Relevance of International Human Resource Management

Importance of International Human Resource Management The investigation of International Human Resource Management is fine in the event that you are going to work in a huge Multinational Enterprise, yet has no pertinence for people who are going to work in little firms. Do you concur or oppose this idea? Offer reasons and suitable guides to help your response. This paper embarks to show that the investigation of universal human asset the executives is good for people who are going to work in little firms whether in an administration or laborer limit . It is noticed that a â€Å"small firm† could possibly be worldwide and with the end goal of this conversation it is expected that the induction is that they are most certainly not. This paper will exhibit that through indicating that an energy about various ways to deal with work there can be benefits for the individual representative and the supervisor. Further advantages will be seen through showing that severe adherence to acknowledged national traditions and culture can negatively affect business achievement. There will likewise be a conversation on how people and organizations should know about the undeniably multicultural nature of the British workforce. To open this discussion it is important to characterize what is implied by the term â€Å"international human asset management†. Examination concerning the term proposes that the accentuation lies on the most proficient method to work the human asset the executives work in worldwide organizations and that it is worried about the similitudes and contrasts of overseeing in various nations and how to coordinate a business culture across global limits. Notwithstanding, it is discovered that little consideration is given to the way that the UK has an undeniably global workforce and while they might be dependent upon the frameworks, systems and laws of the UK, they way they think and work is emphatically influenced by their own national culture which may fluctuate altogether to that of the UK. The BBC reports that â€Å"(a) record 582,000 individuals came to live in the UK from somewhere else on the planet in 2004, as indicated by government expertsâ€Å" (BBC 2005, p. not given). They further propose that this flood is important to help the UK economy develop as most of these vagrants have gone to the nation to work. The Times paper bolsters this in announcing that â€Å"Britain required laborers for 600,000 opening, including low-paid employments that were regularly hard to fillâ€Å" and proceeds to state that â€Å"(e)mployers are forcefully enlisting staff from other countries† (Nugent et al 2004, page not given). They additionally found that 96% of these vagrants were utilized in all day work (Nugent et al 2004). This shows the UK workforce is getting progressively global and different. The fundamental contentions for the expansion in familiarity with global human asset the board would appear to pressure the weights on chiefs working in worldwide organizations. For instance of this, Trompenaars et al disclose to us that â€Å"(i)nternational supervisors have it extreme. They should work on various premises at any one time. These premises emerge from their way of life of starting point, the way of life where they are working and the way of life of the association which utilizes them† (Trompenaars et al 1997, p. 3). In any case, the author would contend that similar difficulties likewise face those working in an exclusively UK based business as they become progressively liable to be working with and for associates who start from nations other than the UK and have distinctive social desires. To have the option to guarantee that the working connection between bunches is a profitable and positive one, every individual would profit by a comprehension of certain par ts of global human asset the board particularly in the zone of culture where perspectives towards authority, inspiration, and pay and acknowledgment may change. A further advantage of consciousness of various human asset the board practices might be the acknowledgment that UK based organizations might have the option to embrace positive parts of different nations work practices and societies. Mullins (2005) states, there are advantages to be found in a business taking a gander at how it’s national culture might be restricting their capacity to be deliberately serious. He proceeds by refering to Trompenaars who felt that his own work â€Å"helped directors to structure their encounters and gave bits of knowledge to them and their associations into the genuine wellspring of issues confronted while overseeing across societies or managing diversity† (Trompenaars 1999, p. 31. refered to in Mullins 2005, p. 43). Against the contention for people who are going to work in a little firm examining global human asset the executives is the scope of territories such a theme covers. Global human asset administrators need to have an energy about the laws and arrangements of the nations their boss works in and while this may important to a UK worker, it's anything but a zone they would consequently have the option to impact or change. This carries us to the inquiries of whether as opposed to worldwide human asset the board, what we are talking about is the administration of decent variety both from the perspective of a chief who directs crafted by a multicultural workforce or the instance of an individual laborer whose associates begin from an assortment of social foundations. Streams bolsters this point and expresses that â€Å"(d)ifferences in national culture may have a direction on how associations manage one another and furthermore on conduct inside associations which include a blend of nationalities† (Brooks 2003, p. 264). Francesco and Gold state that â€Å"managers must create hierarchical frameworks that are adaptable enough to consider the significance of work and the overall estimation of remunerations inside the scope of societies where they operate† (Francesco et al 1998, p. 144) and while when saying this, they implied it to be applied to worldwide associations, the equivalent can be supposed to be valid for those working in a multicultural situation broadly based. Mullins concurs with this in saying that â€Å"there are various generally excellent reasons why we could helpfully comprehend social contrasts (and likeness) at work, in view of new mindfulness adding to our own viability and also to the achievement of authoritative goals† (Mullins 2005, p. 44). He proceeds to state that â€Å"there could in this way be preferences of culturally diverse mindfulness which include: expanded mindfulness; affectability to distinction; scrutinizing our own suspicions and information; decre asing numbness, bias and hatred† (Mullins 2005, p. 44). For instance, an administrator with an overwhelmingly British social foundation may need to adjust their persuasive procedures for people from societies where acknowledgment through commendation is more exceptionally respected than a monetary reward. From the scholars own understanding, a typical UK practice of publicizing singular execution levels was seen as profoundly demotivating and a wellspring of anxiety among a prevalently Asian workforce. Adler recommends there are inbuilt risks where multi-social groups work â€Å"(m)istrust including generalizing; miscommunication with potential for diminished precision and resultant pressure; process challenges, that is inability to concur when understanding is required or even what comprises understanding while showing up at decisions† (Adler 1997, refered to in Mullins 2005, p. 44). To beat these likely issues, there must be a comprehension and valuation for the human asset the board frameworks of different societies as these will impact the work desires and practices of the workforce. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) consider the to be if assorted variety as being pivotal. They state that â€Å"(t)oday, numerous associations are out-thinking and outflanking their rivals by utilizing decent variety as a technique for guaranteeing long haul achievement and advantageâ€Å" (CIPD date not known page not given). They bolster his view by including that â€Å"(i)n the essence of evolving socioeconomics, a narrowing ability pool and an undeniably worldwide commercial center, supporting the inventiveness, advancement and concealed capability of associations is vital† (CIPD date not known page not given). A further viewpoint to be considered is the lawful prerequisite for organizations to grasp assorted variety in their workforce. Since the 1970s there has been an expanding measure of enactment in the UK identifying with pay balance and sex and racial segregation. In any case, a CIPD study found that 68% of respondents gave â€Å"legal pressures† as the key driver for decent variety in their business (CIPD 2006, p. 3) recommending as opposed to a valuation for the business advantages of grasping decent variety, the significance put on these issues is expected more to a dread of the negative exposure and expenses related with legitimate activity because of segregation. The idea of universal human asset the board has been believed to be predominantly the worry of people who are to mean to work across land limits. It has been exhibited anyway that there are numerous parts of the subject that are not just appropriate to those aiming to work for a little firm, yet could likewise profit them in having the option to support social decent variety and receive great practice from different nations. The inexorably worldwide workforce in the UK and the acquaintance of enactment relating with assorted variety implies that businesses and representatives must have a familiarity with the regions of global human asset the executives that identify with comprehension and grasping social contrasts. References and list of sources. Adler, N.J. (2001). Universal Dimensions of Organizational Behavior. California, USA: South-Western College Publishing. BBC. (2005). Record migration levels to UK. Gotten to at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/greetings/uk/435

Classical Theorists Essay example -- Sociology, Feminist Theory, Gende

The predominant voice in human science is white, hetero and male. This is absolutely valid for the â€Å"Classical† scholars and progenitors Georg Simmel and Max Weber. Throughout the years Sociology has perceived various voices in the convention, opening the entryways for women's activist hypothesis and scholars, for example, Candace West, Don H. Zimmerman, Judith Butler, Patricia Hill Collins, Dorothy E. Smith, and Raewyn Connell. These sociologists endeavor to offer an alternate point of view from the prevailing one, a viewpoint that can discover a portion of its underlying foundations in progress of the sociological ancestors. West and Zimmerman’s Doing Gender was a fundamental sociological work. The creators declared, â€Å"the basic male and female natures are an accomplished status of target actuality, they give the basis to the varying destinies of ladies and men† (Kivisto 2011: 319). Max Weber’s sees on status praise this thought. Weber states â€Å"a status gathering can exist just to the degree that others accord its part glory or debasing, which expels them from the remainder of social entertainers and builds up the fundamental social distance† (Coser 1977: 229). West and Zimmerman proceed to talk about the contrast between sex, sex class, and sexual orientation. They additionally focus on sex, presenting that rather than a basic piece of our inclination it is a demonstration we depict day by day (Kivisto 2011). West and Zimmerman take on sexual orientation was progressive however at its very establishment is the possibility of status in American culture. By and large, sex contrast has been utilized to enslave the female sex class. Georg Simmel additionally managed status in his exposition on Fashion. He examined the lower class procuring material things to copy higher classes. Correspondingly, West and Zimmerman talked about sexual orientation shows a... ...2011). Numerous occupations that are viewed as manly get more cash-flow, for example, representative and professional football players. While educators, medical caretakers, and housekeepers generally female positions scarcely make sufficiently a to endure. It says a great deal regarding what sexual orientation we esteem in the public eye. Contending professionally wage from a women's activist point of view, would feature the opposing demonstration of showing a certain something and rehearsing another. The women's activist viewpoint may bring up that ladylike and manly are social developments. This perfect would balance the sex classification female and male (Kivisto 2011). Making â€Å"female† exercises as important as male exercises. They would acknowledge information from all gatherings. Utilize an assortment of angles to settle on choices about wages (Kivisto 2011). Attempt to disassemble the gendered hierarchal structure of the college and deny â€Å"masculine† and â€Å"Feminine†.

