Compiled by: Aamarpali Puri

Inventory is a detailed list of those movable items which are necessary to manufacture a product and to maintain the equipment and machinery in good working order. The quantity and the value of every item is also mentioned in the list. Inventory is actually ‘money’ kept in the store room in the shape of a high speed steel bit, a mild steel rod, milling cutters or welding electrodes.

INVENTORY CONTROL

Inventory control is concerned with achieving an optimum balance between two competing objectives. The objectives are:

• to minimize investment in inventory,
• to maximize the service levels to the firm’s customers and its own operating departments.
• Inventory control may be defined as the scientific method of finding out how much stock should be maintained in order to meet the production demands and be able to provide right type of material at right time in the right quantities and at competitive prices.

 INVENTORY CLASSIFICATION
Inventory may be classified as follows

Raw inventories. They include raw material and semi finished products supplied by another firm and which are raw items for the present industry.

In process inventories. They are semi-finished goods at various stages of manufacturing cycle.

Finished inventories. They are the finished goods lying in stock rooms and waiting dispatch.

Indirect inventories. They include lubricants and other items (like spare parts) needed for proper operation, repair and maintenance during manufacturing cycle.

 INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

 To manage these various kinds of inventories two alternative control procedures can be used

(1) Order point system

This has been the traditional approach to inventory control. In this system, the items are restocked when the inventory levels become low.

Lot size and reorder point calculations are the more spectacular aspect of inventory management. Once the calculations are complete, the routing commences for checking deliveries and physical count of the amount on hand.

(2) Materials Requirements Planning (MRP)

MRP is sometimes thought of as an inventory control procedure.

MRP is the technique used to plan and control manufacturing inventories.

MRP is a computational technique that converts the master schedule for end products into a detailed schedule for the raw material and components used in the end products.

The detailed schedule identifies the quantities ofeach raw material and component item. It also tells when each item must be ordered and delivered so as to meet the master schedule for the final products.

It is important that the proper control procedure be applied to each of the four types of inventory as explained earlier.

INVENTORY CONTROL, ITS OBJECTIVES AND HOW TO ACHIEVE THEM

Inventory control aims at keeping track of inventories. In other words, inventories of required quality and in desired quantities should be made available to different departments as and when they need. This is achieved by,

• Purchasing material at an economical price, at proper time and in sufficient quantities so as not to run short of them at any instant.
• Providing a suitable and secure storage location.
• Providing enough storage space.
• A definite inventory identification system.
• Adequate and responsible store room staff.
• Suitable requisition procedure.
• Up-to-date and accurate record keeping.
• Periodic inventory check up.
• Division of inventory under A, B and C items, exercising the control accordingly and removing obsolete inventory.

A good control over the inventories offers the following Advantages

• One does not face shortage of materials.
• Materials of good quality and procured in time minimises defects in finished goods.
• Delays in production schedules are avoided.
• Production targets are achieved.
• Accurate delivery dates can be ascertained and the industry builds up reputation and better relations with customers.

FUNCTIONS OF INVENTORIES

Inventories

1. Separate different operations from one another and make them independent, so that each operation (starting from raw material to finished product) can be performed economically. For example, ordering of raw material can be carried out independently of the finished goods distribution and both of these operations can be made low cost operations say by ordering raw material and distributing finished goods in one big lot, than in small batch sizes. Besides economy, the men and machinery also can be better utilized if the operations are separated and carried out in various departments than if coupled and tied at one place.
2. Maintain smooth and efficient production flow.
3. Purchase in desired quantities and thus nullify the effects of changes in prices or supply.
4. Keeps a process continually operating.
5. Create motivational effect. A person may be tempted to purchase more if inventories are displayed in bulk.

Dr. Rajesh Konnur

The technology in health care is increasingly becoming an integral part of the health care delivery system & is declared by strategists as a means whereby sustained improvement in healthcare outcomes can be attained. Nurses, through their role in patient care delivery, have a pivotal role in technology deployment, maintenance and evolution. Beside this supplying of technical information has also become one of their roles.

