The roles of three different people at John Lewis in the Sales Department Essay Example for Free

The roles of three different people at John Lewis in the Sales Department Essay We asked the Caroline ODonovan the Human Resources Training Manager to tell us about three different jobs in the same department. Here is the information she gave us. John Lewis is run on certain Principles that all staff have to keep to: * By a clear understanding of what the employer expect of them and what there duties are. * commutate clearly and regularly to ovoid misunderstandings. * Know they rites and responsibilities within the business this is what they are entitled to and what they must take responsibility for. Purpose The Partnerships ultimate purpose is the happiness of all its members, through their worthwhile and satisfying employment in a successful business. Because the Partnership is owned in trust for its members, they share the responsibilities of ownership as well as its rewards profit, knowledge and power. Power Power in the Partnership is shared between three governing authorities, the Central Council, the Central Board and the Chairman. Profit The Partnership aims to make sufficient profit from its trading operations to sustain its commercial vitality, to finance its continued development and to distribute a share of those profits each year to its members, and to enable it to undertake other activities consistent with its ultimate purpose. Members The Partnership aims to employ people of ability and integrity who are committed to working together and to supporting its Principles. Relationships are based on mutual respect and courtesy, with as much equality between its members as differences of responsibility permit. The Partnership aims to recognise their individual contributions and reward them fairly. Job Descriptions These are the details of what an employee is expected to do at John Lewis. People are given a job description when they apply for a job so they know what they are applying for. At John Lewis the job descriptions include: * Job Title * Who they are responsible to * Status eg, Non-management * Main purpose * Job responsibilities John Lewis do not use person specifications. These state the personal qualities and qualifications that the applicants need to do the job. John Lewis say they discuss these things but do not give them out to staff as official documents. At John Lewis jobs are split into sales or non-sales jobs. In the selling department there are actually four different levels of jobs: 1. Assistant Sales Cashier 2. Sales Cashier 3. Section Manager 4. Selling Department Manager The three jobs we are looking at are Sales Cashier, Section Manager and Selling Department Manager. As the jobs get higher up the scale there are more responsibilities to that job. 1. Job title: Sales Cashier-sports equipment department Responsible to: Department Manager Status: Non-Management I have chosen the sports equipment store to do my project on. The job description( in italics) is what has been set for the staff and the meaning next to it(non italics): * Provide courteous and informed customer service and sell the merchandise by knowing the stock and relating it to customer needs. This means that the partners in that department will have to know all of the stock what product is best for a peculiar purpose and whats the best product for the customers. (Not meaning the most expensive product). If the member of staff is slightly unsure which is the best product then he/she will get another member who would Know. * To maintain the housekeeping standards of the department by keeping the fixtures and displays clean and well stocked with a balanced assortment. This means that the partners will have to keep a regular check on the stock and make sure when one is sold the same item is replaced on the shelf. Also to check equipment is not tampered with. * To complete monetary and credit transactions within procedure outlined in Instruction for the use of Cash Registers * To maintain the housekeeping standards of the department by keeping the fixtures and displays. clean and well stocked with a balanced assortmen.t * To assist with the preparation and execution of stocktaking * * To maintain security of cash, cash registers, sales checks and stock within the department. This is to have a partner always around the tills so that nothing will happen. Be aware of shoplifters. * To observe the Partnerships written rules and regulations particularly in relation to general behaviour to colleagues, customers and others, standards of dress, security, stock handling, discount, fire and emergency procedures. * To carry out duties required regularly or occasionally, according to the circumstances and guidance of the Department Manager. * Benefits: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6 per hour depending on experience 2. Job title: Section Manager Responsible to Department Manager Main Purpose To assist in the management of the department by planning, organising and supervising the activities of the team; to ensure a high standard of service is maintained at all times. 1. Plan organise and supervise the activities of the team. (a) Plan and manage office floor cover. (b) Organise priorities and allocate tasks to match resources. (c) Review task completion against task allocation. (d) Coach on work performance to Partners. (e) Plan organise and supervise exceptional events as directed e.g. Stocktaking and Clearance. 2. Ensure Partners advise and sell to customers. (a) Monitor Partners selling skills. (b) Monitor Partners produce knowledge. (c) Encourage promotion of customer services. 3. Contribute to developing and maintaining customer service. (a) Develop and maintain positive relationships with customers. (b) Investigate and deal with customer complaints. (c) Control the procedure for dealing with complaints. (d) Maintain the Partnerships trading policy. (e) Identify, suggest and implement improvements to customer service. 4. Evaluate and monitor the receipt of payments from customers for goods and services. (a) Evaluate takings practices and procedures, (b) Monitor takings practices and processes at cash point. 5. Contribute to the continuous improvement of the department (a) Identify opportunities for solving problems and improving the department. (b) Recommend improvements for the department. Contribute to the implementation of improvements to the department. 6. Present and promote stock Maintain Partnerships display and merchandise standards. Organise, monitor and evaluate promotions of stock to increase sales. (c) Organise, monitor and evaluate the display of stock. 7. Maintain the availability of stock (a) Maintain stock availability. (b) Recommend measures to improve stock availability. (c) Monitor and assess stock levels against requirements. 8. Supervise the receipt and storage of goods (a) Supervise, organise and maintain stockholding areas. (b) Monitor and maintain stock movements. 9. Create, maintain and enhance productive working relationships (a) Create and enhance productive working relationships with your team and colleagues. (b) Maintain and enhance productive working relationships with your manager. (c) Identify and minimise conflict within your team. 10. Contribute to the training and development of your team. (a) Contribute to planning the training and development of your team. (b) Contribute to the training and development of your team. (c) Contribute to the assessment of training. (d) Take responsibility for your development. 11. Contribute to a secure safe and healthy workplace. (a) Implement procedures to maintain the security of cash and stock. (b) Monitor losses and investigate identified problems. (c) Assess and control risks to health and safety. (d) Implement procedures to deal with threats to security, health and safety. 