The Main Goal Of Construction Industry - 1024 Words

16-Quality Management- The main goal of construction industry is to ensure that construction projects are successfully completed within the constraints of best quality, stated period and with minimum cost possible. The principle objective of construction industry is to guarantee that development ventures are effectively finished inside the limitations of best quality, expressed period and with least cost conceivable. With Quality Management, the processes and initiatives that produce products or services can be fully managed. In this process variations are minimized, so the end product or the service will achieve a desired quality. Quality Management System (QMS) A Quality Management System gives a structure, including documentation and procedures, which empowers the conveyance of products and services to be controlled and managed to meet the predefined requirements consistently. The degree and subtle element of the documentation and procedures incorporated into an administration supplier s Quality Management System would be resolved to suit the items, administrations, practices and attributes of the administration supplier, its clients necessities, and the requirements of its work force and its own service providers. Establishing and implementation of a Quality Management System includes: -Identifying the zones and surveying the related level (probability and effect) of risk of products and services not accommodating with the predetermined prerequisitesShow MoreRelatedThe Impact Of Digital Fabrication On The Construction Industry899 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Digital fabrication is transforming the construction industry, allowing architects to create precisely crafted and complex buildings in response to the new competitive environment and demands the construction market. 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Nb Assessment Free Essays

Table 21-2 SUMMARY OF NEWBORN ASSESSMENT *MCH pages 479-473| NORMAL| ABNORMAL (POSSIBLE CAUSES)| NURSING CONSIDERATIONS| Initial AssessmentAssess for obvious problems first. If infant is stable and has no problems that require immediate attention, continue with complete assessment. | Vital Signs| TemperatureAxillary: 36. We will write a custom essay sample on Nb Assessment or any similar topic only for you Order Now 5– 37. 5 °C (97. 7 – 99. 5 °F). Axilla is preferred site. | Decreased (cold environment, hypoglycemia, infection, CNS problem). Increased (infection, environment to warm). | Decreased: Institute warming measures and check in 30 minutes. Check blood glucose. Increased: the excessive clothing. Check for dehydration. Decreased or increased: look for signs of infection. Check radiant warmer or incubator temperature setting. Check thermometer for accuracy if skin is warm or cool to touch. Report abnormal temperature to physician. | PulsesHeart rate 120 – 160 BPM. (100 sleeping, 180 crying). Rhythm regular. PMI at 3rd-4th intercostal space lateral to mid-clavicular line. Brachial, femoral, and pedal pulses present and equal bilaterally. | Tachycardia (respiratory problems, anemia, infection, cardiac conditions). Bradycardia (asphyxia, increased intracranial pressure). PMI to right (dextrocardia-heart situated to right of body, pneumothorax). Murmurs (normal or congenital heart defects). Dysrhythmias. Absent or unequal pulses (coarctation of the aorta). | Note location of murmurs. Refer abnormal rates, rhythms and sounds, pulses. | RespirationsRate 30 -60 (AVG 40 -49) BrPM. Respirations irregular, shallow, unlabored. Chest movements symmetric. Breath sounds present and clear bilaterally. | Tachypnea, especially after the first hour (respiratory distress). Slow respirations (maternal medications). Nasal flaring (respiratory distress). Grunting (respiratory distress syndrome). Gasping (respiratory depression). Periods of apnea more than 20 seconds or with change in heart rate or color (respiratory depression, sepsis, cold stress). Asymmetry or decreased chest expansion (pneumothorax). Intercostal, xiphoid, supraclavicular retractions or see-saw (paradoxical) respirations (respiratory distress). Moist, coarse breath sounds (crackles, rhonchi) (fluid in the lungs). Bowel sounds in chest (diaphragmatic hernia). | Mild variations require continued monitoring and usually clear early hours after birth. If persistent or more than mild, suction, give oxygen, call physician, and initiate more intensive care. Blood Pressure Varies with age, weight, activity, and gestational age. Average systolic 65-95 mm Hg, average diastolic 30-60 mm Hg. | Hypotension (hypovolemia, shock, sepsis). BP 20 mm Hg or higher in arms than legs (coarctation of the aorta). | Refer abnormal blood pressures. Prepare for intensive care and very low. | Measurements| Weight2500-4000 g (5 lbs. 8 oz. to 8 lbs. 13 oz. ). Weight loss up to 10% in early days. | High (low gestational age LGA, maternal diabetes). Low (small for gestational age SGA, preterm, multifetal pregnancy, medical conditions and mother that affected fetal growth). Weight loss above 10% (dehydration, feeding problems). | Determine causeMonitor for complications common to cause. | Length48-53 cm (19-21 inches)| Below normal (SGA, congenital dwarfism). Above normal (LGA, maternal diabetes). | Determine causeMonitor for complications common to cause. | Head Circumference32-38 cm (12. 5-15 inches). Head and neck are approximately ? of infants body surface. | Small (SGA, microcephaly, anencephaly-absence of large part of brain or skull). Large (LGA, hydrocephalus, increased intracranial pressure). | Determine causeMonitor for complications common to cause. | Chest Circumference30-36 cm (12-14 inches). Is 2 cm less than head circumference. | Large (LGA). Small (SGA). | Determine causeMonitor for complications common to cause. | Posture Flexed extremities move freely, resist extension, return quickly to flexed state. Hands usually clenched. Movements symmetric. Slight tremors on crying. Breech: extended, stiff legs. â€Å"Molds† body to caretaker’s body when held, responds by quieting when needs met. | Limp, flaccid, floppy, or rigid extremities (preterm, hypoxia, medications, CNS trauma). Hypertonic (neonatal abstinence syndrome, CNS injury). Jitteriness or tremors (low glucose for calcium level). Opisthotonos- extreme hyperextension of body, seizures, stiff when held (CNS injury). | Seek cause, refer abnormalities. | CryLusty, strong. | High-pitched (increased intracranial pressure). Week, absent, irritable, cat-like â€Å"mewing† (neurologic problems). Hoarse or crowing (laryngeal irritation). | Observe for changes in report abnormalities. | Skincolor pink or tan with acrocyanosis (cyanotic discoloration of extremities). Vernix caseosa in creases. Small amounts of lanugo (fine,soft downy hair) over shoulders, sides of face, forehead, upper back. Skin turgor good with quick recoil. Some cracking and peeling of skin. Normal variations: Milia (tiny white bumps). Skin tags. Erythema toxicum (flea bite† rash). Puncture on scalp (from electrode). Mongolian spots. | Color: cyanosis of mouth and central areas (hypoxia). Facial bruising (nuchal cord). Pallor (anemia, hypoxia). Gray (hypoxia, hypotension). Red, sticky, transparent skin (very preterm). Greenish brown discoloration of skin, nails, cord (possible fetal compromise, postterm). Harlequin color (normal transient autonomic imbalance). Mottling (normal or cold stress, hypovolemia, sepsis). Jaundice (pathologic if first 24h). Yellow vernix (blood incompatibilities). Thick vernix (preterm). Delivery Marks: bruises on body (pressure), scalp (vacuum extractor), or face (cord around neck). Petechiae (pressure, low platelet count, infection). Forceps marks. Birthmarks: Mongolian spots. Nevus simplex (salmon patch,† stork bite†). Nevus flammeus (port-wine stain). Nevus vasculosus (strawberry hemangioma). Cafe au lait spots (6+) larger than 0. 5cm in size (neurofibromatosis). Other: excessive lanugo (preterm). Excessive peeling, cracking (postterm). Pustules or other rashes (infection). â€Å"Tenting† of skin (dehydration). | Differentiate patient bruising from cyanosis. Central cyanosis requires suction, oxygen and further treatment. Refer jaundice in first 24 hours or more extensive than expected for age. Watch for respiratory problems in infants with meconium staining. Look for signs and complications of preterm or postterm birth. Record location, size, shape, color, type of rashes and marks. Differentiate Mongolian spots from bruises. Check for facial movement with forceps marks. Watch for jaundice with bruising. Point out and explain normal skin variations to parents. | Head Sutures palpable with small separation between each. Anterior fontanel diamond shaped, 4-5 cm, soft and flat. Many bulge slightly with crying. Posterior fontanel triangular, 0. 