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Indian Oil Core Competency Business Essay
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Indian oil came forth as a top oil trading company among national companies in Asian pacific region as per the survey done by applied trading system (ATS). The survey is conducted among 80 major oil companies. The prestigious Deutsche Bank has featured only Indian Oil as one of the global stock picks in the oil & gas sector. Indian Oil owing to its solid fundamentals and also the proactive Strategies adopted by the Management to deal with the various challenges facing the oil sector". Platts World Energy Rankings 2005. Indian Oil has moved five places up in the Platts 'Top 250 Global Energy Company' rankings from 26th in 2004 to 21st this year. Indian Oil, India's flagship oil company, has retained it number one position by sales in the latest corporate rankings released by the Economic Times. The ET500 report goes on to add, "Indian Oil has been the largest Indian company by sales for as long as anyone can remember. India's most valuable brand Indian Oil and SERVO selected Super brands (2004-06). Indian Oil has emerged as the most trusted petrol pump brand in the country in the prestigious Economic Times Brand Equity Survey of India's Most Trusted Brands (ET, Dec. 15, '04). This company maintains a score of 80 out of 100 which symbolizes that it maintains a good corporate equity.
Pestle Analysis
Political Factors:
In India there is no policy for oil consumption despite having an energy policy. The factors which constitute these are as follows: Public transportation getting privatized for the reduction of cost and better efficiency, many companies such as Tata introducing Rs 1 lakh cars and enormous investment to improve the infrastructure for railways.
The government can take good initiatives by introducing policies to reduce the demand for the petrol and diesel consumption to prevent the people of India from getting addicted to petrol. The government can also impose high duty on automobiles.
The Labor unions of India will be unhappy if the public transportation systems are privatized because they can no longer enjoy their influence to monetize their personal wealth.
The political party also determines the change in price. For example when congress won the elections it came as a boost in the value of the oil companies.
Economic Factors:
The major developments in the areas of automobile industry and aviation industry have got a multiplier effect and this will eventually increase the Gross National Product (GNP) of India.
Sometimes the government has to deliberately raise the prices of gasoline and oil in order to reduce the country's deficit. And at times the forecasts of the inflation rate made by the government exceed due to the rise in fuel prices. The inflation has a significant impact on the oil industry.
The unemployment rate in India is 10.8%. Study has shown that the unemployment rate is inter connected with the fuel prices. If there is more employment then people buy more cars and bikes and this impacts the fuel prices.
When there is a rise in inflation then there is an impact even the country's interest rates. The Reserve Bank of India recently reduced the interest rates due to high inflation. So the fuel price inflation and interest rate are interconnected.
Social Factors:
India has a population of about 1.1 billion. There is a significant growth in the consumption of oil every year. As of 2009, it is estimated that the oil consumption is about 2.68 million barrels/ day.
India after its independence has experienced complete transformation. The major areas of transformation are Aviation industry, IT industry, Infrastructural industry, Telecommunication industry, Steel industry, Oil Industry and Automobile industry. The change in the lifestyle and the influence of more western culture has made India buy more and more bikes and Cars. This has resulted in the increased consumption of oil.
Today many foreign companies are coming to India and this has impacted the employment rate. This has helped in creating more jobs and the income distribution has increased. There is a also a significant rise in the disposable income which has increased the consumption of oil.
Technological Factors:
India is spending huge amounts of money in Research & Development. The R&D centre is equipped with state of the art technology which has helped producing more than thousands of formulations of lubricating oils.
These help to cater to different fields of Indian oil industry such as Public utilities, Defense, Railways and Transportation.
India has also won many awards for the success in focused research in the sections of lubricants, refining process, additives, grease formulations, biotechnology, emission studies, pipeline transportations and engine evaluations.
The R&D centers are fully operational to provide mechanical support to operating parameters, development of fresh processes, and evaluation of feedbacks and catalysts and licensors system know-how.
The R&D centre's refinery machinery and installations is an extremely dedicated service to Indian Oil Corporation and other oil companies.
The refineries in India are equipped with the best technology for the refining process. Government has allocated more than Rs 32000 crore for the up gradation of the machinery in the refineries in order to produce good quality of petrol. In Indian we now use Euro-IV type petrol all over the country.
Environmental Factors:
Today environmental factors are one of the most important factors in the oil industry. The environmental analysis has to focus more on critical issues inbuilt in cleanups programs as they affect the refining process in today's oil industry. The environmental monitoring also affects the transport systems, storage, recovery options and utilization.
The oil spills from the tankers affects the ecosystems and damages it. Oil spills in sea is more damaging when compared to the oil spills on land. It destroys the marine life and to control these oil spills the government is taking initiatives. The control of oil spills is quite difficult because it requires complicated methods and a very large amount of manpower.
Many environmental engineers and environmental scientists are working together by the use of productive methods for the improvement of environmental effects, waste disposal and waste management.
The government is very strict in a check list which includes: gaseous emissions, solid waste and liquid effluents.
Legal Factors:
Since the year 2000 India has passed a law for every vehicle to carry out an emission test every 6 months. This was followed mostly in the European countries. It is done to check the fitness of the vehicle and to check the amount of emissions released.
The petrol stations in India should abide by the strict rules and laws for the safety of the storage of fuel. Therefore the licensing process becomes difficult.
The government has also imposed competition laws in order to protect the monarchy of competition in the market. The act also ensures there is standardization in the prices and cartelization.
Key drivers of change:
The Indian economy is the 11th largest economy in the world and is booming. This gives good image for automobile industry for their investments in the country. The FDI gives good returns to equity.
The government's proposal for more IT companies in India has resulted in more employment and this has increased the purchasing power and their buying behavior for more cars and bikes.
The aviation industry in India is booming with more players coming in. The air passenger's traffic has increased by 19% this year. The fuel used in the aviation sector is Aviation fuel.
India also accounts to more than 26% of the world reserves of thorium. It is expected to increase the country's nuclear program in the future.
Industry analysis: Porter five force analysis:
Porter five forces model is the one which helps in finding out the efficiency as well as the productivity which are faced by many companies while they are in the oligopolistic environment. The 3 major forces are from the horizontal competition and the other two are from the vertical competition. Under the horizontal factor forces that factor in are threat of new entrants, substitutes and finally threat of existing players. Under vertical, bargaining power of buyers as well as suppliers do arise. So, the porter's five force analysis goes thus:
Power of suppliers:
In the oil industry the major power is held by the supplier of oil. Here the major supplier is the ONGC which supplies approximately 40% of the total oil produce all over the world. Among the top oil importing countries India stands at 9th position with a requirement of 1.5 million barrels from OPEC. So, looking at the dependence we can say that the supplier in this industry enjoys more power and also it is having more power with regard to even fixing prices. But comparatively the bargaining power these days is becoming low as the purchase is happening from many suppliers. For ex. Indian oil has a method of purchasing. It calls tenders and who so ever bids lower price would be given the deal. For the month of October it bought a millions of barrels from Tunisian Zarzaitine crude base. After that it even bought from 4 mn barrels from Nigeria and also from the fields of bonga. So, as and when demand is there Indian oil is purchasing from different suppliers. So, from the above analysis we can say that top Indian companies like Indian have given very less scope for suppliers to hold power as they purchase from various suppliers through tenders.
Power of buyers:
For the oil industry there are two types of buyers. One is the industrial buyer and the other is the individual buyer. They both together constitute downstream buyers. These buyers get supplies from the upstream buyer for ex. Indian oil. They do have an incentive to limit supply so they keep prices as high as possible due to shrinking downstream margins. They do this because there are other competitors for them. Say for example: Indian oil is having competitors like BP, SHELL and RELIANCE in the diesel and petrol segment. Whereas, in the lubricants segment they face intense competition from: CASTROL, SHELL and VALVOLINE products. So the industrial customers who do bulk purchase is having good bargaining power as they order in huge quantity and on top of it they have good number of other suppliers too. And for the individual consumers they have got wide variety of choices. So they can switch to some other brand as there is no switching cost involved. So, we can say that buyers are having considerable bargaining power in the oil industry.
Threat from existing players:
In the oil industry the competition is very fierce as the there is trading of commodities. And there is competition even from the other industries also who supply chemicals and other fuel which acts as substitute for the oil industry products. There is an estimation that the industry would grow at around 4%. Just because it is a commodity market it gets competitive advantage by giving products to public at lower cost. This can be done by achieving efficiency in the productions and operations. Focusing on just lubricants there has been distribution of market by various competitors. Gulf oil has full acquired the buses segment, servo's share consists of Lorries and trucks. With regard to valvoline it has its market share from the drillers and other heavy equipment users. And finally Castrol has targeted bike segment and high end users. So, from the above scenario we can say that there is more rivalry among existing players in this oil industry.
Threat from substitutes:
If we see substitute for oil industry there are many. The other energy generating fuels such as coal, solar energy, nuclear power pose as a substitute for oil industry. With the countries getting more and more liberalized there arises chances for smaller firms to import oil at less price and reach out to customers at lower price who are mainly focused on price factor. So by this the market share for the larger companies like Indian oil, and shell will reduce. So some small aspects appear to be threat. And also in the oil industry some refine the used oil and sell it as the normal ones, because of this the price of the oil also would be lower and customer may opt for it. This also slightly poses as a threat to the regular oil companies. And finally there are many substitutes which pose as a threat like solar energy. Recently many are going green so as to reduce the carbon emission. So by that extent their consumption of oil will reduce. Thus, this finally poses as a threat to oil industry.
Threat of new entrants:
This is also one of the factors that look in to while analyzing the oil industry attractiveness. The threat appears to be low because to enter in to industry one should have the financial muscle and should have good distribution channels. Apart from all these this industry asks for so many environmental regulations to be followed which itself is a cumbersome process. It also requires high level of expertise in the areas of extraction and exploration and also the refining. There is more fixed cost involved in the upstream, downstream and also the other chemical products. All these factors make new entrant to think twice to enter this industry.