Summer Vacation Ideas For Students

Summer Vacation Ideas For Students What Should You Do During Summer Vacation as an International Student Home›Informative Posts›What Should You Do During Summer Vacation as an International Student Informative PostsSummer Vacation Ideas For International StudentsIf you are planning to study in the United States or Canada, you will be pleased to know that students there have up to four months of summer vacation. It’s quite a lot of free time, isn’t it? To make sure that you won’t get bored during such a long period of time, we have come up with some summer ideas for international students.Get Acquainted With Your New SurroundingsWhile studying, you probably won’t have enough time to explore the new city, but during the summer break you most certainly will. Google some important historical and cultural sights and visit them, so as to get to know more about the place you are living in. Also, you can absorb the city’s atmosphere by strolling around and enjoying local architecture, shops and restaurants.Hang out With FriendsBy that time, you will have met many new friends in your school. It would be nice to spend some time with them outside your classroom. Together, you can go hiking, have fun on the beach, go to watch a new movie in 3D or organize a movie marathon at home and so on.Enjoy Music Concerts and FestivalsIf you enjoy listening to live performances of your favorite singers and bands, both the USA and Canada can provide you with many opportunities to do that. Summer is the perfect time for music addicts, since a great deal of concerts and music festivals are held during that period of time. Just go through the announcements to see when your favorite performers will give concerts in your city or in a city not far from yours.Find a JobIf you did not manage to find a part-time job during studying year, don’t get disappointed. You will have plenty of time to find a job during the summer break. Just spend some time writing a good CV and then go to the places in your town, which are hiring students, or apply for a job online.Become a VolunteerNowadays, volunteering is very popular in both Canada and the USA. You can join this movement and become a volunteer in some local charitable organization or at your college. Just think about what issue you would like to address â€" homeless people, stray dogs, air pollution etc. Then find an organization or a group of volunteers working in that area and offer your help.As you can see, there are many ways to have a great time during summer vacations in a foreign country. We hope our summer break tips will help you understand what exactly you want to do during that period of time.

Areas of Law - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1103 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Type Cause and effect essay Did you like this example? Media report analysis 1. Identify the areas of law that are relevant to the chosen media report, and explain how they are relevant to the matters outlined in the report. Criminal Law Kelden Edward Fraser has committed a crime by breaking out a prison van at Geraldton Airport as he was being transferred to a maximum security jail due to his bad behaviours. Furthermore, Fraser was capture again as he has allegedly committed criminal offence for armed robbery. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Areas of Law" essay for you Create order Tort Law Concerning the tort law, Fraser had taken part in a roof protest which has resulted in $ 13,000 damaged including antenna and extractor fans at Greenough Regional Prison. Furthermore, Serco was negligent by carrying the prisoners without specialist officers and the Corrective Services Ministers were negligent by not sending specialised officers with the prisoners in the van. Administrative law The Corrective Services Minister Mr. Joe Francis was asked if Fraser should have been given a high risk escort but Mr. Francis stated that he would not make such remark on the departmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s operational decisions. However, it has been confirmed by Mr. Francis that Fraser high security risk will be implemented and he will be transferred to Perth. Moreover, he declared that the Correctives Services Commissioner, Mr. James McMahon was reviewing the policies. Contract Law Serco Company holds a contract with the Western Australia Prison to provide transpo rt services. Property Law Properties of Greenough Regional Prison were damaged which includes antenna and extractor fans. Also, Serco property was damaged. The van in which the prisoners were travelling, Fraser and Graham kicked through the internal cells panels. 2. Demonstrate how the law functions in these various ways, by reference to specific examples within the chosen media report and the areas of law you identified in question 1. Ensures reasonable predictability in daily life Concerning the Administrative Law, the corrective minister services, Mr Joe Francis decided that considerable security risk will be implemented so that the same offence will not be repeated by Frauser or by other prisoners. Encourages and discourages certain conduct. Criminal Law will discourage Fraser and other prisoners to break out from the van or the prison itself. In our case example, Fraser will be transferred to a high security risk jail as he escaped the prison van and he was involved in an armed robbery. Thus, harsh penalties can be imposed as an incentive to engage in these conducts. Tort law will encourage the prisoners to regulate their behaviour and conduct. Our case example is that Fraser took part in a roof protest which caused a damage of $ 13000. The harsh penalties can be used against Fraser. This will encourage the prisoners to abide the rules and regulations of the prison. Grants rights and powers to individuals and groups of people. According to the rights and powers the administrative law allows Mr. James McMahon, the commissioner, to review the policies due the incidents that occurred recently by Fraser. Moreover, Mr. McMahon can legally change decision making bodies. Imposes obligations on individuals/organisations to meet their legal responsibility. According to the application of administrative law, the prisoners who should have been escorted by specialist emergency support group officers instead they were escorted with the Serco Company employees who do not have any training how to deal with prisoners. The prison officers did meet their legal responsibility and did perform their job as it should be. Allows for the enforcement of recognised rights and duties. In relation to the tort law, the negligence of Serco company sending his employees with the prisoners and the negligence of the Corrective Services Ministers by not sending specialist officers in the van, Mr Joe Francis took the decision that James McMahon has acquired the right to take decisions concerning the transport services contract offered by Serco Company. Thus, the Commissioner stated that there will be no more essential transportation of prisoners without his consent. This will done so as prisoners do not break out while transferring them to a maximum security prison. Provides remedies when an injustice has been done. In the agreement with Serco Company the Western Australia did not respect the contract. This so, as the employees of Serco has been aggrieved by the conduct of the prisoners. So, Serco Company can impose duties so as a remedy can be obtained. Property law would provide a remedy by increasing the sentence of Fraser for damaging the prison property. 3. By reference to the legal issues contained in the chosen media report, explain why it was important for the relevant party/parties to know the law in the circumstances? How did, or could, the party/parties have applied the law to their advantage? Kelden Edward Fraser the most important opponent of the media report was involved in a roof protest that caused $13000 damage in property for examples, antenna and extractor fans at the Greenough Regional Prison. Also, Fraser was alleged for an armed robbery. Thus, Fraser sentence can be increased so that he will not commit the same crime again. In spite of that, the relevant parti es knew the law. The Corrective Services Minister, Mr. Joe Francis took legal actions against Fraser. So, they decided to transfer Fraser to a high security jail for misconducts and the crime he committed. This will help to have more disciplinary prisoners who will not commit offences due to the harsh penalties that will be imposed. The parties can apply the law to their advantage by knowing their rights and impose duties so to find remedies to the specific problems. 4. How do the media influence public perceptions about the law and its administration? How might public pressure impact legislators and judges in establishing the law? Media can influence public perceptions about the law and its administration by magazines, newspapers, television, also, websites like facebook and twitter which are constantly affecting the legal, ethical and marketing conditions of the law. Media does blew out of proportion where public does believe everything they say and write. Furthermo re, media influence public with their constructive articles which does happen that these can change the perceptions about law and administration. It can be good perceptions or bad perceptions. Moreover, for example, In Mauritius the use of handheld mobile phones is prohibited. So, public pressure can have an impact on legislators and judges in establishing the law by a petition that is, addressing to the Prime Minister office or any other concern parties. So, judges are subject to public scrutiny. REFERENCES Pownall, A. 2014. Escapee part of roof stand à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" off. The West Australian, January 8, 2014, 9. WORD COUNT: 1105

Antigone And Creon, Antagonist, Hero And Anti Hero Essay

Antigone and Creon, protagonist and antagonist, hero and anti-hero; neither character is fully one role. In the play, Antigone, there is a constant struggle to define what is a just act and whether the kings or the gods create the true laws. Antigone, desired to bury her deceased brother, Polyneices, unfortunately it was decreed a capital punishment to do so by King Creon. Antigone saw much of her family die; the only blood relative left is her sister Ismene. But it is more than closure that Antigone wants when burying Polyneices. King Creon is Antigone’s uncle (but they are no family); and certain events in the past involving Antigone’s family led to Creon becoming king, leaving many dead in the path. While Polyneices was suspected to be a traitor by Creon, this is irrelevant because to the citizens of Thebes, everyone deserved a proper burial. Antigone buried Polyneices and it ultimately resulted in her death. Although, it was not how one might have expected it to occ ur. Her reasons for doing so include fighting against patriarchy, protesting Creon’s rule, fame and the most obvious one, simply to give her brother the burial he deserves. King Creon, on the other hand, has numerous reasons why he could not repeal his ban on burying Polyneices, which consist of being certain he was a traitor, to not appear nepotistic, because he is always right, and misogyny. Without further inspection, these two characters seem opposites, clear enemies; but that is until one understand theShow MoreRelatedAntigone by Sophocles and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams1121 Words   |  5 Pagesliterature works of Antigone by Sophocles and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. Where the characters are tragic heroes and what makes them tragic heroes is that they accept defeat for their beliefs. Antigone is a tragedy with the opposition of state laws and religious laws. The main protagonist is King Creon ruler of Thebes, who has recently stepped up to the throne, after his nephews Eteocles and Polyneices had killed each other in a war over the throne. Creon declares, that his nephewRead MoreWhat is Justice: Humanism v. Law in Antigone Essay1728 Words   |  7 Pagescan at times result in more chaos than was originally had. This conflict is no more obvious than in Sophocles’ Antigone. Antigone, the character, represents half of the struggle between what the law says is just and what we inherently deem to be morally upstanding – Creon represents the opposing side which views law and power as the ultimate dictator of life’s unraveling. Though Antigone is ultimately thwarted, she is on the side of justice rather than blindly following the law. Antigone’s empathy

