Market Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Market Analysis - Assignment Example Also worth to note is the eventual interaction between online shopping and the gaming market. Gamers continue to purchase their preferred games online as opposed to the traditional approach where games were mostly purchased over the counter. This will obviously affect such outcomes as packaging. Marketers will be forced to shift from their current packaging models that mostly involve compact disks and memory sticks to other packaging models that are friendlier to online shoppers. Already, gamers are flooding social media sites to enable them to find fellow gamers and to indeed play a video game over the internet. Gaming coders are also ensuring that their games contain the requisite social media links so as gamers can share their progress and achievements over the social media sites and in the process contribute to marketing of the game. Mobile phones and tablets are the other market disruptors in the gaming market (Kammerlander, 2013). The current gaming sensation, Candy Crush, that boasts of over 45 million monthly users mainly derived from social media platforms. The game is not available through traditional consoles but through mobile phones and tablets. Candy Crush has since been declared as the most addictive and popular social media games of all time. The Candy Crush statistics has since dwarfed those of the former contenders Angry Birds and Farm Ville. Since its launch in April 2012, the game has attracted over 550 million installations across Apple’s ios, Google’s Android and Facebook. Also notable is the fact that the game’s revenue model is mainly driven by an integrated online shopping platform where gamers can purchase extra lives and functions or even purchase more time in between the allowable lockout period that is applied after one fails to complete a particular level even after numerous repetitions. King, the company that manufacturers Candy Crush receives $875,000 in revenues in a single business day by integrating the

Stereotypes of African Americans in Television Essay Example for Free

Stereotypes of African Americans in Television Essay Stereotypes of African Americans have been around since slavery. Once media got involved it was able to give society a visual as to how other races portrayed them. With television, it’s becoming more and more vivid of how bad the stereotyping is getting. Now a day’s some writers of these shows and try to hide the racial remarks, while others are blunt with it and receive no type of punishment for their actions. You do have some sitcoms that will shine a positive light on the African American community, but these shows never last long. The gatekeepers do not want to put a positive image in your head they want you feel a certain way so therefore they come up with shows like Family Guy and South Park that say racial remarks, but it’s in a subliminal message. The first television was invented in 1927, but it took 33 years before an African American actress and actor would be seen on it. The first sitcom was debut in 1950, and it was Beulah. It was based on a white family whose housekeeper was black and overweight. The show was cancelled because the NAACP didn’t like the negative message it was sending to America. The first sitcom to be influential for African Americans was the Nat King Cole Show in 1956. This paved the way for show like The Bill Cosby Show, A Different World, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and In Living Color, which are still successful today. Donald Bogle’s Primetime Blues, explains the role that African Americans have portrayed all these year in television. Each chapter is broken up into decades and tells the role they have played and how television has mirrored the society’s attitude towards African Americans and other blacks. He describes how regardless of the role an African American plays whether they are a lawyer, doctor, cop, drug dealer, or working on wall street you are still an unknown real person. This has a physical affect on the African American growing up and they don’t realize it. With the help from internet sources and books such as Family Life in Black America, Black Families and The Medium of Television, Racism, Sexism, and the Media, Prime Time Blues I will prove that television has and it still is portraying African Americans in a negative light.

Analysis of the Global Steel Industry

Analysis of the Global Steel Industry Steel Industry is a booming industry in the whole world. The increasing demand for it was mainly generated by the development projects that have been going on along the world, especially the infrastructural works and real estate projects that has been on the boom around the developing countries. The Asian countries have their respective dominance in the production of the steel all over the world. India being one among the fastest growing economies of the world has been considered as one of the potential global steel hub internationally. Over the years, particularly after the adoption of the liberalization policies all over the world, the World steel industry is growing very fast. Steel Industry was till recently dominated by the United Sates of America but this scenario is changing with a rapid pace with the Indian steel companies on an acquisition spree. In the last one year, the world has seen two big MA deals to take place:- The Mittal Steel, listed in Holland, has acquired the worlds largest steel company called Arcelor Steel to become the worlds largest producer of Steel named Arcelor-Mittal. Tata Steel of India or TISCO (as listed in BSE) has acquired the worlds fifth largest steel company, Corus, with the highest ever stock price. It has been observed that Steel Industry has grown tremendously in the last one and a half decade with a strong financial condition. The increasing need of steel by the developing countries for its infrastructural projects has pushed the companies in this industry near their operative capacity. The most significant growth that can be seen in the Steel Industry has been observed during the period 1960 to 1974 when the consumption of steel around the whole world doubled. Between these years, the rate at which the Steel Industry grew has been recorded to be 5.5 %. This roaring market saw a phase of deceleration from the year 1975 which continued till 1982. After this period, the continuous fall slowed down and again started its upward movement from the early 1990s. Steel Industry is becoming more and more competitive with every passing day. During the period 1960s to late 1980s, the steel market used to be dominated by OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countri es. But with the fast emergence of developing countries like China, India and South Korea in this sector has led to slipping market share of OECD countries. The balance of trade line is also tilting towards these countries. The main demand creators for Steel Industry are Automobile industry, Construction