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Looks at the critical issues facing British Steel as its technological basis develops drastically. Identifies the need to acknowledge the Japanese challenge and develop planning for marketing on an international basis.

The paper is the result of an investigation into the pricing practices of large steel manufacturers in the European Community. From mid‐1993 to early 1994, steel prices in the community rose substantially. The unity of purpose displayed in an industry that has high fixed costs and chronic overcapacity caused some concern among steel users and policy makers. Research undertaken to ascertain whether or not collusive pricing had occurred indicated that steel firms priced their products to achieve long‐term survival. There was nothing to suggest that their pricing was collusive. The implication of this is that while certain practices may smack of collusion, a case by case investigation is always necessary to establish the presence or otherwise of any suspected anti‐competitive conduct.

Studies the impact of tariffs, subsidies, and quotas on the U.S. steel market. Focuses on “winners” and “losers” from different policies. Applications to the events in the U.S. steel market in 2001 illustrate the impact of these policies.

There is no more essential task, no more basic information that one could collect, that is critical to survival than the knowledge of one's underlying assumptions. Here are some assumptions about the steel and auto industries that give insight into the many underlying assumptions responsible for the directions other industries take.

The steel industry is a capital‐intensive industry and equipment utilisation as effectively as possible is of high priority. One of the key difficulties in the steel industry is the need to synchronise several processes to create a flow through every machine and plant. This paper aims to introduce the concept of integrated equipment effectiveness (IEE), which is a new approach for overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) measurement in three elements, consisting of “OEE loading‐based”, “OEE capital‐based”, and “OEE market‐based” so as to meet these essential requirements.

Based on a comprehensive scheme for loss analysis, the concept of integrated equipment effectiveness is developed. The case study is conducted in the factory of one large Asian steel‐making company in order to examine the proposed model.

The case study reveals the importance of the new scheme for loss analysis in a steel‐making plant. IEE gives managers of steel plants a whole perspective on effectiveness. It also indicates the level of synchronisation of a specific machine for making steel within an entire organisation.

IEE monitors the manufacturing process to utilise equipment effectively as much as possible and also measures equipment effectiveness for the full process cycle in order to respond to the market. IEE makes communication easier and more efficient. It provides a sound perspective on improvement in steel making and also can be used as a benchmark.

The paper provides information on a new method for precise estimation of equipment effectiveness in a steel‐making plant. It helps in optimising resource allocation and in improving strategic decision‐making.

To provide new roles of steel mills with desirable business strategies in the supply chain of automotive steel sheets.

The characteristics of the relationship between automakers and steel mills, which aim to provide different patterns according to regional markets, are classified into the customer‐supplier relations in the regions of North America and Japan. Extended roles of steel mills with expected responsibilities are considered in the automotive supply chain, not just raw material suppliers.

Provides new procurement programs of automakers, indicating what can be found there for new paradigm of steel suppliers and how new procurement programs can change. Emphasizes the necessity of developing more updated and functional business models of steel mills in the value chain.

Steel mills have to extend their conventional roles to downstream processing in the automotive steel supply chain, in order to maintain cooperative and interdependent relations with OEMs.

This paper fulfils extended roles of automotive steel suppliers in supply chain management and offers collaborative partnerships to steel mills and automakers.

Manufacturing companies, in searching for new approaches to retain customers, are increasingly using service as a differentiator and as a means of integrating themselves into the customers’ supply chain systems. This study is pivotal in exploring the concept of employing service quality in a non‐service industry to raise switching barriers and to create customer longevity. A survey of the UK steel industry has revealed that the higher the level of perceived quality of service, the higher the expressed intended loyalty. For steel managers, this research has highlighted the importance of establishing a relationship strategy through service enhancement to foster customer loyalty.

The purpose of this study is to find out the reasons why companies achieve different results in following different business excellence (BE) models. This has been done using a case study method, selecting to illustrate the actions taken and the results achieved by two role model companies, one following the Malcolm Baldrige model (MBM) and the other following the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model.

The research design adopted is as follows: examine the literature of Total Quality Management (TQM) and BE, with specific reference to practices and happenings in Indian industry, to identify the key themes; analyse the research questions RQ1and RQ2 as mentioned above, using the learnings from the literature survey in a qualitative way. The analysis is done using chronological developments in TQM, BE and linking them with the happenings in Indian industry in a cause–effect way; develop a “source to sink” framework to track the various actions implemented by companies to drive BE in their quest to performance excellence, and to analyse the root causes for the success of the actions; illustrate the conclusions through two case studies, of two different companies from India, on the varied results achieved from following two different BE models, one, the MBM by Tata Steel, and, two, the EFQM by BHEL, both award-winning companies, for instilling “excellence” in performance; and develop a model to correlate the observations from the companies using two constructs, identifying latent variables and actions that have been taken to address the outcomes of the variables.

The findings show that the actions taken by the companies are different, under the two models. The reasons for these different actions have been described, and the impact of these on the latent variables and outcomes have been tracked. There are six reasons why the results are different.

The study has highlighted the efforts by two role model companies. These are “comparisons of the best in the business” in their respective industries. However, one needs more studies to verify and establish whether the six reasons described are the ones which are most impactful. More companies need to be studied, and, based on the outcomes, one can establish the “best choice of the BE model” for Indian companies.

The results of the study show that using different BE models can affect the results. A non-optimal choice may lead to longer time and lower results.

Excellent companies are sustainable, which means that they eliminate waste, operate in an environmentally friendly manner and address social issues. Speedily achieving excellence can lead to faster use of sustainable operations.

The work is original in the following ways: data collection through assessment teams; experience through personal engagement; identifying six reasons and two constructs which could lead to different results.

Lunching futures market for steel has been regard as one of the most urgent issues in steel industry and futures exchanges. It is followed after chairman of IISI executive committee‘s suggestion and the LME (London Metal Exchange)‘s announcement of lunching plan in May of last year. In this paper, I examine the rationale for and the feasibility of the futures contract, together with the positive and negative impacts of the contract on the steel industry. Though there exist many obstacles, LME would not stop the effort to lunch the contract. This is because the futures market for steel products is expected to provide the industry with the following benefits : ① increase of price transparency, ② weakening of price control power, ③ settling of strained trade issues, and ④ promoting industry restructuring by driving un-competitive companies out of the market.

The purpose of this paper is to explain why many socially responsible firms appear to converge on a standard set of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices instead of striving to differentiate themselves from rivals and achieve competitive advantage.

Three explanations of this convergence are presented as follows: herd behaviour, institutional isomorphism and strategic cooperation. The different empirical predictions of these theories are laid down. The resulting framework is used to analyse a recent self‐regulatory scheme launched by the steel industry, in which knowledge sharing was used to stimulate poor performers to curb carbon dioxide emissions.

Social practices of firms are very often driven by pressures to conform, instead of pressures to perform. Even firms that want to be innovative may be forced by stakeholder requests to adopt passive and imitative behaviour.

The paper suggests that there are two types of CSR – convergent and divergent – and that firms need to establish which type of CSR best fits their needs before they address the issues raised by stakeholders.

The literature on CSR focuses on the relationship between stakeholders and single firms. The paper tries to add to this literature by analysing the relationship between stakeholders and industries. The paper also contributes to the debate on the financial benefits of CSR by arguing that in industries where the convergent type of CSR is dominant researchers should not expect above‐average returns for socially responsible firms.