Alan Mulally, Ceo Ford Motor Company Essay

This paper will discuss Alan Mulally and the role of leadership and how it affects organizational performance. Alan Mulally is currently the Chief Executive Officer for Ford Motor Company, a position that he has held since 2006 (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2011, p. 543). This paper will discuss the leadership style of Alan Mulally and explain how his actions fit a particular leadership style by listing examples. His goal setting process will also be discussed along with how the process helped Ford Motor Company increase its performance. Mulally’s communication elements will also be assessed along with the effectiveness of his leadership style to determine if it should change or stay the same. Discuss the role of leadership and how it can impact organizational performance. Organizational performance can be impacted greatly by their leaders. In order to understand how much impact leaders can have, one must first understand what leadership is. Leadership, as defined by Harvard University business professor D. Quinn Mills, is â€Å"a process by which one person influences the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors of others. Leaders set a direction for the rest of us; they help us see what lies ahead; they help us visualize what we might achieve; they encourage us and inspire us. Without leadership a group of human beings quickly degenerates into argument and conflict, because we see things in different ways and lean toward different solutions. Leadership helps to point us in the same direction and harness our efforts jointly. Leadership is the ability to get other people to do something significant that they might not otherwise do. It’s energizing people toward a goal.† (Mills, 2005, p.12) Organizational performance is a reflection of its leaders performance and ability to lead. It is important for leaders to have the company’s best interest at heart and that they are not only out to achieve personal gain.  Leaders have to have the ability to motivate their followers and encourage promising results. The case study showed that Alan Mulally had the right attitude and the ambition to lead. Mulally cared about his customers and employees and was passionate about his business and the work that he did. A leader has to make a commitment to his or her vision, to the organization, and to the members of the organization. A leader can’t be committed one day and uninterested the next. People will judge a leader by his or her commitment, and will commit themselves no more than the leader does. A leader assumes a considerable amount of responsibility—not just for the mission that he or she urges others to accept, nor just for the organization he or she heads, but for his or her followers, their lives and efforts, as well (Mills, 2005, 14). Discuss Mulally’s leadership style at Ford Motor Company and provide examples of how his actions fit this style. Mulally’s leadership style can best be defined as Transformational Leadership. This leadership style involves anticipating future trends, inspiring followers to understand and embrace a new vision of possibilities, developing others to be leaders or better leaders, and building the organization or group into a commu nity of challenged and rewarded learners (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2011, p. 328). Transformational leadership allows the leader to influence their followers and make them a part of the transformation as well. Mulally has many aspects that makes him a transformational leader. He came to Ford Motor Company with a vision for the future of the company and began implementing it day one. He solicited input from his employees by holding meetings with his employees every Thursday morning. He believed that each department contributed to the companies performance as a whole. Transformational leaders challenges and motivates others as well as cares about the success of their followers as well. Alan Mulally is a true Transformational leader for these reasons and many more. Discuss how goal setting helped Ford improve its performance. Goal setting is an important part of a company’s success. Implementation is an even more important step. Excellent goals can be made, but if action is not taken then they don’t mean anything. It’s the action that makes the true  difference and can actually make a change in performance. When Mulally came to Ford he created a new set of goals and a revised definition for the company. There were four goals total, and they were labeled as â€Å"Expected Behaviors.† These goals were listed on one side of a plastic card while â€Å"One Ford,† the revised definition of the company was listed on the other. The four expected behaviors are Foster Functional and Technical Excellence, Own Working Together, Role Model Ford Values, and Deliver Results. The new definition of the company, titled â€Å"One Ford† was listed as One Team, One Plan, and One Goal (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2011, p. 545). â€Å"Ford’s financial independence is largely due to a new operational discipline that Mulally has installed, as well as some timely strategic moves he initiated. So while GM suffered the ignominy of seeing the Treasury Department’s auto task force depose chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner, and Chrysler has declared bankruptcy, Ford stands alone as an independent company and, potentially, a Detroit survivor† (Taylor, 2009). This shows that Mulally brought a different mindset to Ford Motor Company and has helped it avoid drastic financial troubles as its other American born competitors GM and Chrysler. Assess Mulally on each element in communication openness including message transmission, trust, agendas and goals. Alan Mulally came to Ford Motor Company with change on his mind. In order for change to be effective, communication is the key. Alan Mulally is a leader that leads by example which is also important in the realm of communication. In many cases your actions make a bigger difference than your words. As far as the elements of communication openness goes, Mulally was very effective with getting his point across. Mulally communicated his goals by listing them on a plastic card and labeling them as â€Å"Expected Behaviors.† He communicated his agenda by holding Thursday morning meetings with his direct reports and 12 functional areas of the company. Mulally builds trust from  his reputation from Boeing and his openness of company happenings. Mulally is open with his employees about what goes on in the company and feels like everyone should be in the know. Evaluate the effectiveness of Mulally’s leadership style and recommend whether he should continue with this style, or use a different style. I believe that Mulally has a remarkably effective leadership style and that he should not change a thing. Mulally holds meetings every Thursday morning at 8:00am with his direct reports, discussing their four profit areas. After that he has presentations from 12 functional areas of the company. Mulally believes that everyone has to be involved and has to know what is going on (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2011, p. 545). Mulally doesn’t grind his employees with questions to humiliate them. Instead he looks forward and tries to create a plan. He also doesn’t allow Blackberry devices or side conversations in the meeting room (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2011, p. 545). This alone shows that Mulally has Ford’s best interest at heart and he wants all of his executives to take their jobs seriously. References Eblin, S. (2009). Five Things Alan Mulally is Doing to Help Ford Win. Retrieved From:http://blogs.govexec.com/executivecoach/2009/09/five_things_ alan_mulally_is_do.php Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J. W., Jr. (2011). Organizational behavior: 2011 custom edition (13th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Mills, D. Q. (2005). Leadership How to Lead, How to Live. Retrieved from: http://www.mindedgepress.com/PDFs/htlhtl.pdf Taylor III, A. (2009) Fixing up Ford. Retrieved from: http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/11 /news/companies/mulally_ford.fortune/index.htm

