Philex posts record profit

Best 9-month income in firm's 55-year history

Philex Mining Corp on Thursday said it posted P4.35 billion in net income for the first nine months of 2011 on the back of higher production and metal prices.

Philex, which is partly owned bu Hong Kong's First pacific Co ltd., sadi in that this was the highest nine-month profit in its 55-year history and was 106 percent higher than the P2.12 billion recorded a year ago.

"Earnings would have been slightly higher were it not for the recent weakening in gold and copper prices which adversely affected the value of later shipments, with final prices falling in the last month of the third quarter," said Manuel V. Pangilinan, Philex chairman and Chief executive officer.

source: http://business.inquirer.net/27243/philex-post-record-profit

Strategies to Survive the Recession

Diversification
In a weak economy, diversification may be your business' best friend. The more services you can offer, the more clients you will be able to find.

Outstanding Customer Service
Once you've started attracting customers, you'll have to worry about retaining them, and in a stagnating economy that may be even more difficult. You must provide not only a high quality product, but also exceptional customer service.
 Marketing Intensification
One of the biggest mistakes business owners make during periods of economic slowdown is to cut back on marketing and advertising, doing this could be most detrimental to your business. Instead, your marketing needs to be more aggressive and more comprehensive than ever.

Adopt Cutting Edge Technologies
One of the best ways to stay ahead of your competitors is by keeping up with current technology. So if you aren't familiar with customer relation management software or even e-mail marketing, now is the time to do so.

Stay Focused
Nothing will damage your business more than business myopia or short sightedness.. In order to stay successful, you must always keep an eye on your long term goals and objectives.

Seek New Ways to Improve
If you are like most people, you are content with the status quo until something disturbs it. You should be constantly re-evaluating not just your marketing plan, but all of your business strategies including policies, pricing, and employee performance.

based from the article of Collin Almeida

Father of artificial intelligence dies

John McCarthy, a pioneer in artificial intelligence technology and creator of the computer programming language often used in that field, has died. He was 84.
McCarthy was a leader in the artificial intelligence field, coining the term in a 1955 research proposal. He said "every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it."
In 1958, McCarthy invented the programming language Lisp, which paved the way for voice recognition technology, including Siri, the personal assistant application on the newest iPhone.
McCarthy also developed the concept of computer time-sharing, which allowed multiple users to interact with a single computer. That lay the foundation for cloud computing today.

7 Ways to Make Meetings More Efficient

Meetings are the third major time waster in the world of work. As much as 50% of working time is spent in meetings, either group meetings or one-on-one meetings. In the estimate of almost everyone, at least 50% of this time is wasted. This means that as much as 25% of all working time is lost in meetings of one kind or another.
However, meetings are not an evil. Meetings are a necessary business tool for exchanging information, solving problems, and reviewing progress. But they must be managed and they must be used effectively.
Here are 7 ways to increase the efficiency and improve the results of meeting time:
1. Is the meeting necessary?
2. Write an agenda.
3. Start and stop on time.
4. Cover important items first.
5. Summarize each conclusion.
6. Assign specific responsibility.
7. Keep notes and circulate minutes.

Concept of Leadership

Go to the people. Learn from them. Live with them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. The best of leaders when the job is done, when the task is accomplished, the people will say we have done it ourselves.
Lao Tzu

PESTEL Analysis

A Quote on Leadership

“Leaders establish the vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there; they cause change. They motivate and inspire others to go in the right direction and they, along with everyone else, sacrifice to get there.” John Kotter

Competitive Dynamics

Strategy is Execution

Strategy is getting it right and doing it right. On the one hand, we have to pick the right course of action. On the other hand, once chosen, we have to carry it out properly.

If our strategy and its execution are both flawed, the effort is "doomed from the beginning." Our chances of success are zero, nil, nada, zilch.

If our strategy is sound but its execution is flawed, we are guilty of muffing it. We have what is commonly known as "a botched job."

An odd situation arises when our strategy is flawed but we execute it flawlessly. In this case, we are doing extremely well something we shouldn’t be doing at all.