5-1 cm. Hair silky and soft with individual hair strands. Normal variations: overriding sutures (molding). Caput succedaneum or cephalohematoma (pressure during birth). | Head large (hydrocephalus, increased intracranial pressure) or small (microcephaly). Widely separated sutures (hydrocephalus) or hard, ridged area at sutures (craniosynostosis- birth defect that causes one or more sutures on a baby’s head to close earlier than normal). Anterior fontanel depressed (dehydration, molding), full or bulging at rest (increased intracranial pressure). Woolly, bunchy hair (preterm). Unusual hair growth (genetic abnormalities). | Seek cause of variations. Observe for signs of dehydration with depressed fontanel; increased intracranial pressure with bulging of fontanel and wide separation of sutures. Refer for treatment. Differentiate Caput succedaneum from cephalohematoma, and reassure parents of normal outcome. Observe for jaundice with cephalohematoma. | Ears Ears well-formed and complete. Area where upper ear meets head even with imaginary line drawn from outer canthus of eye. Startle response to loud noises. Alerts to high-pitched voices. | Low set ears (chromosomal disorders). Skin tags, pre-auricular sinuses, dimples (may be associated with kidney or other abnormalities). No response to sound (deafness). | Check voiding if ears abnormal Look for signs of chromosomal abnormality if position abnormal. Refer for evaluation if no response to sound. | FaceSymmetric and appearance and movement. Parts proportional and appropriately placed. | Asymmetry (pressure imposition in utero). Drooping of mouth or one side of face,† one-sided cry† (facial nerve injury). Abnormal appearance (chromosomal abnormalities). | Seek cause of variations. Check delivery history for possible cause of injury to facial nerve. | Eyes Symmetric. Eyes clear. Transient strabismus. Scant or absent tears. Pupils equal, react to light. Alerts to interesting sights. Doll’s eye sign- reflex movement of the eyes in the opposite direction to that which the head is moved, the eyes being lowered as the head is raised, and the reverse (Cantelli sign); an indication of functional integrity of the brainstem tegmental pathways and cranial nerves involved in eye movement. Red reflex present- reddish-orange reflection of light from the  eye’s  retina. May have subconjunctival hemorrhage or edema of eyelids from pressure during birth. | Inflammation or drainage (chemical or infectious conjunctivitis). Constant tearing (plugged lacrimal duct). Unequal pupils. Failure to follow objects (blindness). White areas over pupils (cataracts). Setting sun sign- downward deviation of the eyes so that each iris appears to â€Å"set† beneath the lower lid, with white sclera exposed between it and the upper lid; indicative of increased intracranial pressure or irritation of the brain stem. (hydrocephalus). Yellow sclera (jaundice). Blue sclera (osteogenesis imperfecta- condition causing extremely fragile bones). | Clean and monitor any drainage; seek cause. Reassure parents that subconjunctival hemorrhage and edema will clear. Refer other abnormalities. NoseBoth nostrils open to air flow. May have slight flattening from pressure during birth. | Blockage of one or both nasal passages (choanal atresia). Malformations (congenital conditions). Flaring, mucus (respiratory distress). | Observe for respiratory distress. Report malformations. | Mouth Mouth, gums, tongue pink. Tongue normal in size and movement. Lips and palate intact. Su cking pads. Sucking, rooting, swallowing, gag reflexes present. Normal variations: precocious teeth, Epstein’s pearls-Multiple small white epithelial inclusion cysts found in the midline of the palate in most newborns. Cyanosis (hypoxia). White patches on cheek or tongue (candidiasis). Protruding tongue (Down syndrome). Diminished movement of tongue, drooping mouth (facial nerve paralysis). Cleft lip, palate or both. Absent or weak reflexes (preterm, neurologic problem). Excessive drooling (tracheoesophageal atresia). | Oxygen for cyanosis. Expect loose teeth to be removed. Obtain order for antifungal medication for candidiasis. Check mother for vaginal or breast infection. Refer anomalies. | Feeding Good suck/swallow coordination. Retains feedings. | Poorly coordinated suck and swallow (prematurity). Duskiness or cyanosis during feeding (cardiac defects). Choking, gagging, excessive drooling (tracheoesophageal fistula, esophageal atresia). | Feed slowly. Stop frequently if difficulty occurs. Suction and stimulate if necessary. Refer infants with continued difficulty. | Neck/Clavicles Short neck turns head easily side to side. Infant raises head when prone. Clavicles intact. | Weakness, contractures, or ridgidity (muscle abnormalities). Webbing of neck, large fat pad at back of neck (chromosomal disorders). Crepitus, lump, or crying when clavicle or other bones palpated, diminished or absent arm movement (fractures). Fracture of clavicle more frequent in large infants with shoulder dystocia at birth. Immobilize arm. Look for other injuries. Refer abnormalities. | Chest Cylinder shape. Xiphoid process may be prominent. Symmetric. Nipples present and located properly. May have engorgement, white nipple discharge (maternal hormone withdrawal). | Asymmetry (diaphragmatic hernia, pneum othorax). Supernumerary nipples. Redness (infection). | Report abnormalities. | Abdomen Rounded, soft. Bowel sounds present within first hour after birth. Liver palpable 1-2cm below right costal margin. Skin intact. 3 vessels in cord. Clamp tight and cord drying. Meconium passed within 12-48hr. Urine generally passed within 12-24h. Normal variation: â€Å"Brick dust† staining of diaper (uric acid crystals). | Sunken abdomen (diaphragmatic hernia). Distended abdomen or loops of bowel visible (obstruction, infection, and large organs). Absent bowel sounds after first hour (paralytic ileus). Masses palpated (kidney tumors, distended bladder). Enlarged liver (infection, heart failure, hemolytic disease). Abdominal wall defects (umbilical or inguinal hernia, omphalocele, gastroschisis, exstrophy of bladder). Two vessels in cord (other anomalies). Bleeding (loose clamp). Redness, drainage from cord (infection). No passage of meconium (imperforate anus, obstruction). Lack of urinary output (kidney anomalies) or inadequate amounts (dehydration). | Refer abnormalities. Assess for other anomalies if only two vessels in cord. Tighten or replace loose cord clamp. If stool and urine output abnormal, look for missed recording, increase feedings, report. | Genitals| Female Labia majora dark, cover clitoris and labia minora. Small amount of white mucus vaginal discharge. Urinary meatus and vagina present. Normal variations: Vaginal bleeding (pseudomenstruation). Hymenal tags. | Clitoris and labia minora larger than labia majora (preterm). Large clitoris (ambiguous genitalia). Edematous labia (breech birth). | Check gestational age for immature genitalia. Refer anomalies. | Male Testes within scrotal sac, rugae on scrotum, prepuce nonretractable. Meatus at tip of penis. | Testes in inguinal canal or abdomen (preterm, cryptorchidism). Lack of rugae on scrotum (preterm). Edema of scrotum (pressure in breech birth). Enlarged scrotal sac (hydrocele). Small penis, scrotum (preterm, ambiguous genitalia). Empty scrotal sac (cryptorchidism). Urinary meatus located on upper side of penis (epispadias), underside of penis (hypospadias, or perineum. Ventral curvature of the penis (chordee). | Check gestational age for immature genitalia. Refer anomalies. Explain to parents why no circumcision can be performed with abnormal placement of meatus. | Extremities| Upper and Lower ExtremitiesEqual and bilateral movement of extremities, Correct number and formation of fingers and toes. Nails to ends of digits or slightly beyond. Felxion, good muscle tone. | Crepitus, redness, lumps, swelling (fracture). Diminished or absent movement, especially during Moro reflex (fracture, nerve injury, paralysis). Polydactyly (extra digits). Syndactyly (webbing) Fused or absent digits. Poor muscle tone (preterm, neurologic injury, hypoglycemia, and hypoxia). | Refer all anomalies, look for others. | Upper ExtremitiesTwo transverse palm creases. | Simian crease (normal or Down syndrome). Diminished movement (injury). Diminished movement