Causes Of The Current Global Food Crisis Politics Essay

Causes Of The Current Global Food Crisis Politics Essay All of these factors have contributed significantly to the current crisis in different ways. The growth of income inequality is something which is frequently highlighted by many globalisation theorists, such as Stiglitz (2002), but is also acknowledged by the UN (2009). This point is also relevant to wider debates on the impact of globalisation, but it essentially means that the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. In such a situation, those who are wealthier are able to dictate how the economy operates, and as they are frequently situated in areas which are geographically separate from those who are poor, this means that demand for specific luxury foods goes up (Lang 2003). This also means that farmers turn their attention to farming such goods in order to make money, rather than farming crops which would be able to feed the world (McMichael 1998 p.102). The second major issue which we must accept is climate change. This has caused two major effects. The first is that it means that climates are now more unpredictable than they once were and that, as a result, crops are increasingly likely to fail where they would previously have been fine (Weis 2003). The second is that the increasing influence of climate change as a factor has made transportation more expensive as many states have introduced taxes on transport. This is understandable in the wider sense, but means that many poorer nations suffer as they are unable to pay the more expensive costs. The third key factor outlined is high energy prices. This is largely linked in with the point made above concerning the impact of climate change. However, this does also impact on the price of certain fertilisers and pesticides which are frequently used by farmers. The issue of globalisation is also considered a key factor. This is a very wide-ranging subject that cannot be used as a single factor by itself. With the exception of climate change, the impact of globalisation can be said to have affected all of the other issues which we discuss here. Increasing income inequality can be considered a direct result of globalisation, certainly in the manner in which globalisation has been carried out (Stiglitz 2007 p.45). The free market capitalism model ultimately causes all of these factors and this will therefore be expanded upon later. The final factor which is outlined as being the key relates to the increasing issue of urbanisation. Where people live increasingly in urban centres this means that food must travel further, increasing costs, but it also means that people (particularly in poorer areas) are unable to contribute towards farming themselves. In rural areas it is common for people to grow much of their own food or certain types of food and trade this food at markets. However, in the cities this is not possible (Collier 2007 p.68). This therefore places an even greater stress on those farms which are able to supply such areas and means that food becomes increasingly expensive. We can therefore see how all the key factors outlined above contribute to a scenario in which the world is experiencing a global food crisis. However, perhaps the most important aspect of these points outlined is the idea of globalisation and the specific manner in which this has materialised. Globalisation has been led by the global governance institutions which (with the exception of the WTO) are all based in America, and have pushed the idea of free market capitalism as a means of benefiting American corporations. It is this that can be seen as being central to the problem of the global food crisis as it is the influence of this that has caused the key factors that we have seen are responsible for the global food crisis (with the obvious exception of global warming). Stiglitz has argued frequently that the global free market capitalist system, led by multinational corporations and global governance institutions has damaged the power of politics to respond to crises such as the global food crisis (Stiglitz 2002 and 2007). This is epitomised by the declining power of the nation state as a political institution and means that more and more financial interests take present over political interests (Stoker 2006). The result is that the market distributive mechanism has complete power to distribute resources where they can best be profited from, not where they are most needed (Stiglitz 2002). The global food crisis can therefore be seen as an extension of this discourse, whereby food is seen as a commodity to be profited from rather than a necessity of life (Stiglitz 2002). There is therefore a flip side to the food scarcity which occurs in the worlds poorer areas which is that in the worlds richest areas there is too much food. Where this is the case, there is no interest in everyone being fed, or those who are fed being fed well, simply that food is being sold. As a result of this, products such as Big Macs and Coca Cola are sold frequently, resulting in a crisis of obesity in America and Europe. The sustainability and wider impact of these options is considered irrelevant also, with McDonalds famous for its slash and burn tactics and its continued deforestation. There is frequently an emphasis here on the deforestation as a specific issue rather than looking at its wider ramifications. Both Hawkes (2006) and Lang (2004) agree that there is a pressing need for acknowled gement that free market, capitalist-led food production and distribution is ultimately the cause of the global food crisis, with each particular aspect (such as biofuels, food for oil, rising prices and decreasing harvests) being seen as symptoms of the crisis and not causes. We can therefore see that the global food crisis can be seen as resulting from the inherent dynamism of capitalism to turn everything into money and the way in which this has been allowed (by free market globalisation) to take root in the world. This has led to the increasing urbanisation as people look for jobs, which has therefore placed a greater strain on energy prices as food has to travel further. The same dynamism or process has also led to the increasing centrality of fast food to Western diets which has meant that farms in much of the developing world are now focused more on delivering cheap meat and potatoes for export rather than a balanced array of crops. This means that what they need must then be imported, pushing costs up. Fast food is cheap food, which is unhealthy but is highly profitable, and it therefore continues to thrive and cause all of the wider problems in the world. The direct result of this inherent dynamism is that much of what could be produced which woul d be healthy and which would sustain many more people, is not produced, and production instead focuses on meeting the increasing demand of those restaurants which operate globally. Low quality production causes long term damage to the environment, obesity and hunger simultaneously and is ultimately the primary cause of the global food crisis. We can therefore see how the global food crisis has become manifest in the factors which are outlined at the start of the report. The growth in income inequality, the rising prcies of energy, the rising levels of urbanisation and the problems of unpredictability brought about by climate change all mean that food is subject to increasing prices and decreasing availability. This is further compounded by the rise in the West of junk foods and low-quality foods which are produced on farms in the poorer parts of the world. This has therefore created a two tiered global food crisis. The rich are getting fatter and increasingly ill as a result, whilst the poorer parts of the world are becoming increasingly poverty stricken and hungry. This is a direct result of the power of free market capitalism and the distributive mechanisms which this manifests.