Only when our strategy and its execution are sound do we stand a pretty good chance of success. Even then success is not guaranteed.

source: http://www.nickols.us/strategy_is.htm

Strategic Thinking and Management

Change your thinking,
Change your actions,
Change your results.

How do you keep thinking strategically on a daily basis? It's too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks that must get done and not make time for longer-term strategy. This information provides tips on how to maintain your longer term focus and share that with staff so everyone in the organization understands the part they play in assuring the company's success. Think, Plan, Act differently to get the results you want in work and in life.

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT MODEL

A strategic management model in seven steps:


1. Analyze the overall goal and the purpose of the project.

2. Asses the objectives, activities and values of the project.

3. Assess current strengths, successes and achievements. Consider quantitative and qualitative results.

4. Analyze what contributed to them (consider internal/external resources and capabilities).

5. Asses challenges and gaps. Analyze what contributed to each.

6. Adjust your current project plan in order to reflect best practices and a strategy to fill gaps.

7. Develop a generative vision. What  is it about this project that inspired and will inspire to implement? How would success look like?

This strategic management model will help you manage and lead at the same time.

LPG Charter Rates Going Up

Record liquefied-petroleum-gas shipments are eroding a glut of the tankers hauling the fuel used in stoves, cars and lighters, driving charter rates to the highest ever at a time when most other ships are losing money.
The surge in supply is a consequence of expanding natural gas output and oil refining, which produce LPGs as a byproduct.Demand for LPG is strengthening now because consumers are expanding stockpiles before the Northern Hemisphere’s winter begins.
The process of extracting natural gas destined for liquefaction yields about 5 percent propane and a similar amount of butane or ethane, according to the Paris-based World LP Gas Association. Liquefied natural gas is produced by cooling gas to about minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit. A barrel of crude typically yields about 3 percent LPGs when it is refined, accounting for about 40 percent of global LPG supply.

What Every Leader Needs to Know

The Strategy

Sample of Competitive Strengths

Hellenic Carriers believe they possess a number of strengths that give them a competitive advantage in the shipping industry:
· Long-standing experience in the shipping market. The founders of Hellenic Carriers and their family and affiliates have been involved in shipping since the early 1950's with a history of profitability generated through various shipping cycles from efficient operations and well timed acquisitions.
· Established group with long-term, high-quality customer relationships. Hellenic Carriers has developed an extensive network of long-term business relationships with large, established charterers of dry bulk carriers, such as Bunge S.A., Baumarine AS, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Limited, Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG, Armada Bulk Carriers Ltd, Dampskibsselskabet Norden A/S, Swissmarine Services S.A., China National Chartering Corporation, Cosco Bulk Carrier Co. Ltd, Hanjin Shipping Company, Korea Line Corporation and Cargill International SA.
· A modern, high quality fleet of dry bulk vessels.The weighted average age of the operating fleet on 31 December 2010 is 15.2 years. Following the delivery of the two Kamsarmax newbuilding vessels, currently on order, the fleet will comprise of seven dry bulk carriers, namely two Kamsarmaxes, three Panamaxes, one Supramax, and one Handymax with an aggregate carrying capacity of about 467,141dwt and a weighted average age of 12.5 years (as of 31 March 2013). All ships are built to high specifications in established leading shipyards, and are subject to high standards of maintenance.
· High standards of operation. Hellenic Shipmanagement Corp along with Mantinia Shipping Co S.A., to whom technical and operational management is sub-contracted, operate the fleet under a stringent safety management system and have an excellent operating track record.
· Balanced Employment Strategy.The Company implements a balanced chartering strategy fixing the majority of the vessels in medium to long term time charters aiming to secure visible and stable cash flows. By maintaining close ties with market sources, the Company continuously monitors developments in the market with the aim of highlighting and exploiting opportunities.
· An experienced management team with a proven track record. The executive management team of Hellenic Carriers is led by the Chief Executive Officer Fotini Karamanlis, who has over 16 years experience in the shipping industry. Hellenic Carriers believes that the members of its management team are skilled at recognising opportunities for the purchase and sale of vessels and that Hellenic Shipmanagement Corp. along with Mantinia Shipping Co S.A. have the technical, financial and managerial expertise to safely and efficiently manage a big bulk carrier fleet.

