Research on the effects of water pollution Paper

On the effects of water pollution - Research Paper Example by Calhoun and Seideman (2005, p 23), they described environmental pollution as â€Å"the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment, which normally results to an adverse negative change on the natural environment.† In these two studies, it was collectively noted that pollutants comprise of chemical substances, wastewater, garbage, and various forms of energy such as noise, light, and heat. Goel (2006) in his writings stated that certain pollutants normally cause an harmful effect if they are used in excess, for example, a small discharge of noise, light, or heat into the environment is not likely to cause an harmful effect or rather it is not likely to pollute the environment. This research study will focus on water pollution and in particular, it seeks to investigate the effects of water pollution from a broader perspective that comprises of the eco-system and even the living organisms. Because of the essential use of water in everyday life by all living organisms, Villers (2001) argued that water pollution tends to have the most detrimental effects amongst all other forms of pollution. Water pollution occurs when toxic substances either in liquid or solid form are discharged into water bodies and there is no effective treatment plan that has been put in place to remove the toxic substances. Because of it wide use by all living organisms, water pollution tend to have the most detrimental effect on the entire population, individual species and the natural biological community. This fact is supported by the argument that was given by Calhoun and Seideman (2005), who deemed water pollution as a major global problem that is the root cause of many diseases and deaths that in the society. In particular, a report released by the United Nations in the year 2011 under the title ‘Water Factsheet’ noted that water pollution accounts for over fourteen thousand deaths that occur on a daily basis across the World. This report further noted that water

Assignment 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Assignment 6 - Essay Example ond World War, and he declared his war against the â€Å"racial caste system† employed by contractors against soldiers in the United States during that time (653). Truman’s EO 8991 in 1948, or the executive order that created the Civil Rights Commission, paved the way for the â€Å"weaving together† of America in the 1950s. It is this particular executive order that offered equal treatment to Blacks and the cutting off of the sale of products that perpetuate the latter’s vices (653). Although Truman’s EO 8991 has not accomplished as much as Kennedy’s and Johnson’s policies, it paved the way for the â€Å"unraveling† of America in the 1960s, where the races and genders have more or less equaled. Fifteen years after Truman’s EO 8991, in 1963, certain changes in terms of social engineering activities have been implemented regarding racial and gender equality, particularly during the governance of Lyndon Johnson. One of which was the decision of the Department of Defense to prohibit soldiers from using segregated bus or rail facilities, thus whites and blacks could use transportation together (654). The greatest proof of â€Å"unraveling† of the United States in the 60s was the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, and this â€Å"prohibited racial discrimination in employment, institutions like hospitals and schools†¦restaurants, hotels, and theaters† ( 922). Moreover, in 1965, under the banner of â€Å"affirmative action† used by the Kennedy administration, Johnson reiterated his vision of racial equality (Levin 656). He defended Blacks in his speech and considered them equal to whites, and through EO 11246, he required all federal contract ors to treat any employee without any regard to his â€Å"race, creed, color or national origin† (656). So far, Johnson’s greatest achievement in 1965 was the passage of the Voting Rights Act, which granted suffrage to the black southerners ( 926). In 1967, Johnson included gender equality by adding â€Å"sex† to the

Company Overview of VEDANTA RESOURCES

Company Overview of VEDANTA RESOURCES INTRODUCTION Vedanta resources is the first Indian company to be listed in the London stock exchange in December 2003. It is an FTSE 100 metals and mining company with its headquarters located in London, UK and is Indias largest non ferrous company based on their revenues. The company is principally situated in India, although they have possessions and operations in other locations such as Zambia and Australia. Vedanta Resources is mainly invested in copper, zinc, Aluminium businesses, however the company is now adding to their portfolio by diversifying into a commercial power generation business. The group has experienced a significant growth in recent years on grounds of various expansions in projects owing to a world class resource base containing copper, zinc and Aluminium, the result of this being the acquisition of Sesa Goa in April 2007, which enabled them to penetrate into the iron ore market. Therefore the organization is actively participating in the iron ore, zinc, Aluminium and copper businesses. Vedanta has a precise vision and mission statement, vision being to be clear and committed so that they might become the market leaders in the non- ferrous market segment and their mission is to be a low cost, million-ton per annum producer, the ultimate goal however is to make the company a success, needless to say that such a mission will certainly put India on a global competitive platform, in the metals and mining segment. The company has continuously demonstrated that they are able to bring in projects that are of high significance thereby contributing unmatched growth at minimum pricing while ensuring high returns to all their shareholders. Also, the organization makes certain that they meet the high conservative standards that are set, so that unjustifiable numbers are not shown in their balance sheets. Vedanta Resources deals with a diverse portfolio of mining and metals business as they make available eminent proceeds to their shareholders even as they make sure that they are socially and environmentally accountable, as the management keeps track of their employees health and safety, community issues and of their surroundings. Several of Vedanta Resources operations are authorized by International Management Systems Standard ISO 14001, proof of it being the many awards won by the company such as Recognition of Commitment Award from the Institute of Internal Auditors, USA in 2005, Vedanta Resources being the only manufacturing company out of a total of four Indian companies to have ever received this award, not to mention the numerous safety and environment awards. To quote the chairman of Vedanta Resources, Mr.Anil Agrawal India is a fast-emerging and attractive resource destination, and we believe our strategy and business objectives will harness Indias high-quality wealth of mineral resources at low costs of development, positioning it as a leader on the global metals and mining map. