Business Society Planet

By accessing different articles discussing the concept named â€Å"The Triple Bottom Line†, I have developed the fundamental knowledge associated with one of the vital factors of sustainability and its impact on the global business. In the process of investigation, I have gained the significant understanding by reviewing the work developed by Timothy F. Slapher, who is a Ph.D. from Indiana University. Thanks to the particular work, I achieved the suitable perception regarding the meaning and concepts of the triple bottom line (TBL) and its applicability to the business (Bocken, et al., 2014). Over the past decade, maintaining or achieving sustainability is one of the key goals of the companies, whether it is a profit making, non-profit, or government enterprise.   From the different research works conducted by the previous scholars and academics, I have observed that the businesses from multiple genres find it challenging to measure the required degree of sustainability rega rding the operations and activities. Therefore, measuring the required level of sustainability is an unavoidable approach for the modern day businesses to ensure the achievement of sustainable growth (Boons & Là ¼deke-Freund, 2013). Different researchers like John Elkington strove to measure the sustainability during the mid-1990s by encompassing a unique framework gauging the performance of the corporate businesses of America. From the overall analysis of the theoretical works developed related to TBL, I have obtained the understanding that the particular factor reflects a useful accounting framework incorporating three magnitudes of performance: social, financial, and environmental (Bocken, et al., 2013). All of these perspectives apply to the operations of the business organizations to ensure the induction of ecological and social measures, which creates some significant challenges in different sectors. By the application of different studies, I have gained the knowledge that there are â€Å"five types of sustainable capital available for the business†. These capitals are responsible for shaping up the goods and services produced by the firm with the inclusion of quality. The identified process subsequently helps to promote the enhancement of healthy lives within the respective society. The five forms of capitals are known as manufacturing capital, financial capital, social capital, human capital, and natural capital (Seuring, 2013). I identify the suitable differentiation regarding these five individual types through analysing a project developed to provide appropriate explanation. In case of the natural capital, it refers to the available stock or energy of the business responsible for producing the goods or services for the community. The stock may include the renewable or non-renewable resources or the major processes like the climate regulations. On the other hand, human capital in the form of knowledge, skills, and motivation of the individuals are also liable to produce the product by the business. Social capital deals with the institutions helping to develop the human capital by the productive collaborations from others like the businesses, communities, or trade unions (Welford, 2013). Manufacturing capital suggests the fixed assets or materials supporting the production process. Lastly, financial capital plays the most important role to the overall economy while providing understanding to the business regarding the types of capital to be owned or traded. Combining all of these capitals in the right place to produce the goods or services is a highly challenging task for the global businesses, as the process requires the suitable availability of needful sources.   Dunphy et al. (2003) have identified â€Å"The Six Phases of Business Approaches to Sustainability† stating six framing principles for the designing the economic models of the organizations in a non-linear world. Based on the analysis of the particular work, I understand that these policies should need to be treated as the philosophy for the organizations and the business practices must need to be developed accordingly. The concepts of these principles are based on managing uncertainty, ability to adopt, maintaining openness, developing the participatory cultures and tools, shaping up a value-based approach, and establishing the system of change (Kolk & Buuse, 2013). All of these concepts are needed to be maintained by the business for promoting the development of a sustainable presence in the modern day environment. In the process of managing uncertainty, organizations face challenges diagnostically regarding the detection of underlying patterns and hidden relationships drivi ng the particular type of chaos. On the other hand, the modern day business environment is highly competitive and dynamically changing (Seuring, 2013). Therefore, the global companies are facing a considerable amount of difficulty regarding the ability to adapt and response accordingly while continuously learning to become agile. Lastly, I have come to know about some important examples where businesses successfully able to adopt the sustainable requirements to become a sustainable organization in the global context. The leading names like Starbucks and Ford have adopted the best practices required to develop sustainable business operations through changing and modifying their policies (Bocken, et al., 2014). Specifically, I have observed that the activities of these companies are altered dramatically by considering the critical climate change policies identified by their respective country government.   Bocken, N. M. P., Short, S. W., Rana, P., & Evans, S. (2014). A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes.Journal of cleaner production,  65, 42-56. Bocken, N., Short, S., Rana, P., & Evans, S. (2013). A value mapping tool for sustainable business modelling.  Corporate Governance,  13(5), 482-497. Boons, F., & Là ¼deke-Freund, F. (2013). Business models for sustainable innovation: state-of-the-art and steps towards a research agenda.  Journal of Cleaner Production,  45, 9-19. Kolk, A., & Buuse, D. (2013). Business models for sustainable energy development.  The European Financial Review,  2013(April-May), 64-69. Seuring, S. (2013). A review of modeling approaches for sustainable supply chain management.  Decision support systems,  54(4), 1513-1520. Welford, R. (2013).  Hijacking environmentalism: Corporate responses to sustainable development. Routledge.  

