Thursday, January 30, 2020

Growth and Future of Private Equity Essay Example for Free

Growth and Future of Private Equity Essay 1. Overview of Private Equity Private equity is an important source of funds for start-up firms, and firms in financial distress. This type of funding has gained great significance in the past two decades and as such is a relatively new concept. It is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world of corporate finance with extensive applications across all industry segments. Businesses across the globe depend on capital investment for their growth and survival. The capital investment is generally raised through public issues, financial institutions, loans from banking institutions, mutual funds, and lease financing options available in the market. Investment in start-up business venture has high risks associated where business returns are uncertain. Private equity broadly refers to investment in companies that are privately owned. This form of investment generally uses funds raised from pension funds, financial institutions and wealthy individuals for investing in high growth businesses or for acquiring businesses with higher rates of return. â€Å"The private equity market involves large block transactions, which are privately negotiated, generally involving unlisted companies† (Business Standard publication). This type of investment is not listed in the stock exchange and has become popular financing instrument for new business ventures. This kind of investment broadly covers management buy-outs and buy-ins, development capital and venture capital. Management buy-ins and buy-outs In this case private equity funds are used to purchase the company or controlling stake in it using debt and equity capital. Development capital – This form of investment generally refers to money borrowed for development or growth purposes. Capital borrowed under this category can be used for any organizational purpose ranging from financing new lines of production to ensuring smooth completion of on going projects. Venture capital – This refers to investment in new business ventures that has promising growth potential and higher financial returns. Private equity firms establish funds that raise capital from investors who form limited partners. The private equity firms, referred to as the general partners invest this capital along with funds collected from banking and other commercial institutions to buy businesses that have significant growth and increased profitability potential. The general partners have certain guidelines for selecting a company or business for acquisition. A business that combines the ability to generate cash, and significant market value along with a strong managerial team to steer growth in the desired direction is an ideal investment option. The general partners objective is to infuse well-planned growth strategies backed by a strong team to improve the company’s performance and generate higher returns on investment. This is accomplished through strategic advice, market analysis, restructuring of existing operational framework, change management strategies and financing. They make money from the cash flow of the acquired business and then sell them for profitable gains. The relationship is generally of a short-term nature ranging from three to ten years of ownership after which the proceeds are used to acquire another business or finance another venture. Once the company has grown in terms of valuation and profitability it is sold to a larger company or floated on a stock market. The private equity investment has its own cycle that is extended through long periods of activity to support sustained business growth and gains. Private equity firms raise funds every three to five years to fund specific activities within the acquired business. The best time for acquiring a business is when the markets and prices are low. Similarly the ideal time for exiting or selling stakes in the acquired business is when the prices are high to maximize gains from proceeds. Investments within a company are usually held for several years to give time to the business to mature and reach a stage of high profits and market value. The private equity market constitutes of the organized market and the informal market. The organized private equity market includes professionally managed equity investments in unregistered securities of private and public companies. Specialized firms and institutional investors provide professional management services that build on the company’s assets and managerial talent. The private equity managers have large ownership stakes in the business and get actively involved in the overall management of the company. These businesses are profit-building machines for them that are nourished and nurtured to provide higher returns on investment. Once the businesses are established and reap profitable returns they are either listed for public offers in the market or sold to larger companies for higher gains. The organized private equity market has four major players comprising of private equity issuers, intermediaries, investors, and the agents or advisors. The issuers comprises of firms that cannot raise financing in the debt market or the public equity market. These firms are relatively younger in comparison to other firms in the market and they seek to raise capital for new product development or technology to show very high growth rates in the future. These firms are still in the research and development stage. In some cases firms with years of operation in the market venture out to new technologies or lines of service also come into this bracket for financing needs. This segment has assumed great importance in the private equity market with rising statistics and more private equity investors taking active interest in their potential growth capacity and highly profitable ventures. High yields and increasing returns are one of the most attractive features of this market segment. Intermediaries comprise of nearly 80 percent of private equity investments. This market sector mostly constitutes of limited partnership firms managed by independent partnership organizations or by affiliates of financial institutions. This segment also includes small business investment companies, or publicly traded investment companies that account for marginal share of the private equity market. Investors comprise of the public and corporate pension funds forming the largest investor groups accounting for 40 percent of global capital out standings. Public pension funds are the fastest growing group of investors and have overtaken private pension funds in terms of amount of private equity holdings. Endowments, foundations, bank holding companies, and high net worth individuals accounting for almost 10 percent each of the total private equity funds follow the pension funds. The other investors include insurance companies, investment banks, financial investors, and non-banking financial institutions. Agents and advisors form a significant section of the private equity market. They are mainly referred to as the information producers, who place private equity, raise funds for private equity partnerships, and evaluate the feasibility of the partnerships for the potential investors. Their sole purpose is to reduce the cost of information gathering that is required for private equity investment. They facilitate the search of companies in need of private equity funding, and institutional investors who are willing to enter into partnership agreement. They advise on the structure, timing, and pricing of private equity issues and assist in the process of negotiation between the two parties. Their role assumes greater significance in the context of financial investors who are unfamiliar with the local market or economy.   In the informal private equity market unregistered securities are sold to institutional investors, where the number of investors is larger and minimum investments smaller than the organized private equity market. Investors in this segment are mostly insiders in the company who have stake in the company. The companies that are financed through private equity funds benefit in terms of better management and increased efficiency since the investors take active interest in monitoring and improvising changes for better financial performance. The private equity firms have access to specialized management expertise for acquired businesses. Moreover, the private equity managers conduct extensive market research and analyze the feasibility of business ventures from every angle to draw risk assessment and opportunities before deciding on investment. This equips them with indepth market knowledge to make well-planned strategic moves that can reap higher productivity and gains for the private equity investors. The concept of private equity dates back to the year 1946 with the establishment of the American Research and Development Corporation with the sole objective of providing financing to new and start up businesses in the private sector. It was setup as an institution that provided finance as well as management expertise to ailing organizations. Since then the private equity market has witnessed a booming presence across the globe especially in the last 15 years. The sector has generated profits of more than $430 billion for their investors between the years 1991 and 2006. The recent corporate trends in the private equity market have shifted towards consolidations and buyouts. This is mainly attributed to seeking good investments by private equity firms and the benefits of cost advantage and minimizing risks across various channels of distribution. The private equity firms look for companies that are market leaders in terms of product and service offering having a strong management team and high barriers to market entry, attractive growth opportunities and profit margins. The growth of private equity funds is evident with increasing investment in large number of private companies as well as taking public companies private. Private equity has played an important role in economic development contributing to enhanced productivity, competitiveness, and improved performance of businesses in the private sector. The private equity market in India has also grown from US$20 million in 1996 to US$1.75 billion in 2004. The country is emerging as the major market for private equity investments. 2. Growth of Indian Economy The Indian subcontinent having population of over 1.1 billion, diverse cultures, religion, and languages has one of the largest and successfully running democracies in the world. Post independence it has been successful in eroding poverty and illiteracy to a great extent. The low per capita income combined with fewer manufacturing industries and a service sector at the base level had labeled the country as poor and underdeveloped. The economy was primarily agrarian and lack of facilities and infrastructure posed great difficulties in its progress. Initially the government controlled everything from banks to major industries. Facing such extreme situation the country has emerged as one of the fastest growing economies in the world with an annual growth rate of 8% in the last three years. It is also seen as the destination for information technology and global process outsourcing. Increased foreign investments and growth in real per capita income has transformed the economy largely over the last decade. Now India is a rapidly growing economy experiencing a fast growth rate in the past few years. The path of economic development and progress that India has taken is spectacular and has emerged the new market for the world with immense growth potential. Various economists have predicted that India will become a major economic power in the years to come. This is largely attributed to the rising Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the countries and the major economic transformation that has taken place in the countries recently. The Indian economy had very poor growth rate post independence with a predominantly agrarian economy and underdeveloped manufacturing and service sectors. Rise in privatization of various sectors paved the way for economic progress in the subsequent years. The government sought to implement policies to ensure overall development of the manufacturing and service sectors. These measures brought about major changes in the industrial landscape and economic growth rate accelerated. The annual economic growth rate was 5.5% in the 1980s. Industrial growth rate was recorded at 6.6% annually and 3.6% in the agricultural sector. The 1990s witnessed a rapid change in the economic growth and development with the liberalization of the economy. A GDP growth of 9% was observed in the 2005-06 and 9.5% during 2006-07. With rising GDP and increased investment the economy is poised for enhanced growth rate. The economy was largely boosted by growth in tourism, financial sectors, and manufacturing industries. It is now the fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. High growth rates in the industrial and service sector combined with a slump in the major economies across the world in the last few years have provided the Indian economy a boost. The mid 1990s saw a rise in the Information Technology sector in the country. The rapid penetration of computers and the Internet in nooks and corners of the country attributed largely to this rise. Moreover, the abundance of skilled professionals armed with latest technical know-how and the zeal to prove their abilities in this direction provided the necessary impetus. India soon became the hub of IT activities across the globe with surging demand for professionals from the country. Government reforms and policies provided the necessary infrastructure for the growth of this sector. This was a major achievement for the country. The growth in IT sector led to the rise in other associated service and industrial sectors contributing to overall development of the economy. Currently the service sector dominated by IT, financial services, and construction contributes more than 50% of the GDP. