Legal, Environmental and Social Constraints Essay

Legal, Environmental and Social Constraints - Essay Example The regulation aimed at controlling the most polluting processes such as at power stations. The following hydrocarbon processes, as prescribed by The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991 (SI 1991/472), require authorization if they are likely to release prescribed substances." (Environmental legislation applicable to the offshore hydrocarbon industry (England, Scotland and Wales) The proposed expansion of Stansted Airport faced a lot of controversy. A preservation group protested and stated that the expansion could lead to the destruction of many historic buildings. Although the Government assured that the listed properties could be rebuilt outside the new boundaries but the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings kept the stance that the airport expansion will lead to maximum damage to the country's heritage including two important monuments Waltham Manor and The Grange. The controversy also directed towards the lack of planning in order to deal with the increasing demand of future air travel. The pressure groups warned for the legal action against the airport authorities that presented the proposal to build another runway on Stansted Airport. The group took the stance that the costs attached to the expansion of the Stansted Airport are lot more than the benefits attached to the plan. Reference SSE News Archives, 27 December 2003 http://www.stopstanstedexpansion.com/news_archive06.html Q 3. Explain what is covered by EMC legislation, What part was played by the EU in this piece of legislation. "The word EMC does not include the influence of electromagnetic waves (either desired or undesired) on biological systems. This is a much larger field and is covered by the expression "EMCE" ("E" is for environmental), which is not the topic here and is also not the field in which EM TEST works." (Mohr) The EMC makes sure that all the electrical products shall work in their environment and will not generate electromagnetic disturbances, which can effect the performance of other products. The EMC also covers the

Exam 1 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Exam 1 - Coursework Example If the Japanese firm expects the U.S. dollar to ____ against the yen, it would likely wish to hedge. It could hedge by ____ dollars forward. 13. Saller Co. has a subsidiary in Mexico. The expected cash flows in pesos to be received in the future from this subsidiary have not changed since last month, but the valuation of Saller Co. has declined since last month. What couldve caused this decline in value? 14. Jensen Co. wants to establish a new subsidiary in Mexico that will sell computers to Mexican customers and remit earnings back to the U.S. parent. The value of this project will be favorably affected if the value of the peso ____ while it establishes the new subsidiary and ____ when the subsidiary starts operations. 15. J&L Co. is a U.S.-based MNC that frequently exports computers to Italy. J&L typically invoices these goods in euros and is concerned that the euro will depreciate in the near future. Which of the following is not an appropriate technique under these circumstances? 17. Assume that Live Co. has expected cash flows of $200,000 from domestic operations, SF200, 000 from Swiss operations, and 150,000 euros from Italian operations at the end of the year. The Swiss francs value and euros value are expected to be $.83 and $1.29 respectively, at the end this year. What are the expected dollar cash flows of Live

Importance of Expanding Knowledge Throughout Nursing Career

Importance of Expanding Knowledge Throughout Nursing Career Professional development Continuing Professional development is where health care professionals maintain and develop a range of learning activities throughout their career to ensure competency and ability to practice safely, effectively and legally within their field of practice (Health and Care Professions Council 2014a). This essay will discuss a range of ethical, cultural, legal, managerial topics and their theory basis, highlighting the importance of expanding knowledge and experience throughout my career, in order to continually develop as a professional. Demonstrate moral reasoning and the application of legal frameworks in the discussion of ethical issues in healthcare practice Ethics are the collective belief and value system of communities, social and professional groups (Reeves and Orford 2003). Such ethical values can determine a healthcare professional’s behaviour through internally motivated standards for example goals of nursing can be based on a moral goal, value of seeking good and doing right (Raines 1994). Similarly, moral reasoning is when an individual uses moral goals and values to inform their decisions, attitudes and behaviour. Nevertheless, legal frameworks are also in place to protect the public when the moral reasoning of healthcare professionals produces poor care or harm (Wheeler 2012). During our PD2 (Professional development 2) Problem based learning (PBL) we saw an example of how health professionals’: morals, ethics, beliefs and values, have negatively affected patient care (See Appendix 1) due to the ethical principles of autonomy, benefice, non-maleficence and justice Beauchamp and Childress being breached (2001). The physiotherapist who refused to treat the patient, the head of rehabilitation and, the clinical manager who chose not to act on the physiotherapists’ decision, caused maleficence to the patient as they didn’t receive the care required. Justice and autonomy were also overlooked as the patient was treated unfairly, having their freedom and rights taken away. Subsequently, under the Human Rights Act 1998, the patient is permitted to have recourse to the UK courts; as authority have not respected their rights. Furthermore the Equality Act 2010, describes those diagnosed with HIV as disabled, thus they’re entitled to protect ion against discrimination; which the patient experienced in this situation (UK Gov 2014). Furthermore, it is the Nursing and Midwifery Code (NMC) and the Health Care Professionals Councils’ (HCPC) responsibility to protect the public, thereby determining the professional standards which nurses and physiotherapists must work to (Wheeler 2012). However, in this situation the healthcare professionals have not adhered to the codes, for example the HCPC code of conduct, performance and ethics states that ` You must act in the best interests of service users` (HCPC 2014b) where instead, the healthcare professionals have adapted a judgemental and biased attitude as a result of their own morals and beliefs. The NMC (2014) states that, `you are personally accountable for actions and omissions in your practice and must always be able to justify your decisions` therefore as health professionals they can be held accountable by the law, endangering their fitness to practice and professional registration (Reeves and Orford 2003). The breaches of UK legislation and nursing conduct means the health professionals involved would have no place in the law courts, with the Bolam test also in place to recognise the medical negligence. Furthermore the philosophical concept of rule utilitarianism means that the law courts would focus on the codes of practice which have been prescribed as the optimum set of rules within healthcare practice, further highlighting the misconduct of the healthcare professionals. Utilitarianism within other situations however could be criticised as rule utilitarianism is willing to cause more suffering than happiness to avoid violating a generalised rule (Mason and Whitehead 2005). This situation highlights the importance of selectiveness of personal, moral and, ethical values when in practice. Furthermore, it also highlights the negative and positive impact of moral reasoning, where the act of whistleblowing has a positive impact on patient care. I feel that as a developing health professional I should increase my knowledge of the law and continue to abide strictly to my code of professional conduct, to ensure I practice in a reasonable, responsible and rational manner when ethical issues arise. Discuss factors of cultural competence and ethnicity and identify your particular learning needs to enable you to help a named minority group of your choice overcome inequalities in healthcare. Cultural competence is the understanding of; values, beliefs, traditions and customs of diverse groups. Ethnicity is defined as; a social group of people who identify with each other based on common experiences, such as cultural heritage, language and religion (Ingram 2011). Diverse multi-ethnic groups require diverse healthcare needs, challenging health professionals to be culturally competent in order to provide appropriate care (Patel et. al 2007). During our PD2 PBL a scenario (See Appendix 2) highlighted the importance of being culturally competent in order to meet the healthcare needs of a culturally diverse community. Josepha Camphina-Bacote, 1998 developed;’ The Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services model’, which views cultural competence as an ongoing process through Health Professional Development striving to effectively work with the cultural context of the client by seeing themselves as ‘becoming’, rather than ‘being’ culturally competent. The model focuses on the constructs of; cultural awareness, knowledge, skill, encounters, and desire which can be applied to the PD2 situation when discussing improvements in cultural competence of the health professionals involved (Camphina-Bacote 2002). A number of inner-cities throughout Britain are experiencing a growing population of multi-ethnic groups, in 2011, 3.9% of Sparkhill were classed as having a multiple ethnicity, compared to 2.3% of Englands’ Population. 21.7% of Sparkhills’ population had no member of their household with the first language being English compared to 4.4% of the population of England. These statistics highlight the importance of cultural competency for healthcare professionals working within Sparkhill due to the various values, beliefs, and languages they will encounter. In order to be culturally competent, Camphina-Bacote (2002) recognises that healthcare professionals need to gain cultural knowledge on health-related beliefs, values and traditions so they will be able to recognise how patients interpret and understand their illness (Lavizzo-Mourey 1996), determining the required actions for the patient to receive appropriate care. For example Muslims have Salat; obligatory Muslim prayers performed five times each day, healthcare professionals working in Sparkhill need cultural knowledge on this practice to avoid arranging clinics or appointments during these times which would result in patient absence, thus absence of patient care. Furthermore Camphina-Bacote (2002) recognises the need for cultural awareness; the act of reflecting and exploring personal cultural and professional background involving recognition of prejudices, stereotypes and assumptions which could affect the care delivered to patients. When reflecting on my own cultural competence I feel that I know little about the values and traditions of other cultures, as highlighted by an incident on placement; a lady refused to remove her religious attire when asked to put on a theatre gown. I was unaware of the patients’ culture and the importance of the dress to her. Additionally the trust holds its own policy on religious attire; I was unsure how to handle the situation and stepped back. On my reflection ability of clinical situations I feel that I should increase my cultural knowledge and awareness on trust policies in order to make sure patients in my care do not receive unfair, discriminatory treatment based on their culture to further devel op as a professional. Identify a particular theory of change, outline briefly and discuss it critically showing how it may be useful/helpful to bring about service improvement in your work as nurse or physio Healthcare revolves around increasingly ambiguous and turbulent times, where culture innovation of change is essential in order to meet the changing healthcare needs of the population and the advancements in research and technology (Broome 1990). In our PD2 PBL groups we looked at a scenario (See Appendix 3) which suggested a need for change in the way care was delivered on the ward. These changes could be implemented through using models of change such as the Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) four stage model. The first stage `plan’, highlighting the change to be implemented, `Do’ stage is the action of carrying out the change, `study’ stage, collecting the data before and after the change and reflection upon it. The final stage `Act’ is the full implementation of the change or the plan of additional changes (National Health Service 2008). The PDSA model can be applied to any healthcare setting and allows multidisciplinary involvement. The model allows the use of measurable goals so that the effectiveness of quality improvement can be reviewed throughout (Nakayama et al 2010). Wonderlich (2007) recognises how the model uses a simple `bottom up’ approach to change with the ongoing PDSA cycle or repetition of the PDSA process allowing continuous small scale improvement. Testing on a small scale; for example, implementing change on the stroke ward within the scenario and learning from it before advancement to service improvement on a broader scale within the trust reduces risk making it a highly effective, recommended model which is used frequently. The model however requires leadership from a professional with adequate stature; clinical director, to ensure tasks are communicated across teams. These tasks also take priority in order to be completed; meaning without effective leadership some healthcare professionals may not be committed (Nakayama et al 2010). An alternative model is Lewins three stage theory of change; `unfreeze, moving and refreeze’. Although, Lewins model previously dominated change theory, as a core basis for many models due to its history, it is now often overlooked by modernised approaches such as the PDSA cycle or the NHS change model (NHS Change Model 2013). Further criticism of Lewins model is that it takes a top-down, management-driven approach to change, in scenarios such as the one looked at in our PBL groups where frontline health care staff such as staff nurses will be the agents of change upon the ward meaning Lewins approach to change would be inappropriate (Burnes 2004). As I develop as a professional I feel it is important that I continue to increase my knowledge on the process of change, service improvement and the models which can support this. Through my role as a Student Nurse I am part of the healthcare system and therefore, in the position to bring about change. What do the concepts of group and group dynamics mean to you? Using your theoretical understanding of the notions of groups and group dynamics, critically discuss your own contribution and that of your peers in problem based learning. Groups are defined as a number of people who share objectives, identity and a frame of reference. The way the group acts and responds to changing situations is defined by group dynamics. Within the PD2 model we were separated into sets of fifteen people, each set forming a group due to our shared purpose and goal of being developing health professionals who wish to complete the module (Forsyth 2010). Group establishments such as these can be outlined by Tuckman whi developed a model in 1965 explaining his theory of group development through 4 stages. `Forming’ , the first stage; a team make contact, develop trust and agree on similarities or common goals. Second stage; `Storming’, differences in opinion are expressed meaning power, control and resource issues are identified and communication skills developed. In the `Norming’ stage, decisions are made through negotiation, group roles and problem solving processes which are agreed. Finally the group works collaboratively producing effective results; ‘Performing’ stage. Although one of the most commonly used models for group development, it consists of a number of criticisms; not all groups will follow these stages so clear cut, theorists also argue that groups often repeat stages throughout their time rather than completing each cycle once as Tuckman suggests. It could also be argued that the stages should not stop at ‘Performing’ and should consider the stages of evaluation and reflection (Tuckman 1965)(Forsyth 2010)(Elwyn and Greenhalgh et al. 2001). This evaluation and reflection process was used within our PD2 groups including evaluating our own contribution. Within our group there was minimal interaction between members, with evident subgroups; all nursing students sat together, separated from physiotherapy students. Subgroups often occur due to previously established connections in social and emotional bonds and can affect the group dynamics; for example a physio may dismiss a comment from a student nurse due to the isolation caused by the subgroups. However our group facilitator evaluated the dynamics of the group throughout the sessions emphasising the possibility of the Hawthorne Effect (Forsyth 2010) as participants knew they were being evaluated, so may not have taken on their natural role. On reflection I feel that if I was involved in another group I would encourage a mix of group members who have no established connection in order to create cohesion, improve team work, the group dynamics and group outcomes. I would also recommend that the group are kept unaware of the facilitator’s evaluation to prevent the Hawthorne effect and encourage members to take on a natural role in the group. Moreover, researcher Belbin (1981) recognises nine different roles within groups which can be adapted by the members; bringing skills and expertise to the group and affecting the groups’ dynamics as roles are influenced by personality and self-perception. However Belbins roles include criticisms that they’re limited to management groups, although, the identified weaknesses and positive qualities of the roles are transferrable to other groups such as those within healthcare (Belbin, 1981). In order to reflect on our contributions within the PBL groups we carried out Belbins’ self-perception inventory which allowed me to recognise my roles; `The company worker’ and ‘The complete-Finisher’. Before I was unsure as to what my role was within the team, but I agree with the self-perception inventory findings and feel that I can now build on my suited roles when participating in future groups allowing for professional development.