of arm with extension and forearm prone (Erb-Duchenne paralysis). | Refer all anomalies, look for others. | Lower Extremities Legs equal in length, abduct equally, gluteal and thigh creases and knee height equal, no hip â€Å"clunk†. Normal position of feet. | Ortolani and Barlow tests abnormal, unequal leg length, unequal thigh or gluteal creases (developmental dysplasia of the hip). Malposition of feet (position in utero, talipes equinovarus). | Refer all anomalies, look for others. Check malpositioned feet to see if they can be gently manipulated back to normal position. | BackNo openings observed or felt in vertebral column. Anus patent. Sphincter tightly closed. | Failure of one or more vertebrae to close (spina bifida), with or without sac with spinal fluid and meninges (meningocele) or spinal fluid, meninges, and cord (myelomeningocele), enclosed. Tuft of hair over spina bifida occulta. Pilondial dimple or sinus. Imperforate anus. | Refer abnormalities. Observe for movement below level of defect. If sac, cover with sterile dressing wet with sterile saline. Protect from injury. | Reflexes See table 21-3. | Absent, asymmetric or weak reflexes. | Observe for signs of fractures, nerve injury, or injury to CNS. | TABLE 21-3 SUMMARY OF NEONATAL REFLEXES *MCH page 493| REFLEX| METHOD OF TESTING| EXPECTED RESPONSE| ABNORMAL RESPONSE/POSSIBLE CAUSE| TIME REFLEX DISAPPEARS| Babinski| Stroke lateral sole of foot from heel to across base of toes. | Toes flare with dorsiflexion of the big toe. | No response. Bilateral: CNS deficit. Unilateral; local nerve injury. 8-9 mos| Gallant (trunk incurvation)| With infant prone, lightly stroke along the side of the vertebral column. | Entire trunk flexes toward side stimulated. | No response: CNS deficit. | 4 mos| Grasp reflex (palmar and plantar)| Press finger against of infant’s fingers or toes. | Fingers curl tightly; toes curl forward. | Weak or absent: neurologic deficit or muscle injury. | Pa lmar grasp: 2-3 mos. Plantar grasp: 8-9 mos| Moro| Let infant’s head drop back approx. 30?. | Sharp extension and abduction of arms followed by flexion and adduction to â€Å"embrace† position. | Absent: CNS dysfunction. Assymetry: brachial plexus injury, paralysis, or fractured bone of extremity. Exaggerated: maternal drug use. | 5-6 mos| Rooting| Touch or stroke from side of mouth toward cheek. | Infant turns head to side touched. Difficult to illicit if infant is sleeping or just fed. | Weak or absent: prematurity, neurologic deficit, depression from maternal drug use. | 3-4 mos| Stepping| Hold infant so feet touch solid surface. | Infant lifts alternate feet as if walking. | Asymmetry: fracture of extremity, neurologic deficit. | 3-4 mos| Sucking| Place nipple or gloved finger in mouth, rub against palate. | Infant begins to suck. May be weak if recently fed. | Weak or absent: prematurity, neurologic deficit, maternal drug use. | 1 yr| Swallowing| Place fluid on the back of the tongue. | Infant swallows fluid. Should be coordinated with sucking. | Coughing, gagging, choking, cyanosis: tracheoesophageal fistula, esophageal fistula, esophageal atresia, neurologic deficit. | Present throughout life. | Tonic neck reflex| Gently turn head to one side while infant is supine. | Infant extends extremities on side to which head is turned, with flexion on opposite side. | Prolonged period in position: neurologic deficit. | May be weak at birth; disappears at 4 mos| How to cite Nb Assessment, Essay examples

Auditing and Assurance Global Financial Crisis

Question: Discuss about the Auditing and Assurance for Global Financial Crisis. Answer: Introduction The given report aims to introduce the legal underpinnings of the potential liabilities of the auditors in wake of the losses caused to the user groups especially the shareholders of the company who tend to invest their money on the basis of the audited financial statements of various companies. This issue has taken centre stage in the wake of a host of businesses going bankrupt during the recent GFC (Global Financial Crisis) and thus the interests of the investors were adversely impacted. The concept of auditor liability has been interlinked with the incidence of GFC with special mention of the Lehman Brothers liquidation. Besides, various recommendations based on the research have been concluded which can enable that this liability can be managed in wake of a similar financial crisis occurring in Australia. GFC Impact GFC has had a profound impact on the overall economy but there is unanimity that the worst suffering was receipt by the financial sector and specially the organisations belonging to this sector conducting their business in developed countries (Shefrin and Shaw, 2016). The various financial firms that were earlier supposed to be icons succumbed to their liabilities and this included huge names including Lehman Brothers and HBOS. In context of Lehman Brothers, a host of reasons contributed to the failure including greed and unethical conduct of the executives, high incidence of use of CDS or Credit Default Swap and misrepresentation in financial statement for concealment of losses. Besides, there is no denying that auditor also played an enabling role in pushing the firm to the brink of failure as the adverse impact of various creative accounting jugglery tools like 105 Repo was not captured in the financial statements or the audit report by Ernst and Young (Leung, Coram Cooper, 2012) . Another example of downfall of a financial institution is that of HBOS which was a banking giant based in UK. The failure of the company could be attributed to the unhealthy practices adhered to by the company while lending as it was driven more by the belief of the constant increase in the value of the underlying asset rather than the underlying creditworthiness of the borrower. This contributed to the weakening of the balance sheet which was not appropriately captured and reflected by the financial statements of the company thus raising questions regarding auditors conduct (Caanz, 2016). Auditors liabilities under law The role played by an external auditor in regard to continued well-being of the organisation cannot be ignored and in wake of the increasing flexibility in accounting that certain companies are showing, this significance is on the increase. The liability of the auditors primarily arise as the auditors tend to have responsibility and duty towards both the client and also the wide user base consisting of shareholders, suppliers, creditors, regulators and society at large (Gay and Simnett, 2012). For enhancing the possibilities of the auditor adhering with the underlying expectations of these stakeholders, the auditor liabilities have risen as they play a key role in ensuring that early warning signs are available to users. If an audit is performed with due care, it is highly likely to represent the accurate financial performance of the firm and also the underlying risks to the same (Arens et. al., 2013). As per common law, auditor liability may arise on account of fraud or negligence on the part of the auditors which in turn leads to failure in the discharging of the relevant fiduciary duties. The prominent liabilities in this regard are mentioned as follows. Negligence liabilities As the name suggests, the origin of these liabilities could be traced on account of negligent behaviour of the auditor based on which investors and other users tend to lose money and hence sue the auditors for the recovery of the same (Caanz, 2016). As the audit professionals have a duty to care towards not only their client but also their wide user base, thus by acting negligently, there is a breach of duty. As the potential losses suffered by the various user base has grown in size, the issue of auditor liability has also gained increasing clamour with users demanding accountability of behalf of auditors (Arens et. al., 2013). Criminal and civil offence liabilities The criminal liabilities with regards to auditor would arise in the event that an intention fraud is committed by auditor. This typically takes place in the form of quid pro relationship with the management where the interests of the shareholders are severely jeopardised (Gibson and Fraser, 2014). In the event of financial statements being misrepresented, the potential stakeholders to whom a duty to care is extended could file for recovery of losses in the form of tall claims. The liabilities are not initiated from the users side and may also be brought about by the client especially in case of negligence leading to material misrepresentation in the