Strategic Planning Process

Question: You are the Program Manager and liable for the coordination of all exercises which happen in a program. This might be a social work program, nursing care program, word related or physiotherapy program, and so on. Principally put together with a concentration with respect to either the matured consideration division or inability wellbeing services.Briefly describethe vital arranging procedure and how you would utilize this to advance the points and results of the program. Distinguish key announcing apparatuses of value the executives which might be applied all through the procedure, likewise think about the continuous objectives of the program. How might you characterize the connection between quality appraisal and execution revealing inside your program? Is it accurate to say that they are interrelated? Depict both conceivable constructive and antagonistic outcomes.What do you accept to be the best method of guaranteeing individuals inside your association accomplish the objectives s et for them? Think about training, acknowledgment of abilities and capabilities, likewise in what manner will this influence the remainder of the association overall? Answer: The Falls Management Program incorporates double essential weaving machines towards the board of the falls just as wounds. The inception will be through an extremely unconstrained reaction towards inhabitants that fall. At the point when any fall happens, cautious assessment just as examination, with prompt intercession while starting 24 hours, could help perceive chance in addition to try and forestall any future episodes. Second loom will be for quite some time run the executives. In this methodology, screening at the hour of affirmation, quarterly, yearly s well as modifications of circumstances are indispensable towards distinguishing occupants at higher danger of the fall (Bloodgood 2007). In both the weaving machines, appropriate far reaching falls assessment should likewise be utilized towards creating element care plan interruption. Staff will screen just as oversee inhabitants answer, and make appropriate consideration arrangement revaluations at whatever point required. Whi le both the methodologies will be crucial towards a total program, trouble upon staff inside terms of upgraded time just as desk work on account of the higher amount of occupant falls additionally is huge. Civilities which ace fall reaction strategy could move from the emergency the board towards proactive diminishing of the fall chance just as related wounds Program objective and foundation The FMP will be proper interdisciplinary quality upgrade activity. Such a program will be appropriately and explicitly structured towards helping the nursing offices and furthermore providing individualized, individual situated consideration, just as enlightening their all out consideration for fall forms in addition to results by means of instructive just as quality improvement devices ('Defining And Developing Competence: A Strategic Process Paradigm' 1995). For what reason is this noteworthy? It is an imperative inquiry and has a few answers: Falls are general inside nursing offices. From 1.6 million occupants in the U.S. nursing enhancements, generally half fall yearly. Around 1 inside 3 of the ones who fall would fall two in any case more occasions inside a year.Falls every now and again have grave results, especially in feeble more established inhabitants. The Fall-situated wounds reduce inhabitants prevalence of life also over ability towards work. Occupants that fall with no injury constantly build up a dismay of falling which leads towards self-constrained confinement of activities. One in every 10 occupants that fall has intense related injury just as somewhere in the range of 65,000 patients likewise endure a modish break each year. There are a few negative aftereffects of these falls.Falls in all actuality are an essential security concern planned for all nursing civilities. Wounds that are a consequence of falls are additionally significant foundations for some claims nearby offices just as staff that could like wise result inside loss of the huge measure of cash just as higher reimbursement premiums. There exist numerous likely ramifications for amenities.Several nursing conveniences convey proposals programs in legitimate spot, yet distinguish that there are consistently spaces for improvement and development. While few out of every odd fall and injury could be prohibited, it is additionally basic to convey a precise procedure for evaluation, obstruction and checking which results inside limiting all the dangers of fall.FMP would likewise help office representatives to perceive and referee, at whatever point conceivable, upon the standard reasons for the falls. Falls among nursing home occupants are as a general rule result of the blend of hazard components, both inherent just as outward. In spite of the fact that characteristic hazard components like age-connected changes in addition to ceaseless maladies can never be killed, they could be controlled in appropriate route towards diminishing inhabitants risk of falling. The Medical organization of both intense just as ceaseless circumstances could be improved by means of fitting appraisal and appropriate treatment. Hazard factors that are Extrinsic could likewise be addressed towards improve security inside condition in addition to likewise during utilization