Detailing Product Life Cycles Essay

We may conclude that ISO 14001 has significant and direct profit and wealth creation potentials. Companies need effective management accounting systems to monitor all costs and benefits that accrue from the ISO 14001 process. Companies also need to market the consumer and social benefits of ISO 14001 effectively to targeted market segments for which environmental management matters. ISO 14001 and Seasonal Business Union Carbide’s Indian pesticides business, which caused the toxic cloud in Bhopal, was a highly seasonal business, with uncertainties regarding pest outbreaks and cropping patterns. The accident occurred in December, some 100 days after the peak demand for pesticides in that sub-tropical climate, with monsoon-dependant crop acreages. The worldwide tourism business is another example of high seasonal fluctuations in demand. Cyclical downturns are notorious for taking place when full complements of expert staff are not available, as outside normal working hours. Any operation with wide differences between times of peak demand and off-peak times, will inevitably respond by having fewer people available for watch and ward duties, at some times. Environmental Management Systems can never afford to slacken their vigilance, as all dangers and risks are not necessarily related with peak loads. ISO 14001 offers a reliable structure within which systems can operate to adequate standards even during times of low demand. The documentation support of ISO 14001 can prove to be invaluable in containing the emergent implications of any incident. The tourism industry benefits from ISO 14001, not only because of the off-season protection, but simultaneously because of the demand for eco-tourism and out of sustainability concerns for this large service sector. ISO 14001 is especially useful for any enterprise with high seasonality of demand. It helps organizations establish infrastructure that can maintain emergency response and environmental management capabilities at optimal costs during the lean seasons. It also helps companies to plan for peak demand in terms of environmental loads. These advantages are over and above the other benefits of the system that apply to all registrants. ISO 14001 and Building Projects The project nature of civil construction, and its high involvement with third party contractors, places a special challenge for ISO 14001. The growing demand for ‘green buildings. ’ is a special opportunity for the system. ISO is very well suited for the construction industry, and can help it meet new demands for sustainability. Much of the most lasting harm to the environment from modern industry arises from the materials, processes and designs of buildings and related civil structures. Asbestos abatement has been the focus of many environmental management standards of the building industry during the recent past. Asbestos exposure has occurred 3-4 decades earlier. This is a powerful reminder of the need for LCA in civil construction. The entire ISO 14001 system has a host of similar benefits for all stakeholders in the building industry. Architecture and ISO 14001 share a common emphasis on the design phase of projects, to avoid problems arising out of implementation. Hence, professionals in the construction business are especially amenable to the spirit of ISO 14001. The system has much to contribute by way of reducing material wastage in construction, and in reducing energy loads of actual use of buildings. ISO 14001 is eminently suited to meet the certification standards of the Green Building Council, and the specifications for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) status. ISO 14001 has additional benefits with respect to protecting investors from a legal point of view in real estate transactions. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), accompanies a number of state and local regulations that have major environmental implications. Any business in the construction or real estate business can benefit from ISO 14001, as they will have a sound system to choose projects with which they can be involved. They can also plan for full legal compliance as new laws take effect. ISO 14001 has powerful marketing potential for real estate developers. Investors and people on the market for buying homes would be inevitably attracted to projects that have sound environmental management systems in place. Buildings, neighborhoods and cities that make minimal imprints on the environment, that have track records of continual improvement and that make invaluable savings in maintenance resources, will always appreciate and attract communities. ISO 14001 has the potential to become mandatory for new real estate projects, particularly for ones in places that are rich in natural resources. ISO 14001 and Equator Principles Banks that subscribed to the Equator Principles have often found themselves in difficult situations, having to assess the environmental impacts of projects that for which they consider financing. Conflicting views from various stakeholders can be difficult for lenders to reconcile, as many aspects of the matter require local expertise and technological appreciation. ISO 14001 offers a solution for such matters, since it calls for a transparent and systematic assessment of chosen aspects, with a structured audit and review process. The Equator Principles could extend towards fields of transnational endeavor other than funding, and ISO 14001 can be a reliable and universal bridge for assessment and continual evaluation. The next decades will see a spurt in funded development projects in large tracts of the world. There is enormous pressure for large projects designed to bring succor to rural and urban communities. Funding will be mostly across geographical boundaries as capital resources are centered with countries other than the ones with the physical features for development. Investors and sources of public funds everywhere will face questions about environmental management, as they peruse candidate projects from distant locations. ISO 14001 is a good solution in these circumstances, for it provides a neutral and universal format in which all developers and governments can plan to manage the environmental impacts of the new projects that they conceive. International bodies can respond to social activists who claim that most development projects cause environmental harm, by asking project owners to use the transparency and accountability of the ISO 14000 series. SME Experience with ISO 14001 The vast majority of enterprises in most countries belong to the small and medium categories. ISO 14001 cannot be the force that it should, unless the system proves to be valid, useful and feasible for such organizations. A superficial look at ISO 14001 could lead most observers to conclude that it is too involved and expensive for any but the largest of corporations to afford. However, the reality is that ISO 14001 lends itself to adoption by even small and medium enterprises. An on-line survey of small and medium enterprises (those with fewer than 100 employees) with ISO 14001, displays pleasantly surprising results (International Organization for Standardization, 2005). Pressures to comply with environmental regulations, demands from corporate customers that are higher up in the supply chain and lucrative opportunities in foreign markets, are the three most important stimulants for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to seek the business advantages of ISO 14001. Many SMEs lose out because they do not seek ISO 14001 certifications, either out of ignorance, or because of wrong impressions they hold of the resources required. There is a clear need to make the system’s benefits more widely known and more accurately appreciated. Many SME owners incorrectly believe that pollution is an exclusive preserve of large corporations! The significant negative contributions of SMEs to environmental management are often ignored, especially if units are scattered and relatively isolated. Many SMEs stay away from ISO 14001 as they are not aware of government and institutional support available for them to secure certification within their means. Some consultants confound the issue by outlying more paperwork and bureaucracy than is necessary for the sizes of some potential clients. SMEs also have the choice to build their EMSs on alternative systems that compete with ISO 14001. It would appear overall that ISO 14001 has a great deal of unused potential with respect to EMSs for SMEs. This is a marketing challenge for country organizations of the ISO body. SMEs can be very wasteful of material and energy, albeit on a relatively small scale. They may not be immediately aware of wastes they generate, but this has a cumulative effect that has to be addressed at some stage. Pest