Industry, Infrastructure Industry, Oil and Gas Industry, and Container Industry. New innovations are also taking place in Steel Industry for cost minimization and at the same time production maximization. Some of the cutting edge technologies that are being implemented in this industry are thin-slab casting, making of steel through the use of electric furnace, vacuum degassing, etc. The Steel Industry has enough potential to grow at a much accelerated pace in the coming future due to the continuity of the developmental projects around the world. This industry is at present working near its productive capacity which needs to be increased with increasing demand. STEEL GLOBAL SCENARIO The biggest boom in history of steel industry is that of the 1950s and 1960s, when the steel industry was driven by the post-War boom in the developed world. Where as the current boom is being led by growth in the developing world, particularly China, India and Brazil. Indeed, the China factor is huge and gives the impression that the boom has a broader basis than it actually has. In 2005, China produced 349 million tonnes of crude steel, accounting for almost one-third of the global steel output. Even this was not enough to feed the countrys appetite for growth. It was the biggest importer of steel and the sixth biggest exporter of steel in the world; in 2005, its net imports amounted to 12 million tonnes and its consumption of steel also amounted to a little less than one-third of the world consumption. China is clearly the engine that has driven steel consumption in the Asian region. Its consumption, as a percentage of the total consumption in Asia, increased from 41 per cent in 1 999 to 57 per cent in 2005. Steel prices, primarily buoyed by the Chinese boom, hit their peak between 2002 and 2004. This ensured high profits from investments in steel. Despite the moves towards consolidation, steel capacities are still fragmented. The gap between Arcelor-Mittal and Nippon Steel, the second biggest producer, highlights this. Nippon produced 32 million tonnes of steel in 2005 less than one-third that of the industry leader. More significantly, although the Tata-Corus combine will be placed at number five in the global steel pecking order, its capacity would still not be very far ahead of most companies in the top 15. This implies that under the threat of further consolidation the Tatas may well come under pressure to acquire more capacities from rivals or expose themselves to attack from aggressive bidders. The point about consolidation is that it is only happening at the top. The top 10 companies produce about 25 per cent of the global steel output. The rest of the steel about 75 per cent of the global capacity is still widely dispersed over 62 countries around the world, in plants with much smaller capacities. Industry sources say that consolidation needs to happen at the bottom end of the steel market. The smaller producers, rather than the bigger ones, affect the market more, said a senior official in the Ministry of Steel and Mines. The pressure building up at the bottom can result in the bigger producers losing control of the market suddenly and quickly. In the year 2004, the global steel production has made a record level by crossing the 1000 million tones. Among the top producers in the steel production, China ranked 1 in the world. Production of steel in the 25 European Union countries was at 16.3 mmt in January 2005. Production in Italy increased by 11.5 per cent in comparison to the same month in 2004. Italy produced 2.5 mmt of crude steel in January 2005. Austria produced 646,000 metric tones. In Russia it increased by 4.0 per cent to reach at 5.5 mmt in January. In case of the North America region particularly in Mexico it was 1.5 mmt of crude steel in January 2005, up by 8.0 per cent compared to the same month in 2004. Production in the United States was 8.3 mmt. Brazil had produced 2.6 mmt of crude steel in January 2005. In South America region it was 3.7 mmt for January 2005 INDIAN STEEL INDUSTRY Post liberalisation Steel industry reforms particularly in 1991 and 1992 have led to strong and sustainable growth in Indias steel industry. Since its independence, India has experienced steady growth in the steel industry, successive governments that have supported the industry and pushed for its robust development. Further illustrating this plan is the fact that a number of steel plants were established in India, with technological assistance and investments by foreign countries. In 1991, a substantial number of economic reforms were introduced by the Indian government. These reforms boosted the development process of a number of industries the steel industry in India in particular which has subsequently developed quite rapidly. The 1991 reforms allowed for no licenses to be required for capacity creation, except for some locations. Also, once Indias steel industry was moved from the listing of the industries that were reserved exclusively for the public sector, huge foreign investments were made in this industry. Yet another reform for Indias steel industry came in 1992, when every type of control over the pricing and distribution system was removed, making the modern Indian Steel Industry extremely efficient, as well as competitive. Additionally, a number of other government measures have stimulated the growth of the steel industry, coming in the form of an unrestricted external trade, low import duties, and an easy tax structure. India continually posts phenomenal growth records in steel production. In 1992, India produced 14.33 million tones of finished carbon steels and 1.59 million tones of pig iron. Furthermore, the steel production capacity of the country has increased rapidly since 1991. In 2008, India produced nearly 46.575 million tones of finished steels and 4.393 million tones of pig iron. Both primary and secondary producers contributed their share to this phenomenal development, while these increases have pushed up the demand for finished steel at a very stable rate. In 1992, the total consumption of finished steel was 14.84 million tones. In 2008, the total amount of domestic steel consumption was 43.925 million tones. With the increased demand in the national market, a huge part of the international market is also served by this industry. Today, India is in seventh position among all the crude steel producing countries. THE Indian steel industry, in line with global trends, is at a crossroads, witnessing a resurgent phase of modernisation, expansion and consolidation, mainly through mergers and acquisitions. A sector that was moribund just about five years ago because of a worldwide slump in steel prices, the industry has turned the corner and has in fact been vibrant over the past two years. Domestic steel companies, both public and private, are surging ahead on the strength of an unprecedented buoyancy in the economy and the resultant boom in real estate and various infrastructure sectors such as roads and highways, ports and airports. The official