Strategic Management - Staples Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Management - Staples - Essay Example The company’s financials of 2010 reveal a disappointing result with only about 1.1% increase and sales accounting to $24.55billions. Stock prices of Staples fell by 7% in 2010. Staples end its financial year in January like most retailers and it was revealed that its quarterly net income for 2011 dropped by 28% and revenues slipped to 3.8%. Further, office supplies tend to represents about 50% of its revenue and business machines represent next 30% while the remaining revenues are derived from office furniture and computers. Going back to its history, Staples was founded in 1985 by Thomas G. Stemberg and Leo Kahn and a year later they opened its first store. The original mission of Staples was to slash the costs, eliminate hassles of running an office and to make it easy for the customers to buy office products. In a way Staples was counted among the top office product companies (Grewal, 2008, p.459). SWOT Analysis Strength: Staples is considered to be the largest office Suppl ies Company Practices world class supply chain activities, extensive network of its retail stores along with strong relationship with its customers Strong marketing exposures leading the company to successfully create and embed into popular culture such as â€Å"Yeah, we’ve got that† and many more. ... opportunity which Staples should utilize and apply to its business model in order to stay ahead of its competitors and create a stable market share Strategic acquisitions will help the company in boosting its sales and enhancing its brand value Threats Intense competition from other brands which have created a brand name and image and provides Staples with tough competition Economic slowdown can also be treated as a threat as it might lead to low sales and revenue for the company New entrants into the sector pose a threat for Staples New Vision & Mission The new vision for the company will be to provide its customers with best experience both in offline and online modes of shopping and thus create a benchmark for itself, to help the company grow in the long run with clear, easy to follow, secure payment methods along with quick and fast delivery. This vision would be appropriate in the current situation because Staples is expanding its business into the online sector and deriving a v ision statement which showcases that it is into online retailing, will further enhance the brand value and also put a list of its goals in the statement. The new vision states that the company not only wants to become the best online site, but also offer a list suggesting ways in which they would operate. The current mission statement for Staples will be to work for the betterment of the people and the society and create a global presence. External Assessments Economic forces In general, the demand for office products is highly correlated with measures such as white collar employment, national GDP, spending of small sized businesses. In the sluggish economy, businesses and consumers tend to cut back on spending in order to save money and purchase few suppliers affecting the sale of Staples

How have groups of scholars cited the Qur'an to support their Research Paper

How have groups of scholars cited the Qur'an to support their different stances on prophetic immunity from sin - Research Paper Example Controversies arise when the revelations of God (the power that is incomprehensible to mind) are interpreted and discussed by the mind-level scholars. This is true of scholars of any religion and Islam is no exception. No scholar can reach the divine heights of prophets and as such common agreement for their different stances is impossibility. The followers of Islam have their inspiration and guidance from twin sources. â€Å"The norms and assumptions that have characterized belief and action in Islam have their initial inspiration in two foundational sources. One is scriptural, embodying the message revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad and recorded in the Qur’an. The second is the exemplification of that message in the perceived model pattern of the Prophet’s actions, sayings and norms, collectively called the sunna.† (Nanji, n.p.)) For Muslims Qur’an is the ultimate scripture, its revelations are inviolable; it contains direct communication from God. The contents of Qur’an are not debatable; as such there is no question of difference interpretations as for those revelations. Sunna comes next in the order of preference in the sense it contains historical, but divinely inspired contents as guided by â€Å"Prophet Muhammad, whom the Muslims believe that he is the last in the series of messengers from God.†(Nanji, n, p.) He is the final religious authority for the Muslims. â€Å"The late Fazlur Rahman, noted University of Chicago scholar of Islamic thought and modernist Muslim thinker, argued that in its initial phase Islam was moved by a deep rational and moral concern for reforming society and that this moral intentionality was conceived in ways that encouraged a deep commitment to reasoning and rational discourse.†(Nanji, n.p.) Qur’an is the revelation of God and it cannot be compared or estimated with the measuring scale of reasoning. Here is the origin of conflict between the scholars. Because most o f the scholars speak and write from the mind-level and they are not connected to the divine source. When revelations are weighed in the scale of human reason, the results are not going to be divine. Rational understanding and divine understanding are poles apart. Human beings may explain about their connectivity, which is not there in real terms. â€Å"The relationship between the Qur’an and the life of the Prophet, as a model of behavior, was also elaborated to create a legal framework within which values and obligations could be determined.