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is yet another arena contributing to overall economic development. This segment has attracted huge foreign investments into the country. A large portion of the Indian population comprises of young people. The educated young people have benefited the service sector with the availability of skilled labor and this contributed largely to the development of the country. Despite the slump in global economy that has hit hard some of the most developed economies like United States, Indian economy has remained immune to the effects of this recession. This is primarily due to the strong economic reforms adopted by the country. The low dependence of the economy on export trade is one of the reasons. The Indian economy is more driven by domestic demand than foreign investment. Moreover, the banking system has minimal exposure to foreign currency assets. This has rendered the economy relatively immune to the effects of the global slump. While other economies across the world are facing economic turmoil, India remains on steady footing. Being one of the fastest growing economies in the world India is attracting huge amounts of foreign investment. The total amount of foreign investment reached US$ 8.5 billion in the year 2006. Real GDP Growth Rate during 2003 to 2007   Ã‚   2003   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2004   Ã‚   2005    2006   Ã‚   2007 4.30% 8.30% 6.20% 8.40% 9.20% The chart shows the real GDP growth rate in percentage during the period 2003 to 2007. (Data collected from economywatch.com) The current GDP of the country is at 9.2% per annum that is quite an impressive figure. Growth of merchandise exports and rise in exports of services have strengthened the foreign reserves of the country. The major destinations for exports are United States, United Arab Emirates, and the OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). The active participation of India in international commerce has created enough opportunities for economic growth and development. The impressive growth rates and statistics predict the emergence of a strong economy in the coming future. Economists predict that the Indian economy will become a super economic power in the next two decades. Some of the major development indicators of Indian economy are summarized below: High rate of savings, almost 32% of the GDP and higher rate of investment – approximately 34% of the GDP indicate accelerated growth rate. A young population of the country is another factor contributing to the overall economic growth and development. Highly educated masses contributing to skilled labor force is yet another factor contributing to the rise in the IT and BPO sector. Economic growth has created huge employment opportunities that have helped in reducing poverty considerably. Economic reforms and policies adopted by the Government of India towards social upliftment with particular stress on education, health, and infrastructure has greatly assisted the process of economic growth. 3. Issues facing the Indian Economy India may be reckoned as the emerging economic power of the future, but it has its share of challenges that need to be overcome. Lack of adequate institutional and infrastructure facilities may create bottlenecks in the growth and development of the economy. Since independence the country has faced huge challenges in its way to modernization and political, economic and social growth. Impediments in the form of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, poor health facilities, and socio-cultural barriers posed grave problems in its road to development. The fast rate of growth aided by effective economic reforms helped in overcoming these challenges to a great extent. Poverty and illiteracy were reduced considerably with adequate measures adopted in the form of Five-year plans implemented by the successive governments. The upliftment of the masses by creating employment opportunities and provision for free and compulsory education for all across the country did have significant effect on the economy. Infrastructure also received considerable attention in the development plans resulting in the emergence of a new and modern India. In spite of tremendous progress India still faces major challenges that need to be overcome if the country wants to become a superpower in the near future. The issues and challenges faced by the Indian economy currently are given below: Sustaining a growth rate of 8% per annum for the consecutive five years will be one of the biggest challenges for the Indian economy. The entry of companies and business ventures into the Indian soil requires extensive paperwork and legal procedures. Most foreign companies find it a little intimidating to enter the Indian market due to these reasons. Relaxation and simplification of the entry procedures will definitely work in the interest of the Indian economy. The huge population density of the country affects the gross per capita income of the country. The country’s economy is primarily agrarian but with rapid industrialization and governments boosting the service sector, agriculture has taken a backseat. The government needs to boost this sector as well giving it a more organized look.   Providing proper infrastructure to attract large scale foreign investment is much required for sustainable economic growth. The economy faces widespread problem of electricity supply, proper roads, and communication channels that can affect the economy adversely. Extending proper health care to all is another important issue facing the country. Health care has definitely improved over the past few years but it still remains inadequate by world standards. Poverty is still posing a stiff challenge to the economic growth and development. Inequality of wealth distribution is quite high across the country. Education is yet another challenge faced by the country. The government needs to implement effective policies and reforms to increase the overall standard of living of the poorer section and provide basic amenities to them. Reducing income inequalities along with social reforms are much required for overcoming these discrepancies faced by the Indian economy. The foreign direct investment has become a key feature of growing economic development and the focus of national development strategies in almost all countries across the globe. It is considered an important economic growth indicator that assists boost in domestic capital, productivity, and employment. It is considered to be the lifeblood of any economy. The Indian Government has initiated several promotional efforts to attract more foreign direct investment into the country in the form of private equity. There are several trends that are reinforcing traditional patterns in foreign direct investment across economies that include access to natural resources, markets, and low-cost labor. Globalization and liberalization of the economy added to the attraction of private equity funds in to the country. In addition to these economic factors the expansion in information and communication technologies, and improvement in logistics has greatly shaped the Indian economic attractiveness to foreign investors. Private equity investors across the globe are increasingly shifting their focus to India. Big names in private equity market across the globe like Blackstone Group, Texas Pacific Group, Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts, Carlyle Group, Actis Partners and General Atlantic Partners have ventured into the Indian markets in search of higher returns on investment. 4. Growth Trends of Private Equity in India The market for private equity in India has emerged quite recently. The private equity market grew from a US$ 20 million in 1996 to US$ 7.5 billion in 2006. The country is now reckoned as one of the top ten destinations for private equity investments. Investors across the globe are eyeing the growing Indian market that offers extensive investment opportunities. Local and foreign investors are eyeing the domestic market investment opportunities with increased interest. The major sectors of investor interest are the IT and BPO sectors that continue to dominate the economy but manufacturing concerns are not far behind. Investors are taking avid interest in this rapidly growing market parallel to the Chinese economy that has shown immense potential in the past few years. The rise in entrepreneurship, skilled workforce, rising percentage of people with fluent English speaking capability and the country’s status as the world’s largest democracy have greatly contributed to its rising economy. The private equity market has risen both in terms of greater number of deals and greater number of firms’ capitalizing on this increasing opportunity. The Indian private equity market also saw an increase in exits and improved liquidity in the recent years. The Asian market has largely been perceived as difficult for exits in the private equity sector. Investors are wary of the fluctuating market trends and risk proposition involved in capitalization of their funds. Unlike the Asian market the Indian market has been strengthening over the years this has attracted the investors greatly. The increasing liquidity of the market has played in favor of these investors providing higher gains and returns from public offer deals and trade sales. As per K.P. Balaraj, the Managing Director and co-founder of West Bridge Capital Partners, â€Å"In India, the markets are in their third or fourth year of a bull run. The companies have a number of avenues to raise money at low cost. There’s a lot of liquidity in the debt system. The IPO markets and capital markets are very strong in India, and there’s lot of appetite overseas for Indian securities.† The Indian market has gained the investors’ confidence due to the stable environment and growth statistics that has worked to its advantage in the past few years. The foreign investment growth in the private equity market is seen as yet another boost to this finance segment contributing to a market capitalization of more than US$ 3.56 million in the year 2005. The private equity funds invest mostly in unlisted companies that have good growth potential and cash out option through public offers. In some cases the private equity firms invest in both seed capital and development ventures that have potential high rates of returns on investment. According to a study conducted by Venture Intelligence, a Chennai based research firm, â€Å"Private equity firms invested a record $7.46 billion over 299 deals in India during 2006,† that is three times greater the previous year figures. The biggest deal clichà ©d in 2006 involved Idea Cellular, the fifth largest wireless operator in India, raising a funding of $950 million from a group of private equity investors that included Providence Equity Partners, ChrysCapital, and Citigroup. Another important deal involved Kohlberg Kravis Roberts that paid $900 million for 85% stake of Textronics Software. Warburg Pincus’s $300 million investment in the year 1999 in Bharti Tele-Ventures the largest mobile service provider in India was subsequently sold in several stages for $1.6 billion. This is considered one of the most profitable private equity deals in the country to date. These high rates of returns and attractive gains lured many foreign private equity investors to the Indian market. The tremendous growth of the private equity market in the country is largely attributed to a combination of country-specific factors that distinguish the Indian environment in terms of investment opportunities from other emerging markets across the globe. These factors include: Sustained rapid economic growth of 8% per annum over the past five years consecutively. Rising domestic consumer market of India has given rise to potential business opportunities. A well-established public equity market of India has given rise to increasing breed of private equity investors in the country. The Mumbai stock exchange dating back to 1875 has more than 6000 listed companies recording extensive trading volumes comparable to no other exchange in the world. A highly educated population combined with widespread knowledge of the English language provides a distinctive advantage. The skilled workforce has resulted in the rising development of certain sectors like information technology, business process outsourcing, software development, pharmaceuticals, and automobile components. The country has one of the oldest and largest democracies in the world running successfully across decades. The stable political scenario combined with an effective legal framework has provided the economy with sound base for development and growth. The distinctive advantages mentioned above have created a huge market for private equity funds investors. Private equity firms are investing in retail, manufacturing, healthcare, real estate, infrastructure, media, and telecom sectors in India. India is the second largest market for private equity firms in Asia after Japan. It has surpassed China and Singapore with large amounts of investment in private equity and venture capital in the year 2006. (Source: Indiaopportunitiesfund.com) Research conducted by global research firm Evalueserve suggest that India will receive almost US$ 20 billion private equity funding by the year 2010 making it one of the top ranking countries in the world in terms of private equity investment. The lucrative Indian market has attracted foreign private equity investors in the past couple of years. As per a market analysis report released by Venture Intelligence the foreign capital investment reached US$ 2.2 billion in the year 2005 that increased to US$ 5.4 billion in the year 2006. The market research and analysis conducted by Evalueserve reveals that the Indian market needs an in-depth understanding and evaluation for the investors in private equity market to maximize returns. The investors need to conduct proper market research, adopt subtle managerial skills, and instill patience in order to maximize gains since the market is unique in many aspects. The research shows that there are over 366 firms currently operating in the private equity market in India and another 69 are in the process of starting funding operations. These private equity firms have targeted to raise funds totaling US$ 48 billion for investment between July 2007 and December 2010. This predicted growth statistics may face challenges in the face of economic slowdown in India or a liquidity crunch in the economy. The first firm to initiate private equity investment in India was the Risk Capital Foundation set up in the year 1975. Till the year 1995 very few financial institutions provided capital for investment in private equity or venture capital sector. These institutions were the Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI), Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), and Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI Bank). A number of private equity firms started raising capital from various international and domestic sources to invest in business ventures in the country. This market trend gained momentum during the period 1996 to 2000. The total amount of investment in the private equity and venture capital segment rose from US$20 million in 1996 to US$ 80 million in the year 1997. The market attracted increasing investment from foreign as well as domestic players largely due to the boom in the information technology sector. A crash in the market during the period of 2000 to 2003 brought down the levels of investment. The total number of deals in private equity finance reduced from 280 in 2000 to 110 in 2001. The economy recovered in 2003 and the market growth rate accelerated from 8% GDP to 9% annually. 