figures speak for themselves. Powered by an increased demand for steel from neighbouring China, which has been clocking a 15 per cent sectoral growth annually on account of construction projects in preparation for the Olympics, the steel industry in India has grown by about 10 per cent in the past two years, compared with the global growth rate of about 6 per cent a year. The countrys production of crude steel in 2005-06 stood at 42.1 million tonnes, reflecting an increase of 7.1 per cent over the previous fiscal. On the other hand, the consumption of steel during the year was pegged at 41.43 million tonnes, a massive growth of 13.88 per cent when compared with the 2004-05 figures. Likewise, the production of sponge iron also increased sharply by 25 per cent, from about 10.3 million tonnes in 2004-05 to 12.9 million tonnes in 2005-06. Currently, India is the largest sponge iron producer in the world and ranks seventh among steel-producing countries. The growth in domestic steel consumption is, by and large, in keeping with the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) forecast of a 10 per cent increase in steel use in 2006. While the IISI has projected the global demand for steel to grow by 4.9 per cent in the medium term up to 2010, it has pegged its forecast for the 2010-15 period at 4.2 per cent annually for the entire world. The IISI says India will lead the consumption growth story with an annual demand of 7.7 per cent, followed by China with 6.2 per cent. More heartening is the indication that the exciting phase in the domestic steel industry is expected to continue for the next five to seven years at the least, in terms of both consumption and production. Already, the growth in steel consumption, as projected by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the National Steel Policy (NSP) formulated in 2005, stands exceeded by a huge margin. The NSP had conservatively estimated the countrys steel production to grow by 7.3 per cent, with an annual consumption growth of 6.9 per cent. Considering that the past two years have already witnessed a demand growth of over 10 per cent, the government expects the healthy trend to continue during the Eleventh Plan period (2007-12), provided an annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 9 per cent is achieved during the period as projected by the Planning Commission. Clearly, for primary steel producers, India is the place to be in as it has the greatest growth potential. There are two other major factors. One, India is bestowed with the largest reserves of high-quality iron ore in the world. Secondly, the annual per capita consumption of steel in the country is still one of the lowest in the world, at 35 kilograms against the global benchmark of 250-400 kg. In effect, the growth story in India is here to stay for quite a few decades in view of the sheer disparity in consumption l evels. The three ore-rich States Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh threw open their doors, steel-makers of all hues jumped into the fray to sign memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with more than one State government. In all, more than 116 MoUs have already been inked, pledging a total investment of a whopping Rs.3, 57,344 crores in the coming years. If all the pledges materialise, the countrys installed steel production capacity will surge to anywhere between 150 million and 180 million tonnes by 2014-15, compared with the conservative NSP target of 110 million tonnes by 2019-20. Orissa signed 43 MoUs to hike its production capacity to 58.04 million tonnes. Not to be left behind, Chhattisgarh entered into 42 MoUs to augment its steel capacity to 19.32 million tonnes, while Jharkhand signed 31 MoUs to increase its capacity to 68.67 million tonnes. The extensive availability of rich iron ore the basic raw material for steel-making in the three States has attracted big global names too who, at the outset, made it clear that they would require captive iron ore mines to feed their greenfield steel projects. Initially, it was the home-grown Tata Steel that signed a MoU with the Orissa government, in November 2004 for setting up a six-million-tonne plant at an estimated cost of Rs.15, 400 crores after the government made a commitment that its ore requirement of 250 million tonnes for a period of 25 years would be met. Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO), the South Korean major and the third largest global steel producer, approached the Orissa government, the terms turned out to be far sweeter. Under the MoU signed in June 2005, POSCO plans to set up a 12-million-tonne plant at Paradeep, with an investment of Rs.51, 000 crores. The initial proposal was for a 10-million-tonne plant, but there is a catch here. The government has committed itself not only to providing 600 million tonnes of ore on a captive basis for a period of 30 years but also allowing POSCO to export the quality domestic ore for use in its steel plants in Korea. It has demanded the raw material from mines in Sundergarh a nd Keonjhar districts. Lakshmi N. Mittal, the non-resident Indian (NRI) tycoon and the worlds biggest steel-maker following the merger of Mittal Steels with the Luxembourg-based Arcelor in June last year, did still better. He put Jharkhand and Orissa in competition by proposing a steel venture in either State, depending upon the terms and incentives and the swiftness in approvals. Jharkhand lost out owing to litigation over its Chiria ore mines and for other reasons to Orissa, which signed an MoU with Mittal-Arcelor in December last year for a 12-million-tonne steel plant at Keonjhar. The state-owned Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) also undertook a major exercise to retain its position as the leading integrated steel producer in the country. The steel behemoth announced its `Corporate Plan-2012, envisaging an outlay of Rs.37, 000 crores to upgrade its plants and modernise its operations. Under the plan, expansion programmes are under way in various SAIL units to enhance the total production capacity to 22.9 million tonnes of hot metal from the present 12.5 million tonnes by 2011-12. Late last year, following the merger of IISCO with SAIL, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the modernisation and expansion of ISP (IISCO steel plant) with an investment of Rs.9, 592 crores. Mergers of a few more state-owned units with SAIL are on the cards with a view to consolidating public sector share in the steel market. The other public sector steel enterprise, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd. (RINL), is already in the process of implementing an ambitious expansion programme for increasing its liquid steel capacity from the current three million tonnes to 6.3 million tonnes at an estimated cost of Rs.8, 692 crores. Launched on May 20, 2006, the project is scheduled for completion by 2008-09. Needless to say, the demand for iron ore has surged in view of the long-term supply commitments being given by the