of instruments and supplies. Announcing devices for better quality administration FMP Self-assessment instrument will be utilized in the program and this would empower representatives to perceive qualities just as shortcomings inside primary regions. It should likewise be finished before inception of the program for better advancement of an office itemized plan planned for execution of the program (Dring 2007). This self-appraisal should likewise be closed after the program usage towards assessing progress just as distinguishing further improvement in the process prerequisites. In demanding, finishing graph review section of self-appraisal periodical would likewise assist with distinguishing all the consideration forms like screening, assessment, care arranging, just as observing that will be performed and perceived enough alongside need redesigning. This part will likewise incorporate significant fields of documentation that are important to copy usage of most phenomenal practices just as will likewise advance positive results all through overview in any case at time of prosecution. Following Record expected for Improving the Patient Safety (TRIPS) likewise will be utilized as a technique in FMP towards detailing all types of falls and furthermore the advancement of the arrangement and the program. The Centers planned for Medicare just as Medicaid Services clarification of the reportable fall involves the accompanying Full scene where specific occupant has lost their equalization just as may have fallen, that were not for any staff intercession, additionally is said as a fall. In some different words, blocked fall additionally is a fall.The participation or nonappearance of a following physical issue is never a factor inside meaning of any fall. Indeed, even a fall without injury is considered as a fall (Gustafsson 1997).When any inhabitant is seen on floor, office is constrained to research in addition to try and attempt to perceive the manner by which he/she went there, notwithstanding instituting appropriate intercession towards forestalling this kind of happening whenever once more. Except if and until there is confirmation proposing, most intelligent end is that fall has really happened. Connection in the midst of value evaluation in addition to execution detailing On the off chance that any fall circumstance isn't researched on time of event, it is extra hard to assemble occasion notwithstanding deciding sorts of hazard that were available in the circumstance that has just happened. Indeed, even while an inhabitant is found on floor after an unrecognized fall, straight consideration staff could utilize their insight just as experience of occupant towards making taught surmises based on the proof (Foster 2014). Appropriate reaction of the obscure should likewise once in a while be acknowledged through medical caretaker supervisor at the hour of examination of the fall. Powerful WAY TO ENSURE PEOPLE IN THE Organization TO ACHIEVE GOALS THAT ARE POSITIONED FOR THEM Following Record expected for Improving the Patient Safety which is additionally called TRIPS will be the technique that will be utilized inside FMP towards revealing all types of falls. Outings structure will be separated in two portions. Segment A which will incorporate general inhabitants data and information forms for documentation inside clinical record just as warning of essential consideration provider in addition to their family. Area B will involve questions with respect to conditions, worker reaction just as inhabitant in addition to likewise mind results (Kirby 2010). Medical attendant Manager on the job at time of fall should likewise finish TRIPS structure. Following the conversation with included straight consideration staff, medical caretaker will be approached to use his/her insight just as experience in addition to abilities of inhabitant towards assembling indications so the obscure is used carefully, on the off chance that it is ever utilized. This structure will b e next checked by Falls Nurse chief of nursing in addition to any missing information like crisis space visits, emergency clinic induction, x-beam results in any case extra tests that are clinical will be included at some later time. Results of Falls assessment, with orders in addition to proposals, should likewise be used by interdisciplinary gathering towards building up a total just as appropriate consideration plan expected to the falls inside some 1-7 days following the fall. Fall impedance Plan will likewise be utilized by Falls Nurse director as legitimate worksheet in addition to towards recording last intercessions picked for inhabitant. Intercessions recorded upon this structure likewise will be assembled inside same five risk territories worn for Falls assessment. Additionally a legitimate duplicate of plan for Fall Interventions will be provided. Regularly boss consideration plan won't involve a particular adequate detail towards successfully diminishing the danger of th e fall. Safe and made sure about footwear will likewise be an excellent occasion of a mediation oftentimes found on the consideration plan. Yet in addition to keep individuals from falls, workers must comprehend which of occupants shoes are secure and safe. This period of the detail only accompanies the forefront worker contribution towards individualizing care plan (Campbell 2006). Plan for Fall Interventions will likewise incorporate such lev

