Glencore Case Study - 1524 Words

Glencore, Xstrata and the Restructuring of the Global Copper Mining Industry in 2012 Diana Alvarez Valencia (1310200) University Canada West Dr. Paul Rome MGMT 661 Strategic Management Tuesday, May 12, 2015 Introduction and Problem Identification In this case study we will identify the problems that can be issued in the process of the merger between two of the largest commodities traders in the world, Glencore and Xstrata. It will provide the background of both companies, the situation analysis, identification of alternatives Companies Background. Glencore had been a trading company since their early years with the name of Marc Rich Co. Glencore, was founded by March Rich; Rich was a consummate dealmaker, doing business†¦show more content†¦In a global environment commodity industry, Glencore and Xstrata tried to find the best strategy to become more competitive and create a big successful billion company. For that reason, the merge between these two big companies was created. However, there are different problems that can be faced at the moment of the mergers; in the case of Glencore and Xstrata merge, the problem that I this paper will focus is the integration difficulties between these two companies – disparate corporate cultures including unethical practices-. Some of the integration challenges might include: Melding two disparate corporate cultures, Linking different financial and control systems, Building effective working relationships (different managers styles), Resolving problems regarding the status of the newly acquired firm’s executives, Loss of key personnel weakens the acquired firm’s capabilities and reduces its value. (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2013). Situation Analysis. The global mining industry becomes more consolidated increasingly and the major players in the industry were choosing as a growth strategy the mergers with different mining companies that can leverage their competitive advantages upon their competitors. The main competitors in the cooper production were : Codelco, BHP Billion, Freeport- McMoRan, Xstrata and Rio Tinto. (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2013).Show MoreRelatedGlencore, Xstrata and the Restructuring of the Global Copper Mining Industry1524 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Glencore, Xstrata and the Restructuring of the Global Copper Mining Industry in 2012 Diana Alvarez Valencia (1310200) University Canada West Dr. Paul Rome MGMT 661 Strategic Management Tuesday, May 12, 2015 Introduction and Problem Identification In this case study we will identify the problems that can be issued in the process of the merger between two of the largest commodities traders in the world, Glencore and Xstrata. It will provide the background of both companies, the situationRead MoreInternational Trade Has Dramatically Increased Globalization Of The World Economy2649 Words   |  11 Pagesthese affiliate considering their assets. In some instances like that of the Ghanaian affiliate, the loans were seven times the equity capital. In another report, ActionAid accused Glencore of dodging taxes of up to US$76 million in Zambia from its copper mining activities (ActionAid, 2012). The report accuses Glencore of selling copper mined from its Mopani mines in Zambia to its Swiss affiliate at prices below the market prices and thus reducing its taxable profits in Zambia. In Kenya, Jorgen LevinRead MoreRelationship Between Board Size And Firm Performance2172 Words   |  9 PagesResults The results found in this study suggest that some of the relationships found during the literature review can be confirmed. For example, the literature states that smaller boards of directors reduce the coordination problems that lead to improved firm performance relative to larger boards of directors (Kini et al, 1995; Yermack, 1996; Eisenberg et al, 1998). This study found significant empirical evidence with the sample of FTSE 100 companies that this is the case which supports these findingsRead MoreMerger and Acquisition: Current Issues115629 Words   |  463 Pagesprice too far? The acquisition of Howard Smith Ltd by Wesfarmers Ltd 3.4 Financial analysis 27 27 31 33 35 vii viii CONTENTS 3.5 3.6 Assessment of the transaction Conclusion 38 40 4 An Essay on the History of a Merger: The Case of the National Bank of Canada Raymond Thà ©oret and Franà §ois-Éric Racicot 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Introduction The structures of the two merged banks The new merged bank A low P/E ratio for the stock of national bank Conclusion 42 42 43 50 53 54

Analysis Of `` The Chrysanthemums `` And Chopin s `` The...

