Why Stock Taking Important for Business?

Madison Leigh Gerhard is a student of psychology who has acquired experience in retail services. One of her jobs was as a sales associate and fashion consultant for Bee Boutique, a New Jersey-based women’s attire business in Sea Girt. Part of Madison Leigh Gerhard’s responsibilities there included enhancing customer relations, pricing merchandise and stock taking.

Also known as inventory control or stock management, a stock take shows a business or store how much of their products are in stock and how efficient their tracking process is. Regularly done, it allows the business to maintain correct quantities and have them at the right place, so that they can replenish showrooms and deliver to customers on time, but not take up expensive warehouse space for too long. It ensures that the business is not unnecessarily tying up capital and that precautions are in place in the event of production and supply chain hitches.

Regular stock management and records provide trends that help decision-makers in the company to implement data-backed improvements. They will, for example, show which products are doing well and which may need less investment, changing up elements in the supply chain accordingly. Counting and verifying stock also ties into the company’s accounting and budgetary concerns; apart from regulating changing costs in terms of staff, technology and space, stock taking includes reviewing and updating price lists of existing and upcoming inventory against previous numbers.

Daily Horse Grooming Routines

Studying in Tallahassee, Madison Leigh Gerhard is working toward a degree in psychology at Florida State University. A horse enthusiast, Madison Leigh Gerhard has ridden at stables in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and also performed equine care duties.

Grooming before and after a ride is an important routine that not only supports the health of the horse's skin and coat, but also provides riders with an opportunity to socialize and bond with the horse. This begins with rubbing down the steed with a curry comb that has hard plastic “teeth” that work to loosen dirt and invigorate the skin. If the horse finds the hard comb uncomfortable, try a softer rubber mitt that has small plastic dots in the place of the teeth.

Another indispensable tool is the dandy, a stiff-bristled brush applied after the curry as a way of removing hair and dirt that the curry comb has loosened. Remember to brush in the same direction that the hair coat grows, using a flicking motion and avoiding more sensitive regions like the face. Finally, a soft-bristled finishing brush may be applied, which removes any remaining particles, while adding a shine. A smaller, even finer face brush may also be used as needed, and a variety of tail and mane brushes are available.

One more important after-ride grooming routine involves using the hoof pick, a hooked implement made of metal, to clean the hooves. A small, stiff brush may also be attached that allows mud or caked on debris to be fully removed.

Career Opportunities for Psychology

As a resident of Colts Neck, New Jersey, Madison Leigh Gerhard has taken an active role in her community, having previously worked as a retail sales associate and fashion consultant at The Bee Boutique. Now an undergraduate student at Florida State University, Madison Leigh Gerhard possesses an interest in psychology and is pursuing a bachelors of science degree in the field.

While the study of psychology can benefit those pursuing a career in retail, there are many career opportunities that a student of psychology can pursue. Because psychology can help individuals better understand how a person thinks, feels, and acts, it makes sense that many career tracks for psychology majors are in people-focused roles. For example, psychology graduates are well suited for roles in guidance counseling, where counselors connect with students to ensure their academic and emotional needs are being met. Like guidance counseling, social work also provides an opportunity for psychology graduates to flex their learning and provide support for adults and children struggling with relationships and addiction.

If a graduate would rather work in a corporate environment, the transition to sales, public relations, or market research analysis can be seamless. Psychology graduates are highly analytic and possess strong writing skills, which are qualities businesses look for when hiring for non-technical roles. If a graduate is willing to pursue additional schooling, law is also an excellent field for psychology students who have refined their persuasive skills and understand the power of negotiation.

 

FSU Study Challenges Student Perceptions

Madison Leigh Gerhard, a Florida State University student from Colts Neck, New Jersey, has plans to begin a physician assistants program after earning her bachelor’s degree. Madison Leigh Gerhard studies psychology at FSU. The FSU Department of Psychology performs and publishes studies on important psychological behaviors one of which is related to the effects of quarantine on health.

In March 2020, many across the country were forced to remain in their homes in response to a pandemic that spread out-of-control quickly, finding themselves stuck inside. Many reported experienced weight gain as a result of being sedentary, which has been coined Quarantine 15. With nowhere to go, some felt their weight slowly crept up as many became sedentary, sitting hours at a make-shift work station while working remotely, and if there was exercise, it meant walking back and forth to the bathroom or refrigerator.

However, FSU researchers found that this weight gain might be more imagined than real. The study “Gaining the Quarantine 15: Perceived versus observed weight changes in the wake of COVID-19” looked at a sample of students from January to April in 2020. The study looked at the actual weight and the reported weight of students based on a five-part scale, ranging from underweight to very overweight.

The study found that one in 50, or two percent of the participants, had a change in body weight that would change their weight category. On the other hand, 10 percent of the reported their weight to be higher when for many their weight remained the same with a few gaining weight.

The study has implications beyond Quarantine 15, ones that suggest weight worries contribute to other anxieties. Moreover, these concerns might lead to unhealthy practices associated with weight control such as juice cleansing, dieting, fasting, and excessive exercise.