Using Technology to Help Resolve Employee Conflicts free essay sample

Anonymous polling software allows company leaders to ask questions or lead discussions by embedding questions into presentations and enabling individuals to respond anonymously via a clicker or smartphone. The software instantly tallies responses and presents results in aggregate form via a chart during the presentation. Here are some of the advantages of this approach:†¢ Anonymous polling promotes open discussions: It might seem like a contradiction since anonymity is inherently non-transparent, but carefully crafted questions and the open sharing of combined responses lets everyone know exactly what the issues are. anonymous polling allows company leaders to define the conflict in clear terms and discuss alternatives.Anonymous polling gives every employee a voice: One of the pitfalls of discussions in an all-hands-on-deck meeting is that the conversation tends to be dominated by the most outspoken individuals, and they may not represent popular opinion. With anonymous polling through response technology, even people who typically avoid the limelight have their say, and employees can contribute their two cents without fearing repercussions from managers or peers with whom they d isagree. We will write a custom essay sample on Using Technology to Help Resolve Employee Conflicts or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Anonymous polling lets everyone know where the group stands: In the heat of a conflict, perceptions tend to get skewed, and sometimes it’s hard to determine what the prevalent opinion is on any given topic. A meeting where employees contribute their opinions anonymously in response to questions presented onscreen provides a quick snapshot of where everyone stands. This information can be invaluable to executives tasked with driving consensus.Anonymous polling signals when consensus is reached: Just as juries tasked with reaching a verdict may take votes periodically to determine where members are, leaders who are attempting to create consensus on potentially divisive issues may benefit from a reality check in the form of an anonymous poll. It can also be helpful to take a baseline pulse via a poll at the beginning of the meeting and periodic polls to view how much progress has been achieved.Building Relationships: Building relationships can be done by adding employees to a group where people can work together, brainstorm ideas and ultimately to build relationships between employees. Issues can perhaps be addressed on groups by the employees as a whole. Being part of a group ensures that all employees are on the same page and know what is going on in a business.Although at the present time there are limited methods in which Volkswagen is able to deal with conflict in the future there may future methods created which could help deal with conflict using technology.

Knowledge of Organizational Management

Knowledge of Organizational Management Introduction Leadership in profit making and non-profit making organizations has been under study for the past one century. As a result, there have been various theories explaining effective leadership in profit and non-profit making organizations. Leaders have been defined as being individuals with lots of impacts on others to act in a manner that will ensure attainment of organization’s goal or objective.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Knowledge of Organizational Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, there has been no enough information explaining the application of such leadership theories in business setting. In addition, the strength and weaknesses of contemporary leadership models have not been exploited fully. As a result, this easy critically demonstrates an application of my knowledge of organization management by synthesizing the information from different readings and class work into work and life experience in organization management. Primary Leadership Theories According to Yuki (1994), â€Å"the main primary leadership theories used in profit and non-profit organizations are Trait Theory, the Behavior Theory and the Contingency Theory. Current leadership theories being researched are Transformational and Servant Leadership.† (Yukl, 1994) Trait Theory: this theory assumes that people are born already having traits which are inherited from generation to another in their lineage. There are some traits which are suited for leadership while others are not. As a result, proponents of this theory try to differentiate different traits in leaders who have been perceived as being great. They have tried to research on physical traits like the leaders’ height as well as psychological like temperament. At long last, their studies have proved the fact that there exist no universal traits of such leaders. However, there are some traits which were found to be of much significance for any leader. Such traits include â€Å"Adaptable to situations, Alert to social environment, Ambitious and achievement-orientated, Assertive, Cooperative, Decisive and Dependable,† (Science.jrank.org 2011) among others. On the other hand, the theory identifies various skills required by any leader in order to be termed as great. Such skills include, â€Å"Clever (intelligent), conceptually skilled, Creative, Diplomatic and tactful, Knowledgeable about group task, Organized, Persuasive, and socially skilled.† (Science.jrank.org 2011) Behavior Theory: it has been stipulated that, behaviors are significant for any leader. This is because; it has been assumed that, behaviors are very important as compared to physical characteristics or mental traits. Studies have found that â€Å"Two types of behavior correlate with great leaders, according to the theory: the ability to organize a task and the ability to express consideration for subordinates.