Human Trafficking Essay -- Legal Issues, Human Rights

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was created to prevent human trafficking, to protect the victims of human trafficking, and to prosecute traffickers. Although it was well crafted, the TVPA is ineffective in achieving its purpose. Since its enactment, only a small percentage of victims have received help, and the prevalence of human trafficking in the U.S. has not decreased. In fact, human trafficking may be on the rise in Arkansas. Therefore, although amending the TVPA would make more people eligible for social services, not amending the TVPA would be an act of support towards organized crime, the spread of diseases like AIDS and TB, and modern slavery. Before the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was enacted, traffickers were only punished for â€Å"the components of the offense† (Lack 156). The TVPA aimed to prevent human trafficking by funding programs that would educate the public about this issue. In order to protect the victims, the law established the T-visa program. This allows victims â€Å"to become temporary residents of the U.S.† (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services 1). Victims that have been certified ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬those who have proved that they are victims of human trafficking, assisted in the prosecution of their traffickers, and received their T-visas—are eligible for social services. The TVPA also made harsher punishments for human traffickers. For example, traffickers who attempted to murder, kidnap, or sexually abuse their victims could be sent to prison for life (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services 2). Sexual exploitation of children under 14 could also result in a life sentence. In addition, the TVPA â€Å"broadened the definition of coercion,† by including both physical and psychological coercion (La... ...activities† (FBI 1). This shows that Arkansas cannot be overlooked when trying to prevent human trafficking. Although it is not highly prevalent, it is still possible that human trafficking has infiltrated Arkansas. Maybe traffickers are just rarely brought to light here. Local authorities may not be as familiar with this issue because it has not been a problem in the past. The products of human trafficking cannot be ignored. Human rights are being violated, diseases are being transmitted, and the current laws are ineffective in preventing human trafficking and protecting its victims. Although there are many victims now, it may increase exponentially in the future, creating bigger problems. Before the number of victims increase and before more people start to lose faith in the U.S. government, it is imminent that the Trafficking Victims Protection Act be amended.

Noli me tangere reflection Essay

Noli Me Tangere. It is a novel written by Filipino writer and national hero Jose Rizal and was first published in 1887 in Berlin, Germany. This novel was written to remind us the bad things that Jose Rizal experienced during his time by the Spanish. From the very start of this novel, the first plan of our national hero is, to write this novel with the help of his countryman that is also suffering to the hands of the Spanish, but suddenly he failed to do it with the help of his countryman, because his countryman lose their hope in fulfilling their dreams to have freedom in the hands of the Spanish colonies. Jose Rizal, did not give up, because he continue write this novel without the help of his countryman, and he decided to write it by himself only. The first chapter of this novel was entitled â€Å"the paging†, where in, in this chapter stated the lifestyle of Don Santiago de los Santos also known as Kapitan Tiago, he was from Binondo and he was the step father of Maria Clara according to this chapter. In this chapter, the other characters was Padre Sibyla, Padre Damaso, and Tenyente Guevarra.According to this chapter, kapitan tiago invited the said characters to go to his house and have asimple gathering, but suddenly it came to a fight between Padre Damaso and Tenyente Guevarra because of the ereheng namatay. Padre Sibyla stops the rivalry between the two. The second chapter was entitled â€Å"Ang binatang si Crisostomo†. Where in in, this chapter, Kapitan Tiago present Don Crisostomo Ibarra to the priest, the son of his deceased friend named Don Rafael Ibarra.