State governments at a time when the international market prices for the raw material are at a high. The government set up a committee under the Planning Commission, headed by Anwarul Hoda, to recommend changes in the National Mineral Policy. The existing policy permits free exports of iron ore with a ferrous content of less than 64 per cent. For exports of high-grade ore with higher ferrous content, a license is required and is currently canalised through the Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation (MMTC). The Hoda Committee recommended free exports of iron ore with a ferrous content of less than 65 per cent but advocated discontinuation of the existing regime of canalisation and export licensing for the high-grade ore. Instead, the panel suggested free exports of quality ore lumps with ferrous content of more than 65 per cent on payment of an export duty. TATA STEEL Tata Steel, formerly known as TISCO (Tata Iron and Steel Company Limited), is the worlds fifth largest and Indias largest steel company, with an annual crude steel capacity of 28 million tonnes. Ranked 315th on Fortune Global 500, it is based in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India. It is part of Tata Group of companies. Tata Steel is also Indias second-largest and second-most profitable company in private sector with consolidated revenues of Rs 1, 32,110 crores and net profit of over Rs 12,350 crores during the year ended March 31, 2008. Its main plant is located in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, with its recent acquisitions; the company has become a multinational with operations in various countries. In 2000, the company was recognised as the worlds lowest-cost producer of steel. The company was also recognized as the worlds best steel producer by World Steel Dynamics in 2005. The company is listed on Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India, and employs about 82,700 people (as o f 2008). On 2nd April, 2007, the Company completed the acquisition of Corus Group plc, Steel Company headquartered at UK for an Enterprise Value of USD 14.7 billion. Post the acquisition of Corus, Tata Steel Group is now the worlds 6th largest steel company with current steel deliveries of 32 million tonnes. Set up as Asias first integrated steel plant and Indias largest integrated private sector steel company, a century ago, it is now the worlds second most geographically diversified steel producer, with operations in 24 countries and commercial presence in over 50 countries. The Jamshedpur operations in India is increasing its capacity from 5 mtpa to 10 mtpa by end 2010 and the Company has also signed MoUs to set up four greenfield steel projects in the states of Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh in India and one in Vietnam. Few years back, Tata Steel embarked on a journey to pursue Growth and Globalisation through organic and inorganic strategy to increase its capacity in excess of 50 mtpa by 2015. The Company identified several strategic levers including building a stronger base in India, acquisitions in both growing and developed markets, strategic investments in raw material assets and focus on branding. TATA STEEL VISION MISSION STATEMENT Vision We aspire to be the global steel industry benchmark for Value Creation and Corporate Citizenship We make the difference through: Our people, by fostering team work, nurturing talent, enhancing leadership capability and acting with pace, pride and passion. Our offer, by becoming the supplier of choice, delivering premium products and services, and creating value with our customers. Our innovative approach, by developing leading edge solutions in technology, processes and products. Our conduct, by providing a safe working place, respecting the environment, caring for our communities and demonstrating high ethical standards. Mission statement Achieve sustainable, profitable growth in steel and related businesses. Create differential value for our customers through innovative offerings. Continuous improvement of business processes and technologies. Foster partnership with key stake holders. Enhance employees competencies to create a high performing and innovative organization. Be a responsible corporate citizen and enhance the quality of life of employees and key community. TATA STEEL FUTURE STRATEGIES Currently, the global steel industry is going through unprecedented times. The steel demand is strong with over 6% growth year on year over the last seven years unseen in the last several decades, primarily driven by robust growth in China, India, South East Asia, Middle East, Russia and Brazil. The iron ore and coking coal prices are at a record high both due to insufficient capacity creation for these and the heavy consolidation of minerals companies. Oil prices and ocean freight rates are at an all time high. The combined effect of all these have driven steel prices to a level higher than ever before though there is increasing pressure on margins of steel companies due to very high input costs. The new scenario both external, due to high raw material and freight costs and internal, called for a new Vision, strategies and action plans. The Company has co-created a shared Vision with its employees of becoming a global benchmark in Value Creation and Corporate Citizenship. Company has set goals for 2012 in terms of Returns on Invested Capital, Safety, Carbon dioxide emissions and of becoming the employer of choice in the industry. The integration with Corus is proceeding smoothly and is yielding better than the predicted results. Continuous improvement projects are being given focus in all companies sites and businesses. Greenfield projects in India are progressing, though somewhat slower than planned. Companys effort to enhance their raw material security has yielded positive results in Ivory Coast for iron ore, in Mozambique for coal and in Oman for limestone. There is greater emphasis on safety. They have well laid out plans to reduce CO2 emissions to benchmark levels. The Tata Steel Group will pursue strategic growth through capacity expansions and securing access to raw materials. The Group is expanding its capacity in India through the expansion of its operations in Jamshedpur to 10 million tonnes per annum and through the construction of a 6 million tonnes per annum greenfield site in Orissa. Other Greenfield opportunities in India and across Asia are being assessed. The Group is also looking at further integration upstream in raw materials with an ambition to achieve 100% self-sufficiency in India and around 50% self-sufficiency in Europe over time. Agreements for the exploration of iron ore in the Ivory Coast, coal in Mozambique and limestone in Oman have already been signed and opportunities are under review in India to support the Indian Greenfield projects; and in Africa and South America, primarily to support its European steelmaking assets Climate change is probably the biggest challenge ever to confront the steel industry. In response to this