Oppressiveness of Marriage Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† and Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† show their reader two women stifled in the lives they lead. Specifically, the institution of marriage has left them feeling oppressed in irrevocable ways. In each story, the woman is presented with a moment of release, only to have it dashed shortly thereafter. While â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† features a smaller moment, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† allows the reader to examine how this oppression can affect a woman when taken to its extreme. Both stories offer a view of how the institution of marriage can lead to oppression in ways that are not always obvious. Both â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† begin with protagonists clearly suffering from the oppression they feel in their marriage. It is the boredom and lack of purpose that both feel which drive them to their unhappiness. To start, Steinbeck’s Elisa All en, is shown caring for flowers as her husband works. She has a talent with them and is given the chance to foster that talent, though she seems to no longer find it rewarding. The author wrote, â€Å"The chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy† (Steinbeck). Elisa has drive and determination with no rewarding outlet, which leads to her frustration. Chopin’s Mrs. Mallard suffers from oppression too, though the reader is given less information about her. Her condition is more acute her health affected in ways Elisa’s is not. Mrs. Mallard is

How does Priestley convey his message, We are responsible for each other, in his play An Inspector Calls Essay Example For Students

How does Priestley convey his message, We are responsible for each other, in his play An Inspector Calls Essay An Inspector calls was written in 1945 but was set in 1912 a period still known as the Edwardian era. The Edwardian era was regarded nostalgically as the last period of security and stability before the horror of World War I. As the play was set after World War I and II, the audiences would know of the deprivation, hardships and bereavements of the two wars. However, at the start of the play Priestley manipulates his audience into being taken back into 1912 to a time of peace, stability and luxuries. Priestley does this by the naturalistic setting of the play which is established clearly in the stage directions. However, the Edwardian era contained, Cracks. Priestley exposes a complacency which ignored clues and hints to the future upheaval were overlooked and ignored. These cracks can be seen in the Birling family even though the family appears to be strong and secure, tensions soon become apparent. Priestley manipulates this false security to raise the dramatic force of his play. Just as he reveals the smug complacency of the Birlings to be false through dramatic irony, he also lures his audience into this complacency by means of his naturalistic set and sense of nostalgia. Around the world tensions were building as the German empire was being established, which established the fear of German domination lead France to ally herself with Russia, this led Germany to ally with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. During this time Britain was undecided whether to join in or not however, later on joined the Franco- Russian alliance to form the triple Entende. Britain joined the alliance as Germany began expanding her navy trying to compete with Britains navy. However, even though Britain joined the French and the Russian Britain ignored the obvious signs of conflict because of the conflicts in the Balkans the Start of the war came by the assassination of Arch Duke Ferdinand the heir to the Austro Hungarian Empire. Priestley uses the family as a microcosm of the global arena. Just as the obvious signs of disaster were ignored in Europe, so tensions in the Birling family are ignored. While the rest of the family are phased with themselves Birling is pompous in his oratory and celebrating the engagement of his daughter that could mean he becomes richer by the merging of rival companies, and Shelia is very pleased with life, Eric we are told, is not quite at ease. Mrs Birling is her husbands social superior. These signs are obvious to the audience, but ignored by the family on stage the implication that disaster will occur. In Greek tragedy, mortals exhibited hubris a great fall or tragedy would ensue. When man exhibits overwhelming pride, for example naming a ship after the God Titan, he is exhibiting hubris and that tragedy is inevitable. So when Birling, in his pride and arrogance repeatedly declares that the Titanic is unsinkable absolutely unsinkable. This suggestion tells us that unhappiness if not tragedy will strike the family. Priestley was a socialist, but had trouble settling down to the policies of any one particular political party. His socialism can be said to be based on compassion and caring for others. Coming from a working class background himself, he feels compassion for the factory workers who are exploited by industrialists such as Arthur Birling. The opening stage directions of the play indicate a naturalistic set so the audience is drawn into the seeming stability of the Edwardian era. An example is the dining room a fairly large suburban house with good solid furniture sustained and very comfortable. However there are subtle signs of cracks and tensions the room is not cosy and homelike. .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f , .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f .postImageUrl , .