Paper on Tech Mahindra

A STUDY ON STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF TECH MAHINDRA PROJECT DONE AS PART OF THE â€Å"STRATEGY FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION† COURSE Submitted to : Brig (Dr) Rajkumar Programme Director and senior professor SMS, JNTUK. Submitted by D. Subba Raju Roll No: 11021E0118 Sl. No| Particulars| Page No| 1. | About industry| 3| 2. | Company details| 3| 3. | Vision| 5| 4. | Mission| 5| 5. | Objectives| 5| 6. | Products| 5| 7. | Competitors| 6| 8. | Core competency| 6| 9. | Michael porters 5 force model| 7| 10. | Swot analysis| 7| 11. | Conclusion| 8| 12. | Bibliography| 9| Table of contents: About industry:The  Information technology  industry in  India  has gained a  brand identity  as a  knowledge economy  due to its IT and ITES sector. The IT–ITES industry has two major components:  IT Services and  business process outsourcing  (BPO). The growth in the  service sector  in India has been led by the IT–ITES sector, contributing substantially to incre ase in  GDP, employment, and exports. The sector has increased its contribution to India's GDP from 1. 2% in FY1998 to 7. 5% in FY2012. According to  NASSCOM, the IT–BPO sector in India aggregated revenues of  US$100 billion in FY2012, where export and domestic revenue stood at  US$69. billion and  US$31. 7 billion respectively, growing by over 9%. The major cities that account for about nearly 90% of this sectors exports are  Bangalore,  Chennai,  Delhi,  Mumbai,  Hyderabad,  Pune,  Kolkata  and  Coimbatore. Export dominate the IT–ITES industry, and constitute about 77% of the total industry revenue. Though the IT–ITES sector is export driven, the domestic market is also significant with a robust revenue growth. [1]  The industry’s share of total Indian exports (merchandise plus services) increased from less than 4% in FY1998 to about 25% in FY2012.According to  Gartner, the â€Å"Top Five Indian IT Services Providersâ₠¬  are  Tata Consultancy Services,  Infosys,  Cognizant,  Wipro  and  HCL Company details: Tech Mahindra Limited (BSE:  532755, NSE:  TECHM) is an Indian provider of networking technology solutions and business process outsourcing (BPO) services to the global telecommunications industry. Headquartered at Pune, India. It is a joint venture between the Mahindra Group and BT Group plc, UK with M;M (Mahindra and Mahindra) holding 44% and BT holding 39% of the equity.On 23 May 2012, Tech Mahindra reported a 3% increase in its revenue for the year ended March 31, to $1. 15 Billion . Its activities spread across a broad spectrum, including Business Support Systems (BSS), Operations Support Systems (OSS), Network Design ; Engineering, Next Generation Networks, Mobility Solutions, Security consulting and Testing. The â€Å"solutions portfolio† includes Consulting, Application Development ; Management, Network Services, Solution Integration, Product Engineering, Infras tructure Managed Services, Remote Infrastructure Management and BSG (comprises BPO, Services and Consulting).Tech Mahindra is ranked #6 in India's software services firms behind Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Infosys, HCL Technologies and Satyam Computer Services and overall #161 in Fortune India 500 list for 2011. Tech Mahindra has implemented more than 15 Greenfield Operations globally and has over 128 active customer engagements mostly in the Telecom sector. The company has been involved in about 8 transformation programs of incumbent telecom operators. With an array of service offerings for TSPs, TEMs and ISVs, Tech Mahindra serves: Key Executives: S. No| Name| Designation| | 1| Anand G Mahindra| Chairman| | | | | | | 2| CP Gurnani| Managing Director| | | | | | | | 3| Anil Khatri| Company Secretary| | | | | | | | 4| Bharat N Doshi| Non Executive Director| | | | | | | | 5| Ulhas N Yargop| Non Executive Director| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Milestones * 1986 – Incorporation in India * 1987 – Commencement of Business * 1993 – Incorporation of MBT International Inc. , the first overseas subsidiary * 1994 – Awarded the ISO 9009 certification by BVQI * 1995 – Established the UK branch office 2001 – Incorporated MBT GmbH, Germany incorporated. Re-certified to ISO 9001:1994 by BVQI * 2002 – Assessed at Level 2 of SEI CMM by KPMG. Incorporated MBT Software Technologies Pte. Limited, Singapore * 2005 – Merged MBT with Axes Technologies (India) Private Limited, including its US and Singapore subsidiaries. Assessed at Level 3 of SEI CMMI by KPMG * 2006 – Name changed to Tech Mahindra Limited. Assessed at Level 4 of SEI People-CMM (P-CMM) by QAI India. Raised Rs46. 5 million ($1 million) from a hugely successful IPO to build a new facility in Pune, to house about 9,000 staff .Formed a JV with Motorola Inc. under the name CanvasM. * 2007 – Acquired iPolicy Networks Private Limited. Launched the Tech M Foundation to address the needs of the underprivileged in our society. * 2009 – Tech M wins bid for fraud-hit Satyam Computer Services at Rs 58. 90 per share outdoing Larsen & Toubro, the other player in the fray, which bid at Rs 45. 90. Rebrands the company to Mahindra Satyam. * 2010 – Tech Mahindra expands footprint in Latin America Awards * It was  Asia’s Best Performing Companies 2008 at Business Week award. Tech Mahindra received Growth Excellence Award 2008 by Frost & Sullivan. * It was acknowledged as 6th largest Software Services Company in  India  by NASSCOM in 2008. * The company is recognized as winner of the 2011 Microsoft Communications Sector Partner of the Year Award. * The company is declared as winner of 2010 and 2011 AT&T Supplier Award for outstanding performance & service to AT&T and its affiliates Tech Mahindra Offices Tech Mahindra has offices in more than 30 countries. India: Kolkata, Pune, Noida, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Hyderabad.Tech Mahindra has its BPO presence in Kolkata, Chennai, Chandigarh, Pune, and Noida. It also has overseas office locations in Belfast and Newcastle. Tech Mahindra has operations in more than 30 countries with 17 sales offices and 13 delivery centers. Assessed at SEI CMMi Level 5, Tech Mahindra employs over 42,000 workers. Acquisition of Satyam Computer Services Ltd. After the Satyam scandal of 2008-09, Tech Mahindra bid for Satyam Computer Services, and emerged as a top bidder with an offer of Rs 59 a share for a 31 per cent stake in the company, beating a strong rival Larsen & Toubro.After evaluating the bids, the government-appointed board of Satyam Computer announced on 13 April 2009: â€Å"its Board of Directors has selected Venturbay Consultants Private Limited, a subsidiary controlled by Tech Mahindra Limited as the high est bidder to acquire a controlling stake in the Company, subject to the approval of the Hon'ble Company Law Board. † Through a subsidiary, it has emerged victorious in Satyam sell-off, a company probably two times its size in number of people. Merger with Mahindra Satyam Tech Mahindra will be merged with Mahindra Satyam in next half of 2012 to build a 2. -billion $ IT Company in India. Tech Mahindra announced its merger with Mahindra Satyam on March 21,2012,after the board of two companies gave the approval. The two firms have received the go-ahead for merger from the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange. Vision: To be the leading global software solutions provider to the telecom industry. Mission: To be the global leader in outsourcing services to the telecom industry, building on our technologies, competencies and customer interests, and creating value for our shareholders and customers. Objectives: Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery * Business centu ry assessment services * Business Continuity Assessment Services * Business Continuity Lifecycle Consulting and Implementation * Business Environment Analysis * Business Recovery Strategy Design and Plan Development * IT Disaster Recovery Training, Failover Testing and Exercising * Business Continuity Plan Training, Testing and Exercising * IT Disaster Recovery Strategy Design and Plan Development * IT Environment Analysis * IT Disaster Recovery Strategy Design and Plan Development | | | Products: * Telecom Equipment Manufacturers, Independent Software Vendors, * Communications Service Providers Competitors: TCS, Infosys,Wipro,HCL Tech, Mahindra Satyam, etc. , | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Core competency: * Managed Services * Application Management Services. * Infrastructure Management Services * Revenue Management Services * Mobile Virtual Network Enabler Services Shift from high to lowMedium Very High Low Threats of substitutes: Other offshore locations such as eastern Europe, the Philippines and china, are emerging and are posing threat to Infosys because of their cost-advantage. * Price quoted for projects is a major differentiator, the quality of products being same. Bargaining power of supplier: * Du e to slowdown, the job-cuts, the layoffs and bleak IT outlook. * Availability of vast talent pool – fresher and experienced. Bargaining power of customers: * Large number of IT companies vying for IT projects. * Huge decline in IT expenditure. Barriers to entry * Low capital requirements. * Large value chain * MNCs are ramping up capacity and employee strength.Rivalry among Firms: * Commoditized offerings * Low-cost, little differentiation positioning. * High industry growth Michael porters 5 force model: Swot analysis: Strengths: †¢ Tech Mahindra, while not the first name in the TVS arena, claims an impressive roster of telecom operator customers and Tech Mahindra’s integration with sister company, Mahindra Satyam, matches Tech Mahindra’s telecom industry expertise with Satyam’s established enterprise IT expertise serving vertical industries in BSS and BPO †¢ Tech Mahindra boasts a full range of telecom network optimization service †¢ It h as been assessed and awarded a CMMI Level 5 (v1. ) and System Security processes SSECMM Level 3 rating. †¢ Tech Mahindra is a large, global operation and the ? fth largest software exporter in India. Weaknesses: †¢ Despite Tech Mahindra’s ability to serve customers from an â€Å"art to part† perspective †¢ Whereas rival IT giants, such as IBM, HP, etc. , often partner alongside network equipment providers in services engagements, Tech Mahindra is less of a partner with equipment vendors and more of a direct competitor and threat in areas such as network optimizations, and increasingly software design and integrations. While the lines of competition between Tech Mahindra and traditional telecom network vendors are still relatively distinct, this line will continue to blur over time as concepts such as OSS/BSS integrations, network optimizations, and BPOs within vertical markets take on an increasing importance †¢ Despite Tech Mahindra’s overt focus on the telecom industry, it is not the only market that the company deals with. Going forward, as it is integrated with Mahindra Satyam, the telecom focus runs the risk of being obscured within a larger set of businesses. While Tech Mahindra’s revenue stream seems well balanced based upon the geographic distribution of 50% Europe, 30% North America and 20% ROW, its revenue based upon clients tells a different story Opportunities: †¢ Tech Mahindra needs to consider being more vocal about its success with telecom operator engagements. †¢ Further on the traction demonstration front, Tech Mahindra should detail any and all success that it is having with telecom network optimization projects – particularly on an end–to-end basis. Tech Mahindra should take care to highlight instances where it cooperates with traditional network infrastructure players – in outsourced R&D for example †¢ As soon as possible, Tech Mahindra should publicize inst ances of how its integration with Mahindra Satyam has resulted in a broadening of telecom-focused engagements in vertical markets. †¢ Tech Mahindra should make it a strategic imperative to broaden the key customer base to reduce the revenue reliance on these key customers. Threats: IBM should play up its informal partnership with Asia/Info to send the message that while it has broad and deep †¢ Smaller, yet still important, pure plays like WiPro need to respond to Mahindra’s integration of its telecom and enterprise practice so as to let the market know where they stand with respect to Mahindra’s new value proposition. †¢ Network integrators such as Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson and NSN need to provide as much evidence as possible that will demonstrate their strengths in areas such as OSS integration and business transformation services. Network equipment vendors such as Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, NSN, etc. need to also play up the value that developing teleco m products brings to the professional services arena. †¢ Telecom network vendors need to be careful when tackling vertical market network opportunities. Share Value of Tech Mahindra at NSE Conclusion: Through the analysis, Tech Mahindra is a global leading company in IT sector. It has been maintaining certain strategies to be leader in the IT industry. Its revenue in 2011 is at INR 1,261. 5 crore Bibliography: Techmahindra. com