From the above porters analysis we can say that the oil industry is very attractive. The threat from the new entrants to the industry is low and also the bargaining power of buyers. Whereas bargaining power of the supplier is high. This won't affect much because sometimes big players would be handling suppliers' segment as well as the buyer segment. But the attractiveness is slightly reduced by the internal rivalry between existing players which is high in the oil industry.
SWOT Analysis: - A Strategic Analysis
India totally has 19 refineries out of which 10 are owned by IOCL. This is certainly strength to Indian Oil Company because it has able to get 46% of the market share.
55% of the refineries are in the northern and western areas of India which is where the demand is high, market is huge and the growth is more.
Distribution Network of IOCL a product are very well-built and by having this it has able to achieve a 49% of the market in the product pipelines and the capacity of this is 50 mmt.
IBP, the marketing company was acquired by IOCL in order to strengthen its operations in marketing activities. In the marketing infrastructure it has dominated the market such as it has 5000 distributors, 18,000 fuel stations and 6500 kerosene dealers.
By having joint ventures the company has been able to enter into areas such as storage of petroleum, lube addictives, training and consultancy, exploration, gas and petrochemicals.
The company has its presence in international markets such as Bahrain, Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Bangladesh and African countries.
The company's marketing activities in the area of lubricants are not upto the mark.
The petrochemicals industry and the technology used in another weakness.
The technology what IOCL uses is not as good as the foreign players such as Shell and British Petroleum.
The petroleum products nowadays have become a necessity for everyone. As Indian Oil Corporation is spread all over the country it has a great opportunity and wide scope in the present situation.
Since IOCL has the largest number of fuel stations, largest number of dealers and largest number of distribution network it has a superior advantage to launch new products and can go for expansion of the business any time.
Schemes such as Xtra Power can bring more ease to the customers during their buying process. And these schemes are different and unique from other companies.
IOCL is coming up with its own pipelines for the ease to supply the fuel to the aviation sector.
If the Government of India allows the private oil companies to set their own price then this can harm the market of IOCL.
The crude oil is mostly imported and sometimes it has to face loss as it is not in the hands of the company to fix the price.
The foreign oil companies are much more advanced in the field of technology and this is a threat to IOCL.
PROFIT Analysis
This analysis is done so as to find out the resources of Indian Oil Corporation so as to operate successfully in the external environment.
Physical analysis
The physical infrastructure of Indian oil is wide spread all over India. It has nearly 40% share in the petroleum industry market. It has got very good sophisticated distribution channel so as operate efficiently. More and more research is going on so as to increase the product range in the petroleum segment. Recently they have started the LNG which is much better than the LPG.
The physical resource of Indian oil constitutes good infrastructure like land and buildings and also the plant and machinery.
Buildings consist:
Sophisticated Refinery centers
Ksk's (petrol bunks)
Packaging units.
Machineries used:
Oil quality control machines.
Grading and refining machinery.
The reputation of Indian oil is very good as it is at the 105th position among the top fortune 500 companies. This is because of its huge volume of sales. This shows that people trust in Indian oil much.
Having larger employment and has got good position among the public sector units.
Due to its performance, Indian oil has won many awards.
On the non-financial sector Indian oil holds no1 position. This was according to the week magazine publishing.
Indian oil has some foremost divisions such as R&D, Marketing, IBP, Refinery and Pipe Line.
These divisions are done according to their respective area wise in locations like Chennai oil corporation, Mauritius Indian oil, Middle east IOC and Sri Lanka IOC.
Some of the organizational resources are the machineries and equipments.
Organizational analysis
Organizational resources: the coordination and the control aspect is very good in Indian oil. It has structured its distribution channel very well. The culture across the entire organization is very friendly which is making many to give their best. Because of the friendly environment even the attrition rate is also low. On the other hand the productivity is very good from the employees.
Some of the major divisions which Indian Oil Corporations has are Refinery, Marketing, R&D, Pipe line, and IBP division.
Divisions are also done area wise such as They are also divided according to the locations like Chennai oil corporation, Indian Oil(Mauritius)Ltd for Mauritius, IOC middle east FZE, for middle east countries, Lanka IOC PLC for sri lanka.
The machineries, equipments used in Indian oil is also a organizational resource.
Financial Analysis
The major part of the capital for IOC is been fetched by equity and also debt through issues like debentures or through loans from banks. Most of the capital derived from this is deviated to R&D. This is actually done to be technologically advanced in their process of making high graded oil by the use of sophisticated technologies.
IOC holds a market share of more than 43% and it the largest public sector unit in India.
The shareholders have been given good dividends due to the good performance in their quarter 3 report.
One of the other ways by IOC for generating funds is by disposing off the old machineries and underperforming machines.
But most of the income is generated by the sales of its products such as diesel, engine oil and petrol.
Intellectual and Human Resource analysis
IOC is one of the biggest companies in India and is also one of the biggest employers. Their main strategy for recruitment of employees is by campus selection and through the publication of the jobs in their websites.
For technically qualified employees they recruit from technical institutes such as NIIT and for also they go the country's premium b-schools for their requirement of Management grads.
CA's are also recruited from ICAI. And they are the highest paid in the public sector unit.
There will be a management training program which would help the new recruits to cope up with their respective jobs.
Technological Analysis
Technology is one of the major areas where IOC has prime focus on. It's because it has to stay competent in the rapidly changing technological world. This would help them in their mining process and exploring more and more opportunities in energy.
The R&D is been given the prime importance and have also opened a separate division for it. This is located in the outskirts of Haryana. The company is always finding new ways in which they can have better products.
Up to date machineries have been uploaded so that they can improve the quality in whatever they do and have advanced machineries.
The distribution network of Indian oil is highly appreciated and the reason behind this is because of the coverage of the IOC in every state in the most efficient manner. Literally they are in every nook and corner.
The IOC is making sure that the products which they offer are of the best superior quality and they also recommend their best products to their customers. This has built the trust among the people in rural areas and they prefer Indian oil rather than other competitor.
They also try to ensure that the complaints by their customers are listened carefully and acted upon it accordingly.
IOC has always been trying to work hard so that they satisfy their customers, stockiest and their distributors.
For giving more value to the customers the organization has always thought of coming up with new products.
Through their route sales task they do door delivery for their products.
The incentives given by Indian oil is quite high when compared to the industry standards. To cite an example here, it gives 2ltrs of servo 4T free if we sell 1 case of servo 4T. (12 pieces).
For maintaining long term relationship with their customers the IOC keeps coming up with new schemes. One such scheme is reward scheme. In this Xtra reward scheme if the customers make a purchase of 2ltrs of oil then they get 2 points. So when the customers reach 100 points they can redeem the points by exchanging some gifts.
In the oil segment it is the only company which has come up with and has moved forward in bringing about eco friendly pesticides.
Indian Oil Corporation has been able to reach the customers in such a unique way without having advertised so much which is a feature and is hard to imitate. This reputation created by IOC has been done over a period of time.
The distributor's relationship with the IOC is so unique and has good relationship with each other. And whenever IOC sets target the distributors make sure that they achieve it.
The handling of the distribution network of IOC is very hard to imitate.
IOC has created such a brand image over a period of time and is non substitutable for other companies or any foreign players.
The dominance in the market by IOC over its other competitors is highly non substitutable.
Business level strategy:
Perspective of outside in:
Industry structure along with the market demand: The products of Indian oil have got demand in India as well in many other countries to which it has expanded. The market is growing at very rapid pace and also from Indian oil side there is tremendous growth to match the demand. There is an estimation that the growth rate of oil industry in India is expected to grow by 43% by 2019. And from this opportunity we can say that Indian oil can bag some of customers and increase customer base.
Gaining advantageous position: Indian oil right from its inception has understood the gap that is prevailing in the market. It is offering the products at very less price compared to its competitors. So with this customers often prefer Indian oil products rather than the Castrol or shell or any product for that matter.
External positioning:
Acquiring required resources: Indian oil with its constant growth has been acquiring many resources so as to match the demand as well to be very competitive. it has made many tie ups with other companies and also it has acquired many to expand in the market. Some of the acquisitions include NPCIL and many. Indian oil along with ONGC has got approval from the government to spend five times more on the acquisitions. So this is a contributing factor for Indian oil.
Mobility barriers as well the bargaining power: Indian oil's bargaining power is very good right from the beginning. People who are using Indian oil products are less likely to shift to other products as the product quality is very good. And there is general tendency among people that if they switch to some other brand they think it is going to affect the performance of the machinery. So Indian oil can use this as a lock-in factor and move ahead. But side by side the service quality has been increasing drastically.
Hybrid strategy: this strategy company is following right from its inception. Not to say that it want to somehow peep in to market. It is coming in with only motive of providing quality service at less cost. But side by side it is also keeping an eye on the achieving volumes of sales. Because as it is providing products at lesser cost in oder to be profitable and reduce fixed cost t has to achieve large volume of sales. And it is striving to reduce cost as price of crude oil is slowly hiking in the global market. So we can say that company follows hybrid strategy in its business level strategy.
Growth using Hybrid Strategy:
When Indian oil started in 1960's it had very small customer base. But if see now the customer base has increased like anything before. Currently it is having customer base of more than 1.2 million customer base. Even the global ranking it got through award of fortune 500 companies its brand image also has changed contributing to its customer base. With this awareness among people helps Indian oil to go for the hybrid strategy.
Indian oil has over 10 out of 17 refineries in India among the total of 17. With this advantage it is able to be cost effective as it can reduce cost through new technology and it can cut down its cost and offer product at lesser cost.
