Disaster in Franklin County

Disaster in Franklin County Jennifer Wadsworth Western Governors University Disaster in Franklin County Role of Major Public Health Personnel The roles of major public health personnel must be delegated properly in a disaster situation in order to facilitate effective action. In the incident presented, a chain of command was established and assignments given to the appropriate personnel based on their skills and experience. As a whole, this group reports to the Incident Commander, an individual that is responsible for managing the entire disaster operation and various teams involved in every level of disaster management.In the first few hours following a disaster there are many things that need to be addressed. In the scenario presented, one of the initial messages that must be presented is water safety. Informing the public on the rationale of why their water is unsafe is important in helping them understand the necessity of boiling it before use to prevent illness. Also informing t hem of where they can obtain a safe water supply is crucial.The availability of temporary shelters and housing is also important in the first hours and days following the storm since many people may have had to leave their homes due to flooding, loss of power, or structural damage. Making sure citizens understand the dangers posed by downed power lines and the steps they should take when encountering them is a health issue as well. Proper food storage and handling is also critical when there is a lack of power in many homes. Knowing how long food will last in an inoperable refrigerator or freezer will help prevent foodborne illness.Other messages of importance in the weeks to follow include the topic of mold. While it may not be of the utmost importance initially, residents who have experienced flooding in their homes must be made aware of how to identify the source of the problem and how to treat and remove it in order to prevent any health risks associated with mold. Public health officials must assist in assessing shelter sites to ensure proper food handling, storage, and preparation. Ample and sanitary bathroom facilities must be assessed in order to arrange for additional portable services to be brought in if necessary. The living onditions that exist in the shelter must also be assessed in order to ensure individual privacy and personal safety. Tetanus was a concern for some citizens and the public health officials alerted area immunization clinics to who may be at risk for developing the illness as well as recommendations for vaccination by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safety of area restaurants and their ability to reopen came into question after the storm and public health officials, in cooperation with adjoining counties, worked to address the issue in a timely fashion in order to restore a sense of normalcy to the community.They must all be inspected to ensure that all public health guidelines are being followed and that the establishment is structurally sound. Providing culturally competent educational materials to members of the community, including those that may not speak English, is important and would potentially address the clean-up of hazardous materials, downed limbs, and trees as well as proper treatment of private wells. In the scenario members of the public health team joined other emergency workers in assisting those residents that may be cut off from supplies due to flooding in their area.Public health nurses assisted in door-to-door interview with those residents to address immediate health concerns or injuries that may have occurred as a result of the storm, as well as the availability of basic supplies. Basic physical assessments may be necessary in some situations. The nurse can address medication and medical equipment supplies, and the ability to use medical equipment such as nebulizers and oxygen concentrators.A lack of power would leave people with certain health conditions at risk of major health complications. Evacuation to temporary housing or shelters may be a better alternative for some, especially those requiring dialysis or chemotherapy, and the public health nurse could assist in arranging it. The public health nurse was able to help coordinate the delivery of necessary medications to those in short supply, enabling the patient to remain in their home for the time being.Safe food and water supplies would need to be addressed with homeowners. Information regarding the safe storage, handling, and preparation of food without power is a topic of concern. Inquiring as to any structural damage or flooding in people’s homes would allow the opportunity to provide helpful information pertaining to temporary housing, the need to boil water, and general personal safety. The public health nurse should also be available as residents return to their homes after flood waters have subsided.She can provide basic health information to those with questions or con cerns. In conjunction with other public health officials, the nurse can assist in providing information regarding proper clean up, disposal of hazardous waste, mold, and the safety of food that remained in the home while the residents were in shelters. Public health officials, including the public health nurse, should be present at any informational meetings held for the public.They would be excellent resources for citizens that have questions regarding matters of health and safety and could supply written information for a variety of concerns, such as water and food safety, disease outbreaks as a result of the storm, and general health information including immunizations. Mental health issues may also arise as a result of the disaster and proving information on resources, as well as referrals, may be necessary. The Chain of Command The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Commander is the individual responsible for the entire disaster recovery.The Medical/Health Branch Director, in co njunction with the entire public health group, would report to the Commander and the EOC team regarding pertinent health issues that may arise. Those issues may require immediate action, or may be something that could arise during and after the clean-up from the storm. The public health group is a system unto itself known as the Incident Command System. The Deputy Director served as the Incident Commander and the remainder of the system was made up of individuals from the local health department.The lead role of Operations Section Chief is responsible for developing and implementing a plan, as well as ways in which to achieve the goals they establish. All other members of the Public Health Incident Command System will report to the Chief. The Operations Chief will also help to organize, assign, and supervise other outside resources necessary for the success of the plan. Other roles that the Operations Chief assigns to members of the department include: Public Information Officer, Fi nance/Administration Chief, Planning Chief, Liaison Officer, and Logistics Chief.The Public Information Officer is responsible for providing appropriate public health information pertinent to the disaster. They will be the media contact and will ensure that important information reaches the public in a timely manner to limit the risk of new health issues. They will also educate fellow public health staff so that they are able to act as a cohesive group with a consistent message. The Finance/Administration Chief will have an accounting background and will deal with any financial aspects that arise, such as payroll of employees and contracted workers brought on board specifically due to the storm.The Planning Chief will be the point of contact for all information that is released to the public regarding the disaster. The documentation they provide will be written in the languages necessary to ensure everyone affected by the disaster is informed. The Liaison Officer is the point of con tact for outside resources, providing information and answering any questions they may have regarding the disaster or services needed. The Logistics Chief acquires things that Operations needs to get the job done such as space, supplies and equipment.The Community Health Nurse would report to the Incident Commander and the members of the Incident Command System. Resources Available to the Community Health Nurse Throughout the disaster recovery, the community health nurse would certainly encounter situations that were beyond her scope of practice. There are many resources available to her and she would best serve her clients by utilizing the individuals from the Incident Command System. They would be able to put her in contact with people from mental health services to home repair.The Logistics Chief would be an excellent resource in obtaining help from outside sources for sites for shelters, equipment and supplies. The Planning Chief would be a helpful resource in gathering and dist ributing culturally appropriate information to people who may speak a different language. Should the nurse not know who to go to regarding a specific need, she could go to the Incident Commander who would provide her with the necessary contacts. Social Services, Environmental Health employees, and independent contractors are only a few of the outside sources the public health nurse may be able to utilize.Actions of the Community Health Nurse During door-to-door interviews following the storm, the community health nurse came across several situations that required immediate attention. In one instance, a homeowner had flooding in his basement and a chemical spill in his garage. The nurse had an environmental health specialist advise the homeowner on how to clean up the spill. She also made certain the homeowner was given information on mold and the best methods for cleaning his basement once the flood waters subsided. Another homeowner was overwhelmed with the entire situation.She was immediately responsible for her mother-in-law, her baby, and her household. The nurse would be able to utilize several services in this situation. Providing basic provisions would allow the family to stay in the home should they wish to do so, however, a stay in a shelter would benefit everyone in the immediate situation given that they had lost electrical service. A social services consult would be beneficial to the family in the coming weeks if the mother-in-law remained in the home. At another residence, the client did not speak English and the nurse did not speak Spanish.Therefore, she communicated through the son and was able to provide instruction on proper and safe use of a generator indoors. She also made certain to have information on proper food storage, handling, and preparation as well as generator use that was in English and Spanish, delivered back to the home with the accompaniment of an interpreter. At the home of another citizen the nurse discovered someone who was in need of blood pressure medication. The nurse assessed the man’s condition and, with the clients input, determined that the best solution was to arrange for evacuation to a shelter.Coping with the Aftermath The community health nurse utilized several techniques to calm the fears of the people interviewed following the disaster. One of the main things that she did was to listen to them. When people had very specific concerns it was reassuring that someone was there to help. The ability to utilize resources to address their needs was of great help in reducing the anxiety level of those involved. The nurse also included each client in the decision making process regarding their individual situation.Providing them with options and then discussing with them the benefits of choosing one over another allowed them to feel in control of their own situation. When disaster strikes, there is often a feeling of helplessness that overcomes people. The ability to choose for themselves giv es back a sense of control and self-confidence. The nurse also made certain that things that required follow-up were completed. She made certain that information regarding food safety, mold, and hazardous material clean-up was disseminated to those returning to their homes.She was also available to answer questions, on location as well as at community meetings. Techniques The community health nurse used several techniques to help calm the fears of her clients. She was calm and attentive to their needs. In situations of crisis, many people simply need someone to listen to their concerns. She made herself available to do so. She was informative and provided them with pertinent information to help them manage their day to day needs in the aftermath of the storm.She addressed issues that some of the people had not considered and assisted them in coming to their own conclusions regarding their situations. Preparation for Disasters Community health nurses could help prepare themselves for such a situation by participating in mock disaster drills. Many cities have such programs, and becoming even more involved and helping to organize such an event would be an excellent way of learning how to respond to the immediate needs of patients when faced with an emergency situation.The nurse is responsible for continuing education that includes emergency response and all public health nurses should be held accountable for maintaining those continuing education credits. Another way of preparing for such an emergency would be to research past situations to learn about the challenges that the health care professionals faced. Understanding what the needs are is the first step in preparing for a natural or man-made disaster.