statements. Since, the client auditor relationship is bound by an explicit contract, thus the potential liabilities on account of the service standards not being met would be driven by the contract and the relevant provisions in this regard (Lindgren, 2011). Liability of misrepresentations As per tort law, liability arises for auditors in case of material misrepresentation irrespective of the fact whether this has been carried out on purpose or unknowingly as the losses are suffered in either cases (Davenport Parker, 2014). It is imperative that the auditors should take requisite precautions while giving opinion so as to ensure that no material misrepresentation does occur in the financial results. This is imperative considering the wide user base that tends to relies on the audit opinion as a certificate which provides authenticity to the financial results presented on an annual basis (Leung, Coram Cooper, 2012). Proportionate liabilities In regards to this concept, the auditor liability needs to be linked proportionally to the losses of the various stakeholders who suffered due to the negligence or fraud on the part of the auditor. In Australia, current the auditor liability is capped at a factor of 10 of the audit fees derived by the auditor from a particular client, however, there is increased clamour with regard to switching to proportionate liabilities with no upper limit (Cheung Kandiah, 2016). GFC and Auditor liabilities One of the common features during the days when GFC was at its peak was the collapsing of financial institutions despite the presence of the latest unqualified audit report. Without doubt, this matter is extremely serious and raises significant questions with regards to the relevance and ability of the audit professionals (Humphrey, Loft Woods, 2009). This is because the issue of an unqualified audit report indicates that the auditor is authenticating that the organisations financial statements are prepared in accordance with the applicable accounting standard and also the organisational position presented by these is fairly accurate (ASIC, 2016). Also, this indicates to the various users that the auditor is in agreement with the usage of accounting policies deployed by the client to record the various transactions and key balances. This opinion is critical which can be gauged from the fact that if an incorrect opinion is tendered by the auditor and if the same was carried out on pu rpose, then criminal proceedings may be initiated against the auditors (Arens et. al., 2013). The above is validated from the various cases filed by the aggrieved shareholders that were initiated against Ernst and Young which was the external auditor of Lehman Brothers at the time of its collapse. In their tenure when they acted as the auditor, the audit firm hailed various shoddy accounting practices deployed by the firm which were outrightly misleading since they systematically misrepresented the liabilities and gave an overall boost to the companys financial position. One of such accounting policies was the usage of Repo 105 and it is unfortunate that the auditor never highlighted the potential implications on the financial statement of this practice. Eventually, the lawsuit was settled by the firm in 2015 with a settlement amount of $ 10 million (Freifeld, 2016). There are other instances also when class action lawsuit have been initiated by shareholders to recoup the loss on their investments. For example, the same firm (i.e. Ernst and Young) in Canada had to settle a claim to the tune of whopping $ 118 million when it was accused of conducting audits that were below the requisite quality standards for a Chinese client named Sino-Forest which went bankrupt and the audit report provided no clue beforehand with regards to the dwindling financial position of the firm. Also, in a case from Australia in 2013, PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) had to pay a settlement amount of AUD 67 million in relation to class action lawsuit filed by the aggrieved investors of Centro Retail against both the company and their auditors (Aubin, 2013). One of the key striking features of those institutions that could not survive the GFC is the fact that there was sever misrepresentation in the financial statements of these companies as they failed to reflect on the burgeoning liabilities that were already outstanding in the form of derivative contracts and off balance sheet items. Also, the underlying assets valuation was stretched so as to enhance the financial position of the organisation and provide comfort to investors. Further, most of these organisations had sloppy internal controls as faulty business practices continued unabated (Soh and Bennie, 2011). As discussed above, the auditor needs to ensure that the no material misrepresentation happens in the financial statements presented by the company. In the event that certain assets or liabilities are not disclosed by the company, this essentially is categorised as fraud and requires that auditor takes proactive steps to report the same to the concerned authority so that appropriate corrective measure can be undertaken. If any fraud is not detected by the auditor, the auditor could still avoid liability by proving that no negligence was observed while carrying out the audit and appropriate audit tests were performed in line with the potential audit risk. Besides, the auditor also needs to prove that it shares no quid pro quo relationship with the higher echelons of management and therefore in not intentionally misrepresenting the financial statements (Gay Simnett, 2012). The above understanding was hailed in the arguments stated in the Pacific Acceptance Corporation v. Forsyth (1970 ) 92 WN (NSW) 29 at 65 case where it was argues the auditor liability would be determined by taking into consideration the conduct of auditor and the presence of negligence and/or fraud (Serperlaw, 2016). The key requirement to avoid any liability is that the auditor while carrying out the audit has to display prudence in giving a professional and informed audit opinion which has relevance for the users and client alike. One issue is in context of valuation of asset where it is reasonable for the auditor to estimate a broad range of valuation based on realistic assumptions and then check whether the valuation of the asset done by the company belongs to the range decided by auditor or not. If the auditor which conducting this process does notice certain discrepancies, then it is imperative to capture these in the report of the auditor. While performing this task, the auditor needs to rely on all the wide experience besides professional skills (Caanz, 2016). The subjectivity in asset and liability valuation in certain cases becomes do high that accurate estimates become difficult and therefore such situations may refer to the inherent audit limitations and are to be considered in the right spirit (Leung, Coram Cooper, 2012). One of the key assumptions with regards to the business is the going concern assumption as per which it is generally assumed that the business would not shut down in the future and continue to operate. But in situations when liquidity threats are faced by the company, the risk of liquidation enhances and the same needs to be captured in the financial statements by the directors of the company (Taylor, Tower and Neilson, 2010). The auditor on his/her part needs to review any potential assessment given by the directors in this regard which also needs to be reflected in the audit report. This is likely to enhance the overall awareness levels of stakeholders in relation to the going concern level of the company (Xu et al., 2013). If the directors of the company do not release such an assessment or issue a wrong assessment of the same, then the audit needs to give an audit opinion that in adverse and should not offer an opinion which is unqualified. However, in case the auditors fails to represents this material uncertainty as part of the audit report, then it would be fair to conclude that indeed negligence is reported by the auditor. At the time of determining the auditor liability in the backdrop of GFC, it is imperative to consider if there was certain information with the auditor in the context of material issues in relation to going concern by still kept these unreported (Arens et. al., 2013). Further, the internal controls need to be robust as their role in preventing misrepresentation in the financial statements is quite critical. Further, the auditor also regularly relies on these internal controls and hence strengthening