Newspapers and Books outdated? Essay

Newspaper and books have long been a medium for information transfer and dissemination. The printing press and the printing industry have been around for centuries, and have become the major tool for communication and information. They have been the most popular medium for shaping public opinion. Their credibility, knowledge, values and information-gathering skills remain a formidable force on the high street, and with titles now separated into sections with more lifestyle content, their potential for brands has increased further – online and offline. The success of newspapers largely boils down to a single truth: they are effective in shaping opinion. They possess a large amount of power when it comes to public perception. For many, newspapers are the most reliable form of news and information, backing up this information with credible opinion and insight. It is this level of trust that leads to readers spending a huge amount of time reading their newspaper with two thirds of readers at least three quarters of the content, impacting millions of people. Technology has many great functional purposes, which aid in our daily lives. As more and more people start embracing these functions, books are slowly being replaced. A total of 2,267,233,742 people use the Internet alone that constitutes 32.7% of the world’s population. New technology is thought to be very empowering. We live in an information society where the leading role has been given to new technologies, especially those devoted to information. This is a very threatening prospect for books and newspapers. As we try to understand information, to separate it from judgement, to establish fact, we find ourselves in a free fall: we bring to information, to judgement, to ‘fact’, our opinions and views which are in part created by the very manifestations of information, news and opinion that we consume. The Internet and other forms of the new media shape this very information. Also, more and more people are using technology. Whether they want it or not, technology is not only becoming a mandatory part of their jobs, but their children are bringing it into their homes. The increased sophistication of operating systems (e.g.Windows) and of the applications written for them lower the barriers to learning how to use technology. The catchword of these new tools is intuitive (as in, â€Å"this new application has a number of intuitive, easy-to-use features . . .†). The plain fact is that people are  using more technology because it enables them to do more with less. Compare the process of performing manual research using books with the process of using a computer. Computer-assisted research usually takes a fraction of the time and, consequently, money. Thus with the aforementioned points, one could argue that books and newspapers are a thing of the past as we move into the twenty first century. However, one could argue that books and newspapers are in fact creating something new, blurring the lines of old and new media. Perhaps one cannot judge a book by its cover, but there is a wealth of information to be gleaned from its interior. As we embrace the Internet and other new technologies, newspapers and books are beginning to blur the line between old and new media. The new media is not here to replace the old media; in fact, there are possibilities of linking the new media to form a † whole new art form â€Å". Books and newspapers possess the enduring role in shaping habits of thoughts, conduct, and expression. At the same time, it draws attention to the ways in which the social, economic, and material coordinates of books have been changing in relation to other media, denser forms of industrial organization, shifting patterns of work and leisure. These two forms of media seek a broad audience for a typically narrow (and often biased) message that’s typically embedded in entertainment or useful information/opinion. Mass media communication is expensive, so it’s funded through participant admissions/subscriptions and contributions, or through sponsorships and advertising (or a combination of these funding sources). It thus must provide something sufficiently valuable to its potential audience to gain that necessary financial support. Emotional arousal created by these media drives attention, which drives learning and conscious behavior – so it’s important for media programmers to understand and present content that will emotionally arouse potential participants. The media thus exploit areas of strong emotional arousal to help shape our knowledge and opinions. The content covered in these two forms of media potentially shape our thought and opinions. Newspapers and books may exist physically as old media but the content within lets newspapers and books coexist as new media. Therefore, with the aforementioned points, books and newspapers are not deemed as outdated. Books are artifacts with a deep and abiding history that belong in and to our own age-no more and no less so than flat-screen televisions, MP3 players, computers, and other so-called cutting-edge technologies, they keep us in tune with the rest of the world. Janice A. Radway, an American literary and cultural studies scholar, quoted that; printed books and newspapers â€Å"do not appear miraculously† in people’s hands. â€Å"They are, rather, the end product of a much-mediated, highly complex, material and social process.† (Radway 93) Integral to this process, is distribution. Developments in this perhaps more arcane aspect of the circuit of culture have paralleled transformations in the more closely scrutinized domains of book production and consumption. The everydayness of books belies a long, complicated, and still unfinished history, one intimately bound up with all of the following: a changed and changing mode of production; new technological products and processes; shifts in law and jurisprudence; the proliferation of culture and the rise of cultural politics; and a host of sociological transformations, among many other factors. The history of books go further beyond than just writing down a story, it consists of much more and people should learn to cherish that fact. Thus with the aforementioned points, books and newspapers are not outdated. The normative role of newspapers-setting a community agenda-remains essential, but the ways in which the newspapers fulfill this function are in constant transition. All media are about relationships. We are connected with community by means of our contact with media, including other people, who also are a form of media after all. Communication scholar Keith Stamm argues that â€Å"children are a [medium of connection] between families and the school system.† (Stamm 100). Similarly, news media connect us to the communities to which we belong, or want to belong. Likewise, the World Wide Web is not just a medium about information but about relationships-a way for individuals to connect with other individuals. Audiences have historically connected with their community by means of newspaper agendas. Audiences, who collectively or individually adopt the newspaper agenda of issues as their own, meld with their local community. Sharing media agendas means that different types of people-men versus women, old versus young, rich versus  poor-become more focused on the same public issues, suggesting that one function of news media is to draw disparate individuals around selected public issues. That role has been important for the newspapers since our colonial beginning and is likely to remain so in the twenty-first century. In modern times, newspapers have proven important platforms to examine the performance of contemporary institutions, such as the _Washington Post_ investigations of the incidents surrounding the Watergate break-in during the administration of President Richard Nixon in the early 1970s. Newspapers reflect the community dynamic, and the future of newspapers is linked to the future of communities. Therefore, with the aforementioned points, books and newspapers are necessary in society and are not outdated. In conclusion, books and newspapers have many deep hidden qualities that people cannot see from the surface, they provide us with essential information, they have a deep abiding history, they blur the lines between old and new media. Although it may seem as though technology is replacing newspaper and books, it is not necessarily true as newspapers and books are needed in society and they cannot be outdated. BIBLIOGRAPHY Keller, Bill. â€Å"Disrupters and Adapters, Continued: Will the Internet Save Newspapers?† _Bill Keller’s Blog_. N.p., 3 Oct. 2011. Web. 13 July 2012. . Porter, Eduardo. â€Å"EDITORIAL | EDITORIAL OBSERVER; What Newspapers Do, Have Done and Will Do.† _The New York Times_. The New York Times, 14 Feb. 2009. Web. 10 July 2012. . Striphas, Theodore G. The Late Age of Print: Everyday Book Culture from Consumerism to Control. New York: Columbia UP, 2009. Print. â€Å"World Internet Usage Statistics News and World PopulationStats.† World Internet Usage Statistics News and World PopulationStats. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2012. . Griffith, Cary. â€Å"Multimedia and the Importance of Books: Does Greater Use of Nonprint Research Sources Herald the Book’s Demise?† _Information Today_ 1 Jan. 1997: n. pag. Print. Sylwester, Robert. â€Å"BrainConnection.com – How Mass Media Affect Our Perception of Reality — Part 1 – Page 1.† _BrainConnection.com – How Mass Media Affect Our Perception of Reality — Part 1 – Page 1_. N.p., Dec. 2001. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. .

Personal Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Personal Ethics - Essay Example It is beneficial if a nurse who is not a native speaker communicate in English as their second language. This makes it very easy for the nurse to communicate with the patients since most of them speak English. One’s culture impacts on their belief that a warm environment is crucial to maintaining optimal health. In the Filipino culture, formal greetings are usually welcomed with handshakes. Furthermore, a nurse may ask the patients how they feel and nod their heads as a sign of agreement. However, a Filipino nurse may not understand since in their culture head nodding does not always mean agreement. They are also very close to the patients since they believe that kinship goes beyond biological connections. A nurse needs to use an indirect approach when discussing terminal illness for the first time. This has enables effective passage of information without creating the feeling of anxiety. As cited by Ludwick and Silva (2012), nurses need to encourage the patients with chronic illness to have strong faith and they will survive. It is believed that if a person has a strong faith he or she will actually survive. Nurses need to have personal values, such as, managing time. This ensures that they provide care in a timely manner. Studies have demonstrated that nurses are self-less and determined people and always ensure that they take care of the patients as well as clients who deserve suitable and safe care. In some instances, they also apply religious values both in times of happiness and despair. According to Yeo & Moorhouse (2010), ethics in nursing practice entails seeking the best way to take care of the patients together with the best nursing action. Â  It has been found out that ethical values form the basis for collection of codes of ethics. Nurses often act based on the morals and values they have chosen (Mahmoodi, Alhani, Ahmadi, & Kazemnejad, 2008). As cited by Carr and Steutel (2009), morals define a personal character.

Annotation of articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Annotation of articles - Essay Example In fact, The Boston Globe is among the top ten newspaper websites in America. This undoubtedly shows that it is a trusted source of information. The fact that it has been done by an experienced movie critic, Burr, who is definitely aware of what to put in and what not to makes it even more reassuring. It is definitely an official review. Reflections of War by Stanley Kauffmann. Kauffmann, Stanley. â€Å"Reflections of War.† New Republic. 236.10/11 (3/5/2007). Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 September 2012. In his review, Kauffman starts by giving a description of the place covered in the movie, Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams. In fact, it is clear that he understands the plot. He is also very well informed since he even offers an account that the writer-director of the film lives right across the place. He also offers a succinct description of the characters depicted and the events that take place. Kauffman also offers an account of the movie Close to Home, which is a legal dr ama showcasing the existence of crime in the streets. Here, Kauffman also offers a clear account of who is involved and what happens. Being a movie critic, this does not go without an opinion from his perspective. Kauffman himself is an experienced film and theatre critic as well as a talented author and editor. The New Republic on the other hand is a genuine source. In fact, the magazine has been around since 1914. The magazine itself is very informative in the disciplines of arts and politics. Post War: Sarajevo conflict was hell, but what comes after is another battle by Ella Taylor. Taylor, Ella. â€Å"Sarajevo conflict was hell, but what comes after is another battle.† Villagevoice.com. Feb 6, 2007. Web. 6 September 2012. Taylors review begins with a reflection of what is happening today in war torn countries as well as what has been there in the past. She also gives an account of the effects of past wars in various countries. Despite being less graphic, Taylor describes the movie Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams as being one that brings back sad memories of the war which is another emotional battle. The review particularly highlights the plight of women, and especially single mothers who have to carry heavy burdens of being sole providers, in a male dominated society. Ella Taylor is an experienced movie critic and holds vast experience writing for various media companies in America. Villagevoice media on the other hand is an informative and genuine features and news website. The source of information is therefore legitimate. This information is very helpful in understanding the aftereffects of wars and genocides. The conflict in Sarajevo clearly shows what goes on in the lives of war victims physically, emotionally and psychologically. It is clear that although the war has ended, every victim still continues to struggle with memories and emotions arising from past events. Looking to the Future, Living with the past by Stephen Holden Holden, Stephen . â€Å"Looking to the Future, Living with the past.† nytimes.com. February 16, 2007. Web. 6 September 2012. Life after war is always haunted by memories and bitterness from the past. In his review, Holden clearly highlights this. Even when the war remains in the past, victims inevitably carry it with them. Memories of what happened cannot be rubbed from their minds and every time they come back with a

Dax's Case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dax's Case - Research Paper Example In the meantime, all efforts to keep him alive must be done, even if these methods were against Dax’s will and even if these methods caused him considerable pain and suffering (Burns, 2005). In understanding Ada’s position, the normative ethics is the most appropriate theory which can be used. Normative ethics â€Å"is devoted to identifying the conditions under which actions are morally right, or motives and intentions are morally good† (Shafer-Landau and Cuneo, 2007, p. 1). It is concerned with a person’s actions being morally right and good. In the case of Ada, she believed that it was morally right and proper to keep Dax alive for him to fulfill his duties to God. Normative ethics is focused on identifying the conditions where actions are deemed right, and motives are deemed wrong (Shafer-Landau and Cuneo, 2007). In this case, Ada’s actions are deemed right because they are focused on God’s will and on saving a person’s life; and Dax’s insistence on giving up his life is deemed wrong because they violate God’s will and are focused on robbing a person of his life. Ada’s actions are therefore – base d on her point of view – morally right and protected by God. Cowart’s friend and attorney, Rex Houston became his decision-maker when he became physically incapacitated. Houston wanted to keep Dax alive because of the lawsuit filed he filed against the oil company; and there was no financial benefits for Dax if he died (Burns, 2005). Houston was able to gain financial benefits from the oil company and these proceeds were used to pay for Dax’s medical and legal responsibilities. The teleological theory can be used in order to justify Houston’s actions. Teleological is derived from the Greek word â€Å"telos† which means â€Å"ends† (Wittjen, 2003). This theory considers, more than anything else, the end goals of certain actions, or in some instances, the consequences of one’s actions. For Houston,