Control Operators and Applicators are classic examples of small enterprises that deal with highly toxic chemicals. The latter can affect wide areas and large communities. All SMEs everywhere can use ISO 14001 to fight competition from better resourced corporations, by using effective EMSs. The move to terminate enterprises that have no controls on the pollution they cause and the hazards inherent in their operations, is current already. Growth is a natural evolution even for SMEs. ISO 14001, apart from protecting business interests as described above, also has the power to afford rapid growth for SMEs. The Internet enables local companies to achieve global reach. ISO 14001 can help them match their new found logistical strengths with EMSs that work. Any SME with growth ambitions has to use ISO 14001 as essential infrastructure for its future plans. Summary of Benefits of Environmental Management Systems Environmental management standards help companies to build their transactions across territorial boundaries. It is likely to become a sort of pre-requisite for global corporations. Emerging economies must develop expertise in environmental management to fight non-tariff barriers to markets in advanced economies. It is an integral part of the branding process. Environmental management systems help companies and organizations respond to important concerns of their main stakeholders. It is therefore a matter of priority for most entities in the conventional world. Companies from all sectors of the economy have become aware of the pressing need to conserve precious natural resources (Case Studies, 2002). ISO 14001 has enabled companies such as Apple stay abreast of changing regulation on environmental matters. The company was able to eliminate lead from batteries, and later to substitute Nickel-Cadmium batteries in line with European Union directives. These are concrete examples of how ISO 14001 helps companies stay in business by conforming in time to new and higher environmental protection standards. Apple’s switch to lithium ion batteries is an example of how ISO 14001 can squeeze additional ingenuity out of the industrial sector. Progressive companies such as Apple Computers buy products and services from companies that demonstrate effective commitment to environmental conservation (Case Studies, 2002). Supply chain considerations make ISO 14001 essential for the suppliers of major corporations. The proponents of ISO 14001 started by show-casing the benefits of the discipline in terms of the ethics of environmental concerns. The world has moved on since then, and ISO 14001 is no longer an option chosen by those with surplus cash. ISO 14001 has become a vital visa that provides contemporary corporations with the rights to continue business in the 21st century. The days of firms that do not meet ISO 14001 standards, are numbered. Savings in energy bills provide financial succor to firms that invest in reducing power consumption. This is a good example of the meeting point between the financial and non-financial advantages of environmental management systems. ISO 14001 is voluntary and flexible. It does not enforce any external standards. Companies can tailor their individual EMSs to the nature of their enterprise, and to the levels of expertise they have achieved in environmental management. It is a stable framework for the conduct of modern business that will appeal to professionals, and it is an effective way of extracting new efficiencies out of matured business processes. What Is It? The International Standards Organization, with its impressive name, has given ISO 14000 impressive credentials. The success of the ISO 9000 series in promoting quality consciousness has created high expectations in terms of the 14000 series enjoying similar success on the environmental front. However, many people are still not aware of the precise nature and scope of ISO 14000. The ISO 14000 series started in 1991: the first standards were published in 1996. It is therefore less well known and understood than the 9000 series which have been used for longer. The ISO 14000 series helps organizations meet environmental issues (Hanson, A. J. not dated). It is a documentation system that sets out objectives with priorities, divides responsibilities amongst a team, and provides for independent audit. It is important to bear in mind that ISO 14000 is not a single system, but rather a series of international standards (Environmental Management Guide 2004). ISO 14001 helps organizations to implement EMS, to ensure conformance to standards, to ensure compliance with relevant regulation and to seek independent certification (Environmental Management Guide 2004). Any organization that uses ISO 14001 disciplines will be better equipped to deal with the challenges of environmental management. ISO 14001 is one unit of the ISO 14000 series. ISO 14000 is a voluntary system-business houses and organization have rights to decide on whether or not they would like to invest in it. It has a pervasive influence, and calls for serious commitment of time and money. The decision to use ISO 14000 is therefore strategic by nature. Though community and key customer pressures can often be motivating factors, some organizations opt for ISO certification out of genuine concern for the environment. ISO 14000 recognizes environmental conservation as an integral part of organizational process, on par with more traditional functions such as Finance, Personnel and so on. The system must integrate with the total company organization and structure, if it is to yield meaningful and lasting benefits. Most companies start their ISO 14000 experiences with the help of experienced consultants, but that does not preclude deployment of significant human resources from an organization’s own pool. ISO 14000 has three major sections: life cycle analysis, environmental performance evaluation and labeling (Hanson, A. J. not dated). ISO 14001 in the series is concerned with environmental management systems. Organizations should plan to deploy the full ISO 14000 series over time, though they may start with ISO 14001 for reasons of resource constraints, to obtain the benefits of focus, and to give time to their employees to adjust to the new way of working. The ISO 14000 series is a guide that almost every organization can adapt to its specific needs. The system is very flexible in terms of fitting in to various sets of circumstances. Companies that work for profit have used ISO 14000 more widely than social organizations and government bodies. Firms from diverse segments of industry and even the services have all used ISO 14000 with equally remarkable success. However, the ISO system is not a packaged solution by itself. It is up to each registrant to use the system to its advantage. ISO promotes a new culture of professionalism. The documentation and procedures that the system enjoins on its followers, enforces a systematic approach to issues. It also promotes transparency, and ensures that organizations can respond in uniform manner, with low dependence on individual whims. It is especially useful to deal with emergent situations, and in ones in which a large number of variables require simultaneous consideration. Employees of an ISO 14000 certified organization display new confidence about their responsibilities and can do a more complete job of conserving the environment. ISO 14001 is a new template for modern business. It acknowledges the ubiquitous role of the environment in our lives, and provides paths to sustainable compromises that technology and conventional issues can negotiate with our natural surroundings. The ISO 14000 series can give a new lease of life to a business that is under attack because of the hazards and toxicity that it entails. It can help a small business rival a large corporation in terms of professional standards. It can help organizations perform uniformly across geographical and cultural boundaries. ISO 14000 is truly the way of the 21st century. There are concrete profits to be earned from the ISO 14000 series. The system is relentless in searching for ways to reduce consumption per unit of output, and ways to reuse or recycle waste and by products. Certification brings access to new markets and strengthens a company’s competitive position. There are therefore classic business reasons for using the ISO 14000 system. Environmental Labeling and ISO 14000 Some manufacturers have used the absence of regulations to prepare labels with unsubstantiated ecological claims on labels (Hanson, A. J. not dated). Consumers who would like to support manufacturers of environmentally sound products are hampered by the proliferation of labels that make vague and even incorrect claims about environmental impacts. Environmental labeling under the ISO 14000 series, corrects this anomaly. This