20 Things People Hate About Your Website

20 Things People Hate About Your Website Do you want to create a website that is guaranteed to attract and keep visitors? Developing a web presence that audience loves is easy – if you avoid the twenty things people hate about websites. Whether it be through smartphones, laptops, tablets, or home computers, almost everyone can easily obtain the vast and overwhelming source of information that makes up the world-wide web. It goes without saying that online sources are full of useful and popular web pages that people visit again and again because they love what is offered at that particular page. However, many websites they visit leave a terrible impression that makes them never want to return. We’ve searched high and low to reveal the top twenty things that people hate about your website to guide you to create a site that they will love! Copy Mistakes Listed below are the most common mistakes made when it comes to your website’s text content, better known as the copy. 1. Your Copy is Over-Saturated with Keywords In years past, the way search engines found webpages was by the amount of keywords within the copy. Today, search engines are much smarter and are able to find what you are searching for without the use of keyword density. While keyword density is important for SEO (search engine optimization) when you have too many keywords in the copy, it makes it unreadable for those who visit your website!   2. Confusing About Us Page The about us page should be exactly about the website your guests are visiting. When you do not have a clear and easy to understand about us page, your visitors will feel confused and overwhelmed at not knowing the exact products or services you offer.   3.  Lack of a Blog A blog is a great way to boost your SEO, but it is also a great tool to connect to your website visitors. Blogs can give a great source of information and   they will boost traffic to your site just so long as the blog you offer readers is interesting and updated often. Blogs can also be sources of Frequently Asked Questions and their answers to assist your visitors with an issue without having to contact customer service. 4. Call to Actions that Do Not Match Offers The calls to action that you feature on your website should coincide with the offers you are promoting to your visitors. Nothing will frustrate people more   than being told they will receive a 50% off discount if they buy now. Only to find out there are more strings attached to the promotion such as: must spend X amount of money, selected items only, or applicable for in-store purchases only. When your call to action doesn’t match the offers, your reputation will suffer, but more importantly, so will your conversion rates. 5. Headlines That Misguide Readers Catchy and interesting titles and headlines within your copy are great and useful ways to attract the reader’s attention. Just bear in mind that if your copy doesn’t match the title, you will become known as a ‘click bait’ site or one that attracts readers because of the title. Once they reach the website, they quickly realize the information they were looking for is not there and they will leave. Not to mention misleading headlines annoy readers and create distrust. 6. Contact Forms Instead of Contact Information When your website does not feature basic contact information such as email, phone number, and/or address your visitors will not be able to contact you! Sometimes websites will use a contact form. Contact forms are a fill in the blank information box that will store the data provided by the website visitor and will leave the communication up to the team behind the website. This is unreliable for visitors and many people nowadays feel uncomfortable with giving out personal information over the Internet. 7. Unclear Descriptions of What Your Company Does This is just as bad as having a mashed up About Us page. When you have visitors to your site and your website is not intuitive enough to show exactly what your company does, it will create feelings of confusion and mistrust. If you cannot make your visitors stay for more than fifteen seconds, they will be more than likely to abandon your site to never return. Visual Mistakes Websites must be visually appealing to visitors. This will help encourage them to stay on the site and even return knowing they will have an enjoyable experience. 8.  Using Obvious Stock Photos It’s alright to employ the use of stock photos from time to time, but be careful which ones you select for your website! It is painfully obvious when a website is using tacky, generic, or even cheesy stock photos. Images should be used on your website to help your visitors. Using generic photos serve no purpose when it comes to being helpful to your visitors. 9. Using Distracting Animations Animations can be fun and entertaining for your website visitors, but take caution when thinking about using them for your website. Often times, people find that animations are distracting as the constant movements take the eyes away from the text they are trying to read. For example, if your website does not pass the three second blink test (the crucial three seconds it takes for visitors to decide to stay on the page or not), they will click the back button. Obtrusive and distracting animations can cause your site to fail the three second blink test and if you are interested in using animations on your webpage, make sure to do so the right way! 10. Not Knowing What to Do While this is the most obvious visual aspect of your websites, many webpages out there have no indication as to what the visitor is supposed to do once they arrive. If you’re an online store that shoppers cannot easily access products or they cannot figure out how to use your site, guess what? They will shop somewhere else. The same goes for every single type of website, whether you are on online store or not. If your visitors cannot figure out what to do, then they will head somewhere else for what they need. 11. There Are Too Many Pop Ups If there is any one thing that will turn people away from your website, it is the use of pop ups. No one likes them. No one. If you are using them on your site, please take the steps to remove them! People find pop ups annoying and sometimes difficult to close. Besides, pop up ads will distract your visitor from the main purpose of visiting your site in the first place. 12. Sliders Take Too Long to Load Using image sliders are popular choices for web design and when they are done right, you can have a visually appealing website. On the contrary, if your site has loaded nearly 90% of the way and your visitors still cannot see the slider image, they will find that they will have to wait too long for your site to do its thing and they will become bored and search elsewhere. User Interface Mistakes When it comes to websites, user interface is one of the most important factors in attracting and keeping visitors on your page. When user interface is done right, your visitors will have no trouble and even enjoy using your website. If the design and usability is unfriendly or not functioning properly, you will find that you will have unhappy visitors whose numbers continue to dwindle. 13. Unable to Contact Customer Service There are hundreds of websites that offer instant connections with customer service agents, whether they are live or virtual. When you see the pop up or prompt to use their online customer service and you actual go to do so, chances are you are already frustrated due to an issue you are experiencing. As a visitor you automatically expect the online customer service tools to work and function so you can be assisted with your issue. When these things are not working, visitors can become outraged and confused, not knowing where they need to go for help with their problem. Furthermore, if you have your customer service contact information listed on your site, make sure it is accurate and that your customers are able to reach someone. 14. Not Mobile or Tablet Optimized Today people are accessing the Internet via the smallest devices possible. Yet, there are still plenty of sites out there that do not work on mobile phones or tablets. This can be caused by the lack of mobilization in the design and code structure. To put it simply, some webpages are not built or coded, to adjust to the smaller screens which will prevent the entire thing from loading at all. Mobilization ensures that your website will work on: iPhones Tablets Android phones Laptops with small screens In short, the mobile-optimized site can be accessible for your audience from any device. 15. Poor Navigation Tools Poor navigation within a website will leave your visitors confused and frustrated, as they will not know what to do or how to find something on your site. Having a search bar or navigation bar that functions properly and is easy to use will allow your visitors to find exactly what they need in just a few clicks. Phrasing the navigation copy, how to properly analyze visitor’s flow, are used to make a website easy to search though. Take time to design your site and make sure you can achieve the perfect website navigational tools. 16.  Struggling to Buy Products When you are buying anything online, all you want is for this process to be quick and painless. There are several websites that commit what is known as two-site syndrome and their users go to click on something and it leads you to another site to complete the task that should have been done on the first website. Two-site syndrome has shown to decrease conversion rates, and make the customer experience a miserable one. Take our advice and avoid the two-site syndrome so your customers can make their online purchases as hassle free. Overall Website Mistakes 17. No Social Media Icons Social media is one of the greatest ways to connect and network between current and future customers. It is so common and very easy for visitors to share with their family and friends by using the social media icons found on the website. Social media icons make it instant and did I mention ‘easy’ for your guests to share what they love about your site! Not to mention, when your site and content can be spread across several social media platforms, your site will be able to see a boost in SEO and your page ranks according to your search browser. A quick list of social media icons all online business should or need to have: Facebook Instagram Twitter Imgur Tumblr Google+ Flickr 18.  Auto-Playing Videos   We’ve all been to those annoying sites that startle you when they catch you off guard with their loud and unexpected video that begins to play out of nowhere. People across the globe find those auto-playing videos on websites to be insulting, distracting, and annoying as they are reported to be one of the worst tactics for webpages. 19. Internal Links that Lead Nowhere Crosslinks also known as internal links, are links within the webpage that keep your visitors on your page or provide a gateway to another useful website, are excellent tools for allowing your visitor to learn more or continue searching for related topics. When you go to click on an interesting link and you end up nowhere, you will become frustrated and even decide to leave the entire site behind. This all comes down to not having proper function and this alone will change the minds of your visitors. If you do have internal links, always make sure for them to open with a fully separate tab. Many times, customers will click on a link and want to continue reading or examining your website. In this case allow them to stay on the page they are reading and let the link they clicked on open up in a whole new tab so they do not lose their place! 20. Takes Too Long to Load Going back to the point made about the three second blink test, people want things to happen fast! Unless the Internet connection is fully to blame for a slow load time of a webpage, you need to do everything you can to allow your site to load fast. The longer it takes for your website to load, the more people will search elsewhere and abandon your site completely. In today’s world, many people seek instant gratification. This is especially true for using the Internet and accessing websites. According to a study, 40% of your sites visitors will leave if it takes longer than three seconds to load. Luckily, there are ways to test the site’s load time and you can make sure to take the steps to adjust where you need to in order to pass these tests. Once you have tested your load time check the following factors to ensure they are not causing your site to load at a snail’s pace: Spikes in traffic – too many people trying to access the site at once will definitely cause a slow-down. Sharing server space if your site is hosted somewhere and you share server space with a busier, more active site, it can cause your site to be slower. It is advised to hire private server space to prevent this from happening. The total number of the HTTP requests your site receives. If you are trying to boost your traffic and maintain a healthy following of regular visitors, make sure you are NOT making the mistakes that lead to people hating your website. Even though they might not seem like a big deal, even the smallest mistakes can lead to low traffic, low conversion rates, and low bottom line results. At the end of the day, if you want to have a strong and prevalent online presence, no matter what sort of website you have, make sure you are doing everything in your power to ensure yours is mistake free. Giving your visitors a pleasant experience will not only have them coming back for more (and telling their friends when they share your site on their social networks), but your webpage will not be known amongst the worst on the Internet. This will only happen if you avoid the twenty things people hate about websites, so plan and execute your web strategy carefully! Your site’s survival on the Internet depends on it!