Free Essays on Net’s Next Phase Will Weave Through Your Life

Microeconomics I chose my article from the March 2nd edition of the USA Today. It is entitled â€Å"Net’s Next Phase Will Weave Through Your Life.† This article discusses the changes in the near future of the Internet. Since its invention less than a decade ago, the Internet has become part of our everyday life. Businesses and consumers alike have used it for different several reasons to accomplish many different tasks. But some believe that the growth in the usefulness of the Internet is coming to a halt. Many people consider the Internet a bit worn-out. Investors have seemed to abandon it. Analysts worry that nothing is coming to it. To many users, what was radical just years ago may be becoming monotonous. But the computer industry is looking to change all that. On the horizon, there’s a new wave of the Internet beginning to break. For most users, the Internet experience will change dramatically over the next year or two. The hope for these changes is that the developments will reunite the industry. Up to this point, the Net has been almost entirely about viewing content or buying products over the Web through a browser and a personal computer. In the next wave, the browser will no longer be a solo act. It will be part of a much larger system that combines hardware and software together to produce much more than was ever before possible. Craig Mundie, the executive vice president of Microsoft, quotes: â€Å"Browsing isn’t bad, and it won’t go away. But the browser will become part of a larger context.† The Internet will be less about going to big sites like Yahoo and Amazon.com and more about using specialized pieces of software that connect to the Net. Current examples of these types of software include Real Player, Napster, and the Miller Lite Beer Pager. Once one of these programs is loaded onto your PC, they work independently of the browser to do their task very well. Web sites themselves will als... Free Essays on Net’s Next Phase Will Weave Through Your Life Free Essays on Net’s Next Phase Will Weave Through Your Life Microeconomics I chose my article from the March 2nd edition of the USA Today. It is entitled â€Å"Net’s Next Phase Will Weave Through Your Life.† This article discusses the changes in the near future of the Internet. Since its invention less than a decade ago, the Internet has become part of our everyday life. Businesses and consumers alike have used it for different several reasons to accomplish many different tasks. But some believe that the growth in the usefulness of the Internet is coming to a halt. Many people consider the Internet a bit worn-out. Investors have seemed to abandon it. Analysts worry that nothing is coming to it. To many users, what was radical just years ago may be becoming monotonous. But the computer industry is looking to change all that. On the horizon, there’s a new wave of the Internet beginning to break. For most users, the Internet experience will change dramatically over the next year or two. The hope for these changes is that the developments will reunite the industry. Up to this point, the Net has been almost entirely about viewing content or buying products over the Web through a browser and a personal computer. In the next wave, the browser will no longer be a solo act. It will be part of a much larger system that combines hardware and software together to produce much more than was ever before possible. Craig Mundie, the executive vice president of Microsoft, quotes: â€Å"Browsing isn’t bad, and it won’t go away. But the browser will become part of a larger context.† The Internet will be less about going to big sites like Yahoo and Amazon.com and more about using specialized pieces of software that connect to the Net. Current examples of these types of software include Real Player, Napster, and the Miller Lite Beer Pager. Once one of these programs is loaded onto your PC, they work independently of the browser to do their task very well. Web sites themselves will als...

Andrew Jackson Presidency essays

Andrew Jackson Presidency essays If I had lived in the 1820s, Im not sure whether or not I would have voted for Andrew Jackson, because he made both, in my opinion, good and bad decisions while he was president. Also, his personality made a huge impact on the way he ruled our country. I sorted through the positive and negative things from his presidency to make my decision. Jackson was said to have been the first true president of the common people. Jackson firmly believed that the government should be restricted to a simple machine which the Constitution created. This proved that he was truly a man of the people. One of his biggest actions was the veto of the Second Bank of the United States. This awarded honest labor, and was a major setback for monopoly and aristocracies. All of Jacksons actions were to push for a government that acted within the limits of the constitution, which gave him bonus points with majority Jackson supported a strong national government and used his power to get what he wanted. He vetoed twelve times within his two terms as president. He was labeled King Jackson the First by some and he expanded the power of the president. His presidency was one of a sort of monarchy rule, and of violence. Violence was a thing that he used to get his way. A person was either for him or against him. He usually accepted ideas that he wanted personally, and not what was good for the people and the country. For example, he was a slave owner, and he supported the ban of antislavery pamphlets in the mail. Jackson and his policies strengthened new American nationalism and through his actions during his presidency, he changed the nation into a more nationalistic country. He ignored decisions made by the Supreme Court, which made the people very happy. Jackson also had a strong personality and was well liked by many, if not everyone, but because ...

VEGA Surname Origin and Last Name Meaning

VEGA Surname Origin and Last Name Meaning The Spanish surname Vega is a topographical name that means dweller in the meadow or one who lives on a plain, from the Spanish word  vega, used to refer to a meadow, valley or fertile plain. It could also be a habitational name for someone from one of any of the many places in the world named Vega or La Vega. Vega is the 49th most common Spanish surname. Alternate Surname Spellings: VEGAS, VEGAZ, DE LA VEGA,   Surname Origin: Spanish Where Do People With the VEGA Surname Live? The surname distribution map at Forebears, which includes data from 227 countries, pinpoints Vega as the 519th most common surname in the world. It identifies Vega as most common in Panama where it ranks 25th in the nation, followed by Puerto Rico (27th), Costa Rica (32nd), Peru (47th), Chile (47th), Argentina (50th), Mexico (55th), Spain (62nd), Cuba (74th), Equador (81st), Colombia (87th), Paraguay (96th) and Nicaragua (99th). WorldNames PublicProfiler identifies the Vega name in Spain as most frequently found in the northern regions of Asturias, Castille Y Leon, and Cantabria, as well as the southern regions of Andalucia and the Canary Islands. Within the United States, the Vega name is most common in the southwest, in the states bordering Mexico, along with Nevada, Idaho, and Florida, plus Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Famous People with the VEGA Surname Paz Vega - Spanish actressAmelia Vega - 2003 Miss UniverseJurij Vega - Slovene mathematician and physicist- Spanish playwrightGarcilaso de la Vega - Spanish poet Genealogy Resources for the Surname VEGA 50 Most Common Spanish SurnamesHave you ever wondered about your Spanish last name and how it came to be? This article describes common Spanish naming patterns and explores the meaning and origins of 50 common Spanish surnames. Vega Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Vega family crest or coat of arms for the Vega surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.   The Vega DNA Surname ProjectThis Y-DNA surname project is open to all  families with this surname, of all spelling variations, and from all locations, with the goal of using DNA matches to  help find the paper trail that leads further back up the Vega family tree. VEGA Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Vega ancestors around the world. Search past queries, or post a question of your own. FamilySearch - VEGA GenealogyAccess over 1.7 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Vega surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. VEGA Surname Mailing ListThis free mailing list for researchers of the Vega surname and its variations includes subscription details and searchable archives of past messages. Hosted by RootsWeb. DistantCousin.com - VEGA Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Vega. The Vega Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Vega from the website of Genealogy Today. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Community Involvement Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Community Involvement Program - Essay Example Community Academy Public Charter Schools (CAPCS) and Northwestern University have implemented community involvement programs as part of the learning process. CAPCS incorporates parent involvement in teaching young children at the elementary level. The Amos 3 campus at CAPCS provides early childhood programs that give children a firm academic career foundation (CAPCS, 1). The program focuses on basic concepts of math and reading as part of educational introduction. Social development, respect, good behavior, and passion for learning are promoted at the campus. Parents team up with teachers and administrator to assist the development process. CAPCS has been successful by concentrating on science and technology to emphasis hand-on problem solving skills. Children learn critical thinking and problem solving and acquire basic knowledge required in all academic fields. This has been instrumental in preparing children academically and socially before venturing into secondary school, which h as led to successful academicians from Amos 3 campus (CAPCS, 2). Northwestern university has several programs within their community involvement program that provides students with local and international opportunities. The Applied Medical Society provides events targeting students with interest in healthcare provision. Participants learn basic skills such as CPR in these events (NU, 1). Campus kitchens employ volunteer students who learn the process of recycling un-served food into nutritious meals for seniors, community organizations, and youth programs. Graduates and undergraduates also participate in exchange and capacity building programs with cohorts from over 50 universities in over 40 countries. These workshops provide mentorship and prepare students for career opportunities. Most activities are centered on students and there is little participation from parents. The program prepares students for career ventures and student organizations within the campus have been instrumental in the success of the community involvement program.