is an important reason for business houses to support ISO 14000. The world is on a move towards the regulation of labeling standards, and companies that do not follow ISO 14000 may soon find themselves excluded from key markets. Three levels of labeling standards are available for manufacturers who would like to use the ISO 14000 system for their products. Most consumers are accustomed to Type 1 Environmental Labels. The latter provide criteria against which each covered product is measured. Canada and Germany have adopted these standards. Type II labels will use uniform terms and definitions: standards and details will be available in due course. Type III labels seek to provide information along a set of pre-determined criteria. Such labels are already in use for some nutritional products. Environmental labeling predisposes companies to resort to Life Cycle Analysis. The number of products with environmentally sound labels has grown exponentially since the 1990s (Hanson, A. J. not dated). There were less than 25 such products in the United States in 1989. The number grew to 600 by 1990. It is now a business that exceeds $10 billion. The stage is set for economies in all countries to move over to products and services that can make valid claims about environmental management on their labels. The ISO 14000 deals with environmental management on the basis of the following main principles (Hanson, A. J. not dated): â€Å"Labeling should be accurate, verifiable, relevant and should be non-deceptive. †¢ The party that makes the label should make relevant information about the attributes available to purchasers †¢ Labeling should be based on comprehensive scientific methods that are reproducible †¢ Information on the process and methodologies should be available to all interested parties †¢ Labeling should incorporate where appropriate the life cycle of the product or service †¢ Administrative requirements should not make participation difficult †¢ Labels should not create unfair trade restrictions †¢ Labeling should not inhibit innovation that may improve environmental performance. †¢ Labeling criteria should be developed by consensus† Environment labeling programs are democratic in nature. Producers can decide to comply of their own volition. Any manufacturer can decide to use the system, regardless of nature, size and location. It therefore gives an opportunity for new industrial entities to seek competitive advantage against entrenched brands. The greater interests of consumers always have over-riding priority. There are four methods available for verification of claims made on environmental labels. These are: â€Å"Declaration of conformity: the manufacturer self-declares conformance †¢ Review of supporting documentation: the practitioner requires the applicant to provide documentary evidence of conformity †¢ Evaluation of conformity with manufacturing phase requirements: where the production phase is evaluated †¢ Product testing: samples of the product are tested (Hanson, A. J. not dated). Companies have to establish monitoring systems to ensure on-going compliance once their label claims have been verified. Environmental labeling is an important development in terms of improving environmental accountability of modern business. It is an integral part of the ISO 14000 process. It is also in the best interests of companies as it costs less than invasive regulation. Since awareness about environmental matters is growing, environmental labeling can improve market share. Products with comprehensive information about environmental impacts on their labels will perform better in highly competitive situations. There is the analogy of air emissions as a buying benefit in the case of automobiles. Clothing made from organic fiber, food free of harmful residues, cosmetics that do not use animal testing, durables that consumers can return to manufacturers for recycling and instructions on how to use dangerous products without causing harm, are all live examples of some of the most successful branding that has been achieved through environmental labeling. This portion of the ISO 14000 package is instrumental in building unbreakable bonds between brand owners and customers, and in improving customer satisfaction. It is therefore a pivotal strategy for profitable and sustainable business growth. ISO 14001 for International Corporations Since environmental standards and concern vary by country, international corporations face dilemmas with respect to environmental management systems. Most of these companies are headquartered and controlled in the first world, though their products, services and operations cover far corners of the globe. Such companies used to follow territory-specific environmental management systems in the past. This has some technical validity, as natural resources, climate and social habits can place such different demands on business. However, social activists have begun to question the ethics of double standards. International companies have become accountable for following uniform policies and standards wherever they may operate. This can be quite confusing as regulatory requirements are not uniform throughout the world. ISO 14001 offers a path out of these contradictions. Group Managements can influence policy statements and control systems, leaving affiliates and subsidiaries to identify aspects, programs and specifications. Audits and reviews provide a uniform basis for transnational comparisons. Certification is a strong defense against unsubstantiated attacks by social activists. Overall, ISO 14001 offers value to organizations that need to harmonize international and local components of environmental management systems. The portability of human resources is a key consideration for international companies. Assignments and transfers to new locations are established means of career development. New perspectives of individuals from exotic markets, often inject new dynamism in to stagnating business sectors. Periodic changes in fitment for key positions ensure transparency and integrity of linkages between companies and its independent suppliers and contractors. There are therefore a host of reasons for international companies to move personnel between countries, markets and sectors. However, continuity of important business processes becomes a concern, as new people occupy crucial positions at various points of the organization. The accumulated learning of an individual, as well as the rationale for pivotal decisions, has to be available for a new incumbent. The environmental aspects of management situations can be too important and irreversible in nature for companies to depend on word-of-mouth spread between colleagues about the reasons for how operations are conducted. Casual or experimental changes in processes based on theoretical concepts, or based on notions from irrelevant past experience, can be devastating in environmental terms. The ISO 14001 system plays a most helpful role in such matters. Versions of the manual built up over time serve as invaluable references in managing the evolution of all business processes. Records of management reviews lend authenticity to how things are done in each function and location. Since ISO 14001 is an on-going process, it also allows adequate scope for new incumbents in local organizations to express themselves fully, and to expound their ideas for business improvement. The ISO 14000 series is therefore an enabling network for large and inter-changeable teams of professionals to work in a seamless way. Environmental concerns are important for modern branding and new product development processes. Though branding and new product development should be globally uniform for the best returns on investment, environmental aspects can vary across countries, and even within segments of domestic markets. There can therefore be an inherent conflict between marketing and environmental concerns. The ISO 14001 system offers a way to resolve such conflicts. The policy statement serves to establish universal ground rules within which innovation can be encouraged. The choice of environmental aspects that are chosen for address in individual countries can be adapted to meet local requirements. ISO 14001 helps to define the boundaries between local and global environmental management concerns related to brands and new product development. Group managements of international corporations have to make choices between territories and industrial sectors for resource allocation, especially in terms of financial deployment. Since most projects have long gestation periods, and may involve very substantial commitments, managers at one central location can always have difficulties in making choices between alternatives at more than one remote location. Local environmental concerns tend to be in flux and