Desirees Baby - A Short Story by Kate Chopin :: Kate Chopins Desirees Baby

"Desiree's Baby'', is about a young lady who was nameless and abandoned as a child. Desiree was a child who's future was uncertain until she was found by the Valmonde family. During this time of the Valmondes' life, they had not been blessed with any children, therefore they took in Desiree and raised her as their own child. From the very beginning of the story, I knew that this would be something that I would enjoy. The Valmonde's taking in this child as their own, is two blessing in one. Desiree gets the love and support that she needs from parents; and the Valmonde's get a child that they are now able to give love and support to. Growing up to become a a beautiful lady, she attracted the attention of Armand Aubigny Armand was a neighboring plantation owner and bearer of one of the finest names in Louisiana. If I were in Desiree's shoies, I would have thought I was something by dating one of the well-known plantation owners. By this time, Desiree's father was reminding Armand that they didn't know were heritage, but still he insisting on persuing her anyway. Which by the way, that sometimes happens when you find someone that you really like. Regardless of what anyone has to say or tell you about that person you are going to still want to be with them. As time went on, Desiree and Ahmand became united in holy matrimony. To their union a child was born. Now, the problem begins. It wasn't until there was a question about the baby's race, the hardship on the plantation began. Only because her identity resembled that of a slave. While now, she would have to leave the plantation, only because of the outer appreance of the child. When all along, I feel that Ahmand knew that he was the cause of the child African decendency.

Violent Video Games Cause Behavior Problems Essay

Video game violence is an increasing problem in today’s society with violence as one of the most popular themes. Games such as â€Å"Grand Theft Auto† and â€Å"Call of Duty† are among the most popular games and have been scientifically proven to have a major effect on teens. Many people try to argue that there is a difference in the effects between behaviors after engaging with video games. Video games have the same effects as other forms of entertainment, but other forms of entertainment do not get attacked like video games because the other forms are much larger and have a much wider audience. Playing violent video games can alter men’s brain function, cause teens to drive recklessly, and can contribute to aggression. Many people disagree that violent video games cause behavior problems. It seems doubtful to some people that such violence and aggression can be caused from watching flickering pixels on a nineteen-inch television screen. In the scale of t ime, television has existed for less than a wink, and if it is indeed undoing what oral and print cultures have so laboriously built, then those traditions may be far briefer than advertised (Smith). Throughout mankind’s history, each new means of expression has been castigated as the cause of evil in the world such as, books, art, and music (Smith). Some people even believe that violence is linked with aggressiveness and stress rather than with video game violence (Smith). Some may even say, â€Å"If society could just put limits on X, society would have fewer problems with Y.† That is not how life works. People who disagree that violent video games cause behavior problems believe that violence exist because people exist, but their logic is simply not enough (Smith). On the contrary, research on the troubling effects of video games is plentiful and persuasive. There is overwhelming evidence that witnessing and engaging in video game violence is predictive of increases in aggressive behavior. In fact, the research on the effects of exposure to video game violence is in keeping with research conducted over the last half century about the effects on people’s be havior of watching television violence (Wendling). As video games come more engaging, society spends ever-increasing amounts of time playing them (Wendling). In the popular video game â€Å"Grand Theft Auto,† people have the power to solicit prostitutes and then kill them to get their money back, drive down the sidewalk of a virtual city mowing down pedestrians, run around attacking  people at random, and all sorts of other demented activities that would be tragic in real life (Wendling). These types of video games make these specific crimes seem okay. A recent study provides parents, physicians, and scientists with data proving that differences in brain function