Analysis of Food Supply Chain Models

Analysis of Food Supply Chain Models Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Globalization in Food Industry background Since last decade, Globalization is a trend in the food industry due to growing potential markets in various developing countries and changing consumption pattern of the people. Integration of international food markets and increasing expansion in international markets of the firms is the most significant trends in global economy. Market liberalization and scientific progress gave rise to globalization. Even though consumer diets are gradually changing globally; there are variations in food shopping patterns around the world which is mostly based on income levels. The focus of food retailing industry in developing and developed countries was different with respect to consumers and the type of food demanded. The trend was that the developing countries retailers focused on high value food while the developed countries retailers focused on meeting consumer demand with respect to quality, security and choices. Thus various retailers are now looking at exploring new markets and using more opportunities in different kinds of developed and developing markets. Retailers have the information regarding the consumer preference and the standard of living which in then applied for research in segmenting the market according to market demand, affordability as well as quality. Hence food retail sectors is continuously growing and making innovative sale systems. The global food retail sale has increased up to $2 trillion yearly and the top 15 global supermarket companies’ account for more than 30 percent of world supermarket sales. Bourlakis (2004) opines that â€Å"The current changes are driving food supply chains to take up coordination between producers and retailers to aid modifying products to meet consumer demands. The food supply chain progressed from series of shorter, independent transfers to more unified, coherent relationship between processors, manufacturers and retailers†. Lubbers (1997) refer to the term globalization, meaning the global sourcing of raw materials combined with local marketing. Stalk and Hout (1990), Christopher (1992) and Hewitt (1994) suggested that â€Å"The keys to long-term competitive advantage in today’s marketplace are flexibility andcustomer response†. To maximize a competitive advantage, all members within the Supply Chain should ‘seamlessly’ work together to serve the end consumer (Towill, 1997).The effects of globalization (i.e. open markets), the market entranceof new competitors, and stricter governmental requirements for food safety and environment friendlyproduction place increasing demands on management. This study will examine some of the food supply chain models, evaluating it whether the consumer preferences are bringing changes in the global food supply chain model. Further effort will be made to analyze the changing patterns of traditional and evolving model for existing food supply chains and how it affects the sale and demand of foods in the market. With the introduction of supermarkets in the 21st century more and more traditional grocery outlets have suffered a fall in share from 40 percent in 1995 to 36 percent in 2005 and thus their was rise of supermarkets (Neff 1997a).Thus globalization has come into picture where more and more supermarkets are establishing in various countries due to decline in international trade barriers and more opportunities for investments as well as growth as a multinational. 1.2 Statement of The Problem There are various factors which affect the global food supply chain pattern and every stage of supply chain undergoes some kind uncertainties which cause inefficiencies in firm’s logistics. Food industry is also facing various issues regarding proper planning of distribution system which incurred a high cost to the retailers. Due to high competition and growth in the retail sector, many manufacturers and retailers have understood that there can be significant amount of cost reduction by making improvements in logistics. This can be achieved when the suppliers and the manufacturers work together to give better value to the consumer by maximizing costumer satisfaction and minimizing cost of distribution. Thus there is a need to redesigning a supply chain model. UK’s Milk supply chain is one of the complex food supply chains.UK is considered as one of the largest milk producers in EU. However, the major concern for UK is that even if the UK is mainly self-reliant in milk, the value of UK exports of milk products is significantly lower than the value of imports and in 2007 the UK had a trade deficit of about  £881m in dairy products. (Defra, 2007).Several reason have been estimated which has led to issues in dairy sector in UK.Thus the above issues raised a demand for further in-depth investigation. They thus form the basis for this study. 1.3 Purpose of The Study The purpose of study is to examine the food supply chain model present in global food industry as well as UK’s milk production and supply chain in particular. Specially, the purpose of the study was: To identify the changing food system pattern in food manufacturing and retailing globally. To highlight conventional and developing model for existing food supply chains and to asses its affects on the global food market. To find out the socio-economics impact of changing pattern of food supply chain on society. To study the supply chain models and to examine how the model could be designed more effectively and efficiently in order to improve supply chain uncertainties. To examine the reason of decline in the milk supplies in UK which leads to decrease in milk exports and increase in milk import even if UK is self sufficient in milk production. 1.4 Research Questions To provide focus and direction for the study and to successfully carry it out, the following research questions have been raised: a) Do the changing pattern of food distribution system have an effect on consumer and retailer’s relationship? (b) If they do, in what ways it effect the consumers? What changes should be undertaken to improve on distribution system? Which are the important factors for food supply chain developments and the important characteristics of the food retail sectors, and their effects on the food supply chain? What is the need to redesign food supply chains model? What are the strategic, tactical and operational decision made for food supply chain decision like production and distribution? How globalization in food industry has helped in growth of the world economy? Has the retail sector become more powerful then food manufacturing sector? What are the issues in Milk supply chain in UK? What is the reason for higher import of milk? What is the percentage of production of processed milk products in UK? What are the demand and supply of these milk products? 