Human Relations Case Study

Human Relations Human relations can be defined as a study of group behavior for the purpose of improving interpersonal and social relationships in work environment. In order to improve work productivity, achieve successful teamwork and understand the importance of managing people, it is necessary for managers to develop appropriate ways how to do it. Human relations management has become a concern of many companies. To increase work productivity each company must create a way how to motivate their employees, see them as individuals and not machines, and provide them with good working conditions.Since human being is the main key factor of the organization, managers should always be encouraged to seek for new opportunities for the company growth. Human relations movement approach was started and established by Elton Mayo – a Harvard professor who is most famous for the well-known Hawthorne studies experiment at the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric Company in Chicago,USA. Mayo conducted and analyzed the experiment for several years. The intention of the experiment was to investigate the relationship between work conditions and productivity by examining environmental influences at workplace.After a while experiment moved on to the psychological aspects as well. During this research, new approaches to motivation, social relations and employee care were developed in order to increase work performance and productivity. Experiment gave an opportunity to understand human behavior in groups and their needs in work environment. The experiment had four stages- illumination studies, relay assembly test room, interviewing process and bank wiring observation room. For the first stage, there were selected workers from the Hawthorne plant. Workers were separated in groups and placed under the eye of supervisor in separate test rooms.The idea was to research and determine relationship between illumination in workplace and employee work efficiency, by increasing or decr easing lighting in the test rooms. The final results were confusing and everyone thought that the experiment has failed, because despite of the increase or decrease of lighting-productivity has been increased or stayed the same at all times. Researchers tried to figure out different theories, why it has happened. The general conclusion was that illumination is not the most important factor of output. After this stage change in employee’s behavior was discovered, workers felt important and knew that the work erformance will be researched. Researchers decided to call this phenomenon as Hawthorne effect. This unusual effect is still noticeable in nowadays and it has a big role in human relations management. For example, clinical research organizations- when patients are randomized for the trial, organization is subordinating patients for the Hawthorne effect. Patient health is studied for a long period of time and special attention is received from many employees. Clinical trial organizations usually choose two randomization options for patients-giving the actual trial medicine or the placebo medicine, which is not a real treatment.In most of the cases, clinical trial measures can result either in true or false improvement, which is caused by Hawthorne effect. In clinical research industry important factor is not only scientific, but also psychological effect, because without investigating human factors, finding necessary answers would be much harder, if the theory would be based only on scientific and medical impacts. The second stage of the experiment was relay assembly test room. Again there were selected people from the Hawthorn plant and divided in groups.This stage was conducted to investigate importance of working hours, lunch breaks, rest periods, wages etc. There were numerous questions that needed to be answered in order to understand how to manage efficient working day. That is why researchers kept changing rest periods, work weeks, wages, super visory practices etc. This stage had the same effect as the illumination stage- no matter what change researchers introduced; productivity either increased or stayed the same. After this stage the most important conclusion was that material gains are not as important as the social processes at the workplace.Every company must pay attention to employee well being, in order to establish positive working conditions and improve employee motivation scheme. One of the most popular motivation programs in nowadays is the â€Å"Employee of the month† title. Organizations make effort to analyze employee’s accomplishments every month. That is a simple way how to say â€Å"thank you† for the effort that has been made and motivate for even more successful results by granting workers with the special title and, in some cases, even with material bonus. The third stage at the Hawthorne plant was interview process.Over 21,000 of employees were interviewed by the time of three ye ars to find out the reasons for the increased productivity in previous two stages. Questionnaires were about everything what affect employees working conditions. Workers were allowed to talk about anything, but not always the answers were truthful or useful for the experiment. During the interviews Mayo thought that he had spread his research too wide and too far, because many of the answers were too vague. At the end of the interviews, researchers were surprised by the unpredictable results again.Investigators came to revelation that employees started to reveal more of personal facts, by the time of interviewing. Rather than giving direct answers, workers chose to speak about their personal life details and issues. After this stage became clear, that each person has their own individuality and important fact for the employers is to create certain trainings and interview processes-applicable for every employee. Also it is important to create surveys for employees and clients as well , to make sure that the company is moving forward, not backwards.For example, worldwide hotel â€Å"Premier Inn† has created survey called â€Å"Your say† (Premier Inn, 2011), which is a short questionnaire for employees and guests. By asking questions about the guest satisfactory level, â€Å"Premier Inn† can summarize information and create a plan how to avoid from biggest mistakes and also consider guest recommendations. Survey is also for employees-to make sure every single employee is satisfied and after the survey there is possibility to organize meetings and discuss negative or positive outcomes of their responsibilities.Most of the companies use these surveys in nowadays, to strengthen and improve their business. The last stage at the bank wiring room in Chicago was conducted to study behavior of the workers in informal groups, and research the social structure and its importance at the workplace. Overall conclusion for this stage: when humans interact w ith each other for a long period of time, various social structures are being created. Work productivity is affected by social processes at workplace, which is why important factor in every organization is communication.Many companies use informal meetings to strengthen employees, by creating different team building programs, so employees doesn’t feel like that is a compulsory task to attend. Overall, the main characteristics of the Hawthorne experiment theory are still noticeable in nowadays. Motivation, social relations, employee care/needs in work environment and behavior of groups are the basics of the human relations movement. Elton Mayo’s experiment was a major historical event and even though Hawthorne studies received a lot of criticism, it was a huge step in human relations management.While Scientific Management looked at technology and processes, Mayo found that the real key to high productivity lies within the people and â€Å"work units,† or groups, in the organization (Odportal 2011). Human satisfaction will always lead to productivity, which is why communication at workplace is important factor to achieve positive results. Also motivated workers are always more committed to their job-this was one of the most important characteristics in Hawthorne experiment. Without human relations theory, working conditions would be slightly different nowadays.Every person has their own individuality and needs, why it is important for organizations to take care of employees, make their own researches and seek for different options how to keep employees interested and motivated at all times. References 1. A Fast Learner’s Guide to Leadership. The Human Relations Movement. http://www. odportal. com/leadership/fastlearner/humanrelations. html -accessed 01/11/2011 [i. p. 1] 2. Guest Recommend Survey http://www. premierinn. com/en/why/contact_us/guest-recommend-survey. html – accessed 01/11/2011 [i. p. 1]

Essay on The Problem Of Hiv / Aids -- Immune system, HIV, AIDS, Vaccine

Although HIV is no longer the death sentence it was back in the 80’s, it remains a thorn even in our modern societies. For instance, HIV treatment is exponentially expensive, and can only be afforded by people residing in developed countries. In fact most third world nations, are still in the 80’s as far as HIV treatment technology is concerned. In 2011 alone over two and half million people died of AIDS, with the continent of Africa topping the list (Gallo 267). With prices, for HIV medication up the roof and the virus becoming more resistant to medications there is nothing such as a happy ending for 50 million people world wide still leaving with the disease (Gallo 267). The clock is ticking not just for the forty million, but also, for the sci... ... middle of paper ... ...n the end only Kaprowsky knows . To even consider those who we trust with our life may have invented the worst disease that has cause over 26 million fatalies so far is unimaginable(Gallo 266). Hoopers theory is not neccesarily a smoking gun but it does raise questions on the credibility of doctors. Hoopers intentions in writing his book the river wasn’t to point a finger but to raise awareness of how often medical errors occur with the minority being used as the guinea pigs; Nevertheless, for magic and all the millions of people living with AIDS the fight continues, a fight to decrease aids fatalities and find a cure, in this fight only one person has been cured so far, the famous berlin patient but as for the other forty million there is reason to hope,that in this developing technology that one day AIDS will be a dark history, surely nothing lasts forever.

Strategic Human resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Human resource Management - Essay Example On similar lines, in our organization, performance of front line executives is measured on the basis of productivity and quality achieved. Although organizational values incorporate specific behavior, values and conduct expected from employees, these have minimal impact on their performance outcome. Measuring performance of front line employees on the basis of productivity and quality is more like following scientific management principles of Taylorism and Fordism, which are incongruent with contemporary management and organizational behavior as well as organizational requirements. Currently, performance management should focus on overall efficiency of the organization and a continuous sustainability. The ever-increasing competition in the products’ and services’ markets requires people to be more innovative in creating newer products, features, systems, and mechanisms of working. Innovation in types of services provided as well as improving profitability for organizati ons is also much required. Now that the number of employees at the front line is the maximum and these groups are directly into carrying out core operations of the organizations, maximum contribution towards innovation can be expected from this group. However, with no direction and returns, they will not be motivated to think out of the box and/or go extra mile to achieve the uncommon or untold tasks. Strong support from leadership at all levels and for all groups of employees is also required to encourage innovation and extended contribution from employees. This would also mean accountability from leadership perspective that can be measurable. Lack of such support and practices will only result in decreasing motivation and commitment from employees, which is the case presently in our organization. Area of improvement and reasons for the change: In order to address this aspect of performance management and employee behavior, it would be best to include a component of employee behavi or in performance management that can create accountability for the desired behavior besides encouraging specific behaviors that would be beneficial for the employee development as well as the organizational growth. Performance management is a process employed by organizations to continuously improve their employee performance, enhance employee motivation and look for opportunities to innovate or further improve in order to gain as well as sustain competitiveness. This is a complex and critical process that has been researched immensely and has resulted in different methods. Performance measurement has been a universally adopted method of performance management. Measurement of performance at every level and in every function is a distinct activity, and cannot be combined. Although the organizational goal remains unique and single, different activities need to be performed in order to achieve that goal by different people having distinct skills and capabilities. Because the nature of work performed by these people contributing to achievement of organizational goal is different, they have to be measured differently, that is accurate and appropriate, in order to help in achieving the desired results. Halachmi (2005) asserts that in order to advance performance there is a need to manage

Health Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Health Administration - Essay Example After letting go the old habit the change stage comes in, people are then thought to embrace the new habit in their behavior. Finally, when change has taken place freeze stage can be achieved easily as it involves making the change a new habit. For change process to be successful one must understand the reason why change should happen, a motivating factor should be there for it to be realized. Change begins from the unfreezing stage, acceptance to change is very necessary. According to Marquis (157) this stage requires that individuals prepare mentally to receive the new habit and let go the old. We have to feel that there is a need for change so as to embrace change easily. This is usually the most difficult stage to achieve. When individuals get used to a certain way of doing things, it usually is very hard to make them change and embrace a new way of doing the same thing (Marquis 158). People tend to question the importance or relevance of the new

