The City Of Des Plaines - 1336 Words

Community health nursing is a challenging, yet crucial nursing care that improves the quality of health care for the community of Des Plaines. The city of Des Plaines is a suburban community located in the northwestern part of Illinois and it is mostly residential with single housing community. It is a small city with a population of 58.677 people (cencus.gov) and is part of Cook County. Des Plaines is surrounded by other communities such as Mount Prospect in the west side, Park Ridge Village on the east side, which houses Lutheran General Hospital, one of the biggest hospitals in Illinois. On the southern borders is placed Rosemount Village, which hosts one of the busiest airports in the United States. Des Plaines River runs between Park†¦show more content†¦During the windshield survey, there were many teenagers that were inside the fast food stores or inside the malls holding big cups of soda beverages which are high in sugary calories. Also, there were no people exercisi ng outside due to freezing temperatures, which also contributes to the lack of exercise and increased obesity. The obesity rate for Cook County is 25% and the physical inactivity is 20% (County health Rankings Roadmaps (2016). Strength, Risk Factors, and/or Barriers The behaviors that influence increased obesity in children and adolescents includes consuming foods that are in high calories and beverages, decreased physical activities, and sedentary lifestyles (CDC.gov). During the windshield survey in the Des Plaines community, there were many restaurants and grocery stores that were accessible by car or by public transportation and were located in the main streets. Unfortunately, the most frequented were the fast food stores that were accessible due to the multiple locations in almost every corner of the big street and closer to residential areas, and cheaper in price. Also, another factor that contributes to the increased obesity is the high rate of foreign-born residents including Hispanic population, which according to United States Census Bureau (2016), is 30% compare to 13% in the United States. Some cultures such as Hispanics consume food high inShow MoreRelatedThe West Part Of The United States Of America1025 Words   |  5 PagesCabeza de Vaca, a Spaniard, arrived to the Texas’ shore. At the time Spain had already conquered South and Central America. Cabeza de Vaca was the first person to explore North America for Spain. A tribe of Indians took care of him and his men. Eventually, most of the tribe died from dysentery. As an outcome, Cabeza de Vaca and his men were held as captives. In result, Cabeza de Vaca was unable to explore the land for nearly two years. After escaping, Cabeza de Vaca worked his way to Mexico City. AlongRead More An Analysis of McDonalds Essay1736 Words   |  7 PagesMcDonalds hamburger stand in California running eight Multimixers at a time, he packed up his car and headed West. It was 1954. He was 52 years old. Where it all began, Des Plaines, Illinois Ray Kroc opened the Des Plaines restaurant in 1955. First days revenues-$366.12! It’s no longer a functioning restaurant, the Des Plaines building is now a museum containing McDonalds memorabilia and artifacts, including the Multimixer! Ronald McDonald, In Any Language He Means quot;Fun!quot; quot;TheRead MoreJohn Wayne Gacy1511 Words   |  7 Pagesbusiness to attract young men eager for work, many of whom were subjected to rape. Thirty-three of who lost their lives. At nine oclock on the evening of 11 December 1978, fifteen year old Robert Piest went to a chemists shop in his home town of Des Plaines, Illinois. He was going to see a building contractor who was working in the shop about a holiday job. 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At nine oclock on the evening of 11 December 1978, fifteen year old Robert Piest went to a chemists shop in his home town of Des Plaines, Illinois. He was going to see a building contractor who was working in the shop about a holiday job. Robert Piest was supposed to go straight home, where his family was holding a birthday party for his mother. When Robert had not arrived homeRead More The Haitian Revolution Essay2474 Words   |  10 PagesThe population of Saint Domingue at the time was classified into three main categories. Each main category was then subdivided. The whites were divided between the gran blancs and the petit blancs; the free blacks were usually referred to as the gens de couleur; and the slaves were called affranchis. Another factor which must be understood before explaining the events that took place before, during, and after the revolution is the general geography of the island itself. In 1789, Saint DomingueRead MoreThe Mcdonald’s Case: Strategies for Growth996 Words   |  4 PagesGROWTH Lintje Siehoyono Lecturer, Hotel Management Program Faculty of Economics Petra Christian University Email: slintje@peter.petra.ac.id Le Hoang Giang Press officer in Canadian Consulate, entrepreneur, hospitality consultants in Ho Chi Minh City Email: gianglevn@yahoo.com Abstract: This paper presents a case study of international franchising, focusing on fast-food sector. McDonald s is one of the world s premier entrepreneurial success stories. However, early in 2003, McDonald’s hasRead MoreGeological and Dispositional History of the Starved Rocks, Illinois800 Words   |  4 Pagesmight have been deposited. There are 18 canyons at Starved Rock that were formed by glacial melt water and stream erosion. Starved Rock State Park is located along the south side of the Illinois River, one mile south of Utica and midway between the cities of LaSalle-Peru and Ottawa. The park is best known for its fascinating rock formations, including the St. Peter sandstone. It is located down in a huge low inland sea