Impact of Rewards on Employee Motivation and Organisational Dissertation

Impact of Rewards on Employee Motivation and Organisational Performance - Dissertation Example This research will begin with the statement that majority of the studies on the links between reward, motivation and performance are conducted in Western organizational context, so additional studies in Middle Eastern settings are needed to determine differences and similarities across cultures.   There is also a gap in literature regarding the connection between Saudisation policies and private-firm human resource practices. This dissertation aims to identify the drivers of motivation for Saudi nationals in Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF), to assess the impacts of various financial and non-financial rewards on sustaining high motivational levels within varied categories of employees such as workers,   to understand the contribution of employees’ motivational levels on individual and organizational performance, and to examine if incentive preferences differ by duration of employment, age, educational attainment, gender, job type, and social class. The research used survey resear ch design and weighted average charts to analyze results. Findings showed that financial incentives significantly drive performance and motivation more than non-financial incentives, but non-financial incentives are still important to motivation. Saudi culture, duration of employment, job type and social class greatly affected motivation differences than other factors too, while future studies should consider how sector and organizational culture interact with national culture to shape motivation and performance.... Saudi culture, duration of employment, job type and social class greatly affected motivation differences than other factors too, while future studies should consider how sector and organisational culture interact with national culture to shape motivation and performance. Implications for Saudisation of workforce and recommendations to BSF and the government are provided. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all, I want to thank God for His blessings in my life. I dedicate this paper to our Creator who makes all things possible. Next, I thank my mother for her enduring support and my late father for being my running inspiration and for his guidance. I want to show appreciation to my supervisor for his help, support, and patientguidance. He has provided invaluable knowledge and assistance that enabled me to complete this dissertation. Finally, I would also like to express gratitude to the management and employees of Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF). They have opened both their doors and minds by particip ating in this research and they deserve heartfelt thanks. Table of Contents Impact of Financial and Non-financial Rewards on Employee Motivation and Organisational Performance of Saudi Nationals in i Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF) i DECLARATION 1 CERTIFICATION STATEMENT 2 ABSTRACT 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3 Table of Contents 4 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND TABLES 8 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 9 1.1 Saudisation and HR in the Middle East 9 1.2 Motivation and Performance 11 1.3 Incentives, Motivation, and Performance 11 1.3.1 Financial incentives and performance 12 1.3.2 Non-financial incentives and performance 13 1.4 Problem Statement 13 1.4.1 Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF) 13 1.5 Research questions, aims, and objectives 14 1.6 Summary 15 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE

Logistics and supply chain mgnt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Logistics and supply chain mgnt - Essay Example extraction of raw material to the sale of the finished product to the ultimate customer, whilst taking into account organizational, technological and human factors in a integrated supply chain. The customer most times keeps limited inventory of the products he/she uses, as many of these products are perishable and prefers to purchase them frequently as and when required. As most of their demands are due to requirement at their end, purchase decisions may be influenced by the availability of product in the racks and this were the supply chain management comes into the picture. So, the vitality of the supply chain management for the running of the organization cannot be whisked away. The potential of integrated supply chain is considerable. For example, a global study conducted by the supply chain council demonstrated the potential for cost reduction between 3 and 6 percent of turnover (supply chain council). From the earlier centuries itself, production of goods useful for the humans is an ongoing process and organizations are organized to continue the ongoing process into complete and successful process. And, for the process to be a complete and successful one, the important link in the chain of the organization, which ‘joined’ all the process, is Supply Chain Management. And there are reasons why its utility is of recent origin and why is it important to the 21st Century philosophy of Logistics. SCM (Supply Chain Management) is considered a recent concept because in 1982 only, Keith Oliver of the strategy-consulting firm, Booz Allen Hamilton, first coined it. Keith Oliver through the course of an argument with the manager named Mr. Van t’Hoff coined the word â€Å"supply chain management†. And while coauthoring an article for financial times, he introduced the term to the world. The term ‘supply chain management† (SCM) could have easily disappeared into the history of business jargon. Instead, SCM rapidly passed into the public domain — a sure

Portfolio Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Portfolio - Coursework Example I went to two wards. The first ward was the Medicin Ward, meant for elderly patients, and the second one was the surgery ward. I got to see a few patients and my particular interest was to know the kind of attention they were given by the clinical pharmacist. For instance, there was a 72-year old patient who was suffering from diabetes mellitus type one, hypercholesteremia and hypertension. In my presence, he narrated to the pharmacist what he felt. He only talked of shortness of breath. The lesson I learnt in most of the cases is that as a clinical pharmacist, one needs to know what a patient feels by asking them. He/she shouldn’t stop at that, but go ahead to carry out examinations to discover other things that the patient may be unknowingly suffering from. On the basis of both what the patient says and the results of the medical examination, a pharmacist establishes if there is any need to change medication or not to. My visit to the hospital pharmacy taught me yet another lesson; that there are certain kinds of patients, like alcoholics, that require counseling more than other forms of medical attention such as drug prescription. This is a way of helping them to get around the drinking habit. In the case of an alcoholic, it may also be necessary for a pharmacist to change drugs because the patient’s problem may have got more complicated than what it was before. Any such change of medicinal prescription must be based on laboratory examination results in all cases. This means that a clinical pharmacist must work very closely with a laboratory technician, because he depends on his results to be able to prescribe drugs for the patients. Constantly checking with results helps to track the patient’s medical history, and on the basis of whether they are doing any better or not, medicine can be changed or retained. It ensures that patients receive the best medical attention and eliminating chances of prescription

Photoelastic Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Photoelastic Methods - Assignment Example There has been recent methods namely Converging Light Method, Scattered Light Method and freezing Method, which are used in direct application of three dimensional models. In the engineering field, this method of photoelasttic analysis of stress is important as it is used to calculate stresses under different circumstances. A series polariscope involves an optical instrument that is used in performing the measurements of quantitative strain through photostress reflection photoelasticity method. The device is lightweight and compact and easy to operate. It is always designed for the tripod mounting or hand hold. It is always equipped to accommodate different special purpose accessories that adapt it to perform different tasks of measuring the strain with the photoelastic coatings. This experiment was conducted with a view to apply the photoelastic methods of measuring stress to get the values of the normal stress values of a beam and making a comparison of the measured stress values computed from the theory of elementary material strength. The study sought to compare theoretical values with measured values of the beam deflection. This study also sought to demonstrate the use and application of Maxwell’s law of reciprocal deflections In this experiment, the focus was on beam analysis. It involved applying the photoelastic techniques, and testing the cantilever beam. The aim was to use the Cantilever beam to help understand the fringe by relating to the magnitude of strain. As often the case, the cantilever beam is always coated at one end using a photostress plastic and clamped to the table’s or bench’s edge. Besides, the sought to measure the deflection using the dial gage and the stress found by photoelasticity. The beam dimensions were taken and mounted to the needed fixed support with the help of a C clamp. A single dialing indicator was put at the beam’s center and the other next to the free end

10 C's for Writing Effectively Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

10 C's for Writing Effectively - Research Paper Example It is therefore highly due of the organization to pay him back in a modest way and send him off with the most deserving manner that he deserves. It is therefore decided that a formal farewell will be organized which will be held in the evening hours of the working. All the members are cordially invited to and requested to join the farewell party and make their presence felt and pay back the honorable officer Mr. Joe Banyon as a tribute to his contributions. The departments are requested to organize and arrange for activities in the form of small skits, performances, tribute or any other effort that may make the respected Mr. Joe Banyon well received and warmly treated before his retirement. The farewell party is still six days away, and the following email ids and phone numbers are attached through which the members can get in touch and coordinate or consult for any kind of suggestions, information or ideas that they may feel appropriate for the event for which gathering and entire event is being organized. These Cs include, communication, Correctness and Coherence. All of these variables were either partially touched upon or were missing in the initially written mail and letter. Adding these have made it possible to address the entire unit. The addition of email address, and adding formal touch to the letter has also added one more C of formal letter writing. This C is added in the form of Connection between the different elements of the letter. The connection point allows for a clearly written paper establishing a link between the different terminals and points of

