The Life Of Charlemagne By Einhard - 965 Words

The Life of Charlemagne is an edited version from the original book Two Lives of Charlemagne. The author of the original biography is Einhard, who was his close friend and younger contemporary. He wrote this biography, after his death in 814 CE to honor Charlemagne and his contributions to the Frankish dynasty. In the historical context Charlemagne is believed to have contributed largely in flourishing the Carolingian Empire. In the book, The Life of Charlemagne, Einhard describes Charlemagne’s personal life rather than the actual historical legacies. The biography seems to have many personal bias opinions which makes the source hard to trust. One example from the text itself is when he describes King Charlemagne’s physical appearance, â€Å"His neck was short and rather thick, and his stomach a trifle too heavy, but the proportions of the rest of the body prevented from noticing these blemishes (Brophy, 250).† Even Though, the author describes the king with grea t details, he is positive throughout each text and avoids giving any flawed comments. Charlemagne in the historical context made many contributions to the modern world as well as the Carolingian dynasty during his reign. After his father passed away, he united the Franks and went to several conquest to expand his kingdom in 768 (Coffin, 176). Charlemagne was believed to be a very serious Christian king. In one of the longest conquest in Saxon, which lasted about 20 years, he had forced conversion to all the people whoShow MoreRelatedThe Life of Charlemagne by Einhard1388 Words   |  6 Pages Charlemagne is described by Janet Nelson as being a role model for Einhard. Einhard himself writes in the first paragraph of The Life of Charlemagne, â€Å"After I decided to write about the life, character and no small part of the accomplishments of my lord and foster father, Charles, that most excellent and deservedly famous king, I determined to do so with as much brevity as I could.† I feel that these are sincere words about the man who cared for Einhard. I feel that Einhard’s purpose for writingRead MoreEinhard s The Life Of Charlemagne878 Words   |  4 Pages Einhard’s The Life of Charlemagne is one of several prominent texts from Mediaeval Europe. The main focus of the text is on the life of Charlemagne, the Frankish king from the Carolingian dynasty. Under his rule, the Frankish kingdom experiences an extensive period of prosperity and growth, especially in intellectually related areas since Charlemagne himself is a well-known patron of the arts (#). Hence, Charlemagne is the ruler often credited for the â€Å"Roman revival† across Mediaeval Europe. InRead MoreThe Life Of Charlemagne By The Frankish Scholar Einhard1227 Words   |  5 PagesThe Life of Charlemagne, written by the Frankish scholar Einhard, is a biography on the personal life and achievements of Charlemagne, a ruler of the Franks and the king of Italy. He ruled from 774-800. Einhard, a male Frankish scholar, was born to noble parents in the Main Valley, around 770 A.D. He was educated in the monastery of Fulda, and shortly after sent to the palace school of Charlemagne in Aachen. Eventually becoming a personal adviser and a close friend to the king of the Franks, he influencedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book For The Sake Of Posterity 986 Words   |  4 PagesEinhard, a German raised in the Carolingian court of Charlemagne wrote a vita as a tribute to his king around 825-826 called The Life of Charlemagne after the kings death. He wrote this book either at C harlemagne’s son King Louis’ court or at one of his numerous properties throughout the Frankish kingdom. Based on the didactic nature of the document and Einhard’s own saying that the book is â€Å"for the sake of posterity† it is likely that his writing was either meant as a historical book concerningRead MoreThe Two Lives of Charlemagne Essay708 Words   |  3 Pages The two lives of Charlemagne as told by Einhard and Notker are two medieval sources about the accounts of the life Charlemagne. Modern sources by Matthew Innes and Rosamond Mckitterick discuss how history was recorded during the medieval period and how it was suppose to be viewed in the early ages. Observing each of these sources helps get an understanding of how the writing of history is important in recorded history and how it affected how the history of Charlemagne was recorded. WritingRead MoreCharlemagne Essay1298 Words   |  6 PagesCharlemagne, also known as Charles the Great and Charles I, was not only a king of France, but a commanding historical figure. Charlemagne is believed to have been born sometime around the year 742. He became King of the Franks in 768 and went on to become the Emperor of the Carolingian Empire in 800, before his death in 814. Charlemagne’s father, King Pepin (the short), officially put an end to the Merovingian line of kings to become King of the Franks, and willed that Francia be divided betweenRead More Charlemagne Essay938 Words   |  4 Pages After reading two versions of â€Å"The Life of Charlemagne†, one written by a person who lived with Charlemagne, and one who didn’t, it is evident that Charlemagne is portrayed in a negative way by the author, the Monk of St. Gall, and in a positive way by Einhard. Einhard was very close to Charlemagne. He lived at the same time and with Charlemagne himself. His version of â€Å"The Life of Charlemagne† was writing right after his death. The Monk of St. Gall wrote his version more than 70 years after Charlemagne’sRead MoreTwo Lives of Charlemagne1525 Words   |  7 PagesBook Review of Two Lives of Charlemagne After having read both versions of the life of Charlemagne there is no doubt that they differ greatly in the sense of style, audience, and emotion. By reading these two descriptions of Charlemagnes life we are able to decipher somewhat of the life he led as a shaper of early medieval European history. However, both of these versions possess the admiration of a noble man who they believe is worthy enough to be noted in history to some degree. The firstRead MoreCharles The Pious, Reign, The Life Of Charlemagne753 Words   |  4 PagesLouis the Pious’ reign, The Life of Charlemagne is a concise biography of the Frankish emperor, as written by a former member of his court, Einhard. This source provides historians with a first-hand account of Charlemagne’s activities and personality from someone close to him. It is important to first recognise the problems with this source. The clearest problem is Einhard’s personal attachment to his former Emperor, his account reflecting the affection he felt for Charlemagne. We know from Walahfrid’sRead MoreCharlemagne Essay examples1611 Words   |  7 PagesEinhards Life of Charlemagne, a very succinct description of King Charles ideals, beliefs, attitudes and traits are depicted along with his lifes territorial as well as mental conquests illustrated. Charlemagne was a man with a vision of a utopian society united under Christianity in its glorious form in an almost Camelot like kingdom. Einhards literary work gives society an insight into King Charles and what made him capable of being Augustus. As indicated by Einhard, Charlemagne was a man

