Zychol chemical corporation - case study free essay sample

Read the case â€Å"Zychol Chemicals Corporation† given below and concisely answer the questions that follow at the end of the case study. As a general guideline, please try to limit your answers to a paragraph or two for each of the questions. Bob Richards, the production manager of Zychol Chemicals, in Houston, Texas, is preparing his quarterly report, which is to include a productivity analysis for his department. One of the inputs is production data prepared by Sharon Walford, his operations analyst. The report, which she gave him this morning, showed the following: 2006 2007 Production (units) 4,500 6,000 Raw material used (barrels of petroleum by-products) 700 900 Labor hours 22,000 28,000 Capital cost applied to the department ($) $375,000 $620,000 Bob knew that his labor cost per hour had increased from an average of $13 per hour to an average of $14 per hour, primarily due to a move by management to become more competitive with a new company that had just opened a plant in the area. We will write a custom essay sample on Zychol chemical corporation case study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He also knew that his average cost per barrel of raw material had increased from $320 to $360. He was concerned about the accounting procedures that increased his capital cost from $375,000 to $620,000, but earlier discussions with his boss suggested that there was nothing that could be done about that allocation. Bob wondered if his productivity had increased at all. He called Sharon into the office and conveyed the above information to her and asked her to prepare this part of the report. a) Prepare the productivity part of the report for Mr. Richards. He probably expects some analysis of productivity inputs for all factors, as well as a multifactor analysis for both years with the change in productivity (up or down) and the amount noted. b) The producer price index had increased from 120 to 125, and this fact seemed to indicate to Mr. Richards that his costs were too high. What do you  tell him are the implications of this change in the producer price index? c) Management’s expectation for departments such as Mr. Richards’s is an annual productivity increase of 5%. Did he reach this goal?

Complex Hunters and Gatherers

Complex Hunters and Gatherers The term complex hunter-gatherers (CHG) is a fairly new term that attempts to correct some ill-conceived notions of how people in the past organized their lives. Anthropologists traditionally defined hunter-gatherers as human populations that lived (and live) in small groups and that are highly mobile, following and subsisting on the seasonal cycle of plants and animals. Key Takeaways: Complex Hunter-Gatherers (CHG) Like general hunter-gathers, complex hunter-gatherers do not practice agriculture or pastoralism.They can achieve the same levels of social complexity including technology, settlement practices, and social hierarchy as agricultural groups.As a result, some archaeologists believe agriculture should be seen as less a significant characteristic of complexity than others. In the 1970s, however, anthropologists and archaeologists realized that many groups who subsisted on hunting and gathering around the world did not fit the rigid stereotype into which they were put. For these societies, recognized in many parts of the world, anthropologists use the term â€Å"Complex Hunter-Gatherers.† In North America, the most well-known example is the prehistoric Northwest Coast groups on the North American continent. Why Complex? Complex hunter-gatherers, also known as affluent foragers, have a subsistence, economic and social organization far more â€Å"complex† and interdependent than generalized hunter-gatherers. The two types are similar: they base their economies without relying on domesticated plants and animals. Here are some of the differences: Mobility: Complex hunter-gatherers live in the same place for most of the year, or even for longer periods, in contrast to generalized hunter-gatherers who stay in one place for shorter periods and move around a lot.Economy: Complex hunter-gatherers subsistence involves a large amount of food storage, whereas simple hunter-gatherers usually consume their food as soon as they harvest it. For example, among Northwest Coast populations, storage involved both meat and fish desiccation as well as creating social bonds that allowed them to have access to resources from other environments.Households: Complex hunter-gatherers don’t live in small and mobile camps, but in long-term, organized households and villages. These are also clearly visible archaeologically. On the Northwest Coast, households were shared by 30 to 100 people.Resources: Complex hunter-gatherers do not harvest only what is available around them, they focus on gathering specific and very productive food products and combining them with other, secondary resources. For example, in the Northwest Coast subsistence was based on salmon, but also other fish and mollusks and in smaller amounts on the forest products. Furthermore, salmon processing through desiccation involved the work of many people at the same time. Technology: Both generalized and complex hunter-gatherers tend to have sophisticated tools. Complex hunter-gatherers don’t need to have light and portable objects, therefore they