Aylesbury pressing case
GDBA/MBA24/MSc14 Cases in Operation Management 07 15826 Case Study:" Aylesbury Pressing " By: Donna Oftadeh ID: 0824376 Lecturer: Due date: 24.11.2008 University of Birmingham Aylesbury pressing, like other car assembly manufacturers tackled with high volume, variety and cost. It has different customers (Vauxhall, Nissan, Ford Honda and Rover), with high expectations and different product standardisation. They want best product at the exactly required quantity with on-time delivery. Aylesbury pressing has tried to improve their efficiency by implementing different initial plans such as SAP, MRPII, kanban control, 7 tools of quality, SPC, FTT,5S, SOP. Although it improved during the recent years but it doesn't seem that Aylesbury pressing satisfied the customers enough and it is in danger of falling from its current position in business. . Analysis Strengths It has made a lot of improvements over the past few years: * Reduced deficiency rate from 40 000 ppm (4%) to 1600 (0.16%) over the past eight years * Increasing of its performance from 20% five years ago to 90 % today * Three kaizen blitz events , one of which reduced inventory by %32 and halved the loading time * Using kanban (invisible conveyor) method of signalling to trigger an action. This is a visual control tool for continuous improvement. They researched a lot into the implementations available
The Economic Benifits of a Professional Military
The Economic Benefits of a Professional Military In late 2006, Congressman Charles Rangel, D-NY, made headlines when he proposed a bill to reinstate military conscription. Citing a disproportionate number of poor and minority groups in the enlisted service, as well as the current administration's unpopular war in Iraq, Congressman Rangel portrayed mandatory service as an equitable way to spread the obligation of national security. Rangel also argued that under conscription, politicians would be less likely to vote for pre-emptive military action knowing that such a move would be unpopular with constituents. In addition to Congressman Rangel's arguments, others have questioned the U.S.'s ability to cope with the global war on terror given its current military size. The debate over whether a professional army is better than one derived by conscription, and vice versa, is one that has been waged for hundreds of years. Our analysis is a look into the economic arguments for why a professional army, i.e. an all volunteer force, is better than one created via conscription, or as it is more popularly known in the US a "draft". It is important to note however that our arguments are based on the underlying assumption that the United States is not in a "Full War" situation. Under Full War circumstances, a country mobilizes all of its available resources in an effort to prevent
A critique of Gallaher & Robinson's 'The Imperialism of Free Trade'
A critique of Gallaher & Robinson's 'The Imperialism of Free Trade' "The Imperialism of Free Trade" was written by John Gallagher and Ronald Robinson in 1953, and marked a sharp break with the orthodox theory of Victorian imperialism. In the article, Gallagher and Robinson rejected the idea of a supposed mid-Victorian period of anti-imperialism ("mid-Victorian indifference"), arguing that in order to properly understand the phenomenon of nineteenth century imperialism it was necessary to redefine the historiographical approach, to include the concept of "informal empire", which to them "ought to be a commonplace." Gallagher and Robinson proposed a new definition of imperialism, as being a process of integrating new regions into an expanding economy by political means (through an active government policy). The final component of the hypothesis was the theme of continuity in this process of imperialism. As briefly mentioned earlier, Gallagher and Robinson rejected the idea that imperialism could be neatly categorized into distinct and separate phases of "indifference" and "enthusiasm", dependent upon the rise and fall of free trade. For them, imperialism was a continuous event that operated through various methods, informal and formal - a view expressed in the phrase, "trade with informal control if possible: trade with rule when necessary." The major critic of "The
There are many benefits in free trade yet so many countries erect trade barriers - Explain why this is so using examples from the global economy
Introduction to Global Economics: Coursework Assessment 1: There are many benefits in free trade yet so many countries erect trade barriers. Explain why this is so using examples from the global economy. Develop the following points - The advantages and disadvantages of free trade - Barriers to trade - Reasons for Protectionism The aim of my essay is to explain free trade within an economy and its features. I will also assess the advantages and disadvantages associated with free trade. I will then proceed to explain the barriers that can be erected by countries towards trade and the reasons for Protectionism. I will illustrate this by using examples from the global economy. Free Trade is "where countries remove tariffs and quotas between themselves and the countries they trade with" (Sloman, Essentials of Economics, p 415). Countries participate in trade for a variety of reasons: to develop, to specialise, reduce costs and to achieve comparative advantages. Because of these reasons it makes sense to remove barriers between the countries they trade with to reap all the advantages. Many countries make a move towards free trade by joining preferential trading arrangements. Preferential trading systems generally are based on the regional grouping of countries and allow countries to remove restrictions between themselves and member countries, but maintain them with the
A New Slave Trade
A New Slave Trade How would you like to work all day, all year, all the time and not get any money? (pause) This is what trade is doing. (pause) Put yourself in Mundo's situation. You would work all day, all year, all the time and not get any money(pause). You have been a farmer all your life. You have always worked in the fields. You grow cocoa beans that make the chocolate that those in rich countries, like the UK, so often eat, while you are starving. You haven't been to school, you haven't the money. You can't read or write and you would love to go to school, even though those in the UK may not like it much. (pause) This is what trade is doing. (pause) Trade is now worth four trillion pounds- that is four with twelve zeros- and it's growing. If only people like Mundo could benefit. Imagine the huge impact on their lives. They could have some food and water. But with the trade rules, surely money is fairly shared out. This is what trade isn't doing. (pause) Why do they need to be changed? Why are we so harsh towards those who really need it? Aren't all men equal? Aren't we all the same? The answer is we are. But the trade rules don't show this. According to the rules, the trade decisions are fairly made. But this doesn't happen. Countries need to pay for expert negotiators, but some can't. while Japan has twenty five of them, others have none. (pause) Why do many
On the Wealth of Nations
Alex P Keaton Econ 202 Spring 09 On The Wealth Of Nations On the Wealth of Nations by P.J. O'Rourke is a focus and commentary on the economic and political works of Adam Smith. Adam Smith wrote Wealth in 1776 in an effort to thwart Mercantilism. I read Common Sense by Thomas Pain last semester and was interested to learn the beginnings of American Democracy and wanted to read The Wealth of Nations, which was written during the same time period as the two were developing ideas of free democracy and free markets. To understand the fundamental ideas of economics one must learn the foundation Adam Smith laid out in Wealth, like one must read Keynes to understand modern economics. I have also been a huge fan of P.J. O'Rourke's from having watched him for years on "Politically Incorrect" and presently on "Real Time with Bill Maher." O'Rourke is a republican and usually by himself in that regard on these programs. As a democrat, I feel his courage and rationalism is essential to the moderate and liberal forum in which I have seen him. O'Rourke tackles every issue without giving political tag lines or belligerent arguing. He is funny, consistent, and well informed leaving the audience to at least question their own ideas without political bias. And up to this point, he is one of only a few media personalities to critique both Bush and Obama clearly and without
Is research and development the basis of long-term national competitive advantage? Compare the contribution which innovation systems have made to the leading economies.