What Does Body Image - 1887 Words

What is body image? If you been through adolescence you know how vital this concept is for a person passing through this stage. The vast majority of adolescents are so concern with their body image that it could lead to lifelong detrimental effects. Body image refers to the mental image of one’s own body. Conversely, it is distinct from the physical body because this refers to the actual composition and structure of one’s own physique. Although a person could be in optimal physical conditions, he/she could still have a negative body image of oneself leading to eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa or even obesity. As stated by Feldman, a culture that values a body image of being slim and fit could have a large impact on the body image an adolescent pursues to achieve. When the body image deviates from the norms of society and what is presented in the media it could lead the adolescent at time of exploration to search for new ways in order to obtain the p referred body image of society. During adolescence I had a critical and negative body image about myself. When I was fourteen years old I use to weigh two hundred pounds and was extremely dissatisfied with my body image because I knew I was obese. I remember that I use to hate going to the doctor because he would always remind me that I was overweight. Weeks would go by after the doctor’s visit and I would still be miserable about what the doctor had told me. I remember that I used get furious at my mom forShow MoreRelatedThrough The Eyes Of Art, We Stumble To Collect The Unwanted1542 Words   |  7 Pages Through the eyes of art, we stumble to collect the unwanted pieces of our bodies, the ones that were ignored, buried, and demolished by the society. The value of the body is much more complex than it to be expressed in a society dictionary. Some genres of Western art seek to explore the missing pieces of our identity that are lost because people try to conform to the soci al norms. Thus, art is not only an element of human activity but also a way for people to interpret themselves within societyRead MoreThe Importance Of Body Image1486 Words   |  6 Pages What Is Body Image? How does Media play a major role in Body Images? And how do help our young children to believe just the way there are perfect? Body image refers to both adults and young adolescents judgements about their own bodies. Although, accepting more normal body types has become a constant trend media continues to create negative effects on body images around the world by rapidly body discontentment, eating disorders, and desirable engross with appearance. Because we are exposed toRead MoreThe Negative Influence of Media on Young Women1531 Words   |  6 Pagesthen they aim towards conforming to the society’s perception of beauty. Trying to achieve a ‘mirror-image’ of what media portrays as beautiful is a goal hard to obtain, as it can lead many young females to adopt eating disorders, as well as low self-esteem. Due to these factors, I have decided to conduct a mini-research project. The project will analyse the impact of media images on the body image of young girls age 16-24. In this essay, I will provide a literature review, to either challenge orRead MoreBeauty and the Beast...of Media1237 Words   |  5 PagesMedia tells us who we are and who we should be. Although media has its positive effects, like spreading the latest news quickly, it also has many downfalls for teenagers, specifically teenage girls, who are hounded with a stream of media related to body image. Today most women always feel the need to look in a mirror whenever they see one to fix their hair or makeup, or even compare themselves to an advertisement featuring an unblemished, blonde haired, skinny woman with perfect hair and skin. EveryRead MoreMapping the Issue: Eating Disorders Essay1225 Words   |  5 Pagesthan ever, adolescents are worrying about weight, sh ape, size and body image and. It does not help that these children are growing up in a world filled with media material emphasizing dangerously skinny bodies as beautiful and perfect. Anne Morris and Debra Katzman, authors of â€Å"The Impact of the Media on Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents† argue that the media is corrupting individuals to develop eating disorders and body dissatisfaction. â€Å"Exploring the Role Society and the Media Play inRead MoreThe Media s Influence On The Body Image804 Words   |  4 Pages Man, I wish I could look like that! How does she get her makeup to look so perfect? Her eyebrows are on point! She s so skinny and fit looking. Her skin is absolutely flawless! I wish I looked like her! Why can t I be like those girls? How many times have you watched television, searched the web, looked at magazines, or used your cell phone and have thought those things about a woman/teen girl that you have seen? Media has photoshopped, airbrushed, a nd tweaked pictures and videos to appear asRead MoreBody1122 Words   |  5 PagesOur Bodies in the Media In any civilization appearance has a huge impact on the daily lives, of those living in it. Some cultures favor piercings, others strength, some wear clothes, others do not. The contributing factors for how they appear, typically go back to traditional roots. Our culture in the US, although influenced by our history, now has to deal with an almost daily changes seen in the media. It is nearly impossible to keep up with what is â€Å"in† and how we are â€Å"supposed† to look.Read MoreThe Effects Of Advertising On Our Society1504 Words   |  7 Pagescampaign, now it’s an unrealistic ideology of body perfection. This kind of product pushing comes with many