†(Nanji, n.p.) But when the scholars intervene, no two scholars have ever given identical opinions on any contentious issue. Every scholar cites Qur’an but interprets its revelation in the light of the reasoning that one visualizes. Different stances of the scholars regarding prophetic sins need to be understood in this context. Prophetic immunity from sin: Truth needs to be followed implicitly when it has been accepted as t ruth. Truth is complete and there is nothing like partial truth. When the implementing authorities of truth, the Prophets especially chosen for the assignment, there is no question of deviation from the path of truth. They are expected to dutifully deliver truth to humankind. God has chosen them with a purpose and he has the detailed backgrounder information about the ones he has chosen. â€Å"However, Jonah (pbuh), for instance, deliberately abandoned his divinely ordained

The Consumption Of Alcohol

The Consumption Of Alcohol INTRODUCTION Public Health is the science of protecting and improving the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention. In order to develop programs that protect the health of your family and community, public health professionals analyse the effect on health of genetics, personal choice and the environment. It is concerned with threats to health based on population health analysis. The dimensions of health can encompass a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, as defined by the United Nations World Health Organization. Overall, public health is concerned with protecting the health of entire populations. These populations can be as small as a local neighbourhood, or as big as an entire country. The interdisciplinary approaches of epidemiology, biostatistics and health services, incorporates through public health. Environmental health, community health, behavioural health, and occupational health are other important subfields. The consumption of alcohol can have beneficial or harmful effects depending on the amount consumed, age and other characteristics of the person consuming the alcohol, and specifies of the situation explained by Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2005). Alcohol means neutral spirits distilled at or above one hundred ninety degrees proof, whether or not such product is subsequently reduced, for nonindustrial use. The term alcohol, unless specified otherwise, refers to ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is a thin, clear liquid with harsh burning taste and high volatility. Alcoholic beverage means any liquid suitable for drinking by human beings, which contains one-half of one per cent or more of alcohol by volume. Alcohol drinking is an integral part of family, social and occupational life for many people in the UK. While low to moderate consumption is not associated with excess risk, and may even be beneficial, excessive consumption, particularly in young people, is a growing cause for concer n to policy-makers, health and social care professionals, and the public, it was assessed by Smith and Foxcroft (2009). Why it is a Public Health Issue? Alcohol misuse not only affects physical, emotional, but also social aspect of a person and an individual means the public. According to Faculty of Public Health (2008), for centuries and many people use it rationally although alcohol has been part the culture; its misuse has become a serious and worsening public health problem in the UK. The misuse of alcohol whether as chronically heavy drinking, binge-drinking or even moderate drinking in inappropriate circumstances not only poses a threat to the health and wellbeing of the drinker, but also to family, friends, communities and wider society through such problems as crime, anti-social behaviour and loss of productivity. It is also directly linked to a range of health issues such as high blood pressure, mental ill-health, accidental injury, violence, liver disease and sexually transmitted infection. Concept of Public Health The two most common measures of disease in populations are prevalence and incidence. Sometime both terms are used in the description of a disease or disease outbreak. Prevalence, which has already been mentioned, is the member of people who have a disease at a given time; that is the number currently suffering from the disease or disorder. Incidence, on the hand, is the number of new cases of a disease, such as the other hand, is the number of new cases of a disease, such as influenza, being higher than usual for the year. This indicates the number of new cases is higher than what is typically expected, whereas a report indicating increased prevalence would mean the number of existing cases is higher asses by Evans. Epidemiology is the science that looks at the relationships between diseases occurring in populations and groups, typically in an attempt to reduce risks and, compress morbidity into the last years if the populations life span. Life span is the limit of natural life such that through all supports and efforts one has lived as long as is possible. Life expectancy means something different, in that this term applies to the average length of life one may live based on gender, race, where one lives, and so on. Alcohol Consumption and Trends There were several surveys discusses the trends of alcohol consumption. Some says it decreases and others increases, but according to The NHS Information Centre (2010), drinking behaviour among adults and children in England, in 2008: 71% of men and 56% of women (aged 16 and over) reported drinking an alcoholic drink on at least one day in the week prior to interview. 