Prostate Cancer - 2703 Words

Prostate cancer Introduction Prostate cancer is a cancerous tumor in the prostate gland, a small walnut-sized gland in men that makes seminal fluid, which helps carry sperm out of the body. The prostate is located beneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine out through the penis. Prostate tumors can be benign or cancerous. With benign tumors, the prostate gets bigger and squeezes the urethra, interrupting the normal flow of urine. This condition, called benign prostate hyperplasia or BPH, is common and not usually life threatening. Prostate cancer -- one of the most common kinds of cancer in men -- can spread beyond the prostate gland and be life threatening. Prostate cancer is the third most†¦show more content†¦Some men find this test embarrassing, but it is quick, relatively painless, and helps find many prostate cancers. PSA test -- a blood test measuring the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Prostate cancer cells make higher amounts of PSA, so measuring PSA levels may help find cancer while it is still microscopic. However, finding higher levels of PSA does not always mean that a man has cancer. Benign conditions such as an enlarged prostate can also raise PSA levels. If either the DRE or PSA test suggests that cancer might be present, your doctor may recommend the following tests: Transrectal ultrasound -- using a small probe inserted into the rectum, sound waves help get a visual image of the prostate. Biopsy of the prostate -- the doctor gets a tissue sample through the rectum and examines it for cancerous cells. If the biopsy shows the presence of cancer, you may need more tests to see if the cancer has spread: Imaging tests -- computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans may pinpoint the location of cancer that has spread beyond the prostate. Bone scans and x-rays -- these tests look for spread of cancer to the bones. Lymph node biopsy -- a surgical procedure to find out if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Preventive Care The American Cancer Society suggests men talk with their doctors about the benefits and risks of prostate cancer screening. While the PSA test andShow MoreRelatedTreatment for Prostate Cancer1369 Words   |  6 PagesTREATMENT of localized prostate cancer usually includes prostatectomy and radiation therapy, occasionally augmented with hormonal therapies. However, Fu et al., (2012) have noted that recurrence of prostate cancer occurs in about 15% of patients within 5 years after prostatectomy and in about 40% patients within 10 years. Although, more than 70% of patients are expected to survive for more than 10 years after prostatectomy, radiationRead MoreProstate Cancer1210 Words   |  5 PagesA prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system found below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Prostate cancer is cancer that forms in tissue in that gland, it usually occurs in older men. Cancer comes in forms o f tumors, which is an abnormal growth of cells. Malignant tumors are the cancerous tumors of the two different types of tumors. Can cause pain and interfere with normal function, but they can also cause other systems in the body to act abnormally. Malignant tumors can invade nearbyRead MoreProstate Cancer1239 Words   |  5 PagesA prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system found below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Prostate cancer is cancer that forms in tissue in that gland, it usually occurs in older men. Cancer comes in forms of tumors, which is an abnormal growth of cells. Malignant tumors are the cancerous tumors of the two different types of tumors. Can cause pain and interfere with normal function, but they can also cause other systems in the body to act abnormally. Malignant tumors can invade nearbyRead MoreProstate Cancer : Cancer And Cancer1283 Words   |  6 PagesCancer begins when cells start to grow uncontrollably. Prostate cancer occurs in a male ’s prostate gland (a small walnut shaped gland that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm) (Mayoclinic.org, 2015). Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men (Mayoclinic.org, 2015). There are 4 types of prostate cancer such as sarcomas, small cell carcinomas, neuroendocrine tumors and transitional cell carcinoma. Most prostate cancer is considered to be adenocarcinomasRead MoreThe Correlation Between Cancer And Prostate Cancer1017 Words   |  5 PagesThe finding led to the belief that the solution lied in the saturation, where the maximal growth of the prostate cancer was achieved at a low level of testosterone. This model was produced by Fowler and Whitmore, who concluded â€Å"normal endogenous testosterone levels may be sufficient to cause near maximal stimulation of prostatic tumors.