there are often crucial differences between the regulatory conditions related to environmental management systems of various countries. Group managements may have to take important decisions in the face of incomplete and uncertain background information. Countries with less transparent and elaborate environmental regulations may either fall by the wayside in investment choices, or at the other extreme, attract funds for new projects without due consideration for the risks involved. ISO 14001 makes it possible to compare opportunities and threats across nations in a fair and even way. Records of progressive audits provide a firm and equal basis to take decisions on the future of operations in various territories. This is apart from serving as a common platform for the evaluation of business performance. Social activism tends to concentrate on large international corporations. Environmental degradation due to poverty, ignorance and by SMEs is often overlooked by non-governmental organizations. Such attacks can occupy limited management time and lead to intractable and unproductive negotiations. An ISO 14001 certification is an effective safeguard in such circumstances. It provides a harmonious platform for divergent views to be addressed, and a participatory format for conflict resolution. Records of management reviews can form crucial evidence in defense of executive action and environmental responsibility. The advantages of the ISO 14000 system for large international corporations are so obvious and pervasive, that one can conclude that all such organizations do have EMSs in place, though they may not always seek certification. It is difficult to conceive of a body conducting business in a sustained way across the globe without any systems for environmental management. The external audit and public scrutiny of the ISO 14000 series is what most management teams would want to avoid. It is possible to conclude that most if not all large international corporations follow ISO 14000 systems in some form, though they may not find it expedient to join the organization in a formal sense. ISO 14001 in Mergers and Acquisitions. Differences in environmental management systems can confound and delay mergers and acquisitions. Potential buyers may be put off by uncertainties about product liability. Due diligence can be affected by paucity of documentation, and by contradictory verbal feedback from employees and other stakeholders. The entire ISO 14000 series is a way out of such problems. ISO processes serve to assure all parties about the integrity of environmental impact assessments, while successive editions of the manual and audit reports put achievements and progress in valid and measured perspectives. Companies that follow ISO 14001 will find it relatively easy to continue business normally very soon after a merger or an acquisition. There could be major disruptions or unpleasant surprises if an inter-corporate transaction involves an unregistered entity. ISO 14001 also protects minority and dissenting interests in mergers and acquisitions. Stock market regulators are well advised to insist on ISO registration as a pre-condition to equity restructuring. The case of batteries illustrates how tangential product components can have significant impact on the core strategies of a business. Computers use batteries inevitably, but the technology of their production lies outside the domain of electronics and software. However, ecological concerns about the use of heavy metals such as lead, nickel and cadmium in batteries, and the relatively high rate of product obsolescence in computers, has forced companies in this field to acquire expertise in technologies such as that of lithium ions, and to find sources for commercial supplies of ecologically sound batteries. Computer companies have also to divert major resources to recycling programs that are integral to their products, but the matter of batteries illustrates the inter-related complications that can be part of doing business in the 21st century. This aspect gives Life Cycle Analysis great value, as it is a systematic way to cover all known environmental impacts that arise as a result of any enterprise. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) seeks to cover all sources of burdens on the environment that the production of a product may entail (Hanson, A.J. not dated). The system covers the consumption of all materials, use of energy in all forms, production processes, supply chains, logistics, waste disposal and recycling. LCA adopts an integrated approach to environmental management, and it works in four stages. Initiation, inventory analysis, impact analysis and interpretation are the four stages of LCA. Interpretation is also called improvement analysis. LCA is a vital part of the ISO 14000 system, and it has universal application for all fields of human endeavor. LCA has most utility when designing new products, but the technique can also be used to reduce the environmental burden of an existing product. Substitutes may compete on the basis of LCA facts, as is the case of disposable diapers versus washable ones. Such comparisons engage healthy debate and help to build indelible opinions about environmental conservation. LCA is integrative and holistic in its approach to environmental concerns. It is especially useful in uncovering hidden risks and costs that may associate in covert manner with some products and services. LCA proceeds in a step-wise manner, toting up the material and energy requirements of each component of a production process, and then presenting a total picture of the environmental impact of each product or service that is covered. LCA considers waste generations and impacts on air and water at each stage of procurement and production. It also considers distribution and actual use. The ISO 14001 process cannot be complete without full LCA. The Canadian Standards Association has stated LCA benefits in the follo.

To Study Swot Analysis for Portfolio Management Services Offered by Sharekhan Ltd.

SUMMERY In today’s business environment many of stockbroker’s offers PMS (Portfolio Management Services). While observing the business environment of Stockbrokers the main business is how they offer low brokerage and better services to the clients. In this context an attempt is made to study the SWOT analysis of PMS (Portfolio Management Services) offered by SHREKHAN Ltd. Which highlights what are the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of PMS (Portfolio Management Services) offered by SHREKHAN Ltd. as compare to other competitors offered this scheme. Also take the interview of 100 clients and observe what the expectations about the PMS (Portfolio Management Services) are offered by SHREKHAN Ltd TABLE OF CONTENTS ? Acknowledgments †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ? Abbreviations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ? An Executive Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ? Industry Profile†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ? Company Profile†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ? Market share of Share khan†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ? Introduction to project†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ? Hypothesis of the Project †¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ? Objectives Project†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ? Limitations of the Project†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ? Research Methodology †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ? Empirical Analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ? Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ? Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Abbreviation AMC:Annual Maintenance charges. BSE:Bombay Stock Exchange. DP:Depository participant. IPO:Initial Public Offer. MCX:Multi Commodity Exchange. MT:Management Thesis. NAV:Net Asset Value. NCDEX:National Commodity and derivatives Exchange. NCFM:National Stock Exchange Certification In Financial  services. NFO:New Fund Offer. NSE:National Stock Exchange. PMS:Portfolio Management Services. SEBI:Security Exchange Board of India. Industry Profile By 1830's business on corporate stocks and shares in Bank and Cotton presses took place in Bombay, there were only half a dozen brokers recognized by banks and merchants during 1840 and 1850. In 1860-61 the number of brokers increased to about 200 to 250. In 1895, the Stock Exchange acquired a premise in the same street and it was inaugurated in 1899. Thus, the Stock Exchange at Bombay was combining. Trading Pattern of the Indian Stock Market Trading in Indian stock exchanges is limited to listed securities of public limited companies. They are broadly divided into two categories, namely, †¢ Specified securities (forward list) †¢ Non-specified securities (cash list). A member broker in an Indian stock exchange can act as an agent, buy and sell securities for his clients on a commission basis. National Stock Exchange (NSE) The National Stock Exchange was incorporated in 1992 by Industrial Development Bank of India, ICICI, all Insurance Corporations, selected commercial banks and others. Trading at NSE can be classified under two broad categories: (a) Wholesale debt market and (b) Capital market. Wholesale debt market operations are similar to money market operations – institutions and corporate bodies enter into high value transactions in financial instruments such as government securities, treasury bills, public sector unit bonds, commercial paper, certificate of deposit, etc. There are two kinds of players in NSE: 1. Trading members and 2. Participants. Recognized members of NSE are called trading members who trade on behalf of themselves and their clients. Participants include trading members and large players like banks who take direct settlement responsibility. India's oldest and first stock exchange is Bombay Stock Exchange which is established in 1875. More than 6,000 stocks listed in BSE. Totally there are 22 stock exchanges in India. They are located in Ahmadabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi etc. There is also a National Stock Exchange (NSE) which is located in Mumbai. There is also an Over the Counter Exchange of India (OTCEI) which allows listing of small and medium sized companies. The regulatory agency which oversees the functioning of stock markets is the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which is also located in Bombay Overview of Company Sharekhan is a firm, which is working under SSKI (S. S. Kantilal Ishwarlal Securities Ltd. ). SSKI was founded in 1922. SSKI is One of India’s Oldest Brokerage Houses Having Eight Decades of Experience into: ? Institutional Broking ? Investment Banking ? Retail Broking It is one of the Founding members of the Stock Exchange, Mumbai and Pioneer Institutional Broker. SSKI Entered into Retail Broking in 1985. Share khan is the Retail Broking Arm of the BIG 80 Years old organization i. e. of SSKI and â€Å"Sharekhan† is the Brand Name given to its Retail Business. SSKI carries out its Retail Broking Activities under â€Å"Sharekhan† Brand Name. Sharekhan Outlets act as Full Service Investment Solutions Provider, providing you wide range of services like – ? Equity & Derivatives Trading on NSE and BSE ? Online Trading ? Commodities Trading on MCX & NCDEX ? Portfolio Management Services ? Depository Services ? IPO Services ? Wide Range of Customized Research Products ? Uniform Service Standards Offerings of the Sharekhan: – Sharekhan offers both Offline and online trading account. But now a days it mostly concentrates on online trading account through which a customer can buy and sell shares in an instant from any part of the globe trough website. It does not take into account any type of physical restriction of going to the broker for carrying out a transaction or any type of settlement of payment. It facilitates the customer a speedy and hassle free transaction. Share khan’s product consists of a 4-in-1 concept, which integrates: †¢   D-mat Account †¢ Trading Account †¢ Bank Link †¢ Dial-N-Trade For doing a trading of shares everyone need D-mat A/C. In his D-mat A/C one can keep his shares. Then Sharekhan provides a Trading A/C  . Through this trading account, a Sharekhan customer can directly transfer his funds from his savings account i. e. from bank account to Sharekhan to his trading account without any paper work. He can buy and sell shares from the website and also view the market prices of the shares he trades on the terminal. Sharekhan. com allows trading at present only on NSE. BSE trading will be shortly available. To open an account a customer requires filling up a form consisting of 12 agreements, a passport size photograph, a residential proof, a photo id proof and a cheque drawn of respective amount in favor of S. S. Kantilal Ishwarlal Securities Pvt. Ltd. & From 22 March, 2007  cheque is drawn in favor of Sharekhan Ltd. itself. After opening an account with Sharekhan, a customer will be given User id, Membership password and trading password, which will enable him to access his account and trade. Products of â€Å"SHAREKHAN†: – Sharekhan offers 2 types of products according to the volume-based requirements of the investors that are as follows:  Ã‚   CLASSIC ACCOUNT: †¢ This account allows the client to trade through the website and is suitable for the retail investors. Here maximum scripts that can be shown on the terminal are only 25. Also the technical charts are not available. †¢ It’s a JAVA BASED APPLET, which allows trading only through website and see latest prices of the scripts of your choice which is attached below. †¢ This account also allows trading in Derivatives. †¢ The lifetime registration charge for this account is Rs. 750 and there is no constraint of minimum turnover. SPEED TRADE ACCOUNT: – o This is ideal for active traders who transact frequently during day’s trading session to capitalize on intra-day price movements. Speed trade is Internet-based application based software, which is available on a CD, which provides everything a trader needs on one screen, thereby, reducing the time required to execute a trade. o Speed trade offers a tick-by-tick update on stock price movements with market depth and intra-day chart and lets the client do his own stock/technical analysis. o While the Lifetime charge for this account is Rs. 1000 /- with a minimum brokerage of Rs. 1500 /- to be generated each quarterly. OFF LINE SERVICES- ? In this Dmats A/C is open in Rs 350/- ? In this trader has to come in office for trading. Bank Connection: – Sharekhan has affiliation with 8 banks, which allows its customers to enjoy the facility of instant credit and transfer of funds from his savings bank account to his Sharekhan trading account. The affiliated banks are as follows:   ? HDFC BANK ? UTI BANK ? CITI BANK ? ICICI BANK ? OBC BANK ? UNION BANK ? INDUSLAND BANK ? IDBI BANK DIAL-N-TRADE: – It is also an exclusive service available to all Sharekhan customers for trading in shares via the telephone. On dialing the toll free number 1800-22-7500 the customer will be directed to a tele-broker who will buy or sell shares for him. After Hour Orders: – Sharekhan customers also enjoy the facility of placing orders even after the trading hours, and the orders are executed as soon as the market opens. Brokerage:- †¢ It is one of the important things, which are observed by the customer while opening a D-mat A/C. †¢ For Intraday Transactions they charge 0. 05 % on each leg Transaction. †¢ For Delivery Transactions they charge 0. 50 % on each leg Transaction. & †¢ For Derivatives Transactions they charge 0. 05 % on each leg Transaction. Trade in Commodity: – Sharekhan also trade in commodities like Bullion: Gold / Silver and Agricultural commodities through Sharekhan Commodity Pvt. Ltd. which are a wholly owned subsidiary of its parent SSKI. Research Team of Sharekhan: – Research and in-depth knowledge of markets provide better than speculations or reacting to rumors. Research team provides knowledge to their customers about market condition. †¢ In morning they provide â€Å"Eagle Eye† which tells about how the market will be in whole day. †¢ In afternoon they provide â€Å"High Noon† which tells that up to that time how was the market and what about the remaining time what will be the condition of the market. †¢ After the market they analyze the market summery of the whole day and give idea about next day market. Mobile-N-Trade facility: – Now Sharekhan is providing the facility that their customers can do trading with the help of their mobile handset. For that purpose they have to pay some extra charge to activate that facility. Importance of the research to the Organization: – 1) The organization get’s the competitive information about the pricing strategy of their competitor’s. 2) Through that they can establish their new pricing strategy to gain competitive advantage. 3) They came to know the effects of using the pricing strategy in the market. Location of company: SHAREKHAN Limited Cross Land, 1204/22, J M Road, Opposite Shambhaji Park, Shivajinagar, Pune, 411005 Phone No. :  020 25520002 Way to Share Khan (JM Road, Pune) Products of Sharekhan:- 1) Stock broking (NSE,BSE) 2) F & O broking (Future and option) 3) PMS (Portfolio Management Services) 4) Commodity trading 5) Insurance 6) Mutual fund 7) Pan card 8) IPO (Initial public offer) |Sharekhan Services | |Sharekhan, one of India's leading brokerage houses, is the retail arm of  SSKI. With over 510 share shops in 170 cities, and India's premier online trading | |portal www. sharekhan. com, our customers enjoy multi-channel access to the stock markets. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Introduction The project assigned is â€Å"TO Study SWOT Analysis For Portfolio Management Services Offered By SHAREKHAN Ltd. In JM Road, Pune†. The purpose of project is to understand Portfolio Management Services, its function, terms involved in and types of Portfolio Management Services. And also study competitors PMS Services in this way that to help the company in its day-to-day work. I worked with the company as a management trainee in SHAREKHAN ltd. Hypothesis 1. People those have large excess money interested in investing in PMS. 2. Retail investors are also now take interest in this scheme. 3. PMS scheme does not have more impact on sales revenue of SHAREKHAN. OBJECTIVE ? To study Portfolio Management Services Offered By SHAREKHAN Ltd. To understand Portfolio Management Services and its importance. ? To study various types of Portfolio Management Services ? To know about the Portfolio Management Services Offered by competitors of SHAREKHAN Ltd ? To understand and know various term s used in and process used in Portfolio Management Services in market. ? Make the SWOT analysis of Portfolio Management Services offered by SHAREKHAN Ltd. LIMITATIONS While completing this project following limitations are occurred: ? Graphical Constraint: – ? Wrong Mind Set about Share Market: – ? Lack of awareness: – ? Lack of Money: – Methodology This project is Descriptive type of the project. In this project I considered only the part of pricing strategy of the organization, and I also studied the topic of my Management Thesis from angle of 360 degree. This project comes under the Formal Research in which objectives are clearly defined and where researcher gathers whole information about all aspects of the project. There is a formal procedure to conduct research; I followed following steps of methodology to conduct the research, Identifying & Defining Problem Planning the Research Design Selecting a Research Method Selecting a Sampling Procedure Data Collection Evaluating the Data Preparing the Research Report Sources of the Information: – While collecting the data for project two types of Sources are used. 1. Primary sources : – In this, data is collected directly from respondents using questionnaire, direct observation & interview techniques. So for this purpose I visited 150 people in the JM Road, Pune. I interviewed them and asked them various questions related to my project and try to find out the actual result 2. Secondary sources: – In this type of data collection I used the information which is already collected by some other person or in printed form before I collected. Sources of secondary data include websites, books, Internet, Journals and also the pamphlets, and the broachers made by the company for their advertisement, etc. I used above methodology & data sources for my project by following steps What is PMS (Portfolio Management Services)? Meaning of PMS The word portfolio means a set or group or combination of securities held by and investor. And the word management means to conduct or manage in a proper way. Thus it means managing of share in a proper way expecting the risk and return. Portfolio Management is the process of selecting a bundle of securities that will provide the investing organization a maximum yield for a given level of risk or alternatively ensure minimum risk for a given level of return. A portfolio is defined a s the composite set of ownership rights to financial assets in which the investor wishes to invest. Portfolios are, thus, composed of securities. It means manages your money by fund manager. It just like Invest your money in PMS, sit back and do nothing. † Advantages of investing in PMS V/s Mutual Fund †¢ You have greater control over the asset allocation, whereas it is automatic in a mutual fund. †¢ The portfolio can be customized to suit your risk-return profile †¢ The portfolio man ager has relatively greater flexibility to move in and out of cash as and when required depending on the market view. †¢ Typically, charges are lower and more transparent in PMS vis a vis a Mutual Fund †¢ Holdings not impacted by entry / exit of the investors. How Sharekhan Manages Portfolio? Sharekhan portfolio Management Services ? Protech ? Proprime ? Proarbitrage [pic] A Trading based portfolio management scheme :- Sharekhan introduces a PMS Protech for- a client with higher risk profile using the tenents of Technical Analysis. Product Offerings 1. Nifty Thrifty 2. Beta Portfolio 1. Nifty Thrifty:- Nifty futures are bought and sold on the basis of an automated trading system that generates calls to go long / short. The exposure never exceeds value of portfolio i. e. there is no leveraging; but being short in Nifty allows you to earn even in falling markets and there by generates linear returns. Features of Nifty thrifty: o Nifty futures are bought and sold on the basis of an automated trading system that generates calls to go long / short. The exposure will never exceeds the value of the portfolio i. e. no leveraging; but will allow to be short in Nifty in falling market therefore allowing the client to earn irrespective of the market direction. o The balance money will be invested in Liquid Funds o Money management rules will be in place to see th at the capital is not eroded. 2. Beta Portfolio:- Stocks in long term technical up trends are identified at various inflection points in their trading cycles. 80% of the portfolio is traded in delivery of such stocks. 20% is used in creating and options book i. e. buying calls/puts of the index / stocks to increase the portfolio beta and hedge against pitfalls. Features of Beta Portfolio: Stocks in long term technical up trends are identified at various inflection points in their trading cycles o 80% of the portfolio is traded in delivery of such stocks. o 20% is used in creating and options book i. e. buying calls/puts of the index / stocks to increase the portfolio beta and hedge against pitfalls. o The use of timing for delivery and options for a higher beta will attempt to offer a superior rate of returns by taking a risk only 20% of the capital. o Money management rules will be in place to see that the capital is not eroded. o Portfolio rebalancing may be conducted between the cash and options segments based on the profitability of each segment. Product characteristics: Using swing/momentum based index trading systems with stop/reverse trend following. ? Investor get the best of worlds by: ? Having positions in cash and options ? Delivery positions enable profit maximization, while options position offered high beta short term profit in the same portfolio. ? Low impact cost. Product details: †¢ Minimum investment Rs. 5 Lakh †¢ Lock in for 3 months †¢ Fortnightly reporting of Portfolio Net Worth †¢ Monthly reporting of Portfolio Holdings/Transactions †¢ 20% profit sharing fees on booked profits quarterly basis †¢ 5% discount on profit sharing fees [to 15%] for investment of 1 crore OR lock in of 1 year. †¢ 0% AMC fees Brokerage 0. 05% for derivatives and 0. 30% for delivery. Nifty futures will be bought and sold on the basis of an automated trading system that will generate calls to go long/short. The system has been test ed over the last 20 years of data  and  performance has been very good [details or returns v/s risk are available  for interested investors]. The portfolio's exposure will never exceed the value of the portfolio, i. e. there shall be no leveraging. But the strategy will allow us to go short/hedge on Nifty in falling markets, thereby yielding returns irrespective of the market direction. The portfolio will either be long or short at all point time. Nifty Thrifty: | |Nifty futures are bought and sold on the basis of an automated trading system that generates calls to go long/short. The | |exposure never exceeds value of portfolio i. e. there is no leveraging; but being short in Nifty allows you to earn even in | |falling markets and there by generateslinear | Product offerings: 1. The Aggressive Scheme: Ideal for investors looking at higher returns with high risk appetite. This portfolio consists of high growth stocks fulfilling any of the following conditions: ? Expected growt h in profitability Turn around and corporate restructuring enabling value unlocking ? Relatively low valuation ? Mid to small cap companies 2. The Balanced Scheme: Ideal for investors looking at steady returns with low risk appetite. This portfolio consist of blend of quality blue chip and growth stocks ensuring a balance portfolio with relatively medium risk profile. Product approach: Investments are based on 3 tenets: I. Consistent, steady and sustainable returns II. Margin of safety III. Low volatility Product characteristics: ? Bottom up stock selection ? In-depth, independent fundamental research ? High quality companies with sustainable competitive advantage ? Disciplined valuation approach applying multiple valuation measures ? Medium to long term vision, resulting in low portfolio turnover Product details: ? Minimum investment: Rs. 5 lakh ? Lock in: 3 months ? Reporting: Online access to portfolio holdings, monthly reporting of portfolio holdings/transactions ? Charges: 2. 