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Number of deals 5 18 60 107 280 110 78 56 71 146 299 Value of deals 20 80 250 500 1160 937 591 470 1650 2183 7460 (Source data: Private equity market in India Evalueserve Market research report 2007) Out of a total GDP of US$ 910 billion in India in the year 2006 approximately US$ 7.5 billion accounted for private equity investment. This amounts to 0.8% of the total GDP. A comparative analysis of the private equity investment in other developed countries reveal that the percentage spent on private equity is far below countries like United States and United Kingdom. Private Equity Investment as a percentage of Total GDP of some major economies: (Source: Evalueserve Market research reports 2007) A global stock market review conducted by Standard and Poor ‘s in May 2007 reveals that the Indian equity market has far surpassed the markets of emerging and developing nations for the past three months growing at a rate of 25.87 percent as opposed to other key economies that reported a growth rate of 13.83 percent. The Chinese market reported a growth rate of 16.82 while the Mexican market growth rate stood at 24.4 percent. The equity market in South Africa rose by 11.48 percent. It was observed that the Indian stocks were cheaper than the Chinese stocks. The appreciating rupee in India has led to higher capital inflow from foreign investors to the Indian economy and this is accounted for higher growth rate in the Indian economy. The increase in interest rates of banks across the globe has a positive impact on the Indian economy. This trend will result in reduced external borrowings and consequently the export segment of Indian companies will not be affected. Similarly other developments in the global economy has had very little or negligible effect on the Indian economy so far and this has proved conducive for the private equity market in the country. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has specified the regulatory framework for investment in private equity and venture capital segment in India. A foreign investor proposing for investing in the Indian private equity market needs to fulfill the following eligibility criteria and other requirements specified in the SEBI foreign venture capital investor guidelines: The applicant’s track record, competence, financial soundness, and experience in the related industry are evaluated. The applicant needs to obtain an approval by the Reserve Bank of India for making investments in the country. The applicant needs to be an investment company, trust, partnership, pension fund, mutual fund, endowment fund, charitable institution or any other entity incorporated outside India. The applicant can be an asset management company, investment manager, or investment management company incorporated outside India. The applicant must possess the authority to invest in venture capital or operate as foreign venture capital investor. Evaluate if the applicant is regulated by an appropriate foreign regulatory authority or is an income tax payer. Check if the Board has not refused the applicant a certificate. Check if the applicant is a fit individual with proven track record. Besides the above-mentioned eligibility criteria the SEBI lays down certain investment guidelines that need to be followed by the foreign investors: The foreign investor must disclose its investment plans and strategies to the SEBI. At least 66.67% of the investment funds must be invested in unlisted equity shares. Not more than 33.3% of the investable funds may be invested in: Subscription of initial public offer of a venture capital undertaking whose shares is not listed. Debt or debt instrument of a venture capital undertaking in which the investor has already made an investment by way of equity Preferential allotment of equity shares of a listed company, subject to a lock-in period of one year The equity shares or equity linked instruments of a financially weak or sick industrial company whose shares are listed. 5. Sector Wise Growth Trends in Private Equity Market The primary feature of growth in private equity market in India has been the increased domestic market investment opportunities that are dominated by both local and foreign investors. In addition to the increase in investment in Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing sectors a large number of deals have been made involving the domestic market in India with particular emphasis on the manufacturing sector. In the year 2006 the total investments in the private equity market ranged from IT and IT-enabled industries, to banking and financial services, insurance and health care sectors, engineering and construction to manufacturing. While the IT and IT-enabled industries accounted for more than a fifth of the total investment, the manufacturing sector attracted approximately $1 billion. Another significant sector receiving substantial private equity funding was the real estate sector that received almost $1 billion funding in 2006. But a greater portion of this amount was used to acquire physical assets. Shankar Narayanan, the Mumbai based Managing Director of Asia Growth Capital at the Carlyle Group states â€Å"We’re sector agnostic. Broadly we see two investment themes: One, the growth of outsourcing, whether IT, IT-enabled services, generic pharmaceuticals, clinical research, contract manufacturing, engineering and design or any other knowledge based service; and two, the huge infrastructure and consumption needs this growth fuels.† Most of the foreign investors are channeling funds to the Indian and Chinese market that have shown tremendous growth potential. These investors scale up the operations of the acquired firms and facilitate all-round transformation that spruces up the firm’s processing capabilities. It is widely felt that the family owned businesses in India that have so far been conducted in an orthodox traditional managerial approach can widely benefit from the private equity funding. The financial, strategic, and managerial support provided by these private equity-investing firms can transform the company’s operations to provide larger scales of operation and world-class business outlook. The various industrial sectors comprising of financial services, manufacturing industries, construction and information technology are attracting the foreign investors to India. In the year 2006 the service sector accounted for 55% of economic growth rate while the contribution of manufacturing and industries’ sector was 26% and the agriculture sector accounted for 19% of the overall economic growth in India. There are basically three industry sectors that are proving highly lucrative for the private equity investors in the country. These are broadly categorized as below: Hi-tech products and service sector comprising of the following segments: Information technology and software application development Business process outsourcing Knowledge process outsourcing Drug research and clinical research outsourcing Engineering services outsourcing Software and solutions related to e-commerce Telecommunication products and related services The market trend reveals that this sector will grow at approximately 22% per year during the next five years. The investment in this sector is of high value with higher rates of return. Service and retail sector that caters to the Indian domestic market needs including – Retail market of consumable goods Travel and hospitality sector (airlines, hotels) Health care (spas, hospitals) Entertainment (movie and television industry) Private education sector   This sector is expected to grow at approximately 19% per annum in the next five years. Products and services related to high-end manufacturing and infrastructure that includes automobiles, automotive components, electronic components, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, textiles, real estate, and construction. The growth rate of this sector is expected to reach 19% annually in the next five years. The pie chart below gives an insight into the sector wise private equity investment trend in the past three years. The financial services received the highest foreign private equity funding totaling US$ 277.8 million that constitutes 19.8% of the total funds invested. The total funding in this sector including the domestic investment accounted for 32%. (Source: Thompson Financial) The next industry that received most funding in the private equity form was the consumer related sector totaling US$ 196.7 million. This was approximately 14% of the total foreign private equity financing. The overall financing in this sector was 23%. The Medical Health industry accounted for 16% of the total funding, with total foreign equity investment amounting to US$ 134.4 million, followed by construction accounting for 15% and the Internet related sector accounted for 14% of the total private equity investment including foreign and domestic sources. The graph below shows the breakup of domestic and foreign funds invested in the private equity market in India. As is evident from the graph the amount of foreign investment far exceeds domestic funds invested in the private equity market in India over the past five years. Private Equity investments in India – breakup of foreign and domestic investment over the past five years (Source: Thomson Financial) The private equity market is thriving due to the huge influx of foreign funds in the recent years. The appreciation of the rupee combined with a strengthening stock market and controlled inflation rates are responsible for the huge attraction that the Indian private equity market is having for foreign investments. Among recent activities in the private equity market in India is the acquisition of Hutchinson Essar Ltd, a cellular carrier by Reliance Communications facilitated by private equity players like Blackstone, Texas Pacific, and Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts with a funding of almost $10 billion. Private equity emerged as the single most largest investment segment in the year 2006 with private equity deals overtaking both foreign and domestic strategic investors. Private equity investment in India crossed the global average by 20 percent of investment as a proportion of total merger and acquisition deals accounting for 28 percent of total value of deals. 6. Problems Facing the Private Equity Market in India The rapid pace of economic growth in India has raised concerns regarding the stability of the economic environment. The economy poses certain risks and challenges to the emerging and developing market of private equity investment. The country’s population demographics present a confusing picture – 54% of its population is below 25 years of age that works in favor of the economic growth and development. But at the same time statistics reveal a large gap in income distribution. The economy is widely imbalanced in terms of income distribution. It has a large chunk of population still under the poverty lines and at the same time the number of high net worth individuals is increasing. Some of the important sectors of the economy like Information Technology and IT enabled services, telecom services, airlines services and construction services are experiencing shortage of skilled labors. Most of these sectors depend heavily on the human resource for survival and growth. With rising inflation and increasing wages the companies are finding it difficult to retain employees. Better pay packages are luring the skilled staff to hop companies and this has become a matter of grave concern for most organizations. Increasing attrition rates and rising wages are posing a serious challenge to existing companies and start-up business ventures. A few years back the economy was known for providing cheap and skilled labor but with rising inflation the wages have also gone up thereby increasing the cost to companies in addition to high levels of attrition. The rapid economic growth and rising GDP has resulted in increasing cost of commercial as well as residential property. The boom in real estate is reaping benefits for most landowners but the purchasing power of the people have not increased at the same rate. This might have a negative impact on the economy in the long run. The real estate prices will be forced to crash with lesser number of people being able to afford the rising prices. The crash in the real estate market will result in substantial losses for the investors. The Indian stock market is currently on a strong footage with number of companies listed in the Bombay Stock Exchange rising steadily. A market fluctuation might topple the stock market any time and this could lead to severe losses for the investors. Foreign investments in the Indian economy in the last four years have been on the rise and this is one of the major factors contributing to the overall development and progress. Short-term foreign institutional investors invested more than US$ 40 million in the country while long-term foreign direct investment was US$ 23 million in the last four years. The short-term investment can be pulled out in any moment of crisis and this could result in severe economic setback for the country. The rapid inflow of capital in the form of these short-term investments for purchasing equities and securities has no doubt strengthened the stock market, but an outflow of this capital will depress the stock market and cause the economy to fumble. The economy needs more of long-term foreign direct investment to stabilize growth. Lately the Indian rupee has appreciated by more than 10% with respect to the US dollar, 8% with respect to British pounds, 7% with respect to Euros and 11% with respect to Yen. On one hand this appreciation has benefited the economy by making imports cheaper and controlling inflation to a considerable extent. The price of crude oil has been kept in check in India due to this reason. On the other hand the valuation of exports has gone down and this has hit some of the small-scale exporters hard. Moreover the Indian goods have to compete with Chinese goods in the market that are relatively cheaper and has captured larger market share. Broadly the Indian economy presents high risks to investors in terms of possible depreciation of rupee, high inflation, policies adopted by the Indian government for further liberalization of the economy and the highly volatile nature of the Indian stock market. Since the markets present high risks to foreign investors in the Indian market, they expect higher returns as compared to investments made in other developed economies of United States and Europe. The private equity firms that invest in these developed countries for a period of five to seven years expect an average net annual return of 13% to 15%. But the private equity firms investing in India have a time frame of three to five years and expect an average net annual return of 25% to 27%. 