...Introduction The exploration and utilization of resources has played a significant role in the development of Canada. Most socio-economic achievements in Canada’s history have been closely related to natural resources. While activities such as fishing and agriculture have traditionally paved the way, perhaps none has contributed to Canada’s economic prosperity like the mining industry. As the sector continues to grow, so does Canada’s reputation as one of the world’s leading mining nations. Canada is one of the world’s top producers of major commodities such as uranium, nickel, cobalt, and more. With a pullback in performance over the past years, I expect the industry to rebound, as economic growth in China and the United States will increase resource demand. Despite the positive outlook, this is still a highly controversial industry. Many key drawbacks such as pollution, low employment, and high level of risk have made the mining world a highly criticized industry. The sector plays a crucial role in the economic, social and environmental stability of the country, making it a focal point for the government. Both industry participants and the government must work together to improve and stabilize the mining industry for British Columbia. This report is divided into 3 sections: • Section I outlines the history of the industry, leading up to the present. • Section II, which will provide an overview of the current state of British Columbia’s mining industry, includes...
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...old machine with state of the art new technology which could result in higher profit and lower cost in maintaining machine. Faced with a consistent loss of market share due to new competition it is our analysis that, to enhance further growth and profit, Hindustan Hydraulics must improve their sales service, better turnaround time to decrease down time of machines so that customers do not fall behind their production schedule and more money should be pumped into the R&D department to develop advanced systems. Other recommendations has been discussed in detail in this report. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 5 Positioning 6 Current environment and operation 7 PEST Analysis 8 a) Political forces b) Economic forces c) Socio-cultural forces d) Technological forces SWOT Analysis 10 a) Internal factor 10 1. Strengths 2. Weaknesses b) External Factors 11 3. Opportunities 4. Threats Gap Analysis 13 Customer Assessment 13 Competitor analysis 14 Strategic action plan 14 Stakeholder analysis 15 Strategic marketing Objectives 15 Recommendations 16 Conclusion 16 Reference 17 Journal 20 Based upon the...
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...Prepared For M. Nazmul Amin Majumdar Course Instructor BRACU Business School BRAC University Prepared By Shiab Khan (13164039) Sanzida Parvin (13164025) Tanzir Islam (13164087) SK Yaishi Binte Zaman (12264035) Ahammed Riaz(13164009) Date of Submission: April 2, 2015 BHP Billiton Limited Introduction: BHP Billiton is world’s largest diversified natural resources company. The company was created by the merger of two companies, BHP Ltd (An Australian mining company) and Billiton PLC (An UK based Company). BHP Billiton has created long time share holder value through the discovery, acquisition and development of natural resources. In the last few years, BHP Billiton has faced some governance challenges in conducting their business around the world. For overcoming those challenges several strategic drivers has been taken by BHP Billiton. This report mainly focused on external and internal environment, strength and weakness, Governance challenges and strategic drivers of BHP Billiton. Overview of BHP Billiton: BHP Billiton is a Dual Listed Company (DLC) comprising BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc. BHP Billiton was created through the DLC merger of BHP Limited (now BHP Billiton Limited) and Billiton Plc (now BHP Billiton Plc), which was concluded on 29 June 2001. BHP Billiton is a leading global resources company. The purpose is to create long-term shareholder value through the discovery, acquisition, development and marketing of natural resources. BHP Billiton are among...
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...imported from Britain. The Business, based in South Wollongong in New South Wales (NSW), produced casting lamp posts and manhole covers for the sewerage system. It also catered to the needs of the defence forces during the Second World War. Additional contracts also came from government client’s including the NSW railways. The business is now owned and managed by the third generation of the family – two brothers and one of their cousins. This team has been running the business for the past 20 years and make all the decisions. They still do business with the government departments. They have been investing in updating their plant and equipment. A major portion of the business comes from small private manufacturers who need iron casting parts for their products. The transport cost of delivering the raw materials has also gone up and the local government has imposed strict regulations because manufacturing the castings has a direct impact on the environment. Most of the Kangaroo Foundry Casting’s customers are no longer in NSW due to tough competition. The demand for their products has changed. Their customers are now looking for cheaper and better quality products that compete with suppliers from overseas. Due to changes in technology, overseas suppliers are offering better-quality products at competitive prices. However, government policies are in favour of improving the competitive advantage of the Australian industry. The recent economic downturn has severely affected...