Operational Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Operational Management - Essay Example The range of the bolts according to the length differs from 2 inches to 12 inches. According to the length and function of the bolts, thickness of the bolts varies. In the particular section of the organisation bolts come in several sizes. Here sizes differ either by half inch or by an inch. Mostly the different sizes of bolts are received in the organisation in an ascending order and the bolts are loaded in the container accordingly. The containers do not arrive in a specific order. Each container consists of 5000 bolts irrespective of the size. Special colour codes are used for recognising the varieties of bolts contained in each container. Nuts also arrive in the assembly line in the similar manner as the bolts. The major work process of the employees starts after arrival of both bolts and nuts as they need to couple up the nuts and bolts. After coupling up the nuts and the bolts, it should be loaded in a designated container. The responsibility of carrying out the loaded containe r for weighing is the responsibility of other employees employed for the specific purpose. Regarding the productivity of the section, it can be stated that 1000 nuts and bolts are coupled up in an hour. This productivity is not according to the expectation especially while measured in comparison to the cost of production. Moreover, to deal with the bulk sales, the productivity needs to be stimulated. 2.0 Assembly Methods Assembly methods can be of several types. From the above discussion, the method followed by the organisation can be identified. Assembly line can be considered as a line of the factory equipments and workers associated with the production work and manufacturing products that move on the line from station to station until the products come as the final products. Assembly line methods are introduced in a manufacturing unit to stimulate its efficiency and productivity as it can reduce the required time to manufacture finished goods. The method that has been used in thi s manufacturing unit is a break down method where the entire production processes are divided into certain units. The nature of the work of each section is different. The reason behind breaking down the production process is to enhance the accuracy of the production. Moreover, the assembly method used in this section can be considered as the manual assembly because there is involvement of 200 employees. The comparison between the different assembly methods including manual method can be exhibited in terms of cost of production and volume of the products as follows: Figure 1: Comparison of Assembly Methods Source: (Chan & Salustri, â€Å"Comparison of Assembly Methods†). In this note, it can be recommended to the management to adopt ‘just-in-time’ process. Through this process delivery of the goods can be ensured in proper time. Thus, wastage of idle time and space and processing waste can be eliminated to a certain extent (Inventory Solution, 2007). 3.0 Current A ssembly Station and Employees’ Feedback The number of current assembly stations is four. At the first assembly station different sizes of nuts and bolts are

FGM among the Maasai of Kenya Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

FGM among the Maasai of Kenya - Term Paper Example Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) refers to the removal of an entire or a part of the external parts of the female sexual organ. In most practicing societies, the Maasai included, popular opinion towards FGM by the Maasai of Kenya is that its effects are more counterproductive than benevolent on the life of the innocent girl, and it should be disbanded. In the first place, there is a multiplicity of negative health consequences which are associated with FGM. First, FGM readily brings with it, hemorrhage, since the sponsors who preside over it are usually bereft of adequate surgical or clinical skills. Sponsors in this case are those who preside over this rite of passage. Again, the clandestine nature with which FGM is practiced makes adequate preparations for the ritual nearly impossible. This includes the failure to feature clinical tools to control bleeding as part of the sponsors’ paraphernalia. Largely, the legal proscription of the act by the Government of Kenyan 9 years ag o, underpins the clandestine nature of FGM practices. According to Maasai Rising (2013), the gravity of the matter above cannot be downplayed. Despite the Government of Kenya’s act of outlawing the FGM, the prevalence of FGM among the Maasai of Kenya remains at an appalling 95-97%. It is estimated that 5% of this population is lost annually, to hemorrhage sustained from the rite of passage. What exacerbates the situation is the fact that the age of eligible FGM candidates keeps reducing. Candidates are people who have been designated for initiation. The reason behind the reduction in the age of the potential FGM candidates among the Kenyan Maasai girls is that the Government of Kenya has appointed non-Maasai teachers to enlighten and conscientize the Maasai girl child on FGM and its dangers. These teachers usually teach in the upper years of primary school education, where most female students are considered ripe for circumcision. Because of this increased enlightenment among Maasai girls, the age of circumcision gets lowered to parry away rebellion from the girl child who is older and more enlightened. This means that presently, most candidates are not those at the onset of puberty, but those between 4 and 9 years. The crux of the matter herein is that the younger candidates are not strong enough to withstand to heavy bleeding and succumb to it. Because of the failure to make proper arrangements to deal with clinical complications that may accost FGM, there are other pitfalls that follow it as a rite of passage. Cases of urethral damage also highly and consistently accost FGM since sponsors who preside over FGM are not clinically or medically trained. Again, reports by Maasai Evangelistic Association (2012) show that FGM is inextricably concomitant with urinary tract infections, cervical infections, chronic pelvic infections and dermatoid cysts. Sometimes, the birth canal is interfered with to the point of causing dangerous childbirth in future. In mos t instances, the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus is easily aided by the practice of FGM since only one blade is used on all participating candidates. The blade is only wiped on grass and nearby vegetative undergrowth to wipe off blood. This makes it too easy for infections to pass from one candidate to another, should one candidate be a disease carrier. However, the Maasai Evangelistic Association (2012) observes that it is important to note that the malevolent nature FGM is not merely embodied by the health implications that accompany the practice. To argue otherwise