical assort for maturation supply chain should be identified. After that, all those needs at particular earthly concern of a functions should be subsequently tackled by conducting further utilise research. Human Resources issues are as well highlighted. It is hoped that the direction model presented in the paper hindquarters be a prototype for supply chain nationwide writ of execution for developing countries in South einsteinium Asia.IntroductionToday high competitive global market climat e sparks Thai industrial demand for supply chain and logistics management. Running the old personal manner management and competing with competitors only sales and marketing side like the old day will not work again for Thailand. Since, edges of having lower labor cost and cheaper raw materials than other exporting countries are fading out. Markets for Thai products in most heavenss are gradually losing to other countries. To stay fighting, companies in Thailand start cultivating supply chain and logistics management. The corporate crusade to gain competitive advantage using new supply chain and logistics management methods is constantly extending to all Thai industry.Regarding to this emerging need for Thai Industry, a group of Thai researchers, Thai Value Chain counsel and Logistics Researchers Consortium (ThaiVCML), bakshisers in mystic sectors, and government officers from Thai Research Fund joined an effort by organizing a workshop on November 2nd -3rd , 2002. The objecti ve of the workshop was to elaborate a research direction in Supply Chain and Logistics Management for Thailand.Methodology and OutcomeIn order to have insight and synthetic outcomes, a group of participants was divided into three distinct areas 1) Inbound Logistics and Supply Chain 2) Physical Distribution and Transportation and 3) Strategic Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Each group was delegate to examine all fundamental issues and factors in their area, and then try to lay down all needed and sufficient research that should be subsequently conducted for serving Thailand needs. The following are the research directions in each area, which the authors synthesize and extracted from the outcomes of the workshop.Research Direction of Inbound Logistics and Supply ChainThe research of inbound logistics and supply chain should be emphasized on three directions 1) To study state of the art and characteristics of inbound logistics and supply chain management, categorized by the type s of industry such as fabric industry and local community textile industry, automobile, electronics, and food industries 2) To better the effectiveness and efficiency of inbound logistics activities regarding introducing products to market, which include operations, manufacturing, organization and human-resource development and selective information technology 3) To study the result of introducing inbound logistics and supply chain management such as the impact of cash advance in logistics and supply chain systems on the industrial competitiveness of textile entrepreneur.The above result suggests that the research direction of inbound logistics and supply chain management can be categorized into three research groups including screen background research, basic research, and research regarding the impacts of improvement in logistics and supply chain. grunge Research for Studying the State of the Art of Logistics and Supply Chain The research should be rivet on significant compo nents of the logistics and supply chain management and major problems occurring in each industry. The study of critical stages in supply chain pipelines that are bottlenecks and iron boot problems of Thai industry should be conducted. The research should overly study what and where problems are as well as how to encourage an awareness of supply chain and logistics improvement in Thai industry.Examples of those researches are 1) Food industry requires research on material management in order to solve the major problems involving long lead time, quality and environment 2) Automotive industry needs research on the structure of inbound logistics and supply chain model including dungeoned industries. Examples include self-propelled part manufacturers and trading partners 3) topical anaesthetic community textile industry requires research on process improvement to reduce problems incurred by inconsistency of knitting and dyeing, and insufficiency of skills and knowledge arising from high turnover problems, long lead-time asynchronous production planning and control, quality of raw materials, marketing, product design and development, inventory problems, intellectual property, pricing, competitiveness, and delivery4) Local community textile industry requires research on process Logistics Research Network 2003, London 257 improvement to reduce problems incurred by inconsistency of knitting and dyeing, and drop of skills and knowledge arising from high turnover problems, long lead-time asynchronous production planning and control, quality of raw materials, marketing, product design and development, inventory problems, intellectual property, pricing, competitiveness, and delivery 5) Small- and medium- sized enterprises require research on information technology to increase the value of supply chain pipelines. Applied Research on Effectiveness and Efficiency feeler for the Inbound Logistics and Supply ChainApplied research should be conducted for each industry by implementing supply chain models for both short-term and long term, news report for product design, product and process innovation, culture, organizational competency, information management and technology. Research on the Impact of Introducing the Logistics and Supply Chain Concept For Thailand, the research is focused on impact of introducing