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Vedanta is an emerging multinational conglomerate with many overseas operations. Its organizational structure is a complex one with many subsidiaries, governing board and a management committee. The governing board consists of executive and non executive directors. The executive board of directors consists of Mr. Anil Agarwal, Mr. Navin Agarwal and Mr. M S Metha. Mr. Anil Agarwal founded the company and is leading the company as the executive chairman. Mr. Navin Agarwal is the deputy executive chairman of Vedanta and looks after the corporate business strategy and responsible for overall performance and growth. He also heads the executive committee. Mr. M. S. Metha is the chief executive officer of Vedanta. He joined the conglomerate in the year 2000 and previously was working at Lloyds Steel Industries. The non executive board consists of Mr. Naresh Chandra, Mr. Aman Metha and Mr.Euan Macdonald. Mr. Naresh Chandra was a Padma Vibhushan award winner from the Government of India and he is an Indian Administrative Service officer. He joined the group in 2004 after holding many prestigious positions in India. Aman Metha also joined the group in 2004. Before that he was the CEO of HSBC. Euan Macdonald was the chairman of SBC Warburg India and specializes in emerging market finance. The management committee is lead by Mr. Navin Agarwal and consists of: COMMITTEE DESIGNATION TARUN JAIN PRESIDENT GROUP HUMAN RESOURCES DD JALAN WHOLE TIME DIRECTOR CEO ALUMINIUM BUSINESS MS METHA WHOLE TIME DIRECTOR BALCO P K MUKHERJEE DIRECTOR OPERATIONS KCM DILIP GOLANI COO HZL RAJAGOPAL K. KUMAR CEO COPPER ZINC BUSINESS AKHILESH JOSHI HEAD MANGT ASSURANCE FUNCTION J. JANAKARAJ CEO VEDANTA RESOURCES PRAMOD SURI CEO IRON ORE BUSINESS M SIDDIQI CFO VEDANTA RESOURCED A THIRUNAVUKKARASU DOF STERLITE Vedanta Resources plc. is the parent company with many subsidiaries operating in different sectors in different names. Vedanta has interests in five main businesses. Each business is operated by one of its subsidiary. Below is the Vedanta resources plcs group tree. Copper Business: Copper business are run and operated by Sterlite Industries (India) Limited, Konkola Copper Mines Plc and Copper Mines of Tasmania, however, Vedanta holds 53.9%, 79.4% and 100% stakes respectively and management control in the above companies. The total copper business has an annual production of 678,412 tons and generates revenue of $4,012 million. The end products are the Continuous Cast Rods and Copper Cathodes. Copper from the copper mines are smelted using ISA process, one of the worlds leading technology in copper smelting. They have the latest version of CS 3000 Distributed Control System of Yokogawa from Japan to control the entire copper smelter. Aluminium Business: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) and Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) are responsible for Aluminium business. Aluminium business has a total production capacity of 500,000 tons per annum. Vedanta has the controlling stakes of 70.5% in VAL and Sterlite, the subsidiary of Vedanta owns a stake of 51% and exercises management control. Currently the Aluminium business is under vigorous expansion and by 2012 it would become top five Aluminium producers in the world. The company produces metallurgical grade alumina and Aluminium ingots, billets and bars used for making buses. The Aluminium smelter used the advanced technical specifications of British Standard Institute (BSI). The company has bagged OHSAS 18001 certification for good health and protection standards. VAL unit has obtained ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certificates for quality production and management practices. These Aluminium complexes also have integrated power plants in them. Zinc business: Zinc business is wholly owned and operated by Hindustan Zinc limited (HZL). Vedanta own 64.9% of share capital in HZL. It has an annual production of 9,64,000 tons of zinc that generates revenue of $1,782 million. HZL is the worlds integrated second largest producer of Zinc and Lead. Apart from Zinc and Lead the plant also produces Silver, Cadmium and generates power. Silver and Cadmium are obtained as a byproduct of Lead and Zinc metal respectively. The equity shares of HZL are traded at the Indian stock exchange. The metals are refined and sold according to their quality. Iron ore business: The whole iron ore business is operated by its subsidiary Sesa Goa limited. Vedanta has a controlling stake of 57.1%. The company makes iron ore, pig iron and metallurgical coke. The company has a production capacity of 21.4 million tons of iron ore fines and lumps which generates revenue of $1221.7 million. Apart from these they also sell the in-house technology for coke making. They found new technology using vibro compaction to stabilize coal before using in the furnace for firing. Sesa Goas mines have ISO status for good management standards and safety. Commercial Power Generation business: This is a new business venture for Vedanta group and is run by its subsidiaries Sterlite Energy Limited (SEL) and Madras Aluminium Company Limited (MALCO). SEL is a 100% subsidiary of Sterlite Industries Ltd. As of now the excess power from its various plants are sold. Specialized commercial power generation plants are being set up in India. By the end of 2011 the power plants would become fully operational. Two plants are being set up with a combined generation of 4380MW per year. OPERATIONS OF VEDANTA RESOURCES PLC: CORPORATE STRATEGY Since its incorporation in 1976, Vedanta has been very successful in its operations. The current turnover of company is $ 7931 million. The success can be owed to the corporate strategy of Vedanta which can be explained as follows: Organic Development: This includes developing organizations own capabilities. It is done by making using of latest technology for manufacturing processes; spreading investments over a time, venturing the scope of entry in new markets, analyzing the ability of the company to enter them and then enter into such markets. Latest Technology for Mining Smelting Operations: Vedanta has been doing it by using highly advanced technology for manufacturing and designing. This helps in reducing the production costs and thereby gaining advantage to compete in the market. For e.g. The Sesa Goas team did a detailed experimentation involving studies on the temperature profile of the oven and redesigning the refractories. Followed by the systematic plant trials, it developed energy recovery coke making, an environment-friendly technology that is characterized low capital and operating cost, high energy recovery and capable of producing high quality metallurgical coke. Implementing cost reduction techniques: Vedanta has signed long-term contracts with suppliers of raw materials. This not only reduces production costs but also accounts for the continuous availability of resources without getting affected by market fluctuations. Launching Brownfield and Greenfield Projects: These form a very important consideration for a mining industry. Brownfield projects are abandoned sites that are available for industrial or commercial reuse. The development or expansions of such land is more difficult owing to contamination by earlier use. Greenfield projects are the ones which lack any constraints imposed by prior work. There is no need to demolish or remodel the structure. Vedanta has been investing in Brownfield and Greenfield projects for expansions. A 1.4 mtpa aluminium refinery project at Lanjigarh and an aluminium smelter of capacity 500,000 tpa both in state of Orissa, India are few of the Greenfield projects launched by the company. Entry in New Market: Also the company has now ventured into Commercial Power Generation. It recognised