different side effects that we as a consumer, might not realize. It is so detrimental that it becomes imbedded in your subconscious. Technology has made it to the point where it’s hard to tell what is real and fake. Advertising has created a pandemic in the way we view the body image of ourselves and the opposite sex in society. The â€Å"perfect† image is damaging to people causing an alarming growthRead MoreEating Disorder Reflection Paper1341 Words   |  6 Pagesimpact of societal ideas on body image and eating disorder. Nah! you are not skinny enough, no one wants a fat guy or a girl, do not eat that you will never get skinny, sadly but truly we are consistently being reminded with phrases like these to pursue a socially accepted thin and trimmed figure. Eating disorders are chronic and serious illness that engages a person into severe irregular eating behaviors to satisfy their distress about maintaining a thin figure and low body weight. The widely knownRead MoreIs It Body Image Ideals?877 Words   |  4 PagesMarilyn Monroe, Pamela Anderson, Ryan Reynolds, Hulk Hogan are just a few examples of what Americas stem as body image ideals. These ideals change from generation to generation, culture to culture, however, their effects seem to expand the turning of time. Body images issues for both men women have created several effects including but not limited to bullying, self-murder, and self-hatred. â€Å"Bullying does not always happen in person. Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that happens online or through

Sustainable Transport Policy Free Essays

1. Developing Countries and Transportation Transportation in developing countries is considered to be a significant influence on major global issues, many of which are associated with the state of the environment and of human life. According to Gwilliam (2003), developing countries â€Å"are taken to be those that qualify as borrowing members of the World Bank, including the transitional economies†, but the developed countries â€Å"are taken to be the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries, excluding Mexico†. We will write a custom essay sample on Sustainable Transport Policy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Cities within developing countries are different in their economic, political and demographic aspects. However, economic improvement can lead to growth in the road and transport infrastructure but vehicle ownership slows this rate (Gwilliam, 2003). The existing city structure and political history means that most of these cities are unable to provide efficient mass transports services due to â€Å"scatter pockets† (Gwilliam, 2003). The quickly increasing population is related with a below average proportion of the land that is allocated for transport. Whilst other sectors, such as education and sanitation, improve with economic progress, transportation problems can be seen to worsen with economic development (Transport Policy Advisory services, 2010). It can be difficult to examine common urban transportation issues in developing countries due to the contribution of interlinked trends in its operations. For instance, one of the important trends is population growth; the population density rate in urban areas was almost 45% in 1995 and it is expected to increase to 60% by 2025; developing countries have a massive share of this rate of about 90% (Road Management Engineering Journal, 1998). Furthermore, any increase in the population leads to an increase in transport problems, such as car ownership – which has risen in developing countries in recent years along with an increase in the number of personally owned cars; this also relates to economic growth (Gakenheimer, 1999). The number of vehicles with two or three wheels is also rising, especially in Asia (Gwilliam, 2003). These vehicles are characterized by easy mobility and affordability, but they are also a primary source of pollution (Abuhamoud et al., 2011). The absence of suitable public transportation to match the population growth is another issue. This failure to develop these services is associated to its contrast with capital costs. Hence, another phenomenon emerges which is a city’s sporadic growth without following a regular pattern. It makes it difficult for people to gain use from mass transportation and means that the city needs additional provisions for public transport and to improve the access to transport. However, these transportation trends are influenced strongly by environmental and social standards which are completely linked to life quality and production. These involve â€Å"congestion, energy consumption, air pollution, and traffic crashes† (Road Management Engineering Journal, 1998). 2. Transport problems The fundamental social and economic actions are people’s mobility and commodities. For this purpose, cars and trucks are the most common and important means of transportation used worldwide and their numbers have grown massively in developing countries; especially in cities where conventional transport is incompatible with the city structure development and road infrastructure. Consequently, the system is exposed to a number of problems (Transport Policy Advisory services, 2010). According to Gwilliam (2003), the problems of transport systems in developing countries are traffic congestion, environmental issues, safety and poverty. 2.1. Congestion This phenomenon is common in developing countries, especially in megacities. The rate of urban growth and increasing car ownership has produced excessive congestion in developing countries. Few cities reach the rate of car use and congestion as those in developed countries, according to the per capita income (Kutzbach, 2009). As Gwilliam (2003) states, congestion makes a reduction in the average travel speed in the daytime in the city centre. For instance, in Bangkok, Manila, Mexico and Shanghai it dropped to 10km/hr or less, and 15km/hr or less in Kuala Lumpur and Sau Paulo. These resulted in increased travel time and a decrease in accessibility. In Rio de Janeiro and Bogota the average travel in one-way roads is 107 and 90 minutes respectively (Gakenheimer, 1999). Notwithstanding this, the number of cars in the majority of developing countries did not exceed 100 cars per 1000 persons, while in developed countries this has overtaken 400 cars per 1000 persons (Kutzbach, 2009). Car ow nership growth in non-OECD countries is conceivable to be faster than population