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Assignment 1

Assignment #1: Case 11: “Great Lakes: Great Decisions”
By
Norvinnia J. McLaurine
For
Professor Sonia Heywood
BUS499: Business Administration Capstone
October 17, 2010

1. Perform an analysis of the Social/Demographic, Technological, Economic, Environmental/Geographic, and Political/Legal/Governmental segments to understand the general environment facing Great Lakes. Describe how Great Lakes will be affected by each of these external factors.
Social/Demographic:
* Brain damage in Children * Adults lead exposure leads to hypertension, hi blood pressure, and cardio vascular disease * Increased respiratory problems in the elderly * High Demand for Lead gasoline in developing countries * Shift from lead additives to unleaded additives Affect: From the Social stand point Great Lakes must realize that it plays an important role in how the government does business. If they continue giving in to their greed then in the long run there condoning the use of lead additives and gasoline. However this seems to be made easy for them due to the fact that governments of these regions are easily influence. It seems that most of them are content with sticking to the status quo. After looking at the numbers and percentage of people affected by lead I would think that Great Lakes would look a little deeper into its business practices. As a multinational corporation I would think that Great Lakes has a duty to the people in which buy their products. The company has to take responsibility for its actions. Yes where making lots of money, however how many women, men, and children are dying in our money making process.

Technological: * Lead additives * Petroleum Production * Bromine used in retail/industrial products * Water treatment, flame retardants, polymer stabilizers, and performance chemicals * Methyl bromide used for agriculture; clear brine fluids for oil drilling * Tetraethyl (TEL) * Bromine Phosphorus and antimony based flame retardants and synergists * Fluorine Specialties for automotive component systems
Affect: Shows that company has expanded it capabilities from petroleum to and tetraethyl lead producer. When the company purchased Octel Associates it catapulted the company ahead of companies like Dow Chemical and made it a international powerhouse. Great Lakes has also reshaped how its bromine resources will be allocated and strategically placed them in areas that are just as lucrative as TEL.
Economic:
* 1977 Great Lakes worth $50 million * By 1993 Great Lakes has become a multinational presence with $1.8 billion in sales * Octel represented 59% of Great Lakes total profit of $439 million * 1995 Standards & Poor’s raises Great Lakes’s credit rating to AA- from A+ * Great Lakes flourishes financially and controls 90 percent of market due to all of its competition discontinued making TEL * By supplying developing countries with gas additive it was helping the developing countries economic development
Affect: Initially in 1977 the company started out as $50 million a year company. By 1993 great Lakes totaled $1.8 billion in sales. In 1994 the company’s total operating profit was $439 million with Octel representing $259 million of revenue. The next year great Lakes annual revenue was $ 5 billion with a 15% profit margin. Great Lakes feel that by supplying developing countries that they will become more economically developed and will want to change from leaded to unleaded products.
Environmental/ Geographical: * Countries using lead gasoline China, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and many African countries * By mid-1990’s environmental groups increase pressure to stop selling lead * Environmentalist asked for worldwide ban of TEL by 2010 * So developing countries are not unable to make sophisticated judgments about leaded gas * Environmentalists argue that Great lakes should use it profits to subsidize a more rapid transition from TEL * Environmental groups push company aggressively to make a change in hopes that this will force government to change their polices as well
Affect: many developing countries and some that are more developed than those are still dependent upon lead products. These nations are spread across the globe but environmentalists across the globe are beginning to question Great Lakes. This was something they had hoped to avoid and continue the financial gain that they were so accustoming to. The groups are starting to get louder and more are jumping on the bandwagon which will at some point force the company to make a move for better or worst.
Political/Legal/ Governmental: * Great Lakes declares its commitment to environmental responsibility in the vision, mission, and value statements and environment, health, and safety policy * Great Lakes informs all users of the harmful effects of their products, critics argue that it’s the bare minimum of ethical corporate behavior * Refineries in developing countries are often under the control of the government or ruling elites with whom they gain financial incentives to stay with the status quo * Great Lakes 3 options included continue supplying developing countries with lead additives with no competition but strong vocal opposition from environmentalist, second Great lakes could discontinue sale of leaded gasoline without any consequences and repercussions from developing nations, they could simply wash their hands of it but would take a huge financial hit, third option is for Great Lakes to phase out its participation in the market place with a 5 year deadline
Affect: from a legal standpoint great Lakes is force to put policy in place. They admit that there was nothing illegal about them selling and making lead additives. However the company has a duty to not only the customer but people in which the customer intends to service. Great Lakes wants to continue a low profile however it’s not possible due to the publicity there receiving from this. There forced with three options with all three leading them to a huge financial lost and more competitors to compete with.
2. Analyze the lead additives industry in the U.S. using the Five Forces of Competition Model. Describe the impact of each of the five forces on the industry and based on this analysis, determine if the industry is attractive or unattractive. A. Threats of New Entrants
1. Government Policy
2. Economy of scale
3. Product differentiation B. Bargaining power of suppliers C. Bargaining power of buyers D. Threat of substitute products E. Rivalry among competing firms