ATDPTI Paper Free Essays

The supplies used by the Indians on the reservation are completely outdated and unhelpful. An example of outdated supplies on the reservation is when Arnold is still at his school on the reservation and he receives a geometry textbook with his moms name inside of it. He then realizes that this geometry book was used when his mom went to school on the reservation. We will write a custom essay sample on ATDPTI Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now Soon Arnold had realized that his book was prehistoric he threw the book at his teachers face by accident and broke his nose. The last thing Arnold wanted to do was start the year off badly. As ell as supplies teachers are very different in the way they act and treat their students compared to the teachers at Reardon. Teachers at Arnold’s old school on the reservation have terrible methods of teaching their students. When students go to school, they depend on their teachers to teach them, but when the teachers don’t so their job right the motive for the students to learn is gone. An example of bad teaching methods or actions in the novel ADOPT is when Mr.. P who was Arnold’s teacher on the reservation was talking about how teachers were expected to beat their students if something was one wrong. The way people are treated and taught at a young age can affect the way they act for the rest of their lives. Education is a very important aspect of ADOPT but their are many more. As well as education, money and income of a household of a family has a huge impact on the way that certain families act. In the novel ADOPT one of the differences in money be;en white people and Indian people is their wealth. Wealth determines how much money you receive and depending on that income someone could be poor or wealthy. In ADAPTS Arnold happens to live in a very poor family. When Arnold gets to his new school he notices that all the white people that attend Reardon have nice clothing and Arnold also notices that his clothing is not so nice compared to the other kids. This causes Arnold to feel like he does not fit in, which does not help him specifically on his first day. Money and income also affects peoples way of life. If someone is poor then they might set lower standards than people who are not poor. When people set lower standards than they should that could be bad because that can lead to not achieving goals that they would want to accomplish. An example of setting bad standards in the novel ADOPT is when Arnold is saying that he will get nowhere in life and the only chance of him getting anywhere in life is through drawing his cartoons. He thinks this way because he does not have the money to go to college or school which makes him feel like he can get no where in life. Money is needed for many things and can help in life if available. To be healthy, one must have a certain diet that suits them. When comparing the health of white people and Indians in the novel ADOPT one ill see that the state of health of the white people is depicted better than the health that of the Indians. To survive you must eat, but this often did not happen in many families on the reservation including Arnold’s family. An example of bad health in the novel ADOPT is after Arnold and the Reardon basketball team beat the basketball team from the reservation. After Arnold had won the game he realized that the some of the players on the reservation team had not eaten the previous night. Arnold felt terrible about this and wished he could change what he had done. Another reason health is important is sickness. How to cite ATDPTI Paper, Papers

Compare and Contrast Indie-Rock and Rap / Hip-Hop Essay Example

Compare and Contrast: Indie-Rock and Rap / Hip-Hop Paper Music is everywhere you look. Turn on the T. V. and you can’t help but hear a theme song for a show, or a commercial featuring an up-and coming band. The largest portion of these ads take take their choice of music from Indie-rock and the Rap / Hip-hop musical genres. It is impossible to avoid (not that you are trying) because it is in all areas and facets of everyday life. These ads all focus on getting your attention with the music. The music keeps you interested in the ads. In turn, you sit though the commercial, with the prospect that you associate this killer tune with their product. Next thing you know, youre walking down the aisle at the local Wal*Mart, humming the tune, and you remember who’s product it was associated with. You purchase the product and the deed is done. What makes these musical genres different? There are a number of poignant differences, the biggest being the lyrical content of each style of musical genre. Indie-rock, for instance, is generally comprised of emotional topics, such as love and the loss thereof. It deals with the issues of self-loathing, being misunderstood and not fitting in. Hip-hop and Rap music on the other hand, tends to focus more on materialism, as well as some underlying emotional and sociological topics; gangs, drugs, sex, and alcohol. These mixed with hate and racially charges lyrics, creates a large range of emotion that strikes chords with the youth of today. This is one of the underlying factors in Rap and Hip-hop’s popularity. Another big difference between Rap and Indie-rock is the â€Å"sound. Indie-rock is build on the Rock n’ Roll foundation of acoustic and electric guitars melding with a good bass line and hard hitting drums. In Indie-rock, the music is as important as the lyrical content. If your lyrics are exceptional, but the accompaniment doesn’t fit the words, the song destined to disappoint. Rap and Hip-hop music, on the other hand, start with a beat. This beat generally consists of a bass line and percussion, with the occasiona l guitar. The rhyme or rap is built on top of, and around this beat. We will write a custom essay sample on Compare and Contrast: Indie-Rock and Rap / Hip-Hop specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Compare and Contrast: Indie-Rock and Rap / Hip-Hop specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Compare and Contrast: Indie-Rock and Rap / Hip-Hop specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As a result, the rap will more often then not mesh up well with the beat, as it was written with it in mind. In contrast, Indie-rock starts with the lyrics, and then music is written to match the lyrics as the artist sees fit. Economics provides yet another difference between the two genres. Indie-rock tends to be driven by middle class suburban angst. This fact tends to attracts people of that economic and sociological group. Rap and Hip-hop have their roots in the ghetto. Hence, the fans tend to be urban and in a lower income bracket. With a large portion of today young adults listening to music on a daily basis, it is no surprise that marketing has moved from jingles, to tracks off of our Cds. With most young adults exposed to these two genres of music by their friends, co-workers, and classmates, we can see the similarities in these two forms of music. Both appeal to youth and the undertones of every day life. Rap lends it’s power to the struggling who are disconnected from everyday life. Indie-rock serves the same purpose for the more fortunate yet, still disconnected. Advertisers choose the music they do because todays youth is tomorrows economy.

Frankenstein3 essays

Frankenstein3 essays the captain of a voyage to the North Pole Walton's sister and confidante to whom he writes his letters a student of Ingolstadt who becomes obsessed with his studies and creates the "monster" Victor's kind-hearted mother who dies of scarlet fever when Victor is seventeen Victor's youngest brother who is strangled to death by the "monster" A close friend of the Frankensteins who is accused and executed for the murder of William Frankenstein Victor's closest friend and traveling companion who is strangled by the "monster" Victor's adopted sister who marries Victor and is killed by the "monster" on their wedding night Victor's natural philosophy professor at the University of Ingolstadt A professor at the University of Ingolstadt whose chemistry lecture inspires Victor to begin his creation An old Irish magistrate who takes care of Victor while he is in prison Victor's creation who is deserted by Victor and rejected by society a blind exile from France who plays the guitar Felix's Arabian fiancee who leaves Turkey and joins Felix Robert Walton and his crew are on an expedition to the North Pole when they come across Victor Frankenstein near death. Walton restores Victor back to health and Victor explains the circumstances which have brought him into the artic regions in this condition. When Victor was a college student at The University of Ingolstadt, he became obsessed with the natural sciences and vowed to be the first to create life. Victor collected bod ...

Admission Essay Help

Admission Essay Help Admission Essay Help University admission or college admission is the process through which students enter the universities and colleges. Systems vary widely from country to country as well as from institution to institution.Admission essay writing includes one or more essays in addition to such objective information as grades and test scores. The typical question asks you to write about your personality, life experienced, and expectations on future. It allows the admission committee to get to know you better, to know your plans and goals, to read about an important event in your life, discover your philosophy. Writing the college admission essay is an opportunity for you to stand out among the applicants and to prove that you and only you are the most deserving candidate. Admission Essay Writing If you want to succeed with admission essay writing, you need to learn about college admission essay questionsfrom previous years:. Usually, such information can be found on the official websites of colleges and universities. It gives you an idea what the college admission essay questions look like. May be someone from your friends applied to your college and might still have copies of their essay. But do not copy it! As a rule, college essay questions are controversial. Your task is not only to accept a definite position but to explain in detail why you choose that one. Very often the students are asked to describe and evaluate one experience that significantly influenced their academic interests or life in general. This experience might be a high school course, a job, a relationship, or an extracurricular activity. Try to explain how this experience led to the goals you now have set for yourself and why you think the academic program you apply for will help you reach those goals. Admission Essay Help Following these guidelines and tips you will learn how to write admission essay. You should understand that a well written essay is very important because it determines whether or not you are admitted to the chosen college or university. This is your opportunity to show what sets you apart from the other applicants. Your responses to admission essay questions help officers understand your motivations, creativity, and personality. That's why it is important to start writing your essays as early as possible. Make your essays personal, but stay within the guidelines and carefully answer the questions. Follow the directions. If the application asks you to answer three questions using no more than 1,500 words, do not write 1,800. Ignoring directions may mean not getting into the college of your choice. Make sure you answer the questions or follow the essay prompts. Remember that committee members are seeking the applicant who worthy of their award. Custom Admission Essay Writing Help Want to have an impressive admission essay and do not know how to start writing? You are welcome to place an order at and we will write an outstanding college essay for you! We guarantee timely delivery and professionalism of our writers! We do not resell admission essays and your interests are put on the primary place! Interesting posts: Thesis Papers in Education Thesis Methodology Hamlet Thesis Dissertation Service Creative Writing Thesis

Recruitment Strategy and Job Offer Process Paper Research

Recruitment Strategy and Job Offer Process - Research Paper Example This paper will even provide insight regarding the best strategy of recruitment that organizations can use in order to attract the most desired applicants associated with their industry and, lastly, the paper will provide insight regarding how organizations proceed to offer a job to a selected applicant. Diverse Recruitment Strategies The term recruitment is used to refer to the process of attracting pool of desired applicants in order to fulfill the current vacant positions in a particular organization and even to maintain a pool of applicants for future vacancies. An organization has various recruitment strategies to choose from; organizations can opt between open as well as targeted recruitment strategies. Open recruitment strategies are used by organizations when they are looking to fill in quite a few numbers of different positions and even when these positions require different kinds of employees from various backgrounds. For example, a school looking to hire teachers, sports s taff and supervisors for the school may use open recruitment strategy as the positions that need to be filled require people with different KSAs (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities). Open recruitment strategies are even used by organizations when they are hiring employees for entry level positions and when specific individuals with specific KSAs are not desired. While hiring for entry level and trainee level positions, employees are less judged on their KSAs and decisions of hiring are mostly made on the basis of their communication skills and basic computing skills. For example, when a business is looking to fill management trainee positions in the organization, they use open recruitment strategy in order to attract individuals from different disciplines including marketing, human resources, accounting, etc. They do so because those individuals who are selected for these positions are provided exposure of all departments before they are finally selected in one of the departments. Anot her recruitment strategy used by organizations is targeted recruitment strategy. This strategy is utilized by organizations when they have specific requirements to meet for a particular vacant position (Hurd, Barcelona, & Meldrum 2008, p.243). These requirements include individuals having specific skills, educational background and level of experience. This strategy is even implemented when organizations adopt positive actions. A positive action refers to a company’s strategy of targeting specific people from a specific group which is regarded as a minority. For instance, while conducting recruitment activity for an electrical engineer, a company will post add for the position while attracting applicants who have expertise in technical equipment, who have knowledge of application and operation of different equipments of science and technology. Selecting Recruitment Strategy While deciding about which recruitment strategy to deploy, an organization has to take into considerati on the requirements of the vacant position(s) that need to be filled. If an organization is conducting recruitment while trying to attract employees with specific KSAs, they should opt for targeted recruitment strategy. Organizations have become quite selective while deploying recruitment strategies due to the negative economic circumstances. For example, a business is dealing in accountancy and a firm that provides auditing services may look

