Rising Costs of the Retail and Funeral Industry

Rising Costs of the Retail and Funeral Industry The retail industry feeds more than 64 million people every day in UK. The retail sales account for  £177.5bn makes 51% contribution to UK economy. It employs 3.8 million people make up 14% employment in UK (IGD, 2015). Figure: Total Retail Spend by Category (Retail Economics, 2016). As the figure shows, the retail industry can divided into several categories. The largest part is food retailer. Clothing also plays an important part in retailer industry. Moreover, the online retailer becomes more and more popular (Retail Economics, 2016). With the development of the technology, the manufacturers have increased labour productivity by 20.7% in the last 10 years while the productivity of the agricultural industry has risen by 20% in the last 25 years (IGD, 2015). Another main growth of the retail industry is depends on the consumer spending. The consumer will be attracted by the discount and the good service. There are a great number of researches to distinguish groups by using different retail strategy. For large business, it has enough finance and ability to achieve economic of scales. Therefore, low cost strategy may be better. For small business, the customer service and product specialization or customization rather than low price may be widely accepted (Megicks, 2011). The SMEs in retail industry are more than any other industry arrives to 318,470 (IGD, 2015). Tesco is the largest retailer in UK consists of  £54.433 million sales. Sainsbury, ASDA is also larger include around 23 million compared with others. Over the years, the market share of the biggest companies in the industry dropped while the discount retailers such as Aldi and Lidl had a really significant growth (Source). Retail: IGD (2015). THE UKS FOOD AND GROCERY INDUSTRY. Available at: 2015http://www.igd.com/Documents/Other%20downloads/Grocery%20Industry%20A5%20booklet%20update%20online%20version.pdf Phil Megicks (2001) Competitive strategy types in the UK independent retail sector, Journal of Strategic Marketing, 9:4, 315-328, [Online] Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09652540110079029?needAccess=true Retail Economics (2016) UK Retail Sales http://www.retaileconomics.co.uk/download/Sample%20-%20UK%20Retail%20Sales.pdf Around  £1billion was estimated to be gained with over 600,000 funerals taking place in UK funeral market annually (UK Funerals Online). The price is varies enormously due to the Funeral directors professionalism. The industry is worth  £1.7bn every year. According to the Office for National Statistics, The death rate rose at its fastest pace since 1968 (Financial Times, 2016). The death rate in the United Kingdom increased in 2012-2013 also supported the industry growth (IBISWorld, 2016). The two UK market leaders of funeral group are the Co-operative Group (CWS Ltd) and Dignity Caring Funeral Services (Dignity Plc). The Co-operative Group (CWS Ltd) has over 675 branches across the UK and conducts around 90,000 funerals a year. They also own the North Eastern Co-operative. Dignity has just over 500 branches and conducts 75,000 funerals a year. They together control over 25 per cent of the market (UK Funerals Online). The rest of the funeral company is largely made up of small, independent businesses. According to the line chart, the price of the funeral has increased year by year. The Co-operative Group reported a 9.9 per cent rise in funeral sales while Dignity, the only listed UK funeral services company said the pre-tax profits had grown by almost a quarter for 2015. These two main companies controlled about 30 per cent of the market shares. According to market analysts IBISworld, the industry is predicted to expand by 2.9 per cent in 2016 (Financial Times, 2016). Figure: The rising cost of a funeral (Financial Times, 2016). Funeral: UK Funerals Online (no time). The UK Funeral Industry. Available at: http://www.uk-funerals.co.uk/funeral-industry.html IBISWorld (2016) Funeral Activities Market Research Report. Available at: https://www.ibisworld.co.uk/market-research/funeral-activities.html Financial Times (2016). Funeral business reaps profits as UK death rate soars. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/b6053e72-fd8b-11e5-b3f6-11d5706b613b The UK insurance industry the largest in Europe and the third largest in the world, it plays an essential part in the UKs economy, managing investments of over  £1.9 trillion. It also makes  £29 billion contribution to GDP in 2012 and employs around 344,000 individuals (Association of British Insurance, 2014). Insurance is a contract which represented by a policy for individuals or entity to seek financial protection from an insurance company (investopedia). For insurance industry, there are different types of insurance such as auto insurance, home insurance, health insurance and medical care (All Kinds of Insurance, 2017). The main player includes Legal General, Aviva and Prudential. Aviva is the UKs largest insurer by providing insurance, savings and investment products to around 31 million customers worldwide. Aviva aims to builds positive contribution to society to accomplish sustainable business and powerful brand. The Legal General over 175 years aiming to provide best possible product s as well as clear and fair service to make sure the safe pair of hands of money. For Prudential, it manage  £562 billion of assets to serve around 24 million customers. It has a long-established leading provider of life and pensions in UK and the assets excess of  £255.4 billion. Insurance: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/insurance.asp All Kinds of Insurance (2017). Available at: http://allkindsofinsurance.com/ Association of British Insurance (2014) Statistics. Available at: https://www.abi.org.uk/Insurance-and-savings/Industry-data https://www.pru.co.uk/about/ http://www.aviva.co.uk/about-us/ https://www.legalandgeneral.com/about-us/