Paper on Abuse Reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Paper on Abuse Reporting - Essay Example This paper will flexibly a diagram of the youngster detailing laws of the province of California. This paper will additionally talk about these laws comparable to my contemplations on privacy and the obligation to shield others from hurt. It will allude to moral gauges of human assistance s experts and different codes of morals. The Office of Child Abuse and Prevention under the California Department of Social Services, is liable for executing the youngster misuse and disregard revealing law. As indicated by a Summit (1983), California instituted its first kid misuse revealing law in 1963. Prior laws ordered that physical maltreatment should just be accounted for by doctors. The meaning of youngster misuse has anyway been extended by the various revisions that have been occurring throughout the years. Laws have additionally explained the methodology for detailing different classes of kid misuse (Summit, 1983). In California, there are sure experts who are required to report known cases or associated cases with youngster misuse. In any case, different residents who are not legally necessary to do so may likewise be permitted to do as such. Commanded reports and professionals should in this manner be kept refreshed on changes made to these laws every now and then so they can be very much educated on what is expected of them under all conditions (Gil, 2001). The California laws on misuse detailing accommodate why announcing is vital, what ought to be accounted for, who should report, when revealing ought to be done and to whom it ought to be finished. The laws additionally give methods of distinguishing rates that should report and signs to pay special mind to realize when to report. There are rules to decide doubt of the different types of misuse, for example, physical maltreatment, sexual maltreatment, disregard and psychological mistreatment among others (Summit, 1983). Corresponding to my musings on secrecy and ensuring the privileges of others, I am of the assessment that it