Nereis succinea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 11000 words

Nereis succinea - Essay Example Even as the decrease in feeding may indicate a decrease in olfactory sensing, greater levels of activity may refer to compensation through visual detection, i.e. a certain amount of time would have to be devoted in finding food. It is crucial to evaluate both parties in the interactions of predator and prey especially as both parties would likely be affected differently, eventually implying changes in the life of each party. Nereis succinea reproduction: (la) The mass spawning for the N. succinea is mostly seen from June to September at night during a new or full moon with temperatures higher than 16oC. This must however be influenced by the location population (Ram et al., 1999). The females give off the cysteine-glutathione disulphide (CSSG) when they swim. Such pheromone, first discovered by Zeeck et al. in 1998, seems to attract mates at depressed concentrations. The swimming of the male spawns becomes elevated (Ram et al., 2008) leading to a rise in the possibility of being face d with a sexually ready female (Fei et al., 2008). As these spawns meet, both males and females swim around each other in tight circles gradually becoming smaller in size. Males unleash some sperm along with the egg release pheromone (ERP) (Zeeck et al. 1996, 1998). Such ERP is made up mostly of inosine with glutamic acid and glutamine; it leads to the females releasing both eggs as well as significant amounts of sperm release pheromone (SRP), CSSG, at elevated levels (Hardege et al., 2004). Consequently, the males then unleash significant amounts of sperm, thereby leading to the fertilization of the female egg. Chemical nature of nereidid sex pheromones (la) Nereis succinea 1. Cysteine-glutathione disulphide (CSSG) Cysteine-glutathione disulphide (‘nereithione’) (CSSG) (Figure 10) is released by the female N. succinea while swimming; it is also considered a tetra- peptide pheromone. At low levels of concentration (10-9 M), CSSG causes the males to increase the pace and speed of their swimming; allowing the faster access to the slow-paced females. At elevated levels, (in excess of 10-6 M) CSSG causes the release of gametes by the male spawns (Ram et al., 1999). Glutathione (GSH) found in the body fluids and cysteine (amino acid) is utilized to provide synthesis for CSSG as needed. This production happens only during the heteronereid level of the life cycle (Hardege et al., 2004). Figure 10. Structure of the sex pheromone in N. succinea, CSSG (Source: Guidechem). Spawning hormones and pheromonal communication are responsible for the transduction of this information (Bentley and Pacey, 1992) eventually leading to the mass spawning phenomenon often seen for the nereidid species. 1. Males usually cover large distances as they swim over water surfaces seeking the slow swimming females. At some point, females may shift their swimming patterns, often swimming in circles for a few seconds. At which point, they may give off the sex pheromone 5-methyl-3-hep tanone and start to swim in tighter circles (Zeeck et al., 1988). 2. Ripe males detecting swimming females may notice the pheromone in the water and change the quality of their swimming. They then return to the source of the ‘smell’ of the female while also giving off some coelomic fluid, which is otherwise referred to as a ‘sperm cloud’ (Hardege, 1999). Such sperm cloud includes the egg release pheromone (ERP), L – Ovothiol A (Rohl et al., 1999) (Figure 6). 3. The ERP then prompts the female to swim