Brainwashing Our Future Essay

Around the globe today, the belief that a perfect body existing is at an all-time high. With airbrushing being used on practically every photo of actors/actresses/models, young adults get the false sense that they have to be a specific way to be prefect or normal even. It’s unjust that airbrushing photos leads these young adults to hate on themselves or on others for not being something that, in all reality, isn’t even real. Airbrushed photos of modern idols case teenagers to participate in unhealthy eating disorders, to bully fellow peers, and to obtain emotional problems that will stay with them for a lifetime. With airbrushing of photos also comes the unhealthy practice of eating disorders in young adult, especially young women, to fulfill the belief that doing so will result in having â€Å"matched up to their beauty and perfection† (Petten Van). Disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating have become most commonly found in the adolescent population because of these photos. In general, teen girls grow up seeing airbrushed photos which cause the desire to be â€Å"perfect†, later resulting in eating disorders. 42% of 1st to 3rd grade girls want to be thinner and 86% females report onset of eating disorder by age 20; 43% report onset between ages 16 and 20 (â€Å"Eating Disorder Statistics†). As a result, death rate of young adults has increased immensely and continues to surrender the hope of ever ending the cycle of teen disorders. Generally, as the number of adolescents who attain an eating disorder increases, so does the number of deaths to the teen populatio n. Airbrushing also contributes to bullying. Young adults are given the idea that one has to be a specific way in order to be accepted, so as a rule, teenagers bully one another out of jealousy or belief that all should fit what is seen as the norm due to airbrushing. But in return, there is the â€Å"5% of Americans that naturally possess the body type portrayed in magazine images† (â€Å"Eating Disorder Statistics†). That 5% is also bullied by those brainwashed by society to see it as the standard form. It makes sense that â€Å"a healthy girl does not have a solid sense of who she is and can be very susceptible to thinking one should look like the models, even though the model is airbrushed and really only a fantasy† (Cooper). Demi Lovato, a young teen pop star, has â€Å"openly aired her troubles† many times, describing the effects eating disorders and bullying that resulted from social media, like airbrushed photos, had on her life (LaPort). Bullying is the result of teens not having many idols that are raw and â€Å"going through what many of them are† (LaPort). Summing up the overall affect airbrushing has on adolescents comes down to these: emotional predicaments that can stay on one’s heart and mind until the very last breath. As a victim of bullying, my cousin Morgan shared her thoughts and feelings on her experiences. â€Å"The things they said were so harsh†¦unforgettable,† she whispered. â€Å"Every day I look at myself and repeat those words, even though I physically know they aren’t true.† She is one of â€Å"160,000 children who miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students† (â€Å"Make Beats Not Beat Downs: Facts and Statistics†). Bullying and eating disorders do not have short term effects, and can affect even the most confident person on the planet. These long term emotional situations are hurting the young minds of society and it all comes back to the pointless use of airbrushing. Some believe airbrushing is â€Å"just and image†¦a fantasy if you will†, regardless of the effect it has on adolescents (Cooper). Which is true, but teenagers are at the point of learning who they are and look to these photos of their idols to help decide, or figure out, who exactly is it that they see themselves being as adults. Others believe that airbrushing protects the eyes of younger minds from inappropriate matters like tattoos, thongs, or smoking. In response, the sooner one learns what the real world has to offer, bad and good, the sooner one realizes that everything isn’t perfect and can make decisions based on actual matters. Parents cannot protect children from the ideas of society surrounding them no matter how much they try. Would one rather children learn by looking at something everywhere around them or by hearing it from a mind not brainwashed by the wrong doings? The governments that allow the use of airbrushing on models and actors could easily pass a law to ban the deceptive