11% of men and 6% of women reported drinking on every day in the previous week. 38% of men drank over 4 units on at least one day in the week prior to interview and 29% of women drank more than 3 units on at least one day in the week prior to interview. 22% of men reported drinking over 8 units and 15% of women reported drinking over 6 units on at least one day in the week prior to interview. The average weekly alcohol consumption was 16.8 units for men and 8.6 units for women. 28% of men reported drinking more than 21 units in an average week. For women, 19% reported drinking more than 14 units in an average week. 18% of school pupils aged 11 to 15 reported drinking alcohol in the week prior to interview; this figure is lower than 2001, when 26% of pupils reported drinking in the last week. 48% of pupils said they had never had a proper alcoholic drink, compared to 39% in 2003. Pupils who drank in the last week consumed an average of 14.6 units In 2006 to 2008, young people in London were less likely to have drunk alcohol in the last week (39%) than young people living in any other Government Office Region (51% to 63%) Knowledge and attitudes to alcohol In 2009, 90% of Great Britain (GB) respondents reported that they had heard of measuring alcohol in units. There has been an increase from 54% in 1997 to 75% in 2009 in the proportion of people in GB who had heard of daily drinking limits. Throughout the period, differences between men and women have been slight. Pupils in England aged 11 to 15 are becoming less tolerant of drinking and drunkenness among their peers. For example, in 2008, 36% agreed that it was OK for someone of their age to drink alcohol once a week, compared with 46% in 2003. Over the same period, the proportion who thought it was OK for someone of their age to get drunk once a week also fell, from 20% to 12%. Alcohol Misuse and other drinking patterns The use of alcohol for a purpose not consistent with legal or medical guidelines called alcohol misuse. There are different patterns in drinking alcohol; one is harmful drinking, alcohol use that causes damage to physical and/or mental health. Harmful use commonly, but not invariably, has adverse social consequences. Hazardous drinking is a pattern of alcohol use that increases the risk of harmful consequences for the individual. In contrast to harmful use, hazardous drinking refers to patterns of use that are of public health significance despite the absence of any current disorder in the individual user. A pattern of drinking that exceeds some standard of moderate drinking said to be a heavy drinker. In the UK, heavy drinking is defined as consuming eight or more units for men and six or more units for women on at least one day in the week. Lastly, moderate drinking, an inexact term for a pattern of drinking that is by implication contrasted with heavy drinking. It denotes drinking that is moderate in amount and does not cause problems. Drinking among Young People Young people are less well equipped than adults to cope with the effects of alcohol, physically and emotionally. The same amount of alcohol will have a much greater effect on the body of a child or young person than on an adult, because their bodies are still growing and developing. Also, a young person doesnt have the experience needed to deal with the effects of alcohol on judgement and perception. But, according to NHS federation survey (2009) it shows that in a recent survey, 14% of 15 and 16 year olds in the UK had been drunk 20 times or more during the last 12 months and 50% have been drunk at least twice. And 58% of 15 year olds who had drunk alcohol recently had suffered negative consequences such as getting into an argument, been ill, missing school, been injured or in trouble with the police. Among those aged 15 and under, 18% had drunk alcohol in the previous week Diment et al (2009). Although the proportion of schoolchildren who have never had an alcoholic drink has risen (from 39% in 2003 to 48% in 2008), those who do drink are consuming more. Between 2007 and 2008, mean alcohol consumption among young people aged 11 to 15 (specifically, those who had drunk alcohol in the previous week) increased from 12.7 units (102 g) to 14.6 units (117 g) Diment et al (2009). Regional analysis shows that consumption is highest among those living in the North East (17.7 units) and the North West (16.3 units). It is lowest in London (11.3 units) The NHS Information Centre (2010). In addition, nearly 10,000 children and young people (under the age of 18) are admitted to hospital each year as a result of their drinking Department for Children, Schools and Families (2009). It is a major problem knowing the new generation are being exposed to this public health issue. By their innocent knowledge, they will be victims that in the longer term, drinking can have a negative effect on a young persons school work, social life and friendships, as well as their general health. Theyll also be in trouble if they break the laws about buying and drinking alcohol. Effects on Health and Social Services Alcohol is associated with a wide range of criminal offences in addition to offences of drunk