Operations Management: Quadruples Restaurant Case Essay

Can these kinds of customer response data be obtained reliably, systematically, and cheaply enough for a restaurant? If so, how? This type of data could be gotten by adding survey questions to a receipt given to a customer with a few questions relating to the Pareto chart (Ex B). This can also be done by observation of host (ess) when times are not busy noting customers body language. Also managers can go around to tables and ask how their meal was, and if anything was unsatisfactory. The important thing is to have a log of this data, which can be analyzed, at the end of each week and solutions implemented at the beginning of each week to try and resolve problems quickly as they develop. One type of bias the restaurant may have to worry about is the concept of â€Å"self-selection†, where a person who has a bad experience is more likely to voice their opinion than one who has not. Another great example of how this data can be obtained is through benchmarking and competitive analysis, looking at how other competitors deal with their problems and applying the best solution to a given case. Benchmarking can easily help provide better service to customers by applying the â€Å"best practices† found in leading restaurants. Which of the Exhibit B complaints are natural targets for continuous improvement in the restaurant (or any enlightened firm), thus, perhaps, not requiring solicitation of customer inputs to reveal the target for problem solving? The of course obvious and most logical answer would be all elements could be improved upon. As we’ve discussed in class, â€Å"if you aren’t improving your product/service your loosing ground.† However I choose ones that could immediately be implemented through better training of the servers/busboys. In referencing the Pareto Chart of Complaints: Room too drafty, Table not clean, Buffet table not well organized, Missing utensil at place setting, no ashtray on table, and had to wait too long for coffee could all be elements of continuous improvement. An example of how a problem could be solved is  (G), simply setting up a smoking section where ashtrays are a mainstay at the table, if this cannot be implemented simply having the host(ess) after asking smoking/non bring a ashtray to the table, or after determining the size of the party have the host (ess) gather the utensils (the basket under the greeting table) before showing them to their table. The one I said could not be immediately improved upon is the room being too drafty, this may require a more physical solution such as adding another set of doors to the entrance thus alleviating draft cause through the entranceway. The solutions can be developed through training the staff, (i.e. busboys, servers, host (ess)) to have a mental checklist of what needs to go on a table before it is ready to be sat, and having the host (ess) make sure they are seating people in the appropriate section (i.e. enough utensils, ashtrays, etc). All of the complaints in Exhibit B clearly are things customers would notice. If restaurant staff, instead of customers, were asked to express their complaints, suggest at least five complaints that would probably come forth. To what extent could the staff’s mind-set be altered so that they would worry about the same things as customers? How could this change occur? 1) Angry/disgruntled customers – low tips, not due to service 2) Too many tables designated at a time for one person 3) Too many hours – better scheduling 4) Managers who don’t consider the individual – not concerned about your problems 5) Kitchen not staffed adequately during peak times – customers are angry and take it out on servers A way of getting staff’s mindset to change is remind them of all their bad experiences in restaurants, getting the staff to own the problem. This can  be done in a monthly training sessions where customer complaints are voiced to all the staff showing them that there is a problem. Even showing how better service can mean more money to them is a high motivator. Show that you are going to make changes to better both the customer and the staff to make the workplace an environment where information is freely shared and solutions can be brought â€Å"in house† before going for outside the restaurant (i.e. corporate). Most importantly market each improvement, boast to your staff about how quickly problems are resolved, make your restaurant the one others are trying to benchmark for your best practices.