French Listening Comprehension and Practice Exercises

French Listening Comprehension and Practice Exercises If youd like to improve your French listening comprehension skills, the exercises below can help you better grasp the language. They  include  a French sound file with a study guide, quiz, transcript and translation. Altogether, there are more than 100 listening exercises  on this site, ranging from simple dialogues to in-depth listening comprehension exercises. The most popular pages offer practical advice or discuss someone or something famous. The French Language Accents de FranceFrench varies from country to country and from region to region. Learn about some of the accents you might encounter in France in this audio report from  LaGuinguette. French in France Introduction to French in France (dialects and standard French) and the  Dictionary of French Regionalisms. PatoisDiscussion about dialects in France and the two main points of view on their linguistic status. The Patois of Vendà ©ePresentation of some characteristics of the French patois spoken in Vendà ©e. Patois and Regional CharacteristicsDo regional differences in dialect reflect regional differences in mentality? Beginning French DialoguePractice your French listening ability with this beginning-level French dialogue featuring greetings and introductions and your choice of speeds: regular and slow. (Camille Chevalier Karfis) The Scary HouseBeginning level of  Les portes tordues, a bilingual audiobook for beginning to intermediate students. (Kathie Dior) The Twisted DoorIntermediate level of  Les portes tordues, a bilingual audiobook for beginning to intermediate students. (Kathie Dior) The CemetaryIntermediate level of  Les portes tordues. (Kathie Dior) Greetings and IntroductionsPractice your French listening ability with this beginning-level French dialogue featuring greetings and introductions and your choice of speeds: regular and slow. (Camille Chevalier Karfis) Number Practice Learning to count in French is one thing - its fairly easy to memorize  un,  deux,  trois. Its another matter entirely to be able to think of a number without counting up to it, or to understand individual numbers when you hear them. Fortunately, practice makes perfect, and these sound files can help you to get better at understanding and using French numbers with random number generators. (Laura K. Lawless) Who said no? Intermediate level of  Les portes tordues. (Kathie Dior) Politics and Social Issues Riots in FranceOn 27 October 2005, riots began in a Parisian suburb and quickly spread across France and even to neighboring countries. In this three-part discussion, a reporter discusses the riots with two neighborhood elders in Clichy-sous-Bois who are trying to calm down the situation. Sà ©golà ¨ne Royal - prà ©sidente?Sà ©golà ¨ne Royal is a socialist who  worked hard to become Frances first female president. Learn about her platform and her struggle in this discussion. LETA et le Pays BasqueIntroduction to the history behind the ETA, the Basque separatist movement. Le CPEIn January 2006, the French government passed a labor reform law that sparked off protests around the country. Learn about the CPE and why it was so distasteful to French students and workers. MitterrandJanuary 2006 marked the 10-year anniversary of the death of Franà §ois Mitterrand, the first and so far only socialist president of France. Learn about Mitterrand and some of the people who loved him. French Culture Graffiti Graffiti does not necessarily equal vandalism. Its a means of personal and even artistic expression. Learn about some of the people and techniques behind graffiti. Le jardin des TuileriesLearn about the famous Parisian park, le jardin des Tuileries, as you work on your listening comprehension with this three-part discussion. Cest de lamour và ©ritable!Old age does not have to mean the end of living, or even loving. In this interview, a 90-year-old man shares his thoughts on how to get the most out  of life and love, at any age. La loi EvinLearn about the regulation of advertising of alcohol in France, and the reasoning behind it. Tourism, Shopping,  Travel Dining Out lhà ´tel ~ At the Hotel  Beginning-level French dialogue between a hotel receptionist and guest.   Le viaduc de Millau  Le viaduc de Millau  was completed in 2004. Learn about its construction and safety mechanisms. Au magasin ~ At the storeBeginning-level French dialogue between a customer and storekeeper. Au restaurant ~ At the Restaurant  Beginning-level French dialogue between a waiter and customer. Breakfast ~ Le petit dà ©jeuner  Beginning-level dialogue between a customer and waiter at breakfast.

Free Essays on George Meridiths Lucifer In Starlight

GEORGE MEREDITH (1828-1909) "Lucifer in Starlight† When one thinks of Lucifer, they usually envision a large red monster with a tail, breathing fire out of his nose; however, when one is asked what kind of personality Lucifer has, many different ideas come to thought. Some may say he is wicked. Others may say he is jealous. In the sonnet, â€Å"Lucifer in Starlight,† he is described differently. Throughout the sonnet the author uses a structure that is based on the order of primacy, an Italian rhyme pattern, and an undefined meter. He also uses artistic diction to create images, symbols, and a plot theme to help the audience better understand the meaning of his story. In fact, Meredith goes so far to describe the personality of Satan. In many sonnets, authors wrote about love, a feeling, or a place. Meredith took All those ideas farther and created a sonnet based on an event. The structure of the story, is based upon a method I call primacy. This means that what happened first is described first. It is just like telling a bedtime story. One would never tell a young child what happened last before telling him or her what happened first. Meredith did this to capture the interest of the audience. The readers already know that Satan will fail in all his attempts to destroy God, but the story beforehand creates suspense and curiosity. The rhyme pattern begins as an octave, â€Å"ABBAABBA,† form, but by the ninth line changes into a sestet, â€Å"CDCEED,† form. This was typical of the Italian sonnets; however, Meredith was English. When I first read the sonnet, the thing that caught my eye was the meter, or the lack there of. It seemed to me that he decided the story was more important than the meter or flow of the sonnet. This sonnet was written to describe Satan’s evil effort against God, and his inability to win. To analyze the sonnet, one must understand the context, or environment, of the situation. Mere... Free Essays on George Meridith's Lucifer In Starlight Free Essays on George Meridith's Lucifer In Starlight GEORGE MEREDITH (1828-1909) "Lucifer in Starlight† When one thinks of Lucifer, they usually envision a large red monster with a tail, breathing fire out of his nose; however, when one is asked what kind of personality Lucifer has, many different ideas come to thought. Some may say he is wicked. Others may say he is jealous. In the sonnet, â€Å"Lucifer in Starlight,† he is described differently. Throughout the sonnet the author uses a structure that is based on the order of primacy, an Italian rhyme pattern, and an undefined meter. He also uses artistic diction to create images, symbols, and a plot theme to help the audience better understand the meaning of his story. In fact, Meredith goes so far to describe the personality of Satan. In many sonnets, authors wrote about love, a feeling, or a place. Meredith took All those ideas farther and created a sonnet based on an event. The structure of the story, is based upon a method I call primacy. This means that what happened first is described first. It is just like telling a bedtime story. One would never tell a young child what happened last before telling him or her what happened first. Meredith did this to capture the interest of the audience. The readers already know that Satan will fail in all his attempts to destroy God, but the story beforehand creates suspense and curiosity. The rhyme pattern begins as an octave, â€Å"ABBAABBA,† form, but by the ninth line changes into a sestet, â€Å"CDCEED,† form. This was typical of the Italian sonnets; however, Meredith was English. When I first read the sonnet, the thing that caught my eye was the meter, or the lack there of. It seemed to me that he decided the story was more important than the meter or flow of the sonnet. This sonnet was written to describe Satan’s evil effort against God, and his inability to win. To analyze the sonnet, one must understand the context, or environment, of the situation. Mere...

The Humble Foot

The Humble Foot The Humble Foot The Humble Foot By Maeve Maddox For obvious reasons, the word for foot is one of the oldest in the language: O.E. fot, from P.Gmc. *fot (cf. O.N. fotr, Du. voet, Ger. Fuß, Goth. fotus foot), from PIE *pod-/*ped- (cf. Avestan pad-; Skt. pat, acc. padam foot; Gk. pos, Attic pous, gen. podos; L. pes, gen. pedis foot; Lith. padas sole, peda footstep). Like other body parts, foot has found its way into numerous idiomatic expressions. Here are just a few. foot the bill to pay for something, usually for something one would rather not pay for oneself: Ill go to the convention if the company will foot the bill. put your foot in your mouth to say something one regrets immediately (or should!): You put your foot in your mouth with that remark about her hat. have one foot in the grave about to die: When you had the flu, you looked as if you had one foot in the grave. to have itchy feet to have a frequent desire to travel: Hes not a good marriage prospect; he has itchy feet. to get cold feet to feel sudden misgivings about doing something one had planned to do: Its the morning of the wedding and the bride has cold feet. to get off on the wrong footto begin an enterprise by doing something inappropriate: Susie got off on the wrong foot with her old-fashioned boss when she told him she didnt make coffee. to get off on the right foot to start out doing everything right: The new fireman got off on the right foot when he saved that baby. to put ones best foot forward to present oneself at ones best: She bought a new dress and had her hair done because she wanted to put her best foot forward for the job interview. to land on your feet to come through a difficult situation without harm: Dont worry about Jack in this storm. He always lands on his feet. to drag your feet to be reluctant: Stop dragging your feet and mow the grass! to have your feet on the ground to have a practical outlook: His decision to put off the move until hes sure he has the job shows he has his feet on the ground. not to put a foot wrong to do everything according to rule and expectation: Mr. Perfect there never puts a foot wrong with the boss. to have feet that hardly touch the ground to move quickly: On the day of the church picnic, her feet hardly touched the ground. to put ones feet up to relax: Now that youve finished the project, you can put your feet up for awhile. to put ones foot down to take a firm stand: When little Jimmy kicked the dog, his father finally put his foot down. My foot! expression of disbelief: Abner Potts made a perfect score on the SAT? My foot! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?How to Punctuate Descriptions of Colors"To Tide You Over"

Project 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project 2 - Essay Example This research paper is aimed at discussing community policing by providing its pros and cons and presenting a final decision on whether to implement community policing or not. The rate of crime in the United States has significantly risen over the past decade. Crime has become a topic of discussion and an important debate in a bid to solve the issue. The American society has started living lives full of fear of crime and hence it is the high time that better policing policies are implemented. The government has devoted a lot of funds to crime fighting, but it has not produced positive results. The society alone cannot control crime since they have no right to taking the law on their hands. Increasing police resource at this period of a global economic crisis has posed a great challenge to the government. The crime situation is, therefore, beyond the ability of the community alone or the police department alone. The situation calls for a collaboration of the community and the police departments in a bid to solve crime and disorder, and the collaboration is called community policing. Involving the community in controlling crime is the most dependable solution to the breaking deadlock of crime. The community has more knowledge about their neighborhoods and hence identifying criminal is very easy. It is expected that due to the current high crime rates, the community will be motivated to collaborate with the police so as to eliminate their fear or crime. On the other hand, the police are working under minimal finances and resources and hence they will be motivated to have the support of the community in accomplishing their mission. Community policing policy is, therefore, expected to work out well since the two major partnerships have a high need for assistance (Sozer, 2010). Community policing encourages collaboration between organizations, departments and the community and hence reduces their resistance and promotes

Process Paper on How to Choose a Cell Phone Plan Or How to change a Essay

Process Paper on How to Choose a Cell Phone Plan Or How to change a Tire - Essay Example However, shopping for a cell phone plan doesnt have to be any more complex than shopping for a new pair of tennis shoes. Selecting the proper cell phone plan is really just a matter of finding the provider that covers your area, provides enough minutes to cover your usage pattern, and includes any extra features, such as texting, that you might want to use. The first decision you will need to make when selecting a cell phone plan is to pick the best provider for your area. It is important to know that not all cell phone companies cover all areas. In addition, some services will have dead spots where a cell phone will not work. Local salespeople may be reluctant to tell you about poor coverage or known dead spots. However, the carriers websites usually have a map of the coverage that they have in the area, as well as any dead zones. There are also websites, such as mobiledia.com, that offers coverage maps, tower maps, consumer feedback, and links to the major carriers (Mobiledia). In addition, family and friends in the area can usually be the most reliable source of information. Once you have selected the carrier that has adequate coverage for your area, you can select the best plan that they have available that fits your specific needs. To select the best plan for your needs you will need to determine when and how often that you use your wireless phone. Most plans are sold with a limited number of minutes that can be used for talking through the week during the day. In addition, many plans come with free nights and weekends. If you do most of your talking at night, you may be able to have a plan that has fewer daytime minutes. If most of your usage is during the day, you may want to get more daytime minutes. Dont underestimate your amount of use. Remember, your cell phone is always with you and turned on. It isnt surprising that almost two thirds of the respondents in a recent survey said they use their cell phone significantly more than a