can invest more energy in larger and specialized tools to fish, hunt, harvest. Northwest Coast populations, for example, constructed large boats and canoes, nets, spears and harpoons, carving tools and desiccation devices.Population: In North America, complex hunter-gatherers had larger populations than small size agricultural villages. Northwest Coast had among the highest population rate of North America. Villages size spanned between 100 and more than 2000 people.Social hierarchy: complex hunter-gatherers had social hierarchies  and even inherited leadership roles. These positions included prestige, social status, and sometimes power. Northwest Coast populations had two social classes: slaves and free people. Free people were divided into chiefs and elite, a lower noble group, and commoners, who were free people with no titles and therefore with no access to leadership positions. Slaves were mostly war captives. Gender was also an important social category. Noble women had often high-rank status. Finally, social status was expressed through material and immaterial elements, such as luxury goods, jewels, rich textiles, but also feasts and ceremonies. Distinguishing Complexity The term complexity is a culturally weighted one: There are about a dozen characteristics that anthropologists and archaeologists use to measure or approximate the level of sophistication achieved by a given society in the past or the present. The more research people have undertaken, and the more enlightened they become, the fuzzier the categories grow, and the whole idea of measuring complexity has become challenging. One argument made by American archaeologist Jeanne Arnold and colleagues has been that one of those long-defined characteristics- the domestication of plants and animals- should no longer be the defining complexity, that complex hunter-gatherers can develop many more important indicators of complexity without agriculture. Instead, Arnold and her colleagues propose seven platforms of social dynamics to identify complexity: Agency and authoritySocial differentiationParticipation in communal eventsOrganization of productionLabor obligationsArticulation of ecology and subsistenceTerritoriality and ownership Selected Sources Ames, Kenneth M. The Northwest Coast: Complex Hunter-Gatherers, Ecology, and Social Evolution. Annual Review of Anthropology 23.1 (1994): 209–29. Print.Ames Kenneth M. and Herbert D.G. Maschner. Peoples of the Northwest Coast. Their Archaeology and Prehistory. London: Thames and Hudson, 1999.Arnold, Jeanne E. Credit Where Credit Is Due: The History of the Chumash Oceangoing Plank Canoe. American Antiquity 72.2 (2007): 196-209. Print.Arnold, Jeanne E., et al. Entrenched Disbelief: Complex Hunter-Gatherers and the Case for Inclusive Cultural Evolutionary Thinking. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 23.2 (2016): 448–99. Print.Buonasera, Tammy Y. More Than Acorns and Small Seeds: A Diachronic Analysis of Mortuary Associated Ground Stone from the South San Francisco Bay Area. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 32.2 (2013): 190–211. Print.Killion, Thomas W. Nonagricultural Cultivation and Social Complexity. Current Anthropology 54.5 (2013): 596–606. Print.Maher, Lisa A., Tobias Richter, and Jay T. Stock. The Pre-Natufian Epipaleolithic: Long-Term Behavioral Trends in the Levant. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews 21.2 (2012): 69–81. Print. Sassaman, Kenneth E. Complex Hunter-Gatherers in Evolution and History: A North American Perspective. Journal of Archaeological Research 12.3 (2004): 227–80. Print.

Analysing NetFlix Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysing NetFlix Performance - Essay Example This increased their expenditure on streaming from the US $33 million to the US $200 million per year.On July 12, 2011, they increased their monthly subscription from the US $ 9 to the US $ 15. It takes off after 2003 when the company makes a profit for the first time. Between 2003 and 2009 the growth is steady but slow. The year 2010 find’s the stock taking off in a big way. The reason may be the sudden increase in subscription base or due to the tie-up with Starz Entertainment. The company becomes a dot-com success story. Video rentals are a technology-driven industry. At the time NetFlix entered the market DVD’s were a novelty and were costlier.Internet was also in its infancy. Video Cassettes were the popular medium and it was mostly retail renting. NetFlix made use of the compactness of the DVD and the accessibility of the internet to start online renting, sending the DVDs by mail. Monthly Subscription was another attraction. When the business prospered they tied up with Cable TV operators and Movie producing companies to get new movies at the earliest time. They also made use of the Improvement in the internet speed by offering Movies over the internet by streaming.This meant that no physical media was to be transported and that the user can make his choice online. The Web Portal of the Company also has facilities for registering viewer preferences. Right decisions at the right time and adapting to changing technologies and keeping track of the user preferences are the reason behind NetFlix’s success.The recent dip in stock prices and the negative comments of the customers on the increase in subscription rates are only temporary hiccups.  