driving and drunkenness; in which drinking or excessive drinking defines the offence. Alcohol-related crime has been a matter of great public concern for some years. Public concern about alcohol-related crime often relates to offences: involving a combination of criminal damage offences, drunk and disorderly and other public order offences involving young males, typically 18-30, but increasingly, also young females often occurring in the entertainment areas of town and city centres. In the table above explains the effects of alcohol to deaths of people from 2000- 2009. The average of 15 to 19 per 100,000 populations died in a year for males and 7 to 9 for females. According to NHS guidelines (2011), harmful drinking and alcohol dependence cause many mental and physical health problems, and social problems. In England, 4% of people aged between 16 and 65 are dependent on alcohol (6% of men and 2% of women). More than 24% of the English population (33% of men and 16% of women) consume alcohol in a way that is potentially or actually harmful to their health or wellbeing. Alcohol misuse is also an increasing problem in children and young people. Current practice across the country is varied, which leads to variation in access to a range of assisted withdrawal and treatment services. A shown an upward trend of hospitals stays in relation to the cause of drinking alcohol from 2002- 2009. Alcohol plays a part in and around work, both as a perceived antidote to the pressures of the modern workplace and as a way to socialise or network with clients and colleagues. However, drinking can reduce the productivity of the UK economy in a number of ways. This occurs through: increased sickness absence: drinking 7+ (for women) or 14+ (for men) units per week raises the likelihood of absence from work through injury by 20 per cent; the inability to work (unemployment and early retirement); and premature deaths among economically active people (people of working age). Combined, these three factors account for a total alcohol-related output loss to the UK economy of up to  £6.4bn. Alcohol misuse tends to change the roles played by family members in relation to one another, and to the outside world. Most families operate some form of division of labour one person managing the familys finances, the other supervising the children, one doing the gardening, the other doing the cooking, and so on. But as one member of the family develops more of a drink problem, the other members are likely to find themselves having to take over his or her role themselves. Eventually, one member may be performing all the roles finances, disciplining, shopping, cleaning, household management, and so on. Another area of family functioning which is often affected by alcohol and alcohol misuse relates to the kind of communications that takes place between family members. It may be that the partner with the problem refuses to talk about it, even though it is clearly beginning to dominate his or her, and the families, life. Alternatively, alcohol may loosen the tongue and things might b e said which would not have been said in a sober state. Or again, alcohol can itself become the main topic of conversation Public Health Need and Practice The prevention of alcohol misuse can benefit 9 out of 10 adults drinking varying amounts of alcohol, therefore the Models of Care for Alcohol Misusers recommends that service planners for alcohol misuse should focus first upon the needs of the hazardous, harmful and dependent adult alcohol misusers. There are national media campaigns currently underway, which seek to raise awareness amongst the general population of the impact of excessive drinking on themselves and others. It endeavours to ensure consistent messages about sensible drinking are conveyed and that there is greater clarity for individuals understanding themselves how much alcohol they consume. The public should continue to be made aware of the harms associated with alcohol and have access to information about what is available locally through clear and accessible patient information. There is a commitment in public health to develop a programme for improving alcohol treatment services based on an audit of demand and the Models of Care framework, funded via the pooled treatment budget of substance misuse DOH (2004). Alcohol treatment is currently provided by GPs and specialist addiction services, but most alcohol treatment services in England are found in the voluntary sector DOH (2005). In recent years there was an emphasis on the treatment for misuse of class A and B drugs, rather than alcohol. This has led to underfunding of services for alcohol misuse and the waiting time for treatment is much longer for alcohol misuse than for drug misuse HAGA (2008). Government Policies In the UK, the prevailing view is that a reduction in alcohol consumption to sensible or lower risk levels is sufficient even for those people who are dependent on alcohol. In 2004, the Department of Health published Choosing Health, the Alcohol Needs Assessment Research Project (ANARP) DOH (2004), and the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England, followed in 2005 by Alcohol Misuse Interventions; Guidance on developing a local programme of improvement DOH (2005a). The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy (2007) DOH (2007) reviewed progress since these publications and outlined further action to be taken to reduce alcohol-related ill-health and crime. The Greater London Alcohol and Drug Alliance (GLADA) recently released a statement