growth; it reaches 15-20% (Gwilliam, 2003). According to Abuhamoud et al. (2011) there is a complex relationship between urban growth and transport services. Currently about 50% of the population live in cities and this is raising increasingly, and developing countries share approximately 95% of this growth (Candiracci, 2009). It has also to be shown that as the city grows, the distance from home to the worksite is increasing with a lack of appropriate transport and road facilities (Abuhamoud et al., 2011). As a result, car ownership and congestion is inevitable. In this context, Africa makes up about 14% of the planet’s population, equivalent to about one billion people; in 2007 the urban population rate was 38.7% with the change of 2% per year from 2005 to 2010, and the increase of vehicles during these 5 years was observed. Urbanization could be observed at a higher level in North Africa, which was more than 80% and in Libya, South Africa and Botswana more than 55% but the countries still faced a lack of road facilit ies and poor vehicle quality (Abuhamoud, ibid). This type of urbanization can also be noticed in Asia. For example, China is exposed to a rapid urban growth which is currently about 43% and is associated with the country’s rapid economic growth. It is expected that this figure will increase to 70% in 2050. This is due to people’s immigration into urban areas which will affect the economy because the city energy consumption will be higher than rural areas. This will also be another factor contributing to the overall city congestion (Cheng and Hu, 2009). As Dargay at el., (2007) presents, the overall vehicle stock was 0.8 billion in 2002, but this is expected to increase to about 2 billion in 2030, of which 56% of vehicles will be owned by developing countries; this was 24% in 2002. Consequently, vehicle ownership growth may cause excessive congestion which can lead to side effects on the transportation system. Much more can be done to combat congestion, such as: encouraging markets to be more active in supplying goods in active areas; improving transport quality between cities; stopping transport subsidies in cities; improving road management and structure by devoting a sufficient land for roads; improving traffic management and improving planning institutions (Gwilliam, 2003). According to Kutzbach (2009), reducing costs and the wait period in bus stations by rising bus frequency can cause an increase in bus users, and then mass transit would be improved and congestion will decrease. Also, improving rail transport could offer a further option (Gakenheimer, 1999). 2.2. Environment problems Transport and movement have a direct impact on the environment of cities in developing countries. As a result, it impacts on human health. According to studies conducted in Bangkok, Cairo, Mexico City, Quito and Santiago, small matter particles are common and when their volume is less than 2.5 microns of lead this can inflict serious damages to the public health. In addition to this, the level of NO2 is still lower then WHO guidelines outline and there is also a high level of SO2 that is coming from increased coal use. This can damage the ozone which can be considered another threat to people’s health, especially in Mexico City and Santiago (Gwilliam, 2003). According to Transport Policy Advisory services (2010), transport growth and congestion leads to an increasing in the consumption of oil which means an increase in CO2 emissions which directly causes environmental pollution. As Candiracci (2009) states, pollution can cause the of death of people worldwide; for instance, about 6500 people in Mexico and 170000 to 280000 a year in China are facing life threatening situations because of these conditions. Furthermore, urban transportation is the main cause of increasing noise which is another type of pollution. Transport contributes about 25% of overall energy using and is continually increasing. The CO2 emissions from 1990 to 2004 have grown by almost 36.5% and it is expected to increase to approximately 140% in 2050 with the greatest increase coming from developing nations (Transport Policy Advisory services, 2010). CO2 emission from vehicles did not exceed 6% in tons; however, it impacts 32% of people. Urban transport is the main sourc e for 80-90% of lead spreads in these cities (Gwilliam, 2003). Additionally, there are a large number of motorcycles with 2 to 3 wheels which provides a wide range of transportation needs in Africa. For example, in Togo these vehicles provide 80% of transportation requirements, but also pollute the environment (Abuhamoud et al., 2011). It is also common in most Asian cities where it makes up about 75% of the fleet in Hanoi (Gwilliam, 2003). Generally, the poor environment condition is an outcome of the high levels of congestion in developing countries. The structure of today’s transport seems unsatisfactory in the sustainability point of view, this is mainly by the reason of its disadvantages to the environment and to humanity’s health (Transport Policy Advisory services, 2010). The environment can be improved by working to improve the quality of vehicles, implementing the honest â€Å"inspection and maintenance (I/M) programme†, using new motorcycle technology, improving system management and non-motorized modes, and running the â€Å"own-price elasticity for gasoline consumption† (Gwilliam, 2003). 2.3. Safety Safety is also another problem of transport systems in developing countries that is directly related to transport crashes and criminal accidents which occur on roads or its surrounding. The amount of people who are fatally injured due to road transport accidents is almost one million people annually, while 85% of this figure is in developing countries and 50% in urban areas. However, pedestrians and cyclists are exposed to safety issues much more than cars and those who ride on mass transport such a buses and trains. Accidents can remain a side effect on the victim’s psychological state and can affect the rate of travel and journeys made (Gwilliam, 2003). The bad quality of roads and vehicles in developing countries are the main reasons for safety problems, environment pollution, and congestion. For instance, the roads in the majority of cities in Africa are congested with motorcycles, which is the vehicle that is involved in the most accidents. This is primarily because a dri ver license for a motorcycle is not mandatory in this country (Abuhamoud et al., 2011). Public safety is also influenced by other aspects of road transport, such as air pollution, which is directly related to human health. Another impact on safety is insufficient pedestrian space which should be as far as the road space. This has been applied in most cities in China. The deficiency of bicycle paths in developing countries also decreases road safety (Transport Policy Advisory services, 2010). However, transport safety and security can be improved by considering a number of interactive approaches. Studies indicate that most traffic accidents in developing countries occur in the mid-link of roads and at junctions (Gwilliam, 2003). Therefore, road safety can be enhanced through improving road quality and developing road space that is suitable enough for all road users. 