the tremendous scope in the industry for commercial power generation, in India. It has therefore started commercial power generation plants in Chhattisgarh and Orissa. Also these plants are locates at strategic positions, mainly in the coal rich zones of India, thereby facilitating transport and easy availability of coal. Consolidation of Group Structure: As shown above, Vedanta has many subsidiaries like KCM, Sterlite Industries India Ltd, Sesa Goa Ltd etc. Although it has the Holding Stocks and management control over all these, some of the stakes are owned by private investors. Vedanta is constantly trying to buyback it stock and purchase shares of all its subsidiaries. This would help in a consolidated group structure. The main advantage of it is ease in the management decisions. Mergers and Acquisitions: Since 2004, the Vedanta Resources had only one acquisition till date by acquiring the Madras Aluminium Co Ltd. While taking stake into consideration the Vedanta resources taken over 5 companies till finalization of balance sheet for 2010. Acquisitions include Konkola Copper Mines Plc. in 2004 and part in 2009 with a total of 79.4% stake, next Sterlite Gold Ltd and Finsider International Co Ltd both in the year 2007. Moreover, the company acquired approximately 25.8% by the outstanding common shares of Sterlite Gold on a fully-diluted basis. Also the company acquired Finsider International Co Ltd. Fully from a Japanese company called Mitsui Co at around USD 981 million. In the year 2009 the company acquired 51% of Sesa Goa Ltd, Indias largest producer-exporter of Iron-Ore in the private sector at INR 4070 Crore. Now, the Vedanta Resources are planning to acquire 60% stake in Crain India Company. The Cairn India is a leading player in Oil and Gas industry in India. Moreover, Crain India is one the biggest private exploration and Production Company currently operating in India. Edinburgh based Crain Energy is holding a total of 62.37 percent stake in Crain India. According to the deal the Crain Energy will sell its stake to Vedanta Resources Plc for the deal amount of USD 9.6 billion at 405 INR per share. Successful acquisition of KCM, MALCO, Sterlite Gold Ltd and Sesa Goa has added substantial growth to the Vedanta as a whole. They are continue looking for a new growth and acquisition opportunities in the metal and mining sector and related opportunities in India and elsewhere. They are taking all these steps by keeping government privatization programmed in mind. PESTEL ANALYSIS Political Legal: As minerals are a nations wealth, the mining industry operates under the huge cloud of political and legal pressure. Mainly they are state owned or nationalized and involves a large and complicated process for licensing. The industry is very much regulated by governmental law that mainly focuses on labour and environmental factors. In the recent days, the increasing concern for environmental issues has made the government to pressurize the mining policies. Upon this the media focus is still more an added pressure for the mining industry. Even though the governments policies are mainly aimed to protect the resources but they also encourage exports by giving subsidies and encourage new technology developments. Economic: Mining is an industry that requires very high capital investment. Thus, interest rates make a major impact. Not all countries are rich in deposits of minerals; hence mining generally involves import and export of products. The exchange rates fluctuations are a dominant concern. The import taxes and international trade cycle are also important economic factors for the mining industry. Social: Being an industry that impacts the surrounding environment in areas of its operation, the support of the local community is of the most important and underlying factors for mining. Mining, though, a resource based industry, cannot be carried out in areas of high population because of the concerns that it may affect the public health. Mining has also been under the scanner of various activist groups over the recent years. The industry thus has also been attracting continuous media attention. Vedanta has been attracting a lot of media attention recently over ESG issues. Technology: The process involved in the mining industry right from the raw material transportation still export involves risky process. In those conditions the laws prevent the use of human resources that make the mining industry heavily dependent on technology. Recently the mines are using computerized machines that operates according to its program and automated conveyor belts to reach its specified destination i.e. harbor or warehouse. But still the underground mining relies mainly on human resource due to its complicated nature of mining. Environmental: Mining is an industry that affects and makes a negative impact on the environment during and after the process. Thus any mining activity has to go through a number of clearances and regulations concerning the environment. Almost all countries demand an investigation of its impact on the environment before any activity can start. PORTERS 5 FORCES ANALYSIS The following diagram gives the 5 Forces Analysis for Vedanta Resources: Threat of New Entrants: The threat of new entrants to Vedanta is very low. This is mainly because of high capital investments required. The limited resources in mining and the costs of exploration, the various government laws, the equipment required, additional costs incurred in rehabilitation of people living at mining sites etc all make it difficult for new entrants to venture in this industry. Threat of Substitutes: The threat of substitutes also is low. This is mainly because metals are required basically for all types of manufacturing industries as an input. Even if substitution is considered, it has limited scope. Also the price/performance ratios of iron, aluminium etc is low, making the threat of substitutes even less. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The suppliers include the suppliers of raw materials required, that of equipment etc. There are very few suppliers and therefore their bargaining power is high. Also the cost of switching suppliers is high making it difficult to do so. Vedanta has entered into long term contracts with their suppliers, thus reducing the costs. It also ensures that Vedanta get supply of goods without being affected by market fluctuations. Bargaining Power of Buyers: This is low as the demand of the metals and metal products is very high. Also switching costs are high as the costumers normally have contracts with the company. Competitive Rivalry: Some of the competitors of Vedanta Group are Rio-Tinto, BHP Billiton Ltd, Grupo-Mexico, Hindalco etc. The competition is intense as every player is trying for their market share as the resources are becoming restricted and limited. SWOT ANALYSIS: A complete SWOT analysis of Vedanta Resources plc would provide a clear and unbiased strategic analysis of the companys strengths and weakness and potential opportunities and threats, this sort of analysis helps the business in understanding its partners, customers and competitors better. STRENGTHS: The strength can be determined by the fact that the company has assets that are global with respect to both scale and size; their low cost of production which makes the group competitive among its peers and the skill and experience that are incorporated in the nature of their assets is of high quality. Their recent growth in