3. Describe who Great Lakes’ immediate, impending, and invisible competitors are and how Great Lakes measures up against these competitors. ?
Immediate
Impending
Invisible
4. Describe the main capabilities of Great Lakes. In order for me to successfully come up with the main capabilities of Great Lakes I performed a SWOT Analysis of the company. From the company’s start it procured large amounts of bromine which can be used in a variety of retail and industrial products and performs well as a fire retardant additive in textiles and plastics. Great Lakes also excelled at making such products for water treatment, specialty household cleaners, flame retardants, polymer stabilizers, fire suppressants, and performance chemicals. Great Lakes successfully cornered the market in leaded gasoline and additives. This is mainly due to them being the only ones still manufacturing and selling the product and their competitors discontinued use of it. However despite the bad press and pushback the company stood to receive from environmentalist and developing countries, it still would have received financial incentives if they would of diluted itself of TEL. A. Strength 1. Large quantities of bromine 2. Cornered Market in Leaded additives/ gasoline 3. Variety of Specialty products ( water treatment, specialty household cleaners, flame retardants, polymer stabilizers, fire suppressants, and performance chemicals 4. Financial incentives if dilutes itself of TEL Great Lakes were too dependent upon the sales and above average returns from TEL. It was willing to milk Octel Associates till there was nothing left. The company was enjoying being the only ones in the market in the region with all the materials needed to provide developing countries with what they needed. For years they were comfortable just skating under the radar and not having to deal with the ethical and environmental issues that came along with the selling leaded gasoline and lead additives to developing countries. This all came to a halt when environmentalists began to question the company as to when they intended on switching from leaded to unleaded gasoline and further discontinue the use of TEL altogether. B. Weakness 1. Dependent on sales of TEL 2. Depend on Octel 3. Ethical/ Public Relations Great Lakes were in the right place to influence third world developing countries into moving away from the lead products and on to unleaded. However they were enjoying the financial gains and lack of competition. The company could have looked at some of the products that it was already and possible put a spin on them and moved into a new market such as automotive components. However the company chose to take a 3 option approach to it that would allow them to stand by idly and receive compensation but not the blame of the harmful effects of there product. C. Opportunities 1. Influence on developing countries to stop usage of TEL 2. Expand on automotive component systems 3. Great Lakes Policy gives them an easy out if things go bad The company began to receive not only push back from environmentalist and developing countries but the World Health Organization. Along with them they also receive push back from the World Bank. These organizations felt that with all the revenue that Great Lakes was enjoying that they should use a portion to help developing countries make the switch from leaded to unleaded. In the long run productivity would drop however the changeover would benefit the developing country. Great Lakes on the other hand stood to take a huge financial lost. D. Threats 1. World Health Organization (WHO) 2. Environmentalist Organizations 3. Developing Countries 4. World Bank 5. Financial lost if aggressively phase out of TEL

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