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...Armenia exceed the risks associated with the Armenian economy and as a result I would recommend our company to set up a business in Armenia. The Armenian economy is growing at a fast rate due to its political stability, free-economic zones, trade agreements with key partners, and an abundance of natural resources. Gross domestic product and foreign direct investment are increasing at fast rates and this has led to recent improvements in social and human development in the country. This will also improve skilled workforce in the country in the near future. Armenia is getting involved with the leading countries in the world which is impacting Armenia to increase its capacity to gain a competitive advantage in the global economy (Global Edge, 2014). Country description: Armenia was ranked first among CIS (Commonwealth of Independent State) and CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) countries in GDP per-capita growth rates from 2000 to 2008. Growth slowed at the end of 2008, and actually declined in 2009, primarily due to the effects of the global economic crisis. But in 2010-2011, the economy experienced renewed growth. After the upturn in economic activity in 2011, the economy slightly slowed in 2012, limited by less favourable external conditions (Global Egde, 2014). Armenia is very dependent on the Russian economy and investment is the main contributors to economic growth. The country is engaged in the construction of a number of large infrastructure projects to link the country between...
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...has steadily gone up as China’s labor cost has grown by over 60 percent since 2009. However, Vietnam’s labor cost is 40 percent of that in China, while in Bangladesh and Myanmar labor costs are as little as one-fifth of China’s labor cost.9 Other factors are also contributing to foreign manufacturers’ profit decline in China, such as: the appreciation of the Renminbi, variability of various local tax rates, stricter regulations on environment protection, as well as government’s policies towards a more service-based economy. In addition to cheaper labor cost, some Southeast Asian countries have put more effort into attracting foreign investment, such as lowering or exempting import tariffs on equipment required by manufacturing activities. However, unsettled political situations, undeveloped infrastructure, unskilled workers, incomplete industry chain systems, and a smaller domestic market in the Southeast Asian countries remain the biggest concerns for foreign investors. Throughout the years, China is still remains competitive manufacturing base while some foreign manufacturers moved out and relocated to Southeast Asia. Many foreign manufacturers have formed relationships with the Chinese government and customers while operating in China. Some foreign manufacturers said they would keep close observation on both China and Southeast Asia and they would like to stay in China if operation costs do not inflate to unsustainable levels. Meanwhile, China continues to introduce favorable...
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...educated labour force, - large domestic market, - well developed industrial base, - access to a variety of resources, including some of Europe’s best best agriculture land, significant coal and some oil and gas reserves, - strategic location connecting Europe, Russia and Asian markets. Nevertheless, Ukraine ended up among the least successful transition economies. The reasons for such a poor performance are different, but we should emphasize on the weaknesses deriving from overcentralised command economy during the Soviet period. I’d like to draw your attention to the Ukraine economy past in order to understand its current situation. Large and often inefficient state-owned factories, enterprises and collective farms wasted resources and emphasized quantity over quality. Prices were fixed and consumer goods were often in short supply. Excessive spending on the military hurt the civilian economy. For the last decades Ukraine is moving to market economy, where the forces of supply and demand and private ownership guide the allocation of resources. The transition to market economy is politically and socially difficult because of experience of rising inflation, unemployment and economic uncertainty before the long term benefits of market economy. The next point of this topic is overview of Ukraine’s main directions of economic development. The metal industry is Ukraine’s strongest sector of economic activity, accounting for 7% of GDP and around 40% of overall export. Before...
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...better investment as its own company without Schnitzer Steel’s ownership. Established in 1987, Pick-n-Pull Auto Dismanteling, Inc. (PNP) is a chain of self-service auto parts stores and is one of the largest recyclers of end-of-life vehicles in the industry. They have 61 locations currently in the United States and Canada and while many other companies are closing location, they are continuing to grow. The basis for the retail portion of their operation is simple customers pay their admission to the yard (admission prices vary by yard location), bring their tools and remove the parts that they need for their cars, vans and trucks foreign and domestic at a fraction of the price they would pay a dealership or even an automotive repair business. Pick-n-Pull keeps an online inventory of the cars on the premises and can even offer a customer a part “Interchange” which means that a part off of another make or model of vehicle is interchangeable with theirs. They also offer what they call “builders” which are cars that run and can be driven but need some work to make them reliable vehicles. Pick-n-Pull services more than 5 million customers each year. Pick-n-Pull also...