of priorities for alcohol in the capital. These are based on 3 strategic objectives: To reduce alcohol-related harm to health, through awareness-raising, early intervention and better access to treatment and support To reduce alcohol-related crime and disorder and anti-social behaviour through continuing to improve the management of the night-time economy and tackling the links To reduce the risk of harm to children and young people as a result of their own or others drinking through developing alcohol work within targeted youth support and the Every Child Matters agenda There is a guidelines set by the UK Government provide advice on daily and weekly maximum alcohol consumption levels. The guidelines recommend that men should not regularly drink more than three to four units of alcohol per day, and women should not regularly drink more than two to three units of alcohol per day. In terms of weekly limits, men are advised to drink no more than 21 units per week, and women no more than 14 units per week. Even though, theres limit in alcohol consumption people still exceeds for own wants. In Britain, the amount of pure alcohol sold per adult rose from 9.53 litres in 1986/87 to a peak of 11.78 litres in 2004/05, before dropping to 11.53 litres in 2007/08 HM Revenue and Customs (2008). This approximates to 22 units (176 grams) per week for each person aged over 15 years. In 2007, 72% of men and 57% of women in England had an alcoholic drink on at least 1 day during the previous week. In addition, 41% of men and 35% of women exceeded the daily recommended limits on at least 1 day in the previous week Robinson and Lader (2009). In order to deal with a problem, someone must first recognize that the problem exists. Because denial is the first and best defence, being able to recognize the need to cut back is crucial to being able to overcome it. Take short breaks from alcohol, learn to say NO, stay active to find diversion. Watch out for temptations and do not give up were advices from an article beating the bottle. Given the high number of potential stressors in society today, maintaining a strong control over oneself can be a very difficult task. Self-control is a key element to functioning at school, work or in social situations. It is a mostly learned and developed attribute of an individuals daily life. Conclusion A greater clarity on the prevalence of alcohol misuse based on local intelligence, resources and funds dedicated to alcohol misuse, mapping of referral pathways, service providers and development of referral protocols should be prioritised by the Alcohol Strategy Group. Workforce training and development in order to provide alcohol services across the public and voluntary sector is essential to delivery of effective interventions in an effective and equitable manner. Working with the industry is vital to achieve reductions in alcohol misuse in a sustainable manner. Although drinking alcohol here in UK is somewhat tradition, or its in the culture. Because in every gathering theres alcohol and even in a regular meal includes alcohol. People needs and discipline to control not to abuse alcohol should be considered. In terms of health education, it would be useful to determine what young children want to know and how they would like this information to be delivered. Greater knowledge of the influence of the family on drinking is required. Word Count: 3,145

Comparing the Hero in Sophocles Oedipus the King, Homers Odyssey, and

Heros in Sophocles' Oedipus the King, Homer's Odyssey, and Tan's Joy Luck Club      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In world literature, there are two types of archetypal protagonists, the mythic hero and the tragic hero. Mythic heroes, like Homer's Odysseus, represent the combination of superhuman virtues and human imperfections. These traits create a supernatural adventure with a realistic character. The mythic hero is favored by divine powers and eventually achieves a certain goal or completes a certain journey. On the other hand, there is the tragic hero, like Sophocles' Oedipus. The unfortunate tragic hero has a penchant for attempting to escape a doomed fate. The tragic hero lives under the shadow that the gods place. Literature throughout the expanse of time has hovered around the lives of the mythic and tragic heroes. Contemporary novel The Joy Luck Club explores these themes as well. The two characters, Lindo Jong and Ying-ying St. Clair, exemplify the polar extremes of mythic vs. tragic.    Both mythic heroes and tragic heroes must pass through a series of set obstacles and wind their way toward a certain goal. The major difference between the two archetypes is how the protagonist reaches the end. Mythic heroes transgress through their journey with optimism and a building sense of accomplishment. Tragic heroes operate on the slant of pessimism and failing attempts to escape from a worse fate. To put it more clearly, the mythic hero tries to run toward success, while a tragic hero tries to run away from failure. In this sense, the story's attitude, the protagonists' control on fate, and the divinely ordained sequence of events work together to form the type of hero that takes the lead.    Odysseus, hero of... ...ea House 1988 Graham, A. J.   "History and Heros," Princeton 1999 Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: 1996 Lucas, D. W., ed. Aristotle: Poetics. Oxford: Oxford U-Clarendon P, 1968. Sophocles.   "Oedipus Rex."   An Introduction to Literature, 11th ed.Eds. Sylvan Barnet, et al.   New York: Longman, 1997. 800-836. Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. Vintage Contemporaries. New York: A Division of Random House, Inc., 1991. Tracy, Stephen V., The story of the Hero. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, c1990.   PA4167 .T7 1990