Personal Definition of Honesty Essay Example for Free

Personal Definition of Honesty Essay Whats the definition of honesty? The one in Websters Dictionary says that it is: The quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness; truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness; freedom from deceit or fraud (Honesty). However, each person may define honesty differently. Everybody has his/hers own definition that varies upon his/her beliefs. Some think of it as a main rule of their life, but still tell a little white lie once in a while. Others can not even identify themselves with honesty. The truth is that being honest is extremely hard and not lying at all is impossible. Everybody lies, even politically significant people responsible for the nations well being, who are viewed by the society as icons of trust. People lie on a daily basis, in fact sometimes not realizing that they do it so often; it is second nature. Some of the lies may be innocent. For instance, some may lie not to hurt somebodys feelings. A lack of honesty would not be such a big problem, though, if that were the point where it ends. Some people consider that telling a little white lie doesnt hurt anything, but still get annoyed and irritated when somebody lies to them. If they expect others to be honest with them why cant they pay back in the same way? Usually humans lie for personal gain and self-interest. For instance, some may lie because they are ashamed of the things they have done and do not want or are afraid to face the consequences. A good example here is Bill Clinton, who in 2004 lied about his affair with Monica Lewinsky to both the nation and the grand jury. People hide, ignore and omit the facts. They care less what effect it may have on others. In this case they arent just dishonest and selfish but also show a lack of integrity. On the other hand, people may lie because they want to be a part of group. As Stephen L. Carter writes in his article The Insufficiency of Honesty, integrity may be often a fake honesty (106). For example, humans lie to impress somebody or put up facades to look better in others` eyes. They agree with other peoples statements, even if those vary from their own beliefs, simply because they want to be accepted. Furthermore, throughout history people could experience dishonesty from many, if not all U.S. presidents. For instance, Richard Nixon lied because he was trying to save his presidency, which was imperiled by his misdeeds. Franklin Delano Roosevelt misled the country over things like Lend-Lease in order to advance a policy he thought would save the world, but which he knew would be difficult to sell politically ( Cannon 57). During World War II in 1944, President Roosevelt lied to the public about his health condition, simply to hide his weakness from opponents. All of that proves that even people, to whom public trust is given, in the hope of better future of the country, arent any different from regular people. As Carl M. Cannon writes in his article Untruth and Consequences Presidents lie because they are human (58). Moreover, in a contemporary political world, it is difficult to distinguish the truth from a lie. For example, taking under consideration the war in Iraq, people are constantly confused with the news delivered to them. The Republicans say that everything is under control and without a doubt U.S. is winning the war with terrorism. On the other hand, Democrats talk about the unquestionable failure of the American army and government, as well as undisputable chaos it has caused in the Middle East. Those two versions prove that one of the sides is definitely lying. In this case the lack of honesty is very high and lives of U.S. soldiers as well as prosperity of the country might be at stake. Politicians should put aside their personal-interests and do what is right, because the consequences of their dishonesty may be too high to bear. Even though the definition of honesty here differs from the one in dictionary, many people will agree with it. Everybody knows from the experience how hard it is to go at least a day without telling a lie; it is impossible. All the people are built from the same mud; they all lie. It doesnt matter who a person is or what he/she does. Some may be more sensitive about it and would rather have a clean conscience, when others will keep lying without thinking twice. But everybody has to remember that the bigger the lie coming out of their mouth, the larger the consequences they will have to face in the future. Because as my mom used to say, a lie has short legs; one cant go far or gain much by lying, and if so it will be only temporary. Works Cited Cannon, Carl M. Untruth and Consequences. The Atlantic. Jan/Feb. 2007: 56-67. Carter, Stephen L. The Insufficiency of Honesty. 50 essays: A Portable Anthology. 2nd ed. Ed. Samuel Cohen. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2007. 104-111. Honesty. Websters online Dictionary. 2007. Websters Dictionary. 29 Jan 2007. http:www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/honesty.