practice of airbrushing. But the government won’t act unless the citizens act upon it first. By celebrities themselves opposing the act of an artist reconstructing their photos, and sewing them if done regardless, soon enough there won’t be any airbrushed photos to be released to the public. Previous victims of eating disorders or bullying should take a stand and tell the government, and its people, just how badly these photos affect the generations of society today. If not stopped now, then when will airbrushing ever come to an end? It’s time to end it and stop brainwashing our future. Works Cited A) Catapano, Rosanna. ANAD (The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) n.p. n.d. Web. 22 March 2013. B) Diller, Vivian. â€Å"Is Photoshop Destroying America’s Body Image.† Huffpost Post. N.p. n.d. Web. 22 March 2013. C) Petten Van, Vanessa. â€Å"Photoshop: The Effect On Teen Girls and Why It Needs to be Banned.† Radical Parenting. n.p. n.d. Web. 22 March 2013.

Cross Cultural Studies in Gender Essay

Most research into gender roles has occurred in Western societies, and generally shows a clear divide in gender roles, most encouraging masculine behaviour in boys, and feminine behaviour in girls. However, in order to further explore the idea of nature vs. nurture (biological vs. social approach); it is important to research gender roles in a variety of countries. If clear themes, it may indicate that gender role development is nature, as would show that men are similar to men across the whole world, and likewise for females, showing there must be something determining the way men work, whereas if there are clear culture differences, it would imply social factors determine gender. Cross cultural research has been explored for many years by anthropologists. Some of the earliest work came from Margret Mead in the 1930’s. Comparing three Papua New Guinean tribes, the Arapesh, the Mundugumor and the Tchambuli, she discovered different behaviours displayed by both men and women in each individual tribe. In the Arapesh, men and women were seen to be gentle, responsive- fitting the Western stereotype as feminine. In the Mundugumor tribe, she found males and females to violent and aggressive- the Western stereotype of masculinity and finally in the Tchambuli tribe, she found role reversal to Western stereotypes, as males were more emotionally dependant and flirtatious, whereas the females were dominant, impersonal and definite. Although at first, Mead concluded that her research showed that gender roles came through cultural determinism as big differences were found between males and females in different cultures, implying that gender roles were driven by social factors. However, after later analysis and extending her research to look at other tribes in Samoa, she changed her view (1949) to that her research actually showed cultural determinism, as despite differences in the roles males and females played in each society, in all the societies she looked at men were more aggressive than the women, contributing to the idea that gender role is determined by nature, as there are some behaviours which are innate and universal, e. g. ggression in men, but that degree to which they are expressed is relative to the particular culture. This fits under the biosocial approach, as her research suggests there are some behaviours which are universal, but the degrees to which these behaviours are expressed depends on social factors, such as culture. Mead’s study was a natural experiment, meaning the tribes were observed in their usual environment, suggesting she was noting their true behaviour. However, her method has been heavily criticised by other psychol ogists such as Freeman (1984). Her research was conducted through interviews and observations of the tribes, but Freeman who also worked with Samoan tribes was told that Mead provided the tribesmen with what she wanted them to say. Although this questions the validity of her research, in later years there has been lots of cross cultural research to show differences and similarities and divisions of labour and behaviour by gender in every society (Munroe and Munroe 1975). Further research to support the nature side of the argument is from Whiting and Edwards 1975. Through looking at 11 non-western societies, they found that gender roles were organised in similar ways across a range of traditional cultures. They found girls were encouraged to spend more time with their mothers and were more likely to be given domestic and childcare jobs, whereas the boys were likely to be assigned jobs outside the house such as herding animals. This lead to girls spending more time with younger infants and adults, whereas boys spent more time with their peers, and so It seemed younger girls were found to be more responsible and nurturing than boys who in early adolescence began to get more responsibility. Whiting and Edwards concluded that the behavioural differences observed came about because of the tasks they are given. Girls are taught how to be responsible at a young age as they are exposed to female role models, and develop skills of caring for younger siblings. In another, Whiting and Whiting (1988) observed children in their natural environment with parents, siblings