† There final conclusion was that â€Å"there is not today—nor has there ever been—a scientific basis for the contention that a higher T concentration causes pCA growthRead MoreProstate Cancer4196 Words   |  17 PagesAbstract Prostate cancer is one of the major health concerns of the public. Worldwide prostate cancer has affected a big portion of the population and has become an issue for many males all around the world. Prostate cancer refers to the malignant growth of glandular cells located in the prostate. At the age of 85, a man is said to have a 1 in 5 chances of developing prostate cancer sometime in their life. Unfortunately Prostate cancer is a disease that does not give any warning signs when it isRead MoreProstate Cancer Essay1013 Words   |  5 PagesProstate Cancer The prostate gland is an egg-sized organ that rings the male urethra. The secretions of the prostate give nutrients to the semen. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death in men. (Ernstoff,Heaney,Peschel,1998,pviii) Like all cancers, prostate cancer is an uncontrolled cell production in a particular organ or area of the body. In the case of prostate cancer, these cells begin to split impulsively in the prostate andRead MoreThe Treatment Of Prostate Cancer852 Words   |  4 PagesProstate cancer is the one of the most lethal disease in the United Sates. The pattern of disease recurrence being the major cause of morbidity and mortality. In spite of recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the development of prostate cancer, the survival rate of men with this disease has remained relatively unchanged in over the decades. Since the Nobel prize winning discovery by Dr. Huggins and Dr. H odges (Huggins C., 1941) androgen deprivation therapyRead More Prostate Cancer Essay1176 Words   |  5 PagesInterest Prostate cancer being a huge cause of mortality and medical expense in men age forty and above has only recently become a topic of general conversation to men in America (Plowden, 2009). African-American men are affected by prostate cancer at a disproportional level than all other men. They are diagnosed up to 65% more frequently and the mortality rate is twice that of Caucasian counterparts (Emerson, 2009). The African-American male is also less likely to take advantage of free prostate cancerRead MoreProstate Cancer : The Most Common Cancer2250 Words   |  9 PagesProstate cancer is the second most common cancer and it is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men according to the American Cancer Society(ACS) ( 2016). Older age is the strongest risk factor for the development of prostate cancer. Approximately 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime (ACS, 2016). There are more than 2.9 million prostate cancer survivors in the United Sta tes (ACS, 2016). The risk of dying from prostate cancer is 2.9 percent, with seventy

The Inferno, By Virgil s Guidance And Support Dante

In the Inferno, through Virgil’s guidance and support Dante becomes more confident and self-sufficient. Dante developing in this matter in turn changes the dynamic in their relationship from teacher-student to equal companions in Dante’s eyes. How their interactions change shows this evolution. When the two meet, it is obvious Dante is lost and Virgil can see this. Virgil asks But you, why are you turning back to misery?/ Why do you not climb the peak that gives delight,/ origin and cause of every joy?† (Canto I, line 76-78). Virgil is trying to assess Dante’s situation. Dante is currently stuck with no foreseeable way to rejoin the proper path because a she-wolfis blocking the direct way. Dante lets know Virgil he needs help by saying, See the beast that forced me to turn back/ Save me from her, famous sage-- she makes my veins and pulses tremble (Canto I, lines 88-90). He is asking Virgil to save him showing he needs help getting out of his current posit ion because he thinks he cannot get out on his own. At this point we see the dynamic begin as teacher-student because Dante looks towards Virgil to use his knowledge to lead him out of his current situation. Virgil accepts this role through the lines, Therefore, for your sake, I think it wise/ you follow me: I will be your guide,/ leading you, from here, through an eternal place (Canto I, lines 112-114). We can see that Virgil starts early with his role as a teacher as he explains to Dante the nature of theShow MoreRelatedDante Alighieri : An Italian Poet1552 Words   |  7 PagesDante Alighieri was an Italian poet, originally from Florence experienced economic, political and religious disruption that reflected the town’s struggles. Hardship that he encountered, being the death of his mother, his wife Beatrice until his death in exile. Dante took his pain and suffering and turned it into his inspiration for his poetry. The Blacks seized control of Florence and in 1302 Dante and others were exiled. It was during Dante s exile he faced hardship and was forced to discontinueRead MoreThe Inferno By Dante And The Allegory Of The Cave1169 Words   |  5 Pagesquestion the sole symbol light can act as. Plato’s argument equates truth to light, while Dante’s argument equates God to light. Dante argues that the light is guiding, rather than definite. Through