Effectiveness of Support Services for Reducing Poverty

Effectiveness of Support Services for Reducing Poverty A 6000 word literature review project which critically analyses and evaluates the effectiveness of family support services aimed at reducing stress and poverty for the parents of children in need. Introduction The whole issue of parents and children in need is a vast, complex and ethically challenging one. This review is specifically charged with an examination of those issues which impinge upon the stresses and strains that are experienced by parents of children in need. A superficial examination of these issues that are involved in this particular area would suggest that there are a number of â€Å"sub-texts† which can all give rise to this particular situation. Firstly, to have a child in need is clearly a stressful situation for any parent. (Meltzer H et al. 1999) This can clearly be purely a financial concern and a reflection of the fact that the whole family is in financial hardship, perhaps due to the economic situation or perhaps due to the actions of the parents themselves. Equally the need of the child can be a result of a non-financial need, so we should also consider the child who is in some way handicapped, ill, emotionally disturbed or perhaps in need in some other way. This produces another type of stress on the parent, and these stresses are typically longer lasting and, in general, less easily rectified than a purely financial consideration of need. (Hall D 1996). It is part of the basic ethos of the welfare state that it should look after its less able and disadvantaged members. (Welsh Office 1997). Parents of children in need will often qualify in this definition. We shall therefore examine the various aspects of this problem. Literature Review We will make a start by considering one type of child in need. The first paper that we will consider is that of Prof. Vostanis (Vostanis 2002), which looks at the mental health problems that are faced by deprived children and their families together with the effectiveness of the resources that are available to them. It is a well written and well researched paper, if rather complex and confusing in places. We will consider this paper in some detail as it provides an excellent overview of the whole area. The paper starts with a rather useful definition for our purposes. It qualifies the deprived child, initially in terms of a homeless family, that being : A family of any number of adults with dependent children who are statutorily accepted by local authorities (housing departments) in the UK, and are usually accommodated for a brief period in voluntary agency, local authority or housing association hostels. This period of temporary accommodation can vary enormously depending on the time of year and the area considered, and can range from a few days to perhaps several months. The target in Greater London is currently to rehouse homeless families within 4-6 weeks. In London particularly, the homeless families can be placed in Bed Breakfast accommodation. (D of H 1998) In this respect, the immediate family support mechanisms do appear to be in place. Vostranis however, goes on to make the observation that despite the fact that the definition of the homeless family is rather broad, it does not cover all of the potential children in need, as those children and their carers who have lost their homes but have managed to live with relatives, on the streets or perhaps live as travellers, are not covered by the statutory obligation to provide housing. The official figures therefore, he observes, are generally an underestimate of the true situation. The official figures for the homeless families are put (in this paper) at 140,000. (Vostanis Cumella, 1999) The authors give us further information in that many families will become homeless again within one year of rehousing and the typical family seen is the single mother and at least two children who are generally under the age of 11 yrs. They also observe that the typical father and adolescent child tend to be placed in homeless centres. (D of H 1995) In exploration of the particular topic that we are considering, the authors give us the situations that typically have given rise to the degree of parental stress that may have led to the homelessness. They point to the fact that a homeless family is usually homeless for different reasons to the single homeless adult. Vostanis (et al 1997) is quoted as showing that 50% of the cases studied were homeless as a direct result of domestic violence and 25% as a result of harassment from neighbours. The authors observe that the numbers in this category (and therefore the problems), are rising. (Welsh Office 1999). There are a number of section to this paper which are not directly referable to our considerations. We shall therefore direct our attention purely to those parts that have a direct bearing on the subject. One particularly useful and analytical part of the paper is the section that details the characteristics and needs of the target group. This is a very detailed section, but it makes the point that the children in need in this group are particularly heterogeneous, generally all with multiple and inter-related needs. Homelessness is seldom a one off event. This particular observation, (say the authors), is crucially important for the development and provision of services. Most families have histories of previous chronic adversities that constitute risk factors for both children and parents (Bassuk et al, 1997). Such events include family conflict, violence and breakdown; limited or absent networks for family and social support; recurring moves; poverty; and unemployment. Mothers are more likely to have suffered abuse in their own childhood and adult life and children have increased rates of placement on the at-risk child protection register, because of neglect, physical and/or sexual abuse. If we specifically consider the health needs of this population, the authors categorise them thus: The children are more likely to have a history of low birthweight, anaemia, dental decay and delayed immunisations, to be of lower stature and have a greater degree of nutritional stress. They are also more likely to suffer accidents, injuries and burns. (BPA 1999) Some studies have found that child health problems increase with the duration of homelessness, although this finding is not consistent. A substantial proportion of homeless children have delayed development compared with the general population of children of a similar chronological age. This includes both specific developmental delays, such as in receptive and expressive language and visual, motor and reading skills, as well as general skills and educational status (Webb et al. 2001). It is for this reason specifically, that it has proved extremely difficult to assess the effectiveness of the family support services because of the multivariate nature of the problems that are presented. The authors point to the fact that one of the prime determinants of the degree of support available, is the actual access that the families have to these services. Many sources (viz. Wilkinson R 1996), equate the poor health of the disadvantaged primarily with the lack of access to services. One immediate difficulty is the current registration system in the UK. In order to be seen in the primary healthcare team setting, one must be registered with a named doctor. In the majority of cases that we are dealing with here, they have moved area and registration is probably not high on their list of priorities. One can argue that there is the access to the A E departments of the local hospitals but there is virtually no continuity here and they are no geared up to provide anything other than immediate treatment. (Hall D 1996). This fact restricts their access to primary healthcare team procedures such as immunisations and other preventative medicine health clinics. (Lissauer et al, 1993) . By the same token these groups also have restricted access to the social services, whether they be the access teams, the family teams or the family support units and other agencies. The authors also point to other more disruptive trends in this group such as an inability to attend a particular school for fear of being traced by an abusive partner. It follows that these children do not have a stable social support of a school. They are denied such factors as peer groups, routines and challenges which are both important protective and developmental factors. (Shankleman J et al 2000). The summation of all of these factors, and others, is that the effectiveness of the family support services is greatly reduced by the mobility and the transient nature of the family unit. Quite apart from the difficulties outlined above relating to the problems of access to avenues of help open to the child in need and their families there are the problems engendered by the fact that social service departments in different areas of the country may not have immediate access to the previous records giving rise to many potential, and real, problems with continuity of care. This problem is brought into more immediate focus when one considers the increased frequency of child protection registrations in this particular group. (Hall D et al 1998). One specific analysis of the family support services of this particular group comes in the form of the psychiatric services. In the context of the title of this piece, it demonstrates how these particular services, (but not these alone), are failing to deal with the totality of the problem. All of the aspects that we have outlined so far are conspiring to dilute the effectiveness of the services provided. The fact that they are a mobile population with no fixed address means that some of the services may choose to invoke this as a reason for not making provision for them, particularly if resources are stretched. If more resources are given, then they are typically preferentially targeted at the single adult homeless population where the need is arguably greater. The authors of this paper point to the fact that this may not actually be true as some studies have shown that homeless single mothers and their children have a 49% psychopathy rate and only an 11% contact with the support services. (Cumella et al, 1998). The impact of this fact on the children can only be imagined. To an extent however, it can be quantified as the authors cite other studies which show a 30% need rating for children, (they do not actually define exactly what their perceived level of need was), contrasted with a 3% contact rate for children and adolescents in this area. (viz. Power S et al. 1995). Putting these considerations together, the authors outline a set of proposals which are designed to help improve the access to some of the essential services. The model that they propose could, if successful and with a degree of modification, prove suitable for adaptation to other areas of the family support services. It is not appropriate to discuss this model in detail, but suffice it to say that it has a tiered structure so that the degree of distress and need is titrated against the degree of input generated. One of the reasons that we have selected this particular paper to present in this context is for its last section. It proposes a â€Å"family support services model† which has been developed and pioneered in the Leicester area. In the context of our review, it is worth considering in some detail. A service provided through a family support team (four family support assistants).This is designed to detect a range of problems at the time of crisis; manage a degree of mental health problems (behavioural and emotional); provide parenting-training; support and train housing (hostel) staff; co-ordinate the work of different agencies; and provide some continuity after rehousing by ensuring intake by appropriate local services. The family workers are based at the main hostel for homeless children and families. Other, predominantly voluntary, services have established alternative posts, such as advocates and key workers. Whatever the title of the post, it is essential that the post-holder has some experience and ongoing training in mental health and child protection, so that he or she can hold a substantial case-load, rather than merely mediate between already limited services. The family support workers have direct access to the local child and adult mental health services, whose staff provide weekly outreach clinics. Their role is to work with the family support workers and other agencies, assess selected children and families, and provide treatment for more severe problems or disorders such as depression, self-harm and PTSD. A weekly inter-agency liaison meeting at the main hostel is attended by a health visitor, representatives of the local domestic violence service and Sure Start, There are also close, regular links with education welfare and social services. The aim is to effectively utilise specialist skills by discussing family situations from all perspectives at the liaison meeting. A bimonthly steering group, led by the housing department, involves senior managers representing these agencies, as well as the education and social services departments and the voluntary sector, and they oversee and co-ordinate the service. This appears to be something of an exemplar in relation to services provided elsewhere. The paper does not provide any element of costings in this area neither does it provide any figures in relation to its success rates, contact rates or overall effectiveness. In conclusion this paper is an extremely well written and authoritative overview of the situation relating to the stresses of the homeless parent with children and the effectiveness (or lack of it) in its ability to reduce the stresses experienced by the homeless children in need and their parents. It proposes remedies but sadly it does not evaluate the effectiveness of those remedies. In order to address these shortcomings we can consider another paper by Tischler (et al 2000). This looks at a similar outreach set up which has been designed to capture the families of children in need who might otherwise slip through the net. This paper is written from a different perspective and specifically analyses the effectiveness of these services as they pertain to an entry cohort of 40 families. This particular study was set up after preliminary work was done in the Birmingham area with 114 homeless families and this study defined the needs of the families but did not quantify their support systems.(Vostanis et al 1998). This paper set out to identify and measure the support systems available and their effectiveness as far as the families were concerned. The stresses encountered were partly reflected by the incidence of psychiatric morbidity. The mothers in the group were found to have over 50% more morbidity than a matched control group. The children in the group were found to have â€Å"histories of abuse, living in care, being on the at-risk protection register, delayed communication and higher reported mental health problems.