exist in teens that play violent video games, compared with those who do not (Wendling). Dr. Matthews and his colleagues at Indiana University, Indianapolis, randomly assigned the adolescents to play either â€Å"Medal of Honor,† a violent video game, or â€Å"Need for Speed,† an equally exciting but nonviolent video game, for thirty minutes immediatel y before imaging (Wendling). The group that played the nonviolent game showed more activation in the frontal lobes, and the group that played the violent video game demonstrated less activation in the prefrontal lobes (Wendling). There have been numerous studies since the 1970s demonstrating that adolescents exposed to violent media demonstrate aggressive behavior, but because the adolescents in this study were randomized into two similar groups, the findings go more directly to the question of causation than did previous research (Wendling). Playing violent video games can alter men’s brain function, cause teens to drive recklessly, and can contribute to aggression. There have been multiple studies to prove that playing violent video games can alter men’s brain function. In one study, Dr. Matthews and his colleagues demonstrated the short-term effects of violent video games on brain functioning adolescents (Birk). Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealed decreased activity in areas of the brain involved in inhibition and attention after thirty minutes of game time (Birk). Dr. Matthews saw that there is a decrease in normal blood flow after a week of playing violent video games (Birk). Violent video games could also lead teens to drive recklessly. Some researchers conducted phone interviews with more than five-thousand teenagers over the course of four years (Correa). Ninety percent of the teenagers they interviewed responded that they were engaged in risky driving habits, including speeding, tai lgating, weaving through traffic, and running red lights (Correa). It is clear that the video game exposure preceded the risky driving because the study began when the participants were playing video games but were too young to drive (Correa). Numerous racing video  games make it look cool to drive recklessly, which can cause a great impact on teens to drive in this manner. Lastly, video games can contribute to aggression. School shootings, such as the infamous event at Columbine High School, have stimulated interested in research on the violence of boys and men (Levart). One focus, the effects of violent video games on aggression, has begun to yield some empirical results (Levart). Today, videogames are highly engaging and interactive, putting players in a first-person perspective where they must make a decision to perform a violent act prior to performing the act (Levart). Effects of long-term exposure of violent video games include personality change and beliefs that aggression is an acceptable way to handle a problem (Levart). This may have so mething to do with the obvious that the objective in most video games is to kill. Video game violence is an increasing problem in today’s society with violence as one of the most popular themes. Playing violent video games alters men’s brain function, could cause teens to drive recklessly, and can contribute to aggression. Many people try to argue that there is a difference in the effects between behaviors after engaging with video games. To some, it seems doubtful that such violence and aggression can be caused from playing video games on a nineteen-inch television screen. There are others who totally disagree with that logic. People do not just watch video games, but they interact with them. Works Cited Wendling, Patrice. â€Å"Violent Video Games After Brain Functioning in Imaging Study.† Clinical Psychiatry News Jan. 2007: 39. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Birk, Susan. â€Å"Playing Violent Video Games Alters Men’s Brain Function: From the Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.† Clinical Psychiatry News Jan. 2012: 16. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Correa Frances. â€Å"Games Inspire Reckless Driving.† Clinical Psychiatry News Oct. 2012: 28. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Levart, Ronald F. and Kimberly D. Thomas. â€Å"Does the Endorsement of Traditional Masculinity Ideology Moderate the Relationship between Exposure to Violent Video Games and Aggression?† Clinical Psychiatry News Oct. 2012: 20.1. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Smith, Mark. â€Å"Video game backlash?† Technology & Learning Nov. 2005: 6. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.

The Problems With The Overuse And Overdependence On...