12. Promote Partnership principles and practices. (a) Provide information to Partners on councils, committees and Partnership Social activities. (b) Maintain Partnership Rules and Regulations. (c) To assist with the preparation and execution of stocktaking. (d) To observe the Partnerships written rules and regulations particularly in relation to general behaviour to colleagues, customers, and others, standards of dress, security, stock handling, discount, fire and emergency procedures. (e) To carry out duties, required regularly or occasional, according to circumstances and guidance of Department Manager. 3. Job title: Selling Department Manager Responsible to : Head of Branch Main Purpose: To optimise sales, reputation and profitability of the department and branch through the management of resources and the development of Partners, ensuring we deliver quality customer service and exploit the opportunities presented by the merchandise. This is to be achieved within the spirit, policies and written regulations of the Partnership. 1. Maximise the sales performance of the department Use space and group merchandise effectively Offer the right stock Present stock to the best effect Ticket merchandise to aid customer selection Promote merchandise Maintain a clean and tidy, well stocked department Generate commercial awareness within the team 2. Contribute to the profitability of the selling department and branch by controlling wastage and costs Minimise known and unknown wastage Minimise costs to the department and branch 3. Maintain and improve customer service Evaluate performance against agreed standards of customer service Identify, agree and implement improvements to standards of customer service Manage and evaluate customer complaints and take steps to minimise them 4.Control the Stock Management System Monitor stock control information to ensure stock levels meet expected sales Establish and maintain the correct balance of stock assortment with buyers Evaluate the effectiveness of arrangements for receiving, marking off and distributing stock for the department Organise the stocktaking operation Monitor and control staffing resources within an agreed budget Plan and agree staff estimate and pay review Contribute to the selection of new recruits Monitor and control the department staff costs within estimate Encourage and maintain a learning and development culture for self, team and individuals to improve personal performance and achieve business objectives Take responsibility for own development and learning Develop section manager Develop the team Manage the development of individuals Support off the job learning opportunities to ensure Partners needs are identified and met Create, maintain and develop effective working relationships Establish and maintain trust and support of Parnters Establish and maintain positive relationship with branch and central management colleagues Identify and manage conflict Implement disciplinary and grievance procedures Provide support and guidance to deal with unacceptable performance Manage continuous improvement in the department Encourage Partners to contribute to the continuous improvement of the department. Visualise change Use stock control systems to develop our business Match stock to customer profiles Create administration systems to develop our business Raise Partners awareness of commercial developments Identify and manage proposals to improve the department Maintain the security, health and safety of the working environment Control and monitor all aspects of security for cash, stocks and Partners Organise, monitor and update Risk Assessment in the department Minimise risks to health and safety of Partners and customers Maintain and promote an interest in partnership principles and practices Encourage Partners to demonstrate a sense of responsibility as members of a democratically owned business Generate and sustain teams interest in, and knowledge of Partnership matters Maintain all Partnership Rules and Regulations and ensure individuals in team do likewise

GPS Locator Application Development

GPS Locator Application Development It is an application can locate the person by using GPS take from Google map a map to locate people, and there a option for the user when download the app for WIFI and locking the phone for example a parent they download this app in his phone and in child phone, the parent they watch his son in map and they can turn off   WIFI or lock the phone in child phone, you have to deal with Google development to get API key to allow you to use Google map, also there is some permissions the internet and network . Glympse is a fast, free, and simple way to share your location in real time with the people you trust. Send a Glympse to your friends to let them know youre on your way. Request a Glympse of your friend who is always running late. Create a group for your family reunion. Set a duration, pick a destination, choose the recipients and hit send! Glympse will take care of the rest. Use Glympse to:   Ã‚   coordinate a social night out with friends let your spouse know your ETA when youll be home from work let your family know you are safe while running or cycling find friends at a concert festival provide a courtesy notice with ETA to a client when stuck in traffic share a charity run route with followers on Facebook or Twitter direct emergency personnel to you quickly Find my friend Find My Friends helps you to locate your friends and the site determines the exact location on the application and navigational map. Its the perfect way to keep track of friends, whether youre shopping in a mall, and visit the museum, and camping in the great outdoors or on their way to meet the best ever for the party this year! For families, it provides peace of mind. Theres no need to constantly text message children or other relatives to find out where they are, and if it is safe. Find My Friends allows for everyone to stay in touch without having to send or reply to an endless stream of Where are you? Texts. Find My Friends uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for state-of-the-art to provide the most accurate, up-to-date sites in real time. I did not wonder where your friends, if they had lost, stuck in traffic, or just late. With the search for my friends, and it will not take long to figure out where your friends are in fact helping them to get where theyre supp osed to be. Its an easy to use for a specific friend and people finder app Android Device Manager Android Device Manager is functionality thats built into every Google Android device and can be turned on by simply flipping a setting. You can learn more on how to do that by clicking here. Once enabled, you can use Android Device Manager on your Android device or computer to quickly find your device. From there, you can go get it back, wipe the device, sound an alarm so you can find it, and even reset your lock screen PIN. Its an essential tool thats built right into Android and you should definitely take advantage of it. Requirement (Basic). The purpose of this app is to locate someone and find it by using Google mapping and turn on the GPS and run the app you will see a point in the map the point means the person who gives you the possibility to see where his place: Father : is the manager and he has a possibility to see the map and where the another person location, Add child in database the name and location number. Child : is a person download the program and the program will hide in the background, he cant see the map because is disable for the child. Design Father Childid Ngps Egps Timer First of all you have to download the application in your phone and in the person who want to locate his place, to locate a person you have first internet to make it available to another   person, second make the GPS on to make the location available for another person My application is an application in android, it is for locating a person for example father and child the father want to see his child location.