Quality Management Five Components of Service Management

Quality Management Five Components of Service Management Administration the board is normally characterized as the point in a flexibly chain that associates deals and clients, however as of late the idea has transformed from a genuinely limited part of generally the executives and system to a wide administration direction that tends to all features of a venture, especially in administration businesses. Starting in the mid 1980’s, Christian Grã ¶nroos of the Hanken School of Economics in Finland began building up a â€Å"framework of values† for administration the board, a lot of standards which, if coordinating effectively into the company’s system and tasks, prompts great help conveyance. There are five sections to the system of qualities for administration the board: A general administration viewpoint This requires a move in the wide needs of the firm from an inside spotlight on process efficiencies, economies of scale, and cost the executives to an outer spotlight on customers’ points of view on center item quality and absolute firm execution. Grã ¶nroos’ whole postulation is that the old style logical administration passed on to us by any semblance of Adam Smith stresses division of work, which can and regularly results in isolated pieces of the endeavor working experiencing some miscommunication. The administration the executives viewpoint, by examination, builds up client support as the general objective all through the association so that regardless of whether the efficiencies of the divisionâ of work are utilized, they are essentially done as such with regards to their effect on the more extensive goal. From the start become flushed, this specific piece of the structure may seem like an unclear parenthood explanation, however it is really significant in light of the fact that it sets up the reason for different pieces of the system of qualities. Client or market-driven execution measures The enormous distinction between a ‘service management’ direction and the accepted procedures proposed by traditional logical administration is that exhibition estimation must have an outside point of view, as opposed to being founded on objectives identified with inner efficiencies. Notable execution the executives and arranging apparatuses, for example, CSFs KPIs still work very well from a help the board point of view, however just if the achievement elements and execution markers down to the degree of the individual worker are communicated regarding what each section or position in the association adds to client assistance. Generally, every job inside the association somehow or another turns into a client assistance position. You can likewise be keen on: The board or Leadership? Financial exchanges and Seasonal Effects in Them The board and Exchange Rates The board Essay Quality administration isn't isolated from ‘normal’ the executives capacities This piece of the structure is maybe increasingly relevant to assembling or other creation firms where an unmistakable quality control process is required, yet something else, the idea of incorporating quality control capacities into typical work process basically strengthens the point of view of the initial two pieces of the system. This part of the administration the board point of view is additionally maybe more recognizable than most; we see it by and by frequently through thoughts, for example, Total Quality Management.â The greatest change it requires from the association lies in operational arranging, since quality control capacities †where unmistakable methods are required †must be separated and easily fit into a brought together, generally process. Inward advancement of faculty This idea has gotten practically authoritative in HR managementâ and identifies with administration the board in two basic manners. In the first place, it is the essential methods by which client care points of view and objectives can be appropriately spread all through the whole association, and is a key connection in the administration benefit esteem chain (talked about in more prominent detail in another article). More significant levels of representative experience, ability, and fulfillment lead to more prominent productivity and worker unwaveringness, which emphatically influence administration quality in various manners. Second, it is for all intents and purposes difficult to viably actualize quality administration works as depicted above into an endeavor wide procedure without utilizing inside HR; the most ideal individuals for the activity in any association are the ones the association as of now has. Similarly likewise with quality administration, staff advancement requires the coordination of HRM capacities that are normally treated independently into standard procedures, in any event at the arranging level. Level authoritative structure The administration the executives system underscores cross-useful capacities, interior coordinated effort, and sidelong correspondence, and as a result,â tends to dishonor the adequacy of various leveled associations for accomplishing client support quality. This presents a noteworthy administration challenge in associations where the logical administration point of view of specialization and division of work is an unavoidable need, for example, in organizations where center capacities require profoundly talented laborers who have escalated particular preparing. Cross-practical preparing at a carrier, for instance, can just go so far;â it is absurd to consider putting ticket counterâ personnel behind the controls of a fly aircraft just â€Å"to discover what others’ work jobs are like†. Be that as it may, then again, there is little to forestall an exceptionally gifted aircraft pilot from putting in a couple of days behind the counter to encounter an alternate side of client support. A few reactions of the administration the executives structure of qualities One ramifications of the administration the executives point of view is that it enormously expands the intricacy of arranging and procedure in an association; huge numbers of the limits between various divisions or capacities vanish altogether, and everything activity from the degree of individual representatives upward should be reciprocal. This is the basic motivation behind why the system has never been displayed in any extraordinary arrangement; a compelling model would require thought of an extremely huge number of factors, and may be too cumbersome to ever be valuable. What's more, without a model, the system is simply one more subjective idea that doesn't provide a lot of guidance for reasonable application. Another explanation the structure has not gotten as much scholastic or useful consideration as it merits is fairly unreasonable; Professor Grã ¶nroos’ discipline is promoting, not the board, and in his different works, he will in general remain in his usual range of familiarity when looks for guides to show the focuses he is making. The executives researchers appear to have an inclination that consigns promoting to a specialty inside the wide domain of business considers, thus have perhaps neglected the more noteworthy utilization of the thoughts created by â€Å"a showcasing teacher.† Which, if nothing else, is a decent update for business understudies not as far as possible on their investigations of information †similarly as the structure of qualities recommends, one’s own viability can be significantly expanded by broadly educating. Peruse progressively about assistance the board: Grã ¶nroos, C. (1994). From Scientific Management to Service Management. Global Journal of Service Industry Management, 1(5).