Observation report project on early childhood facility Research Paper

Observation report project on early childhood facility - Research Paper Example This child development center has about nineteen classrooms and is located on Main Base in building 10 across Sollars Elementary School and is open from 6:00 am to 6:30 am. For people who want to apply for child care, they have to fill a form called: DD Form 2606, the Department of Defense Child Development Program Request for Care Record The child development centre has certain goals like enhancing the social skills of the child, encouraging the child to think, reason, question and experiment, building physical and developmental skills etc. The child development center offers full hourly and day care for the children. The center based on the availability of program also provides special care to children who face physical or developmental challenges meeting the needs of the child with guidance from a therapist, physician, or other appropriate health professionals. Those who have children facing development, physical or other type of challenges need to bring a copy of their child†™s Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Individual Family Services Plan (IFSP). The accommodations provided to the physically or developmentally challenged child would be based on the child’s IEP or IFSP. The Child development center is open for all who arrive to Misawa air base on orders which includes military as well as DoD civilians. Child care’s fee is only totally based on family’s annual income. There are different categories and different price range for different children. There is a wait list also for child care which is dependent on child’s age; the longest waiting period is for the infants and toddlers child care, due to the ratio, and space allocated. In such cases, it is advisable to get onto the inbound wait list before arriving to Misawa in order to reduce the waiting period. The programs offered by the childhood center support the development of the child in all areas of child development as they are interrelated and very important. In th is center, each child’s unique experiences and interests as well as abilities and needs are given great respect. There are three types of child care services provided at the child development centre in Misawa: 1 Full day/week care: Those parents who are working and are busy and cannot look after their child for 5 to 10 hours a day apply for this type of care. 2 Hourly or drop-in care: This type of care service is based only if there is space availability and to avail this service the person must call in the morning to reserve a spot. 3 Part day enrichment: Parents of children from 3-5 ages who do not need a full-day service but have the desire to let their child participate in an early childhood program apply for this type of care. SUMMARY: This child development center provides quality care to the children enrolled at the centre. The caregivers at the center mingle well with all the children as they are warm, friendly and gentle. People with whom all children are comfortable due to their appropriate, nurturing manner towards the children. They understand what the child needs and helps them out in all possible ways and at the same time making sure that children don’t become too dependent on others. They even practice in front of children what they preach, for instance, the

University counseling center - PR Campaign Essay

University counseling center - PR Campaign - Essay Example The College University Counseling Center is conducting a PR campaign to increase its use by the students. As a part of this year long campaign, extensive programs are devised to make the Counseling Centre more student-friendly and approachable.The campaign themed ‘stay cool’ is aimed at increasing awareness about the services of Counseling Centre and at encouraging students to approach the Counseling Centre more freely. As a part of the program, a caring, licensed professional staff will be available to meet your needs. Are you a student who is; Feeling lonely away from home? Feeling sick of the harsh campus regimes? Feeling nervous unnecessarily? Facing problems retaining relationships? Feeling life colorless and boring? Unable to take decisions about future life? Unable to concentrate on studies? An international student facing language and cultural problems? Facing any kind of addiction? Suffering from eating disorders? Facing body disorder issues? Or Are you a parent who is worried about the performance of your son or daughter? Are you a staff feeling fed up with the errands of the curriculum? If your answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, you are the one we are looking for. We have arranged everything to bring you back to the track.The purpose of the year is to make more students use the Counseling Center. For this purpose, the concept developed is to make the University Counseling Center more accessible to everyone in the campus. We want to make it a place of comfort and care. In addition, the students should feel that the Counseling Center is a friend who is always ready to help. To achieve this end, the theme ‘stay cool’ will be selected. In addition, for all the programs under the PR campaign, a specific color code, a particular logo and the slogan ‘stay cool’ will be used. In addition, throughout the year, the Counseling Center will be spreading relaxation tips among students through both electro nic and print media. The Counseling Center aims to make all the students aware about the activities of the Center and feel comfortable and confident to make use of these services. To attract more people to the counseling centr

NIH Protecting Human Research Participants Course Coursework

NIH Protecting Human Research Participants Course - Coursework Example Under the principles of beneficence, the research should pursue good over harm in a fair and within a respectful framework. In my institution, we carry research in three areas including orthopedics, psychiatry and neuroscience. All these areas involve human participants, and thus issues of minimal protection come to play. Because of this recognition of protecting human participants, our institution has complied with some requirements. More importantly, NIH Office of Extramural Reserach, (2010) states that an Ethical Review Board (ERB) is tasked with reviewing research proposals to ensure they are within the ethics and moral framework (Fiske & Hauser, 2014). The institutional review board is made up of four members from diverse disciplines. This is quite relevant because the formation of ERBs should be based on a multiplicity of professional knowledge. Besides, this committee meet twice every week to execute their mandate. This again is another prove that they act in line with the provisions of IRBs as stipulated by the National Institute of Health (NIH). Furthermore, they are involved in reviewing ongoing research and those with changes during the stretch of research. They are powerful committee that can evoke an ongoing study if there are substantial grounds to believe that an ongoing study has violated these principles. From these functions and organization, our ERB meets the NIH minimal protection of human participants.

Teaching Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teaching Plan - Essay Example Therefore, here learning will occur through teaching by word of mouth and will be supplemented by power-point slides that will have several pictures (Mayer, 2002). Goal: Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) objective(s) utilized as the goal for the teaching. Include the appropriate objective number and rationale for using the selected HP2020 objective (use at least one objective from one of the 24 focus areas). The rationale for choosing this objective is that it targets adults especially those over 65 years of age. AF mostly affects this age group. Therefore, the objective will serve this teaching appropriately. The above HP2020 Objective relates to Alma Ata’s Health for All Global initiatives in that Alma Ata calls for the protection and promotion of all people around the world. This objective does so by targeting adults who are a risk age group in terms of their exposure to health related risks. Example – Interactive poster presentation of the Food Pyramid. After an explanation of the poster and each food category, allow students to place pictures of foods on the correct spot on the pyramid. Also, have the class analyze what a child had for lunch by putting names of foods on the poster and discussing what food group still needs to be eaten throughout day. I will evaluate my teaching plan right from the beginning of the lesson. This will be done through questions and an the topic from the beginning of the lesson, as the lesson progresses and at the end of

African American Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

African American - Assignment Example With freedom came a chance for willing African Americans to access education thereby advancing self-development and consequently the entire society. Unlike during slavery, women gender discrimination and harassment decreased significantly albeit not completely. For the first time, African Americans were allowed to work in different sectors although unlike earlier they were supposed to receive payments for their work. Moreover, General William Sherman allocated free land to the African Americans under the â€Å"special field order # 15†. Freedom of movement meant that African Americans could work in places of their liking and participate in other important activities that were not necessarily within their localities. However, transitioning from slavery to freedom was aided greatly by the Freedman’s Bureau, thirteenth amendment, and fourteenth amendment. Freedman Bureau assisted African Americans in activities such as negotiating contracts with white people, settling disputes between whites and blacks, and ensuring access to food, land, education, and medical services. The thirteenth amendment was passed in 1865 with ascent of President Abraham Lincoln into power. The fourteenth amendment allowed African Americans to receive American citizenship. However, there were also some negatives effects of ending slavery such as loss of land by some of the white people. For instance, in the Southern Carolina white men who had fled during the civil war could not get back their land from the African Americans on returning after the war. Additionally, ending slavery led to hostility towards white men from some of the African American. Nevertheless, the end of slavery ushered in a new era of freedom for African Americans and the entire American community as

Teaching Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teaching Plan - Essay Example Therefore, here learning will occur through teaching by word of mouth and will be supplemented by power-point slides that will have several pictures (Mayer, 2002). Goal: Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) objective(s) utilized as the goal for the teaching. Include the appropriate objective number and rationale for using the selected HP2020 objective (use at least one objective from one of the 24 focus areas). The rationale for choosing this objective is that it targets adults especially those over 65 years of age. AF mostly affects this age group. Therefore, the objective will serve this teaching appropriately. The above HP2020 Objective relates to Alma Ata’s Health for All Global initiatives in that Alma Ata calls for the protection and promotion of all people around the world. This objective does so by targeting adults who are a risk age group in terms of their exposure to health related risks. Example – Interactive poster presentation of the Food Pyramid. After an explanation of the poster and each food category, allow students to place pictures of foods on the correct spot on the pyramid. Also, have the class analyze what a child had for lunch by putting names of foods on the poster and discussing what food group still needs to be eaten throughout day. I will evaluate my teaching plan right from the beginning of the lesson. This will be done through questions and an the topic from the beginning of the lesson, as the lesson progresses and at the end of