these two examples, I will show that light symbolizing the equivalent of truth or searching for truth yields problems. To support my claim, I will look at The Inferno by Dante and The Allegory of the Cave by Plato, whose interpretations of light appear to work well with one another. First, I will analyzeRead More Language in Dante’s Inferno Essay3881 Words   |  16 PagesLanguage in Dante’s Inferno What happens to language in hell? In Dante’s Inferno, the journeying pilgrim explores language’s variations and nuances as he attempts to communicate with hell’s pitiable and sordid inhabitants, despite multiple language barriers and relentless cacophonies. Dante thematically unifies language’s inconsistencies in hell; that is, he associates the pilgrim’s abortive attempts to communicate with particular shades, and the incomprehensible languages and sounds that beleaguerRead MorePurgatorio Essay4430 Words   |  18 Pagesmodern novelistic tradition of structure has led us to expect our plots to be arranged climactically, we tend to find this kind of geometric construction artificial and surprising, even though the practice was fairly common in medieval literature. Dante had himself already experimented with this kind of structure in La Vita Nuova. La Chanson of Roland, to cite another well-known example, seems by our standards to drag on surprising ly beyond the heros death; the plot has been carefully arranged, however

Indonesia Compare to Asean Country Free Essays

Study Meeting on Expansion and Development of the Service Industry in Asia APO Project No. 08-RP-38-GE-STM-B 17-20 June, 2008 At Seoul, Republic of Korea Submitted By: Kenedi Nababan and Romi Prasetio – Indonesia Kenedi NababanRomi Prasetio Arco Backend AgencyBank Sinarmas Hongkong and Shanghai Bank CorporationBank Sinarmas KC. Sukabumi, Jl. We will write a custom essay sample on Indonesia Compare to Asean Country or any similar topic only for you Order Now A. Yani No 235 Wisma HSBC JL Asia Afrika No. 116Ruko No. 3 Sukabumi Bandung 40112Telephone :62-266-229377 Telephone :62-22-4233022Fax :62-226-229366 Fax :62-22-4230182E-mail : romi. rasetio@banksinarmas. com E-mail : kenedinababan@hsbc. co. id I. Composition of Services Industry in Indonesia : II. Banking and Finance sector a. Bank b. Insurance c. Other financial institution III. Infrastructure of Health Sector a. Hospital b. Medical Clinic c. Puskesmas (rural region) IV. Tourism a. Hotel b. Restaurant V. Construction a. Highways b. Bridges c. Public Services VI. Transportation and Freight a. Air transportation b. Sea Transportation c. Land Transportasion ( bus, railways) VII. Communication a. Fixed Line b. Cellular TelecommunicationsII. Service Industry Influence to economic Growth An economic growth in Indonesia contain several of main sector, first agriculture (16,8%), services (2. 1%), financing (1%), trade and tourism (0,9%) and electricity (0,6%). Service industry can give composition of national income for the period 1997-2007 20%-22%, tradable sector 30%-31% and tax 40%-45%. III. Growth and influences to the National Vocations In Indonesia, telecommunication is highest sector that can achieve average 20% per year of growth, but influence to the vocation only 2% per year.It is inversely proportional with agriculture, while this sector achieve 3% of growth but can give an influence 42% to the vocation. In general sectoral contribution of workforce in Indonesia during the periode after crisis in 1998, service sector given a better influence rather than manufacture. IV. Problems and Prospects Investment, infrastructure and unbalance development between east Indonesia with west Indonesia are the main problem in Indonesia. Telecommunication, tourism and transportation are potential prospect in service sector in Indonesia. V. Government PoliciesMany policies has been done by the government, such as facilitate the extraneous investment in Indonesia, FDI growing around 5% per year. And to develop east Indonesia, the government   specifically has been chosen a ministry to make development   in East Indonesia. Other side, the central government gives discretion to local government to make development in their own state, with divide 80% income for local government and 20% for central government. The government taxes income, in 40% its to funding the public service sector so the service sector could be better. Indonesia is in need of structural reforms.Most important in this respect are improving the country’s business climate and infrastructure. Infrastructure is poor and the cause for high transaction costs, making the country less competitive. The country’s business climate is also less than optimal. The administration is aware of these weaknesses and is making efforts to address them. However, the House of Representatives systematically blocks reform measures from being implemented. Draft laws on tax and investment have been blocked this year and labour market reforms have been abandoned due to strong union opposition.We expect that the renewed support for the President by the largest party in the House of Representatives will reduce resistance to reforms. Privatisation has been halted for the large part in 2006, but the government met its target at the last moment by selling a 5. 