FINANCIAL TIMES: UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE NEW KINGS OF OIL: “Like other "oil majors", Royal Dutch Shell is facing renewed pressure on its business model.”: Published: November 2 2005

Like other "oil majors", Royal Dutch Shell is facing renewed pressure on its business model. National or state-owned companies no longer rely on it to extract and sell their oil, since capital and technology are more widely available. The oil nationals have also invested in refineries and marketing.

In response, Shell has revamped in several areas:

*Project management.Shell has set up a "project academy" to improve the way it runs projects that are too large and complex for the state-run companies.

*Commercial management. At a "commercial academy" staff are trained to work better with governments that control oil and gas resources.

*Technology and innovation. Ten chief scientist positions have been created to promote and retain the company's top specialists.

*Improved decision-making. The dual-board structure has been replaced with a single board and a single CEO.

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