Environmental Conservation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Environmental Conservation - Essay Example An environment is made up of resources. Resources refer to existing means of supplying what is needed or a stock that can be drawn on. Renewable resources are those that can be regenerated at a constant level. This is because they recycle rapidly, is alive or has the capacity to reproduce and grow. Examples are water which can be recycled, organisms because they can reproduce and many others. These resources will always keep on regenerating themselves as long as the rater of use is less than their rate of regeneration and the environments are kept suitable. Non renewable resources are not regenerated or reformed in nature at rates equivalent to the rate of use e.g. oil. There is a special category of non-renewable resources which are not affected by the way we use them e.g. metals which can be recycled. Environmental conservation is defined as the rational use of the environment to provide highest sustainable quality of living for humanity. With rapid development, there is stress on most resources including human resources in the developed countries which are registering negative population growth rate. According to World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) (1987), sustainable development should be development that meets that need of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs. The biggest problem facing the world currently is environmental pollution. This has brought about global warming. Gorge Philander (1998), says that, global warming is the rise in world temperatures. This is caused by accumulation of carbon dioxide gas and other air polluting elements that collect in the atmosphere and forms a thickening blanket trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up. It is caused by several factors with coal burning alone producing about 2.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year. Several other human activities contribute to global warming. Growth o f rice in rice pads has been attributed as one of the greatest cause of carbon dioxide and methane gas which a cause global warming. Animal feacal materials are also thought to contribute a substantial amount of methane gas that contribute to global warming. This emission of carbon dioxide gas, coupled with depletion of forest cover of the world is the main cause of the problem. Human activities like clearing of forest and burning of charcoal are also contributing to global warming. According to John Houghton (1997), global warming is being evidenced in many ways. Disappearance or reduction of ice caps on major mountains of the world especially those along the equatorial region. There has also been evidence of rise in sea level with fears expressed that some coastal towns and islands may be submerged in the near future if immediate measures are not taken to avert the situation. Continuing global warming has brought effects like increase in diseases incidences and pests challenging agriculture, changes in populations and plant and animal ranges shifts, coral leef bleaching and alpine meadows disrupting ecosystems, heavy downpours and flooding drought and fires. These are considered as early signs of global warming. Its effects has been felt on every corner of the world with famous elnino and lanina periods of heavy down pour and prolonged droughts respectively, the Katrina hurricane in America and other

2 case OD Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

2 case OD - Assignment Example 62). This advocates something that is more than reactive to the changes. A fully developed culture that is distinctive to the corporation necessitates from the need for change for the vigorous development of the corporation. This embraces the potentials and participation of every member of the company as going beyond passive. It would be unacceptable to assume that other companies would never be able o adapt the same system. The success of Setpoint lies on the role that the management places on their employees. It’s no less than adapting the saying that there are no small roles, only small actors. Because indeed, the company has shown that the concept of team is well integrated into their dynamics. Everyone was well-informed of their roles toward the achievement of a common goal as epitomized in their board. I believe that culture per se cannot be bought but it can be developed and the availability of money at a company’s disposal to achieve the development of culture is very helpful. The achievement of an evolved culture can be realized through the persistent efforts of the vital members of the company and including the involvement of all the employees. Everyone must be open for change and accept this change as a positive impact for the company. As consistently established, Organizational Development is a long-term commitment that needs time. It is not something that happens overnight. Culture is a combination not only of the management but also the organization (Brown and Harvey, p. 63). There are companies who are willing to shell out millions of dollars to be able to buy culture. This is only a manifestation of the necessity of culture. There are those who may have spent for brand imaging and public relations among others. But it is still the perception of those who are withi n the company and that which resonates to the public which

Advanced Critical Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Advanced Critical Writing - Essay Example In addition, the demand for tried and tested Mercedes –Benz is also increasing. Lastly, more current and prospective clients are eager to buy the Audi cars. The Audi cars are composed of the quality Volkswagen parts. The article further states that the demand for cars in the German car market segment had increased by an estimated 10 percent. In order to increase their car sales, the article excellent shows that the car manufacturing companies had to offer discounts to its current and prospective clients. The economic theory of demand states as the prices of goods and commodities decline (through the offer of discounts), the demand for the car manufacturing company’s products increase. The article shows facts stating the increase in the demands for the have actually increased due to the discounts given to the company’s present and future clients. The article shows that Peugeot – Citroen’s parent company, PSA, generated a huge financial for the prior year. Specifically, the Peugeot - Citroen’s parent company, PSA generated a net loss of â‚ ¬92,000,000 ($121 m). The article correctly warns that General Motors did not reveal its actual global losses. General Motors is the car manufacturer of Opel – Vauxhall). In addition, the article correctly shows an article to confirm the General Motors car, Opel – Vauxhill. The additional car sales loss amounted to $14 billion. The European car sales figures had continued to drop below the poverty level because the client’s car sales had declined for the past four years of painstaking car marketing. Specifically, the school’s academic references persuading the readers to study the statistic car figures as a way to understand the financial statements. Even then the European Car manufactures state that the South Korean brands are better sellers compared to the many European Brands. Next, the article shows excellently includes the primary and secondary references in terms of degree of

Essential elements Essay Example for Free

Essential elements Essay Failure in business ethics is a real threat to the future of every corporation. Business ethics as an issue is a hundred times more powerful than the internet or globalization and can destroy your business in a week. To make matters worse, standards of business ethics are changing rapidly in response to random events which capture public imagination. In business ethics, what was good is becoming bad and what was considered bad is now good. Standards for business ethics that have worked for decades are looking old fashioned or immoral while other practices that raised questions are becoming totally acceptable. So what is going to happen next in business ethics? How can corporations use business ethics to restore confidence and protect themselves against tomorrow’s headlines? What will be the new â€Å"Gold Standard† for business ethics and corporate governance? How much further than legal minimum requirements for business ethics should corporations go to ensure sustainable success? When business ethics goes wrong who gets blamed? Impact of media allegations of dishonesty, fraud or corruption of senior executives or directors – and how to protect business ethics reputation . Why goalposts for business ethics will go on changing, and how to get ready? are all the questions to be pondered upon . Methodology of Inquiry should be able to reflect upon all above mentioned issues. Ethical decision making is about deciding between two rights. Leadership requires doing the right thing for the people of the organization, the organization itself and those the organization supports. But, what is the right thing? When faced with the difficult decision of choosing between two rights, some people seek the easy way out; avoidance, delay, or compromise. Ethical decision making is required when you face a decision about whether to do something that the organization, the profession or society considers right but which conflicts with your strongly held values and principles. What should you do, go with the flow and obey the wishes and pressures of the organization, the profession or society? Or should you act in accordance with your own values, principles and moral or ethical beliefs at the risk of your job, your career and your social standing? Ethical decision making is required to resolve ethical dilemmas or moral ambiguity between your own values and principles for living. Doing our part to create a more just and loving world for all mandates a strong commitment on the part of Ethical Societies and their members to their surrounding communities are something that is actually needed . Applied ethics in effective inquiry system consists of the analysis of specific, controversial moral issues such as abortion, animal rights, or euthanasia. In recent years applied ethical issues have been subdivided into convenient groups such as medical ethics, business ethics, environmental ethics, and sexual ethics. Generally speaking, two features are necessary for an issue to be considered an applied ethical issue. First, the issue needs to be controversial in the sense that there are significant groups of people both for and against the issue at hand. The issue of drive-by shooting, for example, is not an applied ethical issue, since everyone agrees that this practice is grossly immoral. By contrast, the issue of gun control would be an applied ethical issue since there are significant groups of people both for and against gun control. The second requirement for in issue to be an applied ethical issue is that it must be a distinctly moral issue. On any given day, the media presents us with an array of sensitive issues such as affirmative action policies, gays in the military, involuntary commitment of the mentally impaired, capitalistic vs. socialistic business practices, public vs. private health care systems, or energy conservation. Although all of these issues are controversial and have an important impact on society, they are not all moral issues. Some are only issues of social policy. The aim of social policy is to help make a given society run efficiently by devising conventions, such as traffic laws, tax laws, and zoning codes. Moral issues, by contrast, concern more universally obligatory practices, such as our duty to avoid lying, and are not confined to individual societies. There should be an honest and ethical conduct including the handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships ; full , fair , accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports that a company files with the Commission . Accountability for adherence to the code hastens the system of inquiry of the paper. The system of inquiry should be so effective and quick that no time should be wasted at any level of inquiry. System of inquiry is thus not a set of hard and fast rules which once made are to be followed blindly. It in fact is a framework which needs to be firstly made seeing all perceptives and then renewed from time to time as per sociological requirements and most importantly rules should be kept flexible as the rules are for the people not that the people are for rules . Essential elements of an ethical frame work – include contextual input , purpose with actions at issue , path finding function , problem solving function , implementing function quality judgment and lastly its output. Thus , systems inquiry incorporates these inter- related domains of disciplined inquiry systems theory. Systems methodology provides us with a set of models , strategies , methods and tools that instrumentalizes the whole systems inquiry. In today’s highly competitive , performance – driven business climate , regulations are not enough ; professional codes are not enough ; the old model of business ethics is not enough – what is required is a framework – that must be able to identify the ends as well as the means. Bibliography: http://www.en.wikipedia.org