† (Rowe 2007)Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Contingency theory: according to this theory, the most significant quality of any great leader is his or her capability to respond to any contingency that he or she is faced with. Some of these significant contingencies include â€Å"respect level, kind of trust felt by workers for the leader, the level at which the leader can organize any task ahead of him or her, as well as the control over reward and recognition processes for his/her subordinates.† (Science.jrank.org 2011) Servant and Transformational Leadership Theory: this theory states that, â€Å"leaders who are transformational have the ability to impact their subordinates by being examples and much inspiration by him/her-self.† (Jago 1982) Such leaders usually motivate their subordinates to an extent that they end up performing above and even bey ond their job stipulations. Servant leadership on the other hand denies leaders the privilege position, by giving them a responsibility position. This gives them the responsibility of achieving best possible results for the organization they are working for, the subordinates as well as customers or clients. Applications of Various Leadership Theories in Business Settings There exist no single leadership theory that has been applied in business, but in case there is a single application of leadership theory, no matter the process, leaders have brought success in business. However, the difference comes in the processes under which one brings such success. Successful business operations depend much on leadership theories. Such theories have been applied in casting visions, motivating employees as well as positive change implementation. Leadership theories like transformational and behavior theories have been applied directly in the development management of corporate culture in any org anization. In such a manner, such theories have been applied in training effective leaders in business operations to â€Å"produces productive systems, satisfied employees and a positive public image.†(Yukl, 1994) Leadership theories like trait and behavioral theories have been used in the creation of highly productive as well as enjoyable business settings. This is based on the fact that, they have been in a position to bring up leaders who have the ability of defining â€Å"business vision statement, goals and standards the company will uphold.† (Science.jrank.org 2011) These theories have been used to fulfill the responsibility of encouraging both feedbacks as well as change implementation. Such theories have been addressing conflict resolution issues as well as making wise decisions concerning business environments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Knowledge of Organizational Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Leadership theories have been very helpful in the process of identifying leadership types in business settings. Some of these leadership types include, â€Å"authoritative leaders, who operate solely, making executive decisions that are communicated to lower-management and implemented throughout the company. Democratic business leadership relies on employee feedback and participation to make decisions and brainstorm.†(Jago 1982) Democratic leadership has copied more from transformational leadership theory by ensuring that business leaders are in a position of giving tasks to different teams, while still overseeing other tasks. Leadership theories like trait, behavior, contingency and others, have shown leadership qualities like integrity, communication skills in business settings. Leaders having such qualities have been exceeding their expectations, apart from living up to the standards of their expectations. Business leaders have applied such qualities i n effective communication both at personal and organization’s levels; they have also been in a position of foreseeing issues like success, apart from having the ability to plan for difficulties in advance. Leadership theories have been applied in business particularly in the creation of â€Å"an effective organizational structure, satisfied employees and a positive public image.† (Jago 1982)This is based on the fact that, Leadership theories have been responsible for combining systems as well as policies that have been established in any business setting. In one way or the other, apart from inspiring and guiding employees, employees have also find greater satisfaction as a result of â€Å"vision, direction and reward which produces purpose and fulfillment.† (Rowe 2007) Companies have used leadership theories in the process of creating public image. This has been due to well thought out external communication. Such theories have been in apposition of taking care of clients and ensuring healthy business relations. However, it should be noted that, the application of leadership theories in business setting is a growth process which might require continual training as well as development through seminars, reading books as well as joining network accountability groups. Strengths and Weaknesses of Contemporary Leadership Models Contemporary leadership models have the ability of developing visions as well as inspiring followers to attain a certain goal. Managers following contemporary leadership models like transformational as well as charismatic models have the ability to lead passionately as well as enthusiastically.