Balance Sheets for the four quarters Essay Example for Free

Balance Sheets for the four quarters Essay To evaluate how I utilized both budgets and pro-formas to ensure the adequacy of funds for providing production capacity that was needed to achieve the businesses goals. I want to first start with the definition of both pro-forma and budget; A budget is a basic idea that covers more than a few areas, all in all its a financial plan that is made to control costs for operations and results. It can be expressed in a multitude of numerical terms, it also can cover a certain period of time, short, intermediate and long term goals. A pro-forma is also a financial statement but it is prepared based upon assumptions of specific events and transactions that will hopefully occur in the Future, so basically a projected estimate using historical data to form a hypothesis of A financial outcome. The importance of both the pro-forma and budget were huge. Knowing going into the simulation how much seed money was going to be issued and how much additional money was coming in future investments, gave me an idea of how aggressive or conservative I could be. I was able to to set with an initial idea of how much I could spend for each factor needed moving forward. I was able to understand how much to market, how much to hire and how much I could afford for each of these tasks, as well as how much was coming into pay for future marketing and hires. Without advertising there are no customers, without a good sales and service staff there are no sales, or an ability to take care of the customer. In the opening quarter of the company I had a 2 million dollar start-up fund. My upfront expenses were approximately $530,000. I also chose to invest in a 3 month CD about $880,000, I made sure in my first endeavor to keep money available and not to over indulge. I took similar approaches going into each additional quarter; thereafter I wouldreview what was spent and estimate what was coming in and at that point I would hire more employees, adjust and raise benefits and increase marketing. My sales force and marketing expenses doubled from quarter two to quarter three and rose another 49 percent from quarter three to quarter four. These two factors in my opinion are the biggest of a profitable company, as sales and marketing grow and increase your company will thrive. At the end of each quarter I would review the results in these areas and make assessments on how much additional advertising I needed based upon sales numbers of the individual computers Mercedes and the Traveler. Based upon production and the competition I would review to see if I was going to increase the sales force and the compensation plan. The overall outcome of both areas had my company in NWL as the top employers at 83 out of a maximum 84 Score; also in regards to marketing effectiveness in NWL my company had a 92 out of a 97 maximum Score thats how I used the budget and pro-forma to help NWL achieve its goals. B.2. To evaluate how I employed Just In Time or JIT and Lean Operations to improve operating efficiency in my manufacturing facility, again as part of moving forward I want to define these two strategies before I explain how I use them. A) Just In Time or JIT is a production strategies to improve a business return on investment ROI by reducing in-process inventory as well as the associated carrying cost. This is done by only receiving goods as they are needed in the overall process, this helps cut overall inventory costs. B) Lean Operations simply supplies a customer with exactly what the customer needs when and only when the customer wants it without waste with this constant improvement, the emphasis and focus is on understanding the customer. Both JIT and Lean Operations can help with the overall increase of return on investment or ROI. In regards to how my simulation for NWL worked with these strategies, I would say in NWL ran overly Lean to a fault. I ran my operation capacity at 65 and my fixed capacity at 75 which was the second lowest of my competitors on both accounts. This was a huge negative for my company since it cost me over 2100 in lost sales. This would have increased my sales by approximately 33 percent which would have lowered the overall production costs and increase profits. I finished number 2 in sales with thehighest average price of computer. With a 33 percent increase in sales had I run a better production operation I would have had a lager profitability for a already profitable simulation. I did not key into the right places when I reviewed the early production numbers which cost me when it came to changing Operating and Fixed Capacities. I was overly cautious and my end result was indicative of this and caused big loses for NWL. B.3. Work Cells vs Traditional Straight Line Production. A Work Cell is defined to be a arrangement of machines and personnel that focuses on making a single product or family related products. Traditional Straight Line Production Is the standard assembly line style of manufacturing. Work may start in one department until that phase is complete. Then the product moves onto the next department for the next phase and the next and so on. The major difference between the two is efficiency and cost differentials. In a work cell method there are a multitude of benefits, from a reduction in work area needed, speed of production completion and number of associates needed just to name a few. All of which are in line with the thought process of JIT and Lean Operations which in turn increases ROI (return on investment). Five distinct advantages in the work cell vs the assembly line (1)Tasks are grouped, therefore inspections can be immediate. (2)Fewer workers are needed because of cross training. (3)The workers can access more of the work area. (4)Work areas are more efficiently balanced. (5)Enhanced communication based upon the shape of the work cell. These advantages can help lead to fewer employees reaching higher production numbers. Which in the simulation could have led to smaller start-up companies making more cost efficient production goals happen along with how well a micro computer company could make a work cell arrangement payoff positively. B.4. Evaluation of decisions involving inventory management in the Marketplace Simulation Inventory is defined as raw materials, work-in-progress goods and completely finished goods that are considered to be the portion of the businesses assets that are ready or will be ready for sale. Inventory represents one of the most important assets that most companies possess, because the turnover of inventory represents one of the primary sources of revenue generation and subsequent earnings for the company. In the marketplace simulation NWL was not very successful at inventory management in the attempt to run Just-in-Time (JIT) and Lean Operations, I ended up with sold out product and a enormous loss in sales. The lost sales totaled 50 percent of the total sales, which meant there could have been an additional 33 percent positive sales increase if the inventory was managed properly. These were losses of 1000 Travelers units and 1103 Mercedes units, those totals losses of $3,312,730 in gross profit. That was based upon the final sales and not taking into account any production savings by the increased sales volume. That could have increased gross profit by a minimum of 47 percent, if I had it to do over again paying more attention to the inventories would have been a possible windfall. B.5. A continuous improvement program that could have been used to improve and achieve quality assurance goals could have been either Employee Empowerment or Bench-marking. Employee Empowerment involves employees in every step of the production process. Employees are on the front lines and know what is going on in every aspect and on all fronts. If employees find problems they can fix them or help fix them. Whom better in handling an issue then the ones most familiar with the process, if a shortcoming is found an experienced a periodic quality circle can address it. Its been proven that most quality issues are either material or the process, its not usually the employees performance. If a Bench-marking program were to be implemented, the first step would be to established what the benchmark would be. Examples of which are; Percentage of Defects, Cost per unit processing time, Lost sales due to Out-of-Stocks and Customer Satisfaction Rates. If these type of factors were used in my situation, I would have used either Lost sales due to Out-of-Stocks or Customer Satisfaction Rates. mainly because I would have found out possibly a better way of keeping product in stock which could have reduced lost sales as well as a negative customer satisfaction due to no product. The benchmark team can find out what and how benchmark partners were doing to achieve their sales goals by tracking and keeping product stock, whereas to assure customer satisfaction. Then we could analyze the data from the partners and take the appropriate steps to move beyond and keep the process continually improving. C. Sources Investopedia (2013) A Division of ValueClick â€Å"www.investopedia.com†