volume and the many measures that the group have taken in reducing costs has increased their cash flow considerably; The Company understands the fact that it is important to maintain a low leverage by enabling adequate liquidity and meeting all their financial obligations, possessing a strong vision, making strategic acquisitions and having an ability to think ahead. They also understand the value of their employees which is a competitive advantage as its not easily reproducible like technology and the fact that they strive for excellence has only increased their strength. WEAKNESSES: Poor brand management, not giving importance to marketing of the company, keeping silent while a swarm of people accusing the company has increased trouble for the company. Therefore, the company must make all efforts in order to correct the problem before they run out of business and need to curtail their operations. OPPORTUNITIES: The opportunities for the group are many, success in the group will allow the company to compete globally. Several efforts are made by the company with respect to expansion of the company and growth and this can be clearly seen in the group on having acquired Sesa Goa, which makes it possible for the company to penetrate through the iron ore market and by making strategic decisions, will guarantee that Vedanta Resources triumphs. THREATS: The potential threats as reported by The Independent news paper is the fact that the human rights protestors that stood outside the companys building in their avatar costumes, outshone the companys accomplishments which is a major threat to the companys image. The backing out of the Church of England; only six months after researching into the company or Aviva who is one of their backers, who voted against them in three resolutions in board meeting which they attended. Vedanta however, denies the rumors concerning the pollution of Lanjugarh, or any breach in human rights, the encroachment of land in Nyamgiri Hills in Orissa and any other accusations that have been made against the company and they continue to contest any allegations made against the group. Although the rumors are overtaking their defensive stand and is causing a serious dent to the Vedanta Groups image. (The Independent, 2010) COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: In terms of the competitive advantages for Vedanta resources Plc, Firstly, they have a mining site located where the availability of natural resources is high. Their production is done on the basis of the accessibility of the raw material. As the natural resources are highly available, the supply of the raw material and the cost of production can be low, and the cost of capital can be divided to sustain it in the current market. The raw material in the industry is nothing but the resources held by the group and as they located where there is a rich source of natural resources, not to mention the availability of cheap labour at their mining site which results in Vedanta having a low cost of production per unit leading the company to win an award for the low cost of production in year 2007. Culture of the society where there are located, is also well known by them so the adjustment to the market environment would not be an issue placing the company is a very advantageous position The company has also started their operations in power production unit. They had produced the power sufficient enough for their production and the excess production was sold out and this resulted to the investment in a power generation plant. Now they have obtained blocks for 112.2 million tons with the ministry of coal. They have signed a contract with Chhattisgarh government for the interested thermal and coal power generation plant for 1200 MW power capacity. India is fifth largest in the world for the bauxite with the reserve about of 2,600 million tones and for the coal reserves and for iron ore it is sixth. The most of the mining and smelting site for Vedanta resources are in India. This is advantageous for potential growth in the further prospective for the company. CORE COMPETENCE For Vedanta the core competence of their business strategy is developing low cost, with inexpensive skilled and educated labour. (Business Standard, 2008) In the mining industry, the high costs are to do with the investment in acquiring a mining site and costs need for production. However, Vedanta has reduced its cost of production owing to their location, which is rich in natural resources. The current production for the Aluminium is 1.4 mtpa which is planned to be increased by 6,00,000 tpa to reach is total production of 2 mtpa. The company aims at investing $ 9.8 Billion by which they will be the fifth mining company for Aluminium metal. CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY In the present-day business scenario, Corporate Social responsibility (C.S.R.) and sustainability have become a very high-profile agenda in many countries and industries. Thus, due to the nature of its business, Corporate Social Responsibility is a pretty confound and complicated issue for Vedanta Resources Plc. The company has quite a mixed record on the social responsibility front. Nonetheless, the company has made certain valiant efforts to conduct their business in a socially responsible manner. Vedantas current C.S.R. agenda acknowledges the responsible management of the Environmental, Community, Health and Safety and Employee issues with respect to all of their operations. The companys Health, Safety and Environment (H.S.E) management framework administers the healthy and sound management of its operations. According to its current agenda, the company aims to reduce the impact of its activities on the environment. Efficient consumption of energy and water and use of recycled materials is one of its main motives. It has taken initiatives through its subsidiaries to fulfill its motives. Being a mining company, the health and safety of its employees and the community is a core concern for Vedanta. The company has a Health and Safety management framework and policies in place, which aim to ensure a risk-free environment for its employees. Vedanta has also taken efforts to support and enhance the local community in the areas of their operations. Sterlite Foundation is financial ly supported by the group, which provides free computer training to the young under-privileged people. The company has also made several contributions and donations to the community. For example being the donation of US$1.1 million to the Rajasthan drought relief fund, through its subsidiary H.Z.L. Despite making certain efforts to conduct its business in a socially responsible manner, Vedanta has been engulfed in a web of allegations concerning this issue over the last few years. The company has been under immense criticism for having a poor human rights and environmental record by various activist groups and authorities. A human rights group called Amnesty International, has criticized and raised the issue of ill treatment of the local tribal people by Vedanta in the Niyamgiri hills in Orissa, India. Various other activist groups have also accused Vedanta and its subsidiaries of threatening the livelihood of the community residing in and around the areas of its mines. This also led to recent public demonstrations and protest against the company worldwide. However, the company has maintained a stance that, it would act in a responsible manner and that the proposed project will only