1.5 Significance of The Study This research work is to look at the current supply chain process in UK and evaluate the food supply chain model in order find out the changing patterns of global food supply chain which affects the consumer. Thus the study is significant for the following reasons: First it will help shed light on the ongoing transformation in the food industry globally. It will also help us to understand certain issues which exist in different processes of supply chain management. Also findings from the study may serve as a basis for evaluation of entire food supply systems which has shifted from national to global retailing. This will help them to adopt feasible measures to improve the relationships between retailers, manufacturers and consumer. The study will also contribute to existing knowledge on what encouraged the retailers, distributors and manufacturers to improve on the efficiencies of existing food systems. This could help strengthen retailing internalization which will further help in focusing more on increasing sale growth and market share than on profitability. The growth in private label and consumer interest brought about new changes in food retailing. In this way, the study will serve as basis for further research on the topic in the various countries as well as all over the world for the particular type of food product supply chain. Further case study is performed on UK dairy industry. It will address the positive as well as negative aspects in this sector. It also points out the market share for each dairy product and issues in dairy sector. The study also suggests the scope for future innovations in this sector. 1.6 Organization of The Study The study is organized in following way: Chapter one provides general information of the study, the research problem, purpose of study and research questions and objective of study. It would also present information on the significance of the study, limitation and organization of the study. Chapter Two presents background information and key characteristic of food supply chain globally. Chapter Three presents a review of available literature related to supply chain. In particular, literature on the concept of changing global supply chains perspectives as well as the socio economic effect on the people due to change in food supply chain as well as relationship between society and changing supply chain will be studied. Chapter four focuses on the dairy food supply chain model, its characteristics and future of the dairy supply chain sector. It will also focus on issues in production of milk and milk products. Chapter five presents the summary and conclusion of the research findings. It also discusses the findings and implications of the present study and provide a conclusion. Chapter 2 Backgroud 2.1. Introducing global retail industry Last year in 2007, national statistics confirmed that there were 55,540 retailers having around 103,000 retail outlets globally. The world’s major food retail companies are Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Carrefour Group, The Kroger Co, Metro AG and many more. This company originates from different countries like US, France, Germany but they have made their mark in international markets also. Wal-Mart being the leader has expanded in over 9 countries and operates nearly 1,300 outlets across North America, South America, Europe and Asia. After acquiring the large market share in developed countries, these major retailers are looking at developing markets like China and India. There is extreme competition in retail markets because companies are always looking for acquisition prospects for further expansion. White et al., 2004, opined that â€Å"there is speculation that Carrefour, the world’s second biggest retailer by revenue may be in the sights of Wal-Mart, the only retailer that is bigger, which unsurprisingly, recently signalled it would like to start expanding more aggressively in Europe†. Reduced trade barriers and regulations have facilitated the global companies to enter the markets of developing economies like India while in China the government has increased the barriers in order to increase the competition between the global companies. Grocery and Food retailing are getting concentrated. According to the Euromoniter report 2007, â€Å"the mature markets of Western European and US markets along with growing saturation in Eastern Europe have turned retailers focus to the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) markets, which show extraordinary growth potential†. Retailers are developing retailing strategies by doing market research specific to a particular geographical region and then using technical innovations and marketing knowledge to develop in that area. There are large formatted supermarkets, hypermarkets and a few small sized formatted stores and grocery stores. Private labeling of the retailers brands are the growing trends now a days and they have become successful as well due to the quality of products they provide at much cheaper rates. Worldwide: Top 30 Grocery Retailers, 2006 Table1. Rank/ Company Country of Origin Retail Banner Sales 2006 (USD mn) Market Share (%) Net Sales (USD mn) (1) Grocery Retail Banner Sales (%) Domestic Sales (%) Foreign Sales (%) 1 Wal-Mart USA 376,430 6.3 344,992 45.6 78 22 2 Carrefour France 122,214 2.0 97,739 73.9 47 53 3 Metro Group Germany 87,360 1.5 75,131 48.0 45 55 4 Tesco UK 86,827 1.5 78,451 73.3 75 25 5 Seven I (2) Japan 79,101 1.3 41,600 67.8 66 34 6 Ahold Neth. 77,546 1.3 56,299 84.4 18 82 7 Kroger USA 69,549 1.1 66,111 70.5 100 0 8 Sears USA 64,833 1.1 53,012 11.8 88 12 9 Costco USA 64,737 1.1 58,963 61.0 80 20 10 Target USA 62,584 1.0 59,490 30.4 100 0 11 Rewe Germany 56,448 0.9 54,515 75.3 68 32 12 Casino France 55,298 0.9 25,752 74.7 58 42 13 Schwarz Group Germany 55,160 0.9 50,224 82.6 54 46 14 AEON (2) Japan 55,157 0.9 41,431 55.5 90 10 15 Aldi Germany 54,104 0.9 49,948 83.5 53 47 16 Auchan France 53,608 0.9 48,408 62.6 50 50 17 Walgreens USA 49,874 0.8 47,409 36.0 99 1 18 Edeka Germany 48,525 0.8 40,277 85.4 93 7 19 CVS USA 46,092 0.8 43,814 30.0 100 0 20 Safeway (USA) USA 43,770 0.7 40,185 75.4 83 17 21 Leclerc France 40,435 0.7 36,432 61.4 94 6 22 ITM (Intermarchà ©) France 36,931 0.6 33,976 76.9 90 10 23 Sainsbury UK 36,071 0.6 31,360 75.6 100 0 24 Woolworths (AUS) Australia 34,255 0.6 31,243 72.1 89 11 25 SuperValu USA 32,278 0.6 37,406 73.0 100 0 26 Tengelmann Germany 31,566 0.5 29,255 62.0 58 42 27 Coles G