Indias Construction Equipment Industry Analysis

Indias Construction Equipment Industry Analysis Abstract This research was an attempt to assess the current status of Indian construction equipment industry and the underlying opportunities and challenges. However, the aspects and objectives that were dealt in the research are; the current structure, status, competition, financing opportunities and challenges of Indian construction equipment industry. The research was conducted wholly based on secondary data. Following are the key findings of the research. Indian construction industry has entered into a new phase, where prospect of the industry appears extraordinary bright. Indian construction equipment industry is passing through a phase of hurried renovation, where the shifting is taking place from low volume concentrated use of equipment structure to high volume explicit one. Apart from these, the current and future trend also shows that the key segments of construction equipment that will have potential market prospects are excavators, loaders, dozers, dumpers and cranes. The growth of Indian construction equipment industry is the outcome of the fast liberalization and globalization of the Indian economy and the construction sector. The real competition in Indian construction equipment industry has been created by foreign players such as Volvo, Komatsu and many others. These companies are leaving no stone unturned to exploit the opportunities in Indian industry. The industry is at the critical juncture (particularly for domestic players) and therefore companies need to equip with safety measures in relation to post WTO market setting. Introduction (Chapter 1) 1.1 Indian Construction Equipment Industry Background Historical Trends Construction and mining equipment cover a variety of machinery such as hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders, bull dozers, dump trucks, tippers, graders, pavers, asphalt drum / wet mix plants, breakers, vibratory compactors, cranes, fork lifts, dozers, off-highway dumpers (20T to 170T), drills, scrapers, motor graders, rope shovels etc. They perform a variety of functions like preparation of ground, excavation, haulage of material, dumping/laying in specified manner, material handling, road construction etc. These equipment are required for both construction and mining activity. With a wide production capacity base, India is perhaps the only developing country, which is totally self-reliant in such highly sophisticated equipment. India has only a few, mainly medium and large companies in the organized sector who manufacture these. The technology barriers are high, especially with respect to mining equipment and therefore the role of SME’s is restricted to manufacture of components and some sub-assemblies. Prior to the 1960s, domestic requirements of mining and construction equipment were entirely met by imports. Domestic production began in 1964 with the setting up of Bharat Earthmovers Ltd. (BEML), a public sector unit of the Ministry of Defence, at Kolar in South India to manufacture dozers, dumpers, graders, scrapers, etc. for defense requirements under licence from LeTorneau Westinghouse, USA and Komatsu, Japan. In the private sector, the Hindustan Motors’ Earthmoving Equipment Division, was established in 1969 at Tiruvallur, near Chennai with technical collaboration from Terex, UK for manufacture of wheel loaders, dozers dumpers. This factory has since been taken over by Caterpillar for their Indian operations. The machines manufactured by Caterpillar in the Tiruvallur factory are marketed by TIL and GMMCO. In 1974, LT started manufacturing hydraulic excavators under license from Poclain, France. In 1980 and 1981, two more units, Telcon and Escorts JCB commenced manufacture of hydraulic excavators (under license from Hitachi, Japan) and backhoe loaders (under license from JCB, UK) respectively. Escorts JCB has been taken over by JC Bamford Excavators Ltd. U.K. in 2003 and is now called JCB India Ltd. Volvo and Terex Vectra is the most recent entrants in the Indian market. Volvo has set up their manufacturing unit in Bangalore. At present they are only manufacturing tippers and the other equipment are imported from their parent company and marketed in India. Terex Corporation USA and Vectra Ltd. U.K. have formed a joint venture, which has started manufacturing construction equipment like backhoe loaders and skid steer loaders from May ’04 at Greater Noida with an investment of USD 12 million. Other equipment in the Terex range are being sold through their agents in India. Most of the technology leaders like Case, Caterpillar, Hitachi, Ingersoll-Rand, JCB, John Deere, Joy Mining Machinery, Komatsu, Lieberr, Poclain, Terex, Volvo are present in India as joint venture companies, or have set up their own manufacturing facilities, or marketing companies. The industry has made substantial investments in the recent past for setting up manufacturing bases, despite small volumes and uneconomic scales of production compared to global standards. 1.2 Aims and Objective and of The Study This research was aimed to assess the current status of Indian construction equipment industry and the underlying opportunities and challenges. The research was conducted on the foundation of following objectives To assess the current structure, status and direction of the Indian construction equipment industry. To assess the competition in Indian construction equipment industry To assess the financing of Indian construction equipment industry To assess the opportunities and challenges of Indian construction equipment industry To develop strategies for competitors (domestic players) in Indian construction equipment industry. To assess the technology, managerial, operational, of the Indian construction equipment industry. Literature Review Chapter 2 2.1 Introduction Construction equipment is machinery used to build and demolish bridges, buildings and other structures. These machines usually save labor, time and money. One of them can do more work in an hour than a hundred of workers using hand tools could do in a day. The chief kinds of building machines include earthmoving machineries hoisting, material handling machines and pumping machines. Other construction machinery used are for preparing the land and materials for construction. Demolishing machines are used to demolish structures and buildings. The Indian construction equipment industry today faces stiff competition, great opportunities and challenges, but India has a total command over all these things as according to confederation of the Indian industry report, 2005 as for engineering and capital goods base. The Indian engineering manufacturing sector has been growing at the rate of about 5.9% in the nineties. India today produces a variety of machinery whose range is quiet wide and deep. Rapidly increasing construction sector has been the indication of good times for companies manufacturing construction equipments. This project discusses the Construction Equipment industry in India. The structure of Construction Equipment industry in India has been well and truly detailed and mentioning all the requisite facts and figures. Also mentioned are all the factors influencing the Construction Equipment industry in India. A special mention of the suppliers list is made as suppliers are the inseparable part of the Construction Equipment industry in India. The important suppliers are JCB, Atlas, BEML, Caterpillar, Ditchwitch, Komatsu , Ashok Leyland, Escorts, Greaves Cotton, Ingersoll Rand, TETRA, Volvo, Besides all these Indian Equipment Financing companies such as Business Financing, SREI, HDFC , GE Capital, Indian Financial Services have also received requisite expression in this project. Also discussed at the end is about Construction Equipment industry in India facing problems, challenges and opportunities and its future. What India need is better infrastructure in order to progress. The government has also embarked upon massive road and pavement construction projects such GOLDEN QUADRILATERAL connecting / interlinking all four metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai. Kolkatta and Chennai The government decision to throw open the construction of roads, bridges, ports and airports to private sector and to allow 100% FII / FDI (Foreign Investments) in real estate projects like (EMAAR) has provided a boost to the industry thereby generating demand for construction machineries. Housing and infrastructure projects are expected to grow about 20% per annum for the next 15 years. 2.2 Current Status of The Industry Ramping up quality and quantity The Construction equipment industries are the biggest beneficiaries of the construction boom. Although the past few years have seen increased levels of mechanization and improved quality, Indian construction equipment and materials are still below international standards. The current status of the construction equipment industry is discussed below. The size of the construction equipment market current stands at between $2.5 billion and $3 billion and it is growing at an average rate of about 30 per cent year on year. It is expected that the industry will expand to $12-13 billion by 2015, including $2-3 billion of exports. This implies annual compounded growth rates in excess of 50 per cent between 2008 and 2015. The largest share of that growth will come from the domestic market driven on the demand side by increased infrastructure spending and on the supply side by the industry’s drive to increase mechanization and equipment penetration. The rest of the growth will come from the exports of components, services and equipment. The key infrastructure sectors that are expected to drive demand are roads, urban and residential construction and mining. Amongst the three modes of procuring equipment in India –that is, buying, leasing or renting – leasing is the most popular. While renting is suitable for projects of shorter duration, buying involves huge upfront payments. Constructions and mining equipment is manufactured by a few medium and large companies in the organised sector. The role of small and medium enterprises is restricted only to manufacturing of components and some sub-assemblies. Domestic production began in 1964 with the setting up of Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), which is engaged in the manufacturing of dozers, dumpers, graders, scrapers, etc., for defence requirements. Some of the key players manufacturing equipment for the Indian market are LT, Telcon, Escorts, JCB India Limited, Ingersoll Rand, Greaves, Caterpiller, Komatsu, Joy Mining Machinery, Case, John Deere, Lieberr, Poclain, Volvo and Terex Vectra. These companies are present either through joint ventures, or have set up their own manu facturing facilities or have a marketing presence. BEML supplies equipment to nearly half the total market. Companies such as BEML and Caterpillar are leaders in dumpers and dozers while Larsen Toubro – Komatsu and Telcon lead in excavators and JCB India in backhoe loaders. In the last few years there has been some restructuring through acquisitions and joint ventures, which in turn, has reflected the interest of international majors in the domestic market. Many international players have also appointed selling agents for importing and selling equipment in India. Despite the growth, there are some inherent problems faced by the construction equipment industry. In India, the demand for construction equipment is more than the supply. Hence, most leading manufacturers have invested in India for manufacturing to meet this gap. The industry is trying to induct international levels of technology as demand and the scale of operations increases. However, the levels of mechanisation continue to be low compared to the international market. This is primarily because the Indian market cannot absorb the cost of latest technology. Since most the construction equipment is hydraulically operated, the Indian construction equipment industry has to predominantly depend on imports, primarily from European countries. The fluctuations of foreign exchange rates and the non-availability of adequate quantities of equipment are other constraints. Construction equipment manufacturers also struggle to cope with the low availability of trained manpower, not only for producing equipment but also for operation and maintenance. Manufacturers are doing their best to train not only their own employees but also customer’s operators and services technicians. Indirect taxes on construction equipment are quite high. These range between 21 and 38 per cent, based on interstate differences, compared to 20 per cent in France and Germany and between 12 and 17 per cent in Indonesia. The government could reduce this tax burden by eventually replacing all indirect taxes such as excise, sales tax, octroi and entry tax with a single tax. It is true construction companies have ramped up significant capacities in terms of equipment over the past few years. However, due to rapid growth, there is still a mismatch of supply and demand in terms of construction equipment. Delays in deliveries of equipment result in delayed mobilization and completion of projects. Further, prices of construction equipment have steadily increased over the past few years, partly due to the high demand, and partly due to increase in input costs. Domestic equipment has a 10-15 per cent higher downturn than imported machines. There is also a lack of skilled manpower to operate and maintain machines as the industry is largely dependent on unskilled labour. Another major issue that has becomes apparent is the financing of construction equipment. The concept of renting equipment has been mooted but the rental market in India is not very well developed. At present, there are very few players and tax issues also play a major role in this industry. The very first equipment bank in India –Quipo- has been fairly successful. However, with more world leaders expected to enter the renting domain and various models being worked out by rental companies, the situation is expected to improve in the future. In the future, one can expect major global manufacturers to enter the equipment arena by producing India-specific products while addressing factors such as quality, cost to customer and delivery. It is also essential to make available the easy hiring of equipment through a ready stock of good quality equipment. The last few years have witnessed a phase of restructuring in the industry through acquisitions and joint ventures. This also reflects the active interest of international majors in the domestic market. Many international players have also appointed selling agents for importing and selling complete equipment in India. The construction and mining equipment industry is dominated by a few large manufacturers in each product segment. BEML supplies to nearly half the total market. BEML and Caterpillar lead in dumpers and dozers while LT-Komatsu and Telcon lead in excavators and JCB India in backhoe loaders. 