Breakfast of Champions: Life With Others Essay -- Breakfast of Champio

Breakfast of Champions: Life With Othersâ â â â Â For any individual who has ever thought about what the importance of life is, it is to be the eyes and ears of the Creator of the Universe, on the off chance that one trusts Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions (1973). In Breakfast of Champions the hero, Kilgore Trout, is a desolate sci-fi essayist who lives in a gap in the digs of New York City. His lone work distributed was to offer mass to books and magazines of prurient pictures ( 21). At last getting his break, Trout is welcome to the Midland City Arts Festival, home of Dwayne Hoover. Hoover, who is an affluent vehicle sales rep, claims a portion of essentially everything in Midland City. In any case, Hoover is near the very edge of craziness as of now and is feeling that one of the craftsmen at the celebration will assist him with finding the answer for his journey for satisfaction. Vonnegut utilizes characters from different ways of life to build up his demoralizing perspectives on mankind. Through silly composition, Vonnegut shows how love, connections, thoughts and even tattle can effectsly affect people and society. Once in a while people don't understand the impacts of words on others. In Breakfast of Champions, Dwayne Hoover results in these present circumstances acknowledgment the most difficult way possible. Previously having an awful day, Hoover runs into one of his representatives named Harry. Not very enamored with the way Harry dresses, feeling he is excessively tasteless, Hoover tends to him. Harry, why not get a lot of cotton squander from Vern Garr, absorb it Blue Suncoe* and consume your f-cking closet? (46). Later in the section, he scorns Harry's appearance once more. I have some news for you: present day science has given us a mess of awesome hues, with peculiar, energizing names like red!, orange!, green!, and pink!(48)... ...54). Hoover got up from the table to go on an eleven man beating frenzy which included: his child Bunny, special lady Francine and Kilgore Trout. It stirred up Trout to understand that even he could carry insidious into the world- - as impractical notions (15). Because of Hoover, Trout acknowledged how ground-breaking his words were, proceeded to win the Nobel Prize for medication. Trout and Hoover's deprecatory remarks and unthoughtful activities served to dishearten and crush individuals' lives around them. The ironical parody which the novel is seen by the peruser makes it entertaining, yet as the story unfurls it gets discouraging. There is a feeling of truth in Vonnegut's upsetting perspective on mankind. The street of life is set out for individuals to travel, being cautious about ones activities will make it less rough. Work Cited Vonnegut , Kurt. Breakfast of Champions. Dell Publishing Co. 1973

How Harm Reduction Works in Substance Use

How Harm Reduction Works in Substance Use Addiction Drug Use Print How Harm Reduction Works With Substance Use By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on January 07, 2020 Sporrer/Rupp/Cultura/Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Opioids Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Harm reduction is a proactive approach to reducing the damage done by alcohol, drugs, and other addictive behaviors, as well as addressing broader health and social issues, such as HIV transmission. The term harm reduction can be used to describe the philosophical beliefs that underlie strategies and programs, or it can be used to describe the strategies and programs on which it is based. Often, harm reduction strategies are used in conjunction with other approaches, which require abstinence. Does Harm Reduction Encourage Drug Use? A common misconception about harm reduction is that it condones or encourages drug use. Many advocates of harm reduction also support the goal of people working towards abstinence from alcohol, drugs, and addictive behaviors, but recognize that for many people, this process takes time. In the interim period, while the person is still drinking, using drugs, or engaging in other addictive behaviors, both they and the people around them are vulnerable to harm. Examples of harm reduction in action include the following. Drinking and Driving Laws While it is well known that even small amounts of alcohol can affect peoples ability to drive safely, driving and driving laws allow drivers to have a small amount of alcohol in their bloodstream. The focus is not on eliminating alcohol use from drivers completely but setting a limit over which the greatest risk of causing a serious accident is defined. Drinking and driving laws do not encourage drinking; they actually discourage it. But they accept the reality that many people will drink to some extent before driving, and that the overall harm to society is lessened by focusing attention on the worst offenders. The Dangers of Drinking and Driving Needle Exchange Services Injecting drugs such as heroin is illegal, yet harm reduction advocates for clean needles to be provided to drug users free of charge. This is because there is more harm caused to individual drug users, the health care system, and society as a whole if injection drug users pass HIV and hepatitis to each other through sharing needles. Needle exchange programs do not encourage drug use. In fact, they are usually the first point of contact for drug users to access addiction treatment services. These programs accept the fact that many people will inject drugs whether they have clean needles or not and prefer that they do not get ill and die as a result of infection. Safe Injection Facilities Safe injection sites go a step further than needle exchange services by providing a safe space in which people can inject drugs, clean needles and injection equipment, and supervision of the injection process by medical staff. In addition to the harm reduction goals of needle exchange services, i.e. reducing transmission of HIV, hepatitis, and other infections and damage caused by unclean equipment being used for injecting, safe injection rooms offer a safe space and immediate help if an overdose occurs. Safe injection facilities do not encourage drug useâ€"they provide a connection between the most vulnerable drug users and treatment services, such as detox. And they save lives that would otherwise be lost to drugs. Free Condoms Sex can be an addictive behavior, and it can lead to unplanned pregnancy, but the main reason that free condoms are sometimes provided as a harm reduction service is to reduce the transmission of STDs, specifically HIV. Condom Programs Promote Safe Sex Free condoms are not distributed to encourage people to have sex. Programs that distribute them recognize that people have unprotected sex for many different reasons and that factors such as embarrassment and poverty may get in the way of purchasing condoms. By providing free condoms, these services help prevent a lot of illnesses and problems associated with unprotected sex. How Sex Can Become an Addiction