these could be a step in the right direction. This aspect has become critically important especially after the GFC as the dysfunctional internal controls were without doubt a contributory reason to the enhancement of the overall business risk to such levels where the liabilities outstripped the existing assets (Taylor, Tower and Neilson, 2010). Hence, going forward, the internal controls have a critical role to play which would enhance the overall audit quality (Azim, 2012). Recommendations Based on the above discussion, it is apparent the auditor plays a significant role in ensuring that misrepresentation does not happen in financial statements. With the rise in insolvencies especially during the GFC, the role of auditor and potential liabilities assumed is in the limelight, Further, to ensure that audit quality improves, the robustness of the internal audit procedures and policies needs to be improved so that there is adequate support for the external auditor as the initial auditing is performed by the audit committee. Also, it is advisable that the corporate governance practices that the firm follow should be improved as this ensures that there are reasonable checks and balances to the power of the executive directors especially in the form of non-executive directors those who tend to act in the interest of the smaller shareholders (Caanz, 2016). Besides, the companies also need to prudently manage business risk in line with the mandate given by the shareholders and should not aim for abnormal profits in the short term while threatening the survival of the firm in the long run. The auditors on their part need to ensure that their independence is not compromised and also various professional standards and ethical codes are complied with. Additionally, the auditors continuously need to update their knowledge and skills especially with regards to the latest financial products that keep on entering the market place. This is imperative so that the auditor could provide a reasonable estimation of the value of these complex products along with outlining the associated risks (Gay Simnett, 2012). References Arens, A., Best, P., Shailer, G. Fiedler, I. 2013. Auditing, Assurance Services and Ethics in Australia, 2nd eds., Pearson Australia, Sydney ASIC 2016, Financial Reports. Available at: https://asic.gov.au/regulatory-resources/financial-reporting-and-audit/preparers-of-financial-reports/financial-reports/ (Accessed: 8 September 2016). Aubin, D 2013, Analysis: Knives out for auditors as class actions go global, Reuters Website, Available online from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-accounting-lawsuits-idUSBRE92K0QB20130321 (Accessed on September 17, 2016) Azim, M 2012, Corporate Governance Mechanisms And Their Impact On Company Performance: A Structural Equation Model Analysis, Australian Journal Of Management, Available online from https://aum.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/07/30/0312896212451032.abstract (Accessed on 17 September 2016). Caanz, S 2016, Auditing And Assurance Handbook 2016 Australia, 3rd eds., John Wiley Sons, Sydney Chung, J, Farrar, J , Puri, P Thorne, L 2010, Auditor Liability To Third Parties After Sarbanes-Oxley: An International Comparison Of Regulatory And Legal Reforms, Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Vol.19, No.1, pp. 6678 Cheung, J Kandiah, S 2016, Audit Negligence: Who Is To Blame When It All Goes Wrong, Kordamentha Website, Available online from https://www.kordamentha.com/docs/for-publications/issue2011-04-auditnegligence.pdf?Status=Master (Accessed on 17September 2016). Davenport, S Parker, D 2014, Business and Law in Australia, 2nd eds., LexisNexis Publications, Sydney Gay, G. Simnett, R. 2012, Auditing and Assurance Services in Australia, 5th eds., McGraw-Hill Education, Sydney Freifeld, K 2016, Ernst and Young Settles With N.Y. For $ 10 Million Over Lehman Auditing. Reuters Website, Available online from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ernst-lehman-bros-idUSKBN0N61SM20150415 (Accessed on 17 September 2016). Gibson, A Fraser, D 2014. Business Law, 8th eds., Pearson Publications, Sydney Humphrey, C, Loft, A Woods, M 2009, The global audit profession and the international financial architecture: Understanding regulatory relationships at a time of financial crisis, Accounting, organizations and society, Vol. 34, No.1, pp.810-825. Leung, P, Coram, P Cooper, BJ 2012, Modern Auditing and Assurance Services. 4th eds., John Wiley and Sons, New York Lindgren, KE 2011, Vermeesch and Lindgren's Business Law of Australia, 12th eds., LexisNexis Publications, Sydney Serperlaw (2016) Liability Of Auditors In The Common Law System: Australian Position. Available online from https://www.serperlaw.com/about-us/publications-and-articles/liability-of-auditors (Accessed on 17 September 2016) Shefrin, H Shaw, L 2016, The Global Financial Crisis and its Aftermath: Hidden Factors in the Meltdown. 4th eds., Oxford University Press, London Soh, D Bennie, N 2011, The Internal Audit Function: Perceptions Of Internal Audit Roles, Effectiveness And Evaluation,Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol. 26, No. 7, pp. 605 622, 11 Taylor, G, Tower, G Neilson, J 2010, Corporate Communication Of Financial Risk,Accounting Finance,vol. 50, no. 2, pp.417-446 Xu, Y, Carson, E, Fargher, N Jiang, I 2013, Responses By Australian Auditors To The Global Financial Crisis, Accounting And Finance , vol. 53, no.1, pp. 301338

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The wind was howling and relentless as Fred Westen opened the door and called upstairs to tell his wife that he was home. While he waited or her to come down, he poured himself a shot of whiskey, tilting the decanter with his left hand. In his right he grasped the morning’s Wall Street Journal. The CEO of the luxury apparel retailer Hathaway Jones wanted to hear his wife’s reaction to a story. Martha Westen walked almost languorously down the stairs. She went to the kitchen, poured herself a cup of tea, strolled into the living room, and nestled in her favorite chair by the ?re. Fred handed her the paper and directed her attention to the front page. There she found an article about how an insurer had rejected a woman’s claim for disability because of chronic ack pain, based on information the company had obtained from her psychologist’s notes. We will write a custom essay sample on We Googled You or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Martha shook her head. â€Å"It gets worse every day,† she shuddered as she envisioned a future in which everyone’s medical records were posted online. â€Å"Even our thoughts aren’t private anymore. † At 58, Martha didn’t pretend to be an expert on shared online content or anything else to do with the Internet. All her information was limited to what she read in the popular press. Which was just enough to keep her up at night. â€Å"It’s what I keep on telling you, Fred. There are no secrets now, and we’re just going to have o learn how to live with that. † Martha fell silent, staring moodily at the ?ickering ? re. Fred was almost relieved when the telephone rang. He jumped up to grab the receiver. At the other end of the line was John Brewster, Fred’s old roommate at Andover and now a stringer for a number of U. S. newspapers in Shanghai. Although the two had not stayed close after prep school, they still exchanged Christmas letters and called each other occasionally. The men spent a few minutes catching HBR’s cases, which are ? ctional, present common managerial dilemmas and offer concrete solutions from experts. arvard business review †¢ june 2007 page 1 W e Googled You †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ †¢H BR C A SE S T UDY up and then John eased the conversation around to his daughter, Mimi. Now in San Francisco, Mimi had heard that Fred planned to expand the Philadelphiabased Hathaway Jones into China, and she wanted to be part of the move. All business now, she grabbed her bag, her BlackBerry, and her keys and ran out to catch the ? ight to Philadelphia. Bullish on a China Shop Fred left the house at 5:30 AM every day for his of? ce at 1 Constitution Road. He had a lot of work to do, and there was not a moment to waste. Despite sales of $5 billion in 2006, Hathaway Jones had fallen on hard times. Four years ago, the privately owned U. S. retail chain had recruited Fred because of his imposing credentials and a lifetime’s experience of working with luxury brands and had charged him with waking up the company’s sleepy, onservative stores. It hadn’t been easy.