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is because; the models have the ability to equip such managers with convincing power, hence they can convince their subordinates to accept changes that have been recommended. As a result, their subordinates remain committed to the completion of necessary work for organization transformation. On the other hand, leadership models increases dependence on leaders. Though such leaders have the ability to attract followers that need inspirational along with energetic guidance, such followers might be convinced by leadership models to follow their leaders blindly. This is because; followers might place lots of emphasis on pleasing their leaders, other than attaining a long term objective. Such models can also lead to abuse and misuse of powers. It is true that leaders following leadership models usually come out of risky situations as they usually inspire their followers to take chances that might lead to innovations and creativity. However, such leaders may â€Å"use their powers to make positive impacts in organizations, some leaders exploit their totalitarian control by manipulating situations for their own gains. Subordinates may obey leaders without considering the long-term impacts as these leaders are so convincing and inspiring.† (Science.jrank.org 2011) Last but not least, such models are only based on theoretical statements, not putting into practice the real life managers as well as leaders undergo while undertaking their operations. Conclusion In conclusion, though there isn’t enough information explaining the application of primary leadership theories in profit and non-profit organization, this essay has provided at least some information concerning primary leadership theories used in profit as well as non-profit organization. It has also outlined how such theories have been applied in business settings. Apart from addressing the strength of contemporary leadership models in day to day leadership strategies, the essay has also addresse d their weaknesses. With is kind of synthesized information, organization leaders can achieve more in their organization, as compared to their job descriptions. References Jago, G. (1982). Leadership: Perspectives in theory and research. Management Science. 28(3): 315-336. Rowe, W. (2007). Cases in Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Science.jrank.org . (2011). Leadership The Rise of Contemporary Leadership Theory. Retrieved from: https://science.jrank.org/pages/9943/Leadership-Rise-Contemporary-Leadership-Theory.html Yukl, G. (1994). Leadership in Organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Make good writing second nature - Emphasis

Make good writing second nature Make good writing second nature A question for the drivers: how much of the drive to work this morning do you remember? The answer, probably, is not much, because youre so used to the process that you no longer need to consciously think about it. Its the same for learning any new skill, including writing. With sustained effort and attention, the skill becomes second nature. This is why we recommend to clients that they follow up their training day with a Coaching clinic, to reinforce the progress made on the course and follow up on any continuing concerns. There are four stages to learning a new skill, according to a model developed by Gordon Training International, and you have to go through each to reach the point where you can perform the skill well, seemingly without thinking. 1. Unconscious incompetence You dont know what you dont know 2. Conscious incompetence You know what you dont know 3. Conscious competence You know how to do it, but you have to think about it 4. Unconscious competence Youre practised enough to do it automatically. Mistakes are common at the conscious competence stage, even though you know by then what you need to do and how to do it. This is why we offer one-to-one follow-up coaching on all our courses. Before training, we gather writing samples from each participant and analyse them in detail, producing a graph that identifies and quantifies your individual problem areas. We go through this process again after the initial course to see where you have improved and what you still need to work on, so that in the follow-up coaching the trainer can work with you to iron out lingering errors. If you or your staff have been trained by us and would like to arrange follow-up coaching, or you would like to talk about arranging both, email us or call us on +44 (0)1273 732 888.

Management Communication Quarterly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management Communication Quarterly - Essay Example There are majorly 2 types of communication, written and oral. Both are vital and decide the fate of the organizations based on the way the individuals interact and communicate. The research paper shed light on the present day scenario of written and oral communication in organizations. The research is a representative of the French approach to information and communication in organizations. It is an anchored research of the work done during the decade of 1985 and 1995 with its focus on French network ‘language and work’ .There has been a major shift from spoken language to written communication which led to further development in the field of research. Oral communication was replaced by written documents in workplaces, which led to long term research. This research involves immense variety of working papers, which showed a professional approach and communicated the relationship of the writer with the written text. Research is being conducted on aspects such as marking, f ormulating and text writing that are the functional aspect of written communication. Writing is the final stage of putting down words in text and also the succession of ideas for a long series of operations.