enhance the community as a whole in the particular area. Vedantas Alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Orissa, India, has also been critiqued by the State Pollution Control board in India for air and water pollution. Amnesty International has accused Vedanta of failing to curb the impact created by its refinery of air pollution on the local community. The company is also facing investigations and charges regarding pollution because of its project in Armenia. This is another issue that has been raised by various activist groups. The company has also failed to maintain a clear health and safety record recently. Separate incidents have darned its reputation concerning safety efforts. An under construction chimney at its smelter in Chhattisgarh, India collapsed causing death of more than 40 workers and employees. The company has also been accused of safety negligence as its unsafe mining operations have led to deaths of more than 25 workers and employees and injuries to hundreds of others in 2007. The controversies, poor human rights and environmental allegations have caused a lot of socially responsible investors to divest from the company. After protests by Survival International a human rights group regarding the Orrisa issue, the Church of England sold its stake worth 3.75 million pounds in Vedanta resources on the basis of ethical grounds. The Church stated that we are not satisfied that Vedanta has shown, or is likely in future to show, the level of respect for human rights and local communities that we expect of companies in whom the Church investing bodies hold shares, The Scottish investment firm Martin Carrie Investments also sold its stake worth more than 2 million pounds following protest from activist groups. Other responsible investors like the Swedish Government, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, Dutch investment firm PGGM and a few others have joined the bandwagon of disinvesting from the company following its poor recent social record. The BP Pension fund has also reduced its share following similar concerns. The UK and Norwegian governments have also condemned the company. The disinvestment by shareholders has been a major concern for Vedanta as it certainly threatens to affect its growth. On 24th August 2010, the Indian government blocked the companys proposal for a new mine in India alleging Vedanta of having a poor human rights and environmental record. Indias Environment minister stated, There is no emotion, no politics, no prejudice I have taken the decision in a purely legal approach, that these laws are being violated. This has been a major blow for Vedanta as it was planning to invest more than 5 billion pounds in the Niyamgiri project. The company has also been alleged of charges of bribery in Chennai, India for the reopening of a factory that was shut down due to a major accident. Sterlite, a subsidiary of Vedanta was slapped with tax notice of more than 44 million pounds by the India Excise department in 2010 while a few other legal violations have also tarnished the companys image. All the recent allegations and controversies in the recent times resulted in a negative image for the company. Its stock rose tremendously by more than 200% from April 2009 to April 2010 but after the recent allegations and concerns over disinvestment by investors, the stock has been a sharp decline. Thus, the issue of corporate social responsibility has certainly made an impact on its growth recently and could also be a cause of concern if the company does not adopt new strategies to improve its CSR record. Vedanta must revive its CSR agenda to clarify investor concerns. The company has however claimed that it aims resolve all the issues regarding the allegations and aim to enrich and empower the community wherever they operate. Projects Under Scrutiny Lanjigarh Bauxite Mine Lanjigarh Smelter Chhattisgarh Chimney Collapse Chennai Factory Source: CONCLUSION: In conclusion Vedanta Resources is Indias largest non-ferrous metal and mining company based on revenue. This FTSE-100 company has a strong balance sheet with cash and liquid investment of $7.2 billion and has cash in excess of $7.0 billion. Moreover, its the only Indian manufacturing company listed at London Stock Exchange. They are working with workforce of 30,000. The analysis shown above certainly explains the success of Vedanta Resources in mining industry. This success can be hugely owed to its corporate strategy. However there are still some glitches in the strategy. This is evident by the SWOT analysis, so also the effects on its business as an aftermath of its weak corporate social responsibility. Therefore it is evident that their current corporate strategy is not sustainable. Although due consideration has been given in asset optimization, reducing costs and thereby gaining profits; Vedanta has not given due consideration to the threat posed by its competitors. If any of the competitors enter India, for mining then Vedanta would not be able to survive. Moreover their corporate social responsibility has been lacking; this has severely affected their Brand-name, a very important factor in todays market. It has also resulted in decreased market share and withdrawal from many of their investors like Church of England. Therefore certain cha nges have to be made in their current corporate strategy. First of all, the company should give due consideration to its Social Responsibility, it should provide rehabilitation facilities to people, who have lost their lands due to mining activities. It should provide safety and security measures for their workers. It should also come with policies that are in accordance with the human right and environment. All this would add up with Brand Image of the company. It should try to improve relations with Indian governm

George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984 Essay -- 1984 by George Orw

The book 1984 by George Orwell is merely a warning of what could happen to a society in the future after many years of decline. In the nineteen fifties it was thought of as a prophecy. Many people actually thought that George Orwell was a madman for predicting all of these events in this book to happen in the year 1984.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story takes place in Oceania that is as a big country where there are smaller parts to it, like London where the main character Winston Smith lives. London is the former capital of the former country England. Obviously the story takes place in the year 1984. There are three classes living in Oceania: the Inner Party, the Outer Party, and the Proles. The Inner Party makes up about only two percent of the population. The Inner Party is the ruling party. The Outer Party makes up of about fifteen percent of the population. All of the daily administration is handled by the Outer Party. The Outer Party is described as small, powerless, and indispensable. It is the equivalent of a middle class. The Inner party selects a small number of the Outer party to join the Inner Party. Then there are the Proles who make up the rest of the population.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Government in Oceania is divided into four gigantic Ministries: The Ministry of Truth, The Ministry of Peace, The Ministry of Love, and The Ministry of Plenty. The Ministry of Truth controls the news, entertainment, education, and the fine arts. The Ministry of Peace controls all of the concerns of war. Th...