Waste Isolation Power Plant Issues

Waste Isolation Power Plant Issues Introduction: The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, commonly abbreviated as WIPP is the third deepest geological repository in the world. This is after the closure of the repository German plants such as the Schacht Asse II, and the Morsleben radioactive waste plants. This geological repository site has been licensed to dispose radioactive waste, for a minimum period of 10,000 years. Furthermore, the WIPP is also responsible for the production of nuclear weapons (Olsson, 32). The estimated cost that this nuclear plan incurs is estimated at 19 billion United States dollars. The WIPP is found at 42 km, east of the town of Carlsbad. This town is found in the city of New Mexico, in the county of Eddy. This region is considered as the nuclear corridor of the city of New Mexico, and it also includes a National Enrichment Facility and a Waste Control Facility. Capilla, Jaime, and Andrà ©s (257) therefore explains that New Mexico hosts very important nuclear and geological facilities in United States. In the year 2010, the department of energy was able to mothball, the previous plans to develop and build the Yucca nuclear waste repository plant in Nevada. This had an effect of leaving the WIPP as the only repository facility that had the capability of storing waste products that had accumulated at the commercial nuclear plants, in the United States (Olsson, 39). However, there were a series of mishaps and accidents in the year 2014, and this is because of the growing backlog of nuclear waste, that were emanating from commercial nuclear power plants (Seong and Yoram, 1011). Because of these accidents and mishaps, there is a growing concern that this situation may turn into a danger to the citizens of the country, hence the need of building more nuclear repositories that can handle the nuclear activities of the country. Geological History of the WIPP: The WIPP is located in the Delaware Basin of the state of New Mexico. It is a 600 meter deep in length, and it is a salt basin. This basin was formed during the periods of the Permian, and it is approximately 250 million years ago. The Permian is a geological period, and it is characterized by the diversification of organisms into turtles, mammals, archosaurs, etc. Capilla, Jaime, and Andrà ©s (255) explains that an ancient sea once existed where the Delaware Basin is, and it evaporated over a given period of time. This had an effect of leaving an impermeable layer of salt that over a given period of time was able to cover a 300 meters of rock and soil. Olsson (41) further explains that the Delaware basin has some geological similarities with other basins that were created or made through the evaporation of the sea. One of this characteristic is the existence of salts and rocks. The Delaware basin is very salty and rocky, hence depicting this universal characteristic that is found i n all the basins that exists because of the evaporation of the sea. The saltiness of these basins occurs because of the nature of the sea, which is always salty. In 1975, the department of energy began drilling in the salty beds of the Delaware Basin. Geologists were able to discover that the edge of the Delaware Basin had experienced some disturbances. This had led to the movement of the interbed layers to a vertical position. In response, the geologists were able to move the site towards a more stable center of the Delaware basin. Capilla, Jaime, and Andrà ©s (255) explains that there was a suggestion during the early periods of investigation, that the complexity of the geological basin was problematic. This had an effect of causing or making the hollowed-out caverns as unstable. However, Seong and Yoram (1011) explain that what others consider as a form of instability is viewed as a positive aspect, and this is because salt is transformed into a rock. Furthermore, as early as 1957, the National Academy of Science was able to recommend that salt s hould be used as a radioactive waste disposal. This is because it had the capability of plastically deforming a motion that is referred to as the salt creep, which exists in the salt-mining industry (Olsson, 32). This helps in sealing and closing any opening that is created during the process of mining. Furthermore, it also closes and seals any opening that is found around the repository. Geological Location of the WIPP: The WIPP lies on a general flat plain, which is covered with caliche, desert bushes, and sand. The geological name of the region in which the WIPP is located, is called the gypsum-karst region. A subsidence landform, commonly referred to as the Nash Draw lies 5 km, across the Western side of the WIPP site. The Nash Draw is 10 to 16 km wide, on the eastern side of the WIPP, and it has experienced a series of erosion by fill and solution of soluble rocks (Olsson, 27). This is a process that has happened in the past period, and it is also currently happening. The Pecos River also flows from the North West of the WIPP to the South East of the repository. This river is approximately 20 km, from the repository. Because of the existence of saline creeps along the Pecos River, the WIPP has been identified as an area that has the capability of discharging nuclear waste products that emanate from the commercial nuclear sites, and the repository itself. Geological Issues related with WIPP: The geological characterization of the WIPP began in 1974, after the government abandoned the Lyons, Kansas site. The government abandoned this site, in the year 1972. The Atomic Energy Commission was the one which was responsible for selecting the Kansas site. However, it was deemed unsuitable because of unmapped gas and oil wells, which were located within the region or area (Mahaffey, 38). These unmapped wells had the potential of compromising the ability of the planned plant to contain and preserve nuclear waste. The government feared that proceeding with the construction of a nuclear site at the Kansas location, may lead to the emergence of serious health hazards, such as nuclear leakages. This may result to a serious negative impact on the environment. This is because nuclear wastes have the capability of destroying the environment, and the lives of people. Because these concerns were raised by the people, and professional geologists, the government was able to abandon this program, and look for a new site. In relocating this project to New Mexico, the government was encouraged by the interests that emerged from the communities living in the region. Based on these facts, the department of energy was able to relocate this new program to the Delaware salt beds, which are located in New Mexico. The early activities that characterized the classification of the site was focused on obtaining data on hydrology, potash resources, and stratigraphy at the WIPP site. As these studies continued, a variety of geological processes and features were identified, and these features could negatively affect the capabilities of a radioactive waste repository system. Because of the existence of these geological issues and safety concerns, the exact loc ation of building this site was able to change on numerous occasions. This is because the government was keen on protecting the security of the community of people living in the Basin. One of the minerals that posed a safety concern was the presence of Brine deposits. The discovery of brine occurred in the year 1975, when a drilling process was able to release a pressurized deposit of brine, from beneath the repository level. Olsson (46) therefore explains that construction of this plant, near the brine deposits could compromise the safety of the facility. This is because brine has the capability of leaking into the repository, and hence dissolving the radioactive particles or elements. Furthermore, brine had the capability of entraining particulate matter or elements with radioactive waste substances to the surface. This can negatively affect the environment, and the people living within the environment under consideration. These were some of the factors that were considered during the creation and development of the WIPP nuclear plant. Importance of WIPP to the Study: Understanding the geological characteristics and formation of WIPP is important because of the fact that it is a nuclear facility, and any breaches of its security, can lead to very grave security concerns and environmental damages. Take for example the Fukushima Daiichi disaster of 2011. This was a Japanese nuclear disaster that occurred in the year 2011, after being hit by a tsunami (Fermi and Salvatore, 41). This disaster saw the release of a substantial amount of radio-active elements, making it one of the largest nuclear disasters of all time. This led to the contamination of the Pacific sea, affecting the marine life there. Furthermore, there were risks that people could acquire cancer, because of exposure to radioactive elements. Understanding the geological properties and conditions of WIPP would help in minimizing risks associated with the leakage of radioactive elements (Fermi and Salvatore, 41). Conclusion: Storing nuclear waste substances always gives a significant problem to the continuous usage of nuclear substances or materials. There are various challenges that exists in the storage of these nuclear facilities, and this is demonstrated by 2011 Japanese nuclear crisis, and the recent fires that occur at the WIPP nuclear plant. Salt mines have been traditionally used as storage sites for nuclear plants; however, workers in these locations are always vulnerable to acquiring medical conditions that are not conducive to them. Furthermore, the notion that salt mines have the capability of blocking a diffusion of waste products is not a certain belief. It is based on these facts that the WIPP repository should be placed under heavy surveillance to ensure that it does not present a health hazard or risk to the community living there. Works Cited: Energy.gov. Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. http://energy.gov/em/waste-isolation-pilot-plant>. Seong, Kwanjae, and Yoram Rubin. Field Investigation of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Site (New Mexico) Using a Nonstationary Stochastic Model with a Trending  Hydraulic Conductivity Field. Water Resources Research (1999): 1011. Print. Capilla, Josà © E., J. Jaime Gà ¶mez-Hernà ¡ndez, and Andrà ©s Sahuquillo. Stochastic Simulation of  Transmissivity Fields Conditional to Both Transmissivity and Piezometric Head Data—3. Application to the Culebra Formation at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plan (WIPP), New  Mexico, USA. Journal of Hydrology (1998): 254-69. Print. Olsson, P. Nuclear Reactors, Nuclear Fusion and Fusion Engineering. New York: Nova  Science, 2009. Print. Fermi, Enrico, and Salvatore Esposito. Neutron Physics for Nuclear Reactors Unpublished  Writings. Singapore: World Scientific, 2010. Print. Mahaffey, James A. Nuclear Fission Reactors. New York: Facts on File, 2011. Print. Appendix One: Image One: This image was removed from the ENERGY.GOV website, managed by the Office of the Environmental Management (Energy.gov, 5). The following is a link to the website, http://energy.gov/em/waste-isolation-pilot-plant This is a truck carrying nuclear waste products, shipping them to the WIPP. This image is developed courtesy of ENERGY.GOV (Energy.gov, 5).

The Modeling of Salt Water Intrusion Essay -- Encroachment Science Ess

The Modeling of Salt Water Intrusion What is Salt Water Intrusion? Salt water intrusion, or encroachment, is defined by Freeze and Cherry (1979) as the migration of salt water into fresh water aquifers under the influence of groundwater development. Salt water intrusion becomes a problem in coastal areas where fresh water aquifers are hydraulically connected with seawater. When large amounts of fresh water are withdrawn from these aquifers, hydraulic gradients encourage the flow of seawater toward the pumped well or wells. Salt water intrusion is a problem that affects coastal areas around the world. Groundwater Problems in Coastal Areas (Custodio, 1987) is an excellent reference for more information on global salt water intrusion problems, while Atkinson (1986) details salt water intrusion problems for the coastal areas of the United States. Why is it a Problem? The encroachment of salt water into fresh water supplies has become cause for concern within the last century as populations in coastal areas have risen sharply and placed greater demands on fresh groundwater reserves. Salt water intrusion causes many problems in these areas, perhaps the most severe being the limitation of potable drinking water. Drinking water standards established by the EPA in 1962 require that drinking water contain no more than 500 mg/L of total suspended solids (TSS), a common measure of salinity (Atkinson, 1986). Seawater contains approximately 30000 mg/L of TSS. Therefore, it is evident that even a small amount of seawater can cause drinking water problems when mixed with fresh water reserves. Also, salinity in irrigation water can be detrimental to agriculture, reducing yields and killing crops with low tolerances to salt. In some... ...t Modeling of the Flow Through Porous Media". OWRT-C-4026(9006)(4). Office of Water Resources and Technology, U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Washington, DC. March, 1975. Christensen, B.A., "Mathematical Methods for Analysis of Fresh Water Lenses in the Coastal Zones of the Floridian Aquifer". OWRT-A-032-FLA(1). Office of Water Research and Technology. U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Washington, DC. Custodio, E., and Llamas, M.R. Hidrologia Subterranea. Ed. Omega, Barcelona. 1976. Custodio, E. (prepared by). Groundwater Problems in Coastal Areas. A contribution to the International Hydrological Programme. 1987. Freeze, R. A. and J. A. Cherry. Groundwater. Prentice Hall, Inc. 1979. Jenkins, S. R. and R. K. Moore. "Effect of Saltwater Intrusion on Soil Erodibility of Alabama Marshlands". Water Resources Research Institute, Auburn University, Auburn, Al. 1984.