3% stake in the state gas company PGN. Even though the government has announced that privatisation efforts will be stepped up in 2007, this remains to be seen. The 13 state-owned companies that are listed on the Jakarta Stock Exchange represent 40% of market capitalisation in Indonesia. In more recent years the government has stepped-up efforts to tackle governance and public administration constraints in an attempt to close the investment gap with its south-east Asian competitors. Indonesia’s rates of investment have been slow to recover from the crisis and lag behind regional rivals. There are three main strands to the reforms that are beginning to deliver higher levels of investment: †¢ Strengthening the capacity of local government to, deliver basic services, build infrastructure (especially roads that link farmers to markets), improve the efficiency of public spending and cut red-tape.It will be particular important for local government to effectively spend central government transfers aimed at reducing the large regional disparities. †¢ Improving the investment climate, by strengthening the legislative framework, tackling corruption and reforming the civil service. †¢ Peace building, disaster risk management and climate change adaptation, in a country like Indonesia, the growth prospects of certain regions will be ruined by outbreaks of conflict or natural disasters.Aceh, has received a double boost in the past two years as a result of the peace process and the well-managed response to the devastating tsunami. Securing higher levels of public and private investment, particularly in area that boost the income earning opportunities of the poor, such as feeder road building, agricultural extension and rural electrification, will be crucial to continue Indonesia’s trend of growth and poverty reduction. This would allow Indonesia to move up swiftly through the ranks of middle income countries, and continue to reduce poverty.Comparation with Other Country ASEAN’s sectoral composition of output can be discussed with particular reference to the size of three major sectors: agriculture, manufacturing and services. In their study, Gani and Clemes (2002) identified three distinct features of ASEANs sectoral composition. First, the authors showed that the service sector was the dominant contributor to GDP in Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam during 1995-1999, while in Indonesia, the service sector’s contribution to GDP was slightly below that of the manufacturing sect or for the same period.Second, they reveal that since 1980, the contribution of the agricultural sector to GDP has declined gradually in many ASEAN economies while the share of services to GDP has increased over time in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. The share of services to GDP was highest in Singapore among all ASEAN countries. Third, the authors identified that the services sector has experienced high growth rates since 1980 onwards, with Malaysia ranked at the top of the list averaging 8. per cent per annum. Causes of Productivity differences/inferiority in service sector compare to manufacturing sector While the services sector has dominated in terms of its contribution to ASEAN GDP, the contribution of the manufacturing sector to GDP cannot be ignored. As a share of GDP, the manufacturing sector averaged just over 24 percent in the last decade. In Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, manufacturing valued added to GDP has continuously increased over the last three decades.An efficient services sector should lead to improved performance of the manufacturing sector by improving distribution and information transactions. In modern economies, there is increasing demand from both consumers and business for efficient service sectors. In many cases, competitive parity has already been reached in manufactured goods making it difficult for most global corporations to differentiate their tangible outputs on product quality alone.This forces business to increasingly turn to higher levels of customer service to facilitate their homogeneous product offerings, increase their overall productivity, improve their competitive advantage and ultimately to create customer value. Increasing consumer and producer confidence will boost economic activity in Indonesia in the forecast period. Inflationary pressures have largely ceded, leaving room for cuts in interest rates, which will also stimulate growth. On the back of high commodity prices, Indonesia’s exports thrived and provided support for the current account.External debt reductions improved Indonesia’s liquidity position. However, the government has been unable to implement reforms that would improve the business climate, which remains poor in Indonesia and c ontinues to hamper