BHP Billiton SWOT Analysis and Porter Five Force Analysis Free Essays

Introduction Aim: This essay aims to perform an analysis on the basis of integration of SWOT and Porter’s Five Forces frameworks. The key aim of this essay is to establish the reasons behind the success of BHP Billiton, which is ranked 11th in FTSE100 Company ranking, and thereby represent the implications and recommendations. Methodology: This paper is based on integration of the secondary research, which includes recent reports, books and journal articles. We will write a custom essay sample on BHP Billiton SWOT Analysis and Porter Five Force Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Findings: The key findings indicate that BHP Billiton is a renowned diversified natural mineral resources company, with a distinctive market approach which gives the company a competitive edge over its peers. Being one of the world’s top producers of iron ore and coal (thermal and metallurgical), the company’s other products include aluminum, copper, manganese, nickel, silver, uranium and potash. BHP also has significant crude oil and natural gas holdings. BHP Billiton’s strong market presence, vast array of products, and long-term customer relationship implies that the company stands firm, despite the recent economic adverse events. (BHP Billiton) SWOT Analysis The objective of the SWOT analysis is to highlight the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats from the completed external and internal analysis. This SWOT analysis will translate conclusions into strategic actions so that the company can execute opportunities and defend against threats. Strengths BHP Billiton is a renowned natural resources company with a diversified portfolio of assets. The company is one of the largest suppliers of uranium, copper, silver, lead and aluminum. BHP is also a major producer of iron ore, metallurgical coal and manganese with operations in Australia, Brazil and South Africa. With eight operations across South Africa, Australia, the United States and South America, the company’s Energy Coal section provides thermal coal for use in the electric power generation industry and general industrial concerns. BHP Billiton has delivered superior financial returns over the past decade by returning the capital to its investors through an aggressive share buyback program has returned capital. This gives the company ability to retain strong A credit rating, which assists in raising the capital in global market. The company offers a dedicated customer service for its product portfolio and at the same time pass along price increases to its customers as well. Weaknesses The company needs to improve the measures of gross margin and the long-term financial return on equity to be closer in line with its peers. BHP Billiton is currently facing several human resources issues impacting the operations. There is not enough qualified staff especially those trained in the mining sector. The company is weak in corporate communications as the staff is not proactive in responding to corporate enquiries using new media or making effective group communication with the investors and stakeholders. Opportunities BHP Billiton has several projects in pipeline to execute. The feasibility phase of 29 projects, which is likely to become a significant source of revenue, provided projects are executed in a cost-effective manner. The company can further work on strengthening its brand position by inducing innovative marketing solutions and using new media tools and customer outreach while marketing natural resources from the company’s extensive assets. This means promoting the company’s strengths and operations by creating brand awareness amongst its customers. After Kyoto Protocol becomes essential to abide, BHP Billiton committed to a reduction of 5% in greenhouse gas emissions. This program if managed properly can become a positive source for environmental responsibility and sustainable development. Being a significant source for energy commodities there are opportunities to further integrate into the supply chain and operations of transportation companies and utility companies to capture additional profit margin and lower costs further. Threats BHP Billiton is facing threat from continuously rising costs from suppliers, including energy, shipping and contract labour costs; inflation and labour staffing issues, which are restricting the company growth and development. The company is facing continuous political threats even in its home country, Australia, as the company has received an unfavourable ruling from the government regarding infrastructure access and the political dynamics of being on the ‘right side’ of issues cannot be underestimated. BHP Billiton severely relies upon China’s demand for natural resources and any global slowdown in world markets could directly impact the sales and profitability of BHP. The company must work to fulfil demand yet remain financially disciplined to achieve increasing levels of profitability along with growth in shipments of natural resources commodities. PORTER FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS The Porter Five Forces Analysis offers a strategic view of the competitive external environment facing BHP Billiton. It enables the opportunity to assess the sources; strength and impact of the competitive forces and the affect each of these have on achieving company goals and objectives. Bargaining Power of Buyers Is moderate to low as the company can pass along any price increases due to strong demand and limited supply of natural resources in the market. There are not many substitutes available in large quantities, which reduce the bargaining power of buyers. The company focuses on retaining long-term customer relationships, thus diminishing the impact of price increase. The global macroeconomic environment is expected to stabilise before improving in the first half of the 2013 financial year. This is likely to maintain the company’s position strong in the upcoming period. (Digital Look, 2012) Bargaining Power of Suppliers BHP Billiton is largely impacted by the bargaining power of suppliers in labour, materials, energy, shipping, and energy costs. As the company ensures reduced capacity through enhanced operations, the overall costs from suppliers have increased as well. In the above-mentioned categories, there are negligible substitutes available, which enhance the strong bargaining power of suppliers. Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants is relatively low. Due to dearth of natural resources there is very limited capacity and supply available in the global market, which restricts any new entrants in the market. Due to drop in commodity prices, the pace of demand of iron ore from China has slowed down by more than half. Demand will grow less, although still quite impressively and the producers, in general, are more prepared. These factors are likely to play significant barriers for the new entrants rather existing. (Bloomberg, 2012) Moreover, BHP Billiton, being the biggest mining company, holds enhanced infrastructure, latest technologies and trained staff to offer better quality products to the market. For the new entrants it will take a while to upgrade the level. In regard to geographic locations, BHP Billiton has best natural resource locations than new competitors entering the market. Several companies have made extensive moves across Arica, India and China for natural resources but the threat of these companies remains moderate to low. Threat of Substitutes The threat of substitutes is quite low, as there are not many substitutes for raw material products in the market. BHP Billiton is strongly placed, due to its broad, diversified portfolio of natural resource assets, to counter any threats of substitutes. Intensity of Existing Rivalry The rivalry among competing sellers is tough. This is due to the fact that several natural resources companies are competing for access to the reserves available across the world; along with retaining qualified staff; and building infrastructure, transportation and new development projects. On the reserves side, there is a geographic overlap in most areas worldwide, and to retain trained staff has augmented labour wages. However, despite the strong rivalry, the industry remains lucrative due to strong profit potential. As a result, the lowering natural prices are not likely to impact the industry players as they stand affirmative. Also, there have been takeover speculations in the natural resources industry. Mining titans BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto are to generate about $20bn in free cash flow, giving each substantial options for acquisitions and capital management. (Merril Lynch, 2011) In 2005, BHP Billiton purchased WMC Resources of Australia during a takeover battle. The company as a result has the largest uranium reserves in the world and secured a major source of future growth. REFERENCES FTSE All-Share Index Ranking (October 2012) http://www.stockchallenge.co.uk/ftse.php (Accessed 06/10/2012) Digital Look 2012. BHP looking for upturn in first half of 2013 (October 2012) http://www.digitallook.com/dl/news/story/20311406?username=ac=(Accessed 06/10/2012) Hoovers, BHP Billiton, (2012) http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.BHP_Billiton_Plc.7649c747268ff225.html (Accessed 06/10/2012) Business With The Wall Street Journal, Michael Bennet, The Australian 2011. BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto well funded for takeover programs, says Merrill Lynch (June 2011) http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/bhp-billiton-rio-tinto-well-funded-for-takeover-programs-says-merrill-lynch/story-e6frg9df-1226082744863 (Accessed 06/10/2012) Bloomberg 2012. BHP Says Pace of China Iron Ore Demand Has Slowed by Half (September 2012) http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-19/bhp-says-pace-of-china-iron-ore-demand-has-slowed-by-half.html (Accessed 06/10/2012) Pierre-Yves Benain (2007), BHP Billiton Presentation, International University in Geneva, http://pierre.benain.free.fr/MBA%20698%20BHP%20Billiton%20Presentation.pdf (Accessed 06/10/2012) Strategic Options, BHP Billiton, Jeremy L. Gordon (May 2007) http://pierre.benain.free.fr/MBA698%20BHP%20Billiton%20Report.pdf (Accessed 06/10/2012) How to cite BHP Billiton SWOT Analysis and Porter Five Force Analysis, Essay examples