Personal Profile Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Personal Profile Paper - Essay Example I am Joshua Leung and I come from Hong Kong. Personality wise, I am a positive person who has a tendency to look for the good in everyone. In addition, I tend to look for the positive in each situation. This can be demonstrated by my persistent in studying irrespective of the fact that I am not very talented on academic matters. However, I still set goals and struggle to achieve them. This has enabled me to achieve quite a lot academically. Moreover, being a positive person helps me deal with difficult situations without giving up since I always hope that things will eventually work out for the best. I always avoid taking offense easily. This has helped me deal with people of different kinds. Sometimes, my friends and people I come across tend to criticize me for being too ambitious. However, I appreciate constructive criticism and make use of it to improve. I consider every situation to be a learning experience and ensure that I learn from it. Additionally, being positive enables me not to be easily irritated since I do not take everything personally. On the assessment score, I scored highest on being a friendly and open person. This is true is true since I manage to cope with people from varying background. This has enabled me live peacefully in United States. I cope well with people in US irrespective of the great differences in culture. Additionally, I take responsibility and accept deal with problems that my action may create even when the situation is not comfortable. I consider myself an extrovert. since I tend to be stimulated by events as well as other people. I tend to show my feelings and love working with people in groups. Additionally, I am inclined to using my senses to interpret the word by making use of my senses and prefer practical exercises. I realized I prefer dealing with practical situations involving problem solving as opposed to theoretical issues. On the personal assessment, I had a score of 135 on the type A person. Being a type A person means that I am aggressive and struggle to achieve more in limited time. This is true because I tend to be quite impatient and often find myself striving to achieve more things in a short period. Ever since I was young, I have always considered time to be an important factor that should be spent wisely. This can be demonstrated by the little time I spend on lei sure activities. Although I spend considerable time with my friend, I always ensure that am participating in something constructive. Another thing about me is that I am very concerned about the political matters. This is because I understand that organizations are political systems. Since I hope to run my own company in the future, I believe this important. The self-assessment proved this since I scored 91 on how good I am in playing politics. Additionally, I tend to monitor myself and love possessing power. Although I consider and show concern on how other people view me, I have a strong positive self-concept. This makes me confident. However, being self-confident does not mean I consider myself better than I consider others. I have a good opinion about myself but I still have great regard for other people’s opinions. How Other People see me After discussing with my friends on what they think of me, most of them though I am creative. When faced by hard situations, my brother always asks for my help since he believes that I am good at coming up

Strategic Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Strategic Supply Chain Management - Essay Example This has put nearly everyone’s job at a risk. No one knows for certainty how they will fare in the coming times or how the business will shape up due to its expanding horizons, changing market dynamics, economic upheavals, top management’s cozy attitude and so on. MultiChem Ltd might just hit the doldrums if it continues on this wave pattern and the laidback attitude that it has had for the past few years would not serve any real purpose behind its foundation as a laboratory producing small batches of chemicals for educational establishments, hospitals and private organizations. The tilt for bringing out the value proposition for the esteemed clients has started to change and that too in a very negative manner. The company has lost focus and just does not know what it wants to achieve and that too in unimaginable and non-calculated capacity. There is a great deal of soul searching which needs to be done if the results have to be positive by any stretch of imagination. MultiChem Ltd should remember the fact that it became a profitable business because it disseminated itself from the companies that produced large batches of chemicals and thus MultiChem Ltd was the only one within Central Europe which catered to the markets when the talk went out loud regarding the acquisition of small scale chemical batches. There was no other player in the market as such and if any cropped up on the scene, MultiChem Ltd had the funds and resources to buy out those organizations in a quick manner. This made the task of MultiChem Ltd pretty easy since it found out that the monopolizing factor within its business regimes has stayed for a long time and yet a sense of complacency made its way within the supply chain domains – indeed a quick recipe for disaster as far as MultiChem Ltd was concerned. The troubles started and that too from different angles. The focus was just not there and MultiChem Ltd knew

World War 2 Historical Qestions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

World War 2 Historical Qestions - Assignment Example As World War 11 begun to brew by the second, the Unites States was perusing a national policy of â€Å"Isolationism†. The United States wanted to avoid all war and focus on different things like domestic/family household issues, restoring the economy, anti-immigration ect. Two days after the European War begun, the United States declared its neutrality. The USA would not be involved in the war and would romaine neutral until we were attacked and needed to fight back. As stated on page 771, â€Å"When war broke out in 1914 Woodrow Wilson had told Americans to be neutral â€Å"In thought as well as In action.† FDR, by contrast, now said: â€Å"This nation will remain a neutral nation, but I cannot ask that every American remain neutral in thought as well.† Also, in 1940 the United States instituted the first peacetime draft in American history. The FDR then declared, â€Å"We must be the great arsenal of democracy.†(Page 771) The United States isolationists even formed the, America First Committee (AFC). The AFC let everyone know that we were not getting involved, for example on page 771 it says, â€Å" The AFC held rallies across the United States, and its posters, brochures, and broadside warning against American involvement†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Some sources of American Political isolation are Time Magazine, photographers, journalists and more.

IRAC Method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IRAC Method - Essay Example Moreover, the method distinguishes the relevant laws that are used by the court with facts and justifies effective resolution (California State University, n.d.). Therefore, the paper intends to briefly discuss about the case of Reid v. Covert through analyzing an effective IRAC method. The discussion of the report will be highly focused on demonstrating the overall scenario including the problem, relevant commandments concerning the case as well as final outcomes of the court. Background of the Case (Reid v. Covert) The case of Reid v Covert (354 U.S. 1) can be considered as one of the major milestone cases addressed by the Supreme Court of the United States. The case had been conducted during the year of 1955 against Mrs. Clarice Covert for killing her sergeant husband in the military base. During the case of Mrs. Covert concerning her suspected offense, a jurisdiction agreement had been observed to be present between the United States and the United Kingdom which further authorize d the military court of the US to take adequate jurisdiction right over the crime conducted in the UK military base by servicemen of the US or by their dependents (Cornell University Law School, n.d.). IRAC Method Assessment Issue The case of Reid v. Covert can be observed as a major decisive case adjudicated by the US Supreme Court which incorporated principle constitutional issues. The case was documented in No. 701, October Term, 1955 in which Mrs. Covert had been convicted for killing her husband who was a sergeant in the US Air Force. The incident had taken place at an airbase located in the United Kingdom. According to the case, it has been observed that Mrs. Covert was not a part of the armed services and she was live in the military base with her husband during the incident period. Moreover, the trial related to the issue was conducted based on the charges selected by the personnel of the Air Force. The major issue that emerged from the case was regarding a clash between the Constitution of a country and an enacted treaty. Raise of constitutional issue was the major concern within the case. The issue raised a question regarding the role played by the military under the governmental system. The issue also raised the Bill of Rights related concern. In this case, for the first time, after the implementation of the Constitution, wives of any soldier had been deprived of trial prior to a court-martial (Cornell University Law School, n.d.). Rule With regard to the case of Reid v. Covert, it has been recognized that the rule of law applied was Article 118 under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). With reference to this article, court-martial took place which comprised officers of the Air Force. Through the court martial under the Article 2 (11) of UCMJ rule was affirmed over Mrs. Covert. Any treaty or provision agreed upon by the US comes under consideration of the article and are regarded as rule enacted beneath international law. Moreover, all indi viduals employed by or serving with or accompanying the military forces devoid of the continental periphery of the US are also considered. The other rules of law relate to the verdict provided regarding case by Air Force Board of Review, 16 CMR 465, which was reversed by the verdict presented by the Court of Military Appeals. Furthermore, with regard to the case Fifth as well as Sixth Amendments of the Constitution were of significance (Cornell University Law School, n.d.). Analysis It can be analyzed with the regard to the case that the counsel in authority for Mrs. Covert argued that she was in an insane state of physical condition while she murdered her husband. However, the military tribunal deemed

Cyber Terrorism and other types of terrorism in Australia Research Paper

Cyber Terrorism and other types of terrorism in Australia - Research Paper Example The practical difficulty in controlling cyber crimes made it one of the most dangerous terrorist activities of modern era. Since most of the critical areas of human life are making use of computers and internet at present, cyber attack can affect the social life drastically within a second. For example, transporting systems, power supply, military operation and telecommunication systems etc are relying heavily on computers and internet for its routine jobs and functions at present. Any problems occurred in the functionality of computers and internet can affect these areas negatively and cause immense damages to public life. This paper analyses the terrorism threats faced by Australia in general and cyber threats in particular. It is not necessary that cyber attacks may create physical ham alone to Australia. In fact cyber attacks can be used to defame a country like Australia in front of others. The most common form of hacktivism is the defacing of web pages to carry a message to the audience of that web site. The site shown in Figure below – an Australian business defaced to accuse Australia of being a terrorist country, is a recent example of hacktivism – as well as illustrating the tensions of the war on terror being transferred to the electronic realm (Ellsmore, p.5) The above webpage is a clear example of how the cyber attacks happening against Australia. Australia is a strong supporter of war on terror which is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. Terrorists target all the countries which support war on terror in some way. Since most of the countries like Australia have strengthened the security measures against a physical or direct terrorist attack terrorists now adopting channels of indirect attack. Cyber attacks give them the luxury of attacking their targets from a distance and the chances of arrest or punishment are extremely rare. â€Å"Evidence exist s to suggest that al-Qaeda have also been using the Internet to collect & collate information about potential critical infrastructure targets† (Ellsmore, p.6). Internet is an ocean of information. It is not necessary to visit a place to collect information about it. All the details about all the places in the world are available on internet at present. It is easy for terrorist groups to collect and analyze this information before planning an attack on a particular target. The electronic information can be used for cyber attacks or even for physical attacks. According to the CERT Co-ordination Centre, the number of reported computer security incidents increased from 9,859 in 1999 to 52,658 in 2001, and we are on track for almost 100,000 in 2023. Similarly, the 2002 Australian Computer Crime and Security Survey found that 67% of respondents suffered a security incident, twice the level of 1994 (Ellsmore, p.8). The above statistics are clear indications of growing threats faced b y Australia from cyber terrorism. Cyber attacks can affect the productivity of organizations and employment losses to the employees. In other words, cyber attacks can destroy affect the financial systems more than the lives of the people. The expenses needed to conduct a cyber attack are extremely cheaper compared to the expenses needed for a physical attack. At the same time cyber attacks can cause more damages to the target than a physical attack. Moreover, the publicity generated by cyber attacks may create panic and disgust among the people. The above facts motivate terrorist in selecting cyber medium for their future channel of attack. â€Å"