Enforcing Social Rights Term Paper - 825 Words

Enforcing Social Rights (Term Paper Sample) Content: Enforcing Social Rights Student NameInstitutionIntroductionThere is a general agreement by many authors and authoritarians that every individual is entitled to certain rights and privileges. Numerous treaties have also been ratified to stipulate ways and means of attaining and protecting the said social rights. However, individual social rights continue to be abused in many places in the world, both by fellow citizens and governments. This article makes use of arguments advanced in two publications to advance a discussion on the existence of rights, deprivation of social rights, impediments to the said rights, and effective ways of enforcing adherence to the various social rights provided for by international laws. Human rights continue to be abused in many parts of the world both by fellow citizens and governments mainly because of negligence by individuals and the failure of human rights groups to advocate for adherence to such rights. The publication alluded to are : Ensuring economical social rights by Judith Blau and Economic Social rights by Michael Haas. Blau and Haas agree that various social rights are provided for in writing by domestic as well as international laws. Blau, for example, mentions the international agreements and bodies established to enhance social rights such as the international Labor organization ILO. In addition, Haas also makes mention of various international treaties and organizations established with the sole purpose of enforcing adherence to economic and social rights. Like Blau, Haas also takes note of the ILO as the most significant body that was put in place to enforce adherence to basic social rights. Some of the rights mentioned by the two authors include the right to work, right to fair remuneration, and the right to a good standard of living. Additionally, Haas takes note of a number of other social rights, some of which include; the rights to share wealth and natural resources, the right to make laws tha t are fair to various parties, and the right to fair treatment among many others. Evidence on deprivation of human rights in various parts of the world is provided by the two publications. Blau, for example, mentions deprivation of the right to fair remuneration in the United States financial industry. Also, Haas mentions unemployment and unfair remuneration in developed nations as well as lack of shelter in third world countries, as examples of deprivation of social rights. However, Haas and Blau differ considerably on the implementation of social rights. Blau, makes use of statistical data to demonstrate that the United States lags far behind in adherence to social rights as compared to various industrialized nations. Haas condemns and applauds industrialized nations with equal measure. He does not show preference to any particular industrialized nations. Further on, Haas notes that third world countries have the least attainments owing to inadequacy of funds. with regard to socia l rights. A core argument advanced by the two authors is that rights cannot be enforced without mobilization and involvement of the citizens themselves. The authors agree that without the involvement of citizens, governments and people who are economically endowed will continue to deprive the poor of their rights. Blaus opening remarks states clearly that without the active involvement of people, those with economic ability will continue to determine how nations and the entire world are run. Similarly, Haas alludes to the fact that governments will continue to deprive citizens of their rights unless they make deliberate efforts to claim such rights. Blaus arguments make it clear that rights are not granted unless they are demanded by citizens. Haas goes further to provide real life examples that demonstrate ways of demanding adherence to human rights. Haas publication provides a case scenario in South Africa, where litigation was used to reverse a government decision to deny citize ns of their right to good health. Unity of purpose, community mobilization and vigilance are mentioned by both authors as important steps towards enhancing adherence to social rights. Blau advocates for strengthening of community organizations and human right groups as a means of ensuring that social rights are adhered to by various governments. Haas, on the other hand, advocates for litigation, mobilization and vigilance. Impediments to adhere... Enforcing Social Rights Term Paper - 825 Words Enforcing Social Rights (Term Paper Sample) Content: Enforcing Social Rights Student NameInstitutionIntroductionThere is a general agreement by many authors and authoritarians that every individual is entitled to certain rights and privileges. Numerous treaties have also been ratified to stipulate ways and means of attaining and protecting the said social rights. However, individual social rights continue to be abused in many places in the world, both by fellow citizens and governments. This article makes use of arguments advanced in two publications to advance a discussion on the existence of rights, deprivation of social rights, impediments to the said rights, and effective ways of enforcing adherence to the various social rights provided for by international laws. Human rights continue to be abused in many parts of the world both by fellow citizens and governments mainly because of negligence by individuals and the failure of human rights groups to advocate for adherence to such rights. The publication alluded to are : Ensuring economical social rights by Judith Blau and Economic Social rights by Michael Haas. Blau and Haas agree that various social rights are provided for in writing by domestic as well as international laws. Blau, for example, mentions the international agreements and bodies established to enhance social rights such as the international Labor organization ILO. In addition, Haas also makes mention of various international treaties and organizations established with the sole purpose of enforcing adherence to economic and social rights. Like Blau, Haas also takes note of the ILO as the most significant body that was put in place to enforce adherence to basic social rights. Some of the rights mentioned by the two authors include the right to work, right to fair remuneration, and the right to a good standard of living. Additionally, Haas takes note of a number of other social rights, some of which include; the rights to share wealth and natural resources, the right to make laws tha t are fair to various parties, and the right to fair treatment among many others. Evidence on deprivation of human rights in various parts of the world is provided by the two publications. Blau, for example, mentions deprivation of the right to fair remuneration in the United States financial industry. Also, Haas mentions unemployment and unfair remuneration in developed nations as well as lack of shelter in third world countries, as examples of deprivation of social rights. However, Haas and Blau differ considerably on the implementation of social rights. Blau, makes use of statistical data to demonstrate that the United States lags far behind in adherence to social rights as compared to various industrialized nations. Haas condemns and applauds industrialized nations with equal measure. He does not show preference to any particular industrialized nations. Further on, Haas notes that third world countries have the least attainments owing to inadequacy of funds. with regard to socia l rights. A core argument advanced by the two authors is that rights cannot be enforced without mobilization and involvement of the citizens themselves. The authors agree that without the involvement of citizens, governments and people who are economically endowed will continue to deprive the poor of their rights. Blaus opening remarks states clearly that without the active involvement of people, those with economic ability will continue to determine how nations and the entire world are run. Similarly, Haas alludes to the fact that governments will continue to deprive citizens of their rights unless they make deliberate efforts to claim such rights. Blaus arguments make it clear that rights are not granted unless they are demanded by citizens. Haas goes further to provide real life examples that demonstrate ways of demanding adherence to human rights. Haas publication provides a case scenario in South Africa, where litigation was used to reverse a government decision to deny citize ns of their right to good health. Unity of purpose, community mobilization and vigilance are mentioned by both authors as important steps towards enhancing adherence to social rights. Blau advocates for strengthening of community organizations and human right groups as a means of ensuring that social rights are adhered to by various governments. Haas, on the other hand, advocates for litigation, mobilization and vigilance. Impediments to adhere...