How We Got The King James Version :: essays research papers

â€Å"The King James Version has become so sanctified by time and use that to many people it has come to be regarded as the Bible.† Our English Bible   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  James I was born in 1566 and died in 1625. He belonged to the House of Stuart along with all the other Kings of Scotland and a few from England. James I became the King of England when Elizabeth I, his cousin, died. This happened in the year 1603. When he took over the English throne, he was also the King of Scotland and ruled under the name of King James IV. He ruled both England and Scotland until he died. Charles I, James’s son, was the successor to both of the thrones. James believed in the divine right of kings, the ability to rule as a king from God, not the people. James had many thing named after him, and Jamestown is probably the most famous other that the King James Version of the Bible. James, formerly know as King James VI of Scotland, is accredited with this version of the translation of the Bible. Around 1603, James came to England for the reason of succeeding Elizabeth in the throne and became King James I. As soon as he arrived in England, the Hampton Court Conference was held for the reason to hear of the problems of the church. This conference failed its purpose, but one of the best translations of the word of God came from it. John Reynolds, president of Corpus Christi College, was the sole motivator for this new translation and he was the one that got King James to start on the translation. His immediately got James attention and he soon started the translations soon after There was one stipulation that James had and it was that there be no notes in the margins of the new book. He found all those notes to be untrue and dangerous to kings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Within Six months the general plans were drawn up and ready to be carried out. James had had to choose scholars that he thought were trustworthy and ready for the task ahead. His original list consisted of 54 of these scholars. Before it was over with, this list had dwindled down to 47. The reason for the drop in number was because of death and also some of the scholars withdrew from the work. Now that all these men had been chosen, they had to be dived up into teams. How We Got The King James Version :: essays research papers â€Å"The King James Version has become so sanctified by time and use that to many people it has come to be regarded as the Bible.† Our English Bible   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  James I was born in 1566 and died in 1625. He belonged to the House of Stuart along with all the other Kings of Scotland and a few from England. James I became the King of England when Elizabeth I, his cousin, died. This happened in the year 1603. When he took over the English throne, he was also the King of Scotland and ruled under the name of King James IV. He ruled both England and Scotland until he died. Charles I, James’s son, was the successor to both of the thrones. James believed in the divine right of kings, the ability to rule as a king from God, not the people. James had many thing named after him, and Jamestown is probably the most famous other that the King James Version of the Bible. James, formerly know as King James VI of Scotland, is accredited with this version of the translation of the Bible. Around 1603, James came to England for the reason of succeeding Elizabeth in the throne and became King James I. As soon as he arrived in England, the Hampton Court Conference was held for the reason to hear of the problems of the church. This conference failed its purpose, but one of the best translations of the word of God came from it. John Reynolds, president of Corpus Christi College, was the sole motivator for this new translation and he was the one that got King James to start on the translation. His immediately got James attention and he soon started the translations soon after There was one stipulation that James had and it was that there be no notes in the margins of the new book. He found all those notes to be untrue and dangerous to kings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Within Six months the general plans were drawn up and ready to be carried out. James had had to choose scholars that he thought were trustworthy and ready for the task ahead. His original list consisted of 54 of these scholars. Before it was over with, this list had dwindled down to 47. The reason for the drop in number was because of death and also some of the scholars withdrew from the work. Now that all these men had been chosen, they had to be dived up into teams.