2.4. Poverty The distributional impacts of transport developments which have declined to an unusual degree are another significant issue faced in developing countries. Poor people live in areas that have a lack of transportation facilities. Poor people depend on walking although and public transport services are not as required, therefore, walking or non-motorised vehicles such as bicycles are the main modes of transportation (Gwilliam, 2003). Poorer people tend to make fewer trips poor, take longer on their journeys and have worse safety. Studies have shown that in poorer areas there are 20 to 30% fewer journeys. These journeys take longer due to the lack of roads and transport for pedestrians at all times. The poor people in Rio de Janeiro spend on average more than 3 hours commuting to reach the worksite (Transport Policy Advisory services, 2010). Better safety for poorer people can be achieved through the introduction of a number of actions such as the provision of better quality transport which can increase the opportunity for poor people to access jobs, also improving the non-motorised and pedestrians’ path surface and pavement design could help safety issues. Subsidizing the public transport sector to raise attention to public passengers and their available means of transport would also help benefit poor people, as would the construction of non-motorised transport network in cities (Gwilliam, 2003). 3. Transport and life As the Transport Policy Advisory services (2010) states, the concept of urban transport problems appears to be important because it is directly linked to the sensitive and essential spheres of life, such as the environment, society and economy. The transport can impact the environment through pollution emissions, especially in urban areas. Thus, it affects biodiversity. Transport impacts social life because it is strictly associated with accessibility levels, clean air, noise effect, and traffic accidents. However, there is also a strong relationship between transport and the economy in which it impacts on goods and people’s mobility. Accordingly, in implementing any program for the purpose of transport sustainability it should be taken into account what necessitates the satisfaction of all these elements. 4. Transportation and the Future 4.1 Climate Change The transport sector is defined as a rapid growth source of greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, the monumental increase of motorization and car ownerships has influenced economic growth which leads to the occurrence of a big change in greenhouse gas emissions, where this increase then causes global warming and climate change (Wright and Fulton, 2005). Climate change may be seen as a considerable problem which faces transportation currently and also in the future (Chapman, 2007). However, while there are modes of public and non-motorized transport in developing cities, the poor quality of public transport and the inadequate service for non-motorized and pedestrians encourages people’s tendency to use private cars (Gwilliam, 2003). This then causes an increase in greenhouse gas emissions which represent a main reason of climate change occurrence. According to Wright and Fulton (2005), the greenhouse emissions from the transport sector globally is estimated to be about 24% , which grows 2.1% annually, and grows 3.5% in developing countries. It is expected to increase by about 30% by 2030. Therefore, the impacts may include dramatic weather changes, increasing sea-levels, floods and health risks in the long-term. Therefore developing countries should work to sustain the current public and non-motorised transport to develop future sustainable transport. As the Road Management Engineering Journal (1998) states, to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the future by 2050, the CO2 emissions needs to be cut by 50% globally. This goal can be achieved through â€Å"improving fuel technology† and finding a â€Å"mode-shifting solution† (Wright and Fulton, 2005). 4.2. Peak Oil Peak oil is another issue worth mentioning. It is strongly related to transportation in terms of fuel consumption. In 2003 the rate of demand of oil increased by 3% which is equivalent to about 101 million barrels annually (Aleklett, 2007). The decline in production of oil in the three greatest exporters – Saudi Arabia, Russia and Norway – is estimated to be 4 to 6 million barrels per day by 2030, and the implications of an enormous oil shortage will appear in the transportation sector by the same year (Aleklett, 2007). Human health is influenced by these changes in economic and social aspects, more than which results from policy interferences. However, the peak oil impacts on the economy in terms of increasing the demand and price of oil, also impacts on increasing transport prices and the freight of food, goods and medicine. Therefore, it can create a health crisis even if half of the spare oil has been spent. In contrast to this, there are positive impacts such as the reduction of congestion and pollution emissions which can reduce climate change (Hanlon and McCartney, 2008). Conclusion: It is felt that transportation problems vary from other problems plaguing the developing countries due to it is worsening with economic development. Vehicle ownership growth may cause excessive congestion which leads to side effects on the transportation system wholly. The congestion can be reduced through improving the road quality and public transport, thereby increasing safety and decreasing environment pollution. The environment can be improved by improving vehicle quality, implementing the inspection and