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Globalization - Essay Example This essay is a critique of the major driver towards globalization. It offers an explanation of how information and communication technology has contributed greatly to globalization above all the other factors, and how the contemporary society is so much focused towards moving beyond personal and national boundaries to create a link between them and other communities internationally. It mainly focuses on the technological, economic and political drivers towards globalization. The major economic factor that has contributed to globalization is technological advancement. Development in information and communication technology has to a great extent contributed to the integration of communities sharing of information as well as business world wide. For example, the use of internet enables people from all over the world to conduct business and share ideas without meeting. Social interactions through the internet have further contributed to globalization since people can share information cheaply and debate over issues regarding trade (Nye 2002). Dealing through information technology systems is one of the economic segments that have responded positively to advancement in trade. Innovation in communication technology has facilitated economic advancement especially due to the enhancement of the capability of companies to employ labor force from beyond political boundaries. It has led to division of labor globally through the establishment of multinational compan ies (Giddens 2006). They can advertise employment opportunities through the internet, and they can be able to reach people all over the world. Business is also leading people to move global in order to utilize the opportunities in the global market to sell their products. Many of the less developed nations have realized that technological advancement can not be separated from

Kirk Patrick, Kirk Samuda, Analog ; Digital Signals Essay Example for Free

Kirk Patrick, Kirk Samuda, Analog ; Digital Signals Essay Understanding the nature of digital signals, binary, and other multi-level signal types do require an explanation of the two most prominent telecommunications types that exist, and examples of how they are applicable to specific devices, the binary is association and its function. (Please note that the majority of the information below are extracts from various websites, used to validate and support a theoretical premise; on which an understanding of multilevel signals exist. ) Analog and Digital Signals The term analog comes from the word analogous meaning something is similar to something else. It is used to describe devices that turn the movement or condition of a natural event into similar electronic or mechanical signals. For example a non-digital watch contains a movement that is constantly active in order to display time, which is also constantly active. Our time is measured in ranges of hours, minutes, seconds, months, years, etc. The display of a watch constantly tracks time within these ranges. In effect the data represented on a watch may have any number of values within a fairly large range. The watchs movement is analogous to the movement of time. In this respect the data produced is analog data. Digital signals, on the other hand, are distinctively different. Digital signals dont have large ranges, nor do they reflect constant activity. Digital signals have very few values. Each signal is unique from a previous digital value and unique from one to come. In effect, a digital signal is a snapshot of a condition and does not represent continual movement. Binary Association Every electronic signal is broken down into binary language, classified as ‘0’ and ‘1’. The most obvious example of digital data is that communicated on-board a computer. Since a computers memory is simply a series of switches that can either be on or off, digital data directly represents one of these two conditions. We typically represent this on and off status with 1s and 0s where 1 represents an on bit and 0 represents off. The nature of analog is to closely capture the essence of natural phenomenon, with its action and subtlety. Digital data can only attempt to capture natural phenomenon by sampling it at distinct intervals, creating a digital representation composed of 1s and 0s. Obviously, if the interval between samples is too large, the digital representation less accurately represents the phenomenon. If the sampling occurs at too short of an interval, then an inordinate amount of digital resources may be utilized to capture the phenomenon. The changes involved may not be significant enough to warrant so frequent a sampling for accuracys sake. To digitally represent sound authentically, a sample must be taken over 44, 500 times per second. When copying an analog signal from one generation to another, deterioration of the original signal occurs. A prime example is when we copy a