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...Analysis of an argument 1. The following appeared as part of an annual report sent to stockholders by Olympic Foods, a processor of frozen foods. “Over time, the costs of processing go down because as organizations learn how to do things better, they become more efficient. In color film processing, for example, the cost of a 3-by-5-inch print fell from 50 cents for five-day service in 1970 to 20 cents for one-day service in 1984. The same principle applies to the processing of food. And since Olympic Foods will soon celebrate its twenty-fifth birthday, we can expect that our long experience will enable us to minimize costs and thus maximize profits.” Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion. Citing facts drawn from the color-film processing industry that indicate a downward trend in the costs of film processing over a 24-year period, the author argues that Olympic Foods will likewise be able to minimize costs and thus maximize profits in the future. In support of this conclusion...
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...Business risks facing mining and metals 2012–2013 Organizations that succeed do so because they are best able to optimize the risk and reward equation for both strategic and operational issues. Contents The Ernst & Young business risk radar for mining and metals Executive summary The top 10 business risks 1. Resource nationalism 2. Skills shortage 3. Infrastructure access 4. Cost inflation 5. Capital project execution 6. Social license to operate Editorial — Prospects and perils: facing up to political risks in mining and metals 7. Price and currency volatility 8. Capital management and access 9. Sharing the benefits 10. Fraud and corruption 3 4 10 11 14 17 20 23 26 28 32 35 38 40 Under the radar Getting prepared 42 46 The Ernst & Young business risk radar for mining and metals Up from 2011 Down from 2011 Same as 2011 New entry The risks closest to the center of the radar are those that pose the greatest challenges to the mining and metals sector in 2012 and into 2013. The business risk report Mining and metals 2012–2013 3 Executive summary 4 The business risk report Mining and metals 2012–2013 A more complex and extreme risk environment “The bottom line is that if returns start to wane, then there is a greater imperative for organizations to tightly and more effectively manage their risks to maintain an adequate risk/reward balance.” Mike Elliott Global Mining and Metals Leader, Ernst & Young On the surface, the top...
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...SMEs and the Internationalisation Process Giovanni Roncucci Chairman Roncucci&Partners Group April 5th 2016 Agenda Globalisation & Internationalisation Main Characteristics of the Italian System Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises SMEs and the Italian System Italian SMEs and Internationalisation Business Plan and Budgeting Planning Roncucci & Partners 2 Globalisation & Internationalisation Roncucci & Partners 3 In the last 10-15 years the international context of the global economy changed notably. Market globalisation is one of the variables to be considered as crucial within the critical success factors of every entrepreneurial economic initiative. In this framework the challenge of internationalisation becomes a fundamental tool to sustain and strengthen the competitiveness of an economic system. Roncucci & Partners 4 Commercial Flows of Geographical Areas Table 1 - Volume of International Trade per Geographical Area and Country(a) - From 2009-2013 (price basis=2005, at percentual value) Countries & Areas 2009 2010 Export 2011 2012 2013 2009 2010 Import 2011 2012 2013 EUROPE 38,89 37,97 38,04 37,44 37,11 39,67 38,19 37,41 35,98 35,19 European Union France Germany Italy United Kingdom Spain 35,52 3,63 8,52 2,97 2,82 1,73 34,86 3,49 8,59 2,89 2,76 1,69 34,98 3,41 8,67 2,86 2,84 1,74 34,32 3,32 8,47 2,80 2,63 ...