7. Future Trends in Private Equity Market in India Several factors have contributed to the growth and rise of private equity market in India. Among these the most prominent is the stable economic and political environment of the country that has triggered economic growth and prosperity in the past few years. The Indian economy is witnessing increasing number of high net worth individuals with increasing assets. The country has a large number of family-owned businesses that present excellent opportunities for investment and growth. Most of these businesses are changing their operational structure to accommodate new and better technology for higher returns. Tatas, Ambanis, Wipro (Azim Premji), Birlas,   Singhs (Ranbaxy) and Bajajs are all family-run business. The Bombay Stock Exchange lists 47 companies that are partially or fully family-owned businesses with a total market capitalization of US$ 345 billion in the year 2007. The changing faces of the traditional modes of conducting business have created huge scope for investment. The existing modes of operations require re-modeling and re-structuring requires adequate investment. The family-run businesses lack effective management and vision to expand in the domestic and global market. The infusion of appropriate capital funds with strategic management moves and planning can create a huge difference in this type of business ventures. An investment in such companies can prove mutually beneficial for both parties. This has created a huge demand for private equity investment. Rising disposable income in the middle and higher income group has led to significant changes in their lifestyle. This has created markets for new sectors of commerce. One of the sectors affected by the changing lifestyle of these classes is the growth in domestic flight service sector. The country currently has 325 airplanes on the domestic route but this figure is projected to reach 750 by the end of 2010 that is expected to generate annual revenue of US$ 12 billion. The rise in this sector has created the need for more airline maintenance companies that are so few in numbers currently. Likewise it has also created market need for airline certification companies that will certify and check the audit requirements of the airplanes and the airlines companies. This is just an illustration of how emerging economic trends have given rise to new service sectors that require financing. Similar trends are visible in the food and beverage industry sector. Rising demand for quality processed food and beverages are slowly making their presence felt with changing tastes and lifestyles. The automobile industry is yet another industrial sector witnessing immense market growth potential. Finer tastes and longing for world-class cars engineered with latest technological specifications is changing the face of this industry. This sector is expected to generate revenue of US$ 165 billion by the end of the year 2016. E-commerce is yet another avenue of potential growth and development. The sector being in its nascent stages has a long way to go in the Indian market. Industries are slowly realizing the revenue and growth potential of this medium and are revising their existing strategies to exploit the advantages of increased market share and global outreach. The need for skilled professionals for the rising industries and opportunities presented by the growing economy has driven the educational institutes to adopt new strategies and expansion models to cater to changing market needs. More and more companies are entering this sector to satisfy the growing market requirements. The real estate and hospitality service sectors are also experiencing widespread changes owing to changing lifestyle and increased disposable income. Investment in this sector needs to be carefully examined and studied since the real estate prices in India are overpriced as compared to other economies in Asia. A growth in market demand has resulted in subsequent rise in demand for capital investment. Favorable economic conditions have lured private equity investors both domestic and foreign to start operations in India. The country’s extensive pool of skilled labors has produced excellent managerial and entrepreneurial talent who has ventured into new and promising business ventures. The private equity market in the country is still in its initial phases of development and hence promises immense scope and potential in the near future. The increasing interest of global firms in the Indian market has overcome the challenge of attracting more funds into the private equity sector. The real challenge now lies in extracting maximum value from these investments and retrieve higher gains. Government policies have raised the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in various sectors to attract more funds. The retail sector now has 51 percent foreign investment limit while in the telecom sector the FDI limit has been raised from 49 percent to 74 percent. Absolute ownership of foreign firms is allowed in some selected infrastructure sectors like development of new airports, petroleum, mining of coal and lignite, natural gas pipelines and mining of diamonds and precious stones. 8. Conclusion The impact of private equity funding on the country’s economy has been quite significant since this financing sector has added new dimensions to the booming industrial and service sector in India. The financing alternative available to the firms has not only assisted them in improving financial and market valuations but has also provided them with the necessary backing to fulfill expansion and diversification strategies to the existing line of products or services. Max Calderon, a senior partner of Apex Partners Worldwide, which is a $20 billion firm is of the opinion that the â€Å"drivers of the private equity investment in the Indian market include consolidation in fragmented industries, international expansion, increasing domestic market spend, and continued growth in value added services. â€Å" It is only recently that the private equity funds have adopted segmentation and specialization strategies in acquiring investment portfolios. Some of the private equity firms target early stage investment in technology or matured stage investment in manufacturing. The strengthening stock market is witnessing increased volumes of trading and this has eased the exit process for private equity funds investors. Multinational financial institutions like Citigroup Venture Capital, Barings and Westbridge Capital, Warbug Pincus and Actis Partners have taken strong interest in this emerging market. Global private equity players like Blackstone and Goldman Sachs have established permanent operations in the country to reap the benefits of this promising market. The key factor to successful operations in this market will depend largely on one sole factor – the right leadership and availability of a strong team of professionals. The private equity market requires adequate managerial talent for designing effective business strategies for successful acquisitions made by the investors. It is therefore essential that the private equity firms focus on specific industry sectors to build their professional expertise and specialized areas of operations. This builds on the firms’ value and potential for higher rates of returns over their invested funds. The private equity firms hence not only need to look into the experience and skill sets of the professionals they hire but also need to train them on the finer aspects of the business requirements. The team of executives need to take overall responsibilities of entire operations and functioning within the company and think as owners while devising strategies and business plans. An in-depth knowledge of the business and market area is an essential asset for this venture. Experienced professionals are hence much in demand and a valuable asset for this market segment. The private equity firms also need to conduct extensive and in-depth market research and analysis activity before investing in any company. The Indian economy presents a diverse and variable growth indicators across the geographical boundaries. An understanding of the existing socio-cultural and political environment of the region helps to understand better the market and consumer behavior pattern. The investors across the globe are increasing fund allocations for the private equity market in India. It is boom time for this market segment and the trends of growth will continue over the coming years with the adoption of adequate government policies and measures to ensure a strong market performance.   The private equity market is reaping benefits on the one hand from expanding into overseas market through acquisitions and on the other hand investing into private equity assets managed by global fund managers. Reference: What PE firms look for in Private Companies – Financial Executive Journal from British Council, December 2007 Private Equity: How long can the perfect storm last? Financial Executive Journal from British Council, September 2007 Think like private equity to enhance Financial Executive Journal from British Council, November 2007 Evalueserve Whitepaper – An indispensable guide to equity investment in India, Facts and Forecasts – September 2007 –   Market analysis report from www.evalueserve.com From BPO to buyouts, Indian private equity is booming – 2005 AVCJ Private equity report – India Private equity pushes into India, Africa Financial Executive Journal from British Council, January/February 2008 Indian Buyouts – A market report by Anthony O’Connor Journal from British Council, June 2006 Economics of private equity market – Stephen D. Prowse, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas – Economic review journal third quarter 1998 Recent developments in the private equity market and the role of preferred returns – Daniel Covitz and Nellie Liang, Board of Governors of Federal Reserve System, Washington DC   An overview of private equity: evolution of the asset class, rationale and considerations for investing and keys to success – James McGovern Review of the Economy 2007/2008 – Economic advisory council to the Prime Minister of India, New Delhi, January 2008 Our current perspective on private equity investing in India – Gopal Jain, Gaja Capital Partners Investing in India – Surging economy sees private equity investments soar by Arun Subramaniam – The Wall Street Journal, January 24, 2007 http://www.ventureintelligence.in/WSJ-01-07.pdf accessed on 30th March 2008   India’s economic star sectors: sliced and diced – an analysis on foreign private equity investments among India’s top industries – Thomson Financial www.thomson.com/financial   Private equity in India – adding human capital to the value creation recipe – Luis Moniz – Heidrick Struggles http://www.heidrick.com/NR/rdonlyres/BDE42EF8-E443-44D9-9B6F-48E69D67093D/0/HS_PrivateEquityIndia.pdf accessed on 31st March 2008 Private equity market in India http://www.indiaopportunitiesfund.com/private-equity-market-in-India.html accessed on 31st March 2008   India tops global market with 26% growth: SP – June 9, 2007 http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/06/09/stories/2007060906500100.htm accessed on 30th March 2008   An introduction to Private equity http://www.bvca.co.uk/publications/guide/intro.html accessed on 30th March 2008 What is private equity? http://www.ipeit.com/pe.htm accessed on 30th March 2008   http://www.indiape.com/ accessed on 30th March 2008 http://www.idfcpe.com/pages/main1.html news articles accessed on 30th March 2008   http://www.privateequitycouncil.org/ Public Value: A primer on private equity 2007 – accessed on 30th March 2008   Economy watch – Indian economy overview http://www.economywatch.com/indianeconomy/indian-economy-overview.html accessed on 30th March 2008   http://news.indiamart.com/news-analysis/india-is-most-immune-18256.html accessed on 30th March 2008   Global research project on growth – India: Economic Growth, 1950 – 2000 by Shankar Acharya and Isher Ahluwalia http://www.gdnet.org/pdf2/gdn_library/global_research_projects/explaining_growth/India_complete_31Mar04.pdf accessed on 30th March 2008   The rise of Indian Economy: John Williamson http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/item/2006/0406/will/williamson_india.html accessed on 30th March 2008   Indian Economy – Section 1: Economy and Markets http://www.bseindia.com/downloads/IndianEconomy.pdf accessed on 30th March 2008   Private equity article: http://www.privateequityinfo.com/article.php accessed on 30th March 2008   Globalization of alternative investments – working paper volume 1 – the global economy impact of private equity report 2008 – World Economic Forum http://www.weforum.org/pdf/cgi/pe/Full_Report.pdf accessed on 30th March 2008   A coming of age for private equity Business Standard, 7 November 2007 http://www.mayin.org/ajayshah/MEDIA/2007/pe.html accessed on 30th March 2008