2.3 Structure of The Industry 71% of the sector comprises of public limited companies including PSU’s and 29% private limited, or joint ventures including closely held private limited companies.75% of the companies manufacturing in India were involved in the entire range of activities like design and engineering, manufacturing, erection, servicing and commissioning. There are only a few companies who act as selling agents for international players. There are others who manufacture and also import complete equipment or in SKD condition from their principals abroad and market them. Since each piece of the equipment in this product category has substantial value, a number of companies have a turnover of over 100 crores and the larger ones have a turnover above Rs.1000 crores. The technology barriers have made the industry less fragmented in the mining machinery sector whereas it is fragmented in the road construction equipment and the material-handling segments. The international trend in the earthmoving and mining segment is one of consolidation. This trend is also beginning to be seen in India. Some international companies are looking at the prospects of enhancing their market presence based on higher investment in mining and infrastructure and also using their Indian operations to meet demand in South and South East Asia. The industry’s expectations of the likely future evolution in this sector is represented here in graphical form. Most of the current players expect that new players will enter the Indian market. There is great need for improving infrastructure as it has been accentuated by the rapid growth in economy. Of late many development authorities, State government and even companies have started investing in infrastructure development projects. Though the volume of construction equipment in India is far too small compared to countries like china and also by global standards, India does produce a variety of construction equipments such as the earthmoving machinery used to excavate, land and level earth and rock, tractors, trailers, wagons, crawler tractors, bulldozers, scrapers, shovels, draglines, heisting and material handling machinery such as cranes and derricks, material lifts, pumping machines, demolition machinery and machinery used to prepare land and materials for construction. Today, there is much emphasis on infrastructure development. The government spends very little on infrastructure with the result India sells very little of any category of construction equipment. It is shocking to learn that china sells 10,000 excavators energy year but in India, we sell only about 1500. In terms of volume, the construction equipment industry is worth Rs. 4,000 crore. Whether it is roads, bridges, ports, airports, urban infrastructure, or power plants- civil construction has a very important role to play. The use of modern tools enables productive work. The rapidly increasing construction sector has been the forerunner of good times for companies manufacturing construction machineries and equipment. There has been a flow of demand for transit concrete mixers, bar- bending and cutting machines, excavators and backhoes and earth rammers on account of the substantial increase in real estate and construction activities. New and expanding housing and infrastructure construction ventures have generated a considerable demand for construction machinery manufacturing and servicing together with erection, commissioning and maintenance. More and more multinational companies are now entering the Indian market on their own strength, whereas previously the trend was to forge joint venture associations with Indian companies. Also, a major portion of the annual budget has been invested by the Central government in infrastructure, irrigation and mining projects across the country. Due to all these factors these has been a substantial increase in the utilization of construction machinery. The boom in the requirement of construction machinery has brought us several large orders from west Asian and African countries. Thus the exporters of construction machineries too have a boom period. Most of them have made huge profits due to the threefold increase. The demand for construction equipments has also risen because of major Indian construction works working on overseas projects. 2.4 Technology The construction equipment sector has a wide range of products The technology leaders in the construction equipment sector are: Komatsu,Caterpillar, Hitachi, Terex, Volvo, Case, Ingersoll-Rand, HAMM, Bomag, John Deere, JCB, Poclain, Bitelli, Kobelco, Hyundai and Daewoo. Except for the last 3, all the other companies are present in India either as joint ventures, or have set up their own manufacturing facilities, or marketing companies. In the mining sector, the leaders are: Wrigten, Atlas Copco, Liebherr, Joy Mining Machinery, Hitachi, Komatsu, Terex, Ranson Rappier, Bucyrus Erie and DBT. Out of these companies, DBT does not have any technology transfer and neither is it manufacturing in India. Joy Mining Machinery has a small operation in India to manufacture spares and provide sales support. However, these are the two leaders in continuous mining and long wall equipment in the world. In the construction equipment sector, the level of technology prevalent internationally can be made available in India through joint ventures. However, the equipment currently being manufactured in India is not of the same size. For example for a 15 Cu.M. hydraulic shovel, the manufacturers do not feel the need to bring in the technology due to low volumes and uncertain demand though the companies have the manufacturing facilities and design capabilities to manufacture the same in India. Some of the other reasons for not manufacturing the latest equipment are: The Indian market cannot absorb the cost of the latest technology If manufactured in India for export markets, most of the components will have to be imported Equipment adhering to the latest emission norms cannot be used since the quality of fuel required for them is yet to be made available here. At the same time, off highway construction and mining equipment do not need stringent emission norms in India. The construction equipment sector in India has evolved over the years and is at present in an intermediate stage of development. The industry is trying to bring in international levels of technology as demand and the scale of operation increases. The users are now not looking at only the initial cost of the equipment, but focusing on total costing, or cost per ton of usage. It is anticipated that 5 years hence, the need for more and more mechanization and enhancement of scale may lead to change in the level of technology in use. Advances in technology have allowed an increase in haul truck and rope shovel size. For example haul trucks are now being manufactured upto 400 tons capacity. Here the increased machine size has provided an opportunity for increased production. 2.5 Management Effieciency The industry is quite mature in terms of marketing abilities as compared to the other sectors of the capital goods industry. Majority of the companies have strategic planning programmes in place and have well chalked out business strategies at all levels. In order to enhance their market share, companies need to improve quality and service followed by reduction in costs, increase in product range and finally adopt more aggressive marketing strategies. The competitive edge lies in satisfying customers by delivering higher quality products at lower prices. Strategic alliances are already in place among 60% of the companies surveyed. These are primarily focused on developing and combining competencies with the help of other organizations in terms of marketing, after sales service etc. Only 45% of the companies are interested in growth through mergers and acquisitions. The level of quality consciousness is on an average higher than the other sectors probably ecause the companies are larger and many of them are associated with international companies either for manufacturing or marketing their products. Another reason for higher quality consciousness is that more companies in this sector are well versed with the soft technologies being used worldwide for enhancing competitiveness and quality. Approximately 90% of the companies covered under the study have either implemented, or are implementing soft technologies like six sigma, lean manufacturing etc. 100% of the companies manufacturing in India are ISO certified. It was noticed that the percentage of scrap due to errors in manufacturing is between 2% 5% and the percentage of labour hours spent on reworking was 4%. All the manufacturing companies train their workers on quality concepts. However the percentage of workers who received company sponsored training on quality concepts in the past two years varied from 20% to 100% in some companies. The average number of hours per person of training provided was approximately 16 hours per person varying from 6 hours to 35 hours per person per annum. Most of the companies were quite responsive to customer complaints and the average number of days taken to respond varied from  ½ a day to 5 days in some companies. More than 70% of the companies have undergone business process reengineering for higher customer satisfaction. It has been observed that the majority of the companies in this sector are between medium and high users of computerization. This level of computerization is also comparatively high compared to the other sectors of the capital goods industry. Yet the percentage of IT expenditure to sales in the last one year i.e. 2004-05 was a meagre 0.5% of the total sales i.e. Rs.32 crores was invested by the industry towards computerization either for ERP / SCM / CRM. ERP or enterprise resource planning is an industry term for the broad set of activities supported by multi product application software that helps a manufacturer to manage the important functions of its business including product planning, parts purchasing, maintaining inventories, interaction with suppliers, providing customer service and tracking orders. Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the management of the entire value added chain, from the supplier to manufacturer right through to the retailer and the final customer.SCM has the primary goal of reducing inventory, increasing the transaction speed by exchanging data in real time and increasing sales by implementing customer requirements more efficiently. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) entails all aspects of interaction a company has with its customers, whether it be sales or service related. CRM is an information industry term for methodologies, software and usually internet capabilities that help an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way. Companies need to be in constant touch with their customers over the electronic media. The percentage of companies using ERP solutions is high with quite a significant number also using CRM for better customer relationship management. However, all the players need to be better integrated with both their suppliers and customers to strive to be the market leader. After-sales service is an important aspect of a company’s successful business strategy because all customers would like higher productivity and utilization from their machines in order to be cost competitive. Hence this is an area no company can afford to ignore or accord a lower priority to. All the companies surveyed whether manufacturing, or trading, offered after-sales service to their customer and it was also noted that 70% of them have entered into this field in the last ten years. Equipment manufactured by the industry is mostly mobile and hence subjected to higher wear and tear and consequently maintenance requirements are higher. Users rate machines with lower downtime higher. Hence, training of maintenance personnel both of manufacturers as well as users’ is a very important aspect of managing customer relationships. This is also evident from the fact that all the companies spent on training and the majority of them (60%) spent more than Rs.1 lakh per month. O nly 40% of the companies spent less than Rs.10 lakh per annum on employee training. The average response time for responding to customer calls is 24 to 48 hours and in premium service contracts it varied between 12 to 36 hours. 91% of the maintenance calls were completed within the specified time frame. From the user feedback, it emerged that the deliveries of most of the companies were delayed. Hence many customers preferred to import second hand machines. Scheduling is therefore required to be strictly followed by all the companies for manufacturing, and approximately 90% of them use one, or the other software to enhance efficiency in manufacturing. Yet the percentage of companies where the shipments are before/within the due date is very low at only 50%. A clear distinction was noticed in terms of reasons for late delivery. Companies predominantly manufacturing construction equipment have attributed more than 70% of their late deliveries to delay in customer clearance. The reason for late deliveries is attributed mainly to the growth in domestic demand, which was not foreseen earlier by the companies. Delays were therefore mainly attributed to capacity constraints. A fall out of delayed delivery has been higher imports both for new machines, as well as second hand machines. This issue can be tackled by enhancing capacity of both the manufacturers and their sub-suppliers, tighter monitoring and scheduling and by greater usage of ERP / SCM. Benchmarking With International Companies Some broad indications in terms of benchmarking of the industry on the basis of financial parameters have been done against a few global players. The companies against which Indian companies have been benchmarked are Caterpillar, Komatsu and Volvo. They are the leaders in their respective fields. 2.6 Operational Efficiency Financial Parameters The CII survey results showed that there has been a good growth rate in terms of sales due to the higher investments by the user sectors. Though exports have also risen, the percentage of exports to sales is low due to lack of competitive advantage of machines built with indigenous technology. Wherever machines are built under technology transfer, companies face restrictions on the export market territory from the technology provider. The power consumed to sales has shown a decline because all companies are now conscious about energy conservation and use various methods like automatic switching of systems and higher efficiency / low consumption electrical appliances etc. Value added for an industry is the difference between the value of the output and the value of the input namely raw materials bought outs. In other words we can attribute this difference to the value added to the product by the company. The value addition has risen over the years because more manufacturing has taken place in 2003-04 in place of trading as compared to the earlier years. It has again shown a fall due to the rising raw material prices in 2004-05. Inventory on an average was found to be 26 percent of net sales. Average Turnover of Inventory for 2004-05 was found to be 4. The international benchmark is between 5 7. The number of days sales outstanding is on an average within 90 days, which is at par with the engineering industry. This is also in keeping with international trends. Cost of wages to sales was found to be 11.8 percent in 2004-05. The range varied from a low of 3 percent to a high of 28 percent. For Caterpillar Inc. the ratio was 19.8 percent. The employee productivity is fairly low as compared to international companies. Sales per employee on an average for the industry was found to be Rs.35 lakhs but for the manufacturing companies it was found to be Rs.32.5 lakhs. This is the reason why though the cost of wages per employee is very low at Rs.4 lakhs, the lower productivity of the employee offsets the advantage. The value added per employee was only Rs.11 lakhs. The global standards for employee productivity i.e. sales per employee is in the range of Rs.160-175 lakhs. Profitability The industry in India witnessed a tremendous jump in profitability in 2004-05 over 2003-04. The return on capital employed is 24 percent and has increased by 85 percent over 2003-04. The PBIT has increased