The Problems With the Overuse and Overdependence on Technology Today The ever growing technology that humans use as a part of their modern day life is a disputable issue. Some individuals believe that the contribution of technology has made a positive impact on present-day life and improves the quality of life for people. Others see that the contribution of technology has negatively impacted modern life and that technology is a power that has gotten out of human control. In today’s world it seems that kids are born with technology in their blood. From the time kids are born they begin to use and depend on technology. Technology is beginning to dominate school classrooms. It is taking over people’s social relationships with their family, friends, and partners. All of the different elements of technology are really taking a toll on children s, as well as adult’s, mental health and the function of their brains. A small amount of technology use for legitimate reason s is healthy, but it is easy to overdo it. â€Å"The average American spends about 10 hours and 45 minutes plugged in per day† (Dodgen-Magee) An individual s overuse and/or overdependence on technology is damaging to individuals, families, and societies. Children are becoming hooked on technology from a very young age. Parents begin to use technology such as television as entertainment for their children as soon as they can focus on it. â€Å"On average, children from birth to 23 months old are watching 55 minutesShow MoreRelatedOver-dependence on Technology Essay855 Words   |  4 Pages(Tran). All around the world, technology has taken over the lives of many, especially children. Each year younger children are being introduced to new technology to help them learn and grow, but the effects of this may be different from what is expected. Rather than seeing growth, the overuse of technology is leading to many issues, including a decline in creativity, less active lifestyle s, and difficulty falling asleep. The growing overdependence on and overuse of technology is affecting young childrenRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Technology1541 Words   |  7 PagesToday, about 9 in 10 Americans use the Internet and 77% of Americans own a smartphone. Compare these statistics to the early 2000s when 5 in 10 Americans were online and in 2011, when only 35% of Americans owned a smartphone. Just a few decades ago, the technology we have today were merely ideas in science fiction novels or gadgets seen in a futuristic movie. There is no doubt that technology use has increased dramatically within this decade and these numbers may continue to rise as technology becomesRead MoreEffect Of Smartphones On Teenagers1570 Words   |  7 PagesTeenagers Any given teenager has their own insecurities or social ills, however, are smartphones the paraphernalia leading to teenagers being easily able to not think for themselves along with feeding their issues, fears, and desires? As the use of technology has reached an all-time high, the dependence on smartphones has peaked as well. Scientists, especially psychologists, have taken an interest in the uprising of the interconnected world as some believe the constant access to smartphones is harmlessRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pages978-0-13-612100-8 1. Management—-Study and teaching. 2. Management—Problems, exercises, etc. Kim S. II. Title. HD30.4.W46 2011 658.40071 173—dc22 I. Cameron, 2009040522 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ISBN 10: 0-13-612100-4 ISBN 13: 978-0-13-612100-8 B R I E F TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Preface xvii Introduction 1 PART I 1 2 3 PERSONAL SKILLS 44 Developing Self-Awareness 45 Managing Personal Stress 105 Solving Problems Analytically and Creatively 167 PART II 4 5 6 7 INTERPERSONAL

Introduction to Slavic Mythology

Early Slavic mythology has been a challenge for historians to study. Unlike many other mythologies, there is no existing original source material because the early Slavs left no records of their gods, prayers, or rituals. However, secondary sources, mostly written by monks during the period in which the Slavic states were Christianized, have provided a rich cultural tapestry woven with the mythology of the region. Key Takeaways: Slavic Mythology The old Slavic mythological and religious system lasted for about six centuries, until the arrival of Christianity.Most Slavic myths feature gods who have dual and opposite aspects.A number of seasonal rituals and celebrations were held according to agricultural cycles. History It is believed that Slavic mythology can trace its roots back to the Proto-Indo European period, and perhaps as far back as the Neolithic era. The early Proto-Slav tribes split into groups, consisting of the East, West Slavs, and South Slavs. Each group created its own distinct set of localized mythologies, deities, and rituals based upon the beliefs and legends of the original Proto-Slavs. Some of the Eastern Slavic traditions see some overlap with the gods and practices of their neighbors in Iran. The Svantevit-Stone in the church in Altenkirchen. Heritage Images / Getty Images The predominant Slavic indigenous religious structure lasted for about six hundred years. In the late 12th century, Danish invaders began to move into the Slavic regions. The Bishop Absalon, an advisor of King Valdemar I, was instrumental in replacing the old Slavic pagan religion with Christianity. At one point, he ordered the toppling of a statue of the god