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Comparing Philosophies of Donnes To His Mistress and Herricks Corrina

Comparing Philosophies of Donne's To His Mistress and Herrick's Corrina Going A-Maying  Ã‚   The seventeenth century in England produced two varying schools of poetic philosophy which included the metaphysical and the cavalier. While the metaphysical poets, comprised of the artists who followed John Donne's use of the metaphysical conceit, tended to reinforce the traditional forms of love and devotion, the cavalier poets, led by Ben Johnson, intellectualized the themes of their poetry. Both metaphysical and cavalier poets such as John Donne and Robert Herrick experimented with poetry of seduction, dramatic verse from a male lover attempting to persuade his beloved. Although both poets attempt to incite their mistresses, the methods of persuasion in Donne's "To His Mistress Going to Bed" and Herrick's "Corrina's Going A-Maying" differ in accordance with their different schools of poetic thought. Whereas Donne employs a lustful attitude, derogatory diction, and metaphysical conceits to harshly command sexual activity; Herrick utilizes a more intellectual and sensitive argument with his religious undertones, persuasive and playful diction, and personification of nature. The variation between metaphysical and cavalier poetry can be seen through differences in Donne's and Herrick's attitudes towards their mistresses represented by varying structure, diction, imagery, and religious language. Although both "To His Mistress Going to Bed" and "Corrina's Going A-Maying" contain many imperative sentences, their structural differences reflect Donne's feeling of superiority in spite of Herrick's admiration for his mistress. Donne's simple aabb rhyme scheme indicates his feeling that his mistress either cannot understand or does not des... ...gently rebuking Corrina for her inactivity. Although both Donne and Herrick employ imperative structures, sensual imagery, religious language and allusions to persuade their respective mistresses, Donne's superiority complex debases his mistress while Herrick's reverent attitude cajoles. Donne cares very little about his mistress evidenced by the lack of her name throughout the poem which resembles an urgent appeal. Conversely, Herrick's five stanzas and elaborate metrical structure indicate a planned appeal. Donne's lustful and solely physical approach contrasts sharply with Herrick's intellectual ploy in a complimenting and gently rebuking manner. The variance in the approaches of the poets is characteristic of their respective schools of poetic thought and illustrates the differences in approaches to poems of seduction by the metaphysical and cavalier writers.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

My Personal Goals

Every successful person has a list of values, visions, and goals. I live by my values, make decisions with my visions in my mind, and set goals that will help me reach my life visions. These three elements take me to places I want to be in life. These elements reflect achievement goals and performance goals. â€Å"Achievement goals reflect the purpose of an individual's achievement pursuits and two general types have been proposed: mastery and performance. When pursuing mastery goals, an individual's purpose is to develop competence by acquiring new knowledge and skills (e. . , â€Å"My goal in this class is to understand the material as thoroughly as possible. â€Å"). When pursuing performance goals, an individual's purpose is to demonstrate competence relative to others (e. g. , â€Å"My goal in this class is to do better than other students. â€Å"). Thus, individuals can be motivated to achieve for two very different reasons: to increase their competence by learning as much as they can or to gain favorable judgments of their competence by performing as well as they can compared to others. † (Barron & Harackiewicz, 2001, p. 06) My achievement goals and performance goals are family, career, and education. These three categories intergrade within one another. My education goal is to obtain my Bachelors of Science in nursing degree. My career goal relies on the completion of my degree to continue to advance in my career. My family goal is to maintain a healthy, happy, well-balanced structure while perusing and achieving my other goals. â€Å"Professional life has a great impact on the personal life of a person. If one is neglected, then, the other aspect will be hampered. So, a proper scale of balance must be maintained. (Kar, 2011, p. 11) Throughout life as values and visions change and goals are attained, new goals arise. Education is my new goal. My vision for my career path has given me the value to achieve a Bachelors of Science in nursing degree. I have chosen to attend â€Å"University of Phoenix† online to help maintain family balance and life visions. I believe â€Å"University of Phoenix† design courses to help meet and maintain my education short-term goals and to stay on track with meeting my long-term education goal. My short-term goals include completing and passing every course. Within my short-term goals there are milestones. The milestones are laid out in class discussions and smaller assignments. The large assignments and group projects will be part of my short-term goals for that course. I will divide my large assignments into milestones. Completion of each milestone within that assignment I will reevaluate the progress and continue to move forward until milestones are meant and assignments successfully completed prior to due date. Meeting these milestones will help me reinforce my commitments as I continue to advance forward. My education goal is a new goal because of my change in careers. I had been a trauma nurse since 2003. Working in the emergency department I demonstrated leadership skills, personal accountability, and professionalism by exchanging ideas and feedback while embracing opportunities for change. October 2013, I was approached to apply for an administration position and accepted the offer. One requirement for the position is to obtain my BSN, in addition to a short-term goal for my career so I can continue advancing forward in my career path. My current position has directed me to the following pathways. Improve efficiencies with nursing processes, reduction of readmission rates, increase satisfaction scores with pain management and develop outreach programs for patients with chronic disease. I have individual visions for each pathway. Every pathway goes in different directions. It is important to maintain clear vision and focus on every pathway individually. I have short-term goals that help me reach my visions. I rely heavily on team approach to meet goals with exceptional outcome. I facilitate each team; the team plans the short and long-term goals for the projects. Within the short-term goals there are milestones with due dates. Progress and barriers are addressed at scheduled meetings. The process drives timing, communication, and progress. To maintain balance among my family, work, education, and free time, I will use several tools. A planner lays out timing to achieve short-term goals and record milestones. My educational time is early morning and late evening studies; dividing my educational time helps maintain balance with family needs. The family’s schedule displays in the kitchen on a calendar whiteboard. The calendar is visible to everyone and lists important activities. My time after work is according to children’s homework, activities, and events. I have set aside eight hours a week for time in the gym, which is very important to maintain life balance and reduce stress. At work I have to use different tools. Outlook calendar displays my meetings and events. A whiteboard is in my office where I list projects. This list creates visual details of ilestones, due dates, and target completion dates. Completed projects are kept track of in an excel spreadsheet to monitor success or barriers. Projects are officially titled successful when measureable outcome demonstrates effectiveness, efficiency and increase productivity. In conclusion, I will attain my educational goal by achieving my BSN degree. My short- term career goals are to continue to complete projects with exceptional outcome. My long- term goa l is to continue advancing in a successful career path. I understand I have to sacrifice things to allocate for new goals. I know scheduling time each day to work on my goals is a key to my success. To reach my goals I understand I cannot allow excuses. I know it will be critical to stay on task and to do what needs to be accomplished every day. â€Å"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Every step toward the goal requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals. † (King, 2001-2013, p. 1)