Alice and Wonderland Essay Example for Free

Alice and Wonderland Essay Title Alice and Wonderland 20120 Screen Writer Linda Woolverton Director Tim burton March 5, 2010 The Scene Scene Design Throughout the whole movie the scenes keep changing going from a reality to something what seems like a dream. The scenes are over the top and amazing and fit the film 100 percent of the time. Lighting Design Alice is transitioning from the dark forest to the bright but destroyed looking tea party as the two settings are a mix of contrast. At the same time the characters are contrasted to their surroundings as they are much brighter than their environment. The clashing of light and dark colors show that the creatures of Wonderland are at war. Sound Design The sound not only help move the story and convey the emotion everyone is looking for, but also to help give that Tim Burton feel. I feel like he wants his films to fit within the overall context of pop culture and film in general. This movie really try to keep a realism and timeless funkiness to the sound and resist the temptation to create sounds or design scenes to be too over the top or distracting. Costume Design The costume designer relied on extensive hair and makeup. I love the volume and rama in all of the costumes featured in the movie. I actually didnt mind Alice shrinking into a size of a pea and magnifying into a giant because her dresses would change into something beautiful every time it happened. Im a sucker for drama, colors, and volume. So of course my favorite was the costume design of Johnny Depps Mad Hatters costume was hauntingly beautiful, despite the tears and holes that gave Offa creepy but delicate look. 1 . Long/medium/close-ups Alice and Wonderland is a movie with many different camera shots. This film is shot in more of a wider viewing. With some minor close ups throughout the movie 2. Camera angle The visual effects are stunning, especially in 3D. When hurtling down the hole, the camera angles shoot from Alices perspective. The 3D enhances the swooping landscape shots and is for the atmospheric effect. It pulls the audience more into the world and the film is better for it. Throughout the movie camera angles enhance the experience. Shots filmed through keyholes and in different perspectives allows audiences to experience Wonderland for themselves. 3. Camera movement The camera movement in this movie combines a little bit of everything. But mostly the space between the two cameras that represent the human eyes and create the illusion of depth is a main factor taken into place during this movie The Story The Plot Alice is and unconfident and confused 19 year old girl who is being forced into marriage with an English man. At her engagement party she escapes the crowd to consider whether to go through with the marriage or not. She then sees a strange rabbit and falls into a rabbit hole. Arriving in a strange and surreal place called wonderland she find herself in a world that resembles a dream she had as a little girl. It was filled with talking plants, animals, an evil queen, knights and a ferocious beats. Alice realizes that she is there for a reason and that reason is to conquer the horrific Jabberwocky and restore the White Queens place on the throne But, at the same time she is there to find herself and become the woman she is meant to be. Initial situation Alice has been mourning the loss of her father. She is troubled by unremembered memories of the past in her dreams. Alice all of 19 attends a garden party where she is surprised by an unwanted marriage proposal and the expectations that society beholds upon her. Running off distraught and confused she chases after a white rabbit. Inciting moment this whirlwind of fascinating adventure. Alice is placed in a room with a door too small for her to fit through. She is told to indulge the drink to shrink and eat the bread to grow. She goes through the door and then her adventure really begins. Complication Alice encounters complications with every new character she interacts with. Alice herself is a big complication through the movie she has to try and understand the mysteries of wonderland. She must also undergo changes from a shy innocent girl to a warrior who can slay the red queens evil beast. Climax and resolution The red queen is throwing a trial that Alice must attend. The queen is accusing frog of eating all of her tarts. There is a great deal of evidence giving again the frog. The frog is sentenced to be beheaded and Alice stand up for the frog and said to be executed by the queen. She fghts off the queens guards and escapes. She then leads an army against to queen and her evil beast. She faces the beast in an extraordinary battle when she be heads the beast and the while queens restored to power in Wonderland. Denouement After Alice came back from Wonderland she returned as a new woman. As she urned down the wedding proposal and worked for a man opening trade up in China. She went to China at the end and sees the butterfly from wonderland. Alice never promised to come back to wonderland only to never forget. The Characters Major Characters Alice She is destined to slay the red queens killer beast. Alices experience in Wonderland is about reconnecting with herself and finding out that she has the strength to be more confident in figuring out what she wants. The Mad Hatter- He has been awaiting Alices arrival back to wonderland. Mad Hatter is Alices protector he would go to and length to help or protect her. He is her on true friend and believed in her even when no one else does. The Red Queen- She rules with and anger like no other always wanting to behead people at the slightest thing. She stole the crown and the throne from her sister the white queen. The Red Queen is also meant to stop the prophecy from becoming true and to stop Alice from defeating the her killer beast. The beast that gives her the rule over Wonderland. Minor Characters Absolem- He is the character in wonderland that people go to for answers. He is the keeper of the scroll and knows all of Wonderlands history. The White Rabbit- His Job as to make sure Alice made it to Wonderland and to keep her on her path through the movie. The White Queen- Her role in this movies is to help Alice gain her The Actors Mia Wasikowska played Alice who is a movie actor that was the perfect person to play the role of Alice. Johnny Depp played The Mad Hatter who is a theatrical movie actor and did an amazing Job in the roll. Anne Hathaway played the White Queen who is a Movie actress who I love her, she makes whatever roll she plays magnificent. Helena Bonham Carter plays the Red Queen. She is a movie actress and did perfect in this role and didnt go overboard. Matt Lucas played both TweedleDee and TweedleDum he is a great movie actor but I would have liked to see a little more from him in this movie. Michael Sheen plated the White Rabbit who is a movie actor and played a good roll he was very funny and to the point. Stephen Fry was great at playing the Cheshire Cat she is a new movie actress to most people. She played the character and the was role perfect for her. Alan Rickman played as the Blue Caterpillar he is a movie actor and the caterpillar has always been one of my favorite characters and he did a great Job bringing him to life. The Director Individual style, other major works, biographical context Tim Burton is one of the most unusual and unique directors of our time. He brings characters to life by putting them in a place they dont belong. Tim Burton points out the misfit character and shows how different they are. His use of camera angles, lighting, and sound give the viewers a different perspective on the movies, and help pick out the individual character. Some of his movies include Alice in Wonderland, Beetlejuice, The Addams Family, Dark Shadows The Corpse Bride, Charlie and the chocolate factory, and Edward Scissorhands.. Burton has directed 16 ilms and produced 12. Burton was born on August 25, 1958 in Burbank, California. He majoring in animation at the California Institute of Arts. He worked as a Disney animator for less than a year before going out on his own. He became known for creating visually striking films that blend themes of fantasy, horror, and comedy all into one film The Screenwriter Linda Woolverton is a born teacher. She has a gift for clarifying the underlined edge of storytelling. She is amazing at taking an idea and creating into something edge She has wrote works like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Alice in Wonderland, She also had a part in Aladdin, Mulan, and Arctic Tale. Linda Woolverton was born 1959 in Long Beach California. She wrote a couple screenplays for Disneys animated film Woolverton then went on to write some Broadway performances. She also co-wrote a book for Broadway and then she wrote her own book. The genre, type, and period tragedy _ drama _ comedy _ musical comedy _ musical drama Genre Type The genre type of Alice and wonderland is a Fantasy. Period other The period time of the movie would have been recorded and filmed in 2010, the Era of the movie would represent the nineteenth century. You can see this by the way they talk and the look they have bestowed upon them selfs. The Context Philosophical Historical The new Alice and Wonderland is inspired by Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventures in Wonderland and served as a sequel to the original disney movie. The film was created when the Walt Disney Company handed over 250 million Social There is a lot in this movie about social rights. The red queen forced herself in charge and condemned anyone who opposed her to death. This could represent to social fght for power or freedom. This goes on and on through the movie you are told y some flowers that they are the lower social class. Religious I could not find a religious meaning behind Alice in Wonderland 2010 What you like I would watch this movie over and over again its comical, adventurous, and a little creepy the animation of the movie keeps me involved the whole time. What you think This movie to me was all around great from the beginning to the end. One of my favorite parts of the movie was when Alice meet the caterpillar and then again when she fought the Red queens killer beast. Although I do feel like they that could have gone a little move overboard with the overall movie.