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f , .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f:hover , .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f:visited , .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f:active { border:0!important; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f:active , .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u28c99402eed3f81b7a26ee94326b7a5f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Devils Carousel EssayThis sense of complacency is reinforced by the lighting, as the lighting should be pink and intimate until the inspector arrives and then the lighting should change to be harder and brighter. The pink lighting used to describe the intimacy could also suggest a blindness to reality, seeing the world through rose tinted spectacles. The brighter and harder lighting when the inspector arrives gives a sense of being in a police interrogation room. Both the characters and the audience will have their consciences interrogated. Priestley uses the effect of the opening line of the play said by Arthur Birling Giving us the port Edna? Thats right. to convey immediately the ghastliness of class consciousness This conveys Birlings condescending superior attitude to the working class. Priestley suggests that Ednas situation is that she is that dependant on her employment; if she lost her job she would probably end up in a work house. Her submissive, subservient attitude is articulated in her monosyllabic reply yes maam Priestley invites us into disliking Birling intensely Arthur Birling throughout the play is conveyed as a hard headed man of business who will exploit people to make a profit by his ruthlessness and greed. Birling is also very pleased that his daughter is marrying Gerald Croft because he has the opportunity to merge businesses with Gerald Crofts father, which means more profits. The ideology of Arthur Birling is one that is based on greed; as he and Gerald work for lower costs and higher prices. Birling stands for everything Priestley despises: lack of compassion, greed and selfishness. Priestley uses the contrast between Birling and the inspector to reinforce his message of compassion. The inspector speaks for Priestley expressing the ideology of compassion for others. The inspector speaks in first person plural we our includes everyone to emit a sense of togetherness. Mrs Birlings ideology is different to her husbands but still is as callous and heartless. Priestley conveys Mrs. Birling as a class conscious person who only cares for herself and her social status. Throughout the play she remains oblivious to any wrong doing she has done and only wants to say her side of the story without any interruptions and anyone elses opinions are put down with backhanded and snide remarks. Mrs Birling has a prejudice nature which comes from her despising the lower classes and the desire of upholding her respectability in the upper class community. Mrs Birling unlike her husband was born into an upper class family instead of having to work her way up through society and business like her husband did. However, contradictory to her husbands upbringing and early life her views on lower class people are that they are vermin who live in their own filth and squalor, who will never achieve anything of significance, but be stuck in a dead end job for the remainder of their life. Her views on the lower class highlight her contradictory nature and arrogance about the lower class. Priestley sets the play in the fictional industrial city of Brumley. Brumley is probably typical of many towns where the factory owners, who provided much-needed employment, were able to run their businesses exactly as they wanted to. The number of women who are poor and in need of help is indicated by the existence of the Brumley Womens Charity Organisation. Such organisations, which relied upon the financial support of rich people, were frequently found in large industrial towns and cities during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. It is interesting that whether someone received help depended on whether the women like Mrs Birling thought that they deserved help or whether they deserved to suffer. Throughout the play priestly aims to convey the message We are all responsible for each other. .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 , .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 .postImageUrl , .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 , .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61:hover , .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61:visited , .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61:active { border:0!important; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61:active , .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61 .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0fc276d136d3d7de352a275cd777ed61:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The end of the play EssayPriestly tries to with this message warn of the dangers of complacency and self satisfaction and smugness that we all need to learn from our mistakes. The audience watching this play would understand how important it is not to be greedy but be as one by supporting each other, creating a sense of unity instead of exploiting people or treating other classes differently. During both wars there was no class division there was just togetherness and the aim of destroying an enemy who threatens peace and freedom. Without the wars families like the Birlings would have gone on exploiting and stereotyping working class people.