Impact of the Nigerian Business Environment on Shell

Impact of the Nigerian Business Environment on Shell ABSTRACT Since the advent of crude oil production half a century ago in Nigeria, other parts of the productive economy such as agriculture and manufacturing have been neglected by the government and also the countrys poor and shambolic infrastructure has made doing business too costly for investors. There is a major exodus of Manufacturing companies from Nigeria presently as the rising cost of running their business is eating deeply into their profits for example Michelin, closed its operations in Nigeria two years ago citing the high cost of production, while chocolate maker, Cadbury has found it cheaper to move production to neighbouring country (like Ghana) and re-import its goods. Cheaper imports from China have closed a high percentage of factories in Nigerias once-thriving textile industry. Investors who bought equipment with foreign exchange component said they now need more naira to pay for their loans. They linked what is happening to their investment now to the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) or pre-SFEM days when importers suddenly had huge accumulated debts resulting from the adjustment of the exchange rate, over dependant on foreign goods, and high level of corrupt within the system. The micro and macro economic factors impacting on the running costs of manufacturing and production companies doing business in Nigeria makes it difficult for continued business activities in Nigeria by expatriate companies unless they are really making profit or they have a business that do not depend largely on the infrastructural amenities in Nigeria or can build a mini city that generates and produces its own power and other resources necessary to run its business such as Royal Dutch Shell. This report looks at the impact of the Nigerian business environment on Shell Plc and analysed the risks involved with macro-environmental factors. The report also analysed the strengths and weakness of shell Plc and strategies employed to take advantage of its strengths and opportunities in dealing with the various challenges they face. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.0 NIGERIA The Federal Republic of Nigeria comprises thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory (Abuja). The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast lies on the Gulf of Guinea, a part of the Atlantic Ocean, in the south. The three largest and most influential ethnic groups in Nigeria are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba (see appendix, fig 1). Nigeria has a population of almost 148 million and is the most populous African country and the 9th most populated country in the world. It has about 400 Languages (Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo Etc) and its official Language Is English but its Lingua Franca in the North Is Hausa, Yoruba in the West, Ibo in the East and Pidgin English in the South. The Nigerian currency is Naira and Kobo (see appendix, fig 2). Nigeria has a dual economy with a modern segment dependent on oil earnings, overlaid by a traditional agricultural and trading economy. At independence in 1960, agriculture accounted for well over half of GDP, and was the main source of export earnings and public revenue. The oil sector, which emerged in the 1960s and was firmly established during the 1970s now making Nigeria the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world and 8th largest exporter is now of overwhelming importance to the point of over-dependence: it provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65% of budgetary revenues. Competition between ethnic and regional groups for power and access to the countrys oil wealth has been at the root of politics in Nigeria. The per capita income of Nigeria is $2,300 as at 2008 base on the reports from the World Fact book. Nigeria is governed by a democratic government but not politically stable because Nigeria is a country of extremes. Great wealth and great poverty sit cheek by jowl, and tensions between different communities can boil over into civil strife especially in the delta region. While a few parts of the country remain problematic, the vast majority is as warm and welcoming to visitors as anywhere. The country have an image problem as corruption seems to be the order of the day, also email scams (419) has become known as a lot of innocent yet greedy people have been a prey to this scam. Conducting business in Nigeria is characterized with so many factors and this report will critically analyze the business environmental factors, degree of risk involved and the advantages of operating in such an environment (Nigeria). 1.1 ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC The Royal Dutch Shell Plc is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies founded by Alfred Donovan, was formed in February 1907 with the amalgamation of the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company (legal name in Dutch, N.V. Koninklijke, Nederlandsche Petroleum Maatschappij) and the Shell Transport and Trading Company Ltd of the United Kingdom, a move largely driven by the need to compete globally with the then predominant US petroleum company, John D. Rockefellers Standard Oil in the ratio of 60:40. Royal Dutch Shell (Shell) is engaged in oil and gas exploration and production, transportation and marketing of natural gas and electricity, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals. The company also has interests in renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar; and hydrogen. The company has extensive operations in more than 140 countries around the world. Its headquartered is in The Hague, the Netherlands and employs more than 300,000 people across the globe. The company recorded revenues of $318,845 million during the fiscal year ended December 2006, an increase of 3.9% over 2005. The operating profit of the company was $45,777 million during fiscal year 2006, an increase of 0.3% over 2005. The net profit was $26,311 million in fiscal year 2006, an increase of 0.2% over 2005. The current supplies earnings for year 2008 were $31.4 billion compared to $27.6 billion for year 2007 with an increase of 13.7%. 1.2 Management The Non executive chairman of Shell is Jorma Ollila, former Chairman and CEO of Nokia, he was appointed on the 1 June 2006. Ollila is the first Shell Chairman to be neither Dutch nor British. Other non-executive directors include Maarten van den Bergh, Wim Kok, Nina Henderson, Lord Kerr, Adelbert van Roxe, and Christine Morin-Postel. Jeroen van der Veer is the present CEO of Shell. 1.3 Shell Plc in Nigeria Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) started onshore operations in Nigeria since 1958 as part of a consortium led by NNPC (The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) with 55 percent and including Shell (30 percent), Elf (10 percent) and Agip (5 percent). SPDCs operations concentrate in the Niger Delta and offshore shallows nearby, where it holds oil mining leases covering an area of 31,000 km2. There, it has installed more than 6,000 km of pipelines and flow lines, 87 flow stations, eight gas plants and more than 1,000 producing wells. In 1997, SPDC produced 899,000 barrels per day from this system (about 40 percent of Nigerias OPEC crude oil quota). The SPDC workforce stands at more than 10,000 people of whom 4,500 are employees; the remainder work for contractors and of total workers, 98 percent are Nigerians (see appendix, fig 3 for Niger delta oil field in Nigeria). Shell also has three other companies which are NLNG (Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas) a gas company to produce Liquefied Natural gas and natural gas liquids for export. Shell is in joint venture with Nigeria with a 25.6% interest in NLNG (Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas) together with NNPC (49%) while SNEPCO (Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company) and SNG (Shell Nigeria Gas) are both 100% owned by Shell. SNEPCO comprise Shell Plc, Total, Exxon Mobil, and Chevron Corporation. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 SHELL PLC AND OIL INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA 2.1 Oil and Gas The Oil and Gas Industry has played a major role globally. It has always been a central global player in international development and geopolitics and because of the critical importance of hydrocarbon based energy as the engine of rapid industrial growth in modern economy, either capitalist or communist. Due to the intrinsic dependence of this centurys growth model on access to ever-greater reserves, the industry has had to deal with increasing complexity in its relations with developing countries and environments. This in turn has led to increased cost of operations to match the growth models demands (Meadows et al, 1972; Nordhaus, 1973). WCED (1987) agreed that since 1970s, continued hydrocarbon-based Growth model is only justifiable if profits are ploughed into technological advances that would ensure a timely and less painful transition to alternative energy. 2.2 Challenges Faced By Shell Plc in Nigeria Since Shell started producing Oil in Nigeria, it has faced a lot of challenges in dealing with the government, micro and macro economics factors in Nigeria and most especially the communities, as Shell production led to oil spillage, gas leakage and so many more. It has affected the soil and water which is the main source of earnings for people in the Niger delta, as the agriculture and fishing has almost become impossible which is source of living for the people. This has raised a lot of community clashes with Shell so much so that their operations in Nigeria has been globally criticised and has also affected the image of company. In 1995, the company faced two major challenges; firstly, the Greenpeace occupied its Brent Spar platform in the North Sea to prevent its being decommissioned by sinking. Secondly, the Nigerian government executed Ogoni human rights activists: Ken Saro Wiwa, the head of the MOSOP (Movement for the survival of Ogoni people) a campaigning organization representing the ogoni people in their struggle for ethnic and environmental rights and eight others, this problem led to boycotts, public outcry and violence against the company. The crises arose soon after Shell began to review its societal relations, and further catalyzed internal support for transformation. Unfortunately, they occurred at a moment when the company was casting about for ways to avoid exactly such crises, leading Shell officials to heed those who internally promoted a new approach. CHAPTER THREE 3.0 ANALYSIS OF NIGERIAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENTS For management of Shell Plc to apply effective Strategy that will work at international level and which will also reflect the Companys Vision, Mission, and Objectives, they need to understand the international business environment (both internal and external environment) of the host country (Niger delta, Nigeria). A good international strategic planner must recognise all relevant factors within the environment before pushing it through the process of analysing, decisions making and actions taking. Putting the relevant factors into consideration and testing them will help to create sustainable competitive advantages over other competitors. After critical analysis of the international business environment by the team of strategic planners for Shell Plc regarding Nigeria Oil Industry, decision needs to be taken to determine the mode of operation that should be employed by the company in order to compete effectively and efficiently within the oil industry of the host country. Decisions are of no use unless they have been implemented (acted on and monitored); Shell Plc needs competent strategists that will utilize the available resources effectively to bring the intended operations and strategies to reality. Shell Plc has been in Oil business since 1886 and operates around the world. The company has been able to maintain good name (goodwill), good customers loyalty, and strong customer database. The company construct meaningful strategic planning for Nigeria business environment before/after operating in the country, while the strategy is monitored and reviewed quarterly to reflect the companys true vision, mission, and objectives. 3.1 SWOT ANALYSIS The Strengths of Royal Dutch in Nigeria includes SPDC (Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria) is the Oldest Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria. It was the first company to begin the production of Oil and Gas in Nigeria as a result, the company was able to monopolise the Oil Sector in Nigeria for a long period and established herself as a for-runner with a higher percentage than any competitors in the market. SPDC has a long standing name as one of the biggest Oil and Gas Company in the world as such it has the necessary equipment and money to invest in exploration of oil in Nigeria. Shell has been in business for over a century and they came to Nigeria with wealth of experience, technology, innovation and machinery. Shell operates autonomy of Shell Companies in a decentralized structure allowing Shell Offices in different countries to deal with the regulations, culture and behaviour of the communities in the best suitable way to meet their needs and concern. The Weaknesses of Shell Plc in Nigeria are: Shell faces the challenges that most companies encountered when they come into other countries as they have to learn the new rules, regulations and behaviours of the country and this can be a weakness from the start. Shell was not prepared for the challenge of dealing with the expense of ameliorating socio-environmental concerns which escalated and caused a lot of criticism internally and damaged the image of the company globally. The Opportunities of Shell Plc in Nigeria are: Nigeria was a virgin ground and shell Plc had the opportunity of being the first oil and gas to start production of oil and since then more and more oil fields were been discovered in Nigeria which has led to continuous production and increased production and business for the company. Shell had the opportunity for developing new business ideas as Nigeria gave them the licence to do that which led to joint venture between Shell Plc and Nigerian government, then the discovery of Natural gas led to LNG (another Joint venture) with Nigerian government and other opportunities opened up and shell now has SNEPCO and SNG, wholly owned. Also, Shell has the financial background to go into deep water exploration that led to new discoveries and new business expansion. The Threats of operating in Nigeria are: Fear of persistent interruption in their operations or damages to their properties and machineries by the militants in the delta region from which they conduct the drilling. Oil Gas extraction will someday reach a limit point but technical improvements in seismic exploration and extraction efficiencies have ensured continuing growth in reserves at the resource frontier. Growth of alternative sources of energy particularly renewable such as biomass and solar might changed their modus operandi. Continuing criticism on their image globally will increase costs spend on company and brand image. The new oil reform bill that would allow the Nigeria to retake acreage that has not yet been explored by their owners. Fear of new players into the oil sector from China and Brazil that will break its dominance in Nigerian oil and gas sector. It may be the target for other competitors. 