and peers. There were universal differences that girls were more nurturing and boys showed more dominance. However, the fact there were key differences between boys and girls such as what they were socialised into, and what they were encouraged to achieve, implies that both upbringing and biology play a role in development; socialisation just magnifies the biological difference, hence differences across cultures such as between US and India. Bee (1995) supported the idea of socialisation being the most important factor in determining gender, as he stated children became the company they keep. However, researches such as Omar et al found similarities in varied countries such as Switzerland, Ethiopia and the US. Their research indicated that all boys show higher levels of competitiveness and aggression than females, indicating there are underling biological factors. Further support for the nurture argument comes from Berry et al (2002). They studied male superiority on spatial perceptual tasks in 17 societies. He found that this superiority is only found in relatively tight knit, sedentary societies but absent in nomadic societies. This shows that the magnitude of sex differences is linked to culture and ecology. In tight knit societies, the division of labour is greatest because women stay at home whilst men travel, whereas in nomadic societies, both men and women travel and hunt so there is less division of labour (Van Leeuwen 1978). Therefore, this implies that social factors dictate gender role, due to the cultural differences in division of labour found. Berry’s large study of a variety of societies indicates his results can be representative of the general population and we can generalise results. However, Kimura (1999) offered an alternative biological interpretation, that in hunting societies, those with poor spatial perception are likely to die, thus eliminating such genes from the gene pool. This explains why in nomadic societies, there would be less gender difference in spatial abilities. Further biological support comes from Buss et al (1989). Involving 10,000 participants from 37 cultures, he found universal themes in what males and females looked for in marriage partners. Women desired males who had good financial prospects, whereas men placed more important in physical attraction and youthfulness. Both sexes agreed intelligence, kindness and reliability are important. Due to the fact these finding were universal, and the scale of the study implies we can generalise, it suggests gender roles are biologically determined. However, an alternative argument may be that women look for providers, not because of biology, but because of the fact women tend to earn less in society, and in some countries, have fewer rights, which is a social issue determining differences in gender roles. But despite the fact that labour division are the same in most cultures- irls are brought up to be nurturing, responsible and obedient, likely to raise the children, whereas boys are raised to be more independent, self-reliant and high-achieving, and provide for their family, suggest that it is biology that determines sex roles. However, it is difficult to decipher whether division is the direct outcome of biological differences or whether it is a more indirect outcome of biological differences. Eagly and Wood argued that all cultures shape their socialisation processes along with the lines of inborn biological tendencies. However, there has been research to counter this. Sugihara and Katsurada (2002) found that Japanese men do no not seek to be macho like Americans, but instead value being well-rounded in the arts (usually associated as femininity), showing that labour divisions are not the same in all cultures. As well as looking at the divisions of labour between difference cultures, there has also been research into the differences between gender roles in collectivist and individualistic cultures. In 2002, Chang, Guo and Hau, compared 145 American and 173 Chinese students by giving the students a 10 item Egalitarian Gender Role Attitudes Scale, which measured their attitudes to gender equality at home and in the work place. Chang et al found that American students emphasised the important of equal gender roles at work, whereas the Chinese students emphasised the importance of equality at home and in the family. Although this does indicate differences, this may be due to the nature of their home country. In communist China, equality at work is taken for granted. Further exploring this, Leung and Moore (2003) compared Australians of English and Chinese decent using Bem’s SRI and fond differences in line with the Hofstede’s dimensions. Both male and female English Australians showed masculine traits which are valued in individualistic cultures, whereas Chinese Australian’s; male and female, showed feminine traits valued in a collectivist culture. Both research studies imply that cultural values and expectations have a strong on the development of gender roles and expectations (nurture). A big problem with much research is how you measure sex stereotypes. Williams and Best (1990) study highlighted some of the problems linked to this. 2,800 university students from 30 different nations were given a 300 