Indias Construction Equipment Industry Analysis Indias Construction Equipment Industry Analysis Abstract This research was an attempt to assess the current status of Indian construction equipment industry and the underlying opportunities and challenges. However, the aspects and objectives that were dealt in the research are; the current structure, status, competition, financing opportunities and challenges of Indian construction equipment industry. The research was conducted wholly based on secondary data. Following are the key findings of the research. Indian construction industry has entered into a new phase, where prospect of the industry appears extraordinary bright. Indian construction equipment industry is passing through a phase of hurried renovation, where the shifting is taking place from low volume concentrated use of equipment structure to high volume explicit one. Apart from these, the current and future trend also shows that the key segments of construction equipment that will have potential market prospects are excavators, loaders, dozers, dumpers and cranes. The growth of Indian construction equipment industry is the outcome of the fast liberalization and globalization of the Indian economy and the construction sector. The real competition in Indian construction equipment industry has been created by foreign players such as Volvo, Komatsu and many others. These companies are leaving no stone unturned to exploit the opportunities in Indian industry. The industry is at the critical juncture (particularly for domestic players) and therefore companies need to equip with safety measures in relation to post WTO market setting. Introduction (Chapter 1) 1.1 Indian Construction Equipment Industry Background Historical Trends Construction and mining equipment cover a variety of machinery such as hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders, bull dozers, dump trucks, tippers, graders, pavers, asphalt drum / wet mix plants, breakers, vibratory compactors, cranes, fork lifts, dozers, off-highway dumpers (20T to 170T), drills, scrapers, motor graders, rope shovels etc. They perform a variety of functions like preparation of ground, excavation, haulage of material, dumping/laying in specified manner, material handling, road construction etc. These equipment are required for both construction and mining activity. With a wide production capacity base, India is perhaps the only developing country, which is totally self-reliant in such highly sophisticated equipment. India has only a few, mainly medium and large companies in the organized sector who manufacture these. The technology barriers are high, especially with respect to mining equipment and therefore the role of SME’s is restricted to manufacture of components and some sub-assemblies. Prior to the 1960s, domestic requirements of mining and construction equipment were entirely met by imports. Domestic production began in 1964 with the setting up of Bharat Earthmovers Ltd. (BEML), a public sector unit of the Ministry of Defence, at Kolar in South India to manufacture dozers, dumpers, graders, scrapers, etc. for defense requirements under licence from LeTorneau Westinghouse, USA and Komatsu, Japan. In the private sector, the Hindustan Motors’ Earthmoving Equipment Division, was established in 1969 at Tiruvallur, near Chennai with technical collaboration from Terex, UK for manufacture of wheel loaders, dozers dumpers. This factory has since been taken over by Caterpillar for their Indian operations. The machines manufactured by Caterpillar in the Tiruvallur factory are marketed by TIL and GMMCO. In 1974, LT started manufacturing hydraulic excavators under license from Poclain, France. In 1980 and 1981, two more units, Telcon and Escorts JCB commenced manufacture of hydraulic excavators (under license from Hitachi, Japan) and backhoe loaders (under license from JCB, UK) respectively. Escorts JCB has been taken over by JC Bamford Excavators Ltd. U.K. in 2003 and is now called JCB India Ltd. Volvo and Terex Vectra is the most recent entrants in the Indian market. Volvo has set up their manufacturing unit in Bangalore. At present they are only manufacturing tippers and the other equipment are imported from their parent company and marketed in India. Terex Corporation USA and Vectra Ltd. U.K. have formed a joint venture, which has started manufacturing construction equipment like backhoe loaders and skid steer loaders from May ’04 at Greater Noida with an investment of USD 12 million. Other equipment in the Terex range are being sold through their agents in India. Most of the technology leaders like Case, Caterpillar, Hitachi, Ingersoll-Rand, JCB, John Deere, Joy Mining Machinery, Komatsu, Lieberr, Poclain, Terex, Volvo are present in India as joint venture companies, or have set up their own manufacturing facilities, or marketing companies. The industry has made substantial investments in the recent past for setting up manufacturing bases, despite small volumes and uneconomic scales of production compared to global standards. 1.2 Aims and Objective and of The Study This research was aimed to assess the current status of Indian construction equipment industry and the underlying opportunities and challenges. The research was conducted on the foundation of following objectives To assess the current structure, status and direction of the Indian construction equipment industry. To assess the competition in Indian construction equipment industry To assess the financing of Indian construction equipment industry To assess the opportunities and challenges of Indian construction equipment industry To develop strategies for competitors (domestic players) in Indian construction equipment industry. To assess the technology, managerial, operational, of the Indian construction equipment industry. Literature Review Chapter 2 2.1 Introduction Construction equipment is machinery used to build and demolish bridges, buildings and other structures. These machines usually save labor, time and money. One of them can do more work in an hour than a hundred of workers using hand tools could do in a day. The chief kinds of building machines include earthmoving machineries hoisting, material handling machines and pumping machines. Other construction machinery used are for preparing the land and materials for construction. Demolishing machines are used to demolish structures and buildings. The Indian construction equipment industry today faces stiff competition, great opportunities and challenges, but India has a total command over all these things as according to confederation of the Indian industry report, 2005 as for engineering and capital goods base. The Indian engineering manufacturing sector has been growing at the rate of about 5.9% in the nineties. India today produces a variety of machinery whose range is quiet wide and deep. Rapidly increasing construction sector has been the indication of good times for companies manufacturing construction equipments. This project discusses the Construction Equipment industry in India. The structure of Construction Equipment industry in India has been well and truly detailed and mentioning all the requisite facts and figures. Also mentioned are all the factors influencing the Construction Equipment industry in India. A special mention of the suppliers list is made as suppliers are the inseparable part of the Construction Equipment industry in India. The important suppliers are JCB, Atlas, BEML, Caterpillar, Ditchwitch, Komatsu , Ashok Leyland, Escorts, Greaves Cotton, Ingersoll Rand, TETRA, Volvo, Besides all these Indian Equipment Financing companies such as Business Financing, SREI, HDFC , GE Capital, Indian Financial Services have also received requisite expression in this project. Also discussed at the end is about Construction Equipment industry in India facing problems, challenges and opportunities and its future. What India need is better infrastructure in order to progress. The government has also embarked upon massive road and pavement construction projects such GOLDEN QUADRILATERAL connecting / interlinking all four metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai. Kolkatta and Chennai The government decision to throw open the construction of roads, bridges, ports and airports to private sector and to allow 100% FII / FDI (Foreign Investments) in real estate projects like (EMAAR) has provided a boost to the industry thereby generating demand for construction machineries. Housing and infrastructure projects are expected to grow about 20% per annum for the next 15 years. 2.2 Current Status of The Industry Ramping up quality and quantity The Construction equipment industries are the biggest beneficiaries of the construction boom. Although the past few years have seen increased levels of mechanization and improved quality, Indian construction equipment and materials are still below international standards. The current status of the construction equipment industry is discussed below. The size of the construction equipment market current stands at between $2.5 billion and $3 billion and it is growing at an average rate of about 30 per cent year on year. It is expected that the industry will expand to $12-13 billion by 2015, including $2-3 billion of exports. This implies annual compounded growth rates in excess of 50 per cent between 2008 and 2015. The largest share of that growth will come from the domestic market driven on the demand side by increased infrastructure spending and on the supply side by the industry’s drive to increase mechanization and equipment penetration. The rest of the growth will come from the exports of components, services and equipment. The key infrastructure sectors that are expected to drive demand are roads, urban and residential construction and mining. Amongst the three modes of procuring equipment in India –that is, buying, leasing or renting – leasing is the most popular. While renting is suitable for projects of shorter duration, buying involves huge upfront payments. Constructions and mining equipment is manufactured by a few medium and large companies in the organised sector. The role of small and medium enterprises is restricted only to manufacturing of components and some sub-assemblies. Domestic production began in 1964 with the setting up of Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), which is engaged in the manufacturing of dozers, dumpers, graders, scrapers, etc., for defence requirements. Some of the key players manufacturing equipment for the Indian market are LT, Telcon, Escorts, JCB India Limited, Ingersoll Rand, Greaves, Caterpiller, Komatsu, Joy Mining Machinery, Case, John Deere, Lieberr, Poclain, Volvo and Terex Vectra. These companies are present either through joint ventures, or have set up their own manu facturing facilities or have a marketing presence. BEML supplies equipment to nearly half the total market. Companies such as BEML and Caterpillar are leaders in dumpers and dozers while Larsen Toubro – Komatsu and Telcon lead in excavators and JCB India in backhoe loaders. In the last few years there has been some restructuring through acquisitions and joint ventures, which in turn, has reflected the interest of international majors in the domestic market. Many international players have also appointed selling agents for importing and selling equipment in India. Despite the growth, there are some inherent problems faced by the construction equipment industry. In India, the demand for construction equipment is more than the supply. Hence, most leading manufacturers have invested in India for manufacturing to meet this gap. The industry is trying to induct international levels of technology as demand and the scale of operations increases. However, the levels of mechanisation continue to be low compared to the international market. This is primarily because the Indian market cannot absorb the cost of latest technology. Since most the construction equipment is hydraulically operated, the Indian construction equipment industry has to predominantly depend on imports, primarily from European countries. The fluctuations of foreign exchange rates and the non-availability of adequate quantities of equipment are other constraints. Construction equipment manufacturers also struggle to cope with the low availability of trained manpower, not only for producing equipment but also for operation and maintenance. Manufacturers are doing their best to train not only their own employees but also customer’s operators and services technicians. Indirect taxes on construction equipment are quite high. These range between 21 and 38 per cent, based on interstate differences, compared to 20 per cent in France and Germany and between 12 and 17 per cent in Indonesia. The government could reduce this tax burden by eventually replacing all indirect taxes such as excise, sales tax, octroi and entry tax with a single tax. It is true construction companies have ramped up significant capacities in terms of equipment over the past few years. However, due to rapid growth, there is still a mismatch of supply and demand in terms of construction equipment. Delays in deliveries of equipment result in delayed mobilization and completion of projects. Further, prices of construction equipment have steadily increased over the past few years, partly due to the high demand, and partly due to increase in input costs. Domestic equipment has a 10-15 per cent higher downturn than imported machines. There is also a lack of skilled manpower to operate and maintain machines as the industry is largely dependent on unskilled labour. Another major issue that has becomes apparent is the financing of construction equipment. The concept of renting equipment has been mooted but the rental market in India is not very well developed. At present, there are very few players and tax issues also play a major role in this industry. The very first equipment bank in India –Quipo- has been fairly successful. However, with more world leaders expected to enter the renting domain and various models being worked out by rental companies, the situation is expected to improve in the future. In the future, one can expect major global manufacturers to enter the equipment arena by producing India-specific products while addressing factors such as quality, cost to customer and delivery. It is also essential to make available the easy hiring of equipment through a ready stock of good quality equipment. The last few years have witnessed a phase of restructuring in the industry through acquisitions and joint ventures. This also reflects the active interest of international majors in the domestic market. Many international players have also appointed selling agents for importing and selling complete equipment in India. The construction and mining equipment industry is dominated by a few large manufacturers in each product segment. BEML supplies to nearly half the total market. BEML and Caterpillar lead in dumpers and dozers while LT-Komatsu and Telcon lead in excavators and JCB India in backhoe loaders. 