International Trade and Finance Speech Essay

Introduction Today I would like to discuss, with you, the current state of the U.S. macro economy. I will attempt to simply address concepts and terms which focus on international trade and foreign exchange rates. Much of the discussion will focus around the surplus of imports brought into the U.S., and the impact it has on the U.S. businesses and consumers involved. I will also describe the effects of the international trade to GDP, domestic markets, and university students. It is important to understand how the government’s choices, in regards to tariffs and quotas, affect international relations and trade; so I will describe the interactive relationship in regards to tariffs and quotas, and how the government’s choices affect international relations and trade. We will also understand how foreign exchange rates are determined, and identify the reasons the U.S. does not restrict goods from China and minimize imports from other countries. Imports in the U.S. The U.S. imports many goods from various countries around the globe; and the trading of these goods plays an important role in the stability of economic growth for the U.S. The U.S. imports goods or products from other countries such as China; and if the U.S. has a surplus of imports it means there is an increase in the trade deficit, which is not good for the U.S. because trade deficits usually increase unemployment. Examples of products with an import surplus in the U.S. are China’s auto-parts. The U.S. auto-parts industry is at risk of lost jobs because of the rapid growth of auto-parts imported from China. The Chinese government unfairly subsidizes and trades auto-parts to the U.S.; which in return jeopardizes jobs related to the auto-parts industry in the U.S. Exports from the U.S. support jobs, but imports supplant production which would otherwise support U.S. employment. The U.S. auto-parts trade deficit increased from $9.5 billion in the year 2000 to $31.2 billion in the year 2010. During the year 2010, China’s exports of auto-parts exceeded their imports of U.S. products by 725 percent. The impact of this discrepancy between the two countries forces consumers and businesses, in the U.S., to evaluate which products are worth buying. Many times China’s products are manufactured just as thoroughly as their counterparts in the U.S., and they are often much cheaper to purchase. In order to save money, many U.S. companies and consumers will purchase goods from China, and also establish businesses and create jobs in that country which would otherwise benefit domestic employment (â€Å"Economic Policy Institute†, 2012). GDP I would like to next address the effects of international trade to the GDP, domestic markets, and university students. International trade has become important to the U.S. economy in recent years, and the benefits of a global market improve the U.S. standard of living. The problem for the U.S. is the contraction of the GDP because of reduced exports and higher imports. The outflow of domestic currency to foreign markets can decrease the currency of the dollar, and make imports more expensive to purchase. If the currency of the dollar decreases, domestic markets will suffer because now goods cost more to purchase. Domestic markets can also be affected by international trade. If imports are cheaper than domestic company products, then domestic markets may suffer because the imports are cheaper to purchase. Many international students and public and private institutions also benefit from the effects of international trade. The revenues generated by international students are important because they usually pay out-of-state tuition, and the education sector usually benefits from a trade surplus (â€Å"Business Day†, 2013). Tariffs and Quotas The government’s choices, in regards to tariffs and quotas, usually have a big effect on international trade and relations. Many countries rely on net exports to maximize their productions companies. When quotas and tariffs are introduced to the global market, it can affect the flow of goods and products to consumer nations; and can negatively impact the production companies. Because it is usually beneficial for international companies to maximize production, tariffs and quotas can potentially strain international relations and trade. Exchange Rates I would like to next address foreign exchange rates and what determines them. Most of us are aware that currency has a value attached to it. The difference between the two country’s currency value, and the rate for what they will be exchanged for each other; is known as the foreign exchange rate. The exchange rates are determined in the foreign exchange market, which determines the local demand for foreign currencies (â€Å"Businessdictionary.com†, 2013). Goods in the U.S. The question is often asked, if China has restrictions on U.S. imports, then why does the U.S. not restrict goods coming in from China? To answer the question simply, Chinese imports are important to the U.S. because China has the fastest growing markets in the world. If the U.S. were to stop imports from China, then accordingly China would stop imports for the U.S., and we would not have access that important market. It is vital to have relationships with the global market, because those trade relationships keep the U.S. relevant in the global economy. Many economists agree if the U.S. were to stop trading with foreign countries, then the entire global economy would collapse, which would result in the entire globe going into a depression. Conclusion In conclusion I would like to state that I hope I have addressed all of you questions about the current state of the U.S. macro economy. It is important to understand the importance of all countries involved with foreign trade, and how their imports and our exports directly affect the U.S. economy and our jobs. While we would like to be independent from a lot of foreign goods, the idea of total independence from foreign trade is virtually impossible. As we discussed earlier, the reason is because of our trade deficits and their countries ability to invest in the U.S. References Economic Policy Institute. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.epi.org/publication/bp336-us-china-auto-parts-industry/ Businessdictionary.com. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/foreign-exchange-rate.html Business Day. (2013). Retrieved from http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/the-impact-of-foreign-trade-on-the-economy/