Svantevit at a shrine in Arkona; this event is considered the beginning of the end of ancient Slavic paganism. Deities There are numerous deities in Slavic mythology, many of whom have dual aspects. The deity Svarog or Rod, is a creator and considered a father god to many other figures in Slavic mythology, including Perun, a god of thunder and the sky. His opposite is Veles, who is associated with the sea and chaos. Together, they bring balance to the world. There are also seasonal deities, like Jarilo, who is associated with the fertility of the land in the spring, and Marzanna, a goddess of wintertime and death. Fertility goddesses like Mokosh watch over women, and Zorya represents the rising and setting sun at dusk and dawn each day. Rituals and Customs The traditional annual Slavic holiday of Ivan Kupala. SERHII LUZHEVSKYI / Getty Images Many Slavic rituals in the old religion were based on agricultural celebrations, and their calendar followed the lunar cycles. During Velja Noc, which fell around the same time that we celebrate Easter today, the spirits of the dead wandered the earth, knocking on the doors of their living relatives, and shamans put on elaborate costumes to keep evil spirits from doing harm. During the summer solstice, or Kupala, a festival was held involving an effigy set alight in a great bonfire. This celebration was associated with the wedding of the fertility god and goddess. Typically, couples paired off and celebrated with sexual rituals to honor the fertility of the land. At the end of the harvest season each year, priests created a huge wheat structure—scholars disagree on whether this was a cake or an effigy—and placed it in front of the temple. The high priest stood behind the wheat, and asked people if they could see him. No matter what the answer was, the priest would plead to the gods that the following year, the harvest would be so bountiful and big that no one would be able to see him behind the wheat. Creation Myth Maslenitsa, representing winter and death in Slavic mythology. bruev / Getty Images In the Slavic creation myths, in the beginning, there was only darkness, inhabited by Rod, and an egg that contained Svarog. The egg cracked open, and Svarog climbed out; the dust from the shattering eggshell formed the sacred tree which rose to separate the heavens from the sea and the land. Svarog used gold powder from the underworld, representing fire, to create the world, full of life, as well as the sun and the moon. The debris from the bottom of the egg was gathered and shaped to make humans and animals. In different Slavic regions, there are variations of this creation story. They almost always include two deities, one dark and one light, representing the underworld and the heavens. In some tales, life is formed from an egg, and in others it comes out of the sea or the sky. In further versions of the story, mankind is formed from clay, and as the god of light forms angels, the god of darkness creates demons to provide balance. Popular Myths There are numerous myths in Slavic culture, many of which focus on the gods and goddesses. One of the best known is that of Czernobog, who was the incarnation of darkness. He decided he wanted to control the world, and the entire universe as well, so he turned into a great black serpent. Svarog knew that Czernobog was up to no good, so he took up his hammer and forge and created additional gods to help him stop Czernobog. When Svarog called for aid, the other gods joined him to defeat the black serpent. Veles was a god who was banished from the heavens by the other gods, and he decided to get his revenge by stealing their cows. He called up the witch Baba Yaga, who created a massive storm that made all of the cows fall from heaven down to the underworld, where Veles hid them in a dark cave. A drought began to sweep the land, and people became desperate. Perun knew that Veles was behind the chaos, so he used his sacred thunderbolt to defeat Veles. He was eventually able to free the heavenly cows, take them back home, and restore order to the land. In Popular Culture Baba Yaga is one of many Slavic folk characters appearing in pop culture. AlexStepanov / Getty Images Recently, there has been a resurgence in interest in Slavic mythology. Many modern Slavs are returning to the roots of their ancient religion and celebrating their culture and traditions of old. In addition, Slavic myth has made its appearance in a number of pop culture mediums. Video games like The Witcher series and Thea: The Awakening are heavily influenced by Slavic folktales, and Baba Yaga shows up in Rise of the Tomb Raider. In film, Disneys Fantasia features a sequence called Night on Bald Mountain, in which Czernobog is the great black demon, and a number of successful Russian movies like Finest, the Brave Falcon and Last Night all draw from Slavic legends. In the STARZ television series, American Gods, based on Neil Gaimans novel of the same name, both Zorya and Czernobog play important roles. Sources Emerick, Carolyn. â€Å"Slavic Myth in Modern Pop Culture.†Ã‚  Oakwise Reikja, https://www.carolynemerick.com/folkloricforays/slavic-myth-in-modern-pop-culture.GliÅ„ski, MikoÅ‚aj. â€Å"What Is Known About Slavic Mythology.†Ã‚  Culture.pl, https://culture.pl/en/article/what-is-known-about-slavic-mythology.Hudec, Ivan.  Tales from Slavic Myths. Bolchazy-Carducci, 2001.Morgana. â€Å"Creation Stories in Slavic Tradition.†Ã‚  Wiccan Rede, https://wiccanrede.org/2018/02/creation-stories-in-slavic-tradition/.