A Rasin In The Sun Essay Example For Students

A Rasin In The Sun Essay A Raisin in the Sun, a drama written by Lorraine Hansberry came onto the theater scene in 1959. The title is from Langston Hughes poem A Dream Deferred when it asks what happen to a dream that is deferred. The drama tells of a lower class black familys struggle. The family lives in a cramped apartment too small for its five tenants. The primary focus of the story is on how to spend the ten thousand-dollar insurance check from the death of Mamas husband Big Walter. The conflict erupt over the disagreements on how the money should be spent, Mama wanted to by a house, Beneatha needed money for medical school, and Walter had dreams of owning a liquor store. In the end Mamas confidence in Walter to spend the check wisely climaxed his manhood from a desperate family man that is shackled by poverty, to man that obsessed with the dream of succeeding, then to being a real man, a hero to his family. In the beginning Walter presents himself as a very absurd man. In his middle thirties, he is the husband of Ruth, father of Travis, brother of Beneatha, and son of Lena (Mama). Walter works as a chauffeur for a rich white man, he drinks too much, and he is very uneducated. Walter never has enough money to buy his wife fine things or to help his family. He and his wife Ruth and their child live with his mother this living situation contributes to Walters problems. In one scene Walter admonishes Ruth for telling their son that they cannot give him fifty cents. When he is asked Walter gives Travis more than fifty cents; he gives him a dollar, none of which he can afford. Walter does this so that Travis does not see their true economic condition. Walter shows us that he is very desperate when it comes to his family because all he can do is dream about helping them. When Walter discovers that his mother will receive a ten thousand-dollar check from his fathers insurance he becomes obsessed with his dreams of becoming a businessman. Walter feels that his business venture will make financially independent. He is so obsessed to succeed that he wants to invest the entire ten thousand dollars into a liquor store with his buddies. For ethnical reasons Mama objects to Walters idea and he makes it seems as if its the end if the world. Mama who also had dreams for the money when she announced that she put a hefty down payment on a house in an all white neighborhood. Walter is crushed by this news; he tells Mama that he feels like she butchered his dreams. Mama who knew that she hurt her son entrusts the remaining of the check to him. She tells him to put half away for his sisters tuition and the rest was his to keep. Now Walter feels that he can still keep his dream alive. Walters already exaggerated dream, however, suddenly turns into a problem. Foolishly, he entrusts his buddy with all of the remaining money that he runs off with. His shame suddenly becomes self-hatred, which is the only emotion that stops him from selling out his family again. When approached with the money offer not to move into the white neighborhood he decided that he would take the offer. With the money he could send Beneatha to medical school and make up for his mistake. However, at the last minute Walter decided not to take the offer. He showed that for once he could make good decisions and he becomes a hero to his family especially to his mother who says He finally came into his manhood today, didnt he? Kind of like a rainbow after the rain. Throughout the story Walter matures from being a man that is shame of his manhood to a man that has pride. .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd , .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd .postImageUrl , .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd , .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd:hover , .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd:visited , .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd:active { border:0!important; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd { 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; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd:active , .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd .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; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u310fbe2eaee43661c0511a62263119fd:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The sociological Imagination Essay Walter establishes himself as the protagonist or hero because in the falling action he matures only for the family and especially for his son who is watching him. Hannsberrys underlying theme in the story is centered around Walter, the question that she poses is, What happens to a person whose dreams grow more and more passionate while his hopes of achieving the dream go dimmer each day, which is what happen with Walter.BibliographyNone