challenge, the Tata Steel Group will be part of the solution and is committed to minimising the environmental impact of its operations and its products. It has a goal to reduce its CO2 footprint by at least 20% by 2020 compared to 1990. To meet this objective, the Group will, for example, continue to improve its current processes, invest in breakthrough technologies and develop new products and services that reduce the environmental impact over the product lifecycle. To improve its processes, priority is given to energy conservation schemes; in technology break-through such as Ultra Low Carbon Steel making and in other innovative projects where the Group has proprietary technology. TATA STEEL SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS Tata Steels Indian operations are self-sufficient in the case of its major raw material iron ore through its captive mines. Very advanced Research and Development wing which is carrying out researches and experiments in the areas of raw materials, blast furnace productivity, steel making, product development, process improvement etc. Several thrust area projects were taken up Tata had a strong retail and distribution network in India and SE Asia. Tata was a major supplier to the Indian auto industry and the demand for value added steel products was growing in this market. The Company is on its way to reach a crude steel capacity of 10 million tonnes per annum by FY 2011. The first phase of reaching the crude steel capacity of 6.8 million tonnes per annum, Brown field projects, is nearing completion The Company has in place adequate internal control systems and procedures commensurate with the size and nature of its business. The effectiveness of the internal controls is continuously monitored by the Corporate Audit Division of the Company. Corporate Audits main objective is to provide to the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors, an independent, objective and reasonable assurance of the adequacy and effectiveness of the organisations risk management, control and governance processes. Corporate Audit also assesses opportunities for improvement in business processes, systems controls and may provide recommendations, designed to add-value to the organisation. It also follows up on the implementation of corrective actions and improvements in business processes after review by the Audit Committee and Senior Management Tata Steel has been on a path of accelerated growth with foray into several geographies and markets through aggressive mergers and acquisitions. Tata Steel now is in the process of implementing a structured approach in risk management called Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). The key objectives of the Company through ERM are : To enshrine the process of ERM as a usual Business Process and integrate into all decision making and planning processes. To ensure that all levels of Management identify and monitor risks through a properly defined framework. To provide periodic information and updates to the Board and the Shareholders on the significant risks and the ways of mitigating the same. Tata Steel addresses the risk of cyclicality of the Steel industry by marinating rich product mix and higher value added products whose volatility is lower. Moreover, the industry itself has been undergoing some structural changes with Consolidations. These changes are expected to bring in greater stability to prices. Tata Steel with its modernisation plans has ensured that it deploys the best technologies to ensure quality, cost-efficiency and environment-friendly processes. Through acquisition of Corus and with new Greenfield ventures, Tata Steel has ensured that it has diversified the concentration risk in single technology of Iron Steel making WEAKNESS Endemic Deficiencies These are inherent in the quality and availability of some of the essential raw materials available in India, eg, high ash content of indigenous coking coal adversely affecting the productive efficiency of iron-making and is generally imported. Advantages of high Fe content of indigenous ore are often neutralized by high basicity index. Besides, certain key ingredients of steel making, eg, nickel, Ferro-molybdenum are also unavailable indigenously. India is deficient in raw materials required by the steel industry. Iron ore deposits are finite and there are problems in mining sufficient amounts of it. Indias hard coal deposits are of low quality and the prices of coking and non-coking coal are ever increasing Raw materials for steel production are rapidly depleting and are non renewable, company has to come up with sustainable methods in steel production. Steel production in India is also hampered by power shortages. Insufficient freight capacity and transport infrastructure impediments too hamper the growth of Indian steel industry. Low Labour Productivity In India the advantages of cheap labour get offset by low labour productivity; eg, at comparable capacities labour productivity of SAIL and TISCO are 75 t/manyear and 100 t/manyear, for POSCO, Korea and NIPPON, Japan the values are 1345 t/man year and 980 t/manyear. High Cost of Basic Inputs and Services High administered price of essential inputs like electricity puts Indian steel industry at a disadvantage; about 45% of the input costs can be attributed to the administered costs of coal, fuel and electricity, eg, cost of electricity is 3 cents in the USA as compared to 10 cents in India; and freight cost from Jamshedpur to Mumbai is $50/tonne compared to only $34 from Rotterdam to Mumbai. OPPORTUNITIES The biggest opportunity before Indian steel sector is that there is enormous scope for increasing consumption of steel in almost all sectors in India. Unexplored Rural Market The Indian rural sector remains fairly unexposed to their multi-faceted use of steel. The rural market was identified as a potential area of significant steel consumption way back in the year 1976 itself. However, forceful steps were not taken to penetrate this segment. Enhancing applications in rural areas assumes a much greater significance now for increasing per capital consumption of steel. The usage of steel in cost effective manner is possible in the area of housing, fencing, structures and other possible applications where steel can substitute other materials which not only could bring about advantages to users but is also desirable for conservation of forest resources. Excellent potential exist for enhancing steel consumption in other sectors such as automobiles, packaging, engineering industries, irrigation and water supply in India. New steel products developed to improve performance simplify manufacturing/installation and reliability is needed to enhance steel consumption in these sectors It is estimated that world steel consumption will double in next 25 years. Quality improvement of Indian steel combined with its low cost advantages will definitely help in substantial gain in export market. The Tata Steel Group is leveraging the Groups collective Research and