The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

F. Scott Fitzgerald comments on the lighthearted vivacity and the moral deterioration of the period. It possesses countless references to the contemporary period. The aimlessness and shallowness of the guests, the crazy extravagance of Gatsby's parties, and the indication of Gatsby's connection in the bootlegging business all represent the period and the American setting. But as a piece of social critique, The Great Gatsby also describes the defeat of the American dream, and that the American ideals differ with the actual social conditions that exist in society. For the American constitutions stands for the freedom, and equality among people, but the truth of the matter is that social discrimination still exists and the grouping among the classes can never be overcome. Myrtle's attempt to become a "member" of Tom's group is predestined to fail, because he is of the wealthier, more "sophisticated" class. Taking advantage of her animation, her lively nature, she tries to elude the rest of her class. She gets involved in an affair with Tom, and inherits his values, and his way of living. By doing so, she only demoralizes herself, and becomes corrupt like the rich are stereotyped to be. She belittles people from her own class, and loses all sense of honor that she once had. And for all her social desires, Myrtle never does find her place in Tom's "high brow" world of the rich. Fitzgerald portrays Myrtle's condition, obviously, as a minor reflection to Gatsby's more substantial struggle. While Myrtle's ambitions come from her social desires, Gatsby's are linked more to his idealism, his strong belief in life's opportunity. For sure, his desire is influenced by social considerations as well; Daisy, who is beautiful and rich, shows a lifestyle which is distant to Gatsby's and therefore is more attractive to him, because it is so far out of his reach. However, social status is not his premier reason for loving Daisy. It only leads him, and makes him subject to believe in life's great opportunity. Like Myrtle does, Gatsby fights to fit himself into another social group, the one of old money, but his attempt is more significant, because his whole faith in life is rested upon it. Therefore, his failure is much more frightful to him, as any larger dream's failure turns out to be. His whole objective, his confidence in life and himself is completely smashed when he fails to win Daisy's love. His death, when it arrives is nearly meaningless, for, with the defeat of his dream, Gatsby

Gram Staining and Distilled Water Essay

The purpose of this experiment was to learn how to properly perform a gram stain and to also understand how gram staining can help identify either gram-positive or gram-negative organisms in the laboratory. The materials needed for this experiment included: two microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas fluorescens) in a slant agar, an inoculating loop, a microscope slide, distilled water, a Bunsen burner, four dyes (crystal violet, Gram’s iodine, ethyl alcohol, and safranin), bibulous paper, and a dye tray. The method for this experiment was as follows: 1) Cleaned the microscope slide with both soap and water and then dried 2) Flamed the inoculating loop with the Bunsen burner and then applied two small drops of water to each side (horizontally) of the slide 3) Flamed the inoculating loop again, allowed it to cool, and obtained a small sample of the first organism 4) Mixed the organisms on the inoculating loop with one of the drops of the water on the slide and spread to a nickel-sized drop 5) Repeated steps 3 and 4 for the other organism using the second water drop on the slide 6) Allowed the samples to dry and then heat fixed both samples. Applied the crystal violet dye, let it soak for 20 seconds, and then washed the dye away with distilled water off into the dye tray 8) Applied the Gram’s iodine and let it soak for a minute 9) Washed it off with alcohol for 20 seconds (or until the dye stopped running), and then immediately washed with the distilled water 10) Applied the counter-stain, safranin, and let it soak for a minute. 11) Washed with distilled water after and gently blotted it dry with bibulous paper 12) Observed both microorganisms on slide under the microscope Two different results were observed under the microscope. The first one was purple colored cocci, and the picture of the slide is on the following page. The second one revealed pink-colored rods, and the image is on the page following the first microorganisms. The results of the experiment came out as expected. There didn’t seem to be any flaws in the experiment, since the colors were distinctly different. The purple cocci were identified as the Staphylococcus aureus. Because the violet dye penetrated the membrane and stained it, it was recognized as a gram-positive organism. The pink rods were Pseudomonas florescens. It was discovered to be a gram-negative organism because the organism didn’t stain from the crystal violet. Since everything was easily identifiable, the experiment seemed to have gone as planned.

Multiple Intelligence Theory Essay

Many students choose to attend APUS because the University fosters differing educational styles and empowers the students through education. The Student Handbook states, â€Å"The University System fosters an environment that promotes a life of learning for its constituents and uses feedback from its participants and supporters to improve the quality of its teaching, learning, and support†¦ The University System anticipates and adapts to its changing environment and responds to the needs of the organization and its constituencies in manners both appropriate and timely.† In the beginning of College 100, students are introduced to the different learning styles and the theory of multiple intelligences. By becoming familiar with other students learning styles and exploring the multiple intelligences students became more tolerant towards others and were able to strengthen their learning power. Being familiar with multiple intelligence theory, knowing the different learning sty les, utilizing appropriate classroom methods, and exploring the interdisciplinary classroom will empower students towards a lifetime of learning. Recognizing the multiple intelligence theory is the first step in capturing the different learning styles. â€Å"Howard Gardners multiple intelligence theory (Gardner, 1993) proposes the idea that we all have various levels of intelligence across a range of intellectual areas† (Pritchard, 2008). The concept that people learn in different ways, and perceive and learn by different methods is what makes up the theory of multiple intelligences. There are at least nine different intelligences in which people display in varying ways (Pritchard, 2008). The styles are as follows: linguistic, logical/mathematical, musical, spatial/visual, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic, and existential (Pritchard, 2008). Student’s particular academic strengths have a direct impact on how effective their learning will be for their overall education. When applying multiple intelligences to the classroom, it is very important to cater to all the types of learning styles. When discussing learning styles in the forums of College 100, every student had a different way of learning that especially worked for them. If every single assignment or activity in a classroom is slanted towards visual learning, then the students who are auditory or kinesthetic learners will be at a serious disadvantage. These students will not be able to express themselves or be able to conform to the teaching style if their learning needs are not met. â€Å"In planning for multiple intelligences, teachers consider the range of activities related to the content of the lesson and the intended learning outcomes will give a range of opportunities to the children’s different intelligence strengths† (Pritchard, 2008). It is very important for a teacher to introduce a range of activities and presentations in order to make the most out of multiple intelligences. A learning style is reflected by a students preferred method of learning, which is a direct result of their type of intelligence. It is irresponsible for a teacher to assume that all of their students will learn in the same manner. The four main styles of learning are visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and extrovert. Every style has strengths and weaknesses. It is crucial in the educational environment to exploit the student’s strengths and protect the weaknesses. A student’s self-worth and esteem can be very much tied up with their learning capability. Teachers must exhibit a range of teaching styles, so that their students learning styles will be compatible. â€Å"Diverse personalities impact relationships, motivation, and ease of learning in classroom and work environments. Where there are diverse personalities within groups, people generally prefer and choose to be with others who are similar to themselves; individuals may even dislike those who have different attitudes and behaviors from their own† (Richardson & Arker, 2010). What Richardson and Arker are implying is that people of different personalities and learning styles tend to stick in the same groups. It would be to the benefit of everyone if individuals of different personalities and persuasions were put together in one group, that way the group will be more powerful and will benefit greatly from the input of everybody. A truly good teacher will ensure that they have designed their curriculum in such a way so that students learning needs are met. Classroom arrangements can be made so that individuals of similar temperaments are brought together in what is called compatibility scheduling. This arrangement will enhance the overall productivity of students as well as teachers† (Richar dson & Arker, 2010). As multiple intelligence theory has developed, advances in classroom methods have also been made. There are at least three different methods that combine multiple intelligence theory with learning styles in order to better the classroom environment. â€Å"Brain-based education supports the need to differentiate instruction† (Richardson & Arker, 2010). Some studies in brain research have shown that there is such a thing as a left-brain and a right-brain. People can be left or right brain dominate, which largely determines the individuals learning style. â€Å"Collaborative learning is a method of teaching and learning in which student’s team together to explore a significant question or create a meaningful project† (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004). This type of classroom learning will serve to help the entire group. The students and teachers will be able to pick out the roles that suit them best, thus serving the group to the best of their ability. Another method that is similar to collaborative learning is cooperative learning. In cooperative learning, â€Å"Students work together in small groups on a structured activity. They are individually accountable for their work, and the work of the group as a whole is also assessed. Cooperative groups work face-to-face and learn to work as a team† (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004). Cooperative learning is becoming a very popular method. It uses individuals best qualities for the betterment of the group. By using these methods in the classroom learning becomes an active process and engages all types of learning styles. The Western world has divided education into blocks, and then further divided the blocks into disciplines. While convenient on paper, it is clear that education and disciplines overlap, the world is a fluid place. Interdisciplinary education is an approach that blends different disciplines and utilizes multiple intelligence theory and varying learning styles. â€Å"The exponential growth of knowledge in the twentieth century revealed how disciplinary cultures and perspectives could discourage inquiries and explanations that spanned disciplinary boundaries. Disciplines, it now seems clear, are powerful but constraining ways of knowing† (Lattuca, 2001). By breaking down the walls of the disciplines, students are empowered to use their differing learning styles. This will result in students having positive experiences with education. Students will then seek out a lifetime of learning, and encourage other to seek knowledge. Recognizing the theory of multiple intelligences and defining each student’s learning style will lead to success in education. By utilizing methods such as brain-based learning, cooperative learning, and collaborative learning teachers can empower students by giving them the educational method that works best for each individual. Combining all of these aspects yields the concept of interdisciplinary learning, leading to a lifetime of successful education, teaching, and learning. References Concept to Classroom: Course Menu. (2004). THIRTEEN – New York Public Media. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/index.html Lattuca, L. R. (2001). Creating interdisciplinarity: Interdisciplinary research and teaching among college and university faculty. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press. Pritchard, A. (2008). Ways of Learning [electronic resource]: Learning Theories and Learning Styles in the Classroom. Hoboken, NJ: David Fulton Publishers. Richardson, R., & Arker, E. (2010). Personalities in the Classroom: Making the Most of Them. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 46(2), 76-81.

Colorism: Black People and African American Culture Essay

Colorism is a type of discrimination in which humans of the same race are treated or treat each other differently because of the social connotations that have been attached to shade of their skin. It exists in almost every race, but it is most predominant in the African American culture within the borders of The United States. Colorism in the United States is rooted back to slavery and ever since then it has corrupted the minds of the black community. Colorism between African Americans was no mistake; it was done purposefully to divide the African slave population to make them easier to control. A man by the name of Willie Lynch gave a speech in Virginia 1712 about how to control slaves. In this speech he stated, â€Å"I use fear, distrust, and envy for control purposes. These methods have worked on my modest plantation in the West Indies, and it will work throughout the South. Take this simple little test of differences and think about them. On the top of my list is ‘Age’, but it is there because it only starts with an ‘A’; the second is ‘Color’ or shade; there is intelligence, size, sex, size of plantations, attitude of owners, whether the slaves live in the valley, on a hill, East, West, North, South, have fine or coarse hair, or is tall or short. Now that you have a list of differences, I shall give you an outline of action–but before that, I shall assure you that distrust is stronger than trust, and envy is stronger than adulation, respect, or admiration. † Willie Lynch was a smart man with a very insidious agenda that he flawlessly completed. He knew the power of distrust, he knew how to use it to his advantage, and he knew that all he had to do was plant the seed in to the minds of the slaves and it would grow and blossom all on its own and live for many years to come. From his speech stems the terms â€Å"light skinned†, â€Å"dark skinned† and â€Å"good hair†. African American culture even today, three hundred years after this speech was given, is still being led to believe that having lighter skin in some way makes you a better than someone who has slightly darker skin. From the land that holds the famous motto â€Å"All men are created equal† oddly is the same place where people of the same race discriminate against their own people. In â€Å"The Color Complex† by Midge Wilson, she tackles the issue by tracking down the birthplace of colorism, â€Å"To trace the origins of the color complex, we must return to the year 1607 when three ships sailed in Chesapeake Bay, stopping at Jamestown, Virginia, to establish the first English colony in the New World. . . . What might have been unthinkable in Europe and Africa was an everyday occurrence in the wilderness. Miscegenation, or race mixing, became widespread as Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans mixed their seed and substance to produce a kaleidoscope of skin tones and features. But these primary race groupings differed sharply in their civil liberties and political freedoms. Subtle variations in appearance took on enormous consequences in meaning, especially among Negros,† (Wilson, pg. 9). The black community has let this issue open the doors for so much ignorance for hundreds of years. The effects of this have seeped into some of the most important organizations that delineate the black community, such as the NAACP, Jack and Jill, and renowned black Sororities and Fraternities.