Monday, January 6, 2020

Toltec Weapons, Armor, and Warfare

From their mighty city of Tollan (Tula), the Toltec civilization dominated Central Mexico from the fall of Teotihuacà ¡n to the rise of the Aztec Empire (approximately 900-1150 A.D.). The Toltecs were a warrior culture and fought frequent battles of conquest and subjugation against their neighbors. They warred in order to take victims for sacrifice, expand their empire and spread the cult of Quetzalcoatl, the greatest of their gods. Toltec Arms and Armor Although the site has been heavily looted over the centuries, there are enough surviving statues, friezes and stelae at Tula to indicate what sort of weapons and armor the Toltecs favored. Toltec warriors would wear decorative chest plates and elaborate feather headdresses into battle. They wrapped one arm from the shoulder down in padding and favored small shields which could be quickly used in close combat. A beautiful armored tunic made of seashells was found in an offering in the Burned Palace at Tula: this armor may have been used by a high-ranking soldier or king in battle. For ranged combat, they had long darts which could be launched with lethal force and accuracy by their atlatls, or javelin throwers. For close combat, they had swords, maces, knives and a special curved club-like weapon inlaid with blades which could be used to batter or slash. Warrior Cults For the Toltecs, wars and conquest were closely linked to their religion. The large and formidable army was likely composed of religious warrior orders, including but not limited to coyote and jaguar warriors. A small statue of a Tlaloc-warrior was unearthed at Ballcourt One, indicating the presence of a Tlaloc warrior cult at Tula, much like the one that was present at Teotihuacà ¡n, the predecessor of the Toltec culture. The columns on top of Pyramid B are four-sided: on them they show gods including Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl in full battle gear, providing further evidence for the presence of warrior-cults at Tula. The Toltecs aggressively spread the worship of Quetzalcoatl and military conquest was one way to do so. The Toltecs and Human Sacrifice There is ample evidence at Tula and in the historical record that the Toltecs were avid practitioners of human sacrifice. The most obvious indication of human sacrifice is the presence of a tzompantli, or skull rack. Archaeologists have unearthed no fewer than seven Chac Mool statues at Tula (some of which are complete and some of which are only pieces). Chac Mool statues depict a reclining man, belly-up, holding a recipient or bowl on his abdomen. The recipients were used for offerings, including human sacrifices. In ancient legends still told to this day by locals, Ce Atl Quetzalcoatl, the god-king who founded the city, had a dispute with the followers of Tezcatlipoca, mostly about how much human sacrifice was needed to appease the gods: the followers of Tezcatlipoca (who favored more sacrifices) won the conflict and were able to drive Ce Atl Quetzalcoatl out. Military Iconography at Tula It seems that nearly all of the surviving art at the ruined city of Tula has a military or warlike theme to it. The most iconic pieces at Tula are by far the four Atalantes or mighty statues which grace the top of Pyramid B. These statues, which tower over visitors at 17 ft. (4.6 m) high, are of warriors armed and dressed for battle. They bear typical armor, headdresses, and weapons including the curved, bladed club and dart launcher. Nearby, four pillars depict gods and high-ranking soldiers in battle dress. Reliefs carved into benches show processions of chieftains in battle gear. A six-foot stela of a governor dressed as a priest of Tlaloc bears a curved mace and dart launcher. Conquest and Subject States Although historical data is scarce, it is likely that the Toltecs of Tula conquered several nearby states and held them as vassals, demanding tribute such as food, goods, weapons and even soldiers. Historians are divided concerning the scope of the Toltec Empire. There is some evidence that it may have reached as far as the Gulf Coast, but there is no conclusive proof that it extended more than a hundred kilometers in any direction from Tula. The post-Maya city of Chichen Itza shows clear architectural and thematic influence from Tula, but historians generally agree that this influence came from trade or Tula nobles in exile, not from military conquest. Conclusions The Toltecs were mighty warriors who must have been greatly feared and respected in central Mesoamerica during their heyday from about 900-1150 A.D. They used advanced weapons and armor for the time, and were organized into fervent warrior clans serving different ruthless gods. Sources Charles River Editors. The History and Culture of the Toltec. Lexington: Charles River Editors, 2014.Cobean, Robert H., Elizabeth Jimà ©nez Garcà ­a and Alba Guadalupe Mastache. Tula. Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Economica, 2012.Coe, Michael D and Rex Koontz. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008.Davies, Nigel. The Toltecs: Until the Fall of Tula. Norman: the University of Oklahoma Press, 1987.Gamboa Cabezas, Luis Manuel. El Palacio Quemado, Tula: Seis Decadas de Investigaciones. Arqueologia Mexicana XV-85 (May-June 2007). 43-47Hassig, Ross. War and Society in Ancient Mesoamerica. University of California Press, 1992.Jimenez Garcia, Esperanza Elizabeth. Iconografà ­a guerrera en la escultura de Tula, Hidalgo. Arqueologia Mexicana XIV-84 (March-April 2007). 54-59.

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Biological Theory And Psychological Theory - 1260 Words

Now day’s murder becomes very common in all countries due to increased desires and due to increased competition. Unlawfully killing of one human by another especially with a desire to harm others and see others suffering from pain, these are planned or sometimes unplanned. Murder done by convict (Hashmukhial Mistry) because of depressed mind and family conflicts. This essay explains the application of biological theory in case of Hashmukhial Mistry killed his wife and his father before taking his own life. Biological theory is originated from Social trait theory, deviant trait theory and psychological theory. Biological theory of crime assumes that a person lead to criminal activities just because of their physical attributes. Physical characteristics are generally transferred from parents to children. If certain physical attributes which force a individual to do some criminal activities are transferred to child from their parents that make the child more at risk of committing the crimes. Children mostly learn all the things from the family and society which increased day by day with increasing age. Johan Casper Lavater believed that shape of the skull and other facial features impacted human to conduct criminal activities. Charles Goring developed a study that compared prisoners with member of the Royal Engineer of London and found no differences in facial features or skull size between the two groups. However, Goring did conclude that he prisoners tended to haveShow MoreRelatedThe Biological And Psychological Trait Theory851 Words   |  4 PagesThe Biological and Psychological Trait Theories are theories that are used to try and explain deviance. Biological Trait Theory stems from the Italian School of Criminology (mid-nineteenth century), head by criminologist Cesare Lombroso. Lombroso argued that criminality was a biological trait found in humans. Lombroso’s idea of atavism connected an individual’s appearance and their biological inclination to criminal activity. The Psychological Trait Theory focused on the mental aspects of explainingRead MoreClassical , Biological And Psychological Theories901 Words   |  4 Pages Early classical, biological and psychological theories have helped shape the burgeoning world of criminology. Many of the ideas they held were unique, however, some key principles are still in use by there modern counterparts. Classical psychological theories, focused on two main concepts; personality and behaviorism. Personality theories helped improve cognitive sciences and behaviorism called attention to social learning with a focus on behavioral conditioning. For example, Ivan Pavlov, a prominentRead MoreSocial, Biological And Psychological Theories1880 Words   |  8 Pagesnegatively influenced by the media and the way crime is portrayed. 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The new police departments were replacements for the night-watch systems and relegated constables and sheriffs to serving court orders and running jailsRead MoreThere Is A Wide Array Of Theories About The Cause Of Crime1102 Words   |  5 PagesThere is a wide array of theories about the cause of crime ranging from predisposition to environmental factors. Research and development of these deli nquency theories have progressed and been categorized by biological, psychological, and sociological theories. A major biological theory is Richard Dugdale’s theory of inheritance. There are several psychological theories with two of them being intelligence theory and Sigmund Freud’s personality trait theory. Sociological theories includes Emilie Durkheim’sRead MoreThe Theory Of Body Types, And The Y Chromosome Theory1194 Words   |  5 Pagesto Sociology March 26, 2016 Deviance Many different theories exist regarding deviance. Biological, psychological, and sociological perspectives have applied their different thought processes to produce many theories. Some of these ideas have been discredited, however some remain significant today. Sociological theories differ from biological and psychological theories by looking at external factors rather than internal ones. Biological theories on deviance are the result of looking for answers thatRead MoreA Comparison of Biological and Psychological Explanations of Schizophrenia531 Words   |  3 PagesA Comparison of Biological and Psychological Explanations of Schizophrenia Both the biological and the psychological explanations of schizophrenia are supported by empirical evidence which justify their explanations. However ,within the biological explanation there is the genetic explanation which is used largely based on scientific research such as that of Gottesman’s research using meta-analysis which looked at the family (including twin) relationships and concordanceRead MoreClassical Theories Vs Psychological And Physical1712 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Anderton, Classical Theories vs Psychological and Physical Passivism 1 The Minority Report movie is about a dubious yet powerful Pre-Crime program that utilizes psychic visions to imprison potential killers before they have acted. The film brings up concerns with the blemishes and disappointments of equity and science against the background of wrongful conviction. The film also deals with mass imprisonment, DNA innovation, and preventive detainment of warehousing criminals on the guise of futureRead MoreTaking a Look at Biological Criminology1240 Words   |  5 PagesBiological criminology began many years ago along with the scientist Cesare Lombroso. He believed that criminals are born, not made. A â€Å"born criminal†, is a â€Å"defective individual†, whom has natural or instinctive tendencies towards low types of social life. (Biosocial and Psychological Theories, Feb. 11, 2014) Biological criminology believes criminals are genetically determined but face major shortcomings for being â€Å"simplistic, untestable, illogical, and often ideological† (Biosocial and PsychologicalRead MoreWhy do individuals commit crimes?1381 Words   |  6 PagesTHEORIES OF CRIME Uka 5 THEORIES OF CRIME Uka 6 Can I Have Some Theory With That Crime? Why do individuals commit crimes? Society today is very well concerned with this matter. In todays time, there are psychologists, criminologists, biologists, and sociologists searching for an answer. In reality, the answer to this question is very hard to find out. However, for centuries, researchers of all kinds have been persistent in analyzing criminals for an answer. The scholarly attention to crime from