Beloved and Numerology essays

Beloved and Numerology essays In literature, numbers are used to communicate important messages to the reader. The author uses references to numbers to strengthen the important ideas of the novel. In many cultures numbers carry an important or significant meaning to them. These numbers can carry a meaning more efficiently than using only words. In Beloved, Toni Morrison uses references to numbers to emphasize the significant ideas of the novel. Morrison uses these numbers to represent the persistence of slavery brought upon in Sethes life, her childrens life, Paul D.s life, and Baby Suggs life, after slavery has ended. These references to numbers are important because they show how these characters are affected after it has ended. Through physical means, through the actions of these characters, and through psychological means of these characters, Morrison shows the haunting continuation and aftereffects of slavery. In many novels the first sentence is the most important sentence in the novel. The first sentence can set the way for the remainder of the novel. In Beloved the first sentence, and first word of the entire novel uses numbers. Because numbers are used first, before any words, I find that the references to numbers are very important. 124 is in the first sentence on the first page. The sentence states, 124 WAS SPITEFUL (Morrison 3). This sentence is in all capital letters and also bold print. This shows an importance that this reference to numbers has on the novel. This number used on the page sets up the haunting story of slavery in one particular black household. The number refers to the house number in which the main characters live in. This house, 124, is haunted by the ghost of the baby of the main character, Sethe, who is learned to be named Beloved. 124 is barely referred to as there home, instead just simply referred to as 124. This number 124 plays a bigger meaning in the novel than simpl...

