Abstract This paper cites the fact that Ashland Oil Inc. at the beginning of this decade recognized that it had a management crisis and that it needed to gain control of it in order to cope with the unforeseen shifts in the oil business. It shows that in 1991, the company made a number of decisions regarding how to prepare for a crisis, after it had faced a crisis with a major oil spill in 1988 and had not handled the situation as well as it might.
From the Paper "The public sees long line at the gas pump and notes the rising costs of oil and may believe that the oil companies are making money hand over fist and doing so with relatively little effort. In fact, though, whether an oil company can weather the ups and downs of the oil business depends on the management of the company. Ashland Oil Inc. at the beginning of this decade recognized that it had a management crisis and that it needed to gain control of it in order to cope with the unforeseen shifts in the oil business. Americans have been aware of an oil crisis since the 1970s, when the first oil crisis brought higher prices and long lines and made Americans more aware than ever before of their dependence on foreign sources for their oil and energy needs."
Abstract This paper examines the impact of oil prices and the economic effects that occur directly following rising oil prices. The paper suggests that tapping large oil resources in Canada will help decrease the cost of crude oil but warns that the voracious appetite of the Chinese economy for fuel may not yet have peaked. The paper points out that regardless of the direction of oil prices it is clear that the United States is in the unenviable position of being forced to find an alternative fuel source for the future. In conclusion, the paper shows that as the leader of the global economy, American will bear the bulk of the costs associated with this effort but will hopefully reap the majority of the rewards and until that time, oil prices will continue to have a significant impact on the US economy.
Outline:
Rising Oil Prices Hurt the Consumer in a Number of Ways
The Resilient American Economy
Peaked or Transitioning Higher
From the Paper "Just four years later, Huber's article seems less accurate than it might have been viewed at the time it was written and yet, many of the indications presented in the article can be reasonably said to have survived the economic tumult that rising oil prices have caused in the US. It is, however, difficult to assess how much of an impact the price of oil is responsible for causing to various aspects of the economy. To be sure, oil price has a measurable impact, but at what point does the terrorist attack of 2001, the corporate scandals of 2002 and the Iraq war of 2003 become simply economic footnotes rather than an influencing factor on the buying power of the American public. After all, the price of oil does not exist in an economic vacuum and yet there are some indicators that can be tied directly to the price of oil."
This paper examines the real reasons behind the debt crisis faced by developing countries, focusing on the structural reasons for their continuing debt before turning to possible solutions.
Abstract Reasons for international debt are discussed with examples brought from Mexico and Brazil, oil exporters and oil importers; debt rescheduling; debt relief and first-world aid; the International Monetary Fund and the affect the IMF has had on poor countries. The two major methods of international reserve creation: the mining of gold and the acquisition of reserves in the form of key currencies are discussed along with their problems. Recent structural adjustment and debt relief are also examined, as well as the inability of poorer countries to pay their scheduled debt service and the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and its problems. This leads to a discussion of macro-economic adjustment.
From the Paper "The current climate of recession has highlighted the reasons for raising the calls for poor country debt relief. It is difficult to believe claims made by creditors that they cannot afford further debt relief. Canceling effectively unpayable debts owed by the poorest countries may turn out to be a sensible policy for all creditors. As well as the strong moral argument for debt relief, there could be sound financial grounds for doing so to stimulate the global economy and promote growth."
Abstract The paper explains Shell Nigeria's public relations crisis that was energized by the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, a human rights and environmental activist that claimed Shell was responsible for human suffering and defacing massive portions of the land. The paper provides an internal and external environmental analysis of the company and discusses how the disputes of the Ogoni people and the execution of Saro-Wiwa highlight the necessity of a concrete public relations strategy. The paper recommends that international companies develop a set of core competencies, use risk management strategies with proactive public relations and promote an understanding of cultural values.