Development experience in the Groups various geographies to further enhance the Groups performance and also the integration process. Corus acquisition bring in a tremendous technological advantage by access to best practices in global steel industry Global MA brought in following synergies Greater productivity leading to increased output and market size. Greater economies of scale leading to cost reduction through combined buying Cross fertilisation of Research and Development capabilities and operational best practices, leading to greater innovation and operational efficiencies. Booming infrastructure has opened up high demand for steel worldwide THREATS In the developed world, industries have been facing rising environmental costs due to the increased concerns on Global Warming. It is, therefore, a challenge and responsibility for the Steel industry to be the trustee in conservation of nature for future generations It is recognised that the steel and aluminium industries are significant contributors to man-made greenhouse gas emissions as the manufacture of steel produces carbon dioxide (CO2), and th

Santiagos Character :: essays research papers

1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Describe Santiago’s character in regard to the adversity he faces. What political or historical person could you compare him to? Explain. Santiago faces many adversities in the novel but the main one that makes up the plot is Santiago being shunned as a fisherman in his village by all of the people because he can not catch one fish. A political person that compares to Santiago is Elizabeth Anne Seton. She fought for women’s right to vote and did not care what people called her and what men thought of her. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Draw three parallels between Santiago and the marlin. Choose one quality both share and discuss in detail the impact of this quality on the fate of both the man and the fish. Three parallels between Santiago and the marlin are they are both decisive about what they want. Santiago refuses to stop fishing even though the people of the village are very discouraging, and the marlin will not stop fighting Santiago when he is trying to capture him. Another parallel is that Santiago and the marlin are both old and weak. The last is that there is a lack of faith. Santiago has not caught a fish a very long time and people think the marlin is a legend and it could never exist. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Explain why Hemingway would make the game of baseball and baseball hero, Joe DiMaggio, such important components of a novel about fishing. Hemingway makes the game of baseball and the baseball hero, Joe DiMaggio such important components of the novel because DiMaggio had the attitude of a hero. Also, it was set that when DiMaggio lost his streak in baseball that Santiago set of to go fish and find the marlin. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the role of Manolin? Why would Hemingway choose to portray this character as a child rather than an adult? The role of Manolin is one of a caretaker. He is always there for Santiago even though Santiago never asks for help. Hemingway chooses to show Manolin as a child to show how immature the people in the village are, and also to show that children of all ages can be just as respectful and responsible as adults. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  List three conflicts presented in the novel. Which one do you think is the most significant? Why? Three conflicts that are present in the novel are Santiago verses society, Santiago verses the fish and Santiago verses himself. The most important conflict though is Santiago verses society because with their lack of faith in him to fish, Santiago sets out for an adventure that tests his strength and confidence.

Gambling: poker and slot machines Essay

Gambling is a game in which winning is completely or mostly dependent not on the art of play, but on luck. It has long been recognized as an adult pastime but in recent years, however, gambling has increased significantly among adolescents who have grown up in a culture more tolerant to gambling than any previous generation. Movies, TV shows, and more acceptable online betting have helped embed gambling in youth culture. Poker tournaments and lotteries have become social activities at university campuses that best assemble friends and create enormous interest among them. For many people, such gambling activities are harmless, but for others, a simple game of chance may turn into a serious problem or life-impeding addiction. Although many students may feel that they are in control of the situation, unconsciously their behavior is changed, and is in the hands of arbitrary betting. Young and ambitious students are heavily affected by long-term gambling, not realizing its dreadful payoffs. These can result in unexplained absences at home and university. These threaten their academic performance, lead to financial bankruptcy and moreover, have negative impact on overall health. Gambling is one of the oldest avocations of humankind. Due to the cave drawings illustrating gambling and the dice that have been found during archeological excavations, historians believe that gambling existed even in tribal societies. Gambling is also mentioned in the mythology of ancient Greece. According to one of the legends, after defeating the Titans, Zeus and his brothers Poseidon and Hades became masters of the universe. They decided to throw dice in order to divide the universe among them. King Henry VIII, known for his intelligence, was also an avid gambler. In spite of this he banned gambling in his country after he discovered that his soldiers were playing more than practicing. In more recent history, people played to predict the abundant of harvest. On the other hand the attitude towards gambling of the most popular religions is mostly negative. Nowadays gambling is classified as a highly addictive compulsive disorder with neurological causes. People believe that a string of losses makes a win more likely. They believe that a winning hand should always substitute a losing hand. This is what they tend to believe, but their beliefs do not create more chances of winning. The brains of people anticipating a win in casinos appear to react much like those taking euphoria-inducing drugs. Neuroscientists claim that the parts of the brain that respond to the prospects of winning or losing money while gambling are the same as those that appear to respond to cocaine and morphine. Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to map the brain responses of twelve men while they participated in a game of chance involving winning or losing money. They found that in the gambling experiment, blood flow to the brain changed in ways similar to that seen in other experiments during an infusion of cocaine in subjects addicted to that drug and to low doses of morphine in drug-free individuals (â€Å"Gambling Affects Brain Like Drugs†). Gambling seriously captures the whole brain and has a strong negative impact on it. Ann Klinestivet from Milton, W. Va provides a vivid illustration of brain damage from slot machines (Lehrer). Having been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease; she was desperate to find something that might calm the tremors caused by the terrible disease. She found relief in slot machines, but from time to time she needed more doses to stay calm and that is when she became an addict. Parkinson’s disease is caused by decreased dopamine, but slots machines served as a medication for Klinestivet, imitating the effects of dopamine, as it plays a core role in brain pleasure. She had lost huge amount of money and it could not continue any longer, so she was forced to stop. Her tremors worsened, though her addiction to gambling vanished. One of the biggest problems of gambling is that it may start off as innocent competition, for example, two teens playing a computer game, and one saying that he can beat his rival several times in a row or something of the sort. This might end up with further intensive competition, or turn into some kind of situation where money or anything of value will be included. The game itself seems to be not illegal or really addictive, but that is the proposal of the teen what involves gambling. Typically, student gambling involves lotteries, card games, and slot machines. It is said among students that gambling has been popularized and glamourized by poker games. Poker games have huge increase on television shows and all over the world in the twenty-first century. It is one of not many games that involve the individual skills of playing along with cards dealt. Many young poker players that took place in the World Series of Poker with the help of luck won the biggest tournaments in their lifetime and that serves as a motivation for beginners who are just starting. Students tend to think that poker may change their lives, and make them popular, moreover, reduce the need to study. An example could be Joe Cada, who at age twenty one, which is considered to be a legal age in the United States for gambling, became a winner of the Main Event at a poker tournament and received more than eight million dollars. Adolescents gamble for fun; to socialize, to relax, and to have the adrenaline rush in their bodies from time to time. They also gamble to escape home and university problems, to alleviate feelings of loneliness, and disconnection. Addicted gamblers care about nothing, but the game and its winnings. They may not get enough sleep, miss out all the daily activities; their main goal is to be in the game and try to win as much as they can. Usually the result is against them, because when losing a small amount of money, they try to gain it back and start gambling for more and more. It comes to the point when they realize that no money is left and they have lost quite a fortune. The most dreadful nightmare begins after they borrow money and bury themselves in debts. The National Council on Problem Gambling has estimated that approximately 6% of college students have a serious gambling addiction. A little over 5% suffer from bankruptcy and debts caused by regular gambling. Since 1975, the proportion of adults â€Å"who never gambled† has dropped from 1 in 3 to 1 in 7 (â€Å"Gambling & Spending†). Students who became the victims of gambling and lose most of their savings or even their parents’ money have higher rates of depression and noticeable changes in their behavior; they become less willing to be involved in any activity and most of their thoughts are related to gambling. ABC News has recently published a story about one college student, Ryan. Every single day, not depending on the activities he was busy with, he returned home until midnight and gambled on online poker sites till five in the morning. He eventually stopped doing anything and gained over 40 pounds, moreover, he could lose as much as $25,000 in a single night. Ultimately, his parents found out that he stole money from their savings and lost most of it, they decided to pull him out of university and now he is left with a $10,000 debt. Nowadays, a major issue in gambling among students is that the dedication to gaming is so important; they simply start spending nights in casinos, or other places gambling, in the meantime, forgetting about their family and studying. The urge to gamble is so addictive, that it becomes the most important daily activity. For instance, I have conducted a survey among students in the University of New York in Prague, and five students out of twenty four who filled out the survey claimed that they gamble several times a week and it affects their academic success. Only four students stated that they had never gambled in their lives, and all of them were females. My personal opinion is that women are less reluctant to gambling in general; they simply do not develop strong passion towards gambling. The same students who claimed that their academic performance is influenced by gambling, also acknowledged that gambling alters their relationship with relatives and friends. Instead of spending time with people who are willing to help you any time you are in need of it, they preferred to waste time in vain. Most of students who gamble in order to gain some profit, do not realize that â€Å"the house always wins† (Ocean, 2001). The ones who do not stop gambling even when losing, wait for the sweet win; the feeling of victory is so satisfying that most young gamblers are willing to expect it for long. The survey reports that sixteen students, which is almost 70% of people surveyed, after a win have a strong desire to come back and win more. Analyzing results of my survey it is clearly indicates the support of world statistics, even though later after survey, students confessed in not truly answering some of the questions. Some students are ashamed of their gambling habit and that slightly influences the results. Many addicted students realize that gambling addiction will cause serious problems in future life and to prevent it, they seek different treatments in the early steps of addiction. As the gambler’s mind is open to absorption and imaginative involvement, it can effectively be treated by hypnosis. This kind of therapy is considered not only to treat gambling addiction, but also to end depression and relieve stress. Hypnosis therapy helps gamblers to diminish their urge to gamble, and as a result, the players can decrease their addiction. In addition, hypnosis therapy teaches and helps a person to change his opinion about gambling. While the person is changing his mind about gambling, therapists try to develop new behaviors in the patient. They try to help the person to organize his day and fulfill it with activities not related to gambling. If the person is married, therapists try to make that person more related to his family and spend the time with his children, if he has them. For those who gamble because of tedium, therapists try to find other ways or activities to make them interested. It may also happen that the patient changes his mind, but gambling thoughts will still exist at a rudimentary level. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for problem gambling is also considered as an option for quitting gambling. It aims to alter threatening of gambling behaviors and thoughts, such as rationalizations and false beliefs. It helps gamblers deal with uncomfortable situations rather than escape them through gambling. Main goal of the therapy is to change ones thoughts toward gambling and look at it in a new way. Ben’s story is presented for illustrative purposes. Ben as a child believed that number seven was his lucky number, and throughout his student years he became an addictive gambler. He would always bet on his favorite number when he had a chance. Loss of all his money did not stop him and it continued to worsen. Linette, Ben’s cognitive behavioral therapist, helped him realize that his thought of number seven being his lucky number is an error that have occurred in his brain since childhood (Hartney). The other way to help preventing problem gambling could be effective awareness events and programs on gambling. Such kind of events and programs engage university and college students in a humorous and informative way. Coordinators of these programs explain the real chances of winning and losing, introduce the symptoms of problem gambling and offer certain ways to keep gambling safer. One of my friends who was just staring to get involved in the world of gambling, realized that the further it goes, the stronger he suffers from gambling. He decided to visit several awareness events on gambling. Later he told me that the program itself is made in a way to distract students from heavy gambling and explain all the negative effects of it. The reason it works out for most of the students who attend events is because hosts of those events repeat terrible affects so many times that it stays in gamblers’ mind for long. For many years student gambling has been a major topic of discussion. Much research and surveys have been conducted to understand the main reasons for students gambling. Clinical counselors and specialists claim that there are some ways to gamble responsibly, such as setting a time and a budget limit, accepting losses as the cost of entertainment and never borrowing money to gamble (Wallisch). However, the practice shows that even if gambling is done responsibly and handled in a proper way it is still harmful fun. Regrettable consequences of gambling include money problems, neglect toward responsibilities and loved ones, physical and mental health problems and even suicide risk. Thus, universities should have the opportunity to educate students and their parents on the risks of gambling and create an environment where the association of problem gambling with financial and interpersonal problems is clearly understood.

Cylinder Deactivation Variable Engine Displacement

Cylinder Deactivation Variable Engine Displacement What is cylinder deactivation? It is a method used to create a variable displacement engine that is able to supply the full power of a large engine under high load conditions as well as the fuel economy of a small engine for cruising. The Case for Cylinder Deactivation In typical light load driving with large displacement engines (e.g. highway cruising), only about 30 percent of an engine’s potential power is utilized. Under these circumstances, the throttle valve is only slightly open and the engine has to work hard to draw air through it. The result is an inefficient condition known as pumping loss. In this situation, a partial vacuum occurs between the throttle valve and the combustion chamber- and some of the power that the engine makes is used not to propel the vehicle forward, but to overcome the drag on the pistons and crank from fighting to draw air through the small opening and the accompanying vacuum resistance at the throttle valve. By the time one piston cycle is complete, up to half of the potential volume of the cylinder has not received a full charge of air. Cylinder Deactivation to the Rescue Deactivating cylinders at light load forces the throttle valve be opened more fully to create constant power, and allows the engine to breathe easier. Better airflow reduces drag on the pistons and the associated pumping losses. The result is improved combustion chamber pressure as the piston approaches top dead center (TDC) and the spark plug is about to fire. Better combustion chamber pressure means a more potent and efficient charge of power is unleashed on the pistons as they thrust downward and rotate the crankshaft. The net result? Improved highway and cruising fuel mileage. How Does it All Work? In a nutshell, cylinder deactivation is simply keeping the intake and exhaust valves closed through all cycles for a particular set of cylinders in the engine. Depending on the design of the engine, valve actuation is controlled by one of two common methods: For pushrod designs- when cylinder deactivation is called for- the hydraulic valve lifters are collapsed by using solenoids to alter the oil pressure delivered to the lifters. In their collapsed state, the lifters are unable to elevate their companion pushrods under the valve rocker arms, resulting in valves that cannot be actuated and remain closed.For overhead cam designs, generally a pair of locked-together rocker arms is employed for each valve. One rocker follows the cam profile while the other actuates the valve. When a cylinder is deactivated, solenoid controlled oil pressure releases a locking pin between the two rocker arms. While one arm still follows the camshaft, the unlocked arm remains motionless and unable to activate the valve. By forcing the engine valves to remain closed, an effective â€Å"spring† of air is created inside the deactivated cylinders. Trapped exhaust gasses (from previous cycles before the cylinders were deactivated) are compressed as the pistons travel on their upstroke and then decompressed and push back on the pistons as they return on their down stroke. Because the deactivated cylinders are out of phase, (some pistons traveling up while others are traveling down), the overall effect is equalized. The pistons are actually just going along for the ride. To complete the process, fuel delivery for each deactivated cylinder is cut-off by electronically disabling the appropriate fuel injection nozzles. The transition between normal operation and deactivation is smoothed by subtle changes in ignition and camshaft timing as well as throttle position all managed by sophisticated electronic control systems. In a well-designed and executed system, the switching back-and-forth between both modes is seamless- you really don’t feel any difference and have to consult the dash gauges to know that its happened. Read more about cylinder deactivation at work in our review of the GMC Sierra SLT flex-fuel, and see the instant fuel economy it generates in the GMC Sierra test drive photo gallery.