What can we learn from change strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What can we learn from change strategies - Essay Example is going to discuss how the programme of change affects the structure of the organization illustrating briefly the organization structure prior to change and the results of the change programmes. The paper will also discuss the impacts of change on the staff and systems in relation to motivation and engagement of staff and the new way in which they have to work following the change. Hill and Jones (2007) noted that the programme of change has positive impact on the structure of the organization as the changes are meant to improve ways of achieving the goals and objectives of the Companies. Strategic changes occurred in Asda Superstore in order to deal with new products in the market, increased competition, new government regulations, changing the workforce and technological developments hence the business was assured of success. Prior to the change the organization structure of Asda Superstore was simple since they had less employees and managers and hence running the business was easier. Changes had to be considered because the supermarket was struggling to increase sales and change in consumer habits that were driven by the increase in online shopping and low incomes among customers made it difficult to succeed. Change programmes were initiated after the demand of the products in Asda superstore increased and therefore there was need to change strategies so that they can meet the needs of the customers. Jansson (2008) stated that the organizational structure for Asda superstore was refined, their accountabilities clear, duplication removed and decision-making made swift and communicated transparently. The strategic changes in Asda superstore had a positive impact on the staff and systems, as they were encouraged to contribute to the success of the organization by being given a chance to share their ideas and being involved in the decision-making processes (Samson and Bevington, 2012). After the strategic changes, some staff members were motivated by being

Redwall Book Report Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Redwall is about a young mouse named Matthias. He lived in an abbey called Redwall. Redwall was a nice, peaceful place until a rat called Cluny the Scourge came with his horde and tried to take it over. The night before the citizens of Redwall knew that Cluny was coming, Matthias and Brother Alf had caught a giant fish that was big enough to feed all of the animals inside of Redwall so they had a big feast. When Matthias and Constance the badger were taking some of the animals who lived outside of the abbey home, they saw Cluny and his horde rolling past in a hay cart so they went back to the abbey to warn everyone. Cluny took one of the empty houses to use as his camp site until he took over the abbey. The Abbot agreed to meet with Cluny to see what he wanted but Cluny wanted Redwall to use as his fortress. Cluny said that the citizens of Redwall could surrender or die. The Abbot Refused to surrender and Cluny left to think of a way to capture the abbey. On his way out of the abbey, Cluny saw a tapestry of Martin the warrior. Cluny had a nightmare about Martin that night which made Cluny scared. Cluny had one of his men called Shadow try to sneak in to Redwall and try and steal the tapestry. Shadow is a half ferret, half rat and is completely black. Shadow snuck in without any problem but Matthias got in the way and ended up pushing Shadow off of the abbey wall. Cluny was waiting at the bottom and he got the tapestry of Martin and left Shadow to die. Matthias snuck out to steal the tapestry back from Cluny. On his way he met Basil the rabbit. Basil told Matthias he would help Matthias get the Tapestry back. Matthias snuck past the guards and Basil ran around the guards to get them away from the tents. Matthias heard someone calling for help in one of the tents so he went to find out who it was. It was the vole family. They had been missing since Cluny came. Matthias had to help them escape instead of finding the tapestry. While Matthias was out attempting to get the tapestry back, Cluny had launched his first attack against Redwall. Cluny’s horde tried attacking the abbey by slinging rocks at the mice on the wall and shooting arrows at them. The rats were losing horribly so Cluny came up with another plan. He had some of his army climb up a tree that was high enough for them to get up onto the wall. The oldest mouse in Redw... ...giving out meals to the soldiers on the wall, she saw the siege tower pop out of the forest right next to the wall. She was surprised and accidentally threw her lamp onto to the tower which sent it up into flames. All the rats ran back to their camp. Cluny had captured a family of field mice and sent the father in to unlock the abbey’s gates. If he refused, Cluny would kill his family. The guards let him in and later during the night, the father field mouse unlocked the gate. All of Cluny’s horde snuck into Redwall and tied everyone up. Just as Cluny was going to kill the Abbot, Matthias came back with one thousand sparrow warriors and five hundred of the Guerrilla Union of Shrews. Matthias fought with Cluny and ended up cutting the abbey’s big bell and it fell on Cluny. The sparrows and the Guerrilla Union of Shrews had more than enough animals to defeat the rats. Cluny had mortally wounded Abbot Mortimor and he was dying. Before he died he said that Brother Alf would become the next Abbot, Matthias would become the champion of Redwall and Matthias would marry Cornflower. All of those things happened and Matthias and Cornflower had a baby named Mattimeo. Kevin Frasier 4/17/05