The Prewriting Stage of the Writing Process

The writing process consists of different stages: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. Prewriting  is the most important of these steps. Prewriting is the generating ideas part of the writing process when the student works to determine the topic and the position or point-of-view for a target audience. Pre-writing should be offered with the time necessary for a student to create a plan or develop an outline to organize materials for the final product. The pre-writing stage could also be dubbed the talking stage of writing. Researchers have determined that talking plays an important role in literacy. Andrew Wilkinson (1965) coined the phrase oracy, defining it as the ability to express oneself coherently and to communicate freely with others by word of mouth. Wilkinson explained how oracy leads to increased skill in reading and writing. In other words, talking about a topic will improve the writing. This connection between talk and writing is best expressed by the author James Britton (1970) who stated: talk is the sea upon which all else floats.† Prewriting Methods There are a number of ways that students can tackle the prewriting stage of the writing process. Following are a few of the most common methods and strategies that students can use.   Brainstorming - Brainstorming is the process of coming up with as many ideas as possible about a topic without being worried about the feasibility or whether an idea is realistic or not.  A list format is often the easiest to organize. This can be done individually and then shared with the class or done as a group. Access to this list during the writing process can help students make connections they may want to use later in their writing.Freewriting - The free write strategy is when your students write whatever comes into their mind about the topic at hand  for a specific amount of time, like 10 or 15  minutes. In a free write, students should not worry about grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Instead, they should try and come up with as many ideas as they possibly can to help them when they get to the writing process.  Mind Maps - Concept maps or mind-mapping are great strategies to use during the pre-writing stage. Both are visual ways to outline information. There are man y varieties of mind maps that can be quite useful as students work in the prewriting stage. Webbing is a great tool that has students write a word in the middle of a sheet of paper. Related words or phrases are then connected by lines to this original word in the center. They build on the idea so that, in the end, the student has a wealth of ideas that are connected to this central idea. For example, if the topic for a paper were the role of the US President, the student would write this in the center of the paper. Then as they thought of each role that the president fulfills, they could write this down in a circle connected by a line to this original idea. From these terms, the student could then add supporting details. In the end, they would have a nice roadmap for an essay on this topic.  Drawing/Doodling - Some students respond well to the idea of being able to combine words with drawings as they think about what they want to write in the prewriting stage. This can open up cre ative lines of thought.  Asking Questions - Students often  come up with more creative ideas through the use of questioning. For example, if the student has to write about Heathcliffs role in Wuthering Heights, they might begin by asking themselves some questions about him and  the causes of his hatred. They might  ask how a normal person might react to better understand the depths of Heathcliffs malevolence. The point is that these questions can help the student uncover a deeper understanding of the topic before they begin writing the essay.Outlining - Students can employ traditional outlines to help them organize their thoughts in a logical manner. The student would start with the overall topic and then list out their ideas with supporting details. It is helpful to point out to students that the more detailed their outline is from the beginning, the easier it will be for them write their paper.   Teachers should recognize that prewriting that begins in a sea of talk will engage students. Many students will find that combining a couple of these strategies may work well to provide them with a great basis for their final product. They may find that if they ask questions as they brainstorm, free write, mind-map, or doodle, they will organize their ideas for the topic. In short, the time put in up front in the pre-writing stage will make the writing stage much easier.

The Book That Caught My Eye Was Freakonomics A Rogue...

Economics has never been a class I had interest in or felt that I excelled in. Since attending Boise State I have realized that I really enjoy economics and have been learning to understand more about how economics works. In taking this class, we were told to choose a book and do a bibliography. The book that caught my eye was Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Lewitt and Stephen J. Dubner. I chose this book because after looking through multiple books, I decided this one was the most interesting. I read the back of the book and was intrigued by Steven Lewitt and how he studies riddles of everyday life. I am going to assess the 6 chapters and give an overall summary and my evaluations of the novel. Freakonomics has three main concepts relating to economics: winner takes all labor market, supply demand and equilibrium price and incentives matter. Chapter 1 starts out with a study on ten day-care centers in Haifa, Isreal. This study lasted twenty weeks. The first four weeks of the study economists kept track of parents who arrived late picking up their child. As a result of these findings, a fine was instilled. This fine was $3 fee for any parent arriving ten minutes late. Economists were thinking that with this fee, the number of child pick ups would drop, but instead the number of late pickups actually increased. Economics found that the incentive had backfired. Here we see one of the concepts found in the book, incentives

Why The Beatles Revolutionized Music and Pop Culture Essay...