Scholes & Barber (1980) coined the term “nursing informatics”, defining as “the application of computer technology to all fields of nursing —- nursing services, nursing education & nursing research”.

A more recent definition that reflects current nursing practice comes from the International Medical Informatics Association (2009. It states that nursing informatics is “a science & practice (that) integrates nursing, its information and communication technologies to promote the health of people, families and communities worldwide.”

Brief Historical Concepts:

Informatics became a specialty in nursing in the early 1980s at U.S. with the introduction of health information systems (HIS) in hospitals. Information technology specialists were unable to operate these systems without the assistance of nurses because some of their functions required clinical knowledge for order entry and results reporting. As a result, Nursing Systems Coordinators (NSC) emerged as a specialized position within hospitals. NSCs would work alongside IT specialists until HIS was implemented; nursing staff were properly trained to use it. In recent years, as health information technologies become a routine part of the practice landscape in healthcare workplaces, there has been recognition that all nurses need competencies in nursing informatics; and indeed should enter the workforce prepared to use health information and communication systems (Bond, 2009).

Nursing Informatics (NI) is the specialty that integrates nursing science with multiple information, management and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage & communicate data, information, knowledge & wisdom in nursing practice.

Nursing Informatics supports nurses, consumers, clients, the inter professional healthcare team & other stakeholders in their decision-making in all roles & settings to achieve desired outcomes. This support is accomplished through the use of information, structure, information processes and information technology.

Tenets of Nursing Informatics:

• Distinct specialty practice and body of knowledge.
• Includes clinical and non – clinical aspects.
• Supports nurses to improve quality of care & welfare of healthcare consumers.
• Focus on delivering right information to right person at the right time.
• Human factors related concepts are interwoven in practice.
• Ensures confidentiality & security of data & information & advocates privacy.
• Promotes innovative, emerging & established information technology.
• Collaborates with & is closely linked to other health related informatics specialties.

Standards of Nursing Informatics:

Standards of Practice:

Standard 1: Assessment.

• The informatics nurse collects comprehensive data, information & emerging evidence.

Standard 2: Diagnosis, problems & Issues identification.

• The informatics nurse analyses assessment data to identify diagnosis, problems, needs, issues, & opportunities for improvement.

Standard 3: Outcomes Identification.

• The informatics nurse identifies expected outcomes for a plan customized for the healthcare consumer or the situation.

Standard 4: Planning.

• The informatics nurse develops a plan that prescribes strategies, alternatives & recommendations to attain expected outcomes.

Standard 5: Implementation.

• The informatics nurse implements the identified plan.

Standard 5A: Coordination of Activities.

• The informatics nurse coordinates planned activities.

Standard 5B: Health Teaching & Health Promotion.

• The informatics nurse employs informatics solutions & strategies for education & teaching to promote health and a safe environment.

Standard 5C: Consultation.

• The informatics nurse provides consultation to influence the identified plan, enhance the abilities of others & effect change.

Standard 6: Evaluation.

• The informatics nurse evaluates progress towards attainment of outcomes.

Standards of Professional performance:

Standard 7: Ethics.

• The informatics nurse practices ethically.

Standard 8: Education.

• The informatics nurse attains knowledge & competence that reflect nursing & informatics practice.

Standard 9: Evidence Based Practice and Research.

• The informatics nurse integrates evidence and research findings into practice.

Standard 10: Quality of Practice.

• The informatics nurse contributes to quality & effectiveness of nursing & informatics practice.

Standard 11: Communication.

• The informatics nurse communicates effectively in a variety of formats in all areas of practice.

Standard 12: Leadership.

• The informatics nurse demonstrates leadership in the professional practice setting & the profession.

Standard 13: Collaboration.

• The informatics nurse collaborates with the healthcare consumer, family & others in the conduct of nursing and informatics practice.

Standard 14: Professional Practice Evaluation.