Transportation Management

In the past, transportation management was a tactical concern – a necessary cost of conducting business, which does not have much impact on profit margins. Today, rising fuel prices and increased pressures for improved service have made transportation management a strategic issue. Companies have to meet and exceed customer expections if they are to be the preferred service and goods provider. A transportation management system (TMS) is an end- to -end software solution that is a part of supply chain management concerning transportation operations. It includes planning and optimization, execution, business intelligence, and freight payment.In addition, it also supports additional services, such as bid optimization, network modeling, yard management, benchmarking, and dock scheduling. Inbound and outbound networks too are supported on a global basis, typically helping companies to move freight from origin to destination cost effectively. In this essay, I will be using Sargento F oods as a case study. The focus of the essay will be on analysing the existing TMS solution adopted by the firm, identifying their areas of weaknesses and recommending strategies that will help to improve the transportation system to better suit the evolving needs of Sargento Foods.Background information Sargento Foods Inc. is a family-owned business, employing approximately 1,300 people at four Wisconsin facilities, one in Washington, and one in South Dakota. They are one of the largest converters of cheese in the United States, offering a variety of cheese products marketed through four business divisions: Consumer Products Division, Food Service Division, Food Ingredients Division and Culinary Solutions. Inadequacies of its existing system before the switch to Sterling TMS: Sargento was managing their distribution and logistics with a hosted TMS solution which was not able to meet their operational requirements.When Sargento Foods planned orders into shipments, the previous solut ion did not consider the cost, service or contractual commitments to carriers. It was not able to accurately allocate transportation costs at the order level. For example, accessorial costs were not being allocated. Recognizing the limitations of their current system, Sargento realised the need for a solution that would meet their current operational needs, as well as any changes they may face in the future. Solution adopted by Sargento FoodsSargento and identified IBM to be their provider and went live with Sterling Transportation Management System (Sterling TMS) in 2006, delivered on cloud, integrating with 30 carriers, shipping approximately 3,000 orders per month, and transporting 24 million pounds of Sargento products on average per month. Sterling TMS works with Sargento’s existing supply chain applications as well as IBM ® Sterling Information Broker ®, allowing them to improve logistics efficiency and customer satisfaction.Customers are placing orders via EDI, whi ch are then fed into Sargento’s SAP ERP system. SAP feeds inbound purchase orders to Sterling TMS as well as Sargento’s Warehouse Management System. Sargento uses Sterling TMS for shipment planning, execution and freight payment. They are now able to track the performance of their carriers, allowing them to identify areas where they can eliminate costs. They are also utilizing the system for visibility purposes and can now accurately allocate transportation costs to their customers.With Sterling TMS they can clearly identify where their shipments are throughout the process and confirm the right rates for the right shipments. They are also using freight payment on the back end after the shipment is completed. Key benefits: As Sterling TMS system is delivered on cloud, this results in fewer IT resource requirements, no upgrade costs, configuration instead of installation, faster and easier connectivity, and lower total cost of ownership using a system that spans the enti re process of Planning, Execution, settlement and Performance analysis.On time delivery Sargento Food’s on time delivery has always been 99%. With the implementation of Sterling TMS, on time delivery has improved. Lower cost with the implementation of Sterling TMS, Sargento has been able to lower the cost of product shipped per pound by 15 percent. through more efficient planning, clear identification of carrier costs and formalized contracts within Sterling TMS. 60 percent administrative cost savings by automating freight payment Sargento improved operational efficiencies by eliminating manual processes and non-value added services.In the past, if a carrier charged Sargento an incorrect transportation cost, Sargento did not have the visibility to correct these charges prior to being invoiced for them. Sargento would calculate the rates, but were often invoiced using a different rate. As a result, Sargento had a difficult time reconciling payments. Since the implementation of Sterling TMS, each carrier has a contract in the Contract Management Module of the system where their rates are locked and paid accordingly with no discrepancies.Not only has the system helped Sargento manage costs, the automation has reduced the manpower required to reconcile payments from 15 hours per week to six hours per week resulting in a 60 percent reduction in administrative costs for freight payment. Improved allocation of costs Accruals are done as soon as the product is loaded at the distribution center. The billing information is fed to the finance department and the accrual of transportation costs is done in real-time. Accessorials that occur during delivery are captured as part of the invoicing