Philisophy Rousseau essays

Philisophy Rousseau essays Rousseau was a very famous french philosopher. He wrote many popular stories and operas during his life. He was a very smart man who was born into a disturbed family. Jean Jacques Rousseau was born in Geneva on June 28th, in 1712. Rousseau ¡s mother died while giving birth to him. His father was a very violent tempered man and he paid little attention to Jean ¡s training. His father would eventually desert him. The fact that his father deserted him gave Jean a passion for reading. Rousseau developed a special fondness for Plutarch ¡s Lives. In 1728, when he was 16, Jean was first apprenticed to a notary and then to a coppersmith. Rousseau couldn ¡t stand the rigid discipline so he ran away. After a few days of wandering, he fell in with Roman Catholic priests at Consignon in Savoy, who turned him over to Madame de Warens at Annecy. She sent him to an educational institution at Turin. Rousseau was charged with theft and began to wander again. In 1730, he was at Chambery, he l ived with Madame de Warens again. In her household he spent eight years diverting himself in the enjoyment of nature, the study of music, the reading of the English, German, and French philosophers and chemistry, pursuing the study of mathematics and Latin, and enjoying the playhouse and opera. Over the next few months, Jean spent his time at Venice as secretary of the French ambassador, Comte de Montaignu. Up to this time, when he was thirty-nine, his life could be described as subterranean. He then returned to Paris, where his opera Les Muses Galantes failed, copied music, and was secretary of Madame Dupin. It was here that he became a contributor to the Encyclopedie. His gifts of entertainment, reckless manner, and boundless vanity attracted attention. In 1752, his operetta Devin du village was met with great success. His second sensational writing assured him of fame. It was called Discours sur l ¡origine et les fondements de l ¡inegalite parmi les hommes. In 1...

Legal aspect of the gas and oil industry Coursework

Legal aspect of the gas and oil industry - Coursework Example A country with natural resource (usually oil and gas) allows companies to explore areas for oil and gas. When the enterprise generates revenue through oil exploration it first covers the expenses such as materials, machinery, and operational costs. The rest is the profit that is usually split in 20/80 ratio. The 20% share goes to the company, and the government takes the remaining 80% share. This is still highly profitable for companies. Contractual arrangements are divided into two main categories; service contracts and production sharing contracts. The difference between the two depends on whether or not the contract receives compensation in cash or in-kind (crude) (Johnston, 1994). Generally speaking, both contracts are referred to as production sharing contracts (PSC) or production sharing agreement (PSA) because of the commonalities. The Philippine government alternatively refers to their contractual arrangements as either a service contract (Johnston, 1994). The oil community does a similar thing but ordinarily calls it a PSC. The PSC is a risk service contract because the contractor pays a fee for conducting exploration and production operations. The contract of the century is a term used for a PSA between 11 major oil companies and Azerbaijan for exploration of oil in this region (Ciarreta & Nasirov, 2012). This form of contract is highly feasible for developing countries. The petroleum fiscal systems in the majority of developing countries are opting for PSCs (Pongsiri, 2004). Settings of PSC are not unique or a recent invention. Upon analysing the spirit of the contract, it would seem quite similar to the agreements already in existence in places like Indonesia. For this reason, it was much easier to implement the terms of the PSC for oil exploration in Indonesia. The country already had the concept of â€Å"crop sharing† between the farmers and the landlords that

REFERENCE Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

REFERENCE - Article Example His clients also have the utmost esteem for Mr X. They consider Mr X the consummate professional, an exemplar of the vocation, and they are struck by his affability and graciousness during what must be a time of considerable stress. Mr X is extremely liberal with his valuable time. For example, he has attended at my pharmacy once a week for over six years. Considering the enormous distances he must travel to do so it heartens me that he always treats both my customers and myself with enthusiasm and vigour; more so as he does this without any monetary recompense whatsoever, such is his enthusiasm to return to the register. Mr X is fervent in his desire to gain valuable experience under my tutelage – something that I actively encourage. Mr X, while obviously on restricted duties, performs a variety of valuable tasks while working in the pharmacy. These include providing homeopathic remedies as well as dispensing conventional medicines. Mr X also enjoys working at the counter as it allows him to interact with patients as well as allowing him to keep up to date with changes in regulations regarding many over the counter medicines. Mr X is very active in preventive care. He encourages customers to engage in healthy lifestyle pursuits - advising patients about the potential dangers associated with cigarette smoking for example – and is fully versed in all the smoking cessation programs that our pharmacy offers. Indeed, Mr X’s customer service is outstanding. He is always engaging and energetic when dealing with patients. Moreover, Mr X explains in clear simple English exactly what each prescription does, whether there will be any complications or potential side-effects, and whether there are any better or cheaper generic medications available. Overall, Mr X’s customer service skills are exemplary. I rely on Mr X’s discretion and professionalism at all