• The informatics nurse evaluates their own nursing practice in relation to professional practice standards and guidelines, relevant statues, rules & regulations.

Standard 15: Resource Utilization.

• The informatics nurse employs appropriate resources to plan & implement nursing informatics and associated services that are safe, effective and fiscally responsible.

Standard 16: Environmental Health.

• The informatics nurse supports practice in a safe & healthy environment.

Summary/ Conclusion:

Nursing informatics specialists in a wide variety of settings ultimately aim at improving patient care delivery & the nursing practice experience. Today’s nurse informatics aims to improve patient care delivery outcomes through interventions on behalf of nurses and clients.

By: Prapanna Lahiri

In today’s globalised world which encourages mobility of people across continents, learning a new language not only equips us to communicate to more people but also develops our spectrum of knowledge in more ways than one, by opening the window to various cultures, traditions, customs and ideologies across the world. It helps us to see the world in a different perspective with an open mind educating our behaviour towards others. Nothing can express this wonderful benefit of knowing a different language better than the words of Ludwig Wittgenstein, the Austrian-born philosopher who spent much of his life in England. He said “If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.”

Historically, trade and commerce had been a major cause of language contact which led to bilingualism over centuries in various parts of the world. According to an estimate more than half of the world’s population is bilingual. That means something like 3.5 billion people use more than one language to communicate every day. Many countries are home to numerous languages. This necessitated learning each other’s language for contact between communities resulting, sometimes, in speaking a common language of communication which led to bilingualism in these countries. India, Indonesia, Canada, South Africa and even the United States are good examples of this phenomenon. It is common knowledge that children are good at picking up a second language they hear being spoken around them. However, acquiring communication capabilities in a second language enables individuals of all ages to expand various mental abilities that keep the brain healthy for years to come. Emphasising the advantage of speaking a second language, President Barack Obama, in a speech, addressing parents during campaigning for his first term of presidency said, “You should be thinking about, how can your child become bilingual? We should have every child speaking more than one language.”

Learning a second language is as exciting as it is beneficial for the person learning it. There is a plethora of advantages that one derives by learning a different language other than the native language or the mother tongue. Some of these important advantages can be enumerated as below:

1. Boosts Brain Power and Brain health: To learn a non-native language is understanding a whole new system of distinct rules, structures, lexicon and etymology that constitute the complexities of a language. In negotiating these complexities the brain endeavours to unearth meanings and then express ideas employing critical skills such as cognitive thinking, comprehending and problem solving. This constant effort sharpens the brain power which is a significant benefit of learning a new language. Medical studies have also revealed certain positive effects of learning a second language on the brain like delayed onset of some brain related ailments like Alzheimer and dementia as compared to speakers of only the native tongue.
2. Sharpens the mind: Skilled linguists have better perceptive skill at spotting incongruities, deception and misleading information. No wonder the fictional detective characters like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot had multilingual skills.
3. Improved memory: More the brain is exercised for storing and recalling information related to a new language, such as its rules, structures and lexicon, better memorising skills are inculcated in people giving them the advantage of easier retrieval of names, facts, figures and directions.
4. Enhanced multi-tasking abilities: Multilingual people, who are routinely adept at slipping from one language mechanics to another with ease, are also more capable of juggling activities, with less stress involved in doing so. Hence, they are better equipped at multitasking.
5. Improved listening skills: In reality, polyglots have been observed to possess better listening skills than their unilingual peers. Whatever language one speaks, listening skills are of prime importance; not only for the reason that listening to another language being spoken is a core skill in learning it, but for the fact that it is a fundamental skill in life.
6. Experience and appreciate another culture: Learning another language opens the window to other cultures across the world enabling one to connect with new people, understand different viewpoints and see things from a new perspective. A broadened horizon so opened, helps a multilingual person acquire good networking skills.
7. 7. First language improves: Learners of a new language focus attention on grammatical rules and constructions of that language. In doing so learners often, as a comparative exercise, revert to grammatical structures of their own languages which might have not received that scrutiny earlier. This helps better understanding of the mother tongue.
8. 8. Better job prospects: In today’s business dominated society, ability to communicate in several languages across cultural barriers lends that competitive edge for a job seeker. Even when organisations plan for overseas expansion, they would logically prefer multilingual staff because multilingual ability often comes with flexibility, openness of mind and decision making skills.
9. Encourages creativity: Observers have noted that learning to communicate in a new language often leads to innovations in expression. When a new learner of a language is at a loss to find the right word they often come up with creative ways to express their thoughts using out-of-the box methods. The process of learning a second language makes learners more creative than their unilingual counterparts.
10. Travel and leisure: Multilingual ability gives a global traveller an upfront advantage in being able to speak freely to locals and other co-travellers. Travel experience will be richer and more memorable with deeper understanding regarding the different cultures of the world. This is especially true if one acquires proficiency in one or more of the commonly spoken languages of the world, such as Spanish, French or German.