videotape. Since video recorders are analog machines, copying a tape several times results in the accumulation of unwanted analog values called noise. Eventually these signals become so evident, that the original analog signal is compromised and the video dub suffers from intense graininess and poor audio sound. Our technology is limited in the transmission and duplication of analog signals because of the infinite number of values that are allowable. Digital signals, however, have basically two values. It is much easier to work with two values rather than an infinite number. Consequently our current level of technology allows us to maintain the original quality of a digital signal. With a value of on or off. Advantages and Disadvantages The main advantage of digital modulation over analog modulation is that in digital modulation, all input and output are in binary form. Anything that isnt a 1 or a 0 is rejected by the modulator. This filters out a lot of noise that analog modulation lets through, which may not be related to the intended message. Advantages Noise immunity Multiplexing(Time domain) Regeneration Simple to evaluate and measure Disadvantages Requires more bandwidth Additional encoding (A/D) and decoding (D/A) circuitry Digital modulation can easily detect and correct noise. Whereas analog modulation has little complexity digital modulation is preferred over analog because it is by far more secure. Digital modulation can easily detect and correct noise irregularities. Analog modulation though complex is minute when compared to digital modulation. Digital modulated signal can travel a longer distance compared to analog modulation. Analog signals have a great advantage over digital signals in that they have a much higher density that can present more refined information. Disadvantages of the system include the tendency to create unwanted variations in the information transmission such as noise, which can occur in random patterns. When a signal is copied and potentially re-copied, each subsequent version exhibits more of the random patterns, making information transmission harder and ultimately causes signal loss. In order to avoid these disadvantages, or at least mitigate their effects, the concept of  modulation can be used. The base signal is modified in some way to help retain the information as it is transmitted. An example of this is when the amplitude of a waveform is altered in what is known as amplitude modulation. Other options for retaining an electric signal over different generations are by using increased shielding or different cable types twisted together.

The American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman :: Death of a Salesman

The American Dream in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Within the tragic play, Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman destroys himself trying to achieve a dream. Yet, the dream that destroys Willy is not one that he has chosen. Willy Loman does not choose this destructive dream because he does not know himself, Willy Loman does not choose a dream at all, one is forced upon him by society. Willy Loman spends the expanse of the play trying to achieve wealth, fame, and the like of others. These ideas epitomize the American Dream, to become a successful, well-liked businessman. Willy's true dream, however, was very different from this. Throughout the play you can see evidence that Willy feels trapped by this dream that he feels obligated to fulfill. Society has dictated to Willy that the American Dream is "the" dream, and no other dream is acceptable. Because of this dictation, Willy abandons his true dream of living on his own, in the country, where he can support himself by farming, and living from the land. The proof of Willy's true dream appears in short scattered bits. "God, timberland! Me and my boys in those great outdoors! Yes, Yes! Linda, Linda!" he cries exuberantly at the idea of moving away from the city. By the idea is quickly killed by the society surrounding him. "You wait, kid, before it's all over we're gonna get a little place out in the country, and I'l l raise some vegetables, a couple of chickens..." once again, society surrounding Willy crushes this dream, his true dream, forcing it back into the subconscious of Willy's mind, where it remains for the duration of the play, only surfacing at a few times, when the dream that Willy is trying to fulfill becomes so horrible that he remembers that he had another dream, or when the false dream is looking as if it might be coming to a close, and he will be able to move on to take on his real dream. In the climax of the play, when Willy realizes that he is loved by his sons, a slight awakening occurs in Willy's mind. He begin to understand that his true dream, of living in the country, is identical to that of his beloved son, Biff. Biff has never been able to follow his dream because of his father pushing him into the false dream of being a businessman.