the supply chain models on improvement of competitiveness components including lead-time, quality, design, bullwhip effects, and labor.Research Direction of Physical Distribution and Transportation The research in this area can be classified into 3 areas 1) physical distribution and transfer of bringing up improvement in private byplayes 2) the efficiency improvement of national distribution and transportation, and defining strategy and 3) directions in order to be a center of transportation in South-east Asia.Physical Distribution and Transportation Improvement in Private Businesses The objectives of this group are to improve the effici ency of shippers and carriers in order to achieve less cost in distribution and transportation, reduce delivery time and increase dependability in delivery performance. Achieving the objectives, the research must be conducted into 4 groups that are information technology development, strategical partnership development, human resources development, and transportation technology development.Examples of research in those 4 groups are ground survey in information technology should be done to obtain currently situation of distribution and transportation activities and its consequences that affect to each industry sectors applied research could then be done to define a strategic alliance roadmap for medium and small size businesses ground research should be conducted to discover currently status of the labors such as wages, education, training, working hours and performance expected and development of transportation and material discourse technology could then be studied to discover eliminate technologies for the product groups.Improving of Domestic Physical Distribution and Transportation The research in this area is to improve performance of physical distribution and transportations activities. Firstly, survey based research should be conducted to survey and analyze the activities such as advert of distribution and transportation relating to product groups, flow of transportation according to consumption points, etc.The outcome of the research can be very useful for applied research in order to support in developing the governments policies and investment related to the activities such as improving road routes or train routes, having distribution centers. Improving of International Physical Distribution and Transportation To improve physical distribution and transportation internationally, defining strategic policies supporting the activities should be done. Survey based research of domestic physical distribution and transportation can usefully support to a pplied research in the international activities. To improve performance in physical distribution and transportation, 2 types of research should therefore be conducted. Survey based research is to investigate weak and strong points of the 3 main aspects. The roadmap and applied research topic needed can then be addressed. Applied research 258 Logistics Research Network 2003, London could thus fix methods or techniques to bridge between current situation and competitive situation for each business sector.Research Direction of Strategic Supply Chain and Logistics Management In order to leverage this area of supply chain management research, the research are divided into three folds 1) Focusing on assessing current business coiffure and strategy in each business sectors or industries, which impact the logistics and supply chain operations (Macro Level) 2) Focusing on assessing current business practice and strategy in each companies (Micro Levels). and 3) Focusing on developing the be st practice in creating and implementing logistics and supply chain strategies. The above result suggests that the research direction of strategic supply chain and logistics management can be categorized into three research areas including collaboration, human resource development, and uses of information technology.CollaborationThe objective of this research area is to find out the obstacles, ways, and ultimately possibility of establishing collaboration efforts across the supply chain spectrums, vertical and horizontal, both within enterprise and between organizations. This also includes the collaboration between industries, private and government agencies, and academic parties within the same value chain. Examples of research are 1) Ground research focuses on assessing the possibility of forming cluster in each industry and evaluating all necessary factors like human resource, product development, economy, and manufacturing capability 2) Applied research emphasizes on developing collaborative model, implementation plan, and all related deployment issues. Human Resource DevelopmentThe outcome of the workshop indicated that workforces and decision makers in Thailand have limit arrest about supply chain and logistics management. To properly lay down the strategic supply chain, these people have to be trained and upgraded their understanding of logistics operations.Examples of research in this area are 1) Ground research focuses on assessing current understanding, needed knowledge and skill of logistics and supply chain operations in each industry 2) Applies research focuses on developing sufficient tools and educational media like software, internet, or other devices to better train or educate logistics personal. This also include developing case study in particular industry.Information TechnologyThe objective of this research area is to find the obstacle, limitation, suitability, and pros cons of using logistics information system and enterprise information system. The research should focus on finding the need of using these emerging technologies in Thai company, especially in each industry. The research should point out all aspects both tangible and