item adjective checklist (ACL) and asked to decide for each adjective whether it was associated more with men or women. They found a broad consensus across countries- men were seen as more dominant, aggressive and autonomous, whereas women were more nurturing, deferent and interested in affiliation. This suggests there are universal gender stereotypes about gender roles, indicating, they are derived though our genes. However, this study proposed many problems in how they measured sex stereotypes. Firstly, the participants had to pick either male or female, there was no equal category (although there was a ‘cannot say’ category) which may have resulted in the division in gender roles being exaggerated. Furthermore, the task was related to stereotypes, not actual behaviours. Some argue that such stereotypes have a significant effect on socialisation within the culture, and this are related to behaviour, but the data does not demonstrate this. Finally, because all of the participants are students, it indicates there behaviours are similar e. g. intelligences, and exposed to similar influences which may explain the broad consensus. Another problem is a lot of the cross-cultural research has been collected by western researchers, therefore, even though they were collecting data in western and non-western societies, the method of research will be developed by western psychology. This may indicated imposed etic, and the data collected is meaningless and demonstrates cultural bias. To overcome this, Berry et al (2002) concluded that there should be a greater use of more genuine indigenous research, opposed to indigenous researchers carrying out the method of western psychologists. To conclude, despite methodological problems, due to the universal similarity in gender roles found in various investigations, it indicated that biology drives gender roles. However, difference found between cultures indicates social factors are also important, so there is a complex interaction between both factors, so the biosocial approach may be a more suitable approach, as it is less deterministic and acknowledges both aspects. As well, it is important to account for historical changes. Much research was done in the 1970/1980’s when the gender gap in many western countries was much larger than is it today, as it is now accepted that both males and females work, and parental equality. However, males still occupy more powerful positions than women, and women perform more domestic duties. But it is an important factor to consider when looking at data.

Walmart sourcing and transportation - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2744 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/08/08 Category Business Essay Level High school Tags: Walmart Essay Did you like this example? Walmart is an American global retail store founded by Sam Walton in 1962 in Arkansas. It began as a small store based on the concept of selling more items at a lower price. Walmart has grown over the last five decades to one of the biggest retailers in the world with hyper- stores and warehouses throughout the globe. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Walmart sourcing and transportation" essay for you Create order Walmart deals with a wide range of products and brands including furniture, electronics, kitchenware, groceries and clothes among others. In the course of the advancement and expansion of Walmart, the concept of procurement and supply logistics has advanced to become one of the primary sources of competitive advantage for organizations. Most global successful companies employ high-end procurement and supply logistics to gain the edge in the market by reducing cost in supply chain thus being able to give customers discounts and lower prices. Walmart sourcing and transportation is vital to its success and remains a source of its competitive advantage. Therefore, a look at Walmarts sourcing and transportation techniques help understand the companys strategic and unique procurement and supply management and its role of Walmarts success. Walmart is a retail store dealing with diverse products in type and brand. Knowledge of the types of stock Walmart handles is critical to understanding its sourcing and transportation processes. Walmart handles four essential types of inventory which are finished goods inventory, buffer stock, expected inventory and transit stock. Finished goods are the primary type of stock Walmart handles whereby finished products are transported to the companys warehouses for storage to enable fast replenishment on the shelves since they sell regularly. Transit goods refer to stick that is held in transport as it is en route to the various chain stores across the globe. Walmart is a global company that utilizes the same suppliers for its stores hence some good take day to months to arrive at the respective stores to restock goods depleted in the stores. Buffer stock refers to the extra amount of products Walmart holds in its stores to sustain supply in case of unforeseen surges in demand. Lastly, expected inventory is the additional stock held in Walmart store-based of predicted increases in orders especially for seasonal items such as increasing stock before black Friday regarding the anticipated