Decision Making in DHL

Introduction: DHL commits its expertise in international express, air and ocean freight, road and rail transportation, contract logistics and international mail services to its customers. A global network composed of more than 220 countries and territories and about 275,000 employees worldwide offers customers superior service quality and local knowledge to satisfy their supply chain requirements. DHL accepts its social responsibility by supporting climate protection, disaster management and education. DHL is part of  Deutsche Post  DHL.The Group generated revenue of more than 53 billion euros in 2011. I will be discussing DHL from many aspects such as decision making and its effect on the organizational performance from the perspective of Cyert & March and compare it to Bursson theory. Also I will cover Zimmermen theory about rules and apply it to DHL case study. Finally I will examine the macro environment of DHL organization. Body: DHL was the global market leader in internati onal express shipping, overland transport, and air freight, as well as ocean freight and contract logistics.As of April 2011, its network covered more than 220 countries and territories worldwide in 120,000 destinations. It had many awards to its credit (Refer to Exhibit I for the details of awards won by DHL). According to Ken Allen, CEO, Express Division, DHL, â€Å"The express sector is one of the major drivers of global trade and we are excellently positioned to capitalize on this through our services which meet our customers’ domestic and international transport requirements, anywhere around the world. † Formal organization has its own specific function or functions.A university for example has the main function of promoting education. But it also promotes artistic, literary, athletic and other interests of the members. The principal function of the church is religion but it also promotes charitable, ethical, athelitic, recreational, educational and other activiti es. Thus the formal organization may have its latent as well as manifest functions. The formal organization has its own norms or rules of social behavior. Certain conducts are appropriate in certain organization. Formal organization lays down procedure to be followed by the members.Members of an organization have different statuses. Statuses imply division of labor. The division of labor is characterized of all organizations and in a sense; organization is synonymous with the division of labor. Organized actions in a formal organization are possible because of division of labor. Bureaucracy refers to the administrative aspect of the formal organization. It refers to the arrangement of the organization designed to carry out its day to day business. It is represented by a hierarchy of officials who are assigned different responsibilities and provided with different statuses and roles.The formal organization is based on rationality. The rationality of formal organizations has two sourc es- the predominance of rules that have been devised to help achieve definite results and the systematic reliance on knowledge in the operation of the organization. The formal organizations are relatively permanent. Some organizations last for longer time while others perish within a short period of time. According to Zimmerman he illustrates the inadequacy of the rational decision making approach.He shows that members of an organization are far from adhering to the rules and procedures that should inform their decision making; they instead use & understand these rules in everyday work in creative & adaptive ways. He wants to understand how organizational members actually make sense of & understand what these rules mean in practice. Studies assumes and accept the existence of clear rational , objective rules of decision making but are contrasted with actual practice. Zimmerman objects this view; he offers how these rules become alive: how formal plans are used by members to deal wit h every day work activities.He analyses how employees’ use of formal rules is determined by their attempts to achieve their view of their priorities. Activities of bureaucratic actors in a public assistance organization will be examined. To Zimmerman, following rigid or complex procedures impedes effective action. The analysis is concerned with the judgmental work of receptionists in assigning applicants to intake case-workers. This study investigates the variety of practices, operational meaning and situational relevance of policies and procedures for everyday organizational activities.Rules, policies, formal planning Researchers argue that rules and policies are to some degree abstract and general, and should not be treated as idealizations. Rules cannot completely reflect the changing organizational situations. Informal rules and policies usually develop, where personnel modify and redefine the rules in light of operating conditions. The formal plan of the organization is used and interpreted by personnel in a way that best suits their everyday work activities. Usually, procedures and rules are designed to ensure efficient achievement of formally defined goals.However, it is not always practical to strictly follow the rules, because of the ever-changing output of the many interactions of individuals. People use and understand the rules in everyday work in creative and adaptive ways. The chapter wanted to understand how organizational members actually make sense of and understand what the rules mean in practice. Receptionists made sense of the rules in subtle ways, and made decisions about when and how to use them in light of their experience and knowledge of applicants and situations.The problem is then how the formal plan of an organization could be used by its members to deal with everyday work activities and of what are the features that members use to recognize and interpret. Instruct others, about the operational intent & behavioral implications