Price Based Strategies:
Comparative to the other players in industry Indian oil is playing on price. For ex: 1 liter of servo lubricant is priced at Rs.140 whereas Castrol is selling at Rs.180. so Indian oil is making huge price difference and they are creating customer value.
Compared to its competitors it not advertising much this is helping Indian oil to price at lower levels giving good margins to the distributors and inspiring them to promote Indian oil products.
In the diesel and petrol segment it is selling at Re.1 less compared to shell which is also playing at large in the recent years.
The new product launch with regard to pesticides is given to farmers at very low price compared to the other pest control chemicals. This product is very much beneficial to both the farmers and society at large.
Since it is state owned it gets subsidies from the government and in turn it is passed in to the customers at large.
The way it operates is different to that of others because all the packaging activities have been outsourced to others through tenders helping Indian oil to concentrate on its operational activities. By doing this it is able to work efficiently.
Because of its huge operations and volume of sales it is able achieve economies of scale.
It was incorporated in 1964 and it has been concentrating on huge machineries that would use oil. All the Lorries always prefer servo for their engine oil rather than any of the other brands which are available in the market.
It's a state owned company and people will obviously rely on it instead some other brands.
The engine oil as well as the petrol and diesel is available in almost all the states of India and also even in villages we can find it, in villages they have opened kisan seva Kendra's which are very much for the benefit of rural areas. It is present in almost 138 cities all over.
With all these Indian oil is able to attain sustainable competitive advantage in consideration of the above factors.
Market share of Indian oil:
Speaking about Indian oil market share is a cumbersome process as it has got numerous shares in the different segments. To start with Indian oil along with its subsidiaries hold more than 46% share in the petroleum related products market. Whereas in the terms of refining it hold nearly 40% share in this market. Out of some 19 refineries it holds 10 refineries which are very huge for any company for that matter. Looking at the downstream it holds nearly 65% share in the market. And it has got widest network of fuel stations numbering to about 17500 plus. To sum up the market share of Indian oil in the oil industry of India is very huge comparatively with the other companies in the same field.
Strategic Alliances
IOCL has many strategic alliances under its bag. Recently it made a ratio of 50:50 alliances with the Gulf of Sudan and Iran for it's out of the country projects. This gives IOCL the opportunity to explore the market and increase its production and has made IOCL to make a good synergy with its operations sector. It has made many strategic alliances with the local distributor in every city to ease the supply of its products to its customers. Recently in the year 2009 IOCL made a strategic alliance with the "Petro Algae ltd". This was done by signing a MOU to license the agreement for supplying microchips technology for its future expansion to large scale production in the field of renewable fuels. For its Indane product (LPG) it has made several alliances with the best companies to market its product throughout the country. Some of the other Strategic alliances by IOCL are as follows:
AVI-Oil India ltd: To make synthetic lubricating oil for aviation and defense purposes.
Indo Cat ltd: To manufacture addictives.
Lubrizol India Pvt Ltd: To manufacture chemicals and market them for the use as addictives in Greases and diesel.
Petro net India Ltd: To implement petroleum projects through Special purpose vehicles.
Competitors' analysis:
Major Petroleum segment and lubes
Indian oil
Hindustan petroleum
Bharat petroleum
Reliance petroleum
PanIndia presence
138 cities
90 cities
30 cities
Petrol, diesel, servo lubricants, marine fuels, Indane gas, and much more
LPG, lubes, petrol, diesel and also in to retail and much more
Petrochemicals, petrol, diesel and solvents, lubricants, LPG and much more
Petrochemicals, petrol, diesel and much more
many pipeline projects so as to reduce cost and ease of product availability
Lube Oil Base Stock projects and pipeline projects under
Revamp of existing Diesel Hydrodesulphurization unit, Refinery Modernization Project
Polyethylene Expansion Project, Oil &Gas Project, Residue Up gradation Project and much more
Price: with regard to price, Indian oil holds the strong position. The current price which is prevailing are Indian oil's SERVO lube is selling at Rs.150/ liter where as Castrol is selling at Rs.180/liter whereas shell is selling at Rs.155/liter. So we can say that Indian oil has got good advantage with regard to price.
Technology: Indian oil has been striving very hard to match up to the recent technology. Just because it is very large organization any sudden implementation of technology takes time. But on the other side the lube segment competitors are doing wonders with new technology especially the Castrol. It has created customized packaging which would help the customers at large.
In the lube segment Indian oil has got fierce competition from the shell company as both have got good specification of oil and the quality level of oil has been kept very high. With this we can say that in terms of quality shell is giving fierce competition and in the recent days even Castrol also has come with very good specification of oil and doing wonders. It has improved even the packaging and has improved the service quality.
Indian Oil Corporation is the largest oil company in India and is ranked 105th in the fortune 500 companies. It has the widest market of petrol stations in India. It has various products such as Oil, Natural gas, Petroleum, Lubricants and fuel. The Indane cooking gas has a customer base of more than 50 million and they have 5000 distributors all over the country. The logistics model followed by Indian Oil is very robust and this has been the key to the success of the company. The facilities are also out in the right place as soon as the products are dispatched by sea, rail and road to the customers. The company is also considering capturing the domestic market of petrochemicals which is a booming and they are planning to take on this through a ground-breaking supply of logistics. Indian Oil also caters to the country's aviation fuel requirements by giving the best quality matching with the global standards. It takes care of fuel handling and storage. It also serves to the Defense services of India and also to the VVIP's. Because of the service and the quality provided by the IOC many international and domestic flights wants to get fueled by IOC and everyday it fills about 1,600 flights in metros and remote places such as Andaman & Nicobar islands to Leh.
Approach to their Customers:
Indian Oil Corporation has 10 refineries of the total 19 refineries in India. It has a total of 18,000 fuel stations all over the country and due to this it has been able to market itself by having its presence all over the country and has been successful in reaching the customers proficiently. From the beginning Indian Oil has always believed that ethics is the key to victory. It has also believed that new technology, environment and innovation are one of its foundation stone to attract more customers.
Service provided for their Customers:
The services provided by Indian Oil Corporation have been very attractive towards the customers. To provide good service and enhanced convenience to their customers the IOC has introduced a toll free number and to take the customer feedback they also introduced an electronic feedback system. They are also giving a personal accident insurance scheme to its customers under the IOC loyalty programs. It also has a vibrant website which helps customers to know more about the company's product and services. In the product line of LPG they also give a unique user id to every customer so that the customer has more access to its account and order when ever required.
Technology used and implemented:
Indian Oil Corporation has state of the art technology in their refineries and has a well equipped Research and Development centers. The R&D centers have expertise in the field of petroleum industry. They have also set up operational green field refineries and brown field projects have been established for expansion purpose. The IOC has also initiated the pipeline transportation experience in India and also marketed the product throughout the country to ease the reach of their petroleum products to every customer everyday. The IOC has also lead their R&D expertise to countries such as Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Malaysia, Abu Dhabi, Bhutan, Iraq, Zambia, Nepal, Algeria, Bahrain and Nigeria. In the downstream sector of the company the IOC has a unified sync with the R&D operations. Some of the operations are as follows: planning, execution, monitoring, quality control, quality check, technical services, logistics, and safety of industrialized hygiene.
Recruitment of Employees:
As of 2009, IOCL has 37,000 employees. The IOCL visits reputed institutions such as NIT's, IIT's and other technical universities recruiting students of final year students of engineering. For their business management they go to reputed management institutions to recruit MBA's. Also they go to Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to recruit CA's to look after the auditing and taxes benefits of the company. IOC also post advertisements in the newspapers. The candidates can apply online if they are interested and the company will respond to the desired candidate after meeting all the criteria and eligibility. The growth of an employee depends upon its individual performance. The IOC also gives many perks and benefits to its employees and also a few welfare measures.
Firm Infrastructure:
The IOCL infrastructure is one of the biggest in India. As mentioned earlier it has 10 refineries of the total 19 refineries in India. It is planning to invest 48,000 crore in the new refinery which has a capacity of 16 million tonnes a year. This also includes pipeline infrastructure in the whole country. The company has always been growing in terms of fuel stations in India. The IOCL has also established new infrastructure for its product storage and for the ease of distribution network.
Strategic clock:
The strategic entrance of Indian oil with new products happens through hybrid strategy. The products from the lube sector are priced low with huge features attached to the product matching that of competitors. But, its competitors products are priced very high compared to Indian oil products. This has been followed all over India and the price per liter of engine oil falls at Rs.130/liter. Castrol one of the competitor in recent years is pricing the same engine oil at Rs. 180/liter. This shows that it is offering its products to public at 25-28% cheaper price compared to its other competitors. This has affected the strategies of Castrol as well as the shell. As a huge massive organization it can achieve huge volume by offering at the lower price. Recently Indian oil came with product called agro spray for this they have used differentiation strategy. Its features are very good compared to the other related products which are in the market. The specialty is that when this spray is been used it helps in preventing the fruit from getting contaminated. Other pesticides which were used by the farmers were very much dangerous to health. The specialty of the agro spray is that it won't kill pests by poisoning but this kills by making them suffocate. And it is not health hazardous kind of thing when compared to other pesticides. It has been priced very low compared to the other competitor products which are prevailing in the market. The major factor which can seen for pricing low are:
Its advertising expenditure is very less compared to its competitor. They are into giving more benefit to the distributor as well as the customer because they are achieving their profit through large volume sales.
The organization is very huge and it can achieve profits through economies of scale.
Innovation has always been a key towards the success of IOCL. IOCL has also bagged many awards such as 'Safety Innovation Award" and "Golden Peacock Innovation Award". The R&D team is one of the main contributors towards Innovation. This department was presented with the award of "Petro Fed Innovator of the year". This was given because of R&D's contribution towards developing and marketable addictive for Diesel engines which is SERVO. Servo is very cost effective and gives good performance with less maintenance. This is patented by IOCL. IOCL has as many as 60 innovation patents along with international patents in different countries. The technology used in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is a new and innovated process. It proposes to reach bulk customers at their doorstep to deliver its product through pipelines. The proposed terminal for LNG has been identified to be in Chennai. IOCL has also promoted innovation in the field of Hydrocarbon sector. The Oil and Gas sector in IOCL recognized that innovation is something which is need of the hour for the survival of the business.