† All of which adds to the general background stress levels. (Kerouac S et al. 1996). This particular study found that despite the psychiatric morbidity in the children, (estimated to be about 30%), and the psychiatric morbidity in the parents, (estimated at about 50%), only 3% of the children and 10% of the parents had had any significant contact or support from the social services. In this respect, this paper is very useful to our purpose as it quantifies the levels of intervention and access to healthcare resources that this particular group has. By any appreciation, it would be considered woefully inadequate in any society that calls itself civilised. In the terms of the title of this piece, the effectiveness of the family support services is minimal. Like the last paper discussed, this one also considered how best to tackle the problem, and this one is of much greater value to us, as it specifies a response, or intervention, to the problem in much the same way as the Vostranis 2002 paper did, but it makes the same measurements as it did prior to the intervention, and therefore allows us an insight into the actual effectiveness of the intervention. The way this particular study worked was to assess the problem (as it has been presented above), devise an intervention strategy and then to measure its effect. This particular study goes to great lengths to actively involve all the appropriate agencies that could help the situation by having a central assessment station that acted as a liaison between all of the other resources. In brief, it actively involved liaison with the following: Education, social services, child protection, local mental health services, voluntary and community organisations to facilitate the re-integration of the family into the community, and particularly their engagement with local services following rehousing; and training of staff of homeless centres in the understanding, recognition and management of mental illness in children and parents. This is essential, as hostel staff often work in isolation and have little knowledge of the potential severity and consequences of mental health problems in children. It was hoped that, by doing this, it would maximise the impact that the limited resources had on reducing the levels of morbidity and stress in the families of the children in need. The post intervention results were, by any estimate, impressive considering the historical difficulty of working with this particular group (OHara M 1995). 40 families (including 122 children) were studied in detail. The paper gives a detailed breakdown of the ethnic and demographic breakdown of the group. By far the biggest group were single mothers and children (72%) The results showed that the majority of referrals were seen between 1-3 times (55%), with a further 22% being seen 4-6 times. It is a reflection of the difficulty in engaging this type of family in need that over 25% did not actually keep their appointments despite the obvious potential benefits that could have been utilised. The authors investigated this group further and ascertained that a common reason for non attendance was the perception that the psychological welfare of the children was not actually the main concern. The families perceived that their primary needs were rehousing and financial stability. Other priorities identified were that physical health was a greater priority than mental health. The authors also identify another common failing in the social services provision, and that is the general lack of regular contact. They cite the situation where some families cope well initially, apparently glad to have escaped an abusive or violent home situation, but a prolonged stay in a hostel or temporary accommodation may soon precipitate a bout of depression in the parents and behavioural problems in the children of such parents. (Brooks RM et al 1998). They suggest that regular re-visiting of families who have been in temporary accommodation for any significant length of time should be mandatory. This paper takes a very practical overview by pointing out that workability of the system is, to a large extent, dependent on the goodwill of a number of committed professionals. The authors state that this has to be nurtured and they call for sufficient funding must be given to enable this particular model to be extended to a National level. Thus far in the review we have considered the effectiveness of the service provision in the support of the families of the children in need in one specific target grouping, those who are stressed by virtue of the fact that they are homeless. We will now consider the literature on a different kind of family stress, and that is when a parent dies. This leaves the children with a considerable amount of potential emotional â€Å"baggage† and the surviving parent with an enormous amount of stress. (Webb E 1998). An excellent paper by Downey (et al 1999) tackles this particular problem with both sensitivity and also considerable rigour. It is a long and complex paper, but the overall aims and objectives are clear from the outset. The structure of the paper is a prospective case study which aims to assess whether the degree of distress suffered by a family during a time of bereavement is in any way linked to the degree of service provision that is utilised. The base line for this study is set out in its first two paragraphs. Parentally bereaved children and surviving parents showed a greater than predicted level of psychiatric morbidity. Boys had greater levels of demonstrable morbidity than did girls, but bereaved mothers showed more morbidity than did bereaved fathers. Children were more likely to show signs of behavioural disturbance when the surviving parent manifested some kind of psychiatric disorder. (Kranzler EM et al 1990). The authors point to the fact that their study shows that the service provision is statistically related to a number of (arguably unexpected [Fristad MA et al 1993]) factors namely: The age of the children and the manner of parental death. Children under 5 years of age were less likely to be offered services than older children even though their parents desired it. Children were significantly more likely to be offered services when the parent had committed suicide or when the death was expected. Children least likely to receive service support were those who were not in touch with services before parental death. Paradoxically the level of service provision was not found to be statistically significantly related to either the parental wishes or the degree of the psychiatric disturbance in either the parent or child. (Sanchez L et al 1994) The service provision did have some statistical relationships but that was only found to be the manner of the parental death and the actual age of the child at the time. The authors therefore are able to identify a mismatch between the perceived need for support and the actual service provision made. Part of that mismatch is found to be due to the inability of the social services and other related agencies to take a dispassionate overview. Elsewhere in the paper the authors suggest that there are other factors that add to this inequality and they include lack of resources and a lack of specificity in identifying children at greatest risk. (Harrington R 1996) The authors examine other literature to back up their initial precept that bereaved children have greater levels of morbidity. They cite many other papers who have found distress manifesting in the form of â€Å"anxiety, depression, withdrawal, sleep disturbance, and aggression.† (Worden JW et al. 1996) and also psychological problems in later life (Harris T et al. 1996). In terms of study structure, the authors point to methodological problems with other papers in the area including a common failing of either having a standardised measure or no matched control group (Mohammed D et al 2003). They also point to the fact that this is probably the first UK study to investigate the subject using a properly representative sample and certainly the first to investigate whether service provision is actually related to the degree of the problems experienced. The entry cohort involved nearly 550 families with 94 having children in the target range (2-18). With certain exclusions (such as two families where one parent had murdered the other etc.) and non respondents, the final cohort was reduced to 45 families and one target child was randomly selected from each family. It has to be noted that the comparatively large number of non-respondents may have introduced a large element of bias, insofar as it is possible that the families most in need of support were those who were most distressed by the death of a family member and these could have been the very ones who chose not to participate. (Morton V et al 2003) The authors make no comment on this particular fact. The authors should be commended for a particularly ingenious control measure for the children. They were matched by asking their school teacher to complete an inventory of disturbed behaviour on the next child in the school register after the target child. A large part of the paper is taken up with methodological issues which ( apart form the comments above) cannot be faulted. In terms of being children in need, 60% of children were found to have â€Å"significant behavioural abnormalities† with 28% having scores above the 95th centile. In terms of specific service support provision, 82% of parents identified a perceived need for support by virtue of the behaviour of their children. Only 49% of these actually received it in any degree. Perhaps the most surprising statistic to come out of this study was the fact that of the parents who were offered support 44% were in the group who asked for it and 56% were in the group who didn’t want it. The levels of support offered were independent of the degree of behavioural disturbance in the child. As with the majority of papers that we have either presented here or read in preparation for this review, the authors call for a more rationally targeted approach to the utilisation of limited resources. The study also provides us with a very pertinent comment which many experienced healthcare professionals will empathise with, (Black D 1996), and that is: Practitioners should also be aware that child disturbance may reflect undetected psychological distress in the surviving parent. While not suggesting that this is a reflection of Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy, the comment is a valid reflection of the fact that parental distress may be well hidden from people outside of the family and may only present as a manifestation of the child’s behaviour. (Feldman MD et al. 1994) The conclusions that can be drawn from this study are that there is a considerable gap in the support offered ( quite apart form the effectiveness of that support) in this area of obvious stress for both parents and children. (Black D 1998). This study goes some way to quantifying the level of support actually given in these circumstances. We have considered the role of the effectiveness and indeed, even the existence, of adequate support services for the children in need and their parents in a number of different social circumstances. The next paper that we wish to present is an excellent review of the support that is given to another specific sub-group and that is women and children who suffer from domestic violence. Webb and her group (et al 2001) considered the problem in considerable (and commendable) depth The study itself had an entry cohort of nearly 150 children and their mothers who were resident in a number of hostels and women’s refuges that had been the victims of family violence at some stage in the recent past. The study subjected the cohort to a battery of tests designed to assess their physical, emotional and psychological health, and then quantified their access to, and support gained from, the primary healthcare teams and other social service-based support agencies. This study is presented in a long and sometimes difficult to read format. Much of the presentation is (understandably) taken up with statistical, ethical and methodological matters – all of which appear to be largely of excellent quality and the result of careful consideration. The results make for interesting and, (in the context of this review), very relevant reading. Perhaps one of the more original findings was that nearly 60% of the child health data held by the various refuges was factually incorrect. This clearly has grave implications for studies that base their evidence base on that data set (Berwick D 2005). Of great implication for the social services support mechanisms was the finding that 76% of the mothers in the study expressed concerns about the health of their children. Once they had left the refuge there was a significant loss to the follow up systems as 15% were untraceable and 25% returned to the home of the original perpetrator. The study documents the fact that this particular group had both a high level of need for support and also a poor level of access to appropriate services. In the study conclusions, the authors make the pertinent comment that the time spent in the refuge offers a â€Å"window of opportunity† for the family support services to make contact and to review health and child developmental status. This is not a demographically small group. In the UK, over 35,000 children and a parent, are recorded as passing through the refuges each year, with at least a similar number also being refered to other types of safe accommodation. Such measures are clearly not undertaken lightly with the average woman only entering a refuge after an average of 28 separate assaults. One can only speculate at the long term effects that this can have on both the mother and the children. In common with the other papers reviewed, this paper also calls for greater levels of support for the families concerned as, by inference, the current levels of effectiveness of the family support services is clearly inadequate. Conclusions This review has specifically presented a number of papers which have been chosen from a much larger number that have been accessed and assessed, because of the fact that each has a particularly important issue or factor in its construction or results. The issue that we have set out to evaluate is the effectiveness of the family support services which are specifically aimed at reducing the stress levels for the parents of children in need. Almost without exception, all of the papers that have been accessed (quite apart from those presented) have demonstrated the fact that the levels of support from the statutory bodies is â€Å"less than optimum† and in some cases it can only be described as â€Å"dire†. Another factor that is a common finding, is that, given the fact that any welfare system is, by its very nature, a rationed system, the provision of the services that are provided is seldom targeted at the groups that need it the most. One can cite the Tischler (et al 2000) and Downey (et al 1999) papers in particular as demonstrating that a substantial proportion of the resources mobilised are actually being directed to groups that are either not requesting support or who demonstrably need it less than other sectors of the community. Some of the papers (actually a small proportion) make positive suggestions about the models for redirecting and targeting support. Sadly, the majority do little more than call for â€Å"more research to be done on the issue†. In overview, we would have to conclude that the evidence suggests that the effectiveness of the family support services in reducing stress and poverty for the parents of children in need is poor at best and certainly capable of considerable improvement. References Bassuk, E. Buckner, J. Weinreb, L. et al (1997),  Homelessness in female-headed families: childhood and adult risk and protective factors.   American Journal of Public Health, 87, 241–248 1997 Berwick D 2005 Broadening the view of evidence-based medicine Qual. Saf. Health Care, Oct 2005; 14: 315 316. Black D. 1996,  Childhood bereavement: distress and long term sequelae can be lessened by early intervention.   BMJ 1996; 312: 1496,   Black D. 1998,  Coping with loss: bereavement in childhood.   BMJ 1998; 316: 931-933,   BPA 1999,  British Paediatric Association. Outcome measures for child health.   London: Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, 1999.    Brooks RM, Ferguson T, Webb E. 1998,  Health services to children resident in domestic violence shelters.   Ambulatory Child Health 1998; 4: 369-374.    Cumella, S. Grattan, E. Vostanis, P.