of such a plan. The sense of routine provides employees with: * A way to recognize the exceptional character of a given event. * The good grounds for suspending or otherwise modifying the rule as normally applied Suspension or bending a rule is considered a reasonable solution to minor dilemma.The use of formally prescribed procedure, viewed from the notion of their competent use becomes. * Not a matter of compliance or deviance (behavior) * But a judgmental work providing for the reasonableness of viewing particular action as essentially satisfying the provision of the rule Rules are not hard and fast social facts but are the result of continual interpretation and negotiation which produces an – ever shifting framework to be taken. Rules may be negotiated and changed and new rules also stand over and above organizational actors informing and shaping the emotional life of an organization.Rules are resources for action, but because contexts vary, they do not determine perform ance of individuals or their organization. Industry observers felt that like any other successful company, DHL’s success could be attributed to some of the basic strategies it had adopted: knowing the customers and solving their problems, expanding the business, and creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders. According to company officials, the opening of the new European hub at Leipzig/Halle in 2008 was an example of adhering to that old formula.While deciding on the location of this hub, not only did the DHL authorities focus on optimally locating its facilities, but they also planned for the company’s long-term future. DHL was also faced with having to train large numbers of new personnel. In three years’ time, 2,000 employees were qualified for their respective tasks at the hub. DHL estimated 2,000 employees were working at the hub in September 2008. Their number is expected to rise to approximately 3,500 by 2012. Nearly 90% of the newly employed work ers come from the region around the airport.Two-thirds of them were previously unemployed. Some 7,000 more jobs will likely be created in the surrounding area, bringing the total number of direct and indirect new jobs around the Leipzig/Halle hub to approximately 10,000. In addition, DHL is training young people in the various logistics and IT professions at the airfreight hub. With all the mentioned above DHL is a company who follows and respect the rules and that to succeeds and maintain success. With all the complexity in DHL as a formal organization, decision making can't be that easy as well.The political perspective is clearly identified by Cyert, March ; Miller , where they identified theories of decision making that are concerned with politics (Coalition aspect) ; processes (Problemistic search) where an activity is only initiated by an immediate problem rather than an orderly systematic process of search and analysis. ( as for Pettigrew). Here, Pettigrew view organizations and decision making as a political arena in which:; Political behavior follows the unequal distribution of resources ; the creation of specialized loyalties and perspectives thru organizational differentiation.Organizational units with different or conflicting interest, loyalties and mindsets struggle for advantage with obvious implications for the nature and outcome of decision making. Political activity is central to organizational structures and processes: divisions of interest result from the hierarchical nature of power. Power relations ; politics originate in the structure ; processes of the organization. Structures create specialism's which develop loyalties which in turn breeds politics. The heart of conflict, politics & co-operation is Power.Cyert and March propose two major organizing devices: a set of variable concepts and a set of relational concepts. They claim that Theory performs two major functions: * it is an exhaustive set of general concepts. * it has a set of rel ational concepts The exhaustive set of general concepts, the process of decision making can be analyzing in term of variables that effect organization goals, expectations and the variables that effect organizational choice. Organization goals: A theory of organizational goals considers how goals arise in an organization, how goals change over time, and how the organization attends to these goals.There are two sets of variables affecting the goals of an organization. As the international express business had been growing steadily over the previous few years and assuming that it would continue to expand in the future as well, the Leipzig/Halle site had developed the potential to become a crucial junction for the express and logistics specialists. At the same time, DHL considered an additional starting and landing capacity in Central Europe to be necessary, as the company’s existing European hub in Brussels had reached its threshold limit.The organization visions of labor becaus e individuals have limited capacities, and limited time, to devote to any particular aspect of the organizational system, such limitations constrain the bargaining process. As an adaptive response, coalition members are motivated to develop mutual control systems, such as the budget and the allocation of tasks by the division of labor and specialization. Set variables influence the aspiration-level on any particular goal dimension. There are three variables; the organization past goal, the organizations past performance, the past performance of other ‘comparable’ organization.Organization expectations: Expectations are seen as the result of drawing inferences from available information. Expectations are by no means independent of hopes, wishes, and the internal bargaining needs of subunits in the organization. Therefore a good theory for the organizational expectations should consider variables that affect either the process of drawing inferences or the process by which information is made available to the