more than 425 million years ago and later brought to the surface. The areas alongRead MoreThe Red Woods, By Jacques Marquette And Lois Joliet1415 Words   |  6 Pagesis the largest ancient monument north of Mesoamerica and likely built over 1000 years ago. It is 100 feet high, 955 feet long, and 775 feet wide. One of the most famous city were in Illinois the city name is Chicago it’s a huge city with a lot of trains a population of 272 million people Chicago is the third-most populous city in the United States. With more than 2.7 million residents, it is thecity in the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States with the most people , and the county seatRead MoreEssay An Analysis of Eric Schlossers Fast Food Nation1154 Words   |  5 Pageswhose impeccable researching and bold interviewing captures the true essence of the immense impact that fast food restaurants are having in America (2004). Beginning with McDonald’s, the first fast food restaurant, which opened on April 15, 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois to current trends of making fast food a global realization McDonald’s has paved the way for many fast food restaurants following the same basic ideal that is tasty foods served fast at a minimal cost (2011). Schlosser explains how fast

Leadership Style Of Leadership Styles - 897 Words

The last style of leadership is delegative leadership in which the leader delegates tasks to the employees. This leader is able to derive satisfaction from allowing the staff to participate in decision making responsibilities (Brody and Nair, 2014, p. 4). These leadership styles are not set in stone and characteristics may overlap into other leaderships styles. The leadership style that would best suit a rural area is participate leadership style. In rural areas agencies and organizations lack resource and sometimes man power. Allowing all of the individuals to have a hand in the decision making process can be beneficial in helping organize and brainstorm ideas that are beneficial to the organization. This can foster a sense of cohesion and togetherness in the agency that fosters morale boosting. Each individual is given a voice to present their ideas and suggestions. This is helpful because an individual other than the leader may have a different perspective or offer insight into a rea that the leader is lacking. An effective leader is able to recognize their shortcomings and make up this division other areas. By allowing other staff members to contribute this is a step in making up for a deficiency. There are eight major leadership theories that were developed to identify the characteristics that made a leader. The Great Man theory declares that leadership is a natural and ingrained trait in an individual. This theory is based on the premise that great leaders are bornShow MoreRelatedLeadership Styles : Leadership Style780 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Leadership style is designed according to a pioneer s behaviors, which is enveloped under behaviorist theory. Inside of this class, distinctive examples of leadership behavior are watched and classified as leadership styles. Practicing managers have a tendency to be the most keen on looking into this specific theory in light of the fact that with it leaders can modify their style taking into account the convictions, values, inclinations and society of the association they work for.Read MoreLeadership Styles And Leadership Style1026 Words   |  5 PagesThe fourth subject is the leadership style. As of right now the company is an autocratic style. This means that there is less communication involved. â€Å"In an autocratic leadership style, the person in charge has total authority and control over decision making.† (Leadership Toolbox) The leadership style mainly effects the employees. The reason for this is because with an autocratic leadership, there is less communication. The employees have opinions in the business and they want to share thoseRead MoreLeadership Styles Of Leadership Style1399 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is leadership? Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines leadership as â€Å"the power or ability to lead other people†. Although this is simply put, it is also correct. But leadership is much more than the ability to lead. The ability is one piece of the puzzle. Other pieces to consider in leadership are education, attributes, and style, just to name a few. In this assignment, I will focus on leadership style. Specifically, I will discuss my style according to the assessment developed byRead MoreLeadership Styles And Leadership Style851 Words   |  4 Pageswant to give critical thought to your unique leadership style and foster genuine followership, learn from what’s out t here and weave it into something meaningful and authentic.† (Feiner, 2015) For the last two weeks, I have spent time self-analyzing and soul searching to identify the qualities I bring to a leadership role. 