Killer Angels - Chamberlain: A True Leader :: American America History

Killer Angels - Chamberlain: A True Leader Michael Shaara presented Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in his The Killer Angels not only as a courageous, heroic soldier with outstanding integrity, but depicted him using tremendous leadership skills in a large variety of situations. When we were first introduced to Chamberlain he gave a remarkably motivating speech to over one hundred starved and angry soldiers. With his passionate and honest plea he was able to break through their barriers of hate and betrayal and inspire them to fight for a belief even they could relate to. This act alone convinced me that this man was a talented leader and would have an impressive impact on The Battle of Gettysburg. After each confrontation where casualties occurred Chamberlain was sure to visit with each individual soldier or group of soldiers and be certain they didnt need the attention of a doctor. He also took time to get to know his men and build relationships with them. Through this act Chamberlain gained more respect, even, than Lee because his soldiers not only knew who they were fighting for, but also knew that if they died fighting for him they would die in honor under the command of a caring and passionate man. To be a good soldier you must love the army. But to be a good officer you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love. This is a very hard thing to do. ~Robert E. Lee (The Killer Angels Pg. 191) Chamberlain showed what a good officer he was during the battle on Little Round Top. When he knew his troops were in trouble he had to order his own brother to help fill a spot, risking his life. Throughout the novel Shaara mentions how closely-knit the relationship between the two brothers was yet Chamberlain knew his duty to protect the Union armys flank and was willing to sacrifice both himself and his beloved brother Tom in order to fulfill it.

Graduation Speech by Faculty -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Addres

Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself Any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go. You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care. About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there." With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, You're too smart to go down any not-so-good street. And you may not find any You'll want to go down. In that case, of course, You'll head straight out of town. It's opener there In the wide open air. Out there things can happen And frequently do To people as brainy And footsy as you. And when things start to happen Don't worry. Don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening too. OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO! You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed. You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon tak...

Work Trends - Contractors, Temporary Workers, Annualised Hours :: Business Management Studies

Work Trends - Contractors, Temporary Workers, Annualised Hours Changing working environments Trends  · Use of contractors  · More temporary workers  · Annualised hours  · More part-time working  · Self-employment  · Hiring consultants Employers Advantages Disadvantages 1. Less cost less employment costs helping the business compete 2. Hiring consultants bring experts into the business 3. business can cope with sudden and unexpected changes in sale 4. Less hiring costs 5. Les costs. Flexible workforce can reduce employment costs, helping a business to compete more effectively with other businesses 6. Using a consultants and self-employed people bring expertise into the business 7. The use of consultants and self-employed people means that businesses do not have to pay to them 1. Difficult to communicate with P/T and temporary workers-don’t know them 2. More labour turn over 3. Poor reputation as employers Good effects o employees  · Some employees, such as these with responsibilities for looking after young children, want only part-time or temporary work. They would be happy to be part of a flexible workforce  · Working as part of a team can be a good experience. Employees may enjoy working with other people and learning from more experienced workers. Research says that working in tem can raise morale  · Some employees may prefer to be employed as teleworkers, working from home. Teleworkers do not have the cost and the bother of travelling to work everyday. They can live where they wish and need not to be close to the business that employs them Bad effects on employees  · Some workers may be very dissatisfied with temporary contracts. They might want the security of a permanent job and not feel committed to the business. They may feel unsettled and want to look for other work

Learning to Love the Bomb Essay

At first glance to the illiterate filmgoer this movie looks like an early 70’s lame attempt to show the ludicrous side of war. I was prepared from something slightly humorous and mildly entertaining. However, I was shocked to find that I was riveted to the storyline during the entire movie, absorbing so many symbolically charged characters and dialogues that I was practically transfixed while I worked out the meanings and messages that Stanley Kubric was slyly relaying to me through the medium of film. Kubric’s film, Dr. Strangelove: Or How I learned to Love the Bomb, is a black comedy with some very interesting messages about men, sexuality and war. Symbolism abounded in a variety of forms and was so cleverly disguised that it took several moments for the viewer to feel the full impact of Kubric’s message. Consider the opening scene, set to the background music of very sappy romance music we are introduced to two giant warplanes in the act of refueling during flight. The first impression is that of discord. War-time aircraft and romance music in a scene that lasts what seems likes five full minutes. The director prolongs the scene long enough for the audience to become suspicious of the underlying sexual symbolism of two planes mating before he cuts to his next immediately sexually charged scene of a perfect caricature of a US Army officer, with an enormous cigar protruding obscenely from his mouth. As the movie continues, so do the sexual innuendos. By the end of the movie Kubric’s message is clear, but it takes time to build us up before we reach complete realization of his purpose, which in itself is also interesting. The first compelling character that we are introduced to is the US Army General and his ever present cigar. The cigar is obviously a phallic symbol. It rises when the General is excited and droops lamely when the disappointment of his men overcomes him. He is an interesting character mainly because of his obsession with â€Å"bodily fluids† and what he feels to be the infiltration of his â€Å"pure essence†. This is the viewer’s first real clue to the ties between men, sexuality and war that Kubric is trying to relay. The General’s name