development. Expenditure on development (infrastructure, health and education) has also been sub-optimal due to political squabbling. Moreover, the administration’s fight against corruption is waning. Failure to push ahead with economic reforms will negatively affect Indonesia’s economic prospects.Furthermore, Indonesia remains a high risk country from a credit point of view, resulting in high borrowing costs. While all forms of investment are important for growth, studies suggest that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) can yield additional productivity benefits associated with the accompanying know-how and technology. FDI is particular important to help grow Indonesia’s oil, gas and minerals sectors. From very low levels up until 2004, FDI has now picked up to the equivalent of 4% of GDP a year, closing in on the relative levels of Thailand and Vietnam that lead the way in South East Asia. Recent improvements in FDI reflect a steady improvement in the investment climate that has been a central policy platform for the government since 2004. However, the investment climate still compares poorly in cross-country surveys. The World Bank’s Cost of Doing Business Survey ranks Indonesia 135 our of 155 countries, indicating that, despite recent reforms it still ranks as one of the worst countries in the world to do business. Indonesia does do better in certain categories including access to credit, protecting investors and trade, but does poorly in terms of starting a business, employing workers and enforcing contracts.Starting a business takes 97 days compared with a regional average of 47. Non- wage labour costs are the same as the regional average but hiring and firing workers is found to be more than twice as difficult as compared with the rest of the region. While Indonesia’s total business tax rate compares favourably with its neighbours, they take almost t wice as long to pay, and consist of twice the number of payments as countries in the region. Indonesia does compare well on costs associated with trade facilitation.Export costs are some 40% lower than the regional average and take about the same length in time. However, in comparison to China exports are seven days slower to process in Indonesia and 40% more expensive. The government is implementing an investment climate reform package that has established more transparent regulations governing investment, streamlined customs processes and strengthened the land market. Overall, in the coming years domestic consumption and investment are expected to play a much greater role than trade in driving growth.This is because both public and private investment is set to increase as local government capacity and the investment climate improve and consumer spending will increase as unemployment falls and consumer credit grows. Indonesia is one of the fast-track members of the Association of South- East Asian Nations (ASEAN) along with Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. In accordance with the 2004 â€Å"roadmap† these nations are set to abolish tariffs on a number of sectors, including rubber, electronics, textiles, air travel, fisheries and wood by the end of this year.Further tariff-abolitions are planned by 2012 creating a single market for some 530m. While ASEAN probably represents one of the best functioning free trade areas outside of Europe and North America, several countries use exemptions to protect â€Å"sensitive† sectors. ASEAN’s low income countries will implement tariff cuts on a slower time line. Indonesia is also a member of Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum. APEC agreed an ambitious target in 1994 to eliminate all trade barriers by 2020. How to cite Indonesia Compare to Asean Country, Papers

Lego Group Supply Chain Management Transformation Essay Example For Students

Lego Group Supply Chain Management Transformation Essay In the recent times world-wide economic system has become extremely volatile and was vulnerable to a battalion issues. One such illustration is the latest fiscal crisis. Such volatility creates a assortment of challenges to little and big endeavors around the Earth. One of the biggest challenges for fabrication companies is to cover with quickly increasing globalisation and competition. The solutions require the development of agile and rapid supply webs in order to cut costs and fitting demand. Manufacturers are going more cognizant of supply concatenation direction. This consciousness shifts the focal point from internal logistics efficiency to the external web of relationships between assorted parties in the supply concatenation. The well-known Danish plaything maker LEGO has non been unsusceptible to these alterations. LEGO has faced major challenges, which required drastic alterations within the organisation. This included a transmutation of the company s supply concatenation direction system. LEGO Group had to cover with likely the most important fiscal crisis since the company was founded in 1932. LEGO s crisis was non clearly