Communication In Nursing

Communication In Nursing To listen to another person is the most caring act of all. Listening and attending are by far the most important aspects of being a nurse (Burnard 1992). One of the basic elements of nursing is good communication skills with patients. Being unable to communicate well with a patient immediately can destroy the nurse/patient relationship and therefore the patient may not trust the nurse (Anon 2007). The purpose of this essay is to discuss the importance of communication in nursing. Without communication nurses would be unable to provide the correct care, but improving communication is a life-long developmental process (Ewles and Simnett 2005). I will draw upon my personal experience from the clinical area to show how well the theory relates to the practical side of nursing and use the process recording sheet for structure and guidance (Appendix i). In accordance with The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) Code of Conduct, nurses must respect peoples right to confidentiality. Therefore for the purpose of this essay I have used a pseudonym and the patient discussed is referred to as Carol Brown and any personal or identifiable information has also been altered so as to protect her privacy and dignity which are also enshrined in the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) Code of Conduct. I asked Carol for explicit permission to use our interpersonal relationship in my communications essay and advised her of my obligations on my professional conduct to which I am bound by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008), regarding professional, moral and safe practice. Carol was in agreement to be involved with my assignment and on no account was her physical care at risk during this interaction. I was nearing the end of my placement in a general medical ward within a large general hospital. The ward treat a variety of medical complaints including diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, stroke and alcohol liver disease. A young 36 year old female was admitted to the ward, now known as Carol Brown with an increased weight loss due to non-intentional self-neglect probably caused by her chronic condition although could be deep rooted to family relationships (Day and Leahy-Warren 2008). Carol was awaiting heart surgery, replacement hips and replacement knees at major surgical hospital in another area of the country. Her health status was poor as she suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and had a congenital heart defect. Carol was in need of pain management, and although it was currently being managed with a variety of powerful painkillers, these proved to have little relief. Carol spent the majority of time in bed due to her severe pain, and due to this she cried out a lo t. I thought that communication would be difficult with Carol as she was mostly in pain but I also believed that she would like someone to talk to but that person would need to be a good listener. It is important to remember that nurses have the duty to provide care holistically, for the whole person, not just for their physical needs but their mental and social needs too (Kenworthy et al. 2002). Carol liked to be washed in her bed every morning as movement for her was difficult. The bay that she was in was busy with little privacy and only the curtains for seclusion. I went into assist her to wash one morning and because of her psoriasis she needed special creams applied routinely. She spoke quietly about her illness and explained her difficulties to me. Her head was bowed and she had difficulty in making eye contact. She talked slowly and quietly and sometimes mumbled, she also appeared quite melancholy at times. Talking about her family, her illness and when she was younger made her sad and she was crying. I think this was cathartic for Carol and it could be that feelings beneath the surface may need uncovered in more detail to enable her to release her emotions (Bulman and Schutz 2008). I felt that Carols ability to communicate was linked to how she felt about herself. She was inclined to judge herself too severely and underestimated her abilities. This self-blame reflect ed her ability to communicate (Ewles and Simnett 2005). She was in so much pain, her head was bowed and she could not make eye contact. I was leaning in close to her bedside, touch was not good, her body was too sore. I tried to show empathy towards Carol by giving her time to talk, being patient and listening to her. This was an example of Egans (2007) Soler theory which is a non-verbal listening method that is used commonly in communication. Was she crying because she was in so much pain or was it because she was recalling happy memories from before she fell ill? I was keen in developing the therapeutic relationship. According to Arnold and Undermann-Boggs (2003), empathy is the ability to be sensitive to and communicate understanding of the patients feelings. Being compassionate is similar to being empathetic in a way that it is important to recognise that Carols feelings belong to her and not to me. I was interested in Carols illness, to learn more about her condition and hear about her difficulties. Getting to know your patient helps to promote dignified care (Nicholson et al. 2010). She was very independent and wanted to do as much as she could by herself. Help was minimal and she only asked when she was struggling to re-position her feet. I used active listening to allow to her speak without interrupting. Active listening is not only the act of hearing but of being able to interpretate any underlying meaning (Arnold and Undermann-Boggs (2003). I paid close attention to her facial expressions and body language and Argyle (1988 p.57) suggests facial expressions provide a running commentary on emotional states. I asked Carol open questions about her illness as I thought this would allow me to encourage her to talk and she responded to this well. Open ended questions are used to elicit the clients thoughts and perspectives without influencing the direction of an acceptable respon se (Arnold and Undermann-Boggs 2003 p.241). It also allowed Carol to describe her experiences, feelings and understandings and I felt this approach was appropriate. I wanted to try and distract her from her pain as I found it difficult to see her being so unhappy, so I commented on some magazines that were lying on her table and asked her about her taste in music. This was a good subject, her eyes lit up and she smiled. We finally made eye contact. Carol and myself were exchanging verbal and non-verbal communication in order to understand each others feelings. According to Kozier (2008) non-verbal communication can include the use of silence, facial expressions, touch and body posture. Carol was keen to talk about her taste in music and became very chatty, in fact, she became somewhat excited. I put some cds on for her to listen to and as I did this she asked me questions about my taste in music. There was now no barriers to our communication as we both shared the same taste in music. When the music was playing Carol was in a different world, she was more relaxed. Research has shown that the pain and tension of illnesses such as arthritis can be eased with music therapy (Murcott 2006). I took her hand and held it gently, her eyes were closed, she was smiling and she appeared more content. By holding her hand, I felt as though I was comforting and reassuring her. Touch is a form of non-verbal communication and can be a powerful way of communicating (le May 2004). This was an indication that I really did care and that I wanted to help her. Using touch skilfully and thoughtfully can convey that you are able to be with your patient (Benner 2001 p.57). Communication can be therapeutic and the music playing was not a barrier in communications, it was in fact beneficial. Music has the power to tap into our emotions and alleviate tension (Mallon 2000). Therefore, it is argued that effective communication is more than delivering high quality patient-centred care; but it also allows patients to feel involved in their care, which can make a significant difference to their outlook on their treatment (Collins 2009). Reflecting back I realised that I was really quite worried about the communication difficulties I was facing during my interaction. Carol was a very obstinate person who knew exactly what she needed and yet she desperately wanted to be as independent as possible. I wanted her to allow me in and for her to be comfortable with me. I am glad I eventually gained her trust and we both became more relaxed. Trust is an important element in the nurse/patient relationship and can in fact affect the patient care in practice (Bell and Duffy 2009). In fact, the impact that this interaction had on our relationship was that as the days went on we became very good friends and she was very special to me. Sully and Dallas (2005), suggests that to have an empathetic understanding of our patients needs we must recognise their need for comfort and we respond to this compassionately. It was important to be non-judgemental, I accepted Carol for who she was no matter what her circumstances were and my main concern was to care for her in a professional and beneficial way and in a manner that she preferred. The Royal College of Nursing (2003) suggests that the personal qualities of a nurse should include compassion, respect and a non-judgemental approach. Putting the interaction into perspective, I originally found Carol very demanding, always calling out and constantly pressing the call buzzer. Some staff were very reluctant to go to her because her personal care was very time consuming. It was time consuming but it was because she was in a lot of pain. Surely this was a barrier to communication as some staff did not take the time to listen to what Carol required and as health promoters, we need to develop skills of effective listening so that we can help people to talk and express their needs and feelings (Ewles and Simnett 2005). Rogers (2004) used the term unconditional positive regard, this meaning that people can be too judgemental and it is important to disregard how much of a b urden someone thinks a patient with complex needs might be and treat everyone equally. From recording and analysing my interactions I have learned to accept people for who they are as each of us have had different experiences throughout life and these experiences make us who we are. It was also important to acknowledge Carols point of view, her emotions and thoughts without judgement as being aware of these helped to appreciate her perspective and needs (Silverman et al. 2005). I have also learned to be a good listener and an active listener. Ewles and Simnett (2005) suggest that this means taking note of the non-verbal communication as well as the spoken words. It is important to maintain eye contact, observe the body language, listen properly and pick up on non-verbal signs as well as verbal signs. The environment is important too, along with being sensitive, honest and compassionate (Anon 2007). Collins (2007) argues that judgemental attitudes can stand in the way of getting to know your patient and that labels attached to individuals such as demented can act as a l anguage barrier. Effective nursing requires us to be assertive, responsible and to help our patients achieve the best possible health status (Balzer Riley 2008). In conclusion, the key points that have been discussed in this essay are that of the importance of communicating in nursing and how nurses can improve their communication skills and maintain their effectiveness. We must provide holistic care for our patients and the goal is to listen to the whole person and provide them with empathetic understanding. Another key point is that we must be non judgemental no matter what the patients circumstances are. Overall communication during this interaction was positive, therapeutic and helped to build a relationship. This essay has shown how personal experience from the clinical area relates the theory to the practical side of nursing and how it is imperative that communication is clear, understandable, appropriate and effective. 2059 words References ANON., 2007. Communication skills (essence of care benchmark). Nursing Times. http://www.nursingtimes.net/whats-new-in-nursing/communication-skills-essence-of-care-benchmark/361127.article (Accessed on 21.07.10). ARNOLD, E., and UNDERMANN-BOGGS, K., 2003. Interpersonal relationships: professional communication skills for nurses. 4th ed. Missouri: Saunders. BELL, E., and DUFFY, A., 2009. A concept analysis of nurse-patient trust. British Journal of Nursing. 