is Jack D. Ripper. Taking his name from a sexual psychopathic was no mistake. Ripper is obsessed with the fact that he cannot ejaculate during sexual intercourse and tries to find the answer to this dilemma by blaming the Russians for fluoridating the American water supply. There are several interesting caricatures here beginning with the outward appearance of ultimate masculinity, that of an American Army General, his ever present cigar, and the enormous gun he pulls out as he starts shooting at the soldiers that are trying to save him. He is every inch a sexual psychopath. Ripper is more interesting when seen from the viewpoint that men and their obsessive sexual issues wreak havoc on the rest of the world. Ripper’s psychopathic behavior leads him to believe that he must take issues into his own hands and declare war on Russia, even if that means overriding the President of the United States. He is bound and determined to annihilate anyone who stands in the way of his sexual dysfunction. The General moves smoothly from blaming others, to repressing himself, right into violent repercussions for himself and everyone else. Closely connected to Jack D. Ripper is an English Officer in the US on an Officer Exchange Program. Although the caricature of the English Officer is humorous, his name, Mandrake, keeps us on Kubric’s path. Mandrake root is an herb that is often used in male impotence, for virility and as an aphrodisiac. This is interesting because of the interplay between Mandrake and Ripper. Straight-laced, foreign or different, and a bit feminine Mandrake is the complete opposite of Ripper. He also tries to console Ripper that his â€Å"bodily fluids† are perfectly normal and that he has no problem using them. Several times Ripper asks Mandrake to help him feed the enormous gun he is wielding about, and Mandrake’s response is quite feminine when he lays prostrate on the floor helplessly. The sexual symbols grow more numerous and less hidden as the movie progresses. We are introduced to the small group of men on the bomber who are sent to carry out the orders. The pilot in charge, Major Kong, plays an interesting role in delivering a different type of caricature of men. As opposed to Ripper who was psychopathic and sexually dysfunctional, Major Kong was the All-American cowboy. Honorable, naive, and not afraid to get the job done. There are several scenes in which the major tries to drop the bombs he is carrying and finds that they are stuck. Although his men cannot manage to solve the problem Major Kong leaves his post at the planes helm and goes to the underbelly of the plane to try to fix the wiring. He succeeds but when the bomb drops he is riding it, the bomb between his legs. This is the largest phallic symbol used in the movie and the considering the pilot’s name, Major Kong, it is no surprise. However, Kubric has the Major ride the bomb to its target where it then explodes in an enormous mushroom cloud. The explosion which is obviously symbolic of the finality of orgasm and the lunacy that drives men to achieve that end appears to be a recurrent theme. The male sex drive as connected to war is again driven home by Kubric. Moreover, he builds on this theme and gives us a basis for understanding with the characters and plotting that occurs in the War Room. It is here that we meet the President, whose sexually illicit name refers to sexual zones of a woman, and the very outspoken Buck Turgidson. The caricature of Buck is perfectly summed up in the meaning of his name. The term buck means stud while the word turgid means swollen. These two main characters do most of the talking in a very large room. The President mimics the attributes of his female name and is very submissive and feminine. His speech is whiny and apologetic on the phone and most of his arguing is with Buck. They argue across a large table and are so far away they practically have to yell to be heard. Buck only gets excited when he sees opportunities for destruction whereas the President is ready even to destroy his own bombers to keep the peace. The roles of these two characters are symbolic of the male versus female perspectives. Even the great distance across the room from which they speak contributes to the feeling that they are coming from different points of view. The female perspective of peace and harmony as opposed to the male perspective of domination. As a character study Buck portrays several attributes of male domination. He is always the first to speak, overbearing when he communicates, often rude and petty, always stuffing wads of gum into his mouth and smacking obscenely, and pouts like a toddler when he is asked to behave. He uses tactics to overpower the others by standing on his chair, glaring defiantly with those who disagree, and becoming physically violent to get his way if all other tactic fail. Of all the characters he is most desirous to carry out the war plans, for no other purpose than to win. The sexual innuendos associated with Buck relate to the only female in the movie who we meet briefly before he is called into the War Room. Kubric’s choice to make Buck’s love interest a secretary much younger than himself and who is always shown scantily clad in a bikini and high heels plays along with the typical male stereotype. At one point in the movie Buck receives a phone call from his mistress. He tries to assure her that he doesn’t want her for her body but â€Å"deeply respects her as a human being. † He then promises he’ll be back soon to â€Å"take care of her needs† shortly. Buck also was unable to have intercourse with his mistress before the meeting as he was busy going to the bathroom and then was called away. Kubric is mocking the male need to substitute sex for war. Another interesting aspect about the war room is the â€Å"Big Board† that is set up as the backdrop. It is an enormous map of Russia with the locations of all the bombers bleeping around the borders of the country. As the planes are all given the â€Å"go† code, the flashing lights start their course toward the border of Russia. The first plane to cross the border will then trigger the unwanted reaction of the Russians. This is very symbolic of the sperm’s racing to the egg. All the sperm racing to be the first to invade the egg. One of the last characters introduced is Dr. Strangelove. Although he has little do in the movie his symbolic presentations are really Kubric’s underlying message. Firstly, the name Strangelove is an accurate portrayal of what’s been happening in the movie from the beginning. This strangeness or perversion of love is the essence of Kubric’s theme. Dr. Strangelove himself has several symbolic issues as a character. Firstly is his inability to keep his arm from involuntarily saluting Hitler. Second is his sudden cure from immobility from his wheelchair when he stands erect from so much excitement. Although both of these acts are sexually symbolic, the cause for the excitement is the revelation. As the men sit in the War Room they discuss the possibilities and