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The leadership styleRead MoreLead ership Styles : Leadership Style995 Words   |  4 PagesLeaders are expected to use a leadership style, communication skills, and their knowledge of interpersonal and team dynamics to create an appropriate quality of work life for their followers in the workplace. A leadership style is a combination of a leader’s attitude, expertise, character, and values that is exhibited in the leader’s behavior. Each style of leadership reflects a leader’s beliefs about a follower’s capabilities. A follower’s perception of leadership style really matters to them, as theyRead MoreLeadership Style Of Leadership Styles934 Words   |  4 PagesThere is much that is written about leadership; like books on leadership styles, techniques and also biographies of leaders that have inspired people to action. While this is true, there is the everyday leadership and a slightly different outlook to leadership as well. Here are a few of them. 1. There Are Different Kinds of Leaders Among leaders are formal and informal leaders. Formal leaders are elected to their positions like congressmen, senators and office bearers of clubs. Informal leadersRead MoreLeadership Styles : Leadership Style979 Words   |  4 Pagestheir own leadership style. In her article, Johnson (n.d.) discusses five leadership styles: Laissez-Faire, autocratic, transactional, transformational and participative. Laissez-Faire has a French origin and it means â€Å"a policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering† (Oxford dictionaries, 2016). When leaders take total control, such as making all decisions alone and does not ask for the input of the employees, they are using the autocratic leadership style. ThisRead MoreLeadership Style Of Leadership Styles Essay1433 Words   |  6 Pagesprobably feel as if they know enough about leadership to speak on the subject. In many cases, however, this is not truly the case at all. Leadership is a broad concept , and there are several different styles and approaches to consider when studying the topic. It is important to consider these styles and approaches when evaluating the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of any particular form of leadership. With that in mind, this essay will consider the leadership styles of two leaders who are involved in theRead MoreLeadership Styles Of Leadership Style1088 Words   |  5 PagesConsider what leadership or management style speaks most to you. Discuss that particular style, explain why it fits you better than others. Alternatively, consider the leadership or management style fits you least. Explain what is least desirable with that style from your perspective. What leadership or management style speaks most to me? They are a few leadership styles that I venerate. The Transformational Leadership, the Visionary Leadership, and the Charismatic Leadership styles are the most

Building an Organizational Structure for Memorial Hospital

Question: Discuss about theBuilding an Organizational Structure for Memorial Hospital. Answer: Introduction The success of any organization is based on the type of the organizational structure being applied. Organizational structure plays a very important role when it comes to management of all activities within an organization ranging from duty allocation, coordination as well as supervision. The organization structure is also vital in ensuring that goals, objectives, vision, and mission of a given organization are achieved. Organizations decide on which structure to use depending on the mission, vision, and objectives (Harper, 2015). The content of this analytical essay is aimed at evaluating the current Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) organizational structure and how it is linked to the vision, mission, and goals of the hospital. The organization management feels that the community is expanding and that they should restructure the hospital to meet the changing demands of the community. This essay will examine the current bureaucratic system and suggest a suitable organization structure which can help the hospital management meet their mission, vision and objectives. Thesis statement The success of any organization depends on the type of organizational structure and strategies employed. Organizational structure helps an organization with management of all activities ranging from duty allocation, coordination as well as supervision thus keen consideration when selecting organizational structure. Strengths and limitations of the current Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) organizational structure Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) is current using traditional bureaucratic organizational structure. This current organizational structure at Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) is evidently backed with some strengths and limitations of the Sidney community health care environment which has been currently changing healthcare demands. With the current organizational structure, Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) can only accommodate 130 patients as the currently being used bureaucratic structure can only offer 130-bed capacity. This is one disadvantage of the bureaucratic organizational structure which is not flexible to allow the capacity increase (Toles, Coln-Emeric, Naylor, Barroso Anderson, 2016). The hospital has an only 130-bed facility for over ten years which is an indication that the current organizational structure is not perfect to accommodate the changing health demands of the community. Even though the majority of the hospitals in the area may have less bed capacity compared to W hitlam memorial Hospital (WMH), it is evident that the current organization structure cannot meet the organizational vision, mission, and objectives. Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) for over a period of ten years has been offering the same medical services to the community. According to the provided case study, Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) with the current organizational structure has only been providing; general acute medical services, surgical services, obstetric medical services and emergency to the local Sidney community (Yinan, Tang Zhang, 2014). Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) for the last 10years has not shown any sign of improvement in their line of service delivery to the members of the Sydney community proving further that the hospital is not able to meet the changing health needs of the community. Although it has not been mentioned in the case study, the bureaucratic organizational structure has some invisible limitations such as communication may be limited based on the rigid and standardized way of operations. High degree of formalized operation may be advantageous but as well as disadvantageous to an organization (Manners, 2017). The junior doctor within Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) based on the formalization set by the organizational structure may not be able to express their opinions which may help make changes connected to organizational position and service provision. Also, Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) bureaucratic units have adapted vertical accountability with poor horizontal accountability and limited communication between among the bureaucratic units. On the other hand, functional organizational structure creates an organizational culture which is advantageous in service provision as each functional group is fully aware of their role. Various nurses and doctors at Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) have a mastery of the organizational strategies and ways of performing various activities for a long time span thus minimum supervisions (Hatch, 2018). Another advantage of functional organizational structure enjoyed by Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) is the management control, the head department has the overall power and makes all decision in the hospital. However, Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) management is currently considering organizational restructuring and change of the current strategies for a productive outcome. Organizational mission, goals, and vision The effectiveness and functionality of strategies within an organization depend on key organizational aspects: organizational vision, mission, and core value as well as objectives. The vision statement refers to the position an organization may wish to beat in the future. The mission statement, on the other hand, is a short statement which summarizes the purpose of an organization, the prospects and how an organization operates. Objectives of an organization is another aspect which contributes to the success of an organization. Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) as an organization has objectives which have been summarized in the organization's mission statement as Provide health experiences that can respond to the changing needs of the community. Although the organization has a perfect mission statement which indicates its purpose, the current strategy of the hospital makes it difficult for the organization to meet the changing health demand of the community (Manojlovich Ketefian, 2016 ). The organization has come up with a new mission which requires new organizational structure and strategies to achieve. The organization is considering to provide the highest quality, specialist health care in partnership with patients, careers, the community at large and other health care providers as the new mission statement which will be the driving force towards successful service delivery. Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH) should come up with an alternatively flexible organizational structure which involves every employee to meet its purpose. Alternative organizational structure for Whitlam memorial Hospital (WMH) Flat organizational structure Organizational structure is the key driving force towards a successful service provision which meets customers demand. The management of the hospital should consider the most appropriate approach where all members of the hospital work towards achieving the vision, mission, and objectives of the organization (Burke, 2017). The alternative organizational structure should allow room for each members contribution with no single boss with experience the pressure of coming up with new strategies and ways for effective medical service delivery to the community. The organization should use flat organization structure which will allow flexibility and autonomy among the member of the organization while working to realizing the mission and objectives (Thomas, 2015). The flat organizational structure will allow effective communication such as face to face meeting together with autonomy for various employees to think outside the box to bring solutions to the table for challenging situations. Strengths and weaknesses of flat organizational structure for WMH Adoption of the flat organizational structure by Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH) will have a lot of benefits to the organization compared to the traditional poor organizational structure. The flat organizational structure is needed by Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH) to ensure that the organization meets the currently changing medical demand by the local community (Thomas, 2015). With the flat organizational structure, the nurses and doctors will be able to perform their duties with a lot of flexibility and autonomy promptly. According to human resources reports, employees always appropriately and with a lot of efficiencies when working within a conducive and autonomous environment (Van Bogaert, Clarke, 2018). A flat organization is flexible which makes it the most effective organizational strategy for Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH) currently proposed changes. The old organization structures only allowed bed capacity of 130 beds. However, with the current organizational structure, the organization will be able to expand the bed capacity to the proposed 250 beds. This will be possible as every employee of the hospital will work towards the success of the current proposals as well as to achieve the business mission and objective. Moreover, flatter organizational structure is more flexible