5% per annum AMC fees charged every quarter, 0. 5% brokerage, 20% profit sharing after 15% hurdle is crossed- chargeable at the end of the fiscal year. Product offerings: Cash-future Arbitrage: it spots risk free opportunities that yield greater returns than conventional risk free products. On spotting the opportunity, the stock is bought and future is sold to lock in the spread. Position is liquidated if the spread things before time or on expiry, whichever comes earlier. In this manner, the scheme moves from one opportunity to another. Product approach: There is an inherent opportunity in the spread that lies between cash and futures. When the spread is high stocks are bought; at the same time futures are sold to lock in the difference which is then bound to be zero at expiry. Product characteristics: Risk Free: On the whole, it is risk-free and can be compared to RBI bonds and GILT funds. High Returns: As compared to other zero risk products, it offers roughly an 8% post tax returns. Product details: ? Minimum Investment: Rs. 5 lakh ? Lock in: 3 months Reporting: fortnightly for portfolio net worth, monthly for portfolio holdings/Transactions ? Charges: 0. 035% brokerage for cash,0. 075% for delivery SWOT ANALYSIS Of PMS (Portfolio Management Services) offered by SHAREKHAN Ltd. Strengths In Sharekhan’s PMS (Portfolio Management Services) It has a pr oduct like NIFTY THRIFTY. It is the big strength for Sharekhan, because Sharekhan is only the license holder of NIFTY THRIFTY. Generally investors give more preference to this product because it works on the TECHNICAL basis and gives maximum returns is just about 40%. It is the maximum returns that no other product gives this much of returns to investors. The other product i. e. BETA Portfolio which works on Fundamental level. In this product 80% of the portfolio is trade in the Delivery basis and the remaining 20% is trade in Option basis i. e. buying calls/puts. so investors gets fixed returns. So the product ProTech is very big strength of the Sharekhan Ltd. Weaknesses Sharekhan’s other products ProPrime and ProArbitrage does gives as much business as ProTech. In this two products risk is low and the returns are also steady or low. In this scheme money of investors invested in RBI Bonds and GILIT funds, in this way though as compare to other zero risk products, it offers roughly 8% post tax returns. So generally because of this investors are not prefere to invest their money in this scheme. Because of large investment in PMS (Portfolio Management Services) it is minimum 5 lakh Investors does not take interest in such scheme. Sharekhan does not have the product of small investment, under 5 lakh that the retail investors also take interest in PMS (Portfolio Management Services). Opportunities As per mention above only Sharekhan has the license to operate ProTech which includes NIFTY THRIFTY and BETA portfolio so investors does not have any other option for investing there money if they want to invest in ProtTch. So this is proved as a very big opportunity for Sharekhan to capture the market and to get the customer as far as ProTech is concern. As per the studies the retail investors are taking interest in investing in PMS. Because in PMS the portfolio is managed as a individual basis. In PMS services there is a fund Manager who manages our portfolio. So now retail investors are also take part in PMS services. So it will be opportunity for Sharekhan to increase their business and will take market lead. Threats In Pune Kotak and Motilal Oswal are the good competitors of Sharekhan. Because Kotak has a 12 years experience in PMS services , they have good products like Sharekhan . The second competitor is Pukhraj Securities because they provide the PMS scheme which has the minimum investment Rs 2, 00,000/- And Sharekhan has the products which has minimum investment Rs. , 00,000/-So Pukhraj also become a good competitor for Sharekhan. Second the entries of Reliance in stock broking will defiantly create a problem for Sharekhan. Market share of different stock broker for PMS in Pune [pic] The market share for PMS in Pune is captured by Kotak more than Sharekhan as well as other stock brokers. It is leading be cause Kotak provide this service from more than 12 years. Sharekhan started this scheme from 2003. In very short period it also captures market and highly competes with Kotak. And put back to the others. [pic] Because of higher investment requisition such as minimum investment is of Rs. 5,00,000/- in PMS so the no of investors are less than other products. [pic] After taking the 100 client’s interview the result is derived as out of 100 investors 35 are go for sharekhan to invest their money. The second on the rank is Kotak. So it is proved that the PMS scheme provided by sharekhan is more preferred by investors. Conclusion After the studies I have concluded that if company provides the better product as well as schemes not only high class or higher income group will invest but the middle income group is also take interest in investing their money in share market. Only because of one best product and scheme if company launches it can be a market leader for that and will captures the more share of market. BIBLIOGRAPHY Books: – Financial Management Textbook. ? Marketing management Textbook. ? Sip student’s Manual Book. Pamphlets Printed by Various Stock Broking Firms. Web Sites: – ? www. Sharekhan. com ? www. MoneyControl. com ? www. Kotak. com ? www. AnandRathi. com ? www. MotilalOswal. com ? www. ICICIDirect. com ———————– I understand objectives of my management thesis. I prepared questionnaire to collect primary data from customers. I used data collection techniques like questionnaire & interviews. I compiled collected data using excel sheet. I analyzed collected data using various tools & graphical way. I draw conclusion from collected data & make report on it. Pune

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The War on Drugs has been a centerpiece of American foreign and domestic policy. The rhetoric of war shaped the impact of methods. Not only does war require military strategies, but an enemy as well. InRead MoreThe Internet And Modern Media1509 Words   |  7 Pagesmodern media promotes messages that may or may not support the use of drugs. This corresponds with the concept of role models, as those who are respected by teenagers are privy to a greater level of exposure into their life. Therefore, their â€Å"adult habits,† such as drinking can lead teenagers to act accordingly due to the manner in which they deify their role models. Conversely, if a role model(s) is adamant in abstaining from drug use, their ideologies will trickle down to their teenage followersRead MoreWhat Is The Potential For Addiction?1320 Words   |  6 Pageseasiest drugs to become addicted to. The addiction is very severe, many people relapse after long periods without the drug. However, the more the drug is used, the harder it is to receive a â€Å"high†. Methamphetamine is both psychologically and physically addictive. The drug is known to be psychologically addictive because users have anxiety while in withdrawal to the drug. The drug is also physically addictive because the body creates a tolerance to it and there are negative symptoms when the drug is withdrawnRead MoreRisk Factors For Adolescent Drug Abuse1462 Words   |  6 Pages Body: Risk Factors for Adolescent Drug Abuse There are an abundance of risk factors that can relate to the contribution of drug abuse in adolescents. The primary risk factors can be divided into two main categories: social and emotional triggers. Social factors play an important role because during the adolescent years it can be an extremely emotional and physically tough time for teens to transition through. Adolescent phases are one of the biggest transitional stages in a person’s life becauseRead MoreDrug Abusers And A Small Community867 Words   |  4 Pagesarticle looks into the lives of drug abusers in a small community. It aims to discuss the problems Methamphetamine users face in their day-to-day lives. It opens by explaining how people become first â€Å"turned on† to speed, which is usually in a big group and by someone that they are close to who has used the drug before. Even individuals who are initially revolted at the idea will succumb to the pressure of fitting into the group. Individuals who had u sed other drugs in the past, mainly Marijuana or