2.3 Structure of The Industry 71% of the sector comprises of public limited companies including PSU’s and 29% private limited, or joint ventures including closely held private limited companies.75% of the companies manufacturing in India were involved in the entire range of activities like design and engineering, manufacturing, erection, servicing and commissioning. There are only a few companies who act as selling agents for international players. There are others who manufacture and also import complete equipment or in SKD condition from their principals abroad and market them. Since each piece of the equipment in this product category has substantial value, a number of companies have a turnover of over 100 crores and the larger ones have a turnover above Rs.1000 crores. The technology barriers have made the industry less fragmented in the mining machinery sector whereas it is fragmented in the road construction equipment and the material-handling segments. The international trend in the earthmoving and mining segment is one of consolidation. This trend is also beginning to be seen in India. Some international companies are looking at the prospects of enhancing their market presence based on higher investment in mining and infrastructure and also using their Indian operations to meet demand in South and South East Asia. The industry’s expectations of the likely future evolution in this sector is represented here in graphical form. Most of the current players expect that new players will enter the Indian market. There is great need for improving infrastructure as it has been accentuated by the rapid growth in economy. Of late many development authorities, State government and even companies have started investing in infrastructure development projects. Though the volume of construction equipment in India is far too small compared to countries like china and also by global standards, India does produce a variety of construction equipments such as the earthmoving machinery used to excavate, land and level earth and rock, tractors, trailers, wagons, crawler tractors, bulldozers, scrapers, shovels, draglines, heisting and material handling machinery such as cranes and derricks, material lifts, pumping machines, demolition machinery and machinery used to prepare land and materials for construction. Today, there is much emphasis on infrastructure development. The government spends very little on infrastructure with the result India sells very little of any category of construction equipment. It is shocking to learn that china sells 10,000 excavators energy year but in India, we sell only about 1500. In terms of volume, the construction equipment industry is worth Rs. 4,000 crore. Whether it is roads, bridges, ports, airports, urban infrastructure, or power plants- civil construction has a very important role to play. The use of modern tools enables productive work. The rapidly increasing construction sector has been the forerunner of good times for companies manufacturing construction machineries and equipment. There has been a flow of demand for transit concrete mixers, bar- bending and cutting machines, excavators and backhoes and earth rammers on account of the substantial increase in real estate and construction activities. New and expanding housing and infrastructure construction ventures have generated a considerable demand for construction machinery manufacturing and servicing together with erection, commissioning and maintenance. More and more multinational companies are now entering the Indian market on their own strength, whereas previously the trend was to forge joint venture associations with Indian companies. Also, a major portion of the annual budget has been invested by the Central government in infrastructure, irrigation and mining projects across the country. Due to all these factors these has been a substantial increase in the utilization of construction machinery. The boom in the requirement of construction machinery has brought us several large orders from west Asian and African countries. Thus the exporters of construction machineries too have a boom period. Most of them have made huge profits due to the threefold increase. The demand for construction equipments has also risen because of major Indian construction works working on overseas projects. 2.4 Technology The construction equipment sector has a wide range of products The technology leaders in the construction equipment sector are: Komatsu,Caterpillar, Hitachi, Terex, Volvo, Case, Ingersoll-Rand, HAMM, Bomag, John Deere, JCB, Poclain, Bitelli, Kobelco, Hyundai and Daewoo. Except for the last 3, all the other companies are present in India either as joint ventures, or have set up their own manufacturing facilities, or marketing companies. In the mining sector, the leaders are: Wrigten, Atlas Copco, Liebherr, Joy Mining Machinery, Hitachi, Komatsu, Terex, Ranson Rappier, Bucyrus Erie and DBT. Out of these companies, DBT does not have any technology transfer and neither is it manufacturing in India. Joy Mining Machinery has a small operation in India to manufacture spares and provide sales support. However, these are the two leaders in continuous mining and long wall equipment in the world. In the construction equipment sector, the level of technology prevalent internationally can be made available in India through joint ventures. However, the equipment currently being manufactured in India is not of the same size. For example for a 15 Cu.M. hydraulic shovel, the manufacturers do not feel the need to bring in the technology due to low volumes and uncertain demand though the companies have the manufacturing facilities and design capabilities to manufacture the same in India. Some of the other reasons for not manufacturing the latest equipment are: The Indian market cannot absorb the cost of the latest technology If manufactured in India for export markets, most of the components will have to be imported Equipment adhering to the latest emission norms cannot be used since the quality of fuel required for them is yet to be made available here. At the same time, off highway construction and mining equipment do not need stringent emission norms in India. The construction equipment sector in India has evolved over the years and is at present in an intermediate stage of development. The industry is trying to bring in international levels of technology as demand and the scale of operation increases. The users are now not looking at only the initial cost of the equipment, but focusing on total costing, or cost per ton of usage. It is anticipated that 5 years hence, the need for more and more mechanization and enhancement of scale may lead to change in the level of technology in use. Advances in technology have allowed an increase in haul truck and rope shovel size. For example haul trucks are now being manufactured upto 400 tons capacity. Here the increased machine size has provided an opportunity for increased production. 2.5 Management Effieciency The industry is quite mature in terms of marketing abilities as compared to the other sectors of the capital goods industry. Majority of the companies have strategic planning programmes in place and have well chalked out business strategies at all levels. In order to enhance their market share, companies need to improve quality and service followed by reduction in costs, increase in product range and finally adopt more aggressive marketing strategies. The competitive edge lies in satisfying customers by delivering higher quality products at lower prices. Strategic alliances are already in place among 60% of the companies surveyed. These are primarily focused on developing and combining competencies with the help of other organizations in terms of marketing, after sales service etc. Only 45% of the companies are interested in growth through mergers and acquisitions. The level of quality consciousness is on an average higher than the other sectors probably ecause the companies are larger and many of them are associated with international companies either for manufacturing or marketing their products. Another reason for higher quality consciousness is that more companies in this sector are well versed with the soft technologies being used worldwide for enhancing competitiveness and quality. Approximately 90% of the companies covered under the study have either implemented, or are implementing soft technologies like six sigma, lean manufacturing etc. 100% of the companies manufacturing in India are ISO certified. It was noticed that the percentage of scrap due to errors in manufacturing is between 2% 5% and the percentage of labour hours spent on reworking was 4%. All the manufacturing companies train their workers on quality concepts. However the percentage of workers who received company sponsored training on quality concepts in the past two years varied from 20% to 100% in some companies. The average number of hours per person of training provided was approximately 16 hours per person varying from 6 hours to 35 hours per person per annum. Most of the companies were quite responsive to customer complaints and the average number of days taken to respond varied from  ½ a day to 5 days in some companies. More than 70% of the companies have undergone business process reengineering for higher customer satisfaction. It has been observed that the majority of the companies in this sector are between medium and high users of computerization. This level of computerization is also comparatively high compared to the other sectors of the capital goods industry. Yet the percentage of IT expenditure to sales in the last one year i.e. 2004-05 was a meagre 0.5% of the total sales i.e. Rs.32 crores was invested by the industry towards computerization either for ERP / SCM / CRM. ERP or enterprise resource planning is an industry term for the broad set of activities supported by multi product application software that helps a manufacturer to manage the important functions of its business including product planning, parts purchasing, maintaining inventories, interaction with suppliers, providing customer service and tracking orders. Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the management of the entire value added chain, from the supplier to manufacturer right through to the retailer and the final customer.SCM has the primary goal of reducing inventory, increasing the transaction speed by exchanging data in real time and increasing sales by implementing customer requirements more efficiently. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) entails all aspects of interaction a company has with its customers, whether it be sales or service related. CRM is an information industry term for methodologies, software and usually internet capabilities that help an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way. Companies need to be in constant touch with their customers over the electronic media. The percentage of companies using ERP solutions is high with quite a significant number also using CRM for better customer relationship management. However, all the players need to be better integrated with both their suppliers and customers to strive to be the market leader. After-sales service is an important aspect of a company’s successful business strategy because all customers would like higher productivity and utilization from their machines in order to be cost competitive. Hence this is an area no company can afford to ignore or accord a lower priority to. All the companies surveyed whether manufacturing, or trading, offered after-sales service to their customer and it was also noted that 70% of them have entered into this field in the last ten years. Equipment manufactured by the industry is mostly mobile and hence subjected to higher wear and tear and consequently maintenance requirements are higher. Users rate machines with lower downtime higher. Hence, training of maintenance personnel both of manufacturers as well as users’ is a very important aspect of managing customer relationships. This is also evident from the fact that all the companies spent on training and the majority of them (60%) spent more than Rs.1 lakh per month. O nly 40% of the companies spent less than Rs.10 lakh per annum on employee training. The average response time for responding to customer calls is 24 to 48 hours and in premium service contracts it varied between 12 to 36 hours. 91% of the maintenance calls were completed within the specified time frame. From the user feedback, it emerged that the deliveries of most of the companies were delayed. Hence many customers preferred to import second hand machines. Scheduling is therefore required to be strictly followed by all the companies for manufacturing, and approximately 90% of them use one, or the other software to enhance efficiency in manufacturing. Yet the percentage of companies where the shipments are before/within the due date is very low at only 50%. A clear distinction was noticed in terms of reasons for late delivery. Companies predominantly manufacturing construction equipment have attributed more than 70% of their late deliveries to delay in customer clearance. The reason for late deliveries is attributed mainly to the growth in domestic demand, which was not foreseen earlier by the companies. Delays were therefore mainly attributed to capacity constraints. A fall out of delayed delivery has been higher imports both for new machines, as well as second hand machines. This issue can be tackled by enhancing capacity of both the manufacturers and their sub-suppliers, tighter monitoring and scheduling and by greater usage of ERP / SCM. Benchmarking With International Companies Some broad indications in terms of benchmarking of the industry on the basis of financial parameters have been done against a few global players. The companies against which Indian companies have been benchmarked are Caterpillar, Komatsu and Volvo. They are the leaders in their respective fields. 2.6 Operational Efficiency Financial Parameters The CII survey results showed that there has been a good growth rate in terms of sales due to the higher investments by the user sectors. Though exports have also risen, the percentage of exports to sales is low due to lack of competitive advantage of machines built with indigenous technology. Wherever machines are built under technology transfer, companies face restrictions on the export market territory from the technology provider. The power consumed to sales has shown a decline because all companies are now conscious about energy conservation and use various methods like automatic switching of systems and higher efficiency / low consumption electrical appliances etc. Value added for an industry is the difference between the value of the output and the value of the input namely raw materials bought outs. In other words we can attribute this difference to the value added to the product by the company. The value addition has risen over the years because more manufacturing has taken place in 2003-04 in place of trading as compared to the earlier years. It has again shown a fall due to the rising raw material prices in 2004-05. Inventory on an average was found to be 26 percent of net sales. Average Turnover of Inventory for 2004-05 was found to be 4. The international benchmark is between 5 7. The number of days sales outstanding is on an average within 90 days, which is at par with the engineering industry. This is also in keeping with international trends. Cost of wages to sales was found to be 11.8 percent in 2004-05. The range varied from a low of 3 percent to a high of 28 percent. For Caterpillar Inc. the ratio was 19.8 percent. The employee productivity is fairly low as compared to international companies. Sales per employee on an average for the industry was found to be Rs.35 lakhs but for the manufacturing companies it was found to be Rs.32.5 lakhs. This is the reason why though the cost of wages per employee is very low at Rs.4 lakhs, the lower productivity of the employee offsets the advantage. The value added per employee was only Rs.11 lakhs. The global standards for employee productivity i.e. sales per employee is in the range of Rs.160-175 lakhs. Profitability The industry in India witnessed a tremendous jump in profitability in 2004-05 over 2003-04. The return on capital employed is 24 percent and has increased by 85 percent over 2003-04. The PBIT has increased