China Green Economy

For years now, China has been at the receiving end of stinging criticism from the West over its environmental policies, with critics describing it variously as one of the most polluted countries, an insatiable, consumer-driven energy guzzler, and the world’s worst emitter of greenhouse gases. These labels have been prompted by China’s rapid industrialization and urbanization over the past 30 years, which has allowed it to achieve blistering economic growth, but at enormous cost to its environment. Given the widespread criticism, it’s understandable why many in the West might find it hard to imagine this ‘dirty’ giant ever getting clean. Yet these difficulties shouldn’t overshadow an encouraging reality—China’s top decision makers are planning to take a more holistic approach to the quest for greener growth that could transform the country’s image. China’s central government is currently thrashing out details of how best to steer towards greener growth as part of closed-door discussions aimed at finalizing the country’s 12th Five Year Plan (2011-2015), which will be announced in March. The plan is expected to become China’s first national plan to shift the development agenda decisively toward a pattern of green growth, accelerating the country’s efforts at green modernization. Expect ‘establishing a low carbon society’ to be a key political slogan over the next five years. With a limit to the amount of fossil fuel it can access, and with these fuels anyway creating significant environmental damage and associated socioeconomic problems, China’s top leadership seems to be realizing that the old ‘growth at all costs’ model that has previously been followed threatens not only the country’s energy security, but its very survival. A green development pathway based on low energy consumption and low carbon emissions is essential if China is to find a sustainable path to growth. The environmental aspects of the plan are likely to be boiled down to five key points that will be presented to the public and used to measure China’s success in achieving its ambitious targets. First, the government is believed to be considering using green indices as a yardstick for evaluating the performance of local officials. Water consumption per unit of GDP, proportion of clean coal consumption utilized, and the proportion of GDP invested in environmental protection will all be integrated into the indices. The idea is that this will force local governments to strengthen resource efficiency and improve ecofriendliness in key sectors such as heavy industry, construction, and transportation. Gone will be the days when the rate of GDP growth is the sole determinant of success. Second, China aims to gradually establish a carbon trading system to help it meet its 2020 carbon intensity target of reducing CO2 emissions as a proportion of each unit of GDP by 40 to 45 percent of 2005 levels. Policymakers are expected to view carbon trading as a market-oriented, cost-effective way of supplementing current administrative measures to reduce emissions and genuinely shift the country’s ‘brown’ economy to a ‘green’ one. A cap-and-trade market is also expected to be up and running by 2014, while over the next couple of years, carbon trading programmes will most likely focus on pilot schemes in economic zones and/or industrial sectors such as the coal-fire power generation sector. Third, China will continue to support the research, development, and deployment of clean energy technologies. China was reported in December to be seriously considering, for example, investments of up to $1. 5 trillion in seven strategic industries including renewable energy, clean energy vehicles,and low carbon technologies. In this regard, keep an eye out for two Chinese companies—Yingli Solar and Wanxiang Group—that will play a more proactive role in producing state-of-the-art clean energy technologies to help create more ‘green collar’ jobs domestically and overseas. With robust government support and private sector innovation, China’s pledge to have 15 percent of its energy come from non-fossil fuels by 2020 could be achieved more smoothly and quickly with smart investment. If it can follow through on these ambitious plans—admittedly a big if—there’s little doubt China will be able to join world leaders in the development of wind, solar, and electric vehicle technologies. Fourth, with the country’s total power capacity expected to climb to more than 1,430 GW by 2015, compared with 874 GW at the beginning of last year, China has been trying to figure out how to bring trillions of kilowatts of power to more than a billion consumers, sometimes over extremely long distances. With this in mind, the government is said to be planning to invest about $300 billion in a smart grid over the next five years that allows potential problems to be detected early. So far, local governments including the Jiangsu Provincial Government and the Shanghai Municipal Government have taken the lead in publishing plans for smart grid development. Last but not least, China is expected to begin efforts to restore marine ecologies for the first time, focusing not only on supervising chemical oxygen demand, which measures the amount of organic pollutants found in surface water, but also limiting emissions of nitrogen and phosphorus, which causes eutrophication. In addition, constructions such as dams and sea walls will be strictly examined to ensure that they aren’t adversely impacting the environment. If China’s policymakers can follow up on this promising list, then it could produce some genuinely spectacular policies that will help the country dramatically increase its chances of sustaining its strong growth, expand its clean technology market, and achieve green job creation. None of this will be easy, not least because rapidly rising energy demand will mean coal and oil inevitably remain a foundation of China’s economy for years to come. In addition, China’s efforts at developing a green economy so far look like a top-down initiative, meaning much of the public doesn’t really understand what a green economy entails, its importance, or how they can contribute to creating one. As a result, there’s a clear need for proper public outreach to encourage people to become engaged. Still, the talk around the upcoming five-year plan offers some cause for optimism that with the central government genuinely behind it, and if market-driven mechanisms can be properly utilized, China can launch itself on the path to a greener future.

Europa Europa Film Assignment

At first in the orphanage, Solomon goes through indoctrination, and the ideas are presented to him. From there it seems that he begins to change, but gets reinforcement when the bombs begin to I fall after the candy incident. In the interaction with the German troops, he adapts by lying on who he is really is to survive, and make it through the events. The theme of adapting ties with Judaism, because as Jews were expelled from place to place, as they moved they changed to fit into environment, and lastly survive through time.This Idea becomes visible because s Solomon moves from place to place, he changes his Identity to adapt and survive. However this Is not only a literal change of his Identity. At a point he pulls his skin on his pens In attempt to make It look Like he Is not circumcised. This Is a physical change that he tries to perform, but Is not able to do so In the end. From here It Is clear that he wants to hide out, but every time it is a change that goes with hiding his r eligion and the ideas that create that religious ideology. In the movie, adaptability becomes a need to survive, and in sense has relation toJudaism. Within the roots of Judaism has the sense of movement to find out that the ideas have dispersed. In the movie, the sense that he is exiled from his identity, and at times it seems that he is far out, and cannot come back. But as the plot develops, he attempts to return back to his true identity, but then to be caught within the lines of the Germans yet again. But then in the end he ends up returning to his real identity. But as he comes back, he learns that his family Is dead except for his brother, and In sense the family is dispersed away from each other.In the movie Europe Europe, there are various themes that are apparent. But the idea of adaptability to survive comes up over and over through the movie. It establishes that in the end the true identity that comes from your cultural background, ends up, at times having oneself to cha nge for survival. Within the movie Solomon changes to survive, in hope that he may see the light in the end of tunnel. Through this ordeal, he confronts his religious beliefs and has doubts about them. But over and over through specific scenes he is reinserted that belief is still strong tit him.Through his perils he encounters various events, when these events take a turn for the worse; the belief is restored through some specific event, or him being saved from revealing his real identity. Solomon changes himself not to oppose his beliefs or even his religion, but more so to survive. From Judaism the idea of exile implies that you leave, and upon leaving you slightly alter yourself to fit In, and blend From here one can conclude that In various manners, Solomon performs an act that is identified within in his religion.Solomon survives Dye slung ten concept AT adapt TTY Tanat comes Walt n ten Idea AT exile, and is though he alters his belief, he is reinserted by his beliefs yet agai n that they are in reality in him. Even when he tries to pull his skin to cover his circumcision he fells the pains, and learns that the identity follows him regardless if he lives with them in the open, or if he attempts to hide them. Solomon holds the idea of adaptability to secure his life, and at the time it was one of his main concerns, and he successfully does so.