Benchmarking is something IOCL has always and continuously believed in when compared to its peer and other corporate companies. Thus it has been one of the most admired companies in India. This gives IOCL the opportunity to make others aware of the best practices followed with the company. IOCL made a benchmark by setting up a Hydrocracker unit in 2009. It was the fastest mechanical completion in a very short time of 59 days which was a benchmark execution in the refinery industry of India. It has also made a remarkable innovation in the HRD systems by pioneering the labor practices which it uses in its organization which is again a benchmark made by the company. Even in the operations it has made a benchmark by having a quality check in the day to day activities.
One of the biggest leading public sector units in India is the Indian Oil Corporation. The IOC and many of its other entity units owe more than 43% of the market share in the petroleum products, about 40% share in the refining process and more than 69% in the pipe line capacity in India. The IOC owns and operates 10 refineries efficiently which encompass about 61% of the overall refineries.
It was in the year 1959 when the IOC had started its operations. It initially started off as an Indian Oil company but later it was renamed and changed to Indian oil refineries. Later it was in the year 1964 when it was named as the Indian Oil Corporation along with the mergers of Indian refineries.
In India it owns and operates the largest number of fuel stations i.e. it has crossed more than 17,000. In addition to this the Indian Oil Technologies Limited (IOTL), which is basically a subsidiary of the IOC, was formed in 2003. This was formed in order to develop the technologies and market it. These technologies are built in the R&D centre of IOC.
The product line of Indian oil Corporation is huge. Some of the variety of products are like diesel, petrol, naphtha, kerosene, aviation turbine fuel, paraffin, lubricants and bitumen. And their most prominent brands are Indane LPG, Xtra premium petrol, Auto gas, Servo lubricants and Indian oil aviation.
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text:
Mixed reaction to a health-centric Facebook feature
Facebook's rumored interest in the healthcare space has privacy advocates worried. The International Business Times reports that the American Civil Liberties Union is among the groups concerned that the site may not be the safest place to share private information.
"Facebook, unfortunately, has a history of changing their standards for what they're willing to keep private. Their business model is essentially built on exploiting the private information of people that they gather," ACLU's legislative counsel Christopher Calabrese tells the IBT.
Supporters of the possible Facebook venture include David Shaywitz, chief medical officer of the genomics firm DNAnexus, and Michelle Meyer, who heads up Union Graduate College's Mount Sinai Biothetics Program. Both tell the IBT that Facebook has to be open about what information it will share and with whom.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Diamond Hill Australian Shepherds
Donna Burdick
ASCA Hall of Fame Kennel #145, AKC Registered, We are Positive Reinforcement Dog Trainers and Competitors. Our dogs are both versatile and loving Family companions. Our dogs compete in Obedience, Rally, Herding and Confirmation and Agility. OFA, MDR1, CERF tested. Holistic and Naturally reared puppies. We breed 1-2 a year please contact us as we maintain a waiting list.
Hisaw Australian Shepherds
Rhonda Silveira
Visit Website | Email
42793 Valley View Drive, Scio, OR 97374
Phone: 503-428-2021
Breeding and showing Australian Shepherds since the early 80's. Raising Aussies with sound minds and structure. We guarantee all of our puppies health. Microchipped, shots and wormed. AKC/ASCA Reg.
Rockhill Australian Shepherds
Ann Ellis
Visit Website | Email
37007 Deadwood Drive, Lebanon, OR 97355
Here at Rockhill Aussies we are a young aspiring breeding program that strives to always improve the breed. We are located in Lebanon, Oregon and live on 5 acres built for our dogs. We breed to ASCA and AKC standard and produce dogs that are capable in all venues, obedience, agility, working, conformation, and dogs that are great family pets. If you are looking for a lovely pet/dog for your family, Aussies are an excellent choice. What is most important to us is health and temperament. Our Australian Shepherd puppies' are bomb proof and can thrive in any healthy home. Our puppies we provide a 3 year health guarantee and have an open door policy for you to call us for any advice or guidance you may need with your puppy. All our dogs are OFA'd, DNA'd and MDR1 tested, and eyes are all certified.
Is This Your Listing? Please update your listing here.
Goldcrest Australian Shepherds
Tina Beck
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: http://www.goldcrestaussies.com/
476 Galls Creek Rd, Gold Hill, OR 97525
Home Phone: 541-855-7686
Business Phone: 541-855-7492
Since 1978. Dedicated to preserving and promoting this intelligent and beautiful breed by breeding only championship quality dogs with something to offer the breed as a whole. Outstanding breed characteristics and health is never sacrificed. We actively compete in both breed rings at shows sanctioned by ASCA & AKC. To learn if the aussie is right for you, please call or write as we offer 30 years worth of free information!
Is This Your Listing? Please update your listing here.
Neely Ranch
J. Neely
E-mail: email@example.com
Website: http://www.neelyranch.com/
54505 NW Scofield Rd, Buxton, OR 97109
Phone: 503-324-8222
Australian Shepherds, Foundation Bloodlines, AKC/ASCA
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Reinflame Australian Shepherds
Jonna McGinnis
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: http://www.freewebs.com/reinflameaussies/
Bend, OR 97701
Phone: 541-322-6405
Fax: 541-322-6405
Quality ASCA/AKC Australian Shepherds since 1978 located in Central Oregon. Occasional pups available bred for conformation, versatility, temperament and longevity. All puppies are raised in home under foot, so they have plenty of socialization, and are started on house breaking and crate training. Parents have CERF and OFA clearances and pups come with written quarantees on hips, health and temperament. We breed to standard. Please visit our website!
Is This Your Listing? Please update your listing here.
Rockin I Aussies
Georgie and Ed Irwin
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
7755 Sw Old Hwy 47, Gaston, OR 97119
Phone: 1-503-357-5908
We are a small kennel and specialize in HOF Mistretta bloodlines. We have one to two litters a year. Our breeding program is to breed Pretty pups that Work or become that special family friend.
Is This Your Listing? Please update your listing here.
Tri-Smith Australian Shepherds
Brandon and Talena Smith
E-mail: email@example.com
Website: http://www.tri-smith.com/
Stayton, OR 97383
Phone: 541-408-1993


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Hi All,
As a new customer to the Brocade ethernet equipment, I'm finding it to be a bit taxing trying to figure out the various syntax and commands associated with the VDX and the FCX platforms. The Configuration Guides are currently the most helpful tool (along with the forums and tech support). I would like to see Brocade put out some configuration example guides. This seems like it would be a great way to show what the product will do and how to setup the various products with some of the more common features.
The configuration examples should show the pre and post configs for all devices, have network diagrams showing how ports are uplinked (show the port numbers in the graphic as well as the link agg numbers and make sure the configuration graphics match the example) and list out the steps used to make this happen. The configuration guides are good, but they don't show all of the steps for setting up various tasks.
(example: VLAGs are not clear that if you use the same port-channel # on VDX switches within the same fabric, they will be assumed to be VLAGs. The SSH setup for the FCX is missing the option about the "aaa authentication login default local" option to allow you to have a username and password when you setup SSH.)
Seems like a relatively inexpensive way for Brocade to show off their product and what it can do while helping all of us LAN/WAN admins along the way.
Hi dadnderson,
This is great feedback. We have created a few of these for FCX (and other Brocade Campus products) in the Best Practice Briefs. We are working on providing more and your list will help to prioritize the effort. I know there aren't any yet for VDX for example. Also, you may wish to follow the Brocade pedia space by clicking on the "receive email notifications" so that you are alerted when additional materials get posted.
I appreciate the links to the Best Practice Briefs and the Brocade Pedia. I was not aware of these resources.
After spedning a few minutes looking at the site the latest article that was contributed is over 6 months old. Really? I think it could be better.
I agree that is way too long. We are bringing new focus to this area and thus we are expecting to have some new articles up soon. Once I get a good time frame, I'll make sure to come back to thread and update you on the expected schedule. For now, please accept my apologies and I hope you stay tuned.
Configuration Example Guides
created by meversol in Ethernet Fabric - View the full discussion
Hi danderson. I saw this and wanted to add my opinion... So when you say "the latest article that was contributed is over 6 months old"... almost your entire list, every protocol is extremely "dated" by nature, so unless they've changed within the last 6 months, i think it more productive to review the best practice guide, identify the incorrect content... then challenge, rather then challenge the posting date itself.
Reply to this message by going to Brocade Communities
Start a new discussion in Ethernet Fabric at Brocade Communities
I would like to respond to this comment above...
I suspect that Brocade has not covered all of the topics listed in the "Best Priactices Breif" and "Brocade Pedia" at such great detail that there really does not need to be any additional information. I would respectfully disagree and suggest that there could be updated articles on almost every feature available within the switching/routing/fiberchannel platforms. Businesses are constantly expanding their operations and are looking to use the technology to accomplish more. Look at the articles related to Spanning Tree - when you look at the complexity of spanning tree and the various interations available, you could fill books of information. How about adding additional articles regarding the Brocade specific integration of the technology. What about LLDP. I have turned on LLDP features and functionality in many different vendor equipment. The LLDP setup examples in the Brocade Configuration Guide don't cut the mustard. After 6 hours of research and playing with the LLDP setup it still doesn't work. A simple guide or two (heaven forbid - three) on basic LLDP configuration would be very beneficial.