repercussions of nuclear war with Russia. Dr. Strangelove suggests taking a small community of people and living in underground mines. This prospect doesn’t seem appealing until he mentions that in order to recreate all the lives lost from the devastation of nuclear war each man will need to have ten female partners. The discussion becomes lively and animated as the men imagine the possibilities and then start to designate appealing sexual attributes the women must possess. Suddenly the immanent doom that awaits them with the total annihilation of the planet doesn’t look so bad with a 10:1 ratio of women to men, and they find themselves looking forward to doomsday after all. It seems as though Kubric is trying to portray the fact that men use extreme situations such as war and total destruction as a tool to open up doors to consider sexual fantasies that would otherwise be taboo. Kubric’s mockery of this attitude relays his thinking that this is the most ludicrous thinking of all, and suddenly the title makes perfect sense. The movie ends with orgasmic explosion after explosion of hydrogen bombs, just as it began with the foreplay of warplanes. Stanley Kubric’s insight and opinion about the relationship of sexual obsessions, power and war were shrewdly masked in the symbolism that abounded everywhere in the film, but even to the untrained eye his message came through loud and clear. REFERENCES Dr Strangelove or: How I learned to Love the Bomb. Dir. Stanley Kubric. 1964.

Asia europe transport problems

Recent political and economic developments at the global and regional levels have resulted in a more conducive development environment in the Asian and Pacific region and the opening-up of opportunities for international trade and tourism development for the developing countries of the region, including those which are landlocked. Nevertheless, the lack of unhindered access to the sea adds transport costs and time to international trade transactions. In addition, landlocked countries face greater transport risks and hazards than countries which have direct access to nternational sea routes.The United Nations has addressed the specific concerns of landlocked countries in a number of documents. Among those which are directly related to transport are the following: General Assembly resolution 50/97 of 20 December 1995 on specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries; â€Å"Global framework for transit transport cooperation between land locked and transit developing countries and the donor community† (TD/B/LDC/AC. /6); â€Å"Problem of physical infrastructure development of the landlocked countries, ncluding economies in transition† (E/ESCAP/SREC(7)/3); and â€Å"Progress report on measures designed to improve the transit transport environment in Central Asia† (A/ 51/288). With Just-in-time delivery becoming almost a prerequisite for efficient international trade, particularly in an increasingly competitive market environment, adequate attention must be given to resolving problems in transport areas which are crucial for the efficient development of the international trade of landlocked countries.The inauguration in May 1996 of a new rail line linking the Islamic Republic of Iran nd Turkmenistan, thus completing a new â€Å"silk rail route† from China to Europe via the landlocked countries of Central Asia; the priority attention of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the development of the ne cessary physical infrastructure, as well as bilateral and multilateral agreements for international transport particularly to and from Central Asia; the establishment in May 1996 of a forum for the comprehensive development of regions along the second Europe-Asia continental bridge which is of importance to Mongolia and the landlocked countries of Central Asia; the initiative of he Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the development of a rail link from Singapore through Malaysia, Thailand, Viet Nam or the Lao People's Democratic Republic and on to Kunming, China; and the recently completed study of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on transport and transit needs, including those of Nepal and Bhutan, are vivid illustrations of the commitment of the member countries of ESCAP to the development of a land transport network in Asia in The present note highlights some of the issues and problems of physical and soft nfrastructure in the main modes of transport (with emphasis on land transport, inland waterways and connections to seaports) which serve the landlocked countries in the region, namely Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. l.MAJOR ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR To improve the efficiency and competitiveness of international trade and tourism in the landlocked countries of the region, the following issues relating to major modes of transport need to be addressed: (a) choice of alternative transit routes; b) reduction of transit costs and time along the transport routes; and (c) cooperation among the organizations concerned. A. Choice of alternative transit routes Although many of the landlocked countries in the region have several potential routes to seaports, most of them are heavily dependent on one main transit route because of limited resources and, in some cases, the limited opt ions open to them in the past as a result of the political situation at that time.This render these countries vulnerable to disruption of transit services owing to national disasters, technical and operational breakdowns, labour disputes and conflicts. Moreover, in view of regionalization and globalization of economic development, different access routes to different seaports may be required for efficient transport of goods to trade partners located in different parts of the globe. Therefore, it is important for any landlocked country to have a choice of transit land transport routes (and inland waterways if applicable) to the main seaports in Asia, as well as a choice of air transport routes and connections to major subregional, regional and global destinations. In addition, in view of the development of trade within Asia, as well as betweenAsia and Europe, there is an increasing demand for reliable and efficient intra-Asia and Asia-Europe land bridges with connections to landlocke d countries in the region. The landlocked countries need to be part of an integrated approach to the development of an intra-Asia and Asia-Europe land transport network of international importance. 