Women and Beauty

Beauty has been a subject of discussion for a long time. However, the debate has climaxed in the twentieth and the twenty first century. Although the word has been defined differently, it generally means qualities or sum of qualities that give pleasure to senses. That basically means that any quality or characteristics of an individual which is pleasurable can be defined as beauty. More often than not, beauty is linked to women’s characteristics. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Women and Beauty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result, most women have become obsessed with it and they do all in their power not only to look attractive, but also beautiful. Since it has been mostly linked to outside characteristics, there are lots of beauty products in the market meant to improve the aesthetic value of women. Sontag is one writer who has written on the issue of women and beauty in one of her essays Ã¢â‚¬Ë œA woman’s Beauty: Put Down or Power Source?’ She discusses the plight of women in the contemporary society in relation to beauty. More specifically; Sontag discuses some sensitive issues concerning women and beauty. For instance, on the section of Put Down or Power Source, Sontag explores the responsibility of men on women’s obsession to beauty. In addition, the author still seeks to explain the extent women are responsible for the same. With that background in mind, this essay shall discuss the summary of Sontag’s essay and argue on the issue of responsibility of men and women towards women’s obsession on beauty. Although Sontag has generally spoken on beauty, there are numerous themes which have been discussed concerning the same. Sontag majors on explaining on the difference between intrinsic beauty and the outward appearance. The author points out that it is possible to find a beautiful woman walking in the streets but the same woman may lac k some important characteristics that can add to her goodness. However, Sontag is not all against beauty especially in women. She explains that it is the duty of women to maintain their beauty. Nevertheless, Sontag describes a different way of maintaining beauty apart from talking care of the outside appearance. She says that someone can add more to beauty by working hard in career and also in other areas like the business (DiYanni pp. 332).Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sontag compares different perspective of beauty in the contemporary society with the historical perspective. For instance, she considers Greeks who were knowledgeable on various issues and maintained that intrinsic characteristics were more valuable than outward characteristics. For example, Plato who was a renowned philosopher was not beautiful on the outside but was still attractive due to the knowledge he possessed. In addition, Sontag mentions that early Christians did not value outside beauty compared to the current Christians who condone even some beauty products like use of perfumes. In the contemporary society, women are faced with a great need to appear beautiful. The condition has lowered their status because compared to men; they are viewed as people who care more about their outside looks other than being concerned about their real identity. According to Sontag, women’s concern about their looks just signifies lack of power. The fact that the society has made women to view themselves as objects of pleasure makes them to be come anxious about their looks and that is why they are always strive to measure up to the standards of the society. Sontag points out the main difference between men and women in relation to beauty. Although men contribute to the women’s obsession on beauty, they are more confident and sure of themselves. Most importantly, their beauty doe s not emanate from outside looks but to their overall characteristics. Sontag ends her essay by a call on women to distance from beauty and instead concentrate more on feminine characteristics like gentleness, and being humble which are equally attractive. No one can negate the fact that women currently are obsessed with beauty. The availability of wide range of beauty products in the market is a clear indication of the extent of women’s obsession on beauty. Apart from that, women are even going for plastic surgery to change their outlook, to look more beautiful and to maintain their youthful skin. It is quite unfortunate for women because as Sontag says, the society views them as objects that are valued for how they look rather than for who they are. More often than not, women are treated as objects of pleasure. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Women and Beauty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instan ce, many magazines and movies as well as advertisements use women’s beauty and their body parts to achieve their objectives. Therefore, beauty is trivializing women and there is little they can do about it since society has socialized them to believe the same (DiYanni, 26 331). At this point, the main question is who is to blame for this trap of beauty that women have gotten in to. First and foremost, women have a great need of being appreciated. Therefore, their effort to beautify themselves is for the sole purpose of attracting men’s attention. Moreover, men are visual beings and are mostly attracted to what they see. As a result, women have no opinion other than to do all in their power to attract the attention of men. As much as men are to blame to some extent due for women’s obsession on beauty, there is a high probability that the problem is caused by some inborn characteristic of women. As Sontag has illustrated, there is a difference between women and men. For instance, men are more confident compared to women and they may not need to exaggerate their outside appearance. It is also possible that women and men view beauty differently. Interviews which have been conducted on men indicate that men value characteristic such as being happy and healthy. Therefore, it is possible that it is women’s outlook on beauty that makes them to spend a lot of time on make ups and fail to work on the inner characteristics. On the other hand, men consider inner beauty more and that is why they are more committed on improving such characteristics. For that reason, it is possible that, the plight of women on beauty in the contemporary society is a problem of their own making and has little or nothing to do with men. Beauty is defined differently in on different cultures of the world. However, it is important to note that due the emergence of a global culture which has been accelerated by globalization, there are similarities on some ideas co ncerning beauty. Since the American culture is considered superior to other cultures, it has proliferated to almost all parts of the world. Nevertheless, there are still some notable differences. Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In some continents like Africa, plump women are considered to be more beautiful compared to United States where a beautiful woman has to be tall and slender. In most cases, although women have a role to play, men are chief determinants of women’s obsession on beauty since in almost all communities; women are always aimed at pleasing men. Therefore, as it is the case in United States, men have contributed greatly to women obsession on beauty. Beauty as it is often defined as an attribute that is not only admirable, but also good and pleasurable. It ought to be cultivated by everyone in the society, men and women equally. Nonetheless, as Sontag has illustrated in her essay, the idea of beauty has become a trap, not only for women but also men. Currently, outside beauty is carrying more weight than intrinsic beauty which is equally important. The issue is accounting to the current issue of women putting on more makeup to change their appearance. The role of women in the societ y as wives and mothers contribute greatly to the women’s obsession on beauty as they are only more concerned on how they look rather than on their intrinsic value. Therefore, it will not be an understatement to conclude that the society which includes men and women, has contributed greatly to the plight of women as well as to their obsession on beauty. Works Cited DiYanni, Robert. Fifty great essays. New York : Pearson/Longman, 2004. This essay on Women and Beauty was written and submitted by user Andy H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.