I sent this out to the ISS Head after receiving an email dated 02 February 2008 from the ISS Staff re: my previous request (see email below.)
I have inquired from [ISS Staff] regarding flat steel monthly prices from 1994 in connection with the pending completion of my MBM Thesis entitled: Flat Carbon Steel Production at NSC from 1995 to 2000, and its Future Implications . [ISS Staff] indicated that he has these information somewhere on file and requested him for a copy of the same .
What I do have are monthly prices [HRC, CRC, Tinplate, Slabs] for the years 1997 to present, culled from research as Analyst for Business Strategy years past, as well as from NSO, DTI in Iligan City and Manila. Prices prior to 1996 and earlier, i.e., 1994-1996, however, are elusive to find even on the internet. I can’t afford to buy an expensive subscription from CRU which might have the particular data I require. CRUspi only provides monthly index prices from 1994 to 2008; Metal Bulletin and SBB only has from 1997 and not from prior years. Tried searching these data from NSC databank, but apparently these have already been excised or burned or disposed of by the Liquidator’s team. [Cost Accounting Supervisor] cannot find [the] compilation of NSC data from way back.
All I need are monthly HRC, CRC, Tinplate, Slab (actual, not indexed) prices for the years 1994 to 1996, which [ISS Staff] might have, as the [Cost Accounting Supervisor] suggested. I will be using these prices to construct historical time-series of prices for each geographical area: Asia, Europe, N. America, L. America, CIS and for the world. Furthermore, I am required to devise Price Elasticity of Demand curves for 1994, prior to NSC privatization, and another for 2000, after NSC’s liquidation.
I have not seen [ISS Staff]’s data or what prices are available, but if you could permit the release of such data [a yearly 1994-1996 price database, if monthly prices are not available, might also help], as a personal favor, it would be much appreciated and acknowledgements would be done accordingly. I am required to present a preliminary defense on the 19th of February, and it would require about a week for me to do statistical manipulation and analysis for the whole datastream .
N.B. My thesis topic was a product of my stint as Business Strategy Analyst with [Head, Business Strategy], and he was supportive of the idea of researching what happened before and what are its implications for GSPI; as well as pushed me to finished my MBM which was cut-off when NSC went down in 1999.
Thanks,
{This Blogger}
good am.
with regards to your request, i have just discussed it with with [ISS Head] this morning, and it would be best if you could get the necessary clearance from my team leader before i can release the info.
tks\[ISS Staff]
Annotations:
The particular request was undoubtably denied or simply ignored. I once had a chance to talk to the concerned [ISS Staff] who claimed that the [ISS Head] deemed it that the requested information was confidential to the corporate management and repercussions on its release could prove disastrous [or words to that effect].
The question would be: how secretive is this organization that even past data are not for public consumption? At least in my mind, any result on the analyses of the datastream would somewhat be beneficial to the future direction of the company’s pricing strategy. The request was done in good faith . . . the hope that it could be used by the same company for its strategic planning.
Notes:
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