seeable from the exterior. In fact LEGO had maintained trade name acknowledgment. This earned them the rubric Toy of the Century from the British Association of Toy Retailers and Fortune magazine. LEGO was the 4th largest plaything maker in the word and had sold US $ 1.35 billion worth of playthings in 2004. In malice of this success, the company was losing money since 1998. LEGO had assorted internal operational issues. This included a complex and uneffective supply concatenation, which at one phase consisted of 11,000 contractors. In an effort to turn to this job, in 2004 LEGO board of managers set a end to cut 20 per centum of logistic costs. This resulted in the hazardous determination to outsource a major portion of the production to Flextronics, a Singaporean electronics fabrication services supplier. LEGO besides established a individual distribution centre in the Czech Republic operated by DHL. ( M. M. Larsen, T. Pedersen, D. Slepniov 2010 ; K. Oliver, E. Samakh, P. Heckmann 2007 ; J. A. Cooke 2009 ) Such a hazardous determination involved a long-run relationship with Flextronics that was non without challenges. In this research paper an overview of challenges and solutions of the instance company LEGO Group will be presented. The chief focal point will be on LEGO s supply concatenation direction system transmutation, which was a major measure towards success. The undermentioned research inquiries will function as guidelines for this paper: What challenges did LEGO Group face and what determinations were made to turn to those jobs? How did Supply Chain Management transmutation helped to cover with these issues? In this paper we will foremost research the Supply Chain Management ( SCM ) constructs. Next the instance company LEGO Group will be introduced. We will so show overview of the challenges that LEGO Group has faced. The focal point of this paper will be the SCM determinations that were made to cover with these jobs. Outline1 Supply CHAIN MANAGEMENT CONCEPT2 Introduction TO THE CASE COMPANY: LEGO GROUP3 Merchandise development4 Distribution5 Manufacturing6 Decision Supply CHAIN MANAGEMENT CONCEPT The globalisation is increasing competition and organizing new conditions for carry oning concern. This requires companies worldwide to quickly react to their clients demands and develop merchandises. These companies must besides use information engineerings in supply concatenation coaction ( J. S. Arlbjorn et Al. 2006 ) Such conditions increased the importance of logistics and SCM function within organisations as it can go a major competitory advantage. Normally, the major betterments in logistical maps may non be needed within the organisation itself. It may be more good to analyse the organisation s supply concatenation. This involves assorted mutualist parties. SCM co-operation is deriving in major strategic importance and normally includes such features: co-operating is based on terminal user demands, long term co-operation and high trust between histrions in the supply ironss or webs, shared hazards and benefits, cross coordination on assorted degrees between companies, shared visions and similar company civilizations. The advantage of such close co-operation is a more crystalline supply concatenation. This can take to cut down lead-time, lower uncertainness, optimisation of stocks and higher capacity use. ( T. Skjoett-Larsen 2000 ) The construct of SCM frequently represents the broader position of logistics as its chief map is to guarantee the smooth flow of stuffs from providers to organisation and so out to clients through the operations within the organisation ( D. Waters 2003 ) . The intent of SCM can be described as to take redundancies and communicating barriers through coordination, monitoring and control maps ( D. Power 2005 ) . The supply concatenation normally consists of different organisations and procedures, which are aimed to guarantee the smooth flow of stuffs from the initial provider to the terminal client. In many instances, makers get their stuffs from a big figure of providers and sell to different clients, which is the instance with LEGO Group. In figure 1, you can see an illustration of the supply concatenation around a maker. Materials move from several grades of providers though organisation to several grades of clients, such as jobbers, retail merchants and terminal users. Figure 1: Supply concatenation of maker ( D. Waters 2003, 9 ) The plaything industry is one of the oldest originative industries in the word. However, C. Y. Wong, J. S. Arlbjornand J. Johansen in their survey named Supply concatenation direction patterns in toy supply ironss ( 2005 ) province that such originative concern is really seasonal and volatile with strongly fluctuating demands, really short and specified merchandising Windowss every bit good as short merchandise life rhythms. Furthermore, the plaything industry can be described as intensely competitory on pricing and invention, where retail merchants frequently start viing with their providers. The