) Is research and development the basis of long-term national competitive advantage? Compare the contribution which innovation systems have made to the leading economies. In order for a nation to be economically successful it must plan for the long term. This is how economic powers such the Western Europe, US and Japan have become so successful. The major reason behind national competitive advantage is Research and development. National competitive advantage is undeniably one of the most important goals, any government aims to achieve, and it is generally believed that it is through industrial leadership and competitive advantage that a nation is able to develop and succeed. As companies innovate, they increase their profits. In turn this helps the nation overall, when thousands of companies are doing the same. There is a need for 'recognition of the importance of innovation in an economy', (Mowery & Rosenberg, 1992). This essay will look at the reasons behind R&D and its implications for competitive advantage, on global economies. The way that innovative systems at both corporate and national levels have contributed to the development of major industries shall be discussed. The essay will also look into a number of industries where R&D takes place. The main focus will be on the U.S, U.K and Japanese economies. "Techno nationalism" is the concept where certain industries
Globalisation - discuss the growing trends towards the global community.
With the growing trends towards the global community, it is becoming more and more necessary for us to find the balance between the global and the local. It would seem that all you need to look at in order to see what the current trends and drives are in a society, is their advertising. Catch slogans like, 'Help your small business take its place in the global economy, use brand X', are all indicators that we are headed towards the 'globalisation of the globe'. Globalisation is not something that is fixed and secure. The questions, the definition and the operations in practise all have many questions surrounding them and they each have many dimensions. Questions such as, 'has uncertainty and diversity been growing?' 'Are we finding ourselves in a society that is more uncertain and diverse?' ' Is this bringing more risk to society?' There are many factors that have influenced us and many areas of life and society that uncertainty and diversity link to. Globalisation represents change and change is the one thing that will create uncertainty and diversity. However, many would ask if uncertainty and diversity has been increased. Have we really moved on from the 'Golden Age' to more uncertainty and diversity? Until recent years, even though we were all part of the collective of the planet earth, we were essentially locally driven. Things that happened on the other side of the
Evaluate the arguments for and against UK entry into the eurozone.
Claire Reilly The New Europe: Understanding the European Union -Evaluate the arguments for and against UK entry into the eurozone. The debate over the United Kingdom's involvement in the eurozone has been prominent ever since the British government decided to withhold UK entry until a later date. Although the euro only became a physical reality across Europe on 1 January 2002, it has been years in the making. The development of the euro dates back to the Treaty of Rome in 1957, when a common European market was declared as a European objective, aiming to increase European prosperity and develop an even closer relationship amongst the peoples of Europe. Following agreements such as The Single European Act (1986) and the Treaty on European Union (1992), the European Monetary Union, EMU, has been introduced, laying the foundations of the single currency. The European Central Bank (ECB) was established on 1 June 1998. It is based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and aims to maintain price stability and to conduct a single monetary policy across the euro area. This is done through its own activities and through working with the national central banks. Together, the ECB and the euro area national central banks are known as the Eurosystem. On January 1 2001, the exchange rates of the participating countries were irreversibly set. Member states implemented a common monetary
The social and economic impacts of WTO policies on lesser-developed countries.
The social and economic impacts of WTO policies on lesser-developed countries. History and purpose of the WTO The WTO was formally established on 1st January 1995. Its predecessor is the GATT, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which was reached in 1948, to avoid the protectionism that prevailed following World War II. Before evolving into WTO, the GATT has been through eight rounds of negotiations since 1948. The seventh, the Tokyo Round, and the eighth, the Uruguay Round, are the most important ones. The Uruguay Round from 1986 to 1993 dealt with merchandise trade, service trade, intellectual property rights, and dispute settlement. Moreover, it made a resolution to establish the World Trade Organization, WTO. Up to now, the WTO has held four-round Ministerial Conferences listed in order-Singapore in 1996, Geneva in 1998, Seattle in 1999, and Doha in 2001.1 The main purpose of the WTO is to "help trade flow as freely as possible" and "to improve the welfare of the peoples of the member countries".2 The purpose is based on the most-favoured nation treatment, and aims at banishing the tariff barriers, to build up free trade among the members. This will give the state members a stable and predictable trade environment, which will promote foreign investments, create opportunities for further employment, and accelerate the growth and development of the national