process and are also allocated down to the order level.This helps to ensure the real cost of freight is captured for each customer. With Sterling TMS they are now able to evaluate charges during the year to better determine what the customer charges should be the following year , taking in to account the back end fees that each customer was accumulating. This allows Sargento to accurately allocate costs back to their customers and helps ensure Sargento remains profitable. Reduced LTL shipments by 60 percent Prior to the implementation of IBM Sterling TMS, Sargento was doing 10 percent of their shipments via Less than TruckLoad (LTL).With the visibility provided by IBM Sterling TMS, they are able to convert more of their shipments into Full TruckLoads (FTL), with only 4 percent now being shipped as LTL. With enhanced planning capabilities, Sargento can now plan multi-stop and multi-pickup routes consolidating on average four different customer orders per shipment, for optimal execution and further cost savings. Recommendations to improve transportation management system: Improve on missing functionalities and international carrier network There is no perfect transportation management system in the market.While IBM sterling TMS is a comprehensive solution, h owever it does have its own inadequacies due to its missing key functional pieces( fleet management, multileg international shipment planning/optimization and execution, and multicarrier parcel management). To improve on this, it could partner up with other providers whose strengths complement and make up for its missing functionalities to provide a more comprehensive one stop solution for clients like Sargento Foods. Sterling TMS' strength lies only in its North American carrier network and its functionality is incomplete for the most complex users.The lack of a comparable international carrier network holds it back in complex global TMS management which could affect clients i. e Sargento Foods should the the needs of the latter evolve with increasing complexity, requiring a complex global TMS management. Sterling TMS would have been more competitive in the marketplace if it can replicate the scale of its carrier network in international markets. Special carrier mobile application Sterling TMS gives its carriers the ability to update shipment status and tender requests using mobile devices.Since the power of a TMS is directly proportional to the expertise of its users, vehicle operators should be trained so that they possess the skills to extract the maximum value out of the TMS solution. TMS to add social media capabilities. The communities of carriers, shippers, 3PLs, suppliers and customers who are involved in transportation process can be connected via different mediums like facebook, twitter and also google+ by sending short messages and updating the status information. Dropbox can be used for sharing invoices and carrier credential documents. Siri for TMS.Since voice recognition is in use in the warehouse management, Sterling TMS too can also make use of this voice functionality rather than manual execution to conduct a search faster. However at present there is still room for improvement in voice search yielding precise results. Tapping into big data B eyond merely tendering the system, Sterling TMS can also further develop systems that utilise â€Å"big data† that is collected during the transportation process and stored in the TMS by imbedding business intelligence into TMS so as to analyse the data to identify key trends in the market in order to make informed business decisions.Business Intelligence Business Intelligence helps to understand transportation expenditure and allow causes of negative trends in costs and performance to be identified so that corrective actions can be taken and enable the opportunity costs between service and cost trade-offs of different transportation strategies and tactics to be evaluated. Sterling TMS makes use of performance dashboards which is useful but does not provide Sargento with any insight on how its performance compares against industry peers or the broader market. The data only reveals information at hat instant in time and is not embedded within the TMS, which limits the ability for users to leverage it. 3PLs and SaaS providers are in the best position to provide this missing link as they have a built-in network of shippers, carriers, and other trading partners that execute millions of transportation transactions annually through their operating platforms. Therefore, Sterling TMS hey can use all of this network data—such as rates, carrier performance, and transit times to develop a â€Å"transportation index† that gives companies visibility to market-level trends.They can then embed this index information within their TMS application and BI dashboard as LeanLogistics did with its â€Å"LeanDex Transportation Index’’. CH Robinson and Transplace too are exploring ways to leverage their network data and TMS business intelligence dashboards in a similar way. Similarly Sterling TMS can tap on business intelligence to provide more value add to clients like Sargento Foods. TMS vendors will go beyond execution In its 2011 Transportation Management Report, research firm Capgemini Consulting outlined the various components that make up the execution side—as opposed to the planning aspect—of a typical TMS. One of the biggest trends we’re seeing right now are TMS that are trying to be more than just execution systems,† says Chris Caplice, executive director at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Transportation and Logistics. â€Å"Basically, a TMS gathers the information on a load to be tendered and matches that data to a