Racism, Prejudice, And Stereotyping - 850 Words

Racism, prejudice, and stereotyping are major issues in America. Racism is defined as â€Å"a set of beliefs that one’s own racial group is superior to other groups (Benokraitis, 2014, p. 185). The existence of racism comes hand to hand with hate groups. Hate groups are an organized group of individuals who demonstrates hatred against people of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other designated sector of society. One particular hate group that I would like to explore is â€Å"World Church of the Creator†. â€Å"World Church of the Creator† is a white supremacist group that considers itself a religion found on the proposition that the white race is â€Å"nature’s highest creation (ADL- World Church of the Creator, 2001). Hate groups have been around for many years, and don’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon. According to an article in the Washington Post, hate groups have rose for the first time in 2015. Just last year, â€Å"a year characterized by levels of polarization†, there was a 14% spike in hate groups. Hate groups are a danger to everyone because you never know who is participating in hate groups or if you are a target of a hate group. Religion hate groups are not as popular today, as the Ku Klux Klan and Black Separatist groups. The WCOTC is a religious hate group that has been around since the 1973 and still exist today (Chokshi, 2015). The WCOTC was found and lead by Ben Klassen. By the 1990s WCOTC was one of the fastest growing hateShow MoreRelatedStereotyping: The Nature of Prejudice1539 Words   |  7 Pageslot of people understand and have gone through stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. Social Psychologists make a distinction between these by concentrating on either they include emotions, understanding, or attitudes. Racism is the influence, or reaction, visible feature of this triad. Racism includes a contradicting approach into individuals situated on their association in a specific organization. The psychological visible feature is stereotyping. Stereotypes are feelings concerning the characteristicsRead MoreThe Difference Between Race And Racism Essay1037 Words   |  5 Pages Understanding the difference between race and racism is a very controversial topic. Even I am trying to understand the difference between the two words. When individuals think about race the first word that comes to mind is racism, I would think its the same, but it’s not. When exploring the web to differentiate the meaning of these two words, one-word that keeps popping up is â€Å"racism†. The words are so similar which makes this topic difficult to write about, but as my English teacher CoarleeRead MoreThe Psychology Behind Prejudice : Humans Attitude1089 Words   |  5 Pages The Psychology behind Prejudice: Humans’ Attitude Jacinda Knudtson Antelope Valley College Abstract Prejudice is an opinion in which is not based on any reasoning, and may cause harm. Prejudice can be seen just about anywhere, and it affects our daily lives. There are many different ways a person can show prejudice beliefs, but why do they believe things they have never experience? Some may say it’s something personal with one’s self that causes prejudice thoughts, or some may thinkRead MoreA Social Psychological View Of The Help. The Movie, The1423 Words   |  6 Pageshow these women fought racism and prejudice by becoming unified with one another. This paper will address how prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, and inequality affect the characters and their relationships in the story. Prejudice Prejudice is defined as â€Å"negative feelings toward persons based on their membership in certain groups† (Kassin, Fein, Markus, 2014). There are several examples of racial prejudice within the movie, but the most interesting display of prejudice comes between women ofRead More##yping In Brent Stapless Black Men In Public Space1433 Words   |  6 Pagesaffluent White community discriminated against him which led to his changes in regards to his dressing and walking so as to be socially accepted as a member of the community and not as a dangerous black citizen. Staples explores the dangers of stereotyping and how such circumstances affect many races through the skin color perceptions. In one of his experiences, Staples recalls an incidence a white woman increased her pace in his presence as though she was in the presence of a dangerous man suchRead MorePrejudice1230 Words   |  5 PagesPrejudice Presented By: Nor Anisa Bt. Musa What is Prejudice? * Everyone comes face to face with prejudice at some time or another. * Prejudice is when we recognizethat we feel and act less positively towards others. * The roots of prejudice can be found in the cognitive and emotional processes. * Prejudice may be perceived as acceptable and justified * All inequality and differential treatment is not perceived and responded to in the same way. The nature and origins of streotypingRead MoreThe Origins Of Racism1281 Words   |  6 PagesThe origins of racism in our individual lives are difficult to trace. Our everyday lives are polluted with racist jokes, unfair treatment, and inequality. As well as negative stereotypes that create disadvantages, in the work place, education, and in public. We are constantly surrounded by this polluted air and must face these disadvantages. No matter what race, color, class or gender we are, we have a voice and the ability to counteract racism and prejudices and eliminate the racial smog that surroundsRead MoreEssay on Is Stereotyping