Sample Business Strategy of Hellenic Carriers

-Hellenic Carriers' primary objective is to ensure that Hellenic Shipmanagement manages the fleet in a manner that allows the Company and its subsidiaries to maintain profitability across the shipping cycle and thus to maximise returns for Shareholders.
-Accretive growth through vessel acquisitions. The intention is to grow the fleet managed by Hellenic Shipmanagement through timely and selective acquisitions by its subsidiaries of second-hand, modern, high-quality dry bulk carriers.
-Management of a modern, high quality fleet of dry bulk carriers. Hellenic Shipmanagement will continue to focus on the Handymax, Supramax, Panamax and Kamsarmax dry bulk vessels, as these vessel types carry a wide variety of cargoes and trade over a wider range of routes, thus offering a greater number of chartering opportunities compared to larger vessels.
-Delivery of an outstanding service to customers through highly efficient operations with optimal fleet utilisation.
-Balanced chartering of the vessels managed by Hellenic Shipmanagement in a manner that provides the shipowning companies with stable cash flows. It is intended that the vessels managed by Hellenic Shipmanagement should be employed primarily on time charters with terms of between one and three years that provide relatively stable cash flows and high utilisation rates.
-Attraction and retention of blue-chip customers. Hellenic Shipmanagement has developed a network of business relationships with established, reputable charterers of dry bulk carriers as well as other key counterparties in the shipping industry (for example banks, insurers and brokers).

Business Goal Setting

To have a successful goal, you have to include the following:

1. Be Clear. You have to know exactly what you want.

2. Be Specific. The more specific you are, the less your brain wanders and has to figure out what you really want every time you think of your goal.

3. Set A Date For Completion. When you set a date for completion, then your brain reacts to action, because there is a sense of urgency.

4. Fine Tune Your Goal. After your first draft, go over your goal and ask the following questions:

a Does it make sense to you?
b. Do you believe it?
c. Do you feel you can accomplish it?
d. Does that date seem too long, short, or is it just right?

5. Envision Yourself Already Having Achieved That Goal. When you have your goal defined and fine tuned, then relax in a quiet place, and don't think of anything for two or three minutes.

6. Mix Your Goal With Emotion. You must have an intense desire for your goal to come true.

Source: http://www.atouchofbusiness.com/guides/eliminate-the-chaos-in-your-business/goal-setting-0005.html

Strategic Management Competencies

Is Euro zone in Danger?

MEDITERRANEAN REGION BALLAST WATER MGT. REGULATION

Mediterranean BWM regulation

With effect from January 1, 2012, all ships should exchange ballast water before entering the Mediterranean Sea or after leaving the Mediterranean Sea to meet the regulation D-1 standard of the Ballast Water Convention. Exchange should be carried out at least 200 nautical miles from land and in waters at least 200 metres deep. The sequential, flow through or dilution methods of ballast water exchange are accepted as meeting the D-1 standard.
In situations where this is not possible (because the ship will have to deviate from its intended voyage; because exchange will delay the ship; or for safety reasons) exchange should be undertaken before entering the Mediterranean Sea area, or after leaving the Mediterranean Sea area, as far from the nearest land as possible, and in all cases in waters at least 50 nautical miles from the nearest land and at least 200 metres deep.
Sediments collected during cleaning or repair of ballast tanks should be delivered to sediment reception facilities or be discharged to sea beyond 200 nautical miles from the nearest coastline when the ship is sailing in theMediterranean Sea area.

Source: Lloyd's Register

BCG Matrix

The BCG Matrix

Dogs: Low Market Share / Low Market Growth

Cash Cows: High Market Share / Low Market Growth

Stars: High Market Share / High Market Growth

Question Marks (Problem Child): Low Market Share / High Market Growth

Strategic Leadership

"All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which great victory evolved." ~ Sun Tzu

Google to buy Motorola Mobility ( Diversification-focus and external growth strategy)

Good example of an acquisition which serves as diversification-focus strategy by Motoral and an external growth strategy by Google. Motoral has lost the battle for the handsets, so focuses in the corporate and government solutions sector where it is well placed. Google does not have the time to grow organically its handset SBU to compete with the other smartphones and hopes that its existing core competences and SBUs could help develop synergies.