It also shows your customers that you value their patronage and are going to be proactive and provide content to help them. Have you opened a ticket for support (even with valid support contracts)? It takes way to long to get assistance and answers for very basic questions. Expanding your learning center postings is cheaper than hiring people to man your helpdesk and have a pretty good return for the investment value.
I've only had your product for about a month and I've already found a major feature that you dont' support on the VDX (DHCP Helpers, MOTD Banner/Logon Banners) and have found incorrect documentation within your switch and configuration guide. When I opened the ticket with your support team, I had to ask them to get the documentation corrected (I would have hoped to have that option suggested when the problem was found). I'll stop now, as the more I think about the response that was sent out - the more agrevating it is. I wouldn't expect that type of response from a Brocade employee.
I absolutely appreciate your feedback on this topic danderson and agree. Documentation has become an identified target of focus and much of the challenge is prioritization of what gets drafted/published first. Things sometimes don't move quite as fast as we'd like them too, but I'll see what we can do on these requests.
More to follow...


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Plan Your Trip
Cold Spring Lodge
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Spend less time planning and more time having fun! Located in the Catskill Mountains, Belleayre is surrounded by unique hotels, motels, B&B's, restaurants and charming places to shop. There are various lodging properties that participate in our Ski & Stay Packages and choose a package that is right for you! Lodging properties featured on in our business directory participate in some great ski and stay packages.


text:
* FY 2013 earnings growth to be below recent years
* Earnings in Asia surged 41 pct in 2012; U.S. down 12 pct
* Shares jump 5 pct, the most in 13 months
By Victoria Thieberger
* FY 2013 earnings growth to be below recent years
* Earnings in Asia surged 41 pct in 2012; U.S. down 12 pct
* Shares jump 5 pct, the most in 13 months
By Victoria Thieberger
MELBOURNE, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Australia's Treasury Wine
Estates, the world's second-largest wine firm, posted a
better-than-expected second-half profit due to surging sales in
Asia, but cautioned earnings growth will slow in 2013 due to
higher costs as it builds inventory of premium wines.
Shares in the maker of Penfolds, Beringer and Wolf Blass
jumped as much as 5 percent, the largest gain in 13 months,
after the results.
Treasury Wine has been moving away from unprofitable,
low-end wines in the UK and Europe to target consumers
developing a taste for premium wines in China and other emerging
markets like India, Brazil and Russia.
"They have tremendous potential in Asia, particularly with
the premium brands which are well regarded in the region. And
premium is where the margin is," said F.W Holst research manager
David Spry.
"The wine industry has been on its knees for a long time and
it is finally getting its turn," he said.
Treasury Wine said its earnings growth for fiscal 2013 would
be below the average of the past two years, as its supply of
premium wines will fall short of demand and it costs more to
build up its inventories of these brands.
But with an eye to future growth, Treasury Wine said
earnings will rebound from 2014 onwards, helped by the focus on
higher-margin, premium wines.
Treasury Wine, which was spun off from Foster's Group last
year, made strong inroads into Asia, where earnings surged 40.6
percent in fiscal 2012 and contributed about 20 percent to group
earnings, up from 15 percent in the prior year.
Australian wine still has a small market share in China,
trailing France in imports, and Treasury sees room for growth in
overall sales and in market share, even if Chinese consumer
spending slows.
"There is growing demand for red wine in particular and it
is very important for the consumers there that the brands have
history and heritage," Chief Executive David Dearie said, noting
some brands such as Penfolds date back to the 1840s.
Treasury Wine recently launched a rare vintage, the
$1,000-a-bottle Penfolds Bin 620, in Shanghai to widespread
publicity as part of a push into the lucrative Chinese market.
Dearie said the vintage had sold out globally, but declined
to give sales figures.
China has become the biggest market for Australian wine
priced at more than A$10 a litre, and imports in that price
range almost equal those of the U.S. and UK markets combined,
according to data from government agency Wine Australia.
Treasury Wine shares last traded up 4.5 percent at A$4.62,
after rising as much as 5.1 percent, the most since July 2011.
The broader market was up 0.8 percent.
For the second half to June 30, net profit after tax before
one-off items was A$76.9 million ($80.7 million), based on
Reuters calculations. That was higher than analyst forecasts of
A$71.3 million, according to Thomson Reuters data.
For the year, earnings in Australia and New Zealand rose 12
percent, helped by cost-cutting and higher prices for some
brands, despite a tough retail environment.
U.S. earnings declined 11.6 percent as Treasury Wine spent
more on building brands.
Earnings in the UK and Europe returned to profit, despite a
19 percent slide in sales volume as Treasury pulled out of
unprofitable, cheap wine sales in England.
There is no comparable year-earlier period for net profit
because Treasury Wine was spun off from Foster's Group in May
Sales revenues for 2012 fell 5.6 percent from a year earlier
on a decline of 4.4 percent in volume.
Treasury Wine is second to Constellation Brands Inc
in global sales. Constellation sold its Australian brands to
private equity firm CHAMP last year.
Total Australian wine exports fell to A$1.86 billion in the
year to June, according to government data, the lowest level in
10 years, as local wines became more expensive as the dollar
surged above parity.
The high currency has made Australia's cheaper wines
uncompetitive in offshore markets, and prompted the shift
towards premium markets.
Foster's made writedowns on its struggling wine business
totalling $3 billion, or roughly half the amount it spent buying
California's Beringer Vineyards and Australia's Southcorp, maker
of Penfolds, at the peak of the cycle.


text:
In the heart of the Sonian Forest, while enjoying a deeply relaxing massage treatment at the CINQ MONDES Spa or simply lounging by the pool with a great book - our selection of sports, leisure and recreational offers truly have something for everyone, no matter what time of the year.
For even more ideas and inspiration, allow our Guest Services staff to organize excursions for large or small groups.
Sport lovers will be able to enjoy the forest with a Nordic Walking group.
Enjoy our Group Activities!
Do you feel like getting back into shape, taking control and losing a few pounds, and most of all to feel good about yourself again? Experience the benefits of our various indoor and outdoor group classes. Enjoy practising sports in a group led by a professional coach and you'll burn an average of 600 calories per session! There are group classes for every level, adjusted to anyone's goals. Regardless of your purpose, you'll find a class that fits you: calm or dynamic, in preparation for sports practise, or to recover following childbirth.
Find out about this summer's the indoor and outdoor group lessons!
* Take the opportunity to become a member and gain full access to all group classes and the indoor pool, sauna, hammam and fitness room. Members also enjoy privileges over the entire range of massages, treatments and products at our Cinq Mondes Spa, as well as in restaurants and bars of the hotel. The limited number of members is consistent with the exclusivity of the place.
**Mountain Bikes, Electric Bikes, Bikes with baby chairs. Bikes will be billed per a 2 hour slot. The 2 hours will be billed 10€. Bikes included in packages are for 4 hours maximum. They should be only booked upon client's arrival to ensure their availability.
For more information about group lessons or memberships, please contact us on the following telephone number : +32(0)2 290 99 01 or send an email to: email@example.com.
Fully enjoy our indoor pool, sauna, hammam and fitness center to renew your body and mindRead More
Discover the golf courses in the environment, and sweeten your stay with a day of golf!Read More


text:
We're still the same Provident Bank our customers know and love, and while we are extremely proud of our heritage, we wanted to create a new look that is in step with our products, services and approach to meeting customer needs.
Iselin, NJ (PRWEB) January 30, 2014
The Provident Bank, the oldest community bank operating exclusively in New Jersey, and The Provident Bank Foundation, which supports organizations dedicated to improving the lives of residents in the New Jersey communities served by The Provident Bank, have announced a redesign of their websites, located at http://www.providentnj.com and http://www.providentnjfoundation.org, respectively. The changes reflect a new look and logo that were developed to celebrate The Provident Bank's 175th anniversary and herald in a new era of "Commitment You Can Count On."
"We're still the same Provident Bank our customers know and love…committed to helping New Jersey's families and businesses grow and prosper," said Chris Martin, Chairman, President and CEO of The Provident Bank and President of The Provident Bank Foundation. "And while we are extremely proud of our heritage, we wanted to create a new look that is in step with our exciting, new and enhanced products and services and our fresh approach to meeting customer needs."
The new logo retains the beehive theme, which represents The Provident Bank's commitment to strength and partnership, while updating the color, shape and text font to reflect a modern look more representative of the 21st century.
The updated Bank and Foundation websites will go live on January 27, 2014. Customers will also begin seeing the new logo and color scheme in branches, signage, advertising and other communications in February.
A short video that provides additional detail about the logo refresh can be found here. A news release announcing the new Provident logo can be found here.
About The Provident Bank
With $5.3 billion in deposits, The Provident Bank (http://www.ProvidentNJ.com) serves its customers via a network of full-service branches throughout northern and central New Jersey. The Provident Bank is the wholly owned subsidiary of Provident Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:PFS), which reported assets of $7.3 billion as of September 30, 2013.
About The Provident Bank Foundation
The Provident Bank Foundation (http://ProvidentNJFoundation.org) was established by New Jersey's oldest bank in 2003 to enhance the quality of life in New Jersey through support of not-for-profit groups, institutions, schools and other organizations that provide services in communities served by The Provident Bank. Since its founding, the Foundation has provided more than $18 million in grants for programs focusing on education, health, wellness, recreation, the arts and social and civic services.


text:
Tabatha Coffey is back, and this time the hairstylist isn't just taking over salons, she's got her eye on anyone who could use some harsh criticism -- even giving Beyonce parenting advice.
"Always tell the truth even in your personal life," the "Tabatha Takes Over" star told me on the set of my HDNet talk show "Naughty But Nice with Rob." "It's not meant to hurt them, it's meant to be honest and help them. Like when my partner says 'Do I look good?' and I tell the truth."
Insisting that she is not cruel but rather constructive, Tabatha says her unconventional upbringing, which included her mother running a brothel, has made her the person she is today.