organization. Organization choice: A theory of organizational choice needs to characterize the process by which the alternatives available to the organization are ordered and selected.Organizational decisions depend on information estimates and expectations that ordinarily differ appreciably from reality. Choice takes place in response or influence. DHL considered an additional starting and landing capacity in Central Europe to be necessary, as the company’s existing European hub in Brussels had reached its threshold limit. Theory as set relational concepts, there are four fundamental concept to understanding of the decision-making process in a modern, large-scale business organization.The quasi resolution of conflict; uncertainty avoidance; problematic search and organizational learning. After we went through decision making, I'll analyze DHL with PEST analysis to understand its macro environment. PEST analysis  stands for â€Å"Polit ical,  Economic,  Social, and  Technological analysis† and describes a framework of macro-environmental factors used in the  environmental scanning component of  strategic management. Political  factors are how and to what degree a  government  intervenes in the economy.Specifically, political factors include areas such as  tax policy,  labor law,  environmental law,  trade restrictions,  tariffs, and political stability. Political factors may also include goods and services which the government wants to provide or be provided (merit goods) and those that the government does not want to be provided (demerit goods  or merit bads). Furthermore, governments have great influence on the  health,  education, and infrastructure  of a nation. In Leipzig/Halle, courier and express services are of vital importance to the efficiency and growth of the Leipzig/Halle economy.With Leipzig/Halle geographical position which is away from the centre of continent al Europe, fast and effective delivery services are essential for Leipzig/Halle businesses involved in international trade. Economic  factors include  economic growth,  interest rates,  exchange rates  and the  inflation rate. These factors have major impacts on how businesses operate and make decisions. For example, interest rates affect a firm's  cost of capital  and therefore to what extent a business grows and expands. Exchange rates affect the costs of exporting goods and the supply and price of imported goods in an economy.Advances in technology and the increasing use of e-commerce, combined with the courier and express sector's commitment to investing in IT, and have cushioned the industry from the worst effects of the recent global slowdown. Social  factors include the cultural aspects and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Trends in social factors affect the demand for a company' s products and how that company operates. For example, an aging population may imply a smaller and less-willing workforce (thus increasing the cost of labor).Furthermore, companies may change various management strategies to adapt to these social trends. In DHL a raft of government measures to tackle environmental pollution and congestion have increased costs for the, largely road-based, express logistics sector. Technological  factors include technological aspects such as  R&D  activity,  automation, technology incentives and the rate of  technological change. They can determine barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence  outsourcing  decisions. Furthermore, technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and lead to  innovation.DHL used satellite-based navigation systems. The company planned to improve the system by including and analyzing more information concerning terms of traffic, traffic lights, and construction sites. Conclusion We co nclude that DHL can't operate without rules, it should consider and fear competition as it should take its decisions rationally without complexity. That by applying the above theories and understand them very well as an organization. I will be summering chapter 6 The Irrationality of Action and Action Rationality of: Decisions, Ideologies and Organizations.A decision is a choice between at least 2 alternatives. Decision making was explained by economists, political researchers as well as, psychologists and sociologists. Some individuals decide and others carry out the decisions. Researchers elaborated in the direction of rationality while other evidence shows that the process does not comply with rationality specially in strategic major issues. People are not clever enough to behave rationally. Therefore decision makers should be carefully selected. Irrationality is inherited in human beings which cannot be changed by training.Decision makers don’t have enough information on the many variables involved. Therefore, information systems may help to improve the process beside caring about objectives and alternative comparison. An action perspective to explain the process is more acceptable. Since leaders don’t only take decisions but also act and induce others to act on them. Since managers act while making decisions rationality of decisions take in consideration practical internal and external norms. Irrationality as a base of organizational actions 1. Searching for alternatives. 2. Estimating Consequences 3. Evaluating Alternatives . Choosing 5. Making Rational Use of Irrationality Rational decisions create irrational procedures from an action point of view. They should be avoided in order for an action to be taken. References: * Salaman, G. (2002) Decision Making for Business, London, The Open University/The Alden Press, Oxford. * Salaman, G. (2001) Business Behaviour in a Changing World: Module One Study Guide, London, The Open University. * http ://www. dhl. com. kw/en/about_us. html * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/PEST_analysis * http://www. sociologyguide. com/organization-and-individual/formal-organizations. php