Inevitable?1740 Words   |  7 PagesPrejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping are important topics at the cause of debating within social psychology. A stereotype is a generalization about a group of people, in which certain traits cling to all members, regardless of actual individual variation (Akert, Aronson, Wilson, 2010). As humans, people assign o bjects and individuals into categories to organize the environment. Individuals do this for not only organization, but also survival. Is stereotyping inevitable? That is theRead MoreStereotypes, Conformity, And Discrimination1742 Words   |  7 PagesPrejudices and Discrimination in American History X Abstract Stereotyping, prejudice, conformity, and discrimination are well portrayed in the movie American History X. The negative attitude held by Derek towards to black people is greatly influenced and learned from his father who was a racist. Derek also transfers these prejudice attitudes towards his younger brother Danny as he grows up seeing the racism practiced in his family and his brother. Although these attitudes are based on propagandaRead MoreEssay on Defining Racial Discrimination?775 Words   |  4 PagesFor discrimination to occur both power and prejudice need to come together, forming barriers that oppress a person or group of people deemed inferior. Discrimination can be intentional or unintentional. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines racism, as the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities, and produces an inherent superiority of a particular race. Racial discrimination refers to discriminatory actions based on race or skin color. Racial discrimination can

Difference in Sunni and Shia Muslims Free Essays

The difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims is not Islamic beliefs or spiritual differences, but politics. The division of Sunni and Shia Muslims started after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Sunni Muslims believed that the new leader of the Muslim nation should be elected out of those most capable of the job. We will write a custom essay sample on Difference in Sunni and Shia Muslims or any similar topic only for you Order Now Shia Muslims believed that leadership should be passed to his cousin or son-in-law. The leader was elected out of those most capable of the job. Abu Bakr was the first Caliph of the Islamic nation. The word â€Å"Sunni† in Arabic means â€Å"one who follows the traditions of the Prophet. † The word â€Å"Shia† in Arabic means â€Å"a group or supportive party of people. † They are also known as â€Å"followers of the Prophet. † Shias believe that Imams are descendants of the Prophet. Sunnis accept that the first four Caliphs were followers of Mohammad, but do not grant any kind of divinely inspired status to their clerics. Afghanistan is made up of 84 percent Sunnis and 15 percent Shias. Most Pashtuns are Sunni Muslims, while most Hazaras are Shia Muslims. In â€Å"The Kite Runner† Amir and Baba are Sunni Muslims and Hassan and Ali are Shia Muslims. Hazaras are generally Shia Muslims and Pashtuns are generally Sunni Muslims. They have different beliefs but between Amir and Hassan it does not make a difference. Hassan is called derogatory names by Assef and some others because he is a Hazara and a Shia Muslim. Amir is not because he is a Pashtun and a Sunni Muslim. How to cite Difference in Sunni and Shia Muslims, Papers

Operations Management Inventory Management

Question: Discuss about the Operations Management for Inventory Management. Answer: Introduction The retail industry of Australia is growing at a tremendous pace that results in an increase in the competition. Currently, the changes in the market trends have enforced the leading organisations to make changes in their operational strategies to survive in the battle of immense competition. Furthermore, changes have been noticed in the taste of the customers and the way people buy products from the retail stores. Hence, an effective management of operations has emerged to be a key factor in the success of retail stores in the present business scenario (Horngren, Datar, Rajan, 2012). The government policies have also changed for the retailer businesses in Australia that makes it difficult for any organisation to operate with traditional operations management strategy. Hence, it has become mandatory for any retail business to make necessary changes in the operational strategy and implement competitive tactics to survive and grow in the market. A retail store must provide goods in ti me and offer a variety of products to enhance its positioning in the market. The study has been developed to analyse a given case study on inventory management of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre (Bianco Gamba, 2015). Hence, the primary aim of the paper is to analyse the current supply chain system of the organisation and recommend modern tactics of inventory management and procurement for the development of business. The paper presents the current inventory management and purchasing system of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre. Additionally, it presents a discussion on the pros and cons of the traditional inventory management system. According to the findings, an appropriate supply chain and inventory management system has been presented for the Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre in the paper. Finally, the paper presents proper recommendation of a modern supply chain management system for the Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre to seek competitive advantage in the market (Jaber, 2009). Current Purchasing and inventory management process The existing purchasing and inventory management system of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre can be identified as somewhat old-fashioned, to say the least. As the Purchasing and Inventory Manager at Brisbane Outdoor Power Centres Strathpine branch, it can be identified that the inventory management has been based on Saxons laissez-faire approach (Sepehri, 2011). Meanwhile, in order to maintain the three stores of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre located in Mt Gravatt, Strathpine, and Ipswich (Burt, Starling, Dobler, 2013). In the case of maintaining stocks, the inventory managers of the three identified stores located at different locations have utilised the inventory of the other stores to create a sustainable supply chain management. Currently, the stock maintenance and inventory system of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre look vulnerable to some extent (Schmidt, Foerstl, Schaltenbrand, 2016). Understandably, huge investment is required to improve the current stock maintenance level of the three stores. On the other hand, as the Purchasing and Inventory Manager of one of the stores of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre, it must be mentioned that the existing purchasing and inventory management facility of the enterprise lacks integrated approaches (Adamik, 2008). Apparently, the inventory management system of the stores is looking out of the ordinary in compared to the other retail businesses. Saxons laissez-faire approach has been utilised to promote autonomous functions of the three stores. Moreover, in the case of shortage of inventory, the managers are allowed to shift the inventory as per the demand. Conversely, in the three stores, the product brands may vary due to lack of business regime. Decisively, the other market competitors operated within the same market have not preferred such traditional inventory management system (Lago Roque, 2007). Now, in the case of product purchasing for inventory and stock management, the managers of the three retail outlets have been given the responsibility and authentication to purchase the inventory according to the suitability and limit. Thus, the administration of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre has put the significant responsibility on the managers to dictate purchasing terms (Chalos, 2007). Moreover, being one of the Purchasing and Inventory Managers of the firm, it can be identified that the three stores of the organisation have followed the different level of inventory management that is not suitable for long-term sustainability. Competitive advantages and disadvantages of the currently used process It can be seen from the above analysis that Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre uses a traditional method of purchasing and inventory system. Hence, the traditional supply chain process has certain advantages and disadvantages that influence the business of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre. The primary advantages of the Brisbane Outdoor Power Centres inventory process are the hustle-free operations, minimum investment, and minimum space for inventory. Along with that, the disadvantages of the currently used process are the loss of reputation, shipment delay and poor stock management (Chopra Meindl, 2007). Hence, the advantages and disadvantages of the currently used process of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre are discussed in details as follows: Advantages The advantages of traditional inventory management system are discussed herein below: Hustle-free operations: It can be seen that the inventory manager of every store operates individually. The inventory managers are not responsible for the inventory management of other stores. Hence, the workload of the employees reduces because of small area of operations (Mercado, 2008). Minimum investment: The cost of maintaining inventories reduces because the stores do not offer all products individually. Hence, there is a minimum investment required due to no extra inventory. Furthermore, the stores order products according to the demand of the consumers that minimise the cost of maintaining inventory (Fine, 2013). Minimum space for inventory: There is no need of maintaining a large warehouse of all three stores because the each store orders products individually. Hence, the cost of hiring or maintaining a warehouse reduces (Bag, 2016). On the other hand, the company does not need extra money to pay for more employees to maintain a common inventory. Along with that, the pressure of work for the inventory managers reduces because the inventory is located in the store itself. Disadvantages The disadvantages of traditional inventory management system are discussed herein below: Poor stock: It can be seen that the currently used process of procurement and inventory management of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre provides it with a poor stock, which is not capable of meeting the changing demand of the customers. The customers need to wait for the products to arrive after ordering in the stores that reduces the satisfaction level of the buyers (Mentzer, 2011). Shipment delay: Unorganised ordering of products may lead to delay in shipments that create a chaos for the store managers. The orders that are made after the products are sold may lead to shipment delay. Hence, it is important for any store to manage