Evaluation methodology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Evaluation methodology - Term Paper Example Evaluation methodology The researcher will use the CIPP evaluation model to guide this program evaluation. The acronym CIPP stands for context evaluation, input evaluation, process evaluation, and product evaluation. Developed by D. L. Stufflebeam, the CIPP evaluation design employs a logic model to describe the program’s elements. Since the early 1970s, the logic model has been used in the educational system, and represents a plausible and sensible model about how a program will work under certain environmental conditions to solve identified problems. The logic model is the core of a certain program’s planning, evaluation, program management, and communications. It holds together everything a program was originally designed for, from its goals, vision, resources, activities, and intended outcomes in a way that is logical to its purpose (Hall, Daly, & Madigan, 2010). The study to be designed will follow its evaluation approaches to test and verify the reality of the advisory program of a target school and how it works. It will also help the researcher focus on appropriate process and outcome measures. The CIPP model of program evaluation is the process of delineating, obtaining, providing, and applying descriptive and judgmental information about the merit and worth of some object goals, design, implementation, and outcomes to guide improvement decisions, provide accountability reports, inform institutionalization/dissemination decisions, and improve understanding of the involved phenomena.... The CIPP model of program evaluation is the process of delineating, obtaining, providing, and applying descriptive and judgmental information about the merit and worth of some object goals, design, implementation, and outcomes to guide improvement decisions, provide accountability reports, inform institutionalization/dissemination decisions, and improve understanding of the involved phenomena (Kellaghan & Stufflebeam, 2003). It is a simple procedural model that measures program evaluation. It would reflect the efficiency of performance of a certain program. (Wholey, Hart, & Newcomer, 1987; Hong, Teng, & Baum, 2009; Chien, Lee, & Cheng, 2007). The CIPP goes through four stages in the evaluation of programs. The first stage of context evaluation assesses the needs and problems of the program and how set goals are being met. It identifies what needs to be done for improvement. The second stage of input evaluation assesses the organization’s budget and staffing and sees how effect ive resources are being used. The third stage of process evaluation assesses how plans are being implemented and if the activities being performed produce positive outcomes for the stakeholders. The fourth and last stage of product evaluation assesses the outcomes of the program and checks if initial goals have been fulfilled (Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, 2007). Due to its renowned reputation as an effective model of evaluation, this study has chosen the CIPP to evaluate an educational advisory program (Kellaghan & Stufflebeam, 2003). The results of the evaluation using this model will greatly help decision makers to assess the needs of the program in implementing its various activities. Using the CIPP

Agricultre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Agricultre - Essay Example Several benefits accrue to the agricultural revolution over the traditional hunting and gathering. The most important aspect of agriculture is that it significantly improved the diet of man from a homogeneous protein flesh of animals to multiple plant nutrients like in cereals, carbohydrates, fats and oil. Modern civilization is a product of agriculture in which the socio-political structure of the society began to take hierarchy and administrative government was formed. This has metamorphosed to contemporary governments and democratic politics. Besides, several inventions of man can be attributed to agrarian revolution in Europe and parts of Asia like Mesopotamia. Unlike hunting and foraging, technical skills were critical for agricultural sustainability hence development of several scientific production technique that defines contemporary management principles. Agriculture takes central position in the society as far as survival of people is concerned as compared to the traditional ly limited hunting and foraging sources. Despite much praises on agriculture, it has significantly cost the society the beauty of nature and distorted ecosystem. Human being has significantly encroached into the historically beautiful and self-sustaining ecosystem to expand agricultural production with massive destruction of nature. Civilization as a consequence of Agriculture is haunting the society through increased occupation of any available space in urban and rural areas resulting to other economic activities that promotes pollutions.