"She did [run a brothel] for a while," Tabatha told me. "I sat in there and saw them get ready and they would ask me how they look and my mother would say, 'You've looked better.' My parents actually ran drag clubs in Australia, which is how I grew up. It was normal for me. It was my normal. I knew the other kids didn't do it, but for me it was life and nothing was wrong with it. I would see nothing wrong with Beyonce having a drag queen nanny. And why not? Everyone needs one! And a great gay man in their life."
"Naughty But Nice" airs Thursdays at 8:00 p.m., exclusively on HDNet.


text:
It's the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone!
We're celebrating the U.S. publication of the first Harry Potter book with movie marathons, wand-making workshops, and all the Hogwarts wizardry that you can imagine, including a Super Fan Quote Challenge where you can ...
It's summer in the city and NYC's libraries are making it easier for you to explore local museums, public gardens, and other cultural attractions for FREE with your friends and family!
Queens Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and the New York Public Library are excited to announce Culture Pass, a ...
Are you curious about how our planet has evolved in the past—and how it is changing now?
Join us this summer and fall for a unique pop-up science exhibit where you will learn how scientists on board a research drilling ship are studying the seafloor's core!
The JOIDES Resolution is a ship that drills into ...
Summer reading is here, and our theme this year is Libraries Rock!
We can't wait for you to rock and roll with us at our music-themed events all summer long, from making your own instruments to sing-alongs!
Get your reading groove on this summer and track your reading progress through fun activities at your ...
The new issue of Queens Library Magazine is out now!
Queens Library Magazine combines great library-themed feature stories and two months' worth of information about our free programs, services, and special events, and it's available at your neighborhood library or ...
For children and teens up to 18 years old, free, nutritious Summer Meals will be available from Wednesday, June 27 through Friday, August 31.
Meals will be provided Monday through Friday, from 1pm to 2pm, at 35 Queens Library locations. Enrollment is not required.
Queens ...
Summer Programs are in full swing at the Library! Come out to enjoy music, theater, and learning opportunities that are perfect for the family.
If the play's your thing, don't miss the chance to stop by and pick up free tickets to Shakespeare in the Park.
For an experience the entire family ...
Free computer access is available at all the libraries.
The Seaside Community Library has:
International Language Collections at the Seaside Community Library include:
Special Interest/Noteworthy Collections at the Seaside Community Library include:
| Child Care / Preschools
Community Board
Community Organizations & Services
Fire Department
Local Hospitals
Local Newspapers
| Parks and Playgrounds
Police Department
Post Office
Private / Parochial Schools
Public Elementary Schools
Public High Schools
| Public Intermediate / Junior High Schools
Senior Centers
Elected Officials
Special Services
|Child Care / Preschools
A Child's Place/Joan Gallagher
141-07 Beach Channel Dr.
Belle Harbor NY , 11694
phone: (718) 634-1160
Kidz Playhouse
127-10 Newport Ave
Belle Harbor NY , 11694
phone: (718) 634-7270
190 Beach 110th St.
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
phone: (718) 945-5218
|Community Board
Queens Community Board 14
1931 Mott Ave. 1931 Mott Ave
Far Rockaway NY , 11691
phone: (718) 471-7300
|Community Organizations & Services
Graybeards, Ltd.
436 Beach 129 St.
Rockaway NY , 11694
Rockaway Artists Alliance, Inc.
260 Beach 116 St
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
phone: (718) 474-0861
Rockaway Music and Arts Council, Inc.
PO Box 97
Rockaway Beach NY , 11693
phone: (718) 474-6760
Chamber of Commerce of the Rockaways
253 Beach 116 St.
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
phone: (718) 634-1300
|Fire Department
Engine 268 Ladder 137
257 Beach 116 St.
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
Engine 329
402 Beach 169 St.
Fort Tilden NY , 11695
|Local Hospitals
Peninsula Hospital Center
51-15 Beach Channel Dr.
Far Rockaway NY , 11691
phone: (718) 734-2000
St. Johns Episcopal Hospital South Shore
327 Beach 19th St.
Far Rockaway NY , 11691
phone: (718) 869-7000
|Local Newspapers
The Wave
88-08 Rockaway Beach Boulevard
Rockaway Beach NY , 11693
phone: (718) 634-4000
Rockaway Point News, Inc.
PO Box 164
Ft. Tilden NY , 11695
phone: (718) 634-8730
fax: firstname.lastname@example.com
|Parks and Playgrounds
Gateway National Recreation Center
Beach 149 St., Beach Channel Drive, beach 169st
phone: (718) 318-4300
Fort Tilden Visitor Center
Beach 169 Street
Rockaway phone: (718) 318-4300
Breezy Point Tip
Beach 222 St., Rockaway Inlet
Atlantic Ocean
Rockaway Beach & Boardwalk
Beach 73 Street to Beach 109 Street
Rockaway Beach NY , 11694
Rockaway Park /Ocean Promenade
Beach 110 Street to Beach 126 Street
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
Rockaway Beach
Beach 126 Street to Beach 149 Street
Belle Harbor NY , 11694
Seaside Playground
Beach 109-110 Streets, Rockaway Beach Boulevard
Belle Harbor NY ,
|Police Department
100th Precinct
92-42 Rockaway Beach Blvd.
Rockaway Park NY , 11693
phone: (718) 318-4200
|Post Office
Rockaway Park Post Office
113-25 Beach Channel Drive
Rockaway Park NY , 11694-8777
phone: (800) 275-8777
|Private / Parochial Schools
St. Francis de Sales (Nursery-8)
219 Beach 129 St.
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
phone: (718) 634-2775
Peninsula Preparatory Academy Charter School
111-11 Rockaway Beach BLVD
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
Yeshiva of Belle Harbor (N-5)
134-01 Rockaway Beach Blvd.
Belle Harbor NY , 11694
phone: (718) 474-0045
Yeshiva Merkaz Hatorah of Belle Harbor (HS and Post HS)
505 Beach 129 Street
Belle Harbor NY , 11694
phone: (718) 474-3064
|Public Elementary Schools
P.S. / M.S. 114 Belle Harbor (Q114)
134-01 Cronston Avenue
Rockaway Beach NY , 11694
phone: (718) 634-3382
Waterside Children's Studio School (Q317)
190 Beach 110 St
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
phone: (718) 634-1344
|Public High Schools
Beach Channel High School
100-00 Beach Channel Dr.
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
phone: (718) 945-6900
Channel View School for Research (Q262)
100-00 Beach Channel Drive
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
phone: (718) 634-1970
Queens NY, 11694
phone: (718) 318-6170
|Public Intermediate / Junior High Schools
3-20 Beach 104 St.
Rockaway Park NY , 11694
phone: (718) 634-1128
Scholars' Academy Middle/High School
320 Beach 104th Street
Rockaway Park NY, 11694
phone: (718) 474-6918
Q318 Waterside School for leadership
1 90 Beach 110 St.
Rockaway Park NY, 11694
|Senior Centers
JASA Rockaway Park Senior Center
106-20 Shorefront PKWY
Rockaway Park NY, 11694
|Elected Officials
|NYC Council
Hon. Eric Ulrich
District Office Address 93-06 101st Avenue
Ozone Park NY, 11416
phone: (718) 738-1083
fax: (718) 738-1918
Legislative Office Address 250 Broadway, Suite 1555
New York NY, 10007
phone: (212) 788-7069
|NYS Assembly
Hon. Stacey Pheffer Amato
District Office 95-16 Rockaway Beach Boulevard
Rockaway Beach NY, 11693
phone: (718) 945-9550
fax: (718) 945-9549
Albany Office LOB, Room 827
Albany NY, 12248
phone: (518) 455-4292
fax: (518) 455-4723
|NYS Senate
Hon. Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr.
District Office 159-53 102nd Street
Howard Beach NY, 11414
phone: (718) 738-1111
fax: (718) 322-5760
Albany Office Room 613, Legislative Office Building
Albany NY, 12247
phone: (518) 455-2322
fax: (518) 426-6875
|US Congress
Hon. Gregory W. Meeks
District Office 153-01 Jamaica Ave., Suite 204
Jamaica NY , 11432
phone: (718) 725-6000
fax: (718) 725-9868
Legislative Office 2234 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington DC, 20516
phone: (202) 225-3461
fax: (202) 226-4169
|Boro President
Hon. Melinda Katz
Hon. Bill de Blasio
The Rockaway peninsula, a barrier beach eleven miles long in southern Queens, includes the neighborhoods of Far Rockaway, Arverne, Rockaway Beach, Rockaway Park, Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, and Neponsit. The original inhabitants of the Rockaways were the Canarsie Indians. It is thought the name Rockaway is derived from "rechquarkie", an Indian word with many spelling variants, which means "the place of our people", or "the sand place".
The Rockaways, along with Coney Island in Brooklyn, were long a favorite summer resort for New Yorkers, only declining in popularity after World War II. Considered a healthy place to get away from the dirt and heat of the city, people flocked to the beaches in the summer. There were once piers, pavilions by the water, grand hotels, large rooming houses, and colonies of beach cottages. Most cottages have disappeared, but some still are in use today, and in some areas there is attention to their preservation. The amusement park "Playland" opened in 1901 and enjoyed a heyday until it closed in 1986. The entire area has undergone many changes: enduring urban blight, seeing vigorous housing development, moving from being largely a resort area to a bedroom community.
In 1935, 30,000 to 36,000 people lived in Rockaway Beach. According to the U.S. Census, the largest immigrant groups were Irish, German, Russian, and Jewish. The population rose 25% between 1950 and 1959, including the addition of African-American residents. In 1998, the population of the Rockaways was almost 100,000. Today, the population of the community includes Polish, Hungarian, Hispanic, Chinese, Korean, and Arabic immigrants.