adequate inventory to meet the growing needs of the customers in time (Handfield Nichols, 2009). Poor reputation: The shipment delay and poor stock may lead to loss of goodwill for the Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre. It is important to provide all types of products to the customers in time to enhance the reputation of the business. Appropriate supply-chain and inventory management system The above disadvantages shows that there is a need of an appropriate supply chain and inventory management system that can reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of maintaining adequate stock for all three stores. An appropriate supply-chain and inventory management system can be achieved by following the below mentioned strategies: Continuous Analysis and Manipulation: There is a need of regular market research for the Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre to estimate the fluctuation of the price of products (Martinez Ramos, 2014). Furthermore, a regular analysis and manipulation of new strategies helps to reduce the cost of inventory and increase the profitability of the company. Just-In-Time Strategy: Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre must use a just-in-time strategy to reduce the cost and space of maintaining adequate stock. On the other hand, the just-in-time strategy will help to increase the reputation of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre in the market. Online Procurement and Inventory system: An online inventory management and procurement system can be utilised that will increase the efficiency of purchasing products (Berman, Krass, Mahdi Tajbakhsh, 2011). It will automatically alert the inventory managers regarding the exhaustion of stocks. Single inventory for all stores: A centralised warehouse can be used to increase the efficiency and cost of maintaining adequate stock. It helps to increase the range of products offered by individual stores of the company. Recommendations for restructuring the purchasing and inventory functions As the Purchasing and Inventory Manager at Brisbane Outdoor Power Centres Strathpine branch, a list of recommendation has been produced in the underlying section that must be utilised by Ms Belinda Green, the new CEO in order to improve the functionality of the three stores. Clearly, modern supply chain management theories, multi-period model, just-in-time inventory models and other professional standards must be developed within the inventory and procurement system to minimise the issues related to inventory management and business productivity. Contemporary Supply Chain Management: Online inventory management system must be promoted within the inventory and procurement management of the three stores to control the stocks and costs of inventory. Thus, the shortage of stocks and product variety can be controlled within the stores. Significantly, such supply chain management can add new dimension in inventory and purchasing facility of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre. Apply Just-In- Time Inventory Model: Through the application of Just-In-Time model, the purchasing of inventory can be suitably maintained in the inventory management without affecting the budget. Invariable, such inventory model can increase the sales of products as well. Apply Multi-Period inventory Model: The multi-period inventory model can be utilised in the three stores of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre to avoid shortage of products. Also, fixed-order quantity model can be taken into consideration for improved inventory management. Tactically, such improved inventory management model can improve the functions of inventory management. Cost efficient contemplation: The recent inventory and purchasing management of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centres outlets lacks suitable supply chain and logistics management. Therefore, the managers must introduce business regime identifying the standardised market suppliers of effective branded products. Moreover, such improved consignment agreements with the suppliers can minimise the cost of inventory and purchasing management. Promote Centralised Warehouse System: As Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre has three different outlets at three different locations, a centralised warehouse system must be recommended for sustainable inventory management. Thus, the inventory budget can be shortened. Clearly, the centralised warehouse facility would keep the balance between the reserved and return products restricting massive or unwanted purchase. Conclusion Under the leadership of Donald Saxon, Brisbane Outdoor Power Centres retail outlets have shown significant business propagation and market penetration. Decisively, the purchasing and inventory management system of the three outlets of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre must be improved in order increase the productivity and sales. Under the current business scenario, Ms Belinda Green, the CEO of the firm must consider the review of the performance level of current purchasing and inventory management system of the firm to make several changes for the betterment of services. Critically, the managers of the outlets must take additional responsibility to promote innovation in the purchasing and stock management. Moreover, Ms Belinda Green must bring some strategic changes to put more investment in the purchasing and inventory management system of Brisbane Outdoor Power Centre. 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