Of all the various advantages an individual with multilingual capability enjoys, the most important benefit that inherently is felt within by the person is a sense of achievement one can be proud of. All the hard work put in, to learn a different language pays off when the new found confidence gives an insight into a feeling of oneness with various shades of the global society.

Reference:

1. http://etoninstitute.com/blog/languages-and-culture/top-10-benefits-of-learning-a-foreign-language
2. http://www.omniglot.com/language/articles/benefitsoflearningalanguage.htm
3. http://www.fluentin3months.com/language-skills/
4. http://examinedexistence.com/12-benefits-of-learning-a-foreign-language-2/
5. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-bilingual/201011/bilingualisms-best-kept-secret

Dr. Rajesh G Konnur

Communication is a key force to life in this era. Electronic communication has become a vital element in every walk of life. The smart electronic technology is a boon for all. From simple talks to  informal chats, we find the influence of electronic communication everywhere.

The development of wireless communication systems started in 1930s with the use of “Walkie-talkies” during the Second World War. This was done to enable footed soldiers to stay in contact with the headquarters. In 1946, AT & T Bell introduced the first commercial radiotelephone service in the United States, which allowed communication between mobile users in cars and the public fixed network. In the 1960, Bell Systems launched the Improved Mobile Telephone Service (IMTS), which laid the basis for commercial sector mobile communications. Developments in microprocessor technologies in the late 1970s & early 1980s enabled the introduction of the reliable wireless communications system, the so called first generation, second and third generation respectively. The objective of 3G networks includes world-wide connectivity, high data transmission for multimedia & efficient spectrum utilization.

Mobile technology is also deeply penetrated in health sector. It has given birth to Telemedicine. Telemedicine is defined as the use of telecommunication and information technology to provide health care to people who are separated by geography & distance from the provider. This is achieved by use of mobile phones and its “apps”.

Mobile technologies have transformed the way healthcare providers communicate and these mobile devices are poised to revolutionize the way hospitals deliver care. Mobile technology offers ways to help these challenges through mobile health applications, sensors, medical devices & remote patient monitoring products.

M- Health or the use of mobile applications for healthcare is a young and dynamic field that could improve the well-being of people around the world. It is supported by mobile technology such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants & other wireless devices. The emerging use of this technology in health care is for treatment compliance, emerging management, mobile telemedicine, health promotion and community mobilization.

India has the second largest wireless communication subscriber in the world. Wireless subscribers comprise 96% of telecom subscribers in India and contribute to an urban wireless tele-density which is fourfold of rural India.

One of the reasons for the popularity of mobile phones in India is the low call tariff. At 1.6 USD/ month, India has one of the lowest mobile call tariffs globally. This makes mobile phone communication economical in the Indian context. Further, the average expenditure on mobile phones in rural households is an estimated 5 INR/ month, while the same is 37 INR/month in urban poor households. Very recent studies indicate the majority of the urban poor households in India spend approximately 3% of their monthly income on mobile communication. Given the overwhelming popularity of mobile phone communication, at low cost, M – Health in the Indian context holds very good promise.