Friday, December 20, 2019

Juvenile Justice Systems - 833 Words

Introduction Juvenile crime is a term around the world that is difficult to pinpoint and although there are several definitions many fail to be concrete. There are many factors that play into sentencing juveniles or minors upon a crime committed. How old are they? Can they mentally form criminal intent? Are they old enough to no longer be treated as children? Some people would argue that a criminal is just that, regardless of age. Research on the other hand shows that juveniles have underdeveloped brains who at times have difficulty rationalizing decisions and weighing out consequences. It is important that these issues are addressed because of the implications this has on not only the juveniles but the community around them. These†¦show more content†¦A study showed that the frontal lobe the largest part of the brain that controls the brains most advanced functions is the last part of the brain to develop. So even though they are perfectly able in other parts of the brain t heir lack of a developed frontal lobe can distort a juveniles decisions. (American Bar Association, 2003) This makes it difficult for juveniles to measure consequences beyond their actions in the moment. In a film about incarcerated Juveniles 14 year old Colt was convicted of killing his stepfather. He tells his story and what he was thinking before committing the act, â€Å"I didn’t think I would go to prison, I thought the worse they could give me was probation or boys camp, I didn’t realize that after the fact that every decision I make has consequences.† (Kent, 2011) Research in adolescent brains has shown us that they use their amygdala to make decisions. Amygdala is responsible for fear and anxiety making juveniles reliance on it quite dangerous. In male adolescent in particular we see an increase in testosterone which increases aggression and in females the increase of hormones causes depression anxiety causing irrational choices. (American Bar Associati on, 2003) Often the underlying issue behind juvenile delinquency is due to factors that they juvenile cannot control. Growing up in situations where there was substance abuse, being the victim of physical or sexual assault can triggerShow MoreRelatedJuvenile And Juvenile Justice System752 Words   |  4 PagesThe juvenile justice system and criminal justice system also known as the adult justice system is two different systems. The juvenile justice system is children who are under the age of 18 years old. After the age of 18, it is considered to be an adult it will enter through the adult justice system. There ate states that allows youth to stay in the juvenile justice system from age 18 until 21. The main differences between the juvenile justice system and criminal justice system is rehabilitation andRead MoreThe Juvenile Justice System And Juveniles1663 Words   |  7 Pagescriminal justice system and juveniles, there have been many landmark cases that have made a significant i mpact on the juvenile justice system. The cases arise from dealing with certain aspects that comes from handling juveniles entering the system. Since juveniles are very different from adults they have to deal with them a certain way and a case by case basis. The court cases concerning juveniles and the decisions that have come from them is what has made what the juvenile justice system is todayRead MoreJuveniles And The Juvenile Justice System1559 Words   |  7 PagesJuveniles committing crimes is not a new issued being introduced to society; actually, it has been an issue for centuries. However, the big question is, should juveniles be tried in adult courts? Before answering, take into consideration every possible scenario that could have led them to commit the crime. For instance, were they the leader in the act? Did they participate in the crime? Was the juvenile even aware of what was taking place? Were they peer pressured? Did they have any other choiceRead MoreThe Juvenile J ustice System For Juveniles1397 Words   |  6 Pageswere treated the same as adult criminals. If you are a young person under the age of 18 and you commit a crime, you will have your case heard in the juvenile justice system. The thing is that, it hasn’t always gone that way. The idea of a separate justice system for juveniles is just over one hundred years old (American Bar). Where did juvenile justice come from? The law was in the image of the common law of England. William Blackstone, Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England, first publishedRead MoreThe Juvenile Justice System1313 Words   |  6 Pages Today s concept of the juvenile justice system is relatively new due to significant modifications in policy overtime. The justice system has been trying to figure out effective ways to treat juvenile criminal offenders successfully for years. The justice system did not always have a special category for juveniles and their crime. Juveniles was once treated as adults when they committed crimes and were subjected to harsh punishments. The juvenile court was the culmination of efforts of the positivistRead MoreThe Juvenile Justice System788 Words   |  3 Pages The juvenile justice system was founded with the goal to serve the best interests of the child, with an understanding that youth possessed different needs than adults. Over the course of our semester we have come across various research studies that proves that the adult system is not well equipped to house and rehabilitate the delinquents. These studies have shown that more juveniles that are transferred to the criminal justice system ends up back in the system, which means the recidivism rateRead MoreThe On The Juvenile Justice System Essay1236 Words   |  5 Pages I would request that Senator Perkins vote against the proposed amendments to the Juvenile Act. Part A Although public safety is both a legitimate and justifiable concern, the proposed changes to the purposes clause would go against the primary purpose of the juvenile justice system, rehabilitation and treatment as opposed to punishment. During the 19th century, the American legal system tended to treat juveniles who violated the criminal law much as it did adult offenders. Consequently, if courtsRead MoreJuvenile Justice And The Juvenile System4789 Words   |  20 PagesJuvenile Justice Consultant When thinking of reforming the juvenile justice system one has to think; what can we do to make this better for everyone involve? There are some programs that can be implemented when trying to make a change in the juvenile system. The main thing is getting parents or the guardian more involved in the child’s whereabouts. Secondly the community where the youth will have a place to go and have something more constructive to do to keep them out of trouble. Law enforcementRead MoreJuvenile Justice System856 Words   |  4 Pagesthe juveniles. A juvenile is someone who is at or below the upper age of the original jurisdiction in their resident state (Juvenile Justice, 2013). Juveniles due to age are not treated at the same level as adults; due to this we have Juvenile Justice. Juvenile justice was said to be considered all the way back to the early years from the English brought over to American culture from England (Juvenile Justice, 2013). Since then in America we have ha d 5 major periods in the Juvenile Justice systemRead MoreThe Juvenile Justice System795 Words   |  4 Pagessentencing demonstrates initial success in reducing recidivism rates in national outcome studies. The goal of these diversion programs is to keep adolescents out of the juvenile justice system whenever possible (Lipsey, Howell, Kelly, Chapman, Carver, 2010). These diversion programs divert adolescents from entering the juvenile justice system and offer alternatives to formal disciplinary action (Chantoe Manton, 2014). Teen courts (also called Youth Courts) are a growing type of diversion program that

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Implications Of X-Ray In Medical Field Applied Treatment Regimen