1. Formalization of the international land transport network in Asia The Commission at its forty-eighth session, held in Beijing in April 1992, endorsed comprising the Asian Highway; the Trans-Asian Railway; and facilitation of land ransport, as a priority for phase II (1992-1996) of the Transport and Communications Decade for Asia and the Pacific.The objective of the project is to assist in creating a land transport network in Asia to facilitate international trade and tourism. The route selection criteria include capital-to-capital links and connections to main industrial and agricultural centres, and connections to major seaports and river ports, as well as to major container terminals and depots. The network should also provide interregional land transport linkages, particularly with the region of the Economic Commission for Europe. The project enjoys support from 25 ESCAP members, including all the landlocked countries except Armenia, Azerbaijan and Bhutan which have yet to Join the project. Armenia and Azerbaijan, however, are participating in activities that are related to ALTID.With the successful implementation of phase I (1994-1995) of the ALTID project, considerable progress has been achieved in the formulation of the international land transport network in Asia linking landlocked countries. The Asian Highway network (see figure l) has been revised in the southern corridor connecting the Islamic Republic of Iran – South Asia – South-East Asia (which includes he landlocked countries of Afghanistan, Nepal and the Lao People's Democratic Republic), and a new network formulated in the corridor South-East Asia – China – Mongolia. A study on the development of highway networks in the landlocked Asian republics (Armenia, Azerbaijan, K azakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) to identify the potential Asian Highway routes in those countries was completed in 1996.The Trans-Asian Railway network includes the following land bridges between Asia and Europe: Europe-Russian Federation and/or China-Korean peninsula; Europe-Islamic Republic of Iran-Central Asia-China (New Silk Railway); Europe-Islamic Republic of Iran-South Asia-South-East Asia. With the completion during phase I ofa feasibility study on connecting the rail networks of China, Kazakstan, Mongolia, the Russian Federation and the Korean peninsula, and a project on the Trans-Asian Railway in the Indo-China and ASEAN subregions, the network has been formulated in the northern corridor of the Asia-Europe routes (see fgure II) which includes the landlocked countries of Kazakstan and Mongolia, and in the Indo-China and ASEAN subregions (see figure Ill), the Lao People's Democratic Republic.A potential Trans- Asian Railway network in the sout hern corridor of the Asia-Europe routes (of importance to Afghanistan and Nepal) was also identified (see fgure ‘V) through a related preliminary study. The Commission at its fifty-second session reiterated its strong support for the ALTID project and emphasized the importance of its completion and of improving the operational efficiency of both the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway networks, including the Asia-Europe links, at the earliest possible date. The Commission adopted resolution 52/9 of 24 April 1996 on Intra-Asia and Asia-Europe land bridges. rogramme of the New Delhi Action Plan on Infrastructure Development in Asia and the Pacific.It also approved the plan of action for the implementation of phase II (1996-1997) of the ALTID project, which includes a detailed study on the southern corridor of the Trans-Asian Railway, and it decided that a study on the development of the Railway in the corridor connecting South-East and North-East Asia (including the Lao People 's Democratic Republic and Mongolia) should be undertaken and that similar studies on the development of the Asian Highway and the Trans-Asian Railway in the corridor connecting northern Europe with the Russian Federation to the landlocked countries of Central Asia and the Islamic Republic of Iran should be included in the projected phase Ill (1998-1999) of the project. 13. When completed and fully operational for the whole of Asia, the land transport network could provide landlocked countries in the region with a choice of alternative land transport routes to major seaports in Asia, and land transport and land-cum-sea links to any other country in Asia and Europe.However, to realize such a potential, the landlocked countries must have unhindered access to the network. . Unhindered access to the international land transport network in Asia The construction of the regional land transport network and all related infrastructure is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for reliable and efficient international transport. A legal framework is also required to provide the basis for unhindered access to the routes for efficient international trade and tourism. A coordinated plan for the development of international land transport routes and services based on agreed performance parameters and standards is also essential.This has been vividly demonstrated by the experience of Europe, where the ollowing four major all-European transport agreements have been adopted: (a) The European Agreement on Main International Traffic Arteries (AGR Agreement) of 1975, which defines the major European roads and establishes uniform technical characteristics; (b) The European Agreement on Main International Railway Lines (AGC Agreement) of 1985, which determines the major lines and infrastructure parameters of the European railway network; (c) The European Agreement on Important International Combined Transport Lines and Related Installations (AGTC Agreement) of 1991, which is the first European ultilateral treaty governing international combined road/rail container and piggyback transport; (d)International infrastructure agreement covering European inland waterways Oanuary 1996). recommended that a legal framework should be developed for Asia in the form of ESCAP agreements on the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway, taking into consideration the related experience of the European Union. With such ESCAP agreements in place, all the countries in Asia, including the landlocked countries, would enjoy free access to road and rail transport routes of international importance. 3. Inland waterways of international importance to some of the landlocked countries in Asia Inland water transport can play an important role for the regional or international trade of some landlocked countries.A number of rivers in these countries can potentially provide the cheapest means of communication with neighbouring countries, or even through them to other countries in the world. For instance, a number of tributaries of the Brahmaputra River flow out of Bhutan through India to Bangladesh; the Lao People's Democratic Republic is bordered or bisected by the Mekong River which flows through China, Myanmar, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam; Mongolia gives rise to the Yenisey, the Angara and the Amur-Heilongjiang rivers which link the country to China and the Russian Federation; and Nepal has three of the four largest tributaries of the Ganges River flowing from India to Bangladesh.The improvement and development of inland water transport infrastructure and services would benefit all of these countries in various ways, including cost savings, environmental protection and energy savings. In addition, transit by water is more easily accepted by operators