maintenance system (I/M), using new motorcycle technology, non-motorized modes, and running the own-price elasticity for gasoline. It is recommended that implementing any program for the purpose of transport sustainability should take into consideration the elements affecting the environment, society and the economy. It is recommended that developing countries should work to keep the current public and non-motorised transport running, in order to developing future sustainable transport and to protect the climate and the energy. References Abuhamoud, M. A. A., Rahmat, R. A. O. K., Ismail, A. (2011). Transportation and its concerns in Africa: A review. The Social Sciences 6(1), pp. 51-63. [online] http://docsdrive.com/pdfs/medwelljournals/sscience/2011/51-63.pdf [accessed October 22th 2013]. Aleklett, K. (2007). Peak oil and the evolving strategies of oil importing and exporting countries (No. 2007-17). Discussion paper. [online] http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/jtrc/DiscussionPapers/DiscussionPaper17.pdf [accessed October 26th 2013]. Candiracci, S. (2009). Climate change, urbanization and sustainable urban transport in developing country cities. Energy transport Policies Section. [online] http://www.unhabitat.org/downloads/docs/7997_10872_Sara%20Candiracci.pdf [accessed October 24th 2013]. Chapman, L. (2007). Transport and climate change: a review. Journal of transport geography, 15(5), pp. 354-367. [online] http://www.boku.ac.at/fileadmin/_/nachhaltigkeit/Klimafreundliche_Arbeitsmobilit%C3%A4t/Chapman_2007_Transport_and_climate_change_a_review.pdf [accessed October 26th 2013]. Cheng, H., Hu, Y. (2010). Planning for sustainability in China’s urban development: Status and challenges for Dongtan eco-city project. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 12(1), pp. 119-126. [online] http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2010/em/b911473d/unauth#!divAbstract [accessed October 25th 2013]. Dargay, J., Gately, D., Sommer, M. (2007). Vehicle ownership and income growth, worldwide: 1960-2030. The Energy Journal. pp. 143-170. [online] http://www.xesc.cat/Et2050_Library/attachments/Imp_Vehicles_per_capita_2030.pdf [accessed October 25th 2013]. Gakenheimer, R. (1999). Urban mobility in the developing world. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 33(7), 671-689. [online] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856499000051 [accessed October 22th 2013]. Gwilliam, K. (2003). Urban transport in developing countries. [online] Transport Reviews, 23(2), 197-216. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01441640309893#.Umwm7XCb55g [accessed October 20th 2013]. Kutzbach, M. J. (2009). Motorization in developing countries: Causes, consequences, and effectiveness of policy options. Journal of Urban Economics, 65(2), pp. 154-166. [online] https://webfiles.uci.edu/kutzbach/www/Kutzbach_Motorization_2008.pdf [accessed October 23th 2013]. TranSafety, (1998). Strategies for Solving Urban Transportation Problems in Developing Countries. Road Management Engineering Journal. [online] 1-800-777-2338 http://www.usroads.com/index.html [accessed October 22th 2013]. Transport Policy Advisory Services, (2010). Callenges of urban transport in developing countries- a summary. [online] http://www.sutp.org/ins-pol-supporting-docs?download=391:challenges-of-urban-transport-in-developing-countries-a-summary [accessed October 20th 2013]. Wright, L., Fulton, L. (2005). Climate change mitigation and transport in developing nations. Transport Reviews, 25(6), pp. 691-717. [online] http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/messages/downloadsexceeded.html [accessed October 26th 2013]. Wright, L., Fulton, L. (2005). Climate change mitigation and transport in developing nations. Transport Reviews, 25(6), pp. 691-717. [online] http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/messages/downloadsexceeded.html [accessed October 26th 2013]. How to cite Sustainable Transport Policy, Essay examples

Operations Management Logistic Systems

Question: Discuss about the Operations Management for Logistic Systems. Answer: Introduction The inventory and purchase management is one of the most important job functions in an organization (Monczka et al., 2015). It is a powerful tool in the management of the organizational workflow. The organization needs to purchase new materials from time to time or replace the old materials in the organization. There are a variety of tasks in this Purchases Department such as purchase requisition, receiving of the goods, management of inventory workflow and the configuration of the warehouse. This report is supposed to be prepared by the Inventory and Purchase Manager and intended to be submitted to the CEO of Brisbane Outdoor. Current Purchasing and Inventory Management Process The current inventory processes at the Brisbane Outdoor was decentralized with minimal policies and regulations. The decentralized inventory tends to respond in a better manner in the event of emergency situations (Van Le et al., 2013). This is because if there is any natural disaster in one inventory location, then the other warehouse would not be affected. The current purchasing processes were based on mutual cooperation, goodwill and common-sense. There were no strict defined procedures and policies that were implemented for the inventory and purchase management (Van Le et al., 2013). The management of Brisbane Outdoor adopted some bad management practices in the inventory and purchase domains (Van Le et al., 2013). The decentralized approach made the stores to operate autonomously and independently. There was minimal cooperation between the stores as they were functioning independently (Salcedo et al., 2013). The branch managers had little interactions with them and they were unaware of the other stores operational processes. There was no uniformity in the availability of the product brands (Salcedo et al., 2013). The different stores demonstrated different range of products, which created confusion among the internal as well as external stakeholders of the company (Salcedo et al., 2013). The individual inventory stores had different management style. The stores had different SKU (Stock Keeping Unit), Stock Out and New Old Stock, which they maintained separately (Sharma Malhotra, 2015). The primary functions of the individual stores include the identification of the stored materials, receipt of all incoming