Differentiate Between Different Learning Styles

What is learning style:- The various preferences and methods employed by learners in the process of learning. Every individual have different style and techniques of learning. Some people may find that they have a dominant style of learning, with far less use of the other styles. Others may find that they use different styles in different circumstances. There is no right mix. Nor are your styles fixed. You can develop ability in less dominant styles, as well as further develop styles that you already use well.So the best way to learn always depends on the person by finding his own style of learning style. We have different kinds of learning styles. Differentiation between different learning styles:- There are three main types of learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Most people learn best through a combination of the three types of learning styles, but everybody is different. Auditory Learners: Hear Auditory learners would rather listen to things being explained than re ad about them.Reciting information out loud and having music in the background may be a common study method. Other noises may become a distraction resulting in a need for a relatively quiet place. Visual Learners: See Visual learners learn best by looking at graphics, watching a demonstration, or reading. For them, it’s easy to look at charts and graphs, but they may have difficulty focusing while listening to an explanation. Kinesthetic Learners: TouchKinesthetic learners process information best through a â€Å"hands-on† experience. Actually doing an activity can be the easiest way for them to learn. Sitting still while studying may be difficult, but writing things down makes it easier to understand. First is called visual in which we use and prefer mostly pictures and spatial understanding, while second is Aural in which we prefer to listen sounds and music on order to learn something effectively.Third is verbal, in this type of learning we use wordings and speeches . Fourth, Physical, in this type of learning we use a sense of touch and body language. Fifth is Logic, in which we prefer using reason and logic arguments. The sixth kind of learning style is social; this is one of the common types of learning style in which we prefer to learn in groups. Lastly, Solitary is the last kind of learning style in which individuals work and study alone to learn in their own style. www. scibd. com

Teen Suicides Essay

Every second of the day a person dies and every second of the day a child is born. But did you know that half of the deaths are from suicide. From that half of the suicidal deaths are from teen suicide. Did you know that suicide is the leading cause of death? Or that its one of the top 3 reasons why teenagers are found dead? Every year teens are killed because they suicide. Every day they give up on life and embrace death instead. Just learning this from the news I became interested. Suicide has always interested me because of what I heard and my own personal experience. So when I started to research about this topic I got so many results. Each topic brought up other many sub topics. Each subtopic was like reading an article from an encyclopedia. So after reading I thought of focusing my research on how many teens suicide, why they suicide, what are the signs of suicidal risk, and can you help someone if they are thinking of suicides. How many teenagers suicide every day? Every 40 seconds of everyday around the world a teenager kills themselves by suicide. â€Å"After a year has passed over 1 million teenagers have killed themselves by suicide.† (http://www.thementalhealthblog.com/2013/10/teenage-depression-and-suicide-statistics/) This is important because after a year has passed more than 1 million kids have killed themselves. This shows that for teenagers they rather welcome death than find a reason to live. For every teenager the ratio for boys to girls are different. â€Å"For every one girl that goes through the suicide there are 4 more boys that have already gone through. The ratio for every boy that attempts to suicide there three girls are also attempting suicide too.†(http://www.thementalhealthblog.com/2013/10/teenage-depression-and-suicide-statistics/) This is importantly significant because it shows that out of the million kids that suicides boys go through it more while the girls try  to attempt it more than the boys. â€Å"Every day there are at least 1 out of twelve teenagers that attempt suicide.† (http://www.thementalhealthblog.com/2013/10/teenage-depression-and-suicide-statistics/) This is significant because if every teenager around the world was to line up then every twelfth kid of the line would attempt a suicide. It shows that every one out of 12 kids is trying to end their life. I discovered that in an article, â€Å"Suicide is the third leading cause for deaths of teens.† (http://www.thementalhealthblog.com/2013/10/teenage-depression-and-suicide-statistics/) This is really significant because for teenagers, suicide is easier. It also shows that many teenagers die from aids, cancer and stroke. Another thing I discovered in an article was, â€Å"Nearly 60% of all suicide in the United States is committed with a gun.† (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html) This is important because for 60 percent of the suicide death in the United States of Ameri ca was from guns. This also shows how easy for teenagers to have access to firearm. With more people aware of how many teenagers are dying and the leading reason is cause of firearms we could stop all of it. The fact that every 40 seconds a teenager commits suicide was shocking because it shows me that the world is not a perfect place. For teenagers to give up their life for me is like someone beginning to smoke. In my mind they are both the same and they are all horrible for the people close to the person. It’s shocking to know that every year around the world more than a million people die. To find that most of the suicide is from male teenagers it was frightening. This shows that male teenagers are more aggressive than female. Since they are more aggressive they would find more ways to kill themselves. If all my friends were to suicide I would be sad because they would be part of the million of kids to give up. I found that one 1 of twelve teenagers attempt to suicide was more interesting than ever. This to me is interesting because I had personal experience in this because when I was little my sister tried to kill herself. Being little I thought she was messing around but when we got a little bit older she almost did it again  but I was able to persuade her to not. Since that girls are more likely attempt to suicide that made my sister part of the