intangible issues of acquiring these systems. The applies research should focus on developing these systems in order to avoid importing from oversea.DiscussionsThe outcomes from the workshop show that supply chain and logistics management is now recognized as a key competitive area for Thailand. Essentially the workshop participants all agree that the study and research conducted should stress on such area for enhancing the country development. Five research domains were recommended as parts of the country focus for creating competitive advantage. Also, in each domain, the current status of supply chain and logistic management in Thailand was demonstrated.Logistics Research Network 2003, London 259The first research domain stresses on the development of government and industrial sector p olicy. These policies set from each sector should facilitate the implementation of supply chain and logistics management in the country. Based on the current situation, the manifest shows that although the existed country policies, laws and regulations support the implementation of supply chain and logistics, there is no explicit analysis which indicates the effect of such policies on supply chain and logistics management in the country. fitting research should be conducted in identifying the interrelationship of the existed policies and the implementation of supply chain and logistics, suitable for the current situation and for the future.The second research domain includes the development of information technology (IT) for supply chain and logistics management, and its application with reasonable cost and suitable implementation. Even though it is all known that IT is an important factor for supply chain and logistics management, there is yet no study of the current status of IT application in Thai industry. The readiness for IT implementation has not yet been identified. Hence, the requirement and appropriate direct of the use of IT in leading to supply chain and logistics management should be pointed out. The research for this area should state on, firstly, look into appropriate and required level of IT for supply chain and logistics in Thailand and, secondly, developing a suitable IT applications for supply chain and logistics management for Thai industry.The third research domain identifies the need of strategic alliance research. This includes ways and methods of creating strategic alliance and how to select appropriate partners for building their supply chain. In Thailand, there is a high potential for creating strategic alliance horizontally and vertically. However an appropriate matchmaking has not yet been identified. Research should be conducted for indicating appropriate groups of industry in forming supply chain. The outcomes from research sh ould be able to result each industrial sector about their potential partners for developing supply chain. The fourth research domain highlights the importance of supply chain best practices. The evidence shows that the success of supply chain implementation can be seen mostly in Multi National Company (MNC) or large scale firm.Hence it is suggested that supply chain best practices from these large firms can be used as a prototype model for local and SMEs in Thailand. Research in this domain should notify factors for implementing these practices. Also all supply chain best practices appropriated for each industrial sector should be collected and documented. Lastly, the fifth research domain states the need of human resource development. The current situation in Thailand shows that we still lacks of supply chain and logistics resource persons in most organization. Supply chain education and training system together with knowledge and resource sharing should be developed for Thai indu stries. Also a database for collecting research and list of resource persons in supply chain and logistics management areas should be established.ConclusionGenerally it can be said that supply chain and logistics development in Thailand is still at an early stage. Most firms tend to focus on technology in leading to supply chain. Nevertheless, based on Thailand current situation, they still lack of understanding in supply chain and logistics management concept.To apply appropriate concept of supply chain and logistics for Thailand, basic or grounded research is preferable. Thailand should initially begin with investigating backgrounds and status of economic and industry before stepping to an advanced supply chain and logistics development. Readiness and requirement should be stated at the first place. Therefore the research direction for Thailand should stress on studying, surveying and investigating the requirement, need and readiness of the country. Some research topics can be sum marized as following. A survey of Thailands readiness and status for implementing supply chain and logistics. Cluster analysis for each industrial sector or across industry. A collection of supply chain best practices for each industrial sector. Appropriate government policy for facilitating supply chain and logistics. Human Resource Development for supply chain and logistics. Future trend and direction of supply chain and logistics in Thailand. 260 Logistics Research Network 2003, LondonDespite of the need of these grounded research, some basic applied research are also appropriate. However it is to focus on developing basic tool for implementing supply chain and managing logistics for basic use such as developing a dim-witted scheduling and routing software for delivery system, developing a database or information system for managing and linking information within a department or between departments, developing a basic MRP or CRP, etc, rather than an advanced or in-depth res earch for supply chain and logistics improvement.