writers conclude that most retail merchants and makers use a push concern theoretical account. This theoretical account includes low use of engineering and information sharing every bit good as slow execution of supply concatenation enterprises. Introduction TO THE CASE COMPANY: LEGO GROUP LEGO can be surely defined as one of the most celebrated trade names in the plaything industry. The Danish company s playthings are enjoyed worldwide by kids and grownups likewise, who use 1000s of different pieces to build edifices, automatons and other plaything. In 1932, Ole Kirk Christiansen, a Danish carpenter founded a company named LEGO ( Danish words Leg and Godt , intending drama good ) . Originally a carpentry concern for furniture, LEGO began bring forthing kids s playthings in 1934. The company presents itself by saying: It is LEGO doctrine that good drama enriches a kid s life and its subsequent maturity. With this in head, the LEGO Group has developed and marketed a broad scope of merchandises, all founded on the same basic doctrine of acquisition and developing through drama. In figure 2 the nucleus edifice blocks of LEGO Group are presented. ( M. M. Larsen et Al. 2010 ; LEGO Group, Corporate Communications 2009 ) Figure 2: The LEGO Company ( LEGO Group 2010 ) Prosecuting such a doctrine, LEGO has grown enormously since its constitution. By 2009 the company was the universe s 5th largest plaything maker in footings of sale with 290 Million US Dollars in grosss and about 7000 employees around the Earth. The LEGO brick which is perchance the best known plaything was foremost introduced and patented in 1958. It has since so represented the nucleus success and image of this company. With two merely bricks there are 24 different combinations and with six there are 915 million possibilities. This enables illimitable creativeness. As antecedently stated, before LEGO brick was named as Toy of the century by Fortune magazine and subsequently by British Association of Toy Retailers every bit good. ( M. M. Larsen et Al. 2010 ; J. Tidd, J. Bessant 2009 ) Self Reflection And Self Awareness EssayIn order to function clients in 130 states around the universe, LEGO had 11 warehouses and distribution centres in high-cost states like Denmark, France, Germany and Switzerland. LEGO besides employed 55 transit suppliers for inbound and outbound cargos. In order to travel its distributions closer to the client and cut down detonating transit costs, the company defined clear service policies. This helped to switch the focal point to major retail ironss. This besides provided for more accurate demand prognosiss, reduced complexness and surely the costs of distribution. Furthermore, LEGO Group decided to centralise its distribution by shuting five distribution centres in Europe, and making a individual distribution centre near Prague in the Check Republic. The state was chiefly chosen because of a high handiness of skilled low cost labour. LEGO leased big edifices from the commercial Realtor ProLogis. LEGO besides decided to outsource operation s to third-party logistics company DHL supply concatenation. ( M. M. Larsen et Al. 2010 ; K. Oliver et Al. 2007 ; J. A. Cooke 2009 ) By 2007 a freshly consolidated distribution centre was functioning all of LEGO s markets except the U.S. , where Exel Inc. was responsible for distribution operations. Such alterations reduced the complexness of supply concatenation, simplified the stock list optimisation and decreased mean distances to the market. This lead to increased client satisfaction and significantly reduced overall logistics costs. Despite the outsourcing, LEGO maintained close coaction with its bearers and still makes many determinations. The consequences of such coaction are reduced negative effects of market seasonality. Furthermore, by using developed Web-based transit direction system LEGO was able to alter the cargo programming and better burden consolidation. ( M. M. Larsen et Al. 2010 ; J. A. Cooke 2009 ) Manufacturing The improved production in the supply concatenation was likely the most of import and complicated measure. The challenges came from the manner LEGO organized its production installations and the complexness of fabricating operations. In some manner helter-skelter production operations resulted in low 70 per centum of overall capacity use. There were 100s of independent production units within the installations that could put their orders in any mode. This was frequently without equilibrating supply capablenesss, stock list degrees and demand demands. Consequently, such disconnected system did non back up long-run planning and resulted in high costs and low efficiency. Furthermore, the production sites were located in high-cost states as Denmark, United States and Switzerland, while merely 10 per centum of production was outsourced to China. Production sites chiefly operated harmonizing the stigmatization scheme, where, for illustration, Swiss mills merely manufactured DUPLO and Techn ic merchandises. ( M. M. Larsen