statistic. Another reason this is interesting because if kids suicide every 40 seconds it add ups. I think that this is sad because my friends could be thinking of suicide but I wouldn’t know. Like one of my teachers said everyone has two lives. I didn’t understand it but now I know. Everyone has their school life where they choose to be and then they have their life at home. So if my friends were thinking of wanting to die I wouldn’t know. Another reason this is interesting is because most suicide death is from firearms. To me for people to own firearms I think it is stupid. In my mind if a parent was to own a firearm they should lock it up. If they the weapon out anyone could just walk in and shoot themselves. I hope that teenagers could find a way to life and deaths would go down. What are some reasons teens commit suicide? Teenagers commit suicide everyday over simple reasons. For the teenagers them self those reasons are what drive them to act out their final moments. Teenagers â€Å"going through major life changes,† might be reason. (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html) If teens were in a middle of a divorce between their parents they try to escape. This is significant because if kids were going through major life changes they would feel so many emotions. When this happens the teenagers let their emotions rule. â€Å"For teenagers, sometimes their overwhelming hopelessness is enough to cause them to take their own lives.† (http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-suicide/why-teens-commit-suicide.html ) This is important because if teens fill hopeless then it easier for them to find ways to escape. They would escape with death because they are stuck in impossible situations for them to deal with. Teenagers also suicides because they try to, â€Å"escape from overwhelming fe eling like rejection, guilt, and sadness.†(http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-suicide/why-teens-commit-suicide.html ) This is important because some teenagers can’t deal with too much feeling. So they think that attempting suicide might be the only way for them to escape. I also discovered in an online article about what causes this  feelings. â€Å"Problems are very real to the teens that are facing them. Teenagers face the pressures of trying fit in socially, to perform academically, and to act responsibly (2).† (http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-suicide/why-teens-commit-suicide.html ) This is important because every teenager feels the pressure. When they face the responsibility alone they feel neglected and alone. If they keep feeling like this they think that suicide is their only way out of feeling the pressure. Depression is another leading cause for teen’s suicide. Just like I am, every day teens are found with signs of depression. Depression can sometimes lead to suicide. â€Å"Depression may lead teens to focus on their failures and disappointments.† (http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-suicide/why-teens-commit-suicide.html ) This is important because it’s a known fact that depression is the leading factor or reason why kids kill them self. If people have depression they feel the worthless so they kill themselves to end the sadness. The reason for many teenagers to end their life because of depression or hopelessness is interesting. It’s interesting because it not just depression that takes over the teenage mind but the feeling of hopelessness. I’m shocked because every teenager has been given for a lot of responsibility.  If kids were to deal with this alone it would make them scared. Once they would feel scared then the other feeling would come and over whelm the teenager. I had been overwhelmed by the responsibility and it wasn’t fun. I understood the pain and unworthiness but my parents helped me out. I couldn’t bare the fact if my parents weren’t there to help me. Another thing I that I was shocked was the research I found about the question. The number one factor for teens to suicide was depression. In my mind I can understand, why. Since I have depression it’s sometime hard to feel happy. For me it’s like having a heavy weight on your shoulder. Another reason this is interesting is because of feeling. When I read that some teenagers kill themselves because they think it’s an escape. If I let my feelings run my actions I would be destroyed because I would be miserable. I can’t imagine someone anyone living like that. If anyone close to me said that they wanted to escape I talk to them. Another reason this is interesting is because major life changes affect decisions of the child. I remember when I was seven I moved to a new house. I was so sad because I was leaving my friends and teachers that I like. When  I got in our new house I didn’t like it. I hated everyone and was very stubborn. Then I gave everyo ne a chance and took over my life. I had to learn the hard way about letting my emotions rule my life but I promised not to go back to that place. In my mind I think everyone has a mind to run their life. But for instance some people can’t handle that pressure. I hope that if people can find their will to live they won’t overdose on drugs or killing themselves. I just hope teenagers can find a way to life. What are the signs of teens about to attempt suicide? One teenager every 40 seconds shows signs of them about to either follow through or attempt to suicide. Even though the signs might not be big they are big to the teenager. For some teenagers it is a cry for help. Some teenagers â€Å"have dramatic personality changes† (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=55145) It might not be a lot but if a teenager was happy one day and then for the rest of the week that teenager is sad, depressed or angry. This is significant because even though the teenager might go through weird changes it’s their way of saying â€Å"help me or please notice me.† Another thing I discovered was teenager about to attempt suicide â€Å"have and obsession with death, poems, essays and drawings that refer to death itself. (http://www.familyfirstaid.org/suicide.html) This is significant because let’s say your teenager never talks about death. If they had suicidal thoughts then they would be fascinated by death becaus e in their mind death is their escape. If teenagers with suicidal thoughts let their emotions rule their decisions so they’re not thinking rational, â€Å"depression with irrational bizarre behavior.† (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html) This is significant because when teens have overwhelming feeling it run the part of mind that thinks logical. So in the way they lose that logical sense and in a way lose themselves. Teenagers also say things to see if their parents are listening. â€Å"I’m thinking of committing suicide or I wish I could just die.