Outline:
Executive Summary
Introduction
Analysis of Mission Statement
Internal Environmental Analysis
External Environmental Analysis
Global Codes of Conducts for MNCs
Nigerian Culture and Shell's Crisis Public Relations Strategy
Recommendations
From the Paper "Public opinion often reigns supreme in dictating the day-to-day activities of any given marketplace. In the case of Shell Nigeria, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa marked a negative phase for the company ending in crisis. With various world leaders and human rights officials protesting the execution, the perception of the population was that Shell Nigeria was somehow behind the rapid sentencing. This perception was due to the fact that Saro-Wiwa had been an environmental and human rights activist--opposed to various elements of the petroleum industry. With Shell Nigeria being the focal point of the backlash, there was only a downside to the 1995 turn of events. As bank loans were cancelled, and the public sought restitution for executing a respectable member of society, Shell Nigeria faced an upward battle in regaining support for its products and services."
This paper examines the ongoing debate between those who support the oil industry and those who wish to protect the Alaskan coastal plains from being drilled in search of oil.
Abstract This paper summarizes the argument against drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on the basis of damage that would be caused to the environment and the wildlife inhabiting the region. The topic is connected to the events of September 11th which nearly allowed the Republicans to push through an emergency Energy Security Bill, allowing for the extraction of oil from the ANWR.
From the Paper "In the past 10 months many people have claimed that the world as we knew it a year ago has been profoundly and irreversibly transformed with the events of September 11th, 2001. Others have attacked these claims as being yet another example of American ethnocentrism and egocentricity: the world has not changed, the USA simply got a taste of reality. However, whether the United States was living in a sheltered state of denial in which true poverty, destruction and war never found a home on its shores, or whether the world truly has changed entirely, is a subject for a different debate and a different paper."
Abstract In this article, the writer explains that once the peak point of oil harvesting is reached, economic laws will become painfully evident to even the staunchest defenders of oil use. The writer points out that the supply is literally diminishing, and no amount of politics will be able to create more oil to fulfill the demands that the consumers of the world currently have for energy. Further, the writer notes that alternate supplies of energy in another form are not readily available and therefore, the oil which is available has become increasingly precious to consumers who demand it and are willing to pay a premium amount for the product.
From the Paper "In terms of economic concepts, peak oil refers to the tipping point when demand begins to exceed supply. Economist Alfred Marshall explained the relationship that supply and demand have with one another rather succinctly when he described the two factors in pricing as separate blades of a scissors in that their intersection was the point of price, and that neither could influence the other without the presence of the second blade. Applied to the oil market, the demand for the product is evident, most of the world depends on fossil fuels for energy; despite the skyrocketing gas prices of recent months, consumers in the United States appear to have a high tolerance for the prices, since demand for oil and gasoline has remained at high levels."
Abstract This paper examines the debate over oil drilling in Alaska. It suggests that it is not necessary even given current and possibly future gas shortages in America. It gives various reasons to the adverse affect of using Alaskan oil reserves including the Exxon Valdez incident, the development of supplementary energy sources, and environmental issues.
From the paper:
"As gas prices have risen over the past year, the term ?crisis? has been tossed around a great deal, suggesting a number of different possibilities. Among these: Americans may soon run out of gas, Americans may soon be paying five or ten dollars per gallon, and the American will stall utterly if there is not enough cheap gas available. In fact, of course, none of these speculations is true. What is true, and what will be discussed in this paper, is that these higher gas prices are indeed a wake-up call to Americans that something must be done to change our expectations about where our energy will be coming from in the next century."
Tags: environment, energy, Exxon-Valdez, fuel, oil, fuel, prices, energy
Abstract Discusses embargo of oil exports to the U.S. by Arab members of OPEC as a protest of U.S. support for Israel in 1973. Arab-Israeli War. Differing views of the embargo in Islamic World, Third World and industrialized West. Oil prices. Formation of OPEC. Effectiveness of OPEC. Consequences of the oil embargo.
