The MIPO solution provides customers ofSmartOps and SAP with a comprehensive, fully-integrated solution to optimizeoperational networks and enable best-in-class supply chain performance. Thejointly delivered solution provides distinct benefits to companies in discreteand high tech manufacturing, chemicals, consumer products, life sciences,wholesale distribution and retail. "As our customers seek improved performanceat a lower cost, they want an assurance of tight collaboration andco-development with leading enterprise application vendors like SAP," saidSridhar Tayur, CEO of SmartOps. "Through this ongoing collaboration, SmartOpsand SAP customers achieve a 'win-win-win': the best-in-class solution, thebest business-process platform and low total cost of ownership. As a member ofthe SAP Industry Value Networks for Chemicals, Consumer Products and HighTech, and Wholesale Distribution, SmartOps enables our customers to achievehigher levels of value and better performance through our domain expertise andindustry-focused solutions."SmartOps solutions solve one of the most critical challenges facing sales andoperations executives: providing perfect product availability while reducingand avoiding inventory as the business innovates and grows.
The SmartOps MIPOsolution enables customers to achieve both a rapid return on investment andcompetitive advantage by determining and executing the best possible inventoryand product availability plans, also taking into account vital customerservice goals and complex supply chain networks. The SmartOps MIPO solutioncomplements and leverages the Business Suite 7 ERP applications and SAP SCM7.0 Supply Chain Management applications. About SmartOpsSmartOps, the market leader in enterprise-class supply chain optimizationsolutions, enables companies to manage the uncertainty of complex, multi-stagesupply chains to achieve rapid return on investment and long term, sustainablevalue. Deploying SmartOps' solutions has dramatically improved supply chainperformance at Fortune 1000 and Global 2000 companies in discretemanufacturing, consumer durables and packaged goods, technology,pharmaceutical manufacturing, distribution, and retail industries. ContactSmartOps at 412-231-0115 or for more information.SAP, SAP NetWeaver, and other SAP products and services mentioned herein aswell as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAPAG in Germany and in several other countries all over the world.All otherproduct and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respectivecompanies.Data contained in this document serve informational purposes only.National product specifications may vary.SOURCESmartOps CorporationMichael Godshall, VP, Partner Solution Management and Marketing of SmartOpsCorporation, +1-412-231-0115 ext.
302, . The practice of sports officiating is always a touchy subject. The concept of having a critical factor of a game determined by people not participating in the game is one that alienates fans to no end. Therefore, the stance taken by most fans becomes: “Every single call you make better be right, and you better not favor any team at all.”However, that stance is complicated by two major factors. One, officials are human beings too, and will make mistakes just like the players they are officiating.And secondly, some teams play in such a way where they force officials to blow the whistle on opponents for fouling them. If one team forces an opponent to foul often, why should a ref, in the spirit of fairness, call an equal amount of fouls on both teams?Honestly, I’ve always held in high esteem of the majority of professional referees and umpires, who do an outstanding job in a thankless environment where anything less then perfection is a cause to be scrutinized. Some sports have better officiating than other sports, though.
With the exception of vague holding and pass interference penalties, the majority of football referees are outstanding in their ability to notice the various infractions that take place during a game. No doubt this is helped by the fact that there are seven total officials on the field during a football game, looking for very specific infractions.Major League Baseball has terrific base umpires who are nearly flawless in their interpretations of safe/out calls, but too frequently, the lack of outfield umpires and the inability for umpires to understand specific stadium rules is a huge sore to the sport. It has only been perpetuated by fan bases who bitch and moan, failing to realize that their team lacks the talent/discipline/aggressive mindset/versatility/defensive mindset/courage/heart to win NBA championships.Basketball is the most difficult sport to officiate, for a number of reasons. The majority of the calls are judgment calls in which the players and the referees are in full motion. In baseball, the first base umpire has plenty of time to get into position and focus on one position in determining a safe/out call on a bang-bang play at first base.But in the NBA, an official has to sprint downcourt while an offensive player is also sprinting down, all while a defensive player may have made slight contact.
Depending on the angle, a referee may not have seen any contact, may have seen full-on contact, or may have seen contact but not enough to warrant a foul call. That very notion makes it very difficult for everyone involved to know exactly what a foul is or isn’t in the league.On plays such as block/charges, a referee has to not only determine whether or not a player established defensive position, but also where his feet are in relation to the defensive circle. On shot blocks, while a player may swat a shot cleanly, a referee not only has to look at his arms, but also his body to determine whether or not a defensive player knocked a defender out of the way from below while blocking the shot from above.Those are instances where referees have to look at multiple points of a player’s value, all while having angles and perspectives influencing what they see, all while attempting to make these decisions within split-seconds. No wonder referees make so many bad calls!Also, it is human nature for referees to rule in favor of players who are aggressive and spectacular. When Dwayne Wade was writing his name on the free throw line in the Finals against Dallas in 2006, Wade abused whatever poor defender Dallas put on him. So naturally, while Wade was blowing past defenders left and right and finishing after drawing contact, the refs were awed into ruling any marginal contact made by Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, et.all, in favor of the Heat.Fans were furious because Dirk Nowitzki didn’t get the benefit of the doubt on any of his calls.