Primarks Market Entry Proposal

Primarks Market Entry Proposal Introduction The decision to invest in a new and foreign market is not easy to make. A number of factors have to be taken into consideration. In spite of this, the decision to expand to foreign markets is not new to Primark. The company has taken these steps a number of times in the past.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Primark’s Market Entry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, the company operates more than 250 stores in different parts of the world. The existence of these outlets is an indication that Primark has made deliberate steps to enter into new global markets in the past. A market analysis was conducted to determine the attractiveness of two potential countries that the company wanted to establish its operations in. The two were Brazil and Italy. The analysis revealed a lot about the company and the two countries. Evidently, the two markets have their own potentials for growth, especially in the apparel industry, which Primark specialises in. The issue of expansion into new markets in other countries is very critical to the operations of Primark. The growth is essential especially taking into consideration the nature of the industry this company operates in. There are numerous reasons why the company should go on with the expansion. In this executive summary, the justifications for selecting Brazil as the new frontier in Primark’s international venture are provided. The decision to expand to Brazil is supported by facts and figures, including a number of theories touching on international operations. Proposed Market Entry Strategies and Justification The proposed market strategy for Primark includes the utilisation of licensing in the first stage of entry. The second stage of expansion should be carried out with the help of complete ownership strategy. It is important to note that licensing is suitable for Primark since the global apparel industry is currently experiencing intense competition. Complete ownership would afford the company advantages associated with independence, once established in the new market through licensing.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Primark’s Entry Strategy: Recommendations A number of recommendations are made based on the findings from the market analysis conducted on the two target markets (Italy and Brazil). The recommendations are as follows: Brazil is the ideal market for expansion between the two. Expanding to Italy is not a good idea at this stage. Two market entry strategies are proposed. They include licensing and total ownership. Licensing should be conducted at the first stage of market entry. Complete ownership should then follow. It should come after the brand is already established in the new market. Background The current case study focused on the assessment of the at tractiveness of both Italy and Brazil. The aim was to determine the best market for Primark’s expansion objective. The analysis and evaluation of the target markets revealed that Brazil is more promising compared to Italy. According to Sako (2006: 500), the motive to expand internationally is informed by the mission and vision statements of the company. In addition to the objective of increasing its profits, it is apparent that Primark aims at offering the customers high quality products. In addition, the company has a reputation of dealing with up-to-date and fashionable apparel. The products are sold at what can be regarded as affordable prices, which translate to value for customer’s money. The values will inform the entry of this company into the new market. The international ambitions of Primark are made evident by the more than 250 stores it operates in Europe Primark’s decision to expand internationally can be analysed from the perspective of normative de cision’s theory. According to this theoretical framework, the decision to enter into a foreign market should take into consideration the trade-offs between returns and risks (Caves 2007: 21). Consequently, Primark should go for the entry mode with the highest possibilities for risk-adjustment in relation to returns on investment. The availability of resources, together with the need for control, should also play a key role in the determination of the preferred entry mode. Dunning (1988:5) highlights the issue of resource availability with regards to international trade. According to Dunning, the concept entails the managerial and financial capabilities of the firm to survive in the given foreign market. Control, on the other hand, implies the need exhibited by the firm to influence systems, decision, and methods of conducting business in that particular market.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Primark’s Market Entry specifically for you for o nly $16.05 $11/page Learn More The factors enumerated above determine the linkages between the firm-level and the nation-level analyses of international markets. An evaluation of the two markets at the nation level settled on Brazil as the ideal market for Primark to further its expansion objectives. It is a fact that competition in the Brazilian apparel industry is very high. However, market conditions indicate the availability of opportunities for the establishment of a new company (Artigas and Calicchio 2007: 72). Furthermore, the analysis indicates that the adoption of the appropriate set of entry strategies can help Primark penetrate this market. The selection of Brazil as the preferred market for Primark is based on various nation-level factors. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited [PWC] (2013:5), Brazil has recently emerged as a strong and attractive economic player in the world. The degree of economic diversification in the country is hig h. In addition, the South American nation has a large domestic consumer market. The financial systems are well regulated, making the country an attractive option for Primark. According to Dunning (1988: 2), the general framework for determining market-specific and firm-specific factors influencing international expansion is fourfold. The factors of control, resources, risk and returns are essential to the analysis. The following proposal takes into consideration all these aspects of Primark at the firm level. In addition, the strategies proposed for the market entry appreciate nation-specific factors that will influence Primark’s activities. Analysis of Market Opportunities in Brazil Before going international, a firm should conduct an environmental analysis of the target market. The analysis of Brazil as the preferred market was conducted from different perspectives. The impacts of country-specific factors on the operations of the company were reviewed.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are various classical theories touching on international trade. The theoretical frameworks propose varying elements of comparative advantage, which make some countries more ideal for investment than others (Dunning 1988: 12). They also advance factor endowments that make a country a preferred international destination. The factors include land, labour, natural resources, and population size (Krugman 1999: 14). Nation-level analysis of Brazil is based on Dunning’s framework for expansion into foreign markets and Porter’s diamond model. According to Porter (1998:41), nations have the capacity to create new and advanced factor endowments. Factors countries can create include skilled labour, culture, government support, knowledge base, as well as advanced technologies (Porter 1998: 42). Consequently, the diamond model advanced by Porter illustrates the national advantages of Brazil in relation to Primark’s expansion objective. The individual factors in Porterà ¢â‚¬â„¢s model which constituted a nation’s comparative advantage included factor conditions and demand conditions (Porter 1998: 42).Other factors included related and supporting industries, coupled with firm strategy, structure and rivalry. Figure 1: Porter’s Diamond Model Source: Porter (1998: 41). Factor conditions refer to the situation in the country, with regard to production elements. Production factors include infrastructure, skilled labour, and technological base, among others. According to PWC (2013: 19), the economy of Brazil is large, and the infrastructure in most parts of the country is well developed. In addition, as an emerging economy, the country is developing very rapidly in relation to skilled labour and technological development (Porter 1998: 44). The apparel industry in Brazil is also fairy established with numerous brands, meaning that skilled labour in this industry is abundant. Demand conditions aspect of Porter’s diamond model entails the local demand for the products and services the investing company offers (Porter 1998: 44). According to MarketLine (2013:17), the apparel retail industry in Brazil is experiencing a strong growth. For instance, the value of the industry is forecasted to increase by 39.8% between 2012 and 2017 (MarketLine 2013:12). The growth is based on increasing demand in the apparel industry. Related and supporting industries in Porter’s diamond model referred to the non-existence or existence of other internationally competitive industries (Porter 1998: 45). According to PWC (2013: 153), Brazil importance in the global economy is attested for by the numerous international organisations based there. Some of the apparel companies in the country also indicate the level of competitiveness in the industry. The presence of these supporting industries in Brazil indicates that, innovativeness in the industry becomes a necessity. In addition, Primark would be able to enjoy more cost effective inputs. Firm strategy, structure, and rivalry in Porter’s diamond model referred to the conditions in the country that determine establishment and organisation of companies (Porter 1998: 45). In addition, this aspect of the model determines management of the company. Consequently, these conditions determine the kind of competition in the particular country. In Brazil, most of the major players in the apparel industry are local firms. According to MarketLine (2013:12) the retail apparel industry is fairly fragmented, although the recent growth of the industry has helped lessen rivalry. Despite of this rivalry however, Primark would have the relative advantage of offering unique imported products. The role of the government in determining success of enterprises in any country cannot be underestimated. The government ultimately facilitates business environment in the particular country, for instance through policies and regulations. According to PWC (2013: 72), Brazil is a membe r of numerous international trade agreements. Some of the agreements include the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTA), and the Amazon Cooperation Treaty [ACT] (PWC 2013: 73). Other agreements include World Trade Organisation (WTO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change (PWC 2013: 73). Membership to such organisations indicates the country’s openness to international trade, a factor that favours Primark immensely. Labour laws in Brazil are, however, strict. In addition, there are tax regulations and requirements for all foreign companies to register with the Ministry of Development and Foreign Commerce (PWC 2013: 88). Despite of the political and legal risks involved in Brazil, the returns outweigh them, leaving a country a very ideal market for Primark investment. Usually, many countries will seek to protect local enterprises, due to the uncertainties associated with multinational firms. Attractiveness of the Country The nation-level ana lysis through Porter’s Diamond attests to the potential of Brazil’s apparel industry and the benefits associated with establishing operations here. Below are some of the reasons why the country is attractive for investment: Foreign investments are generally welcome in Brazil. Brazil is the leading country in Latin America in terms of investment opportunities. All major agencies in the world have granted the country Investment Grade rating. Local auditing and accounting standards are in line with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Recent changes in the business culture and the promotion of best practices in corporate governance are favourable to new investors (PWC 2013:31). However, Primark should be wary of some of the challenges associated with doing business in Brazil. The country is ranked as ‘fair’ with regards to the ease of establishing operations (KPMG 2012: 12). Figure 2: Ranking of Brazil in terms of ease of doing business Source: KPMG (2012: 12). The rising trend in foreign direct investments (FDI) in Brazil further indicates the attractiveness of the country. According to KPMG (2012:9), the country recorded a positive growth in FDI in the period between 2006 and 2011. The trend is expected to persist. Figure 3: FDI in Brazil Source: KPMG (2012: 9). Company’s Situation Analysis The firm-level analysis conducted on Primark was based the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) framework (Hill and Westbrook 1997: 47). Strengths constitute the internal factors giving Primark an edge over competitors. Weaknesses constitute internal factors resulting to a company being at a disadvantage relative to competitors. Opportunities constitute the external elements, which an organisation can exploit to its advantage. The business is also faced by a number of threats. They include factors that are external to the entity, and which may derail efforts to achieve business objective. Some of the key strengths of Primark that can favour it in the intended venture include the positive reputation and popular brand names. In addition, the strong supply chain, and the beneficial trade relations established in the other countries reflect positively for Primark. The major weakness of the company is however the low margins recorded in some of its branches. In exception of poor business environment conditions, the company might not be ready to expand further due to poor management. The key opportunities that Primark faces include the highly untapped Brazilian apparel industry, by international retailers. In addition, Brazil has a very large consumer base (Artigas Calicchio 2007: 76).The only apparent threat to Primark is the global economic depression, whose aftermaths might still be evident in the Brazilian apparel industry. Readiness to go Overseas The readiness of Primark to go overseas cannot be denied. The firm-level analysis reveals strengths of the company, which would be v ery beneficial in overseas ventures. In addition, the company has considerable experience of foreign markets entry from its operations in Europe. The national-level analysis also indicates immense opportunities for the company in the Brazilian apparel industry. Hence, all indicators point out that Primark is ready for overseas ventures. Market Entry Strategy Koch (2001:351) proposes a holistic model for market entry and market selection processes (MEMS). The design of the model takes into account all contexts of the business and the relevant practices. It highlights the external, internal, and mixed category factors that inform the selection of the market. The model is shown below: Figure 4: Factors influencing market selection Source: Koch (2001:352). The factors affecting the selection of mode of market entry are also depicted in Koch’s model as shown below: Figure 5: Factors influencing market entry mode selection Source: Koch (2001:353). Primark can use Koch’s mo del to select a strategy that is suitable in entering Brazil. Based on the findings made in the nation-level and firm-level analyses, licensing emerges as the preferred entry strategy. According to Brouthers (2002: 206), licensing entails a firm in one country granting another company in a foreign country to manufacture, process, or use the licensor’s trademark. The domestic firm apparently enters into licensing contract with the foreign firm, allowing it usage of certain intellectual properties for payment of loyalties or given sales percentage. Intellectual properties licensed can include designs, patents, and name of the firm. One of the major advantages of licensing is that the strategy has low risks associated with it during expansion internationally, and it is relatively easy and quick (Anderson and Coughlan 1987: 74). In addition, the licensor (in this case Primark) has the opportunity of capitalising on the licensee’s country specific knowledge. The licensee Pr imark enter into a licensing agreement with will have better knowledge and experience in relation to Brazilian apparel industry. Although licensing spreads the risks of entry into new markets to the licensee, the main risk of this strategy is risk to the reputation of the licensor. A licensee with poor reputation will ultimately ruin the reputation of the licensor. Other disadvantages of licensing include very little control to the licensor, and likelihood of the licensee becoming a major competitor. Wholly owned foreign operations involve the expanding company establishing a complete base of operations in the target market (Brouthers 2002: 207). The strategy is the most extensive, since it would require total involvement by the company. Fully owned operations have the greatest advantage of total control. However, the disadvantages of this entry strategy are also high. For instance, this method of entry exhibits the highest financial risks. In addition, the company might take relati vely longer duration to get established in the market, or even fail altogether. Implementation of Market Entry Strategy In the first stage entry level, Primark should use licensing as the market entry strategy. As the brand gains more recognition in the market, the company should then result to total ownership. Initially, Primark should select several leading apparel retailers in the Brazilian market. After negotiations with these retailers, the company should settle on the one with the most reasonable, attractive, and profitable deal. The licensing should then be entered in, for a specified duration of time. Primark will have to allow the licensee the permission to use the company’s trademarks, brand, among other intellectual rights. The licensing contract should be projected to a period during which Primark brand should be fairly established in the Brazilian apparel industry. After the contract termination, Primark should then establish wholly owned operations in the Brazil ian apparel industry. Conclusion The nation-level analysis of Brazil reveals the potential of the market for a foreign international apparel retailer. It is a fact that the country poses some challenges to a new entrant. However, the potential returns outweigh these risks. The firm-level analysis also reveals that Primark is fairly experienced in entering international markets. The numerous stores the company operates in Europe attest to this. However, the company should approach the Brazilian market cautiously since apparel consumers there have a different view of the industry. The products the company offers in the European markets differ with those demanded by consumers in Brazil. References Anderson, E., and Coughlan, A.T. (1987). ‘International market entry and expansion via independent or integrated channels of distribution’. Journal of Marketing, 51 (1), 71-82. Artigas, M., and Calicchio, N. (2007). ‘How half of the world shops: apparel in Brazil, China, an d India’. The McKinsey Quarterly, 1 (4), 68-79. Brouthers, K. D. (2002). ‘Institutional, cultural and transaction cost influences on entry mode choice and performance’. Journal of International Business Studies, 33 (2), 203-221. Brouthers, K.D., Brouthers, L.E., and Wilkinson, T.J. (1995). ‘Strategic alliances: choose your partners’. Long Range Planning, 28 (3),18-25. Caves, R. E. (2007). Multinational enterprise and economic analysis. New York: Cambridge University Press. Dunning, J. (1988). ‘The eclectic paradigm of international production: a restatement and some possible extensions’. Journal of international Business Studies, 19 (Spring), 1-31. Hill, T., and Westbrook, R. (1997). ‘SWOT analysis: it’s time for a product recall’. Long Range Planning, 30 (1), 46-52. Koch, A.J. (2001). ‘Factors influencing market and entry mode selection: developing the MEMS model’. Marketing Intelligence Planning, 19 (5 ), 351-361. KPMG (2012). Investing in Brazil: a land of opportunities. Web. Krugman, P. (1999). ‘The role of geography in development’. International Regional Science Review, 22 (2), 12-32. MarketLine. (2013). Marketline industry profile: apparel retail in Brazil. Web. Porter, M.E. (1998). The competitive advantage of nations, New York: Free Press. PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited. (2013). Doing business and investing in Brazil. Web. Sako, M. (2006). ‘Outsourcing and off-shoring: implications for productivity of business services’. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 22 (4), 499-512.