Lord Of The Flies Essays (455 words) - English-language Films

Lord Of The Flies William Golding Why and how Golding wrote the Lord of Flies? Golding moved to London to be a social worker so he knows how kids act without any supervision. He also became a teacher and knows how kids act when they are together for a long time. Golding joined the Royal Navy and he also served on a cruiser. That gave him some knowledge about war and maybe some nuclear war. At the end of his career com7anded a rocket launching He saw action against battleships, submarines, and aircraft. He was in the D-Day invasion on Germany. Golding active participation in world war two influence on the novel The Lord of Flies. Bibliography Plot In the story it best explains that there was a nuclear war going on. There was a plane in flying out of the nuclear war and crashed and the pilot dies but most of the children survive. First some boys find each other they names are Ralph and Piggy. When Ralph and Piggy find a conch and piggy tells Ralph to blow in it and the kids will hear it and come to see what it is. They find several other kids and determine who the leader is going to be. Some of the main characters in the story are Simon, Jack, Littuns, and the Bigguns. Everyone votes for Ralph to be the leader and Jack to be the hunter. Ralph decides to build a big fire so that a passing ship will see it but the fire gets out of control and the little boys that was complaining about a monster ends up missing. William Golding Why and how Golding wrote the Lord of Flies? Golding moved to London to be a social worker so he knows how kids act without any supervision. He also became a teacher and knows how kids act when they are together for a long time. Golding joined the Royal Navy and he also served on a cruiser. That gave him some knowledge about war and maybe some nuclear war. At the end of his career com7anded a rocket launching He saw action against battleships, submarines, and aircraft. He was in the D-Day invasion on Germany. Golding active participation in world war two influence on the novel The Lord of Flies. Then Simon and Eric tell Jack that there is a beast on the Island and that they should go kill it. Everyone goes crazy and decides to hunt the pig. The hunters kill Simon because they thought he was the pig. Jack kills Piggy by pushing him off a cliff. Piggy was only trying to get his glasses back. Ralph escapes death from Jack and runs to the navel officer. Book Reports

The eNotes Blog How To Live a Life That Matters Maya Angelou on Love andAttitude

How To Live a Life That Matters Maya Angelou on Love andAttitude Maya Angelou  was born on April 4, 1928 and is true to the title of her own poem, a â€Å"Phenomenal Woman.† Few people can say they have been a novelist, actress, singer, director, scholar, researcher, poet, and brothel madam, yet Angelou has filled all of these roles and many more, including being an integral part of the civil rights movement. Decades after her time on Earth, many of us still hold  I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,  And  Still I Rise,  Amazing Peace, and her  other works  close to our hearts. As a survivor of poverty, familial discord, and a harrowing childhood, Angelou was able to turn her remarkable, tumultuous life into creative inspiration that is  still  inspiring us today. (Source: ) Ive learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. If you dont like something, change it. If you cant change it, change your attitude. Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope. There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. Try to be a rainbow in someones cloud. We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. You may write me down in history with your bitter, twisted lines. You may trod me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, Ill rise. Nothing will work unless you do. You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Whatever you want to do, if you want to be great at it, you have to love it and be able to make sacrifices for it. All great artists draw from the same resource: the human heart, which tells us that we are all more alike than we are unalike. Theres a world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure the truth. The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me? Have a question about Maya Angelou? Ask your question on Homework Help or browse answered questions about her  here.

Business and service marketing 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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E-participation model Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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History Of Mathematics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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