materials, inspection of the products and material handling (Sharma Malhotra, 2015). The branch manager is also responsible for proper storage as well as preservation of the materials. He is also responsible for stores accounting, inventory control and stock taking of the particular store (Sharma Malhotra, 2015). There are two types of stores such as physical and functional. The company engages in segregating its operations based on these two categories. The functional store involves the segregation of the materials as per the purpose of its use (Sharma Malhotra, 2015). The physical store is meant for materials as per their structure, size, weight or location. Advantages of decentralized inventory management The company believed that the decentralized inventory management has certain advantages. They can perform the storing function as well as the controlling function easily. There will not be a delay in the material handling job function. There is less chances of inventory loss by the incident of fire as the geographical locations of the warehouse are different (Stadtler, 2015). There is no need of internal transportation costs that requires the finished products to be shifted from one location to the other (Stadtler, 2015). It is possible for the organizations to fulfill the needs of the individual departments easily (Stadtler, 2015). This is because the individual inventories were managed by individual branch managers (Stadtler, 2015). The organization also believes that they can reduce the costs associated with the handling of the materials (Stadtler, 2015). The decentralized inventory management has several advantages such as the personnel are aware of the local factors in the particular market. They are also aware of the upcoming events in the local area. This enables them to launch special promotional activities which would be best effective if done in a local area (Schmitt et al., 2015). They may also be aware of the requirements of the local customers. It is also easier for the senior management of the organization to delegate responsibility to the store personnel (Schmitt et al., 2015). The effective delegation of the responsibility would make the managers work harder and satisfy the organizational goals (Schmitt et al., 2015). There is quick decision making process as the divisional managers do not waste time in sending information to the top management (Schmitt et al., 2015). The divisional managers are closer to the regular operation of the business operations hence they can make better decisions (Kotler et al., 2015). It is eas ier for the top management to concentrate on the strategic business issues (Schmitt et al., 2015). It becomes easy for the business to evaluate the performance of the products. The managers can allocate the resources to a particular division in a convenient manner (Schmitt et al., 2015). The decentralized store options are able to meet specific events as well as needs of the organization. The local forecasting is usually more accurate (Bowersox, 2013). There is less number of issues which are caused by the communication networks (Bowersox, 2013). There is more input and subsequently better output. The branch manager is open for decision making activities and can devise innovative solutions for the organizational issues (Bowersox, 2013). There is accelerated decision making and there is quick implementation of the decisions as it takes place in the primary areas for business (Bowersox, 2013). It becomes convenient for the organization to spot the actual problems in the store. This makes the businesses to identify the weak links in the organization and take corrective actions accordingly. This increases the overall efficiency of the organization. Disadvantages of decentralized inventory management There are several disadvantages of the decentralized inventory process. The lack of expertise of the managers is a serious issue in a decentralized inventory process. The branch manager may not have sufficient years of experience in managing the store. He may fail to understand the big picture of the organization (Belin Forc, 2012). He may continue to focus on his store only and ignore the overall organizational goals. This inventory process promotes an unhealthy competition in the organization. The branch manager of one store may compete with his counterparts in other branches in an irrational manner (Belin Forc, 2012). It may foster an environment of negative competition in the same organization, which becomes a concerning issue for the top management. There are instances when these managers engage in unethical activities in order to be ahead of the competition, which causes bad reputation for the organization (Chopra Sodhi, 2014). In this form of inventory management, the local control can pose serious problem for the organization. They operate on a subjective basis using the traditional methods. They often refuse to adopt the sophisticated tools (Belin Forc, 2012). There are also chances that they over react to the certain situations where there is a strong bias for local inventories (Belin Forc, 2012). There can also be higher costs involved in the purpose of supervision. There is involvement of more space required for setting up the individual office stores. The decentralized inventory management has some pitfalls for which they are not always accepted by the organizations. There may involve high amount of investment, especially during the initial years (Chopra Sodhi, 2014). There can also be higher cost involved in the maintenance of stationary as well as employees. There are times when a lot of time is taken for the purpose of stock taking and maintaining of the purchasing inventory. The decision making of the local manager will be influenced by the local view of the organizational operations (Chopra Sodhi, 2014). There may also be some procedural differences in between the areas of authority as the local branch manager would customize the business decisions as per the local needs (Ward Peppard, 2016). There may be increased influence of the local cultures on the overall functioning of the organization (Chopra Sodhi, 2014). There may be issues in the recruitment activities at the local level. The organization may not find suitable manpower that can perform the specific tasks of the organization. Implementation of Inventory Management concepts The effective management of the inventory remains at the core of the excellence of supply chain