From the Paper "1973: The Great Oil Shock
I Introduction
Last spring, as U.S. gasoline prices rose above $2 per gallon, and California braced for a possible summer of brownouts, American politicians and commentators often referred back to the "Energy Crisis" of the 1970s, and television news shows replayed grainy old footage of cars waiting lined up ten or twenty deep at gas station pumps. One generation of Americans were reminded of an event they had perhaps half-forgotten, and another perhaps heard of it for the first time.
In 1973, as a protest of US support for Israel in the 1973..."
Abstract This paper discusses how the United States is currently experiencing the latest phase of what has been a thirty-year energy problem. With gas prices reaching an all-time high, as well as new evidence that reveals that gasoline use is actually bad for the environment, the United States must find some alternative way to meet its energy needs. The paper contends that Americans need to take responsibility for their part in this problem by accepting a steep gasoline tax along with a windfall tax on oil companies that could be used to fund research into renewable and sources of energy and how this drastic change in policy would return the United States to its rightful place as the world's leader in innovation and foresight.
From the Paper "In the 1970s, it became clear just how dependent the United States was on foreign sources of energy. In 1973, the United States intervened in the Yom Kippur War on the side of Israel resulting in an embarrassing defeat for the invading Egyptian and Syrian armies. This enraged the Muslim world and for the first time Saudi Arabia along with other OPEC nations decided to use their control over America's access to oil as a political tool. They imposed an oil embargo against the United States and its allies causing a worldwide energy crisis. President Jimmy Carter tried to create a new American energy paradigm. He urged Americans to conserve energy, saying that the U.S. needed to free itself from dependence on foreign oil. He had the White House installed with a wood burning stove and solar panels. "
Abstract This paper describes what the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge actually is. It covers the pros and cons of drilling for oil in the refuge from political, economical, religious perspectives. It gives the writer's opinion on the topic, which is NOT to drill in the refuge. It then gives alternative ideas to drilling and backs them up with facts from credible sources like the U.S. Geological Survey.
From the Paper "An environmental masterpiece to be preserved, or an economic opportunity waiting to be tapped? This is the debate that has been persistent around the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for over 40 years. It is also a mainstream argument for many environmental philosophies. Pro-drilling advocates tend to take on Judeo-Christian beliefs, while anti-drilling organizations stick with conservation or preservationist values. These two groups portray their views over the internet using many types of representation, false or not, to convince readers their position is correct. Both sides have their pros and cons, but my opinion on the topic is that drilling for oil in the ANWR is a poor idea due to inevitable environmental complications."
Abstract This papers introduces, discusses and analyzes the book "The Party's Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies" by Richard Heinberg. According to the paper, author Richard Heinberg explores the world's dependence on fossil fuels in this book, and comes to the conclusion that the "Party's Over" when it comes to society's long-term dependence on non-renewable forms of energy. The paper reports that sooner or later, we will run out, and when we do, it will alter society forever. The paper is written from a personal perspective.
From the Paper "I feel the current political policies, for the most part, are critically flawed and need to be radically reformed. In fact, I think many politicians have their heads in the sand over this issue, and need their attitudes totally readjusted. I just read an article online that the Nevada Legislature wants to rescind a law giving "green" builders tax breaks, because it could cost the state too much money (Bellisle). This seems extremely short sighted and backward to me. It is a time when we should be encouraging the use of alternative power and building methods, rather than rescinding tax incentives. That is just one reason I feel the current political policies are fatally flawed and unrealistic. It seems as if the politicians refuse to do anything until the problem is staring them in the face, and by then it will be too late. As the author notes, "In hindsight, the reasons for abandoning the path of conservation seem tragically wrongheaded" (Heinberg 80). I think we need to make it "cool" again to conserve and be aware, and begin a strong educational campaign to teach children in school and their parents, how important it is to conserve energy and change our basic energy usage patterns."