increase in demand (Greenspan, 2017). The different inventories are thus strategically sourced and transported to the warehouses through the well-established Walmart sourcing and transportation strategies. Walmarts sourcing and transportation approach is well defined, unique and exceptionally successful. Walmarts sourcing strategy is driven by finding an everyday low price objective. The sourcing technique is a fully developed system heavily supported and reliant on technology. Walmarts sourcing and transportation are characterized by three major aspects including its distribution methods, its transportation trucks, and technology. In supply, Walmart deals directly with manufacturers since 1980s. Walmart is well invested in sourcing suppliers by studying the market and meeting several manufacturers to identify the one who offers the lowest price. Walmart enters into supply contract when it is convinced that the suppliers price is the least in the market. Walmart seeks to understand the cost structure of the supplier to ensure the supplier is cutting down on cost efficiently to a level that allows them to offer Walmart the lowest price (Nguyen, 2017). Walmarts is, therefore, able to ens ure low rates from the beginning of its sourcing process that ultimately enables it to offer low charges to customers. Walmarts operates on a vendor managed inventory whereby the supplier manages Walmarts stock levels in their warehouses. The vendor managed the use of advanced information systems fully enables inventory (VMI) method. Typically, the supplier of a specific product, who in the case of Walmart is the manufacturer, accesses information on Walmarts information systems directly, regarding their particular product stock in Walmart. The manufacturer is connected to Walmarts operations through a point of sale systems, and satellite from the headquarters enables the connection. The supplier accesses data such as the rate at which their goods are selling and the available inventory levels. Depending on the stock levels and the rate at which stock is getting purchased, the supplier decides when to restock and send more inventory into Walmarts warehouses. Walmarts then takes over to transport the inventory to their warehouse by using their fleet of trucks (Greenspan, 2017). The supplier based inv entory management system cuts off intermediaries hence enabling Walmart to obtain low prices without the additional costs of the intermediary; thus it can offer low prices for its customers. VMI methods also shorten the sourcing process by allowing suppliers to monitor stock levels and replenish accordingly hence ensuring there is no downtime on the shelves in Walmart thus consistent supply. Walmart owns approximately 158 distribution hubs across its locations in the globe. The distribution hubs are extensively automated throughout, and each center is about one million square feet in size. Each hub is estimated to have over 5 miles of conveyor belts within it. A single distribution center serves between 90-100 retail stores within 200 miles distance to facilitate the distribution of the products within a day or two. Once the trucks pick the goods at the manufacturer, they take them to the distribution center for sorting and distribution to the retail stores. Walmart conducts substantive research during expansion to ensure that the distribution center is located at a place where 90 to 100 stores can be established around it. Walmart also strategically sources its drivers with a keen interest on competency and experience to ensure responsiveness. The drivers are carefully recruited, trained, assigned and supervised to ensure safety and efficient transportation processes ( Mai, 2014). Two important strategies characterize Walmarts distribution methods which include cross docking and hub and stroke system. Cross-docking involves transferring stock directly from inbound logistics to outbound logistics (Lu, 2014). At Walmart, cross-docking is illustrated through the transfer of stock from the trailers coming from the manufacturer (inbound logistics) and sorting the products while loading them into the trucks headed to the retail store (Outbound logistics). Cross-docking takes place at the distribution center hence no inventory is held in the distribution center for long. Basically, at the distribution center, inventory is continuously delivered by trucks from the manufacturers. The stock is then temporarily held at the distribution center as it is sorted and repackaged usually for 24 to 48 hours and then it is loaded to trucks to be delivered at the retail stores. Cross-docking is beneficial in several capacities including reduced transport costs, reduced transport ation time, low inventory cost and less inefficiency (Lu, 2014). Walmart employs a hub and spoke model in its distribution network which has enhanced its ability to cut down on costs and ensure efficiency. The hub and spoke model is a paradigm of connections in the form of a wheel where all traffic travels along the spokes which are joined to the hub in the middle. Walmart does not hold any inventory in the distribution centers. In the hub and spoke model, Walmart has distribution locations relatively close to its retail stores with each distribution center