management (Christopher, 2016). The organization usually has to manage a wide number of inventories which ranges from the raw materials to the finished goods. There are other work related process, partner inventories and others. They have to be aware of the market forces of demand and supply (Christopher, 2016). The company must strive to keep adequate levels of stocks while reducing the investments of the company (Wisner, Tan Leong, 2014). It should also aim for increasing the efficiency of the supply chain processes. This can be done by the implementation of the following concepts- Effective stock management should be done by keeping in mind the stock reviews, fixed time, economic order quantity, Just in Time and other standard formulas (Methot Wetzel, 2013). It is important to define the type of stocks as well as define the supply chain processes. There are usually four types of stocks involved such as raw materials, finished goods, unfinished products and consumables (Christopher, 2016). There must be implementation of stock security measures that would protect the stocks from theft and damage (Christopher, 2016). There can be damage due to several reasons of damage such as burglaries, fire, pests or insects. There should be stock replenishment which is important considerations for the company if they wish to maintain adequate stock levels (Wisner, Tan Leong, 2014). The maximum as well as minimum levels for the items needs to be determined along with the stock rotation practices (Wisner, Tan Leong, 2014). There must be adequate handling as well as packaging of the stocks such as correct packaging materials, careful handling, complete seals, use of proper bands and others (Korponai, Bnyai Ills, 2014). There should be optimum storage conditions for the inventory of the company. There should be adequate humidity control, temperature control, protection from pests and protection from sunlight (Wisner, Tan Leong, 2014). The application of the above concepts would help the company to increase organizational efficiency with reasonable investment. Recommendations Ms. Green should concentrate on restructuring of the inventory structure of the company. It is essential to create strict inventory policies that would be beneficial for the organization. The organization should adopt a centralized operation of the inventory so that it becomes convenient for the company to manage the purchasing function. There should be adequate cooperation as well as communication in between the business processes. The senior management should allow proper communication channels between the branch managers. The organization should manage the investment sources of the company. There should be integrated operational approach for the inventory management function. There should be interconnection between the purchasing functions of the company and there should be rationalization of the inventory process. The linkages should be established in a logical manner so that the organization can gain from it. What How Who When Centralized approach One source of operation Purchase Manager 6 month Cooperation Meetings Operation Manager 1 month Communication Online Seminars Senior management 1 month Investment source Networking Accounts Department 2 month Integrated operational approach Support from managers Operational Head 2 month Fig: Action Plan Source: Created by author Conclusion The operation management is one of the most important functions of the management. This report showcased some of the core concepts of the inventory management as well as purchase management. The current situation of the case study is reviewed along with the identification of operational issues. The advantages as well as disadvantages of the decentralized inventory management are discussed. The processes that can be followed for improving the efficiency of the inventory management are discussed. The concluding part of the report discusses about the recommendations for Ms. Green as well as action plan for implementing the suggestions. References Belin, J., Forc, H. (2012). Supply chain management of blood products: A literature review.European Journal of Operational Research,217(1), 1-16. Bowersox, D. J. (2013).Logistical excellence: it's not business as usual. Elsevier. Chopra, S., Sodhi, M. S. (2014). Reducing the risk of supply chain disruptions.MIT Sloan Management Review,55(3), 73. Christopher, M. (2016).Logistics supply chain management. Pearson Higher Ed. Korponai, J., Bnyai, ., Ills, B. (2014). The Effect Of Different Packaging Concepts On Logistical Costs And Stocks.Advanced Logistic systems,8(2), 35-50. Kotler, P., Keller, K. L., Manceau, D., Hmonnet-Goujot, A. (2015).Marketing management(Vol. 14). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Methot, R. D., Wetzel, C. R. (2013). Stock synthesis: a biological and statistical framework for fish stock assessment and fishery management.Fisheries Research,142, 86-99. Monczka, R. M., Handfield, R. B., Giunipero, L. C., Patterson, J. L. (2015).Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Salcedo, C. A. G., Hernandez, A. I., Vilanova, R., Cuartas, J. H. (2013). Inventory control of supply chains: Mitigating the bullwhip effect by centralized and decentralized Internal Model Control approaches.European Journal of Operational Research,224(2), 261-272. Schmitt, A. J., Sun, S. A., Snyder, L. V., Shen, Z. J. M. (2015). Centralization versus decentralization: Risk pooling, risk diversification, and supply chain disruptions.Omega,52, 201-212. Sharma, S., Malhotra, A. (2015). Safety stock calculations and inventory analysis: a practical approach for the FMCG case in a South-East Asian country.International Journal of Advanced Logistics,4(3), 131-144. Stadtler, H. (2015). Supply chain management: An overview. InSupply chain management and advanced planning(pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Van Le, D., Huynh, L. T., Claudiu, K. V., Achim, M. (2013). The impact of inventory sharing on the bullwhip effect in decentralized inventory systems.Logistics Research,6(2-3), 89-98. Ward, J., Peppard, J. (2016).The Strategic Management of Information Systems: Building a Digital Strategy. John Wiley Sons. Wisner, J. D., Tan, K. C., Leong, G. K. (2014).Principles of supply chain management: a balanced approach. Cengage Learning. Zhao, Y., Zhao, X. (2015). On human decision behavior in multi-echelon inventory management.International Journal of Production Economics,161, 116-128.