compared to bureaucratic organization structure; this will allow various individuals within the community to contribute towards service improvement by the hospital. Another advantage of a flatter organizational structure is the diversification (Yoder-Wise, 2014). Adoption of a flatter organization by Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH) will enable diversification of treatment as current epidemiological reports indicate. The organization will be able to treat some diseases based on increased research and contributions from all nurses and doctors. The organization will also be able to hire highly skilled personnel. Likewise, the flat organizational structure works in ways which are in line with the current Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH) visions, mission, and objectives. Achieving organizational mission and objectives means effective medical service provider for the Sydney, community member. It also means meeting the currently changing medical demand of the community. However, there are various challenges which come with the implementation of new organizational structures and strategies (Langfred, Rockmann, 2016). Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH) employees might have few problems adopting the new system, and this results in various disadvantages of flat organization structure. Nevertheless, Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH) is likely to benefit from the new organizational structure and meet the changing community health demands. Conclusion The above discussion has reviled various benefits of organizational structures to organizations such as Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH). Since organizations depend greatly on the organizational structures, it is required for organizations to have strategies which result in effective service provision. Organizations such as Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH) should, therefore, adopt a flexible and effective organizational structure as well as strategies which are in line with the organization's mission, vision, and objectives. The adopted organizational structure should also allow innovation and effective communication within Whitlam Memorial Hospital (WMH). The hospital employees should focus on the new organizational structure and ways of how to be on the same page with operations involved with flat organizational structure. References Burke, W. W. (2017).Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications. Harper, C. (2015).Organizations: Structures, processes and outcomes. Routledge. Hatch, M. J. (2018).Organization theory: Modern, symbolic, and postmodern perspectives. Oxford university press. Langfred, C. W., Rockmann, K. W. (2016). The push and pull of autonomy: The tension between individual autonomy and organizational control in knowledge work.Group Organization Management,41(5), 629-657. Manners, R. A. (2017).Professional dominance: The social structure of medical care. Routledge. Manojlovich, M., Ketefian, S. (2016). The effects of organizational culture on nursing professionalism: Implications for health resource planning.Canadian Journal of Nursing Research Archive,33(4). Thomas, T. (2015).Management and leadership for nurse administrators. Jones Bartlett Publishers. Thomas, T. (2015).Management and leadership for nurse administrators. Jones Bartlett Publishers. Toles, M., Coln-Emeric, C., Naylor, M. D., Barroso, J., Anderson, R. A. (2016). Transitional care in skilled nursing facilities: a multiple case study.BMC health services research,16(1), 186. Van Bogaert, P., Clarke, S. (2018). Concepts: Organization of Nursing Work and the Psychosocial Experience of Nurses. InThe Organizational Context of Nursing Practice(pp. 5-47). Springer, Cham. Yinan, Q., Tang, M., Zhang, M. (2014). Mass customization in flat organization: The mediating role of supply chain planning and corporation coordination.Journal of applied research and technology,12(2), 171-181. Yoder-Wise, P. S. (2014).Leading and Managing in Nursing-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Political Events and Shipping Demand free essay sample

Introduction Modern shipping is the life-blood of the world; without it, much of the demand for imports and exports would not be met. In 2006, world seaborne trade was estimated to have reached 30,686 billion ton-miles, having grown by 5. 5% over the previous year. Despite the prevalence of air transport, up to 90% of world trade is carried over the oceans in humble ships. The demand for seaborne trade is driven primarily by the world economy; various industries produce the goods that need to reach different parts of the world. In its most recent World Economic Outlook , the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasted global growth of 3. per cent for the rest of 2008, lower by 0. 2 per cent from the previous month’s estimate. In spite of the dip, the world economy is still growing annually, led by the emerging markets that are hungry for resources to fuel their growth. Beyond the economy, there are several other factors that determine demand for shipping. This paper seeks to evaluate the role of political events and its impact. In addition, it seeks to look into which commodity is most affected by such incidents. In his book, Maritime Economics, Martin Stopford writes that ‘no discussion of sea transport demand would be complete without reference to the impact of politics’. In the following paragraphs, this paper will address the main types of events that affect shipping demand both positively and adversely. 2. 0Political events that have affected shipping demand the most 2. 