of seaports located at river mouths and it is less prone o losses, pilferage and breakage than transit by road and rail. At the present time, however, the rivers are not fully u tilized for navigation in most landlocked countries. Most of the rivers are still in a natural state without appropriate improvement and marking. Water levels in the rivers are not always regular or sufficient and the gradient is often very steep. In some river sections, the waterways are full of rapids and shoals which endanger vessel navigation or even interrupt it entirely.Some rivers are blocked with siltation, cables, pipelines, bridges, dams and other structures along or crossing them. Few aids to navigation are nstalled to mark the navigable channels in the rivers. All these factors limit the free use of the rivers for transport. However, the potential of inland water transport for international trade should be evaluated. In order to promote the use of rivers for transport which would serve the needs of landlocked countries, ESCAP is implementing several projects under the regional action programme of the New Delhi Action Plan on Infrastructure Development, which was launched by the Ministerial Conference on Infrastructure in October 1996.One of the projects is on the harmonization of requirements relating to international mportance of common or well harmonized rules, and provide guidance with regard to navigation rules, aids to navigation, the carriage of dangerous goods, facilitation measures and waterway classifications for internationally navigable rivers. Another important project is on the development of inland water transport infrastructure and services. This project includes a regional strategic study for the development of inland water transport in the ESCAP region. An intensive investigation will be carried out to identify the problems faced by the inland water transport sector. The situation ill be compared with successful experiences in other parts of the world.This study should provide a clear picture of the advantages and disadvantages of inland water transport in specific situations, identify opportunities for development and suggest regi onal actions and national policy options to expand the use of rivers for navigation in the ESCAP region. Expert group and policy-level meetings will be held to discuss the findings and suggestions of the study. Necessary follow-up actions will be taken at both the regional and national levels. With regard to some landlocked Asian republics, the same opportunity may exist or transit transport through inland waterways. Specific studies need to be carried out to identify the potential for the expanded use of inland waterways. 4. Air transport It goes without saying that reliable and efficient air transport is crucial for the economic and social progress of landlocked countries.While the emphasis in this paper is on related aspects of land transport, inland waterways and maritime linkages and transport, the following activities of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have been included in the regional action programme 1997-2001) of the New Delhi Action Plan on Infrastruc ture Development in Asia and the Pacific and endorsed by the Ministerial Conference on Infrastructure: programme of transition to the new civil aviation communications, navigation and surveillance and air traffic management system; programme for economic reform in civil aviation in Asia and the Pacific; programme for the protection of the environment in the vicinity of airports; improvement and harmonization of flight safety standards; expansion of the UNDP-promoted ICAO TRAINAIR programme; and poverty alleviation through rural airfield development in least developed countries. These projects address major problem areas in air transport in the Asian and Pacific region, including in the landlocked countries. B.Reduction of transit time and costs along the transport routes of While the formulation of an international land transport network in Asia is in progress through the implementation of the ALTID project, there are already a provide the landlocked countries with access to seaport s. These are reflected in table 1. 1. Reduction of transit time and costs at border crossings and ports Even when all necessary infrastructure is in place, the delay of vehicles at border rossings can entail tremendous losses of resources and time. A similar problem occurs when the waiting time is long for ships to be loaded and unloaded in seaports which serve landlocked countries. When international inland waterways are available for use, delays of cargo at cross-border points have similar economic effects. a) Facilitation of land transport at border-crossings (i)Commission resolution 48/11 on road and rail transport modes in relation to facilitation measures Recognizing that harmonized transport facilitation measures are a prerequisite for efficient international trade and transport along road and rail routes of nternational importance, the Page 1 1 Commission at its forty-eighth session adopted resolution 48/11 of 23 April 1992 on road and rail transport modes in relation to fac ilitation measures. By that resolution, it recommended that the countries in the region, if they had not already done so, consider the possibility of acceding to seven international conventions. The status of the accession of the landlocked and neighbouring countries in Asia to the international conventions is shown in table 2.It is clear that in order to facilitate international and bilateral trade and tourism the constructive cooperation of the ountries is required to create a minimum legal basis for land transport cross-border traffic. In this respect ESCAP adopted a subregional approach to providing assistance to countries. A special seminar for the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) subregion (with the participation of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) on the implications and benefits of accession to the conventions was held in Tehran in November 1994. A similar seminar for the North-East Asian countries (including the Lao People's Democratic Republic and Mongolia) was conducted in May 1996 in Bangkok.Another seminar for countries of the Greater Mekong subregion (including the Lao People's Democratic Republic) was organized Jointly by ESCAP and the Asian Development Bank at It is very encouraging to note that Uzbekistan has acceded to six conventions, and Kazakstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have each acceded to four. However, Afghanistan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are each party to only two; Azerbaijan, to one; and Bhutan, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia and Nepal to none at all. A similar situation of accession to few or no convention occurs in the neighbouring ountries of Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Thailand and Viet Nam. Such a situation calls for the urgent implementation of Commission resolution 48/11 by all landlocked countries and