Google to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5bn
Internet giant Google has announced a deal to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5bn (£7.7bn). A joint statement said the boards of both companies had unanimously approved the deal, which should be completed by the end of this year, or early in 2012.
Earlier this year, Motorola split into two separate companies. Mobility develops and manufactures mobile phones, while Motorola Solutions covers wider technologies for corporate customers and governments.

Five Forces in Competetion Model

STRATEGIC PLANNING

 
Strategic Plan and SWOT

Strategic planning is creating a vision of the future and managing toward that expectancy. It's operating under a mission statement umbrella that focuses the organization's effort.  Strategic planning answers the three big questions:

• Where are we today?
• Where do we want to be in the future?
• What should we be focused on today, in order to make it more likely we will be where we want to be in the future?

It is a simple process with an incredible power to DEVELOP ORGANIZATION and bridge the gap between long-term vision and day-to-day tactics. Having answered the big three questions the team than creates action plans that start them moving in that direction -"Now" means today, this week, this month, and this quarter.

Economies of scale and scope

Be Strategic

Strategy Meeting

Do you have 5S?

A workplace full of clutter is a burden for every employee. We can't avoid to pile paperwork, office supplies, photographs of loved ones or even leftover food within our workstation. But who wants a messy workstation where millions of bacteria thrive and are the main causes of that cold, cough and other sickness you have no idea how you caught.

The 5S system introduces a simple yet effective way to get rid of clutter in your workplace. This is a popular tool from the Japanese:

1. "Seiri" or Sort

2. "Seiton"- Set in Order

3. "Seiso"- Shiny clean

4. "Seiketsu"- Standardize Cleanup

5. "Shitsuke"- Sustain

Start your 5S today!

What's Your Company's Competitive Edge?

Since the implementation of the International Safety Management Code (ISM), the number of accidents had been significantly reduced. Today it has been the benchmark of every oil majors and charteres in making business with a shipping company. Inspection such as vetting, port state, flag state ect. are becoming relevant to the shipping business whereas failure to such inspection will result to delay, detention and loss of charter opportunity. Safety performance has become the defining factoe of the shipping business these days.  

Do you know the status of your company in terms of safety performance?
Can you determine whether you are above of below your competitors?
Do you know your company's competitive edge?

Amazon unveils £130 iPad rival

The 'battle' of the tablets has some very interesting points (from strategic management). Although, the tablets are not technologically superior to existing devices (i.e. laptops), they are entertainment items, and Apple has create a new segment in the market. The success of these products lies with the complementarities that are to be developed with the rest of the products (i.e. iPad and iphone). Amazon offers the new tablet as 'upgrade' to kindle which quite dominant in its market. Amazon seeks to establish synergies between the Kindle Fire and its e-books, mp3s businesses. It is quite interesting that Amazon is expected to seek access to the mobile handsets for greater coverage of the market (as Google recently did with buying Motorola's handset business unit). Also, Amazon’s strategy is a very good example of 'low cost leadership' as it is losing about $50 per device.

A thought on leadership

“You are in a war. You must plan to take the other guy down first and do it. Winning is not the best thing; it's the only thing. If it were not, no one would keep score. To win the war, you must take charge. You must set the organization's objectives, establish a chain of control, delegate, appraise performance, adjust and act.” – The Mafia Manager

Strategic Management Plan

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: The Effective Manager

Effective Manager:
The effective manager needs to understand and be able to use the latest strategy tools for analyzing industries, and be able to create strategies for sustainable advantage, and understand industry transformations.
Strategic management must include a broad set of strategic management issues, including:
• Industry analysis and the forces that determine industry attractiveness;
• Competitive positioning and the factors determining relative firm performance;
• Industry transformation and strategic sustainability;
• International strategy
Effective Managers must have the ability to develop, evaluate, and implement value-creating strategies for their business. They need to be exposed to the details that forces them to grapple with the real world tradeoffs, not just blackboard theories, and encourages them to work through strategic options.