serving a handful of stores with a 48 hours distance (Figueroa, Miller Okimoto, 2012). With a convoy of over 6500 trucks and 50,000 trailers, the stock is picked from the manufacturers store thus enabling timely response to stock levels. The trucks increase the transport costs, but reduced stock levels balance them. The trucks deliver the inventory to distribution centers, and the stock is distributed to the retail stores within a day. The direct sourcing from manufactures accounts for 80% of Walmarts sourcing. Other goods such as automotive products and pharmaceuticals are directly taken to the retails stores by sourced suppliers. The trucks and trailers owned and used by Walmart in its sourcing and transportation also have a uniqueness that facilitates the Walmart supply chain needs. Walmart owns the Supercube trailer, and advanced trucks allow it to transport large amounts of products from the manufacturer at once. The Supercube is a 60 ft 6-inch trailer with a snub-nosed truck and a drome box that allows Walmart to transport 405 more products than a standard 53-foot trailer would carry. Walmart designed the Supercube in partnership with Innovative Trailer design in Mississauga, Ontario. Also, Walmart fleet of trucks is advanced with great technologies to make them more capable of transporting more inventories with low mileage. Walmart developed a futuristic advanced truck to offer advanced vehicle experiences and improve efficiency. The advanced truck is designed through several cost-saving features such as power turbines to save of fuel, and the body is designed from mostly carbon fibers saving about 4000 pounds of the standard trucks. The advanced truck is yet to be used, but its technologies provide a platform for future progress in Walmarts transportation in regard to reducing mileage and transport costs while at the same time transporting more merchandise (Langer, 2014). Walmarts uses three important approaches to measure its sourcing and supply chain performance which include inventory turnover, stock-out rate, and inventory size. The inventory turnover defines the frequency at which the stock is getting sold out in the retail stores. Walmarts systematic sourcing and transportation systems and being a retailer require high rates of inventory turnover. Stock-out rate refers to the rate at which the available inventory becomes inadequate to meet the orders in the retail store. Walmarts pursues a low stock out rate in its sourcing and transportation techniques such that at no one time should the available stock be insufficient to meet the demand as that would amount to losses and portrays inefficiency. Lastly, the size of stock is critical to the success of Walmart process. Walmart seeks to hold less stock at any one times hence cutting down on stock costs. Therefore for Walmart, a small inventory size is desirable just enough to meet demand and cover demand until new stock arrives. Another critical aspect of Walmarts sourcing and transportation strategies is the use of high-end technologies to ensure efficiency and enable faster processes. Walmart is at the forefront of advancing technologies to attain its operational efficiency and hence allowing customers some savings. Given the just in time nature of Walmarts sourcing and transportation strategies, speed and efficiency while at the same time reducing costs are vital. Technology is therefore instrumental in enabling its processes to run competently. The advanced truck is an example of the transport technologies Walmart utilizes in its sourcing and transportation to attain efficiency. Another of the technologies in Walmarts sourcing and transportation technology is the radio frequency identification technology (RFID). RFID is a technology that applies wireless electromagnetic fields to send out data with the aim of spotting and following labels attached to products. RFID labels can be attached to all product including cash, clothes and implanted in vehicles or people. Walmart is one of the biggest retailers in the world and with a complex supply chain system needs to implement high-end technologies to track its inventory. Therefore, Walmart uses RFID labels to recognize and follow its stock through the chain of supply from the manufacturer to the stores and ultimately to the customers. The RFID technology allows for rapid and straightforward real-time transmission of information on tags regarding a product. RFID tags have the capacity to hold and transmit more information than barcodes making them more efficient. RFID renders Walmart several advantages including minimizing the bull-whip effect and managing optimal stick levels as opposed to excess throughout the supply chain (West et al., n.d). Collaborative planning forecasting and replenishment (CPFR) is another innovative sourcing strategy in Walmart. Prior to CPFR and in typical supplier-buyer relationships, buyer and supplier relationships were mostly adversarial and competitive with each seeking to advance their interests. The seller wants to sell as many products as possible to the buyer at the highest reasonable price while the buyer pursues the lowest price possible. CPFR is a form of joint logistics program where the supplier and the buyer work together to achieve their