Downstream Linkages in the Zambian Copper Industry

Downstream Linkages in the Zambian Copper Industry Resource extraction is often regarded by governments and people of resource-rich countries as a solution to poverty alleviation, ranging from tax revenues, technology transfer, and employment creation, export enhancement to upstream and downstream linkages. Downstream linkage industries do promise the widening of employment opportunities and high foreign earnings as a result of value-addition. Western resource intensive economies such as Australia, Canada, US and the like are examples of well-managed, resource-rich economies in which the mineral sectors spurred knowledge-intensive processes, created jobs and foreign exchange earnings and resulted in spill-overs into new industrial and service sectors. The scope of downstream linkages is often considered an important determinant of the extent to which a mineral-rich nation stands to gain additional economic benefits that come with it. This explains the continuous pressure that is always mounted on mining companies by host governments to engage further in downstream activities. However, downstream activities irrespective of their location are influenced by global market dynamics and competitive elements. Therefore, in an attempt to grasp the benefits that come with downstream activities, it is extremely imperative to examine the opportunities, risks and possible ways of striking a balance taking cognizance of the global demand and supply interplay to ensure that the highest possible net positive benefits are achieved and sustained. In focus is Zambia which has been an active copper mining country since 1900s though performed poorly along the line but revamped barely in the last decade. In 1968, Zambia held an important position as a copper producer, with peak output at 815,000 ton and a 15% share of world output, but the abysmal performance of its state-owned enterprises that took over after the 1969 nationalisation resulted in a drop of output to a trough of 250,000 tonnes in 2000 (Radetzki, 2009p.182). Nevertheless, the copper industry has been revitalised with the privatization of the mining sector which occurred between mid-1990s and early 2000s. In the period 2000-2005, copper exports contributed to around half of total foreign exchange earnings, but from 2006 onwards, this share increased to 73.5% 83.2% ( Fessehaie, 2012 p.3). Copper also provided 10% of formal employment and its contribution to GDP in the last decade increased on a yearly basis, reaching 9.1% in 2009. Copper mining has and continues to be one of the largest economic activities in Zambia, comprising approximately 10 percent of GDP and more than 60 percent of exports (Wilson, 2012pp798-799). The paper therefore examined downstream or for ward linkages to copper production in Zambia by first exploring the scope of downstream linkages and examined the risks, opportunities and risks mitigation measures in the downstream sector of Zambias copper industry. The rest of the paper is structured as follows; section two introduces the background and established the theoretical framework. Section three examined the scope of downstream activities, the risks, opportunities and possible measures for risks mitigation and section four concludes with recommendation. 2.0 BACKGROUND 2.1 A Brief Overview of Global Copper Production and Consumption The global cumulative annual growth in global mine output of copper has gone through significant changes over the period 1750 to 2007. It stood at 0.8% in 1750-1800, rose to 2.6% in 1800-1850 and from 1850 and until 1900, the annual growth of copper production accelerated to 4.5%. Output expansion subsequently reduced to an average of 3.3% between 1900 and 1950, and remained at this level until 2007 (Radetzki, 2009p.182). In 2011, global copper production reached an output level of 16100 metric tonnes from 15900 metric tonnes in 2010 with a total reserves value of 690000 metric tonnes (USDSp. 49) (2012). On the other hand, growth rates in global copper consumption fell from 4.48% in the period 150-1973 to 0.65 covering 1973-1983 largely explained by the oil price shocks of the 1970s and 80s and picked up again, reaching 2.51% for period 1983-2003 (Nishiyama, 2005p..132). The period following 1990 saw a significant increase of Asia, especially Chinas share of global copper consumption , currently about 40% (ICSG) which gradual spurred up copper prices in the mid-2000s. The interplay of Chinas demand growth and appropriate timing of additions to production capacity speaks a lot about the future global trends in both production and consumption. 2.2 Overview of Copper Mining in Zambia Copper mining in Zambia dates back to the 1900s under the control of two mining companies, Rhodesia Selection Trust and Anglo-American Corporation (AAC)( Fessehaie, 2011p.16) .The industry came to be nationalized in the late 1960 and was operated under state ownership and control, a typical characteristic of mining operations in mineral exporting countries in the decades following the Second World War. The government, following years of significant losses, privatized its copper mines, which were later consolidated into the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM), majority-owned by Government (60.3%), with a minority share owned by AAC (27.3%)( Fessehaie, 2011p.16). For instance, Kansanshi mine, the largest copper project in Africa is 80% owned by First Quantum Minerals Ltd and 20% by the state run ZCCM Investments Holdings which replaced ZCCM (ARB, 2012). The mining sector is regulated primarily by Act No. 7 of 2008 (the Mines and Mineral Development Act of 2008). The Zambian copper industry is not insulated from the acquisitions and mergers characteristic of the global mining industry. In 2011, Barrick Gold Corp. of Canada acquired Equinox Minerals Ltd. of Canada (USp43.1). Newshelf 1124 (Proprietary) Ltd. of South Africa, an indirect subsidiary of the Jinchuan Group Ltd. of China acquired Metorex Ltd. of South Africa and its underground Chibuluma copper mine (Metorex Ltd., 2011, p. 8). Konnoco Zambia Ltd., a joint venture of African Rainbow Minerals Ltd. of South Africa and Vale, continues with the development of the Konkola North underground copper mine (African Rainbow Minerals Ltd., 2012, p. 70). Mining companies equally undertake joint ventures in explorative activities in Zambia. Argonaut Resources NL of Australias subsidiary Lumwana West Resources Ltd. in a joint venture with Mwombezhi Resources Ltd. of Zambia set to explore in Northwestern Province (Argonaut Resources NL, 2012, p. 2). Zambias economy is heavily reliant on mining, particularly its copper and cobalt, and the mining sector makes significant contribution to Zambia exports and economic growth. Copper output rose dramatically following the copper price rise in the mid-2000s with annual copper production increased from 335,000 metric tonnes in 2002 to over 569,000 metric tonnes in 2008 (Wilson, 2012) . From 2007, copper exports contributed 73.7-80.5 per cent of total foreign exchange earnings, 10 per cent of formal employment, and in 2010 Zambia was the largest copper producer in Africa and the 7th largest in the world ( Fessehaie, 2012). Copper exports jumped from $474 million in 2000 to almost $4 billion in 2008. In 2010, the mining and quarrying sector accounted for 9.9% of Zambias real gross domestic product (at constant 1994 prices) compared with a revised 9.3% in 2009. Copper exports earnings increased by 15.5% to US $6,660.2 million from US $5,767.9 million in 2010 (Bank of Zambia, 2012, p. 23,) a nd in 2011, copper exports were valued at $6.9 billion (Mobbs, 2012 p.43.1). 2.3 Theoretical Framework The concept of linkage development in the academic discourse has its root from early works of Leontief (1936) who applied an input-output analysis to static quantity modeling (Lenzen, 2003 p.1), modified by Rasmussen (1956) for inter-industrial analysis as setting the basis for structural interdependence. In determining the key sectors of an economy, Hirschman (1958) argued that above-average linkages are pre-requisites for economic development and structural changes within an economy or a region (p1-2). Contrary to this argument, Bharadwaj (1966), Panchamukhi (1975) and McGilvray (1977) highlighted that international comparative advantages, technical and skill endowment, final demand structure are among the driving forces of economic growth and concluded that linkage interconnectedness is a weak rod to rationalising a development policy(1-2) According to Hirschman as cited in Morris et al (2012), there are three main types of linkages in the commodity sector thus, fiscal, consumption and production linkages. In his view, fiscal linkage encompasses royalties and taxes which together form mineral rents; consumption linkage entails the consumption demands of workers of the commodity sector, whereas the production linkage encapsulates both backward and forward linkages. Authors such as Sonis and Hewings (1989, 1999) and Sonis et al. (2000) in their works on the dynamics of backward and forward linkages, and economic landscapes of multiplier product matrices pushed further the arguments of Hirschman and Rasmussen (Lenzen, 2003 p. 2). The linkage thesis has been applied in a number of studies in attempts to examine the impact of mining on economies. Lenzen (2003) utilised the input-output application in his analysis of the key environmentally important factors of production, linkages and key sectors in the Australian economy and concluded without a factual basis that strong forward linkages are characteristic of primary industries like grazing and mining whereas strong backward industries characterized secondary industries (p.29). Similarly, Cristobal and Biezma (2006 p1,5) analysed the forward and backward linkages of mining and quarrying in ten EU countries to determine whether the industry constitute a key sector and came to a conclusion that the mining and quarrying industry has a strong backward link to regional economys production more than other sectors and otherwise holds for forward linkages. Though not a metal mineral, the Southern Louisiana offshores oil fields is the most apparent successful linkage ca pture identified throughout the 20th century. The ability to sustain pre-existing competition and the availability of the commodity in large quantities were largely responsible for the successful linkage capture (Freudenburg and Gramling (1998p 575-576). Moreover, Aroca (2001p 131) employed the input-output Leontief matrix to determine the impact of the mining sector on the Chilean II region and analysed the driving forces to the extent of the impact. With regards to the volume of production, his analysis indicates that the mining sector is very important but loses its importance in developing forward and backward linkages in the economy. Lydall (2009 p.2, 119) investigated backward linkage capture of South Africa platinum group metals and found different categories of supplier firms, ranging from base, medium to large able to satisfy the needs of the various PGM mines, concentrator plants, smelters and refineries. She however cautioned the existence of market-related and firm-speci fic factors militating against the growth and expansion of such linkages. Morris et al (2012 p 1-2,14) examined the underlying factors to linkage capture in the commodity sectors in low income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with much attention on backward linkage capture and recommended for strategies to be mapped to propel industrial sector upgrading especially in commodity exporting countries. Also, Fessehaie (2012p 2,7) examined the determinants of upstream linkages to copper production in Zambia. She noted that backward linkage was growing and copper mining presents opportunities and recommended that in order to broaden backward linkage to utilize such opportunities there is the need to eliminate barriers to upgrading through an industrial policy which takes care of supplier competitiveness constraints. From the preceding literature reviewed, much attention on linkage capture studies has been directed at the backward linkage capture. The few works on linkage development in Zambia copper (Fessehaie, 2011 and 2012; Morris, 2012), the emphasis has been on the backward linkage. Therefore, the existence of paucity of studies that investigate forward linkages in the mineral sector particularly the copper industry in Zambia exposes a gap which the study aims to contribute to. 3.0 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 The Scope of Downstream Activities Forward linkages encompass the establishment of downstream activities, at least processing and refining of copper ore and concentrates into primary metal, the fabrication of primary metal into semi-fabricated products and possibly, induced industrialisation. For the purpose of this study, mining ends with primary metal production and downstream activities begins with semi-products fabrication and beyond. Zambian copper industry has long history of existence but became more active and copper mine production of ore, anode and cathode increased following the privatization of the mining industry through the 1990s to early 2000s. The majority of copper ore mined in Zambia is smelted locally before being exported to foreign markets (Fraser and Lungu, 2007 Wilson). Fig 3.1 confirms that though greater share of mine output is refined locally, very less of it is used in the country. The graph covered a short period due to lack of access to up-to-date quality data. Zambias copper is mainly exported as cathode or blister, the standard forms of the internationally-traded commodity. Zambia uses less than 5 percent of its copper output to make fabricated products (World Bank, 2011 p ii). However, finished goods containing copper are mainly imported into the country. Zambia has developed a small copper fabrication industry that produces a narrow range of products for domestic use and for export to regional markets, largely informed by proximity to customers guided by profitability. However, these markets are small, and yet the industry competes with larger and more developed industries especially that of South African copper fabrication industry. Zambias fabrication industry is growing rapidly, but from a small base, led by Metal Fabricators of Zambia Ltd (ZAMEFA), a subsidiary of the US-based General Cable Corporation followed by others such as the Cast Product Foundry Non Ferrous Metals, Kavino and Central African Recycling in the scrap metal busi ness (World Bank, 2011p ii). ZAMEFA which has a domestic, regional and international market orientation produces wire rod, wire, cable, and a few other products. Its product portfolio is growing. Kavino, wire and cable manufacturer has a domestic market orientation whereas Central African Recycling is well positioned to utilized opportunities as they arise. Total number of employees falls below 1000. In 2008, Zambian mine, smelter and refined copper output in tonnes stood at 546 600, 232,000 and 416,900 respectively. The fabricated metals production sector contribution to GDP grew at an annual average of 0.2 percent for the period 2002 to 2008.