Great Lakes

Assignment 1: Great Lakes: Great Decisions

The_3_NormalForms_tutorial.pdfDr. Matthew Ademola

Bus 499- Business Administration Capstone

April 15, 2012

Perform an analysis of the social / demographic, technological, economic, environmental / geographic, and political / legal / governmental segments to understand the general environment facing Great Lakes. Describe how Great Lakes will be affected by each of these external factors.

Social/Demographic

Great Lakes Corporation sells its leaded additive products to countries such as

China, the Middle East and Africa. ( Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson, p. 156) These countries

lack the government regulations that can ban the use of leaded gasoline like they do in the

United States. (Hitt, Ireleand, Hoskisson, p.156) This is also due to these countries having

a lower income based families that cannot afford to buy any other type of vehicle except

the ones that run on leaded gasoline. (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson p. 156)

Technological

Great Lakes first started out as a company that produced petroleum and then went

into the bromine and chemical business. (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson p.155) They produced

many specialty chemical products for household cleaners and flame retardants. (Hitt,

Ireland, Hoskission p. 155) The best product that they have acquired and has made

them a great success was partnering with Octel Associates and becoming the leader on

producing the leaded additive. (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson p. 155) The new challenge is not

really about technology at all it has to due with whether or not to stop producing the

leaded additive.( Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson p. 158) Stop producing the harmful chemical

and lose lots of money or slowly phase out the production of the leaded additive over a

five year time frame.( Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson p.158)

Economic

Economically Great Lakes has cornered the market on producing leaded additive.

They have no...