The purpose of the Act is to incorporate into UK domestic law certain provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights made in 1950 The WritePass Journal

The purpose of the Act is to incorporate into UK domestic law certain provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights made in 1950 1. Introduction The purpose of the Act is to incorporate into UK domestic law certain provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights made in 1950 1. Introduction2. How the HRA 1998 introduces convention rights and relevant convention Articles which could create impact into  Ã‚  Ã‚   employment law.2.1 Statutory interpretation:2.2 The Convention Rights: Necessary in a Democratic SocietyThe Doctrine of ProportionalityMargin of Appreciation(5) If there was, is the dismissal fair, tested by the provisionsof s98 of the ERA, reading and giving effect to them under s3of the HRA so as to be compatible with the Convention right?5.   ConclusionRelated 1. Introduction The purpose of the Act is to incorporate into UK domestic law certain provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights made in 1950.   The intent is to give the major rights and freedoms in the Convention direct effect in the public law field and possibly in the field of private rights and obligations. A court or tribunal deciding a question in respect of a Convention right must take account of relevant judgments, decisions, declarations and opinions made or given by the European Commission and Court of Human Rights and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (Section 2(1) of the Human Rights Act). This means that Strasbourg jurisprudence will be influential, although not binding, on national courts. So the Strasbourg Courts rulings on the legitimacy of any particular infringement will have an impact on the way domestic courts will approach the question. Strasbourg judgements provide non-binding guidance on the tests of necessity and proportionality, which means that any given limitation should achieve its aim without excessive impact on the rights of the individual. This project will focus on the impact, benefits and contributions of the Human Rights Act of 1998 in relation to employment law with a view to evaluate its positive contributions in the area of the private sector employer and employees. It will research the achievements and the change brought into the United Kingdom legislation. Taking into consideration many legal commentaries regarding the introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998 in the area of employment law; it is to be noted that a general consensus is the Act has given much leeway to employee rights. Those employers constantly face litigation over issues not previously covered by domestic laws. The incorporation into UK laws of certain rights and freedoms as set out in the European convention of human rights has afforded employees rights to challenge issues relating to dismissal, sexual orientation, discrimination, equality and numerous others. ‘The Convention has not so far been recognised as a direct source of law by UK courts although, when interpreting ambiguous statutes, courts have sometimes had regard to Convention provisions’ The expectations from several commentators that the Act’s broad scope would significantly impact upon the disciplinary/grievance hearings, employment tribunals, trade   union right and other aspects relating to employment. After nearly a decade of its introduction I propose to evaluate the impact on important employment law cases brought under the Act. The project will also raise questions about what is the status of the Human Right Act 1998 on the rights of an individual law in England and Wales. How the relevant provisions of the convention articles do help us to understand the decisions reached by the employment tribunals or English courts with regards to the UK national laws? How the European convention principles have been given effect in UK law and if domestic courts have applied convention principles in case law? How human rights are protected in the UK courts? How does the court address similar disputes involving public authority in relation to the breach of the convention articles of the Human Rights Act 1998 and those of the private individual in the private sector? To what extent if any has the domestic human rights protection being enhanced by the Act? 2. How the HRA 1998 introduces convention rights and relevant convention Articles which could create impact into  Ã‚  Ã‚   employment law. 2.1 Statutory interpretation: Since the HRA 1998 came into force on 2nd October 2000 claimants have been able to assert their convention rights in the United Kingdom Courts and Employment Tribunals, thus avoiding huge cost and delay of taking cases to European Courts of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The Act gives effect to the provision of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Much speculation existed about the effect that the Act would have on employment law in the UK. ‘Parliament remains free to legislate in a manner incompatible with the Convention right which become part of municipal law under the Act’. In an attempt to discuss the impact on the individual employment law would depend on how these rights are enforced as this is dependent on whether the individual as an employee or worker who is employed or works in the public or private sector. The public sector employees and workers can assert their convention rights by bringing direct claim against their employers in the employment tribunal and courts by virtue of Section 7 of the HRA 1998. While the private sector employees cannot assert their convention rights through this route; instead they can rely on ss. 2,3, and 6 of the Act which places a statutory duty in employment tribunal and the courts to interpret domestic legislation in a way that gives effect to convention rights, and Strasbourg jurisprudence, as section 2 of the HRA 1998 provides ‘(1) A court or tribunal determining a question which has arisen in connection with a Convention right must take into account any (a) judgement, decision, declaration or advisory opinion of the European Court of Human Rights’. Section 3 of the HRA1998 states that ‘so far as it is possible to do so, primary and subordinate legislation must read and given effect in a way which is compatible with the Convention ri ghts’. Section 6 provides: ‘(1) It is unlawful for a public body to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right’. Section 6(3) provides that court and tribunals are included in the definition of public authority. 2.2 The Convention Rights: Section 1 of and Schedule 1 to, the Act set out those rights under the ECHR which are to be part of municipal law ‘Convention rights’. Section 1 (1) defines the term ‘Convention rights’ as the rights and fundamental freedoms set out in the various articles of â€Å"Convention†, which is defined in turn in section21(1) as the ECHR â€Å"as it has effect for the time being in relation to the UK†. ‘This makes it clear that the rights are those which operate in international law in relation to the UK’.[3] The current list of rights appears enormous but for the benefit of this task I will focus on the Convention rights that have had most impact on employment law. These are: Article 4, which prohibits forced labour Article 6, which provides for the right to a fair trial Article 8, protects private and family life Article 9, which protects freedom of thought, conscience and religion Article 10, protects freedom of expression Article 11, which guarantees the rights to freedom of association and assembly Article 14, provides that there shall be no discrimination in respect of the enjoyment of any Convention right. The above rights which are relevant to employment law from the wordings of the Articles are not expressed in absolute terms and are therefore subject to certain restrictions. The Courts will employ extra measure in the process of interpreting statutes with Convention rights ensuring that a balance result is produced, that which is compatible with the rights. This is regarded as the ‘principle of proportionality’; finding a balance between the protection of the individual rights and to those that are of communal interest. Article 8 contains both negative and positive obligations. The state is under a negative obligation not to interfere with privacy rights, but in addition Strasbourg case law has also extended Art.8 to impose a positive duty to take measures to prevent private parties from interfering with these rights: (1) X (2) Y v the Netherlands (1985)8 EHRR 235. There are four protected interests under Article 8: (1) private life; (2) home; (3) family; (4) correspondence. Most actions have been decided under the right to respect for private life, although they may involve incidental claims to respect for home, family or correspondence. Like Articles 9, 10 and 11 Article 8 (2) contains specific exceptions to the right guaranteed in the first paragraph. These limitations may only be justified if they are â€Å"in accordance with the law† (Artciles 9,10 11 require measures to be â€Å"prescribed by law†) and, in all cases, â€Å"necessary in a democratic society†. The following analysis of these qualifications will apply equally to Articles 9 10 and 11 to follow. In Accordance with the/Prescribed by law This means three things: (1) there must be a specific legal rule or regime which authorises the interference; (2) the citizen must have adequate access to the law in question (The Sunday Times v United Kingdom (1979) 2 EHRR 245); (3) the law must be formulated with sufficient precision to enable the citizen to foresee the circumstances in which the law would or might be applied Malone v United Kingdom Necessary in a Democratic Society Even if a measure has been taken in pursuit of one of the legitimate interests listed in the second paragraph of Articles 8, 9 10 or 11, the measure must be tested for â€Å"necessity.