Tags:oil, fuel, energy, crisis, conserve, conservation, danger, fossil, fuels, green
Abstract This paper explains that the key to solving Russia's economic crisis lies in promoting the country's raw materials industries and in allowing Western investment resources to target these industries. The paper also points out that hard line Communists still in power and the great degree of corruption within the Russian government are the primary obstacles to Russia's economic success. The paper describes the ruinous condition of Russia's economy and what measures must be undertaken in order to pull the country out of the dark ages of Communism and into a modern western style free market economy.
From the Paper "About ten years ago, there were no market features in the Russian economy at all. There was no capital market, money market, forex, etc. Yelstin has changed the situation drastically. Today, Russia has a private economy, which is comparable with the state economy. There is still a large portion of industries, such as the raw materials industries and of course transportation, which are state controlled monopolies. However, the main problem in Russia is to avoid a turn back, to Socialism with total government control of the economy."
Abstract This paper describes the stalemate America faces in trying to find a solution to being dependent on oil from the Arab world. The author traces the history and background of this problem, and cites the end of the 1973 oil embargo as the reason that no serious research has continued in this field. The paper additionally shows how oil pricing is high and further outlines the causes of Western dependency on oil. Also analyzed is the connection between oil dependency, the increased energy needs of emerging nations and the environment. The author concludes with a call for more research and public awareness of the issue of oil dependency.
Outline:
Introduction and Background
Genesis, Continuation and Increasing of Problem
Attempted Solutions
Evidence for the Problems of High Oil Price
Causes
Effects
Solutions
Conclusion
Table "U.S. Retail Gasoline Prices"
From the Paper "Solutions to the ongoing and continually-increasing problem of oil dependency could still be reached; if the political will and commitment were to truly exist (and in the opinion of this author, it currently does not). No real solution is viable without that. Oil lobbies would need to lose their grip on Washington politicians, which would even conceivably happen only if a groundswell of citizenry were to threaten to "un-elect" the career politicians supported, politically and sometimes, at least to an extent, personally (trips; favors) by various big oil interests."
Tags:oil, OPEC, United, States, Arab, world, petroleum, dependency, alternative, energy, sources
Abstract This paper discusses the article 'China's Rising Demand for Oil and Pipelines Has Worldwide Implications?'by Gordon Feller. It applies macroeconomic theory to oil as a commodity product in China where oil and other petroleum products, as well as coal, have become a major source of energy production. The paper discusses the opinion expressed in the article that this development in terms of world oil markets, the petroleum industry and the fact that China has great potential to affect the world oil industry either positively or negatively.
From the Paper "In the article "China's Rising Demand for Oil and Pipelines Has Worldwide Implications," Gordon Feller discusses the unexpected negative impact that the ascendancy of China's economy into a major global economy has had on international markets. For years companies all over the globe and especially in the West have viewed China as an emerging market with vast potential for increasing sales for many years to come. Yet, most analysts seemed to overlook the fact that China's economy was expanding for a reason and that its emerging modern infrastructure and middle-class population with greater income levels would have the same energy demands as any other developed nation: China's rapid economic expansion makes it one of the largest energy-consuming nations with demand growth continuing to surge."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the oil industry. The paper reports that the history of the oil industry dates back to the earliest civilizations of the Middle East. According to the paper, there are inscriptions, that originated from Mesopotamia, describing the use of oil from as far back as 4000 B.C.E. The paper also reports that in the United States, the invention of the kerosene lamp led to the formation of the first American oil company, Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company, founded in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1854.
From the Paper "The development of the oil industry also took place in many countries outside of the United States. For example, Canada's first oil boom occurred in Ontario in 1867 and in 1947, the great Leduc field near Edmonton, Alberta, was discovered which soon led to Canada becoming an important contributor to the oil industry. In Mexico, oil production began on a commercial scale around 1918 which made Mexico the second-largest oil producer of the early 20th century. Of course, in 1901, one of the first concessions for oil production was granted in Iran and when huge oil reserves were discovered in 1908, the Anglo-Persian Oil Company came into existence and was soon replaced by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in 1914. "