In context to Indian scenario, mHealth interventions accepted and adherence to antiretroviral therapy in South India and for healthcare consultation in rural North India. The potential of M – Health is being harnessed by the Indian government in the “Mother & Child Tracking System (MCTS)” within the “National Rural Health Mission ( NRHM).”

The MCTS gathers health information from antenatal and post natal women in an attempt to ensure healthcare delivery to these women & to under-five children. Text messaging or Short Message Service (SMS) technology is also used to communicate with 3.2 million Indian Central Government employees under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS). Plans for its use in adolescent health, reproductive health and Family planning, substance abuse and non-communicable disease prevention and treatment are underway. Digitalization and good connectivity in rural access help to contextualize healthcare delivery via mobile phones to 70% of the country’s population residing in rural India.

In the near future, M – Health will become a reality due to its cost effectiveness and bridging the gap between far away clients with healthcare providers.

By Professor Sanchita Som

Dear Readers please check the link to the slide show below.

 Introduction_to_Economic_Analysis

By Aamarpali Puri

Dear Readers please check the link to the slide show below.

A Presentation on Impurities in sugarcane juice and NIR Spectroscopy

By: Anamitra Roy

Starbucks Corporation is one of the largest chains of coffee outlets in North America. It was founded in Seattle, Washington in 1971. The 5 ways of creating an evidence of service quality in their outlets are:

1) Creation of an Appropriate Environment:

Starbucks designed the ambience of the retail outlets in such a way so that most customers would like to spend some time there. There would be lounges and living areas where customers would just not have coffee, but get a coffee experience. This was one of the greatest assets of Starbucks that helped her to create an evidence of its services.

2) Location:

Most Starbucks outlets would be located near high visibility areas where there would be retail centre, office buildings and university campuses.

3) Trained Employees:

Starbucks employees are given two types of training. One is called “hand skills” and the other is called “soft skills”. The employees are always told to connect to the customers by enthusiastically interacting with them, maintaining eye to eye contacts with them and greeting them.

4) Administration Policies:

One of the administration policies of Starbucks is to ensure a clean environment, product quality and maintain a speed of the service.

5) Innovation:

The policy of bringing innovation was largely successful in creating physical evidence for its services. Starbucks had the policy of introducing at least one drink every holiday season. This meant that there was always something new at Starbucks.

The 5 reasons for the success of Starbucks:

1) Creation of Ambience:

Starbucks as a coffee chain outlet did not aim at selling coffee. It believed in selling a coffee experience. The ambience in Starbucks is such that the customer can do a lot of things over a cup of coffee … lounge, live and enjoy it.

2) HR and Administrative Policies:

Maintenance of a clean environment, speedy service, ensuring customer satisfaction through enthusiastic interactions and greeting them are some of the attributes of the administrative policies of Starbucks that was largely responsible for the success of this organization.

The people working in Starbucks were given respect. They were called “partners.” There were policies for their promotions (the company encouraged promotion from within itself) and other benefits (like health insurance). Starbucks believed that “partner satisfaction” will lead to customer satisfaction.

3) Location:

Starbucks always opened her retail outlets near busy streets by the side of university campuses, offices and retail outlets. This ensured a very high visibility of the outlets. More importantly, Starbucks outlets are opened in places where customers are available who have the mentality of spending time on a cup of coffee. For example, one of the favorite locations of Starbucks is to open coffee outlets near university campuses where students are available who are expected to visit the coffee outlets in groups and spend time on a cup of coffee in between classes.

4) Innovations and Product Quality:

Constant innovations (for eg. Introduction of at least one drink per holiday season) were also responsible for the success of Starbucks.

Starbucks prided herself on serving the customers the highest quality coffee in the world, from Africa, Central and South America, and Asia-Pacific regions.

5) Handling Competition:

Starbucks believed that it was far from reaching saturation in many existing markets.