† The Court has held that the notion of necessity implies two things: (1) that an interference corresponds to a pressing social need; (2) that it is proportionate to the legitimate aim pursued. The Doctrine of Proportionality In order for a measure to be â€Å"necessary in a democratic society†, it must respond to a â€Å"pressing social need† The Sunday Times v United Kingdom this involves the test of proportionality. If a measure has been adopted which infringes an individual’s Convention right in some way, it will not be considered disproportionate if it is restricted in its application and effect, and is duly attended by safeguards in national law so that the individual is not subject to arbitrary treatment (MS v Sweden (1997) 3 BHRC 248). The Court held that, ‘the domestic law must afford appropriate safeguards to prevent any such communication or disclosure of personal health data as may be inconsistent with the guarantees in Article 8’ Margin of Appreciation Depending on the aim pursued, the Court grants Signatory States a certain leeway in adopting the measures it considers most appropriate to pursue that aim. In the area of public morals, for example, State authorities have been considered to be in a better position than the Court itself to determine for instance the restrictions on the sale of pornography Handyside v United Kingdom.or the legal recognition of transsexuals Rees v United Kingdom. The private individual has no direct obligation under the Convention rights however s 3 of the HRA 1998 requires that, ‘so far as it is possible to do so, primary and subordinate legislation must read and given effect in a way which is compatible with the Convention rights’. This inference is that the courts or tribunals must read and give effect to legislation in a way which is compatible with such rights taking into account Strasbourg jurisprudence. The Act does not create any ‘free –standing’ rights for employees there must be in existence the right which has to be interpreted in line with the Convention rights. The Court of Appeal has consistently reiterated that the Human Rights Act remains relevant to decisions taken by employment tribunals considering for instance in a claim of unfair dismissal made against a private employer recommended the following five point approach which might aid tribunals in other unfair dismissal cases between private individuals relating to Convention rights issues. The five point approach suggested in the case of   X v Y   [2004] EWCA Civ 662 is as follows: (1) Do the circumstances of the dismissal fall within the ambit of one or more of the Arts of the Convention? (2) If so, does the state have a positive obligation to secure enjoyment of the relevant Convention right between private persons? (3) If it does, is the interference with the employee’s Convention right by dismissal justified? If it is, proceed to (5) below. (4) If it is not, was there a permissible reason for the dismissal under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA), which does not involve unjustified interference with a Convention right? If there was not, the dismissal will be unfair for the absence of a permissible reason to justify it. (5) If there was, is the dismissal fair, tested by the provisions of s98 of the ERA, reading and giving effect to them under s3 of the HRA so as to be compatible with the Convention right? Considering the case of private employers section 3 appears more appropriate than section 6 of the HRA 1998 which explicitly applies merely to cases relating to public authority. The requirement under section 3 of the HRA implies that the courts and employment tribunal, so far as it is possible to do so, be obliged to read and give effect to section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and other related provisions in the ERA in a way which is compatible with the Convention rights. The requisite of section 3 of the HRA applies to both primary legislation and secondary legislation; the ERA and the rules of procedure in the Employment Tribunal Regulations 2001. The ERA applies to all matters relating to employment rights disputes that exist between private sector employer and employee, unfair dismissal claims between public sector employer and employees. Invoking Section 98 of the ERA draws no distinction between an employer in the private sector and a public authority employer. In line with his leading judgement, Mummery LJ said, ‘in the case of such a basic employment right there would normally be no sensible grounds for treating public and private emplo yees differently in respect of unfair dismissal, especially in these times of widespread contracting out by public authorities to private contractors†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢[9] Under Section 3 of the HRA it is the tribunal’s or Court duty to interpret S.98 (4) in a way compatible with Convention rights as was determined in the case of X v Y [2004]. An analysis of case law alleging breaches of convention rights and incompatibility of UK legislation. The vast majority of employment cases to date have related to Article 6, the right to fair trial, Article 8, the right to respect for private and family life, Article 4, prohibition of slavery and forced labour, Article 9, the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, Article 10, the right to freedom of expression, Article 11, the right to freedom of association and assembly. Below I will attempt to set out the main cases brought under these Convention Articles. Article 8- the right to private and family life in Art8 (1) is subject to a number of restrictions in Art (2) restrictions which have in many cases   proved deficient in the ability of claimants to bring successful claims under this Article. The tribunals and courts are required to regard the â€Å"principle of proportionality† when considering restriction on the exercise of a Convention right; which involves finding the right balance between the protection of the individual’s right and the interest of the state at large. In X v Y , the Court of Appeal cautiously asked whether the tribunal should have taken an employee’s right to private life under Article 8 into account when determining the fairness of his dismissal in accordance with S.98 (4) of the Employment Rights Act 1996. The employee was dismissed after his employers found out that he had earlier received a police caution over some sexual activity in the toilet which he has failed to disclose when seeking employment as required by his employers. The Court of Appeal upheld the tribunal decision that since the activity took place in public his Article 8 right to respect for private life and his right under Article 14 not to suffer discrimination had not been engaged. In Pay v Lancashire Probation Service, A Probation officer was dismissed when his employer’s discovered his links to a business involving sadomasochistic activities. The employee sought to argue that, in accordance with S.3 of HRA, his right not to be fairly dismissed should be interpreted in the light of Articles 8 and 10. The tribunal held that the dismissal had been effected for ‘some other substantial reason’ within S.98 (1) and that his employer’s decision to dismiss him was fair for the purposes of S. 98(4). Again the tribunal concluded that the employee’s activities were conducted in public and could not be accepted as such being part of this private life. The tribunal also addressed the issue relating to Article 10 that this Convention right was not infringed and concluded that the employer’s decision to dismiss was justified under Article 10(2) which restricts the right to freedom of expression; taking into consideration that the empl oyee’s activities would pose a risk to the reputation of the employer. The EAT while upholding the decision of the tribunal rejected the employee’s argument that the tribunal had erred in its approach by considering first the issue of fairness before considering whether Conventions rights were engaged and, if they have been breached. They argue that the consideration was injected into S.98 (4) test and that ‘interpretative obligation’ were met. In another development regarding the claim which breaches Article 8, employers have the right to undertake random drug, or alcohol test on employees. The was challenged in the case of Whitefield v General Medical Council [12] a medical doctor appealed against the condition placed on his registration by the General Medical Council   requiring his abstinence from alcohol and submitting to random blood and breath test. He relied on Article 8 arguing that the conditions deprived him from consuming alcohol during family and social gatherings, therefore violated his rights under Article 8. However the Privy Council rejected his claim that restriction was for public safety in the course of his employment as this would have serious consequences on his practice and that testing for safety reasons would seem proportionate. They also suggested that he can still enjoy drinking with friends and family and could opt for soft drinks instead. In the McGowan case, the Article 8 right was considered when a public sector employee who was dismissed after his employer obtained evidence through covert surveillance of his house that proved he was falsifying records of time sheets. However the EAT accepted the covert surveillance that the employer’s action was necessary to protect its assets and also investigation a criminal activity, despite the acceptance of the fact that tracking the movements of all inhabitants abode the house ‘raises†¦a strong presumption that the right to have one’s private life respected is being infringed’ The issue that has arisen between the right to privacy and freedom from intrusion into one’s personal life and relationship conflict with the right to fair trial has led the courts to demonstrate where appropriate the willingness to prioritise the right to   a fair trial under Article 6 over Article 8 privacy rights. This was illustrated in the case of Jones v University of Warwick   an enquiry agent obtained access and information from the employee of the company he was representing by posing as a market researcher, filmed her using a hidden camera. The employee had proceeded to make a claim against her employer alleging significant disability and claimed substantial damages. The employer then introduced the video footage as evidence of the employee recovery, the Court of Appeal accepted the video footage despite admitting that this act was a violation of employee’s Article 8 rights but states that ‘the significance of the evidence weighed against the gravity of the Article 8 breach’. In contrast to the decision in Jones, the Court of Appeal in XXX v YYYoverturned the decision of EAT who earlier admitted the evidence of a nanny who had submitted a recorded video footage in support of her claim of sex discrimination; that the employment tribunal who had seen the footage had concluded that it did not assist the employee’s case, therefore in its view was irrelevant and did not affect the balance struck between Articles 8 and 6 respectively. The EAT, in the case of De Keyser Ltd v Wilson made a general comment on the relationship between the two convention rights (Article 8 and 6) that ‘where an individual institutes proceedings, his or her right to privacy under Article 8 (1) will be qualified by Article 8(2) so far as is necessary to protect the right of the litigating parties to a fair trial under Article 6’. Article 6 guarantees the right to ‘fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law’ An evaluation of the impact of the HRA 1998 on the law of private employer and employee. In his April 2009 report, Professor Ruggie of the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative on human rights and transnational corporations and other business entities, explained: ‘states are not held responsible for corporate-related human rights abuse per se, but may be considered in breach of their obligations where they fail to take appropriate steps to prevent it and to investigate, punish and redress it when it occurs. Within these parameters, states have discretion as to how to fulfil their duty. The main human right treaties generally contemplate legislative, administrative and judicial measures’[17] SUMMARY OF EFFECTS (i) HRA makes it unlawful for any Authority to act incompatibly with convention rights.   However if the Authority is complying with its own primary legislation it will not have acted illegally. (ii) HRA requires all legislation to be interpreted and given effect (as far as possible) to be compatible with convention rights. (iii) The principle of proportionality is crucial so that say an authority in trying to prevent crime adopts a policy contrary to convention rights it must still show that the action was proportioned and not excessive. (iv) Only a victim or someone potentially at risk of being affected by a measure can bring proceedings under the HRA 5.   Conclusion The Human Rights Act 1998 may be relevant to a dispute between private parties in the following ways: oThe horizontal effect of the Act oThe interpretative obligation on the Court; or oThe positive obligations placed on public authorities by the Act. However, none of the above makes the Human Rights Act enforceable directly against private individuals or companies.