1Opening-up of the Chinese economy The accession of China into the ranks of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Beijing winning the bid to host the Olympics in 2001 were events that had large political motivations and caused a tremendous rise in demand for shipping. Since then, China’s economy has seen astronomical growth. In order to fuel this development, the country has increased both its imports and exports in almost every industry. This has taken the world by storm as countries the world over compete to feed and fuel the world’s most populous country. Hence, seaborne trade and demand for shipping worldwide has been skyrocketing as a result of China’s booming economy. 2. 2War and the economic embargoes Conversely, war and economic embargoes and sanctions are the leading cause of a drop in maritime activity. In broad terms, the hostilities in the Middle-East region have led to disruptions in movements of oil shipments to the developed world. In the 1950s, the Suez Crisis between Britain, France and Israel against Egypt, led to the diversion of ships around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the tensions. Two decades later on 17 October 1973, the ongoing Yam Kippur War caused the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries to stop shipping oil to nations that supported Israel’s war efforts. The impact of this embargo on shipping was the collapse of the oil tanker market and led to a series of recessions and periods of high inflation that persisted until the 1980s. Other examples would include the Korean War in 1950 and the Gulf War in the early 1990s. . 0Commodities affected Crude oil accounted for 26. 9 per cent of total goods loaded in 2006. Due to the sheer quantity of oil being shipped worldwide, any political event jeopardizing seaborne trade would usually entail oil shipments being affected. This is because the resource is abundant in only certain parts of the world; the Middle-East is one such region that is plagued with rogue political regimes and instability. In the above-mentioned events in the region, the hostilities resulted in disruptions to the oil trade and consequently, oil price. This would be discussed in the section on Iran. Another sector that would be affected would be the metal industry trades and in particular, that of iron ore. Western Australia and Brazil are major exporters of iron ore to growing markets like China which need it for its continued development. 4. 0Opening of China’s economy Since the 1970s, China has been gradually introducing economic reforms and providing enterprises with autonomy. However, it was only in the last 2 decades that the world’s 2nd largest economy has opened itself up to greater foreign investment and world trade. This was carried out through the relaxation of import and export controls and trade reforms in the form of reduced tariffs. All this led to a significant milestone for China and the world – its ascension into the ranks of the WTO on 11 December 2001. In addition, Beijing won the bid to host the 2008 Olympics that same year. These 2 events have set the stage for China’s rapid development. In the following paragraphs, this paper will explain its effects on the world and global trade and shipping. Based on a working paper by the IMF written in 2004, the international impact of China’s ascension into the WTO is far reaching. Firstly, sustaining the growth of China would provide benefits to its trading partners; beyond the processing of trade, there has been significant growth in imports for domestic use and outbound tourism. Secondly, China’s insatiable thirst for energy and metal imports have since fuelled the rapid rise in imports of such commodities. Lastly, multinational companies are tapping into the large domestic market especially with the freeing up of the country’s banking sector. This paper believes that China’s meteoric rise over the last two decades and more significantly, since the dawn of the new millennia, have created a surge in demand for world seaborne trade and shipping. 4. 1China’s role in transforming Western Australia and beyond As a result of China’s booming steel industry, Australian exports of iron ore to China reached more than A$4 billion last year. BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, two of the world’s largest resource companies, share the metal-rich Pilbara of Western Australia to feed China’s demand. The latter is hoping to double its 2007 iron-ore production in four years. This mining boom in the traditionally ‘sleepy’ side of Australia spells good news for its economy and residents. In an interview with the Economist , Eric Ripper, finance minister of Western Australia, said that his state has been fighting to bring in a A$9 million surplus seven years ago. Last year, the country’s largest state (by land area) grew by 6. 3%, twice that of the entire country. In addition, it now boasts a healthy surplus of A$2 billion. Besides iron ore, China has a tremendous hunger for other natural resources. All across the world, Chinese firms are finding new sources for crude oil, natural gas, metal and coal. Ships have been queuing off Newcastle in Australia to load cargo bound for China; at one point in June 2007, the queue was 79 ships long . In short, the rise in import demand by the Mainland has helped countries in Latin America and Africa grow their own economy. Another country that has seen business grow is the shipping giant of Greece. 60 per cent of China’s imports of raw materials and energy are carried on the backs of Greek ships. Greek ship owners want to capitalize and many have made orders to build ships in China which has caused the order books of the large manufacturers to bulge and many smaller players to join in the fray. . 