Financial Planning for National Disaster

Financial Planning for National Disaster Abstract Whether natural or fabricated, disasters strike unexpectedly. When they occur, they can cause serious disruptions in the normal way of life of the affected communities. Aftermaths of a major disaster in a society often shatter routines, disrupt jobs, and/or destroy property and people’s lives.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Financial Planning for National Disaster specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More If it were possible, disasters would be avoided at all cost because the emotional toll, financial impacts, and disruptions that they cause are very traumatic to the affected society. In line with the realisation that it is difficult to stop some hazards that cause disasters from happening, there have been sustained efforts from the international community to focus on disaster risk reduction and disaster planning. This comparative research on Turkey and Mexico presents the financial arrangement for national catastrophes in the two countries. The goal is to shed light the key measures that the two countries have put in place towards reducing and planning for the many risks that are associated with disasters. Introduction Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Disaster Planning are efforts that are undertaken by a given community or a nation towards promoting disaster preparedness and resilience. In the event of a hazard, the losses of property, injuries, loss of lives, and disruptions to the social and economic wellbeing of the society are greatly reduced and/or eliminated altogether (Ragin, 2004). Owing to the enormous financial losses that are associated with disasters, as well as the financial resources that are required to respond and/or to lead recovery plans, financial planning has become a major tenet of the modern disaster risk reduction and disaster planning activities around the world.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get y our first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This comparative study of Turkey and Mexico discusses the financial planning for national disasters in the two countries with an aim of bringing to the fore the key measures that the two countries have undertaken towards ensuring disaster risk reduction and planning and hence reducing the impact of disasters whenever they occur. Country Profiles and Disaster Management Situations Turkey Turkey is the most disaster-prone country in Europe. It has a long history of natural disasters, majorly earthquakes, which have caused serious disruptions to the Turkish communities in the past (MCEER, n.d). The nation of approximately 80 million people is 80% mountainous. As Sengezer and Koa (2005) confirm, â€Å"Primary and secondary risk zones cover 66% of the country† (p. 173). Geologically, the nation lies at the boundary of the African and Arabian plates, which are both moving towards the north. Following the continuous movement of the plates, a large-scale fault line of more than 1000 kilometres referred to as the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) has formed from the eastern to the western side in the northern territory of Turkey. Along this fault line, many earthquakes have occurred in Turkey. Figure 1: Map of Turkey Showing the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) and other tectonic features Source: (Sengezer Koa, 2005)Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Financial Planning for National Disaster specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The history of Turkey cannot be precise without a mention of major disasters that claimed thousands of lives in the 20th century. For instance, in 1939, an earthquake struck Erzincan City that is located in the eastern part of Turkey. According to MCEER (n.d), â€Å"This earthquake devastated most of the city and caused approximately 160,000 deaths† (Para. 5). Ranguelov and Bernaerts (n.d), it killed between 30, 000-40, 000 people in addition to economic losses that almost brought the city to closure. The same city was the victim of another earthquake in 1992 where more than 700 people perished. In this last earthquake, although the figure that represented the lost lives was significantly lower than the previous earthquake of 1992, losses that were incurred through damages of property, including collapse of buildings, destruction of social amenities, and devastation of important infrastructures were enormous. In fact, Ranguelov and Bernaerts (n.d) say, â€Å"The famous Erzincan earthquake (M~8.0) on 26 December 1939 generated many effects†¦ as well as big destruction and many human deaths (more than 30-40 000)† (p. 62). The situation required massive financial resources to bring back the city to its previous state. However, the turning point in the approaches to disaster management came after 1999 following the crucial lessons that were learnt from two earthquakes, namely Izmit Earthquake a nd Duzce Earthquake. The first earthquake, Izmit, occurred in the late 1999 at a magnitude of 7.6. It caused tremendous loss of human lives and property. This earthquake caused the deaths of more than 17,000 people, especially in the hardest-hit Marmara region where over 31, 000 commercial buildings were destroyed (Bibbee et al., 2000).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is estimated that more than 120000 houses were irreparably damaged while between 27000 and 35000 others had to be demolished due to the irretrievable dents. The cost of the earthquake was estimated to be roughly USD3billion. In November 1999, another earthquake, the Duzce, which was approximately 100km from the first earthquake, occurred again along the NAF region. It was recorded to have had a magnitude of 7.2. This earthquake led to death of approximately 1000 people. It brought about numerous injuries and destruction of property. Previously, the disaster management approaches that were used by the Turkish government were focused on disaster recovery. There was no motivation for disaster risk reduction or disaster planning at the time. However, since then, the government and the international community have increased efforts to establish elaborate disaster risk reduction and disaster planning to minimise the impact of the disasters as will be discussed later. The chart below sh ows how the Turkish government has developed an organisational chart that addresses various catastrophe management roles. Mexico Located in the â€Å"fire belt† where more than 80% of the world’s seismic activities occur, Mexico is a nation that has suffered many geological disasters. Further, because of its diverse geographical landscape and climatic conditions, Mexico is exposed to a variety of natural hydro-meteorological hazards such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, volcanoes, and droughts. For instance, in the period 1970-2010, more than 60 million people in the country that has a population of 113 million people had been affected by natural disasters. These figures have placed Mexico in the top 30 nations in terms of exposure to three or more natural hazards (World Bank, 2005). Annually, it is estimated that more than 90 earthquakes of a magnitude of more than 4.0 in the Richter scale are recorded in Mexico. Almost all territories in Mexico, includ ing the Mexico City, are located in earthquake-prone zones. In addition to the earthquake risk, Alva-Valdivia et al. (2000) confirm that Mexico City lies within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt that is well known for its nine active volcanoes that have been a major risk to natural disasters in the region. The risk of tsunami is very real in Mexico, especially along the nation’s Mexico Pacific Coast. In addition, hydro-metrological disasters frequently affect the nation where the events range from severe tropical cyclones to heavy rainfall events and high-intensity storms along the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts. The agricultural sector is also faced with the risk of droughts, which can be very disruptive to many people whose main economic activity is farming. The nation has experienced an increased risk of disasters, especially following the evident amplified economic growth and urbanisation. For instance, more than 75% of the population in Mexico lives in urban cities. Mexico Ci ty, which is the world’s fifth largest city, has seen a rapid increase in its population. With the augmented economic wellbeing and urbanisation, more assets, infrastructure, and social amenities have become essential. Consequently, they have increased the risk of loss of lives and property in the region (World Bank, 2005). Another significant risk factor in the Mexican nation is the tendency of people who have lower incomes to conglomerate in high-risk zones such as slums or mountainous areas, as well as exposure to poor quality infrastructure that is susceptible to destruction in case of a natural disaster such as earthquakes or hurricanes. In the past, Mexico had various disasters that had major impacts on the society. Such catastrophes have revolutionised how disaster management approaches and efforts are coordinated. For instance, in 1985, one of the largest earthquakes in the Mexican history occurred. The Mexican city earthquakes of September 19 and 20, 1985 with a magn itude of 8.1 and 7.3 respectively, had the highest impact. They affected millions of people. Firstly, the earthquakes led to the loss of lives of more than 6000 people. They also led to direct and indirect losses that were estimated at USD$8.3billion. They are among the costliest disasters in the history of Mexico (Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d). Almost 87% of the total losses were recorded from the destruction of building and infrastructure while the remaining 13% went to the loss of productivity, increased cost of service provision, loss of income, emergency response, and temporary rehabilitation. More than 1700 schools were damaged while approximately 30% of hospital capacity in the Mexico City was destroyed. More than 250,000 people became homeless while other 900,000 citizens had their homes