(World Bank, pp 18). 3.2 Risks Associated with Downstream Activities The resource-based industrialiation that characterized the development process of resource-rich developed economies is often quoted to back resource-rich developing countries quest for resource-driven industrialisation which in their view masterminded the in dustrialiation process of some mature economies. However, the growth strategy of the Nordic countries, United States and Canada for instance did not based entirely on mineral extraction but span from a low-technology based on low-cost labour to highly sophisticated knowledge-intensive activities (Walker and Jourdan, 2003. P.30.). Nevertheless, risks, largely economic, abound alongside the potentials of further downstream activities. Downstream activities beyond primary processing are capital intensive and require less skilled labour. Guided by profit motive, firms seriously consider capital cost in securing capital to finance assets. Backed by the electronic revolution, market efficiency sets the ground for capital and skills to be deployed to most productive locations (Walker and Jourdan, 2003p 30) and countries without traditional comparative advantages like Zambia are less strategic in competing for foreign direct investment. Again, the capital intensive nature of further processing of copper questions the employment multiplier and rather breed associated risks of either expanding or contracting employment opportunities. Moreover, the fabrication industry uses 37 percent of copper that is derived from scrap metal which is limited in the country (World Bank, 2011p.iii). Therefore, importing other raw materials including scrap for fabrication may not make any comparative advantage sense in the short to medium t erm and highlights the risk associated with an uncompetitive and injudicious allocation of the nations scarce economic resources. The ability to compete and access adequate market, both regional and global to justify downstream activities on any significant scale comes with a risk. Committing resources into fabrication without any competitive market edge exposes the copper mining sector to possible collapse and the entire economy to possible shocks. This is because upon the small size of the sub-regional market (less than 1 percent) of the global total for fabricated copper products (World Bank, 2011p ii) better established firms in South Africa have captured a greater portion of the regional market. Internal demand for fabricated products is woefully inadequate and therefore, the promised job expansion, high foreign earnings and associated growth potential are easily erodible, if even attained. Walker and Jourdan, 2003p 33 noted that domestic demand was instrumental in Swedens initial resource-oriented industrialisation. Closely linked is tariff escalation that discourages exports of higher value-added products from Low Income Countries (LICs) (IMF, 2011p.16). Tariff escalation and high physical transport cost jointly further accentuate the risks to Zambian copper downstream activities. Consuming countries of copper metal and semi-fabricated products especially the newly industrializing countries and roaring developing countries of China and India, in their industrialization drive, have in one way or the other resort to restrictions in the form of differential tariffs (varies directly with the value already added) on raw materials imports for their industries. Dimaranan et al, (2006 p. 13) note that Indian policy measures in this regard include more effective duty exemptions for intermediates used in the production of manufactured exports. The high transport cost and tariffs imposed on value-added products together can cancel completely if not negate the often expectant high profits and associated em ployment multipliers. The prices for both the primary and fabricated products of the mining industry are characterized by troughs and peaks. However, the existence of terminal markets such as London Metal Exchange (LME), the Commodity Exchange Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange (COMEX/NYMEX) and the Shanghai Metal Exchange (SHME)(ICSGP.33factbook) provides mitigation to the risk on primary metal resulting from price volatilities. On the other hand, high-value added downstream products are more prone to price shocks as there exist no such terminal markets in that sub-sector of the industry. Therefore, the often envisaged employment multipliers and high foreign earnings that motivate pressure for further downstream processing places the entire economy at risk in the event of weak prices without any competitive edge. Mainstream fabricated metal products are largely low margin items. However, high level of capacity utilization and throughput is required to generate sufficient margins which are currently in non-existence in Zambian copper industry. This is largely informed by the uncompetitive and comparative disadvantages to the downstream sector of Zambian copper industry. The situation exposes the downstream copper fabrication industry to the risk of at best earning low margins. In 2008 for example, First Quantum Ltd, a leading European copper rod producer made profits of 12.2% and 49.6% from large Cap Cast Copper Rotors (CCR) rod mill and Oxygen-free High Conductivity (OFHC) rod fabrications respectively (World Bank, 2011p.13) but earned a profit of 85.4% from primary cathode production. Such low margins in fabrication gives the signals that even internationally competitive manufacturers of range of specialist copper products rather earn high margins in primary metal production. 3.3 Opportunities in Downstream Value-addition The existence of copper deposits in substantial quantities is a basic requirement for mining in the first place and possibly, further downstream processing (Freudenburg and Gramling, 1998). The existing domestic and regional market does not incentivise further copper fabricating on any significant scale, but some localised small-scale opportunities may emerge. In this regard, there may be a scope for some gradual scaling-up of existing output and/or product diversification by existing operations especially ZAMEFA and for some small-scale artisanal processing, probably based on scrap metal. Sectorial opportunities could be enhanced if the basic and mainly infrastructural bottlenecks are remedied. One of such opportunities is the World Bank support to revamp Zescos existing distribution networks in selected areas to reduce losses and improve supply quality (World Bank, 2011p.33,34). Depending on the roll-out of electrification extensions, there may be some demand for low and medium vol tage. Moreover, the global copper industry has identified a potential market which could exploit the known biocidal properties of copper in combating Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA,) spread by its use in touch surfaces and all fixtures and fittings in hospitals and clinics. The international competitive nature of the downstream activities of fabrication limit these opportunities as well established firms are ever ready and prepared to cease any market opportunities as they arise and compete out less competitive ones. Chinas dominance in the recent global copper consumption forecloses in comparative and competitive terms, any opportunities of developing an internationally competitive further copper processing in Zambia at least, for the short to medium term. For instance, Chinese refined copper consumption expanded by an annual 15.3% in the 1998-2007 period and by 2007, Chinas share of global copper usage rose from 10.5% to 26.9% (Radetzki , 2009. P. 177) in a decade. Though very important, the geological potential does not itself guarantee comparative and competitive advantage in any appreciable further downstream processing. For instance, Chile, the worlds largest copper producer, accounting 34 percent of world mined copper output and 17 percent of wor ld refined copper output, yet its use of refined copper is less than 1 percent of the world total (World Bank, 2011.8) 3.4 Mitigating Downstream Activities-Associated Risks and the Way Forward Value-addition is critical to ensuring greater benefits and competitiveness for countries incorporated in the global economy (Mtegha and Minnitt, 2006 p. 236) hence further downstream processing should be encouraged and driven by state incentives taking cognizance of the external environment. A strong manufacturing base has to be developed if any significant expansion of copper value-addition activities is to grow. In order to grow and sustain a downstream fabrication sector and even beyond, new sources of accessing competitive foreign direct investment and the continual adaptation and innovation of technology which is critical to maintaining technological competitive edge globally are ideal prerequisites. Moreover, demand is indispensable in industrial development and therefore any effort in that regard must first address the market end of the value chain ranging from local, regional to global levels. The ability to create a clear niche advantage is required if the copper downstream activities are to undergo substantial growth. Ideally, attaining global competitiveness is the single most important driver in mitigating risks ranging from further downstream processing or fabrication. While this may possibly be a long term growth and development goal in the downstream sector, the provision of adequate energy, communication and other infrastructure coupled with the effective and judicious use of economic returns from copper mining for diversification in new comparative advantage industries would in the papers view set the foundation for any competitive industrialisation in the long run. From table 1 below, South Africa is better positioned to cease any downstream copper fabrication and market opportunities at regional level and at the global level, China. 4.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION The study explored the scope of downstream linkages in the Zambian copper industry and examined the risks of engaging in downstream fabrication as well as the opportunities and suggested ways for mitigating the risks. The study reveals a small and modest fabrication activity producing a narrow range of products for domestic use and for export to regional markets, largely informed by proximity to customers guided by profitability. The decision in going downstream beyond primary metal processing encapsulates political and economic dimensions hence, requires striking a balance between both dimensions. Shaping a competitive mining industry alongside conscious efforts to diversify into other industries which gradually grow to shake off the initial copper-based dependence is a policy option and at the same time revitalizing the national science, technology and innovation policy to provide the foundation for long term skills and knowledge development. Chile, having built a competitive minin g industry, diversified its economy into other competitive sectors which propelled its growth. In the short to medium term, developing a competitive copper mining industry is plausible and more realistic in comparative advantage terms while mapping out strategies to attain competitiveness from national, regional to global scales which will mitigate further copper processing or fabrication risks.