2China’s effect on shipping demand In terms of shipping, China is a force to be reckoned with. Just 2 years after joining the WTO, China handled 48 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in 2003, an increase of 11 million TEUs the year before. This made the country the largest container shipping market for the first time with both Sh anghai and Shenzhen joining the mega-port league of over 10 million TEUs throughputs . On two of the most important container trades from Asia to North America and Europe, mainland China and Hong Kong corner 60 per cent of the market share. More recently, with an increasing portion of China’s imports of oil products coming from Latin America and West Africa, ton-miles demanded associated with this trade has increased. Referring back to the example of Australian iron ore, China’s high volumes mean that Chinese companies are sourcing for metals from further abroad such as Brazil. In addition, China has always been a net exporter of coal. However, in the last few years, China has become a net importer; this forces its neighbors to source for coal from further afield. All these factors serve to increase ton-miles demanded. It is important to note that though ton-miles demanded may increase, actual volume may remain unchanged. 5. 0Iran and the Strait of Hormuz The on-going tension between Israel, the United States of America (USA) and Iran over its suspected nuclear-weapons programme has brought about fluctuations in oil prices in recent times. Several factors have made this all the more pressing in the last few months. These include a weakening Bush administration, Iran’s continued uranium-enrichment programme, a lackluster Western diplomatic approach to handling the situation and Israel’s jitters have raised the idea of a possible war in the Middle-East. In retaliation to suggestions of a military strike, Iran has threatened to cut oil exports and close the Strait of Hormuz . This strait’s importance lies in that it is the only viable path for much of the oil from the gulf to reach the rest of the world. By comparison, the Suez and Panama Canals are passages that have alternative albeit costlier, routes. A horseshoe-shaped body of water that stretches between Iran and the northern tip of Oman, the Strait is the only passage in and out of the Gulf. Every day, around 50 tankers carry between 4 million and 17 million barrels of oil and oil products through the 180km-long strait roughly 40 per cent of the worlds internationally traded supplies . If Iran were able to close this waterway by use of anti-ship missiles, only 3 million barrels would be able to be diverted via the Red Sea. Thus, oil and oil product shipment would be greatly hit worldwide. In addition to oil, Jebel Ali, a port-town in the United Arab Emirates, handles ab out half of all maritime trade between Europe and Asia. Currently, it is the largest port between Rotterdam and Singapore. Large portions of what enters some of these free zones in the gulf are transshipped to other parts of the world. Experts who have monitored the Suez Crisis in the 1950s and how it led to the Six-Day War understand that such an action from Iran would result in the Middle-East suffering economically. On a larger scale, the world would be faced with supply cuts in almost all goods. 6. 0Maritime terrorism Another threat to the maritime industry is terrorism at sea. Terrorism is broadly defined as attacks to create fear and often have an underlying belief that the terrorists want to spread. Since the world-changing September 11th attacks on the United States of America in 2001, many other acts of violence have been carried out with ships as targets. An example would be the infamous Al-Qaeda attack on the French oil tanker, the Limburg, in Yemen in 2002. Such attacks create not only a sense of uncertainty in the shipping industry, but have raised the costs of shipping as well. In the case of the Limburg, the insurance payout reached US$70 million . This example highlights the trend of insurance companies charging higher insurance premiums to shipping companies whose ships sail through more ‘dangerous’ waters. As a result, shipping cost has risen over the years and this has led to a dip in demand. Amongst the main trunk routes that ships often ply, the greatest number of such incidents happens in the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca. These acts of terror also do not differentiate between the types of ships they target; almost everything from boats to tankers has been looted for their cargo and entire ships stolen. This paper would like to caution that the distinction between maritime terrorism and piracy is blurring. 7. 0Conclusion This paper has looked at examples of how political events have caused a stir in the maritime world. This is largely a result of the correlation between world trade, shipping and movement of commodities. Such incidents can spark both a decrease as well as an increase in demand for shipping. In the case of China’s reforms towards a more open economy, trade between this country and the rest of the world has increased dramatically. This has spurred the shipping industry not just in terms of seaborne trade but in other forms such as ports and shipbuilding. Beyond its shores, it has helped to lift the economies of countries that enjoy a high level of trade with China. On the other hand, the tensions in the Middle-East have brought about uncertainty throughout the world over oil prices and world trade. The strategic position of the most hostile nations in the region has given them leverage over the Western world in terms of threats to block the major waterway, the Strait of Hormuz. Lastly, the concerns over maritime safety and rising insurance costs to cover ships and their owners have caused a dip in demand for shipping. This is because of the higher costs now associated with shipping; it is intuitive yet unfortunate that the world’s major shipping routes are also the most dangerous.