Its proximity to the mainland still draws thousands of summer visitors from the rest of the city to enjoy its beaches and sea air.
An article in the Rockaway Argus newspaper in 1930 refers to "numerous additions" to the "collection of books" at the first Seaside Branch, located at the north side of Beach Channel Drive. In her annual report for 1929, the children's librarian refers to the many summer beachgoers coming to the library.
In April 1961, the Seaside Branch relocated as a "storefront library" on the ground floor of the Pioneer Hotel at 184 Beach 116th Street. Open House was held during National Library Week. There were 52,000 books in its collection. Harold Tucker was Chief Librarian of QBPL. That branch closed in January 1977 while construction continued on the present branch at 116-15 Rockaway Beach Blvd. The staff moved to the Peninsula Branch until the new Seaside Branch was completed and opened in 1979.
In 2010 the Seaside Library was renovated. The renovation included new furniture, interior changes, self check out, RFID technology, a Young Adult area, and more public computers
Seyfried, Vincent and William Asadorian. Old Rockaway, New York in Early Photographs, Dover, 2000
Bellot, Alfred H. History of the Rockaways from 1685 to 1917, Bellot's Histories, Far Rockaway, NY, c1918.
The Wave, Wave Publishing Co., Rockaway Beach, NY.
Rockaway Argus, Rockaway Beach, NY.
Annual Reports, Seaside Branch. Long Island Division, Queens Library.


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Commoditized video rentals
About 12 years ago, I asked why people would pay for complex high-bandwidth Internet infrastructure for video on demand at $5/movie when they could rent a VHS at their corner store (then available at $1-2/night).
I got the technology wrong but the business principle right. The stand-alone (and chain) video store may be dying, but they are being replaced by the explosive growth of automated video kiosks from Redbox and DVDPlay.
Today, the Wests rent all our DVDs from such a kiosk at the two grocery stores near our house, except when we check out older DVDs free from the library. While we like (at least some of) the movies, the delivery of the movies is a commodity, and thus we, like other rational consumers, seek out the least expensive channel available.
Although a few articles have noted that Netflix sees the kiosks as its major competitor, I've been waiting for someone to really take seriously the kiosk business model and what it does for both for DVD distribution and also the entertainment industry as a whole.
Ryan Nakashima of the Associated Press does exactly that, and his article (at the Merc, Google and also here) shows a deep understanding of the dilemma facing both Hollywood and the broader industry, as his lead demonstrates
Hollywood studios are split over Redbox, the $1-per-night DVD rental kiosk company: They could supply it with cheap wholesale discs and ride its massive growth, or starve it in the hopes of preserving higher-priced purchases.Redbox understands this opposition but also the role its business is playing in fueling consumption:
News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox fell on the side of starvation this week, joining General Electric Co.'s Universal Pictures, whose withholding of discs prompted a lawsuit.
On the flip side, Sony Corp.'s movie division signed a five-year deal just last month to supply Redbox. As part of the deal, Redbox would get discs more cheaply but would have to destroy copies after their rental lives ended rather than sell them as "previously viewed" for $7 apiece, as it had done in the past.
Redbox President Mitch Lowe is trying to convince studio executives that the machines help sell more movies and says more than a third of his customers rent movies before deciding to buy.I encourage everyone to read the whole article (which I excerpt in the name of fair use but will not reprint in its entirety out of respect for AP's own problematic online business model).
"From the studio executive's perspective, they've always had an issue with the dollar price point," Lowe said. "I think it's been very positive to expanding consumers' interest in film again."
The studio execs must be smoking something (ok they are, but …) if they think they can starve this channel. The business demand is unstoppable. Also, antitrust law (absent yet another gift from Congress) is clearly not on their side, as demonstrated by the arguments in Redbox v. Universal.
Lowe is right that the $1 price point is the magic number, and I don't see that there's any legal way they can dictate prices.
A reasonable compromise between Redbox and the studios is
- Keep your $1 price point
- 30 day embargo on bestselling releases (but not direct to video)
- Buy DVDs direct but no resale (ala Sony)
The lawsuit says Universal proposed a revenue share agreement that accepted the $1 price point (but never "below $0.99 per night").
However, the Universal demand that Redbox share 40% of gross receipts — with a guaranteed upfront minimum — is just untenable. While a revenue share (rather than purchase/rental) model might be a better way to split revenues between the two parties, the 40% figure is outrageously high given that Redbox bears all the incremental costs and all the risks.
As always, the Hollywood view is "heads I win, tails you lose." This is the last gasp of high supplier power based on a dying business model. As with other information goods such as newspapers and software, it will have to find a new business model to survive in the 21st century, and so (someday) needs to embrace its future rather than deny it.
Commoditization of distribution is here, and it's not going away. The studio execs seem to be playing kick the can down the road — in the hope that facing up to this reality can be postponed another 5 years, until after they're retired and some new schmuck is stuck with the problem.


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PARIS — Dany Boon's "Welcome to the Sticks," Mia Hansen-Love's "Father of My Children" and Laurent Tirard's "Le Petit Nicolas" feature in Unifrance's 6th Panorama of French Cinema, which unspools all this month in China.
The whistle-stop tour takes in Guangdong, Chengdu, Wuhan, Beijing and Shanghai.
Organized by French promotion board Unifrance, the Panorama unspools as Gallic film authorities are targeting China as a priority growth market.
A France-China co-production treaty, four years in the works, looks set to be signed shortly.
Gaul also wants to up the number of films allowed into China by the powerful State Administration of Radio, Film and Television under its foreign film quota, which many countries would like to see relaxed.
France makes more than 200 films a year but only four were distributed theatrically in China in 2009, earning E11.9 million ($16.3 million) at the box office.
EuropaCorp's "Transporter 3" grossed $9.4 million off 1,100 prints, Gaumont comedy "Les deux mondes" $3.8 million off 719, TF1's World War II pic "Female Agents" earned $3 million off 1,000 while Francis Veber's "The Valet" made a measly $158,108 off 73 prints.
This year five titles are due to bow in China: "Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard," "Don't Look Back," "Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky," "Largo Winch" and "Skate or Die."
TV distribution fares better. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV airs about 50 Gallic films a year.


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Son House
Real Name:
Eddie James House, Jr.
Son House (born March 21, 1902 (?), Riverton, Mississippi, USA – died October 19, 1988, Detroit, Michigan, USA) was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music.
Viewing All | Son House
E. House, E. J. House, E.J. House, Ed "Son" House, Eddie 'Son' House, Eddie "Son" House, Eddie "Son" House Jr., Eddie "Son" House, Jr., Eddie House, Eddie House Jr., Eddie House, Jr., Eddie J. "Son" House, Eddie J. House, Eddie J. House Jr., Eddie J. House, Jr., Eddie J. Jr. House, Eddie James House, Eddie Jr House, Eddie Son House, Eugene "Son" House, Eugene Son House, House, S. Ed House, S. House, S.House, Son House (Eddie James House), Sonhouse


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For more than 18 years, Health Data Management has been the leading source for news and in-depth analysis on using information technology to achieve business goals and improve the quality of care; a trusted resource for the critical knowledge that senior executives need to make the right decisions in a highly competitive market.
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Star Wars: Battlecry is a free, standalone game set during the Galactic Civil War: A period of unrest when the Rebel Alliance is fighting against the oppressive Galactic Empire. Fight in iconic locations with a wide variety of equipment and vehicles from the Star Wars universe.
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The Gilded Age refers to the late 19th century in U.S. history, from approximately 1870 to 1900. This was a period of both rapid economic growth and serious social problems.Continue Reading
During the Gilded Age, the United States experienced rapid increases in industrialization and urbanization, as well as innovations in science and technology; however, it was also a period of widespread poverty and political upheaval, particularly in the Southern states. 1873 and 1893 marked two economic depressions that affected the entire nation. The term itself was coined by Mark Twain in his book "The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today," published in 1873.Learn more about Renaissance & Reformation


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Lord Chalfont: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Viscount for that Answer. Is he aware that the events of VE Day, in which he played such a notable part, were regarded as an enormous success in the way in which they brought together the ideas of celebration and reconciliation? Is he aware that many of us hope that the events which will commemorate the end of the war itself will be conducted in a similar spirit? Are the Government
Viscount Cranborne: My Lords, I am extremely grateful to the noble Lord for his kind remarks about my part in those matters. I was very happy for others to do the work while I took the credit. With regard to reconciliation, I should refer the noble Lord to an article by Air Vice-Marshal Sir Bernard Chacksfield in the Independent on 13th June 1995 in which he very much supports the line taken by the noble Lord. He will be aware, as I am, that Sir Bernard Chacksfield is chairman of the Burma Star Association.
With regard to the services of an impresario, the noble Lord will be pleased to hear that Major Michael Parker, whose astonishing feats of imagination were at the root of any success that there was on VE Day, has once again been advising the steering group on what should be done on VJ Day. I am sure that his magic touch will be apparent to us all on that weekend.
Lord Donoughue: My Lords, the ceremony on VE Day was a great and moving national occasion. But is the Leader of the House aware that, in his reply to my Question, it was confirmed that the Government organised five events in England to celebrate VE Day to which were invited 92 Members of Her Majesty's Government and only eight representatives of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition? Will the noble Viscount inform the House whether the events for VJ Day will be conducted on a similar basis or, bearing in mind that the majority of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in 1945 voted Labour, will they be conducted on the basis of an all-party national celebration?