damaged. In fact, Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (n.d) say, â€Å"More than 400 buildings collapsed, and thousands more were damaged† (Para. 3). Of all the major disa ster occurrences in the history of Mexico, the 1985 Mexico City earthquakes marked an awakening point where the nation of Mexico put more sustainable efforts and emphasis towards disaster risk reduction and disaster planning. Previously, the focus had been on disaster recuperation. However, the impact of these two earthquakes clearly showed that recovery was very costly and that it would cost less to have risk reduction measures to trim down the impact of disasters on the community and nation. Henceforth, Mexico has done a commendable work towards the establishment of disaster risk reduction initiatives that have greatly helped the country in terms of early warning, financial planning, and resilience of the vulnerable communities. Comparison of the Financial Planning for National Disaster in Mexico and Turkey Financial planning for national disaster refers to the efforts that a given nation puts towards disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness to reduce the financial impact of disasters in case they occur. The financial losses that happen in large-scale disasters are highly disruptive. Sometimes, they require the intervention of the international community for the country or the affected communities to recover wholly. If disasters are not anticipated and financially planned for, the risk of delays in post-disaster response often worsens the adverse human and economic consequences. As such, disaster risk reduction efforts offer the best chance for a country to take a proactive role in preventing or drastically reducing the losses that it may suffer in the event of a disaster (Arnold, 2008). Both Turkey and Mexico face high levels of risk for disaster events. Their history is marred by major disaster events, which have marked an awakening point when the need for disaster risk reduction, including financial planning has become evident as the way to go in addressing future disaster occurrences (Stallings, 1997). With the two countries featuring in the top -ten list of nations that have a high risk for natural disasters, with Mexico at position five and Turkey at position 8, the need for disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness can only be ignored at the peril of the two nations. In other words, it is no longer tenable for the two nations to sit and wait for a disaster to occur without initiating any recovery plans. From the two 1999 earthquakes in Turkey, where â€Å"At least 17,118 people were killed, nearly 50,000 injured, thousands missing, about 500,000 people homeless and estimated 3 to 6.5 billion U.S. dollars damage in Istanbul, Kocaeli and Sakarya Provinces† (MCEER, n.d, Para. 20), the government was put in a difficult place. Finances that were meant for other development activities and the provision of services to citizens were diverted and directed towards disaster recovery efforts. More than ever, there was a need for the government to revisit its disaster management and response strategies to ensure that s uch events and disruptions would never face the nation again. In recognition of the need to establish an elaborate disaster risk reduction and management approaches to reduce the economic impact of future disasters on the people and the government, Turkey put forward a ten-year roadmap from 1999 to achieve the goals of a well-established disaster risk reduction and management apparatus. The plan included, â€Å"the establishment of a national information centre for processing of all kinds of earthquake data, such as the preparation of earthquake catalogues and earthquake hazard maps of Turkey† (Bibbee, Gonenc, Jacobs, Konvitz, Price, 2000, p. 19). During this time, a wide consolation and involvement of experts from different organisations such as the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the USAID, and JICA among other bodies that had an extensive experience in disaster risk reduction efforts around the world were engaged. These efforts were aimed at ensuring su ccessful formation of elaborate policies and authorities that would be in the forefront to coordinate disaster risk reduction efforts in Turkey (Cummins Mahul, 2009). Besides, the framework below was successfully adopted to address disasters in the country. At the end, the government saw that the future of disaster risk reduction lay in the establishment of a central authority that would lead in the coordination of disaster risk reduction efforts that covered preparedness, financial planning, and resilience. The first step in this process was the collapsing of the existing institutions that were focused on disaster management. They had many inadequacies that hindered their capacities to respond to disaster occurrences. The institutions that collapsed included the Directorate General of Civil Defence, Directorate General of Disaster Affairs, and Directorate General of Turkish Emergency Management. Instead, in 2009, a new umbrella body of all organisations that dealt with disaster m anagement was formed. The body became the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (IFAD in Turkey) under the Prime Minister. The IFAD was given enormous resources and authority to be the sole authority in all efforts that were geared towards disaster risk reduction, preparedness, emergency response, and recovery. However, much of the organisation’s efforts have concentrated on preparedness and risk reduction. For instance, the organisation is actively engaged in promoting insurance schemes towards disasters, which have been absent in the nation for a long time. In addition, according to Anan (2011), IFAD recognises the importance of financial planning towards disaster risk reduction. In this case, unlike in the past, the organisation has a strong financial resource base that is allocated by the central government to allow it to carry out disaster risk reduction awareness activities while at the same time responding promptly in the event of a disaster emergency in the cou ntry. The success of the organisation has already been tested and proven, especially during the Elazig Simav and Van earthquakes where the organisation intervened swiftly and responded accordingly to help victims and/or offer disaster recovery plans. Currently, 1% of the national budget of the Turkish government goes to the IFAD, which represents one of the highest percentages of money that is set aside by governments towards DRR in Europe. The situation in Mexico follows almost the same script as that of Turkey. Accordingly, for a very long time, disaster management and coordination efforts were dedicated towards disaster recovery. Very little efforts were focused on disaster risk reduction. Indeed, the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, which in its aftermath left over 6000 people dead and over USD$8billion of financial and economic losses, was the awakening point that effectively changed disaster management and coordination efforts in Mexico forever. In the aftermath of the disaster, t he Federal Government of Mexico (GoM) established a National Commission for Reconstruction in October 1985 to coordinate disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts (Arnold, 2008). After the recovery, efforts were commissioned to start the process of ensuring that future disasters would not have such devastating impacts in Mexico. In 1986, the Sistema Nacional de Protection Civil (SINAPROC) was established as an umbrella body for various government bodies, as well as non-governmental organisations whose mandate was to promote engagement between these bodies to ensure that good approaches to future disasters would be deliberated and adopted where necessary. The SINAPROC, which is now under the control of the Ministry of Interior, is charged with the coordination of disaster risk reduction efforts. Under the leadership of SINAPROC, a Natural Disaster Fund (FONDEN) was established to ensure financial preparedness in the event of a disaster in Mexico. Through this fund, the government of Mexico is now able to dedicate not less that 0.4% of the nation’s budget to disaster risk reduction efforts and recovery. The funds that are available through the kitty can be used to towards emergency response, infrastructure reconstruction, building of low-income housing, and other efforts that are geared towards cushioning the community and government from financial shocks during disasters. While a large share of the budget of FONDEN goes towards disaster recovery, a significant share goes towards disaster risk reduction efforts (Cummins Mahul, 2009). The success of the fund, especially in disaster risk reduction, has been evident through the establishment of an elaborate early warning system for major hazards in the country such as volcanic activities, hurricanes, storms, droughts, and earthquakes, which have helped communities to prepare early or to be evacuated to safety before any disasters strike. A good example is the Hurricane Dean, which did not cause any direc t death in the nation, despite its magnitude. Other success stories of the fund have been evident through the collaboration between SINAPROC, which has ensured consistent adoption of better housing codes such that buildings and infrastructure can withstand earthquakes and hurricanes and hence greatly reduce the impact of the disaster on the society (Cummins Mahul, 2009; Neuman, 2006). In addition, the increasing adoption of insurance covers towards disasters is a clear indication of SINAPROC’s efforts towards the transferring of risk to third parties by property owners to guarantee faster recovery and return to the normal state of affairs in the event of disasters. While Turkey has had better success stories in its financial planning for national disaster efforts, Mexico has also achieved considerable success. Both countries are good examples of how disaster risk reduction efforts can greatly cushion the government and society from extreme impacts of disasters. For better di saster risk reduction efforts, both countries will have to dedicate