Social Reflections of Slumdog Millionaire Essay

In the dramatis personae system in India. there is really small room for societal motion. It is really difficult for person born in a lower caste to travel up to a higher caste and get away the slums. Even if person who is born hapless plants hard and becomes monetarily affluent. they will still non be accepted by a higher caste. They may hold money but they will be populating in the same country with the same people as he or she has had to make their whole life. The increasing popularity of an American telecasting show in India. as portrayed in Slumdog Millionaire. is consistent with more and more citizens valuing pecuniary wealth over all else. It besides shows that the population doesn’t want to hold to work hard for their money. They want easy. fast money that involves really small attempt. Hence the popularity of the telecasting show. Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Not merely does a show like this promote pecuniary values over life experience and difficult work. but it besides makes Heroes out of people merely for going affluent. Many Indians were glued to their Television sets as they watched Jamal. a immature adult male from the Slums. drama to win six million rupees. They turned Jamal into a hero. merely for being affluent. They cheered him on as it is announced that he has won. non even cognizant that the money ne'er mattered to Jamal. He valued something much more cherished than physical wealth. He valued his life experience. hard-work and love above everything else. Society now yearss cheers person who did non hold to work for their money over person who has worked hard for what they have.

Morning Routine

A morning routine is something everyone can relate to and must endure. The variables involved are as numerous as there are people in the world. Everyone has his or her own routine but not everyone has detailed this process in a flowchart design. The following will discuss my morning routine, the variables affecting the process, and how to improve the process and decrease the amount of time preparing for and traveling to work. Time spent on each task provides a general overview of each operation with commute time chosen as the metric for the various routes listed. Process Factors  Run-Time and Set-up Time Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilano, (2006), define run-time as, â€Å"†¦the time required to produce a batch of parts† (p. 163. ) In this essay, I equate run-time to those areas that require action (tasks or operations. ) Furthermore, Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilano, (2006), define setup-time as, â€Å"†¦the time required to prepare a machine to make a particular item† (p. 163-164. ) I liken setup-time to the time required to prepare for each task or operation. Last, Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilano, (2006), define operation-time as,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the sum of the setup-time and run-time for a batch of parts†. In this scenario, operation-time will cover the entire flow chart from â€Å"wake-up† to â€Å"arrive at work. † Appendix A outlines my typical morning routine. Variances are few therefore; any changes affect the amount of time spent at each task or decision point. The first item is to wake up and decide whether or not to go to work. If the decision is to stay in bed or stay home, the flowchart is complete and no further actions are necessary. As most mornings are â€Å"get out of bed,† the first task is to walk the dog. Because I do not have a fenced in yard or invisible fence, time must be allocated for this effort. If a fence was put in place, this task would not require action and I would have no need to allocate run-time therefore, reducing the time spent in the morning routine. After walking the dog I change into work attire and eat breakfast. To save run-time in the morning, I allot setup-time the night before for such things as; choosing work attire, placing breakfast items in the kitchen, and preparing lunch for the following day. In this fashion, I am significantly decreasing the amount of run-time required to perform each task in the morning. The task of eating breakfast is static therefore; time spent eating includes time spent listening to traffic reports to prepare for the next task in the chart, which is commute to work. I have the choice of four routes to travel to work and each route has positives and negatives. Setup-time for the commute is negligible and calculating run-time combines time traveled, miles covered, obstacles, e. g. stop signs, stop lights, and vehicle control points. Conclusion A morning routine has numerous variations and an overabundance of obstacles that can divert the most stringent process design. By decreasing setup-time, run-time for each task is affected positively allowing a shorter operation-time. A major decision point in Appendix A revolves around the choice of route to travel based on the mornings traffic report. I will measure the four routes listed and account for obstacles such as number of stop signs and traffic lights, school zones, miles from point A (home) to point B (work), and time required traversing each path. The metric of choice is time and how best to reduce the time commuting to work each day.