† (http://www.teensuicide.us/articles2.html) Sometimes they whisper it or say I just kidding. But in the end it’s never a joke. It’s important  because if a parent doesn’t respond the way a teenager expects them to respond then they feel hopeless. I did some research on my own and saw that teenagers drop hints. They would usually say â€Å"I won’t trouble you anymore.† (http://www.teensuici de.us/articles2.html) This is important because these are calls for help and in their way these signs are a way to let their feelings out. This question made me very interested because all of the signs are a call for help. In my mind it’s like when a smoker drops hints about what he has does but they are very vague. They are both similar and both a call for help. I’m interested because I know people that are interested in death but they don’t resemble me as someone that is suicidal. This question makes me interested because it is the basic reason why teenagers need our help. If I was in a position where I was need of help and I was scared then I would have drop simple hints. To the people I given the hints to it wouldn’t make sense. It would seem to them that I have gone crazy but it’s my way of saying to them that I need help. If I didn’t get the reaction that I wanted it would make me feel more hopeless and alone. Many teens around the world face this problem, the problem of feeling hopeless and alone. In a way the teenager’s signs can be saved if anyone could notice and listen. I think it is intriguing for parents that don’t listen to their children. Around the world there are 20 kids who are dropping signs about that they are going to kill themselves. One- third of those kids are noticed but the rest the unlucky ones fill as if they are alone and in the end slowly give up. I couldn’t believe the fact that there are teens who feel alone. In my mind I feel as if people don’t care about their children it’s just like murder straight up murder. I hope that people could just open up their mind and see that suicide is very important. Can someone help a teenager that has suicide thoughts? Yes, if parents open their eyes to the signs that their kids are showing to them then they can save the teenager. Articles and doctor say that you should â€Å"get help immediately. This is significant because if yo can have the kid talk to someone about their problems then its suppose to help them. The teenager would understand that they are not alone or neglected.  Refer to a psychologist  (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html).  Another thing the article stated, â€Å"Understanding depression in teens is very important since it can look different.† (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html) This is important because there are at least 4 known types of depression. Even though each one is similar they have certain symptoms that distinguish each other from each one. For teen depression they are different because unlike the other depression teens from some people. Once you understand signs then you could help the teenager.  "Watch, listen and ask questions.† (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html) This is significant because if someone was to watch and listen to their child then they would see that their teenager needs help. Teenagers also want support from their parents. If parents were to, â€Å"keep the lines of communication open and express concern, support,† then they would understand their child (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html). This is significant because if the teenage confides with the parent then they would feel happy. For them the teenage would feel that the parent is actually taking their concerns very seriously. Suicide is a hard thing for teens to deal with. In the end they don’t know what to do but find their own escape. Reading the article I was astonished by all the things a parent can do but never actually does. I think that these ways of helping a teenager is interesting because it shows some ways of helping suicidal teenager. I wish that everyone could have caring parents. When I was down my dark path and near depression they were there. They helped me by listening to my problems and help me problem solve. I think it’s interesting bec ause around the world there are a lot of teenager that need help. Not all of them get the help they seek so they end their life. For me it’s sad that there is so many kids dying. I just hope one day we can know the signs and make this world a better place. Conclusion I am very interested in the understanding everything there is about suicide. I’m intrigued by the fact that over 1 million kids have died because of  simple reason that could have been fixed. In my mind all these facts were really interesting specially knowing that there are 5 types of depression. As a result of this research I know how to deal with this situation. I would know to how to help people that are going through this. I would know the signs of what a suicidal teenage is showing. I would also be able to spread it to others. Every day a teenager is faced with a choice. They can either live the life they were given or give up and embrace death. Everyday some teenager you know could be in trouble. Would you help or you let that kid become part of the one million kids that die that year. This current event is about how Israel might take humanity back to the dark ages. The dark ages occurred right after the collapse of the Roman Empire. The Israeli army bulldozed recently entered a village next a town called Aqraba. They did this so they can demolish a home that had belonged to a Palestinian family. They did this other numerous times. Their hallucinations over false evidence is making us go back to another dark ages. Since they are curtailing the rights of the Bedouins then they want a war. A war that is devastating with Iran and Islam. For Israel to be peace they would make the Middle East a nuclear peace zone. Maybe the U.s would do the same. This is important because the dark ages were chaotic. The world if ever went back to the world go crazy. Another reason this is important because with the Israel wanting to defend itself it would do it without it missiles. Also if the east was to have no nuclear then it might be a time of peace. It would be a small step but the step would create a big history for the world. The world wouldn’t have to worry about nuclear weapons if we got rid of it. We also might be able to stop terrorist. In a way if we can go back to a peaceful time then it would be great for everyone. In way I would be good for us. Then we could create a better world. A world where it will be safe everyone.