historical routing guide. Then it communicates to a carrier and manages the ensuing communication process† â€Å"The more advanced TMS is going beyond that and tapping into other information services and utilizing that data to help the shipper make the best possible decisions. If Sterling TMS can be connected directly into a market data benchmarking service that funnels data back to the system, this will positioning Sterling TMS to serve as mor e than just an execution feed. Customised software Transportation management systems offered by vendors like Sterling IBM should offer a flexible configuration that adapts to company’s unique strategies, network constraints and variables so that it is designed according to a company’s specific circumstances. With so many constraints and variables, transportation issues can’t be solved with a cookie cutter software that is generally used for all companies.Software designed should be personally customised for individual companies or may be customizable by users. The transportation management system should support a wide range of mathematical approaches, allowing the company to view the problem holistically and then constantly modify those approaches based on its current needs and requirements as the variables change. However, the cost of this may be higher and customisation would require the technical team in Sargento Foods to work togther with the software provid er to come up with a custom made software specifically designed for Sargento Foods.Also the assumption would be that employees of Sargento Foods would have the technical expertise to handle to complexities of the software. Instead this would increase the cost of implementation. While on demand solution (self service) is currently very popular and is functionality-driven; with the ability to deliver on all processes – from sourcing to planning to execution to costs auditing to reporting & analysis yet Only a few Transportation Management systems have the ability to execute with some functional depth in all areas.Therefore Sargento Foods would probably need to take into consideration whether IBM Sterling TMS has the ability and versatility to execute across all diverse functions through continuous review of KPIs and performance reviews as well as whether they are able to continuously meet performance targets. As circumstances and economic conditions are in a continual state of flux, a system that may be applicable now may beoutdated very soon unless continual updates and improvements to the systems are made.Sterling TMS has to continually invest in its TMS solution to ensure that it stays ahead of its competitors. Sargento Foods should also constantly monitor and tune its strategies to address changes in its networks, supply chain, market and customer demands and adapt its strategies to capitalize on market opportunities. Rather than just letting Sterling TMS solver run unattended, Sargento Foods must always look for ways to drive more value for their business by discussing with Sterling TMS should it outgrow its system.Managed TMS Some companies have discovered that investing in SaaS-based TMS reaped initial savings, but subsequent returns were not as rosy. The next stage in the development of TMS solutions, â€Å"is software plus consulting services, using a 3PL model. Should Sargento Foods adopt this new model,,it will be able to tap on the external e xpertise from the dedicated teams employed by a TMS provider often stationed permanently on-site and acting as an extension of the client’s staff.These individuals act as quasi-employees of Sargento Foods, Their relationship with Sargento Foods is ongoing and team members represent the client firm in various capacities. For instance , they are involved in customer meetings providing routine analyses and expert advice. The advantage of this is that the service provider( of the Managed TMS) has planners that do not have to go through a planning period before becoming effective as opposed to the traditional 3PL and secondly shippers like Sargento Foods do not have to worry about degradation in their planning capabilities if a key employee leaves the company.Some customers recognize that in Managed TMS they have a partner that can provide a totally integrated transportation management program—from brokerage through to execution and optimization in a one- stop solution. Sar gento FOods may consider managed TMS solution and outsourcing its transportation management and operations to a dedicated team from a service provide. this would perhaps more effectively optimise the usage of its TMS solution. Conclusion In conclusion, Sargento Foods would better manage its transportation were the above mentioned functions adopted. For instance, improving on missing unctionalities and international carrier network; using special carrier mobile application and social media capabilities; Siri for TMS, taping into big data, using business intelligence and analytics; going beyond execution and tapping into other information services, utilizing that data to help the shipper make the best possible decision; peronally customising software design for Sargento Foods; constantly monitoring and tuning its strategies to address changes in its networks, supply chain, market and customer demands and adapt its strategies to capitalize on market opportunities.Rather than just letti ng Sterling TMS solver run unattended, Sargento Foods must always look for ways to drive more value for their business by discussing with Sterling TMS should it outgrow its system. Subsequently it could consider switching to managed TMS should it require expertise from supply chain and transportation management to better optimise its operations.