18(1), pp. 46-51. BENNER, P., 2001. From novice to expert: excellence and power in clinical nursing practice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. BLAZER-RILEY, J., 2008. Communication in nursing. 6th ed. Missouri: Elsevier. BULMAN, C., and SCHUTZ, S., 2008. Reflective practice in nursing. 4th ed. Sussex: Blackwell. BURNARD, P., 1992. Counselling: a guide to practice in nursing. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. COLLINS, S., 2009. Good communication helps to build a therapeutic relationship. Nursing Times. 105(24), pp.11-12. DAY, M.R., LEAHY-WARREN, P., (2008). Self-neglect 1: recognising features and risk factors. Nursing Times. 104(24), pp.26-27. EGAN, G., 2007. The skilled helper: a problem management and opportunity development approach to helping. 8th ed. California:Thomson. EWLES, L., and SIMNETT, I., 2005. Promoting health: a practical guide. 5th ed. Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall. KENWORTHY, N., et al., 2002. Common foundation studies in nursing. 3rd ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. KOZIER, B., et al., 2008. Fundamentals of nursing: concepts, process and practice. Essex: Pearson Education. LE MAY, A., 2004. Building rapport through non-verbal communication. Nursing and Residental Care. 6(10), pp. 488-491. MALLON, M., 2000. Healing Sounds. The Scotsman. 12th May, p.9. MURCOTT, T., 2006. Music Therapy. The Times. 18th February, p. 17. NICHOLSON, C. et al., 2010. Everybody matters 1: how getting to know your patients helps to promote dignified care. Nursing Times. 106(20), pp. 12-14. NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL, 2008. The NMC code of professional conduct: standards for conduct, performance and ethics. London: NMC. ROGERS, C., 2004. On becoming a person: a therapists view of psychotherapy. London: Constable. ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING, 2003. Defining nursing. RCN. http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/78569/001998.pdf (Accessed on 29.07.10). SILVERMAN, J., et al., 2005. Skills for communicating with patients. 2nd ed. Oxon: Radcliffe publishing. SULLY, P., and DALLAS, J., 2005. Essential communication skills for nursing. Edinburgh: Elsevier. Communication in nursing Communication in nursing To listen to another person is the most caring act of all. Listening and attending are by far the most important aspect of being a nurse (Burnard 1992). One of the basics of good nursing is good communication skills with patients. Being unable to communicate well with a patient immediately can destroy the nurse/patient relationship and therefore the patient may not trust the nurse (Anon 2007). The purpose of this essay is the realise the importance of communication in nursing. Without communication nurses would be unable to provide the correct care, but improving communication is a life-long developmental process (Ewles and Simnett 2005). I will draw on my personal experience from the clinical area to show how well the theory relates to the practical side of nursing and use the process recording sheet for structure and guidance. In accordance with The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) Code of Conduct, nurses must respect peoples right to confidentiality. Therefore for the purpose of this essay the patient discussed is referred to as Miss C., and any personal or identifiable information has also been altered so as to protect her privacy and dignity which are also enshrined in the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) Code of Conduct.. I asked Miss C. for explicit permission to use our interpersonal relationship in my communications essay and advised her of my obligations on my professional conduct to which I am bound by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008), regarding professional, moral and safe practice. Miss C., was in agreement to be involved with my assignment and on no account was her physical care at risk during this interaction. I was nearing the end of my placement in a general medical ward within a large general hospital. The ward had a variety of medical complaints including diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, stroke and alcohol liver disease. A young 21 year old female was admitted to the ward, now known as Miss C., with an increased weight loss and she was in need of pain management. Miss C., was awaiting heart surgery, replacement hips and replacement knees at major surgical hospital in another area of the country. Her health status was poor as she suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and had a congenital heart defect. Miss Cs., pain was managed with oramorph, ketamine and fentanyl patches, but these proved to have little relief. Miss C., spent the majority of time in bed due to her severe pain, and due to this she cried out a lot. Her head was bowed and she had difficulty in making eye contact. She talked slowly and quietly and sometimes mumbled, she was also a very sad person. I thought t hat communication would be difficult with Miss C., as she was mostly in pain but I also believed that she would like someone to talk to but that person would need to be a good listener. It is important to remember that nurses have the duty to provide care holistically, for the whole person, not just for their physical needs but their mental and social needs too (Kenworthy et al. 2002). Miss C., liked to be washed in her bed every morning as movement for her was difficult. The bay that she was in was busy with little privacy only the curtains for seclusion. I went into wash her one morning and because of her psoriasis she needed special creams applied religiously. She spoke quietly about her illness and explained her difficulties to me. Talking about her family, her illness and when she was younger made her sad and she was crying. I felt that Miss Cs ability to communicate was linked to how she felt about herself. She was over-critical about herself and underestimated her abilities. This lack of self-confidence reflected her ability to communicate (Ewles and Simnett 2005). She was in so much pain, her head was bowed and she could not make eye contact. I was leaning in close to her bedside, touch was not good, her body was too sore. I tried to show empathy towards Miss C., by giving her time to talk, being patient and listening to her. Was she crying because she was in so much pain or was it because she was recalling happy memories from before she fell ill? I was desperately trying to understand how she may be feeling. According to Arnold and Boggs (2003), empathy is the ability to be sensitive to and communicate understanding of the patients feelings. Being compassionate is similar to being empathetic in a way that it is important to recognise that Miss Cs feelings belong to her and not to me. I was interested in Miss Cs illness, to learn more about her condition and hear about her difficulties. She was very independent and wanted to do as much as she could by herself. Help was minimal and she only asked when she was struggling to re-position her feet. I used active listening to allow to her speak without interrupting but I paid close attention to her facial expressions and body language. Argyle (see Kenworthy et al. 2002) suggests facial expressions provide a running commentary on emotional states. I asked Miss C. open questions about her illness as I thought this would allow me to encourage her to talk. It also allowed Miss C to describe her experiences, feelings and understandings. Open ended questions are used to elicit the client s thoughts and perspectives without influencing the direction of an acceptable response (Arnold and Boggs 2003 p.241). I wanted to try and take her mind off her pain as it was upsetting to see her being so unhappy, so I commented on some magazines that were lying on her table and asked her about her taste in music. This was a good subject, her eyes lit up and she smiled. We finally made eye contact. Using the semiotic school of thought, Miss C and myself were exchanging verbal and non-verbal communication in order to understand each others feelings. According to Kozier (2008) non-verbal communication can include the use of silence, facial expressions, touch and body posture. Miss C was keen to talk about her taste in music and became very chatty, in fact, she became sort of excited. I put some cds on for her to listen to and as I did this she asked me questions about my taste in music. There was now no barriers to our communication as we both shared the same taste in music. When the music was playing Miss C was in a different world, she was more relaxed. I took her hand and held it gently, her eyes w ere closed, she was smiling and she appeared more content. By holding her hand, I felt as though I was comforting and reassuring her. This was an indication that I really did care and that I wanted to help her. Using touch skilfully and thoughtfully can convey that you are able to be with your patient (Benner 2001 p.57). Communication can be therapeutic and the music playing was not a barrier in communications, it was in fact beneficial. Therefore, it is argued that effective communication is more than delivering high quality patient-centred care; but it also allows patients to feel involved in their care, which can make a significant difference to their outlook on their treatment (Collins 2009). Reflecting back I realised that I was really quite worried about the communication difficulties I was facing during my interaction. Miss C., was a very strong willed person who knew exactly what she needed and yet she desperately wanted to be as independent as possible. I wanted her to allow me in and for her to be comfortable with me. I am glad I eventually gained her trust and we both became more relaxed. In fact, the impact that this interaction had on our relationship was that as the days went on we became very good friends and she was very special to me. Sully and Dallas (2005), suggests that to have an empathetic understanding of our patients needs we must recognise their need for comfort and we respond to this compassionately. It was important to be non-judgemental, I accepted Miss C., for who she was no matter what her circumstances were and my main concern was to care for her in a professional and beneficial way and in a manner that she preferred. Putting the interaction int o perspective, I originally found Miss C very demanding, always calling out and constantly pressing the call buzzer. Some staff were very reluctant to go to her because her personal care was very time consuming. It was time consuming but it was because she was in a lot of pain. Surely this was a barrier to communication as some staff did not take the time to listen to what Miss C required and as health promoters, we need to develop skills of effective listening so that we can help people to talk and express their needs and feelings (Ewles and Simnett 2005). From recording and analysing my interactions I have learned to accept people for who they are as each of us have had different experiences throughout life and these experiences make us who we are. It was also important to acknowledge Miss Cs point of view, her emotions and thoughts without judgement as being aware of these helped to appreciate her perspective and needs (Silverman et al. 2005). I have also learned to be a good listener and an active listener. Ewles and Simnett (2005) suggest that this means taking note of the non-verbal communication as well as the spoken words. It is important to maintain eye contact, observe the body language, listen properly and pick up on non-verbal signs as well as verbal signs. The environment is important too, along with being sensitive, honest and compassionate (Anon 2007). Collins (2007) argues that judgemental attitudes can stand in the way of getting to know your patient and that labels attached to individuals such as demented can act as a language barrier. Effective nursing requires us to be assertive, responsible and to help our patients achieve the best possible health status (Balzer Riley 2008). In conclusion, the key points that have been discussed in this essay are that of the importance of communicating in nursing and how nurses can improve their communication skills and maintain their effectiveness. We must provide holistic care for our patients and the goal is to listen to the whole person and provide them with empathetic understanding. Another key point is that we must be non judgemental no matter what the patients circumstances are. Overall communication during this interaction was positive, therapeutic and helped to build a relationship. This essay has shown how personal experience from the clinical area relates the theory to the practical side of nursing and how it is imperative that communication is clear, understandable, appropriate and effective. 1819 words