interests by planning logistics together, sharing predictions and information in the supply chain among others. Walmart first developed CPFR with Procter and Gamble in the 20th century constitutes one of the early implementations of CPFR. Currently, Walmart utilizes Retail link and Supplier scorecards to work together with Walmart suppliers on logistics planning, predicting and replenishment of inventory. CPFR improves the accuracy of predictions and attains substantial reductions in inventory levels. The process of CPFR is systematic and straightforward. Walmart as the retailer agent in the CPFR equation gathers data from the point of sale and developed demand predictions. The retailer the sets its sales targets and generates the plan which constitutes the sales targets, stock levels and the requisitions to the manufacturer of each merchandise as well as the period of demand. The retailer then sends the requisition to the manufacturer that in turn develops its order predictions in line with the retailer orders. The manufacturer then develops the production and stock levels for the products and in the specified periods (Rajesh, 2012). CPFR, therefore, pushes the supplier to be innovative and establishes close collaborative relationships between the supplier and the buyer and in the case of Walmart, between Walmart and the manufacturers of its products. Walmart sourcing and transportation is not without its challenges. Coordinating large-scale global sourcing and transportation is a technical process that is susceptible to adversity and other negative impacts. The need for low costs and Walmarts extensive involvement in suppliers production are not entirely welcome. Walmart pushes for low costs from suppliers and the more they push the more suppliers to feel controlled by Walmart. Such outcomes strain supplier and buyer relationships making the sourcing process inefficient when suppliers fail to collaborate with the buyer (Springer 2017). Also, the use of RFID technologies is accompanied by a diverse issue. For one, collaborative relationships between supplier and buyer require input from both parties. Walmarts requires its suppliers to possess similar technologies which may be expensive for the manufacturer to acquire and implement. Secondly, RFID technologies are faced by substantial privacy issue. RFID as the capacity to access i ndividual information which the public fears will be used by Walmart to analyze the customers purchasing pertains and identifiers like credit cards and licenses among others (West et al., n.d). However, Walmart has attempted to mitigate the privacy issue by using the tags on packaging and removable areas instead of entrenching them in the clothes. Another key problem facing Walmart transportation is the last mile which are said to be the greatest challenge for transport logistics. The last mile problem refers to the difficulty of product reaching the point of consumption due to external factors such as traffic jams in urban areas or congestion in business areas. Last mile problem increases truck consumption of fuel and increases the delivery time which may amount to delays and stock-out especially for just in time inventories as in Walmart (Mitchells NY, 2016). Walmart tries to mitigate the challenge of the last mile by training its drivers sufficiently to mitigate the external fac tors. Walmart also establishes the most economical route for its trucks to ensure efficiency and avoid the last mile challenge. Ultimately, Walmarts sourcing and transportation strategies are more effective than they are challenging and with strategic measures, it facilitates the company to achieve its objective of cost reduction. In conclusion, Walmart has one of the most advanced and reputable sourcing and transportation systems characterized by high-end technologies and strategic processes. Walmart is a large-scale global retailer with stores in over 25 countries in the world and over 11, 000 stores. Consequently, it employs over 2 million employees and operates with revenue above $20 billion as of 2018. Also, Walmart retails a wide range of products manufactured and distributed by different companies and manufacturers. Besides the extensive nature of Walmart operations, it is a store centered on offering low prices to customers and allowing their clients to save on significant amounts by shopping in the stores. Walmarts competitive advantage thus lies in cost-effectiveness that allows them to offer competitive prices in the market. Walmart attains the cost-effectiveness by instituting higher level, advanced supply chain and logistics management techniques that enable it to cut on inventory costs, transport costs and supplier costs. Walmart attains the cost efficiency by sourcing over 80% of its products directly from the manufacturer and utilizing its transport to get the products to its stores. The process of sourcing, transportation and distribution is managed through advanced and contemporary supply chain management strategies which ensure efficacy and thus enable Walmart to coordinate its processes towards it cost efficiency objectives. Ultimately, Walmart sourcing and transportation are among the top best in the global market drawing significant attention from other companies.