Viscount Cranborne: My Lords, I was happy to try to answer as best I could the noble Lord's Question for Written Answer on 25th May. I hope that the noble Lord will accept from me that we aimed to ensure that the nation as a whole was represented at the VE Day events including different regions, occupations and political groupings. The noble Lord will be aware that Members of both Houses of Parliament were invited in a number of capacities and the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and leaders of other parties were invited to represent their parties. Others, such as veterans of the Second World War were invited because of their backgrounds and, in a number of cases, Members of the Government were invited in view of the wartime contribution made by their area of responsibility. Agriculture is a good case in point and it was sensible to invite the Minister responsible for agriculture. Had I been opposition spokesman for agriculture I am sure that I should have had no complaints to make about that.
Lord Ironside: My Lords, as the Japanese surrender was signed aboard both the American flagship in Tokyo Bay and aboard the British Pacific Fleet flagship, HMS "King George V", will my noble friend say whether anybody who took part in those ceremonies will be invited to attend the ceremonies here on 19th and 20th August?
Viscount Cranborne: My Lords, I am sure that your Lordships will be aware that the far eastern fleets of the Royal Navy have often come to be called the "forgotten
Lord Dean of Beswick: My Lords, the Minister used the word "reconciliation". Is he aware that relatives of those who were prisoners of the Japanese for considerable periods and who have relatives buried on the railway of death find it extremely difficult to follow the road of reconciliation?
Bearing in mind that, to a large extent, victory over the Japanese was achieved by great numbers of men and women from the Commonwealth and our American allies, in addition to our own forces, will the Minister give an undertaking that those people will be represented adequately in any of the celebrations that take place?
Viscount Cranborne: My Lords, it may be helpful to the noble Lord, Lord Dean, who I know takes a close and justifiable interest in such matters, if I read out from the draft order of service the phrase which has attracted a great deal of attention. The phrase reads:
I hope that your Lordships may feel that, particularly in a Christian service, those sentiments are not exceptionable. I am happy to find that the Burma Star Association, in particular, has expressed its full support for that. Forgive me, I have forgotten the other part of the noble Lord's question.
Lord Dean of Beswick: My Lords, will the Minister give an undertaking that the American and Commonwealth forces, who played a magnificent part in the defeat of the Japanese, will be adequately represented?
Viscount Cranborne: My Lords, I should emphasise that this is very much a British and Commonwealth event and deliberately so. But we are extremely keen to make sure that there should be full representation by all members of the Commonwealth and all those forces who fought under the Crown because that enables us to make very clear that the final act of remembrance 50 years after what was the most destructive war in history should be a solemn act of thanks to those who fought, died and saved our country and Commonwealth. I emphasise to the noble Lord that we shall be careful in that regard. I have been assisted greatlynotably by my noble friend Lady Flatherto remember that the greatest volunteer army which helped the Allies in the Second World War was the Indian Army.
Lord Jenkins of Putney: My Lords, as one who was also present with Her Majesty's Armed Forces in South East Asia at the time, perhaps I may express the hope that the events that take place will not exclude an expression of sorrow and regret about the dropping of the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It would not be out of keeping with the magnanimous spirit which is desirable on this occasion that we should express words of regret about the terrible events which ushered in the nuclear age.
Viscount Cranborne: My Lords, many people owe their lives to the fact that that difficult and morally impossible decision was taken by President Truman. The noble Lord was there and I was not, but it is clear that we were expecting many thousands of casualtiesBritishmen and womenwhich would undoubtedly have occurred if the bomb had not been dropped. It is an equilibrium which is difficult to maintain. I am glad that I did not have to take that decision but, nevertheless, I believe that it was the right decision.
Lord Mellish: My Lords, I too was in the 14th Army. I was involved in the invasion of Port Swettenham, which it was hoped would assist in defeating the Japanese. While on board we heard that the war was over. I have never prayed so hard nor been so grateful for anything as I was for that atom bomb. It was the finest thing that ever happened that we should have dropped it on those villains. When we reached Port Swettenham, the ramifications would have been unbelievable. Thousands of lives would have been lost and, at the time, I thanked God for the atom bomb.
Viscount Cranborne: My Lords, I have nothing to add to the noble Lord's experience, which he so eloquently expressed.
Lord Bruce of Donington asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Inglewood: My Lords, as my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer made clear in another place, on 22nd May the Council agreed to further discussion at the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) of the proposed regulation on the protection of the Community's financial interests, on which an explanatory memorandum was originally submitted to Parliament on 5th October of last year.
Lord Bruce of Donington: My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply. I am happy to congratulate the Government on having provided your Lordships' House with the document requested in my Question, which arrived at the Select Committee some 10 days after I tabled the matter. In view of the fact that ECOFIN is meeting tomorrow and the next day to consider the memorandum, will the Minister bear in mind that the draft convention contains an extended definition of fraud which I entirely applaud, but what it omits is the relationship between the member states and the Commission? It should also be borne in mind that
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Strategic Aim 1
To undertake and promote relevant high quality zoological and conservation research, to help us achieve our conservation objectives and to inform and influence conservation policy.
ZSL will achieve this strategic aim by:
- Encouraging and rewarding excellence in the performance and communication of science, conservation and animal husbandry
- Using our unique convening role as a leading learned society to foster and achieve international excellence in science relevant to our core conservation priorities
- Managing and developing a relevant and useful body of zoological knowledge
- Attracting and engaging a diverse range of people and organisations in the science of zoology and conservation – from students to leaders in their field
- Raising the profile of conservation issues and priorities, and ensuring they are well represented at policy level and in the media
- Providing policymakers, conservationists and the general public with the information needed to make informed decisions on conservation issues
Strategic Aim 2
To encourage and motivate all our stakeholders to support and engage in conservation.
ZSL will achieve this strategic aim by:
- Enabling and inspiring all ZSL staff, students and volunteers to become ambassadors for our conservation mission
- Ensuring that all visitors to ZSL have an enjoyable, inspiring and educational experience
- Communicating science-based conservation messages
- Improving and developing our contributions to the education and conservation awareness of groups of all ages and to education providers
- Raising and maintaining our profile among target audiences
- Using our research and field activities to inspire and educate people about conservation
- Enhancing the value delivered to ZSL supporters
Strategic Aim 3
To implement and achieve effective and appropriate 'in situ' and 'ex situ' conservation programmes for priority species and habitats.
ZSL will achieve this strategic aim by:
- Ensuring that conservation efforts are informed by the best science
- Developing and applying objective criteria for setting priorities for our conservation activities
- Measuring conservation efforts and evaluating their outcomes to enable more effective management
- Developing our own and others' capabilities, expertise and resources in order to build capacity in zoology and conservation
- Predicting, prioritising and responding effectively to new conservation issues
- Engaging and working with communities in support of conservation and sustainable livelihoods
- Working with other organisations and across disciplines to achieve our common conservation objectives
- Working with government and industry in the UK and elsewhere in support of conservation
Strategic Aim 4
To lead and deliver exemplary Zoos in order to advance ZSL's mission.
ZSL will achieve this strategic aim by:
- Inspiring our visitors through world-class animal exhibits linked to science and conservation
- Evaluating all our activities to inform a visitor charter committed to excellence in customer satisfaction
- Implementing and surpassing globally recognised standards in our Zoos
- Ensuring and promoting best practice in the welfare of zoo animals and delivering conservation breeding
- Integrating and maximising the conservation and research contribution of the Zoos to ZSL
- Maximising the unique learning and enabling opportunities that our Zoos offer across all sectors of the society
- Using our Zoos to increase the financial contribution ZSL makes to science, conservation and education
Strategic Aim 5
To further ZSL's mission by maximising opportunities to generate funds.
ZSL will achieve this strategic aim by:
- Making continued investment in our sites and infrastructure
- Developing our business acumen
- Developing innovative opportunities to generate revenue
- Building up and extending our supporter base
- Raising our charitable profile to increase funding to ZSL
- Utilising ZSL assets and resources to generate funds within the framework of a registered charity


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The members of UAW Local 2192 have hit the picket line.
Kelly Fields, chairperson for the union that represents about 170 social services workers, said the union went on strike at 12:01 a.m., Sept. 25, forming a picket line in front of Lorain County Job and Family Services, 42485 North Ridge Road in Elyria Township.
Fields said the union has been bargaining with Lorain County commissioners since August of last year. The contract for the workers expired in September 2016.
"Our contract expired on Sept. 15 of 2016, and we filed our strike notice on Sept. 15 of 2017," she said.
Fields said 150 were people holding signs and shouting at 6 a.m. when management arrived.
But on average, there will be about 30 people walking the line throughout the day, she said.
The feeling amongst the picketers is positive, Fields said.
"The members are pumped," she said. "They feel like they are standing strong.
"Our members are strong and they are ready to stand until we get what we need."
Fields declined to comment on specifics of the negotiations, but would say they had not gone well.
"If things were good we wouldn't be out on a picket line right now," she said.
The commissioners released an open letter addressing the dispute to the county government Facebook page just before 4 p.m., Sept. 25.
In the letter, which was signed by commissioners Lori Kokoski, Ted Kalo and Matt Lundy, they highlighted their respect for the union workers and elaborated on the single issue holding the negotiations up.
"They have a tough job and they do it well," the commissioners wrote. "We respect the collective-bargaining process and have worked within the guidelines with the goal of reaching an agreement."
The letter explains the single issue holding the negotiations up; specifically, spousal coverage in employee insurance plans.
According to the letter, the plan devised by the county is that if the spouse of a county employee is offered insurance through their job, they cannot be covered by the county worker's plan. It claims the commissioners offered solutions to allow spouses to maintain coverage on the county plan, but those suggestions were rejected by the union.
The letter alleges the change in coverage of spouses would, "protect all county employees from higher co-pays and higher deductibles while maintaining quality health care coverage."
According to the letter, 11 other bargaining units have agreed to the change of coverage and an independent "fact-finder" report described the coverage plan as "top of the line and employee cost among the lowest in the state and nationally."
"The commissioners are committed to working with UAW Local 2192 to reach an agreement," the letter concluded.