their neighbouring countries. Transit facilitation Transit transport plays a particularly important role in the develop ment of landlocked countries.Two international conventions, namely the Convention and Statute on Freedom of Transit, Barcelona, 20 April 1921 (popularly referred to as the â€Å"Barcelona Transit Convention†), and the Convention on Transit Trade of Landlocked States, New York, 8 July 1965 (â€Å"New York Transit Convention†) assist in facilitating the transit transport of landlocked countries. However, only a few of the Asian landlocked countries and their neighbouring countries are contracting parties of these conventions, as indicated in table 3. There is clearly great potential to improve transit transport in the region. It is recommended that the landlocked countries and the neighbouring countries should accede, if they have not already done so, to the Barcelona and New York transit conventions as soon as possible.The development of a subregional multilateral transit treaty/agreement also ppears to be a promising approach to transit facilitation. Preparation of suc h a draft transit treaty for the ECO region, for example, could be carried out as part of the project on international transport development in the ECO region, which is being proposed Jointly by ESCAP, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and ECO for possible funding by the Islamic Development Bank. (iii) Multilateral and bilateral agreements on land transport facilitation Multilateral and bilateral agreements which govern land transport at border crossings are of great importance to the landlocked countries in Asia.Given the role f the agreements in promoting international traffic, a database covering mainland Asia is being established at ESCAP as part of the ALTID project. As indicated above, there are several main rivers in Asia which may be used by landlocked countries for international transport. To facilitate navigation and river basin development activities, a draft agreement on commercial navigation on the Lancang Jiang – Mekong River (upper reaches of the Mekong River) between the Governments of China, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Thailand has been drawn up and it is expected that this agreement will be signed in the near uture.The Agreement on Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin was signed on 5 April 1995 between the countries of the Lower Mekong River basin (Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand and Viet Nam). The Mekong River Commission is the institutional framework through which the Agreement will be implemented. The bilateral agreement between Bangladesh and India, which is signed on a biennial basis, could also be of practical interest to landlocked countries. Similar arrangements which take into account the related experience in other regions could e of great practical value in facilitating international inland water transport in Asia, including in landlocked countries. c) Facilitation of maritime traffic In addition to facilitation for land tran sport and transport on inland waterways, facilitation of maritime traffic plays an important role in improving the efficiency of the international land-cum-sea transport systems which serve the landlocked In an era of large ships with efficient cargo operations resulting in very short stays in port, the delays caused by documentary â€Å"red tape† result in extra costs and time. To improve the situation, countries in the region having seaports (including those serving landlocked countries) are adopting the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, 1965 (FAL Convention) as amended. The objective of the FAL Convention is to simplify the procedures for the inward clearance of ships, cargoes, passengers and crew on arrival in a port.This can be achieved by the utilization of six standard declaration forms and the adoption of common standards for processing documentation. However, among the ESCAP members and associate members, only Australia, China, the Democra tic People's Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Fiji, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Marshall Islands, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, United States of America and Vanuatu are party (as of January 1997) to the FAL Convention. It is clear that there is potential to improve the efficiency of the land- cum-sea routes serving landlocked countries if all the coastal countries concerned accede to the FAL Convention.To assist the countries in the process of acceding to the Convention, ESCAP, in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization, ommenced in 1993 a four-year programme of country-level workshops and subregional seminars to promote the adoption of the FAL Convention and the implementation of its provisions. (d) Corridor studies To assist member countries in Asia, including landlocked countries, in the facilitation of cross-border traffic, ESCAP undertakes corridor studies to identify non- physical impediments to the flow of goods which cause delays and add unn ecessary costs to the transport process. One such study, for example, was completed in 1994 in the corridor Singapore – Malaysia – Thailand – the Lao People's Democratic Republic – Viet Nam. The study was extended in 1995 to cover Cambodia and in 1996 to include Myanmar.The study revealed the following impediments: restrictions on the movement of vehicles and drivers across borders; restrictions on the movement of cargo between the port and inland origin/destination without customs inspection in the port; restrictions on the movement of third country or transit cargo; limitations on the effective use of multimodal transport; and failure to make use of available technology and information to plan port and cargo-handling operations. The reports lso provided recommendations for dealing with these impediments. A study carried out by ADB on regional technical assistance to the Greater Mekong subregion for mitigation of non-physical barriers to cross-border mov ement of goods and people (completed in October 1996) should also be mentioned in this context.Similar studies are to be carried out as recommended by the Ministerial Conference on Infrastructure along the major intra-Asia and Asia-Europe land bridges, with the next ESCAP study planned for the corridor Port of Bandar Abbas (Islamic Republic of Iran) – landlocked countries of Central Asia – China. One other impediment frequently found in the landlocked countries in Asia is a lack of a proper coordinating mechanism at the national level among the ministries and agencies involved in cross-border procedures and formalities. 2. Improvement of transport logistics Multimodal transport, freight forwarding and electronic data interchange (ED') play an increasingly important role in the development of international trade. Just- in-time delivery, which is becoming a prerequisite for competitive international trade, increases the need for a highly efficient integrated system of de spatch, transport and