more resources to financial planning and/or establishing collaborative efforts that will allow more partnerships with other nations and organisations to achieve better results in disaster risk reduction. Discussion The impact of natural and fabricated disasters can cause serious devastations to societies and nations. In many cases, the impacts overwhelm the affected nations’ capacity to cope with the situation. As such, the approach of waiting for disasters to occur to initiate disaster response and recovery efforts is no longer tenable (Twigg, 2004). It is very costly as evidenced in the case of Turkey and Mexico. The aftermath of disasters often leaves nations in economic disasters where they have to appeal to international allies for financial support towards recovery. Therefore, in this case, financial planning and preparedness forms a central tenet of disaster risk reduction, which organisations must ado pt to ensure that they can reduce the impact of disasters while at the same time helping in recovery efforts (McEntire, 2006). The success of financial planning in Turkey and Mexico is a good example of why nations around the world must put more efforts towards disaster management instead of applying the wait-and-see attitude, which often backfires on them while leaving hundreds of people dead, billions of dollars worth of properties’ destroyed, and other devastations that have a lasting impact. Conclusion The relevance of financial planning in disaster management and coordination has been laid bare in this paper. Despite the two countries being geographically separated and distinct, they face unique disaster risks that make them susceptible to disaster events such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and other hazards. The path towards financial planning did not happen overnight. It followed hard lessons and bad experiences that the two countries faced from past disaster even ts. Consequently, disaster risk reduction efforts that encompass many programmes, including financial planning, play an important role in the two nations’ efforts towards disaster management and coordination. Reference List Alva-Valdivia, L., Goguitchaichvili, A., Ferrari, L., Rosas-Elguera, J., Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J. Zamorano-Orozco, J. (2000). Paleomagnetic data from the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt: implications for tectonics and volcanic stratigraphy. Retrieved from terrapub.co.jp/journals/EPS/pdf/5207/52070467.pdf Anan, K. (2011). Rural Poverty Report. Retrieved from ifad.org/rpr2011/report/e/rpr2011.pdf Arnold, M. (2008). The role of risk transfer and insurance in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. Sweden: Swedish Commission on Climate Change and Development. Bibbee, A., Gonenc, R., Jacobs, S., Konvitz, J., Price, R. (2000). Economic Effects Of The 1999 Turkish Earthquakes: An Interim Report Economics Department Working Papers No. 247. Retrieved fro m oecd.org/turkey/1885266.pdf Cummins, D., Mahul, O. (2009). Catastrophe Risk Financing in Developing Countries: Principles for Public Intervention. Washington, DC: The World Bank. Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (n.d). Mexico City Earthquake of 1985. Retrieved from britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1421132/Mexico-City-earthquake-of-1985 MCEER. (n.d). Major Turkish Earthquakes of the 20th Century. Retrieved from http://mceer.buffalo.edu/infoservice/reference_services/turkey-major-earthquakes.asp McEntire, D. (2006). The Importance of Multi-and Inter-disciplinary Research on Disasters and for Emergency Management. Denton: University of North Texas. Neuman, L. (2006). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Boston: Pearson. Ragin, C (2004). Workshop on Scientific Foundations of Qualitative Research. Arlington: National Science Foundation. Ranguelov, B., Bernaerts, A. (n.d). The Erzincan 1939 Earthquake A Sample Of The Multidisaster Event. Retrieved from b alkangeophysoc.gr/menu/congresses/oral/62-63-O8-13-Boyko-Ranguelov_2.PDF Sengezer, B., Koa, E (2005). A critical analysis of earthquakes and urban planning in Turkey. Disasters, 29(1), 171-194. Stallings, R. (1997). Introduction: Methods of Disaster Research: Unique or Not. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters 15, 1(1), 1-29. Twigg, J. (2004). Good Practice Review: Disaster risk reduction, Mitigation and preparedness in development and emergency programming. London: Humanitarian Policy Network. World Bank. (2005). Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis†. Disaster Risk Management Series No. 5. The World Bank: Hazard Management Unit.

I want you to do a literature review about how to bring and Essay

I want you to do a literature review about how to bring and maintaining a recruiting a staff of savvy and highly skilled - Essay Example Achieving the satisfaction of the business owners would mean that the best performers are rewarded for their efforts, and management efforts are appreciated as well. This is unfortunately, easier said than done. An organization has to compete with others in the marketplace and in the same or different industry, in order to attract, retain and keep the best employees on their payroll. At the same time, achieving the best fit for positions in different departments and at different levels of the organization is important. A good employee must not only have the proper skills and attributes for the job, he must be able and willing to perform his duties with responsibility and confidence, whether individually or as a member of a team. He must be a self starter but also willing to follow the instructions, dictates and policies of the organization. Where problems arise, he must be able to approach his supervisors and take their advice. In fact an open culture and collaborative friendly appro ach to problem solving have been the hallmarks of the best organizations (Peters & Waterman, 2004). Management by objectives and providing valuable feedback and guidance during interim and annual performance reviews can help the willing and able employee succeed and earn the respect of his peers as well as his superiors (Crosby, 1992). In today’s recessionary environment, organizations are cautious about hiring too many employees. Business has dwindled and consumer confidence is scarce. College and university graduates are having an increasingly difficult time finding and keeping jobs. It seems that the workplace is full of doom and gloom too, with a lot of directives to follow if one is to hold onto his or her job and make it up the career ladder. More and more of the work population are disenchanted with this state of affairs and the result is that the national unemployment rate of 10 percent in the USA is almost constant. The combination of consumer inertia and loss of con fidence in the system means that it will be some time before we overcome this crisis. This review will focus on how to attract and retain the best staff for the longest possible time by making HR a strategic partner in their lives as well as in promoting the objectives of the enterprise. We will be focusing especially on employee retention, workforce turnover, retaining recent graduates and young worker turnover. Employee Retention: How to Retain Employees in a Downturn   The effects of the financial crisis that occurred in the sub-prime mortgage sector in 2007 had spilled over and affected the rest of the world by 2008. It was really disastrous for most of the world’s economies, given that our financial and economic and trade systems are inexorably linked to one another like compartments in a beehive. Any problem that spills out of control can affect and contaminate the world’s economies in a matter of days or weeks. Since the USA is one of the world’s bigges t economies, its links through economic and trade relations would affect all of its trading partners in some measure, and that is exactly what happened. With the world’s major markets in a nosedive, the situation looked gloomy for a lot of world economies. Even now, most of the EU nations are looking

Genetic Engineering Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Genetic Engineering - Research Paper Example Nature has the inherent ability to produce a new combination of genes through the process of natural sexual reproduction. However the number of combinations that can be produced is small due to limitations in sexual reproduction mechanism. Through the process of genetic engineering innumerable genes can be shuffled from a variety of organisms and used for the production of novel and economically viable traits (Genetic Engineering). This process was initially developed for the production of genetically modified foods that had resistance against pesticides and which provided higher yields. Genetic engineering allows for bulk production of substances which could be an economically viable option in cases where conventional process required to produce the same compound are expensive. This technology is now being widely used for the commercial production of enzymes, antibodies, crops, drugs and vaccines. In addition, several genetically modified organisms such as insects, bacteria, plants, livestock, fishes and animals are also being produced through this process that is not otherwise possible through natural means (Epstein; Abbas, Lasekan and Khalil). Though the technology has ushered in the production of organisms, crops and drugs with unique properties major interest groups within the society believe that genetic engineering is a threat to mankind as there are several grave consequences associated with the development. One of the main concerns is the ability of this technology to disrupt the natural ecosystems and the environment. All the genetically modified organisms such as plants, animals and microbes would further reproduce and mutate to give rise to ne life forms and all of these could cause irreversible changes to the natural ecosystems and environment (Epstein). Most of the genetic engineering work is carried out through the use of recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology that employs vectors such as plasmids or viruses to transfer the