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...REI Marketing Environment WorksheetList the current characteristics of each environmental factor as they relate to REI. U.S. EconomyHow does the current U.S. economy affect REI retail operations? 1.The American jobless rate is currently at an all time low. The economy is enjoying an upsurge that is fueling the housing market and the stock market and resulting in the U.S public having more disposable income than in recent years. This turns into an up rise for most retail and recreational markets. 2. While the current economic outlook may be boosting the spending activity of most Americans, the demands of balancing work schedules and family life have resulted in a consumer that is extremely careful of how they spend their disposable income. They are demanding high quality, superb customer service and immediate attention. Those recreational retailers who can meet these demands will be the ones who will benefit most from the current economic climate. Global EconomyHow does the current global economy affect REI retail operations? 1. REI, like many U.S. firms are expanding their operations into overseas markets. As this is done, the economic climates of these markets benefit from the influx of cash resulting from the employment of their populations. Multinational corporations (MNCs) are moving operations to wherever they can find the least expensive labor pool that is able to do the work well. This action has the combined effect of increasing available markets for...
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...framework in the management literature, this essay will discuss Porter’s concept of the Diamond and the factors that contribute to the development of national competitive advantage. This paper will begin with a theoretical approach followed by the reception of different authors and schools of thoughts who disagreed with his management thinking, and then goes on to consider empirical issues which have arisen subsequently, followed by a conclusion.” Theoretical Discussions (explain the 'main theory' [such as 'Late/Early industrialization', 'Managerial enterprise', 'Weber's theory about impacts of culture'] in this question) - “Porter’s theory of national competitive advantage is based upon a study of the characteristics of the national environment which identifies four sets of variables, and an additional two, which influences a company’s ability to establish and maintain competitive advantage within international markets. These interacting determinants are: factor conditions; demand conditions; related and supporting industries; and firm strategy, structure and rivalry and form what Porter refers to as the “national diamond.” The four main determinants can also be understood as the availability of resources to various industries, the information used in deciding which opportunities to pursue for the company, the goals of individuals in companies, and the innovation and...
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...with OSHA 1910 Subpart S and OSHA 1926 Subpart K. NFPA 76: This standard provides requirements for fire protection of telecommunications facilities where telecommunications services such as telephone (landline, wireless) transmission, data transmission, internet transmission, voice-over internet protocol (VoIP) transmission, and video transmission are rendered to the public. A.1.1 It is not intended that this standard apply to private telecommunications facilities. Private telecommunications facilities include rooms specifically used for a business to deliver telecommunications to its employees, containing telecommunication for employees of a company. However, private telecommunications facilities do not include facilities that are owned by non-utility business that provide telecommunications services to the public, including, but not limited to, large medical facilities, universities, large corporate telecommunications networks, military bases, and private prisons. Telecommunications facilities are referred to as telephone exchanges in NFPA 101 and NFPA 5000. The 2012 edition of NFPA 101 classifies telephone exchanges as special-purpose industrial occupancies, and the 2012 edition of NFPA 5000 classifies telephone exchanges as industrial occupancies. 1.1.1 Telecommunications facilities include signal processing equipment areas, cable entrance facility areas, power areas, main distribution frame areas, standby engine areas, technical support areas, administrative areas, and building...
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...Mining Industry Case Analysis | Business Ethics in a Global Context | Presented To: Dr. Jang Singh | | | | Executive Summary This report will examine the Mining Industry via ethical perspectives. This report includes a brief overview of the industry followed by an evaluation of the Mining industry’s value chain; including an environmental analysis of a mining company, as well as an evaluation of the industry’s corporate social responsibility, corporate social responsiveness and finally the corporate social performance. The Mining Industry is one of the World’s largest industries. The ‘idea’ of mining dates back to the beginning stage of civilization. Some examples of early mining can be found in Egypt, Europe and the Philippines. As of now, top mining countries are South Africa, Russia, Australia, Ukraine and Guinea. This industry faces constant technology advancement, consequently it is an expensive investment, with large profit. The Mining Industry can be controversial when looked through an ethical lens. This Industry is analysed through four perspectives. * The utilitarianism perspective, an act is morally right if the outcome benefits the greatest amount of people; * The rights perspective, basically, important entitlements that should be respected and protected in every action; * The justice perspective, fair treatment of individuals in a situation where everyone is involved and gets what they deserve to; * The virtue perspective, morally...
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