Question: Discuss About The Medical Field As Applied Treatment Regimen? Answer: Introduction The latest development in medical technology has placed patients in a position where diagnosis of medical conditions is far easier and accurate. One such diagnostic tool is X-ray that is highly useful for detecting complex medical conditions. It is however to be noted that unnecessary exposure to radiation can bring about harmful impacts to individuals. The present paper discusses the usefulness of X-ray as applied as a diagnostic tool for assessing conditions of the chest. Special attention is given to the diverse types of X-ray works and the strategies which could implemented for reducing the diverse effects of the radiation. The impacts of X-ray on human body, both adverse and common ones, make up a significant section of the paper. There exist several X-ray tests that can be carried out on a patient depending on the problem in question. Such X-ray range from abdominal x-rays and intraoral x-ray to chest x-rays among others (Cole et al., 2016). Chest x-ray is a type of imaging test that uses very minimal radiation amounts in the picture production of organs, bones or body tissues focused near the chest of the patient. Through this diagnosis test aids physicians in the identification of abnormalities, diseases of the blood vessels, heart, lungs and even bones (Resnick et al., 2014). Besides, these chest x-rays are used in the determination of presence of fluids in the lungs or even in the air that surrounds the lungs. Ionizing radiation is any type of electromagnetic or particle wave that carries enough energy to ionize or remove electrons from an atom (Neroladaki, et al., 2013). The radiation has sufficient energy that can remove electrons from their orbital shells which can either be present in the atomic or mo lecular orbital of the cells of the tissues which they penetrate (Cook et al., 1998). A common ionizing subatomic particle arising from radioactivity is made up ofalpha particles,beta particlesandneutrons. Almost all products of radioactive decay are ionizing due to the fact that the energy contained in the radioactive decay is typically much higher than what is required to carry out the ionization. When humans are exposed to ionization from x-ray radiation over a long period of time in sufficient quantities, the exposure can result into body tissues being damaged, and also a disruption of the cellular functions at the molecular level, all of which are conditions that cannot be corrected. The ionization effect on the deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA] is of particular interest (Martin Sutton, 2015). There exist three interactions describing photon absorption in tissues: the first effect is known as the Campton effect (here a photon does collide with an electron not bonded to the atom, kno wn as free electrons), the second is known as the photoelectric effect {the process where an incoming proton undergoes collision with a tightly bound electron}, lastly is an interaction known as the pair production {in this process a pair production photons interacts with the nucleus of the atom. Through this they are able to create a pair of both positively and negatively charged electrons in the process. The positive electrons then ionize until it is able to combine with free electrons, hence generating two photons that do move irregularly in opposite directions}. Under the influence of electromagnetic radiation, there are changes brought about in the living organisms life structure [x rays or gamma rays] or the charged particles fluxes [beta radiation, protons and alpha particles] and neutrons (White et al., 1991). The initial effects of any type of radiation on biological objects start with the body absorbing energy during irradiation. This is then accompanied by molecule excitation and their ionization. There exist various principles that characterize the biological effects of ionizing radiation; for instance, there is the profound disturbance of human activities which are brought about by small energy quantities absorbed by the body. Thus, the energy absorbed is irradiated with a lethal dose upon heat conversion to energy, hence raising the body temperature by 0.001 degree Celsius (Morgan Sowa, 2015). Secondly the biological impacts of ionizing radiation are not limited to those particular organisms that are subjected to irradiation, as this kind of limitation may spread to the succeeding generations. This theory is explained in details by the effects on the hereditary apparatus of the organism (McDonald et al., 1996). The last theory talks about the slow observation made on the development of radiation sickness. The adverse effects of X-rays differ in every individual and are dependent upon the body conditions of the patients. In this context, some of the patients undergoing radiation therapies do not develop any contradictory signs at the very beginning. However as argued by Corne Kumaran (2015), a number of side effects may arise later along with the development of autoimmune disorders. Thus, of the some of the notable autoimmune disorders is Rheumatoid Arthritis. In this context, the immune system of the body fails to differentiate between its own cells and foreign tissues. This triggers the synthesis of macrophages, which have necrotic actions.However as commented by Hart et al. (2000), the autoimmune disorders are not always triggered by exposure to radiations. The response may also be elicited by a series of metabolic disorders in the human body. For example, presences of conditions such as diabetes result in tissue necrosis of the arms and legs due to excessive sugar deposition. After a chest x-ray has been done to a patient, the results are interpreted by a radiologist who analyzes the images and then sends the results to referring physicians who then interpret the results. These results are available almost immediately for review by the physicians. Patients are advised on the importance of the second test after the fast result is out. It is necessary for a patient to go for follow up examinations for detecting potential abnormality that can be highlighted through further evaluation through special imaging techniques (Corne Kumaran, 2015). However as commented by Adam et al (2014), the lack of sufficient support from the medical and health care professionals often hinder the success of the process. The second test is also necessary since any occurring change in the form of abnormality can be observed over time. Follow-ups are also important as it helps the physician to determine whether the finding is stable or changing over time and whether the treatment is working (Lowe et al. 1999.). However, as argued by Corne Kumaran (2015), the lack of motivation in the patients and lack of peer support often challenge meeting the health requirements through follow up. There are both benefits and risks of being exposed to chest x-rays. After the x-ray test is done, there are no traces of radiation remaining in the body of the individual; x-rays are not known to cause any side-effects to the individual in the typical diagnostic range; the x-ray imaging has been found not only to be fast but also easy (Adam et al., 2014). Modern x-ray systems, as compared to the old system, have implemented dose control method and helpful in minimizing the scattered radiation. However as commented by Adam et al. (2014), lack of sufficient infrastructure often prevent the patient from demanding required services. This then ensures that the patients body parts that are not being imaged always receive minimum exposure to radiation. There are limitations to in-chest radiography (Kessel Robertson, 2016). In the last few decades have witnessed increased application of technology in the medical sector. It has been found that chest x-ray is very useful besides having its disadvantages. This is because there are some chest conditions whose identification is not possible on a conventional chest x-ray image; hence the mentioned kind of examination is not able to rule out all chest problems. For instance, on a chest x-ray small traces of cancers are not shown. Also, pulmonary embolism a condition of a blood clot in the lungs is not visible in a chest x-ray (Richardson, 2017). According to medical research we see that X-rays interacts with tissues in two ways; photoelectric effect this is an interaction where the proton uses all of its energy in order to get rid of an electron from an atom, and the Compton scatter - here the photon hits an atom, hence ionizing the electron without using up its energy content. The photon then scatters un-uniformly with a little energy with the free electrons going about causing damage (Cotes et al., 1993). Though the contribution of X-rays in the medical field is undisputable, however, the Compton scattering is associated with a number of perils. In this context, the free radicals have been found to cause point mutations. Some of the point mutations can be lethal and may have adverse effects in the current or the upcoming generations. The point mutation could be regarded as an alteration in the normal base pairing of DNA leading to transition and tranversion effects. As argued by Cotes et al (1993), depending upon the immunity of the human body the SOS response might be failed resulting in the development of malignancy. The photons that are scattered then travels back towards the tube passing through the patient hitting the detector from any odd angle or scattering again with the patient. X-ray penetration has been found to be an exponentially decreasing function of thickness of the patients body part being tested. As the beam x-ray penetrates tissues, there is less energy since protons are absorbed. The photoelectric absorptions probability is roughly proportion to (Z/E)3, where Z is the atomic number of tissue atoms and E becomes the photon energy. As E gets larger in amount the interaction drops rapidly; as seen from the Beer-Lambert equation the protons amount going through an object does drop exponentially as illustrated in the middle of the panel simulation. Note that a particular number of protons are always needed in the production of the x-ray image. In case the x-ray is not able to penetrate the body due to blockage by any tissue, there is no generation of images. Instead, there will be a grey blob visible on the screen. In the soft tissues, the dominant elements namely are Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen that do have low K-edges in the range of Kev (Mettler, 2013). There is not a justified K-edge with a substantial change in attenuation as the elements do make a contribution to the photoelectric effects and the attenuation of low x-ray energies. The K-edge value for iodine is 30 Kev to 40 Kev, while that of barium is the same. This is found right in the centre of the x-rays beam spectrum. Absorption due to Compton scattering is not dependent of the x-ray energy, though Compton is dependent on the electron density. However, as compared by Paganetti (2014), in order to obtain low energy beams low kV needs to be used. Also, it should be ensured that there is no filtration taking place. Traditionally the production of low-kV x-rays was done by the use of molybdenum of tungsten anode. It is important to note that at the K-edge of a given material photo electric effects become accentuated. Linear energy transfer (LET) is the measurement of the ionization in which radiation causes per unit distance as it transverse a cell or a living tissue. Most of t he natural background radiation including medical x-rays are said to be low LET, while on the other hand alpha particles do pose high LET. Ionization radiation can seriously disrupt the cells chemistry, hence killing or either causing a permanent change to the cells (Paganetti, 2014). After the cells are damaged it is always difficult for the cell to repair. In the modern world of medicine, medical imagery has been seen to have undergone major advancements. Therefore, it has become possible and very easy for the technicians and other medical practitioners to achieve information regarding the human body. However, as argued by Mettler (2013), maintenance of the medical equipments often demands a greater amount of investment. In this respect, lack of sufficient knowledge often prevents in attaining the required standards of health and care services. The recognized methods used in medical imagery include the conventional x-ray, computed tomography, Magnetic Resonance Image (MIR) and mammography (Adam et al., 2014). The use of MRI possesses a number of health hazards such as a 1.5 T magnet generating a magnetic field 21,000 greater than the normal magnetic field produced due to the gravitation force of the Earth. As mentioned by Neroladaki et al. (2013), the magnitude of the magnetic field in huge to attract any paper, clips and other small objects present in the room. The application of the method comes with a huge number of medical disclaimers. Mathematical principles have assisted in the facilitation of treatment with x-ray radiations in the medical field, giving us both the effects and the advantages of the later. The increasing human demand is affecting our health standards with both the requirements and optimization of the radiation protection principles (Sherer et al., 2014). However, as argued by Wraith et al (1995), the increasing population puts a demand for the development of more effective medical intervention policies. A radiologic medical procedure that is justified should be supported by the national health authorities and the professional societies, for instance the recommendation on producing procedures for individuals who are at an increased risk of developing a particular health condition. The imaging referral guidelines are found to be helpful to health-care professionals for making informed decisions in the provision of providing clinical decision-making tools emerging from evidence based criteria (Wraith, et al., 1995). Always, a justification for an examination should depend on the professional evaluation of comprehensive patient information which includes; imaging taken in prior, the clinical history that is regarded to be relevant, laboratory, and treatment information among others. Ultrasonography or MRI (radiofrequency and electromagnetic waves) are preferred especially to the pregnant mothers and the children, whenever available (Fletcher et al., 1986). Conclusion and further analysis In this respect, the medical practitioners in the application of the radiation guidelines and principles face a number of ethical challenges. The practicing radiologists often have to encounter a moral dilemma regarding the applicability of the radiation guidelines. This is because providing effective treatment in severe and lethal conditions such as Cancer calls for sophisticated scanning and imaging processes. Most of which are dependent in the application of hard x-rays or other imaging process. As argued by Chapple et al (1994), the same might generate free radicals in the human body, which shows severe oxygen scavenging properties. The activity of the free radicals is however debatable, though they have been seen to prevent abnormal tissue growth I the body. On the contrary, as argued upon White et al. (1991), some of the activities of the free radicals are expressed in the form of additional health symptoms such as fatigue, weakness and lowered immunity. The most frequently done diagnostic X-ray examinations include radiographs of the chest and the abdomen. These tests are commonly considered in neonatal intensive care units. The images that are generated are obtained as two different exposures; one of abdomen of the patient and one of chest. They can also be obtained as a single exposure in order to include both anatomical regions on one film. Observed variations the medical field size does give various uncertainties in DAP and hence the effective doses estimated from it. Hence there are no significant differences in effective dose observed between the radiographic techniques. Infants, who are born prematurely with a gestational age of as low as 23 weeks, do survive due to the continual advancements witnessed in neonatal intensive care practices (Faulkner et al., 1989). According to the information given by the international journal of radiology, radiation oncology and all related science, some infants might require various radiographic examinations throughout their neonatal care, however the radiation exposure to an individuals life for 10 years in life might have an attribute to that particular individuals lifetime risk that are three times or four times greater than that after the age of 30. Besides, due to the fact that long life expectancy of children, as compared to adults, tends to have a greater period for the potential expression for the delayed effects of radiation, the methods of reducing radiation dose to the young children for a diagnostic radiography are of paramount importance (Chapple et al., 1994). For a single child, both chest and abdominal radiographs are to be requested simultaneously, for example in order to localize an umbilical artery. Besides, the findings of a small survey that was conducted at the outset of the study revea led that there was no general agreement between different hospitals as whether these images should be obtained as two separate exposures or as a single exposure including both anatomical regions on one film. Consideration was given to the use of thermoluminescent dosimeters to record entrance surface dose (ESD) (Quality criteria for diagnostic radiographic images in paediatric, 1992). According to physicians, "medical exposure is justified through the weighing of the expected diagnostic or the therapeutic benefits found to be against the potential radiation detriment. Hence the procedure is judged in doing more good than bad." The justification principles do apply to the three medicine levels (ICRP, 2007a) as described below. What lay at the primitive level is how proper radiation used in health sector has been approved to be causing more harm than good. At the secondary level there is a specific procedure justified for a certain patient population showing relevant symptoms or even a group of individuals at a clinical conditions risk for a clinical condition is that its able not only to be detected but also to be treated. Also on the third level, a justification for the application of a specified procedure to an individual patient is provided in case a particular application is judged to do more good to an individual as compared to the harm caused (Mettler, 2013)F rom the above discussion it can be concluded that chest X-ray in a noninvasive medical diagnostic tool effective in identifying different conditions. This form of radiology technique uses ionizing radiation in small amounts. This method is easy and fast, making it the priority when an assessment is to be done. The exposure to ionization radiation has drawn much attention of researchers in relation to the harmful impacts it has on the patient, such as deformation of nervous systems and others. Among the risks that a patient might experience are the existence of a minor chance of developing cancer due to unnecessary exposure to radiations. This is particularly noticed in the case of pregnant women where the physicians should apply necessary amendment strategies in order to protect the fetus from the harmful effect of the radiations. In this regard, adoption of a patient centered approach would help in meeting the required safety standards. Thus, adopting such strategies would help in ensuring that an interactive interface is established between the patient and the proactive care team. A number of precautionary methods need to be considered while using the radiation technology. With advent of future research, new milestones would surely be achieved in this section of radiology. 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