There were a lot of competitors of this organization which depended on one strength (like Caribou Coffee emphasized on environment, Peet’s Coffee & Tea depended on quality of the coffee). Starbucks’ success in handling the competitors was that it had all the strengths in it to compete with others.

About the Author:

Mr Anamitra Roy is B.Com. Hons. (C.U., India), Certified Financial Accountant (CMC, India), DFA(CMC, India), PGDBF (HSIS India, India), Certified Financial Accountant(GLOBSYN Skills, India), GPBL (TASMAC, India & University of Wales, United Kingdom).

Compiled by: Aamarpali Puri

1. Building Planning :

Site Selection : Before any building is planned and constructed, site selection is very important and the following points should be considered :

i) Soil at the site should not be made up type. Due to settlement and collapse, cracks may developed in the building.

ii) Site should not be very much undulating.

iii)   General slope of the site, should be away from site, which facilitate the drainage of building.

iv) Water supply mains, electric lines, telephone lines, drainage sewers etc. should be very near to the site, which helps in costing.

v) Ground water table of the site, should not very high.

vi) In selection of residential building, the school, hospital, railway station, market etc. should be nearing eite.

vii) Building site should not be selected in depression.

viii) Should be in elevated site.

ix) Good foundation soil should be available.

x) Should be away from the busy roads, hospital, school, college building should be away from busy area.

xi) Residential buildings should not be near work slops, factories, for noise.

xii) Site at sea shore is good but metallic fittings are liable to be corroded.

xiii) The site, near usy big picture like building, an to be avoided, it will not look good.

2. Planning of a building-Principles.

  The basic principles of dwelling houses are as follows :

i) Aspect

ii) Prospect

iii)   Furniture requiring

iv) Roominess

v) Grouping

vi) Circulation

vii) Privacy

viii) Sanitation

ix) Elegance

x) Economy

xi) Flexibility

1. Aspect : Aspect is actually positioning of the rooms in a building in such a way that occupant would enjoy the natural comforts to the maximum possible extent.
2. Prospect : Prospect is found by the views desired from certain rooms of the house.
3. Furniture requirement : It is essential item for living room, drawing room, kitchen, class room, laboratory room, operation theatre, office room etc. However, it is better to prepare a sketch plan, indicating furniture positions, so that doors, windows and circulation space can be planned.
4. Roominess : Without disturbing/changing the plan, some spaces like cup-boards, lofts, wooden shelves etc. an to be provided. The rooms having its length twice the width is objectionable.
5. Grouping : Grouping means setting different rooms of a building according to their inter-relationships. The rooms are arranged in the layout in proper correlation of their functions and due proximity with each other. For instance, in a residential building, dinning room should be close to kitchen. At the same twice kitchen should be kept away from main living room, to avoid smoke and smell.
6. Circulation : Passages, corridors, halls, and lobbies, serve the purpose of horizontal circulation, where as stairs serve the purpose of vertical circulation. Circulation between rooms of the same floor is known as horizontal circulation, whereas circulation among various floors is known as vertical circulation.
7. Privacy : Unless privacy is secured all the principles of planning of a building are bound to fail, particularly in case of residential buildings. Privacy may be from one part to other of the same building or it way be privacy as a whole from neighbouring buildings, public streets or by ways. The internal privacy means screening interior of one room from other room. Toilet rooms, lavatories bath rooms, bed room, w.c., urinals require absolute privacy.
8. Sanitation : Sanitation is not only included w.c., urinals, both rooms, wash basins, sinks, but also lighting & ventilations.
9. Elegance : The over-all effect-produced by elevation and general layout of the plan to known as alegance. It is better if elevation is developed first and then plan is adjusted according to the elevation. A building located in a depression will always give depressed elegance, when as building located on an elevated spot gives impressive appearance.
10. Economy : The economy may not be a principle of planning, but definitely a factor effecting it. It is to be kept in mind that economy should not effect the utility and strength of the structure.
11. Flexibility : Flexibility means planning the rooms in such a way which though originally designed for a specific purpose, may be used for other purpose also.