3.2 PEST ANALYSIS AND RISK ASSESSMENT If organisation is able to know that only one thing that constant in this world is change, it would be able to make plan for emergent situations by understanding its business environment. It is very important for any organisation that intends to operate in Nigeria business environment to conduct environmental analysis before and after starting a business. In fact, continuous process should be applied to all aspects of planning because Nigeria business environment is not predictable despite its attractiveness. The companys strategic planners must be able to identify its marketing environment that is made up of the following: The internal environment is the staff (or internal customers- hired contractors), office technology, finance, wages etc. The microenvironment is the organisational external customers, suppliers, distributors, other competitors etc. Company with strong internal forces can still set up strategies to dictate the mode of its operations. The macro-environment cannot be control but company can set up strategies that will help in adapting to the business environment, which is known as PEST FACTORS- Political Factors (and Legal), Economic Factors, Socio-cultural Factors, and Technological Factors (see appendix, fig 4). 3.2.1 POLITICAL/ LEGAL FACTORS political/legal factors influences the environmental regulations which participants in the oil industry must comply with. As with many factors in the general environment, changes that benefit one industry may damage others. For example, on the political front, government legislation can affect oil production by increasing the leasing charges on oilfield and then charge taxes per barrel produced. In a broader view, the following constitutes the numerous political and legal issues to be considered in any business environment: Political stability Risk of military invasion Legal framework for air pollution Intellectual property protection Industrial safety regulations Anti-trust laws Pricing regulation Taxation and incentives Wages legislation Hours work per week Mandatory employee benefits RISK ASSESSMENT ON POLITICAL/LEGAL FACTORS Nigerian political/legal history was characterised by military intervention, civil war, ethnic sentiments, and marginalisation. The country has a bad record in democratic set up and abuse of human right practices. The high level of corruption and political instability did not allow the rule of law to reflect in the society and also, the problem of instability in government policy due to lack of continuity in governance. Shell Plc assessed Nigerian business environment and capitalised on the corruption practices of the people. The company involvement in the execution of environmental activist (Ken Saro-wiwa) and eight Ogoni people that protested against the company reckless operations on their farm lands (in Niger Delta) cannot be dismissed. The political/legal factors do not possess any risk to Shell Plc if it knows is way. It is not necessary also for the company to follow all the legislations laid down for the Oil Industry. Legislations on industrial safety, air pollution control, wages, maximum hours work, mandatory employee benefits etc were not observed by the company. 3.2.2 ECONOMIC FACTORS the economy has an impact in all industries, from suppliers of raw materials to manufacturers of finished goods and services as well as all organisation in the service, wholesale, retail, government and non-profit sectors of economies. Key economic indicators include the following: Interest rates Unemployment rate Type of economic system in countries of operation Government intervention in the free market Comparative advantages of host country Exchange rates and stability of host country currency Efficiency of financial markets Workforce and labour cost Business cycle stage (e.g. prosperity, recession and recovery) RISK ASSESSMENT ON ECONOMIC FACTORS Nigeria operates mixed economy system which helps Shell Plc to manipulate the system because of government intervention in the economy. The interest rate does not pose any threat to Shell Plc because it did not take loans from any Nigerian banks. The companys bankers (the foreign banks) finance and support all their financial activities which favour Shell Plc because of devaluation in Nigerian currency. The major economic risk assessment to Shell Plc operating in Nigeria is increase in unemployment rate (especially in Niger Delta) due to exploitation of crude oil in that area that leads to job lost. The effect of this action has turned thousand of youths into militant groups that kidnapped foreign workers employed the company in exchange for money while some stole extracted oil from Shell. Despite the problem encountered from the militants, the company still operate in Nigeria because of prosperity attached to Oil Industry in Nigeria. 3.2.3 SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS -socio-cultural forces influence the values, believes, and lifestyles of a society. Examples include a higher percentage of women in civil service and more men engineering related jobs, holidaymaker, dual-income families, night out orientation, increases in the number of temporary workers, greater concern for healthy diets and physical fitness, greater interest in the environment, and postponement of having children. Some of these factors affect Oil Industry in Nigeria. RISK ASSESSMENT ON SOCIAL-CULTURAL FACTORS The risks that associate with Social-Cultural factors are many especial to the indigene of Niger Delta where eighty percent of the population are illiterate and have strong believed in their local tradition. Most of the indigene want to work for Shell Plc as a security officer or domestic assistant but their level of literacy does not matched the companys requirement. Shell Plc has employed some of the indigene on temporary basis and gives them opportunity to integrate within the system. The company give out scholarship to the indigene of Niger Delta to increase their level of literacy and give them sound orientations that meet the companys standard in order to tackle some of the problems associated with these factors. 3.2.4 TECHNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS development in technology leads to new products and services and improve how they are produced and delivered to the customers. Innovations can create entire new industries and alter boundaries of existing industries. Issues to be considered in technological analysis include the following: Recent technological development Technologys impact on product offering Impact on cost of production Impact on value chain structure Rate of technological diffusion RISK ASSESSMENT ON TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS The only major risk on technological factors is problem of electricity power supply which can hinder technological advancement. This problem has been taken care for by using Power Generator to support the power system but add to the cost of production. There are no standard infrastructural facilities in place when Shell Plc moved to Nigeria but the government is now committed to modern technological development. Shell Plc imports most of its equipment with foreign expertise that operate it and then arranged with the expertise to train home workers. This process improves technological adoption and diffusion which also reduce the cost of production in long run. The company have used different methods to attract young talented graduates (in all disciplines but priority to engineering students) and trained them to become an expert. The number of Macro- environmental factors is virtually unlimited. In practice, the oil producers must prioritise and monitor those factors that influence the industry. It may be difficult to forecast future trends of any international business environment base on the macro-environmental factors with an accurate level of acceptability because of its complexity. 3.3 STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY SHELL PLC FOR DEALING WITH CHALLENGES Shell Plc used corporate alliance strategy to shed off threats from competitors and to maintain its dominant position. The company operates joint venture with Nigerian government (NNPC) and also in partnership with Total, Chevron Corporation, and Exxon Mobil Corporation to form Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO). The company was also in partnership with Globacom (a Nigerian telecommunication company) to create employment impact that will enhance the companys operations (Shell Plc) in Nigeria. Their strategy involved helping communities to leverage income and improve their quality of life in conventional ways, such as creating jobs and assisting to defray costs of social overheads such as roads, schools and hospitals. The company set up a committee that look into complain by the farmer(s). The committee assessed complains and compensate appropriate to their loss. The company also support the government initiative on amnesty by giving support to militants that submit their gun(s). The company want to support training or education of militants that surrendered their ammunition for to better life (see appendix, fig 6 for the images of militants surrendered their guns). The company is using Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to build its image locally and globally to show more concern on corporate governance and sustainable development. The CSR campaign by Shell Plc is to accelerate developmental and employment-generating opportunities across the Nation but especial Niger delta. Two special partnerships have been entered into by the company with USAID (United States Agency for International Development)- a 5 year worth $20 million agreement to develop Nigerian capacity in agriculture, health and business enterprise; and with Africare- a 3 year worth $4.5 million partnership that focus on reducing deaths from malaria. Security strategy was used to crush the militants through cooperation between Shell and State Security Forces but proved ultimately counterproductive as youth militancy increased and the security deteriorated across the wider Delta. The militants target (kidnap) the foreign workers and key officers in Shell Plc in exchange for money (compensation) which nearly put an end to Shell operations in that region (see appendix, fig 5 for images of workers kidnapped). The company outlined a new approach of CSR and community engagement which aimed to build a security-development nexus in partnership with local people. This approach has worked well for the company but now it has led to uncivil tensions along gendered and ethnic lines which undermine the prospect of a long term solution. 3.4 NIGERIAN COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE- Porters Diamond Model SWOT analysis was used to determine the advantages, the level of attractiveness and risk involved in Nigerian business environment in line with the macro environmental factors for Shell Plc to operate in Nigeria (especially in Oil Gas Sector). Despite the problems and criticism encountered by Shell Plc, the company still operate and increase investment in Nigerian Oil and Gas Sector, and also extend partnership across the sector because of Nigerian comparative advantage. The Nigerian business environment possesses most of the qualities and characteristics that determine national competitive advantage as stated by Michael Porter in his theory (see appendix, fig 7 for porters diamond model). He identifies four sets of conditions that are essential in determining country competitive advantage: Factor conditions- human, knowledge, physical, technological and capital resources. Demand conditions- quality and quantity of home demand, demand that internationalised the domestic market will stimulate innovation faster in the domestic market. Related and supporting industries- availability of aid to trade (banking, insurance, transportation, warehouse and telecommunication). Firm strategy, structure and rivalry- local rivals and strategy that works with business environment. There are two other factors that can play an important role for any company to fully enjoy competitive advantage of any nation: chance (war, politics, financial movement and serendipity) and government (government policies, subsidies, training/education, and effective capital market). We have discussed most of these factors in our SWOT analysis and PEST analysis on Shell Plc. CHAPTER FOUR CONCLUSION What is Shell Plc comparative advantage in economic reform, competitiveness and economic governance when viewed in the light of activities initiated by other bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, and the Government of Nigeria? Shell Plcs broad comparative advantages are in government institutional strengthening and promoting private sector-led growth. Shell Plc has the most impact when it targets its activities in these areas at operational levels, where they can have sustainable effects, rather than at broad consensus-building (except in public awareness activities). In a vast bureaucratic environment like Nigerias, support must be highly selective, focusing on agencies and institutions in key leverage positions. These activities will complement the comparative advantages of other donors (who are operating at different sector but in partnership with Shell plc like Globacom and USAID). Globacom will continue to focus on telecommunication, and its technical and operational activities in the technology area can coordinate with Shell Plc. The USAIDs comparative advantage is in developing and implementing programs that actually address agriculture, health and business development. Shell Plcs CSR campaigns and partnership with international body (like Africare and USAID) will go a long way to redeem the image of the company internationally and also help to maximise their competitive advantage over others (like BP- British Petroleum). Their support to Nigerian government amnesty to educate and employ militants that surrendered their guns will reduce the number of youth that join militant group to survive. It is very important to be realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of any organisation when using SWOT analysis; it is of most important to identify the organisational current strengths and weaknesses then future chances. The macro environmental factors need to be mirrored with the organisational competitive advantage. Continuing evaluation of organisation strategy will help to check how effective they are in practice and then helps to inform of future environmental challenges. References Best, M. (1990) the New Competition: Institutions of Industrial Restructuring. Harvard University Press, Cambridge Dabbs and Bateson (1998), corporate impact of addressing social issues in projects of the developing world, Pro-Natural. Lima, Peru Davis, J (1998), a Commitment to Sustainable Development, WBCSD, London. 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