et Al. 2010 ; K. Oliver et Al. 2007 ) One of the first stairss was to put clear production rhythms for machines alternatively of holding them available to bring forth any component at any clip. This attack helped to cut down changeless and dearly-won retooling every bit good as balance production operations. Furthermore, orders were set in the monthly meetings in that manner extinguishing the figure of conversions ( K. Oliver et Al. 2007 ) . However, the major determination refering production operations was to outsource big portion of the production to external packaging and fabrication service suppliers. One of the grounds was to cut the costs by traveling the production from high-cost states. Another ground was to cut down the figure of subcontractors and use the economic systems of graduated table, holding in head that LEGO was bring forthing approximately 24 billion bricks per twelvemonth ( M. M. Larsen et Al. 2010 ) . Consequently, the production capacity in Denmark was reduced and sites in Korea and Switzerland closed. LEGO Group engaged into cooperation with packaging service providers: Sonoco , Greiner , Weldenhammer and 2B Pack . The most hazardous and complex partnership was made in 2006 with Flextronics, a Singaporean based electronics maker. Several merchandise lines, like Bionicle and Technic was still chiefly retained by LEGO, but the higher volume and more simple Duplo and System lines were handed to Flextronics production sites in Hungary, Czech Republic and Mexico. This helped to cut down the distance to clients. However, the relationship was non successful and contract with Flextronics was terminated from January 1, 2009, while LEGO continued with smaller outsourcing contracts. The chief grounds for the failure are connected with delicate nature of plaything industry and could be described in short ( H. B. Dinitzen, D. Bohlbro 2010, 71-72 ; M. M. Larsen et Al. 2010 ) : 65 % per centum of production had to be done during the 3rd one-fourth of the twelvemonth chief vacation season. Merchandises have a life-time of 16-18 month. Gross saless uncertainness is about 30 % . In figure 3, the timeline of LEGO and Flextronics cooperation is presented, including ends and challenges. Despite the failure, LEGO Group has learned a batch from this outsourcing effort, which had a positive impact in the terminal. Figure 3: The timeline of LEGO and Flextronics coaction ( M. M. Larsen et Al. 2010, 16 ) In 2008 LEGO started the procedure of sourcing back the production, while the first mill in the Czech Republic was taken over, followed by Hungarian and Mexican installations. In Mexico, LEGO Group finally moved the production to a new works, which started operating in first one-fourth of 2009. The concluding benefits of coaction were connected chiefly with gained experience in assorted operational Fieldss. It helped to set up new installations in Mexico and Hungary, while production units were no longer following branded attack, but alternatively functioning its several markets. Furthermore, LEGO significantly improved certification and standardisation of concern procedures. Standardization resulted in about halved size of constituents, from 12,000 in 2004 to 6000 in 2008. This enabled more flexible, efficient and smoothly running supply concatenation. ( M. M. Larsen et Al. 2010 ) Decision In the terminal it can be stated that by taking clearly defined and rough restructuring scheme, LEGO Group was able to get the better of the crisis and go one of the successful and largest plaything manufacturers once more. This statement can be backed up by fiscal figures, which indicate that in 2008 and 2009 company reached net income of DKK 315.6 million and 375 million U.S. Dollars, severally. This was the highest in LEGO Group s history. ( M. M. Larsen et Al. 2010 ) A significantly restructured supply concatenation helped to increase the efficiency of major concern operations every bit good as addition the overall client satisfaction. LEGO managed to make and, in some degrees, even go through its rivals, while still collaborating with biggest retail merchants in such Fieldss as joint prediction, stock list direction and mass customization. However, such transmutations required covering with many challenges, including terminated cooperation with Flextronics. Nevertheless, it gave LEGO valuable cognition about outsourcing operations and its interior features. In the terminal, unsuccessful outsourcing pattern resulted in mills in Denmark, Czech Republic, Mexico and Hungary, which gave the needful supply concatenation flexibleness in order to run into the planetary demands. Improved parts of supply concatenation such as merchandise development, sourcing, distribution and fabrication creates a good developed concern theoretical account that serves as a major competitory advantage. Finally, after successful supply concatenation transmutation, LEGO Group can switch more attending to increasing the satisfaction of its clients by developing well-liked plaything for kids and grownups.