Analysis of Cement Industry in India

Analysis of Cement Industry in India INTRODUCTION People invest in stocks to make their money grow. And to help investors identify the suitable and the appropriate way to invest, there are various modes of analysis. A number of approaches have been developed over time. One most important analytical approach among them is EIC analysis (E for economy, I for industry and C for company). EIC analysis is also sometimes referred to as Fundamental Analysis or the Top Down approach to Fundamental analysis. . In this approach, the investment decisions are taken on the basis of the strength of the economy, industry and company. The major objective of undergoing a project on EIC analysis or top down approach to fundamental analysis is to answer the question as What to buy. At economy level, fundamental analysis will focus on the economic indicators of the country to assess the present and future growth of the economy. Major economic indicators include the GDP growth rate, inflation, imports, exports, monetary and fiscal policies, foreign exchange reserves, IIP, etc. The basic assumption is that if the economy grows, companies would do well. At the industry level, apart from economy other factors like government attitude, entry barriers, competition level, threat of potential entrants, substitute products, cost structure, foreign entrants, also affect the way an industry evolves in time and hence affects the stock prices of companies in that particular industry. This industry analysis will also include Porters five force model (wherever applicable) which will give a better approach to it. The next task to be done in the project is to identify and analyze two companies i.e. ACC and Ultratech cement Ltd. For that a number of factors will be taken into consideration, say, the companys SWOT analysis and the financials of the company. Thus, on the foundation of some major factors, this EIC analysis will analyze the overall economy, industry and company which will give a clear picture and practical approach of stock identification. The second part of the project is Technical analysis which is a method of evaluating securities by analyzing the statistics generated by market activity, such as past prices and volume. Technical analysis looks at the price movement of a security and uses this data to predict its future price movements. Thus a technical analyst approaches a security from the charts. 2. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS EIC analysis is not just about balance-sheets or analysis of a companys financial performance. It is also crucial to look at the broader picture- the macro-economic factors that may directly or indirectly affect the economy, industry and stocks of the company. Economic Analysis is the First Step in a three step security analysis process. An economic slowdown has implications for the earnings and margins of companies. At economy level, fundamental analysis will focus on the economic indicators of the country to assess the present and future growth of the economy. It aims at analyzing the overall Economy and identifying the general direction, in which the economy is heading. Although there are many macroeconomic indicators that are relevant to markets, given below are some must-track-indicators GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate is the most important macroeconomic indicator of a nations economic health. If the GDP is growing, so will economy, businesses, jobs and personal income. If GDP is slowing down, then businesses will hold off investing in new investments and hiring new employees, waiting to see if the economy will improve. If the GDP growth rate actually turns negative, then it means the economy is in a recession. Thus, on the basis of the GDP data, we can analyze the economy and interpret the future of Indias economy up to some extent. Given below is the data of real GDP growth rate from the year 2006 till the year 2010. In the year 2008, Indias GDP growing at 7.9%, was the lowest in three years and was indicative of slowdown in Indian economy. Recorded for the months of April-June 2008, Indias economic growth rate was 7.9% which was less than what it was at the same time last year. The economy had expanded by 7.6 per cent in the July to September quarter of 2008. Indias economic growth slowed to just 5.3 per cent in the last three months of 2008, its slowest pace of expansion in the last six years, as the global financial crisis took its toll on local manufacturers and farm output fell. The International Monetary Fund has forecast Indias economy to grow at 6.75 percent in 2009-10 and 8 percent in 2011-12 on the back of an expected pick-up in private consumption and investment. Indian economy grew 8.6 percent from January to March of 2010, keeping in line with governmental projections. During the quarter, mining and quarrying, manufacturing and trade, hotel, transport and communication saw year-on-year growth of 14 percent, 16.3 percent and 12.4 percent. The country strives to attain 8.5 percent growth of GDP in fiscal year 2010-2011 with the aim of realizing 9 percent growth in the following year. INFLATION Inflation is no stranger to the Indian economy. It is an increase in the price of a basket of goods and services that is representative of the economy as a whole. Inflation is an upward movement in the average level of prices. Because inflation is a rise in the general level of prices, it is intrinsically linked to money. It denotes too much money chasing too few goods. High rates of inflation can have critical effects on economy. It is characterized by depreciation in the value of money. Economists attribute a number of factors to inflation that can be broadly categorized under supply side factors like increased production costs and demand side factors like excessive demand created by tax cuts, cheaper borrowings etc. High rates of inflation can have serious consequences for the economy in general. Therefore, for governments all over the world, reducing movements of prices to a minimum is seen as a primary economic objective. The above effects can be exemplified by taking the current scenario of the Indian economy. Annual Inflation in India in May 2008 was 7.4% which was the highest since November 2004. As a result Industrial production growth declined to 8.6 % in February 2008 as compared to 11 % in February 2007. Thus, high inflationary rate is harmful because the value of the money falls, cost of living rises, reduces the value of savings, discourages future investment and savings and slows down the overall growth of the economy. The Indias economic story can be traced by seeing the general trend of inflation rate in the year 2008. In the Year 2008, RBI had revised its key rates several times to maintain the liquidity in the banking system. The lower interest rates will allow the banks to cut their benchmark lending rates, though the deposits will also see the reduction in interest rates. Lower commodity prices and crude oil prices is driving the Inflation on a downside. This will be wonderful as the lower inflation means, lower cost of credit, which drives the economy on the upside. For 2009, Indian inflation stood at 11.49% Y-o-Y. On March 19, 2010, the Reserve Bank of India raised its benchmark reverse repurchase rate to 3.5% percent, after this rate touched record lows of 3.25%. The repurchase rate was raised to 5% from 4.75% as well, in an attempt to curb Indian inflation. The inflation rate in India was 13.73 percent in June of 2010. This is because of the prices of pulses were up by 34.40 per cent from a year ago, milk by 21.12 per cent, fruits by 13.67 per cent, cereals by 5.41 per cent, rice by 6.76 per cent and wheat by 3.97 per cent. On 19th august, cheaper vegetables pull down inflation to 10.35%. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE India has been facing huge problem of unemployment and underemployment from years. Unemployment is much higher in urban areas than in rural areas and too women face the unemployment more. Various problems like enormous increase in the population, age, vocational unfitness and physical disabilities, technological and economic factors have caused this problem. Other problems also contribute towards unemployment. Several socio-economic problems like poverty, malnutrition, antisocial and criminal activities, drug and substance abuse, etc. are the result of ill effects of unemployment. Underemployment, Disguised unemployment, regional imbalances in the unemployment scenario in India are another important factor. The decline in job creation in agriculture has been identified as one of the important reasons behind the increasing unemployment in India. But players like TCS, BSNL WIPRO have announced their plan to hire more and more people in 2010. IMPORTS Indias merchandise imports witnessed a growth of 44.9 per cent during April-September 2008, and thereafter it showed a deceleration, reflecting the slowdown in industrial activities due to global economic crisis. The overall imports during April 2008-January 2009 at US$ 241.5 billion, recorded a lower growth of 24.4 per cent than 30.9 per cent recorded a year ago. POL imports during April 2008-January 2009 at US$ 82.1 billion, however, maintained broadly a similar growth of 30.6 per cent (31.9 per cent a year ago) reflecting the high pace of crude oil prices. Imports during January 2009 at US$ 18.5 billion also declined by 18.2 per cent for the first time during the current year 2008-09 so far, as against an increase of 64.0 per cent in January 2008, mainly due to sharp decline in oil imports. The overall imports during April 2008-January 2009 at US$ 241.5 billion, showed a growth of 24.4 per cent lower than that registered during the comparable period of previous year (31.0 per cent ) on account of deceleration in both oil and non-oil imports. Indias imports during March, 2010 were valued at US $ 27733 million (Rs.126175  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  crore) representing a growth of   67.1 per cent in dollar terms (48.4   per cent in Rupee terms)   over the level of imports valued at US $ 16597 million ( Rs. 85022 crore) in March, 2009. Oil imports during March, 2010 were valued at US $ 7730 million which was 85.2   per cent higher than oil imports valued at US $   4175 million in the corresponding period last year.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Non-oil imports during March, 2010 were estimated at US $ 20003 million which was 61.0 per cent higher than non-oil imports of US $ 12422 million in March, 2009. EXPORTS Indias merchandise exports, after recording a steady growth of 35.3 per cent during April-August 2008, declined in all the subsequent months so far, during the current year, viz., (-12.1 per cent in October), (-9.9 per cent in November), (-1.1 per cent in December) and (-15.9 per cent in January 2009) on account of global financial turmoil and economic slowdown. With the result, the overall exports during April 2008-January 2009 at US$143 billion increased by 12.4 per cent as compared with 24.1 per cent during the corresponding period of the previous year. Exports of labor intensive sectors such as, textiles, gems and jewelers, agricultural and allied products, ores and minerals, leather products have registered decelerated growth as these sectors have been adversely affected under the impact of demand recession, mainly in the developed regions, viz., the US and the EU. Exports in2009- 2010 is 90573 crore as compared to 66169 crore in 2008-09, hence showing a growth of 36.9%. EXCHANGE RATE Since the international business environment has no universal medium of exchange, exchange rates is a necessity for international trade. Presently, both translation and conversion of foreign currency involve the use of exchange rates. Therefore, in order to gain a more through understanding of foreign currency translation, it is important to examine the nature of exchange rates and the critical role they play in the international economy. The recent Asian currency crisis demonstrates how critically exchange rates impact economic developments. Economic factors affecting exchange rates include hedging activities, interest rates, inflationary pressures, trade imbalances, and market activities. The political factors influencing exchange rates include the established monetary policy along with government action or inaction on items such as the money supply, inflation, taxes, and deficit financing. Psychological factors also influence exchange rates. These factors include market anticipation, speculative pressures, and future expectations. MONETARY AND FISCAL POLICY Fiscal Policy Riding on the path of fiscal consolidation, in February 2008, the world economy was hit by three unprecedented crises first, the petroleum price rise; second, rise in prices of other commodities; and third, the breakdown of the financial system. The combined effect of these crises of these orders is bound to affect emerging market economies and India was no exception. The first two crises resulted in serious inflationary pressure in the first half of 2008-09. Series of fiscal measures both on tax revenue and expenditure side were undertaken with the objective of easing supply side constraints. These measures were supplemented by monetary initiatives through policy rate changes by the Reserve Bank of India and contributed to the softening of domestic prices. Additional budgetary resources of Rs.1, 50,320 crore was provided as part of stimulus package and various committed liabilities of Government including rising subsidy requirement, implementation of Central Sixth Pay Commission recommendations and Agriculture Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme for Farmers contributed to the higher fiscal deficit of 6 per cent of GDP in RE 2008-09 as compared to 2.5 per cent of GDP in B.E.2008-09. The measures taken by Government to counter the effects of the global meltdown on the Indian economy, have resulted in a short fall in revenues and substantial increases in government expenditures, leading to a temporary deviation from the fiscal consolidation path mandated under the FRBM Act during 2008-09 and 2009-2010. The fiscal policy for the year 2009-2010 is continued to be guided by the objectives of keeping the economy on the higher growth trajectory amidst global slowdown by creating demand through increased public expenditure in identified sectors. Monetary policy India has rapidly integrated into the global system and has linkages with the rest of the world not just through trade channels, but also through two-way movements of capital and finance. As an integral part of a globalizing world, India cannot be expected to remain immune to a global crisis and in responding to the crisis, India has to share the uncertainty on the way forward just like the rest of the world. Both the Government and the Reserve Bank have acted to protect the economy from the adverse impact of the crisis since mid-September 2008. While the Government has announced three major fiscal stimulus packages, the endeavor of the Reserve Bank has been to provide ample rupee liquidity, ensure comfortable dollar liquidity and maintain a monetary policy environment conducive for the continued flow of credit to productive sectors. Towards this endeavor, the Reserve Bank has adopted both conventional measures such as, for example, reduction of the cash reserve ratio (CRR), as well as unconventional measures such as, for example, the dollar swap facility for banks. To improve the flow of credit to productive sectors at viable costs so as to sustain the growth momentum, the Reserve Bank signaled a lowering of the interest rate structure by significantly reducing both its key policy rates the repo rate and the reverse repo rate.   The statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) has also been reduced by one percentage point releasing funds to banks for credit deployment. In the space of just one quarter, the repo rate has been reduced from 9.0 per cent to 5.5 per cent and the reverse repo rate from 6.0 per cent to 4.0 per cent, thereby bringing down both of them to historically lowest levels. The Reserve Bank of India lowered its benchmark repurchase rate to 7.5 percent from 8 percent. At the same time the central bank also reduced the cash reserve ratio to 5.5 percent from 6.5 percent, and cut the amount of money lenders are required to keep in government bonds to 24 percent from 25 percent. But the measures taken by government and the Reserve Bank will continue to maintain vigil, monitor domestic and global developments, and restore the economy to its potential growth path. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT The Indian Cement Industry with a capacity of around 125 Million Ton Per Annum (MTPA) is the fourth largest in the world after China, Japan and USA. However, the per capita consumption in the country is only around 90 kgs as compared to the world average of approx. 250 kgs. The Cement Industry is highly fragmented comprising of more than 50 players operating from more than 125 plants. The Cement Industry is cyclical and capital intensive. Cement is a key infrastructure industry. It has been decontrolled from price and distribution on 1st March, 1989 and delicensed on 25th July, 1991. However, the performance of the industry and prices of cement are monitored regularly. The constraints faced by the industry are reviewed in the Infrastructure Coordination Committee meetings held in the Cabinet Secretariat under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Coordination). Its performance is also reviewed by the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure. The Cement Industry witnessed a slow start in the FY 2005 due to change in the Government at the centre; slow down in infrastructure spending during the transition and adversities of drought like conditions in the South and West. The subsequent regaining of momentum enabled the industry clock a dispatch growth of 7% for the full year. The Cement sector appears to be on a sustainable growth path, given the strong outlook for the housing sector and the renewed momentum in infrastructure spending. The Cement sector appears to be on a sustainable growth path, given the robust outlook in Government infrastructure spending. It is expected that the industry would grow at an average 8% annual growth in the long run. The industry has witnessed consolidation in the recent years which is likely to increase with the entry of global players. Cement being an energy intensive industry; power and coal are the major cost contributors. Logistics also form a significant portion of the cost. The looming coal shortage will not only affect the cost, but also the quality of coal. Cement prices are expected to firm up across regions in the medium term on account of a better demand- supply balance and greater consolidation. The induction of advanced technology has helped the industry immensely to conserve energy and fuel and to save materials substantially. India is also producing different varieties of cement like Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement (PBFS), Oil Well Cement, Rapid Hardening Portland Cement, Sulphate Resisting Portland Cement, White Cement etc. GROWTH PROSPECT The one Indian industry which is set for growth over the coming years is the Cement Industry. The industry is heavily dependent on 3 sectors; coal, power and transport. Energy and freight are the two major cost components. Over the last few years, while the proportion of energy cost has increased marginally, freight costs have declined. Increasing government expenditure on infrastructure sector and rising demand for commercial and residential real estate development has resulted in higher demand for cement in the country. According to a report by the ICRA Industry Monitor, the installed cement capacity is expected to increase to 241 million tones per annum by the end of 2010. It also expects that driven by higher domestic demand and increasing utilization, Indias cement industry may record an annual growth of 10% over the coming years. Taking cue of the global economic slowdown which was affecting cement companies in India last year, Governments initiative to re-impose counter-veiling duty and special counter-veiling duty this year will help provide a level playing field for domestic players. Moreover, it also appointed a coal regulator to facilitate timely and proper allocation of coal blocks to the important sectors like cement. As coal is one of the prime raw material used in cement production, this seems to be a positive move. Growth potential of cement industry can be judged by the fact that the per capita cement consumption (156 kg) in India is still well below the global average consumption (396 kg). This gap can be expected to be covered in the coming years. Besides, housing sector accounts for almost 50% of the total cement consumption in the country and the large young population will ensure that the demand for infrastructure stays put. The rising cost of energy, transportation raw material continues to pressure the industry as a whole. To sustain profitability, companies will have to explore alternate source of energy while at the same time enhance their operational efficiency. Industry experts opine that the cement industries should now increase their focus on investing adequately in developing human resources that will be capable enough to address the professional needs of construction industry including advanced technologies and construction practices, project management construction and litigation. We expect that the cement production and consumption both will grow substantially over the years. PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL Rivalry among Competing Firms Inter firm rivalry is very high in this sector. Reasons for this are manly large number of players in the market, intermittent overcapacity, marginal product differentiation, high storage cost and high exit barriers in the form of huge capital investment. Potential Entry of New Competitors In cement Industry technology and manpower are easily available but still entry of new firms is not that viable. This is because of huge capital investment, broad distribution network and oversupplied market. Potential Development of Substitute Products Only bitumen in road and engineering plastics in building offer some element of competition otherwise no close substitutes are popular in India. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers of raw materials and intermediate goods is very high. Because of monopolistic control of external cost elements i.e. coal, power, transportation and taxes suppliers are enjoying high bargaining power with the government. Bargaining Power of Consumers Rising share of retail purchase, declining share of bulk purchase by government has taken away the bargaining power of customers. SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths Second largest in terms of capacity- In India there is approximately 124 large and 300 mini plants with installed capacity of 200 million tonnes. Low cost of production- Because of easy availability of raw material and cheap labor. Weakness Demand supply gap, overcapacity- the capacity additions distort the demand supply equilibrium in the industry thus affecting the profitability. Increasing cost of production due to increase in coal prices. High interest rate on housing- increase in interest rate from 7% to 12% has resulted in slowdown in residential property market. Opportunities Increase in infrastructure projects- Infrastructure accounts for 35% of cement consumption in India. And with increase in government focus on infrastructure spending such as roads, highways and airports, the cement demand is likely to grow in future. Growing middle class- There has been a increase in purchasing power of emerging middle class with rise in salary and wages, which results in rising demand for better quality of life that further necessitates infrastructure development and hence increase yhe demand for cement. Technological changes- At present 93% of the total capacity in industry is based on modern and environmental friendly dry process and only 7% is based on old wet and semi dry process technology. The induction of advanced technology has helped the industry immensely to conserve energy and to save materials substantially and hence reduce the cost of production. Threats Excess overcapacity can hurt margins as well as prices. COMPANY ANALYSIS ACC LIMITED Established in 1936, has been a pioneer and trend setter in cement and concrete technology. A prominent overseas presence and figuring on the elite list of consumer super brands of India but most importantly acc has been amongst the first Indian companies to make environment protection as cornerstone of its corporate objectives. The historic merger of ten existing companies has led to the established of acc- melding into a cohesive organization in 1936. It offers the services of ready made concrete and consultancy services. This company is listed by Bombay stock exchange, National stock exchange and in London. During year 2007 company acquired 100% equity stake in Lucky Minmat Private limited for Rs 35 crores and also acquired 43% stake in Shiva Cement Limited. Meanwhile the company divested its entire equity shares in Almatis ACC limited to the Almatis group. The overseas contact with YANBU Cement Company in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is successfully ongoing relationship from last 28 years and has been renewed up to Feb 28, 2011. The companys various manufacturing units are backed by a central technology support services centre the only one of its kind in the Indian cement industry. ACC has rich experience in mining, being the largest user of limestone. As the largest cement producer in India, it is one of the biggest customers of the domestic coal industry, of Indian Railways, and a considerable user of the countrys road transport network services for inward and outward movement of materials and products. The company has developed comprehensive expansion plans to meet the requirement of its agenda for growth with a view to attain leadership position in the cement industry, for that company made a project for augmentation of clinkering and cement grinding. Also it implements projects for augmenting grinding capacity at Madukkaria by 0.225 MTPA and New Wadi at 0.60 MTPA. Ready mix concrete business has been identified as area of strategic priority. ACC commissioned a Wind Energy Farm in Tamil Nadu to promote clean and green technology. The company foresees substantial scope for growth of this business in India. The company actively promotes the use of alternative fuels and raw materials and offers total solutions for waste management including testing, suggestions for reuse, recycling and co-processing. When we look at the values that are obtained using the DCF and the stock prices we can say that the prices of the companies stock are mispriced to a large extent. The intrinsic values for four consecutive years turned out to be negative which means that the shares are highly over priced. The investments in these stocks are very risky. ULTRATECH CEMENT Ultratech Cement Limited (UltraTech) is India-based one of the largest cement manufacturing company. UltraTech Cement was incorporated as a public limited company on 24th August 2000, as LT Cement Limited a 100% Subsidiary of Larsen Toubro Limited. The name of the Company was changed to UltraTech CemCo Limited with effect from 19th November 2003. The name of the company was again changed to UltraTech Cement Limited with effect from 11th October 2004. UltraTech Cement has an annual capacity of 18.2 million tones. It manufactures and markets Ordinary Portland Cement, Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement and Portland Pozzalana Cement. It also manufactures ready mix concrete (RMC). The company has five integrated plants, six grinding units and three terminals- two in India and one in Sri Lanka. It is the countrys largest exporter of cement clinker. The export marketspan countries around the Indian Ocean, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The company has an annual cement production capacity of 18.2 million tones. It is a subsidiary of Grasim Industries Ltd. The company operates two subsidiary companies namely, Dakshin Cement Limited and UltraTech Ceylinco (P) Limited. The company is headquartering at Mumbai in India. The company reported revenues of (Rupee) INR 66,643.30 million during the fiscal year ended March 2009, an increase of 16.43% over 2008. The operating profit of the company was INR 13,678.20 million during the fiscal year 2009, a decrease of 9.73% from 2008. The net profit of the company was INR 9,780.60 million during the fiscal year 2009, a decrease of 3.17% from 2008. According to the analysis done by DCF model the value of the share are 1403.89. five year daily data has been taken for the analysis. RISK ANALYSIS A risk analysis involves identifying the most probable threats to an organization and analyzing the related vulnerabilities of the organization to these threats. In quantitative risk analysis, an attempt is made to numerically determine the probabilities of various adverse events and the likely extent of the losses if a particular event takes place. Qualitative risk analysis, which is used more often, does not involve numerical probabilities or predictions of loss. Instead, the qualitative method involves defining the various threats, determining the extent of vulnerabilities and devising countermeasures should an attack occur. NOTE: The values given in the above tables are calculated for the daily data taken for a period of 5 years for both the companies and the BSE Index (1st January 2006 31st January 2010) ANALYSIS: From the values in the average return, variance and standard deviation we can understand that the return in cement industry was negative for an investor who invested his money in those stocks for that particular period. The risk associated with Ultratech company stock is very high as it has very high standard deviation and variance when compared to the other company ACC Cement. The standard deviation and variance of Ultratech stock are greater than that of Index. Risk Analysis: To analyze the risk associated with a stock we have calculated 3 parameters. Beta, Sharpe and Treynor à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢ (Beta) Co-efficient (A Measure of Systematic Risk): The beta is a measure of systematic risk or Non-diversifiable risk. The beta of a stock measures the sensitivity or volatility of the stock with reference to a broad based market index, e.g. SENSEX in India. Sharpes Measure of Performance: Sharpe Measure measures the risk Premiums of the portfolio (average portfolio return less risk free return) relative to the total amount of risk in the portfolio (standard deviation of the portfolio). It is also called reward-to-variability ratio. The Sharpe ratio tells us whether a portfolios returns  are due to smart investment decisions or a result of excess risk. The higher the Sharpe ratio for a portfolio, the better the portfolio has performed. Treynors Measure of Performance: The Treynor measure is a relative measure of performance for investment managers and measures the return premium per unit of systematic risk (risk that cannot be diversified) as measured by the beta or relative volatility of the portfolio. While a high and positive Treynors Index shows a superior risk-adjusted performance of a fund, a low and negative Treynors Index is an indication of unfavorable performance. It is also called reward-to-volatility ratio. Analysis: Rf: The risk free return taken is a government treasury bill which has a return of 8% per annum. When we compare the movemen