So much has been said about the Beatles, they are regarded as one if not the most influential and greatest band of all time. They were not just a great band, their music revolutionized the way music was made back then and even today. Their songwriting skills and their ability to make great music were unmatched. People have said they were ahead of their time and set the standard of songwriting and music making. Not only were they important because of their music, their message of love and peace was a great influence on the world at that time as well. Even after almost fifty plus years, they still have an influence on popular culture and music to this day. In this essay I will make the case why the Beatles revolutionized music and pop†¦show more content†¦When the Beatles came to the United States for the first time to play at the Ed Sullivan Show, that was the start of â€Å"Beatlemania† Girls absolutely loved them and the boys were either jealous of them or wanted to be like them. With their mop top hairstyles and clothing style, more and more boys and men started dressing and have their same type of hairstyles just to be like the Beatles. Even today, teens, young men, and even famous bands these days have adopted the mop top hairstyle. Not only did they bring the mop top hairstyles, they way they dressed was also made famous in that era. The Beatles adopted a different kind of clothes and shoe type of fashion in their early years. During the height of â€Å"Beatlemania,† they usually wore collarless suits and also â€Å"skinny† suits that were not your average looking suits, they were a lot thinner looking. The Beatles also brought a shoe/boot style; they wore tight fitting boots that were ankle length. That shoe style was also heavily imitated by fans of the Beatles; and even to this day, many people and musicians still use that style of footwear. There have been many trends throughout the years that many people have imitated, but a few people can say that those other trends have lasted as long as the Beatles fashion trends have. The Beatles early days were the most relevant for their fashion trends, but even as they became older and matured, they had otherShow MoreRelatedThe Correlation Of Commercial Success And True Artistry1538 Words   |  7 Pagesin the light of mainstream music. Mainstream music has been given a negative connotation due to the supposed lack of originality of the artists. Repetitive chord progressions and meaningless lyrics compose the majority of â€Å"mainstream music,† making each song sound like the next . Despite these patterns in music, artists still ventured outside of what was societally normal and created music that was unheard of. Despite the potential risks in being an individual in the music industry, several groupsRead More The Beatles Influence in Pop Culture Essay1697 Words   |  7 PagesThe Beatles Influence in Pop Culture The Beatles were one of the most influential music groups of the rock era. They were able to conquer and influence pop culture with their music. Initially they affected the post-war baby boom generation of Britain and the W.S. during the 1960s, and later the request of the world. Certainly they were the most successful group, with global sales exceeding 1.3 billion albums. During the sixties, The Beatles using revolutionary ideas in their music inspiredRead MoreThe Beatles : The Most Successful Recording Artists Of All Time1592 Words   |  7 PagesThe Beatles â€Å"All you need is love†. â€Å"Whisper words of wisdom, let it be†. â€Å"Here comes the sun†. These household phrases are all attributed to one band: The Beatles. Considered the most successful recording artists of all time, this band is one that has transformed the music industry, revolutionized popular culture, and in essence, changed the world. Even the most adamant skeptics cannot deny the contributions of this historic band, and its importance can be evaluated using relevant criteria. TheRead MoreEssay about The Influence on the Beatles on American Culture2706 Words   |  11 Pages The Beatles were more than their music. They influenced the lives of millions of people unlike any musicians before them. They were the first and most popular band in one of the most important music movements in American history, the British Invasion. The year 1964 was the year both the British Invasion and â€Å"Beatlemania† came to America and forever changed the landscape of music in the United States by introducing the genre of pop, as it is today. The Beatles changed the rules of music. ManyRead MoreRevolution of Music Essay1577 Words   |  7 Pages Music has continued to change throughout each decade, but the 1960s was the most influential decade in the history of music. Starting in the early 1950s, rock music was first introduced. Major record labels issued recordings of white singers performing renditions of songs previously released by African American singers (Rock and Roll). These renditions often altered the original lyrics to make them more appropriate. The most prominent star of the 1950s was Elvis Presley, the â€Å"King of rock n’ roll†Read MoreRevolution of music in the 1960s Essay1646 Words   |  7 PagesRevolution of Music Music has continued to change throughout each decade, but the 1960s was the most influential decade in the history of music. Starting in the early 1950s, rock music was first introduced. Major record labels were releasing new â€Å"cover songs† which were originally made by black artist, but now by white artist (Rock and Roll). These cover songs changed a few lyrics from the original songs to avoid copyright issues and to also make the song more appropriate for the white listenersRead MoreRock N Roll Changed Music2773 Words   |  12 Pagesthe Big Bands. Their children were moving on to a new beat.† (U.S. History) Teenagers started to like this new type of music called rock and roll. It became very popular and artists started to experiment with it which influenced the development of rock n roll throughout the 50’s and 60’s. The experimentation with rock n roll changed music forever and greatly influenced our music today. Rock n roll was mixed with countr y, rhythm, and blues when this combination happened rock n roll kept developingRead MoreRock N Roll Changed Music2774 Words   |  12 Pagesthe Big Bands. Their children were moving on to a new beat.† (U.S. History) Teenagers started to like this new type of music called rock and roll. It became very popular and artists started to experiment with it which influenced the development of rock n roll throughout the 50’s and 60’s. The experimentation with rock n roll changed music forever and greatly influenced our music today. Rock n roll was mixed with country, rhythm, and blues when this combination happened rock n roll kept developingRead MoreGoogle Case Study14862 Words   |  60 Pagesmarkets such as print media. Its attempt to purchase and auction off advertising space in various magazines has also been unsuccessful. Most researchers determine print media as a less effective and slower response printing tactic. Google has revolutionized online and rapid respo nse advertising and are continuing their attempt to upgrade print media advertising. Opportunities: Advertising partnership with Yahoo ? With recent discussions between Microsoft and Yahoo, top officials for bothRead MoreComment on How Changes in Macro and Market Environment Forces Impact on the Level of Competition in an Industry.18606 Words   |  75 Pagesindividual countries are small (Poland dominates, with 39 million consumers) and poor. However, all these economies are growing and opportunities exist from the privatization of industries such as energy generation and railways.16 China and India Why are western nations watching the economies of China and India like hawks? First, both economies are growing at high and consistent rates, although both, like other major economies, have suï ¬â‚¬ered during the recent recession. For the past 20 years, China’s

Forgive and Forget in The Poisonwood Bible by Nathan...

People are taught to â€Å"forgive and forget† in order to be happy, afterall living with a grudge can being a serious damper in ones life. It may be easy to forgive a friend, or even a stranger depending on the situation, but what if the person that had to be forgiven was themselves? In the Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, the story is told through multiple points of view. Each member of the Price family is noticeably different, and each have their own inner demons. As each character is unlike, the way they handle their guilt, and search for forgiveness are also different. Some characters like Orleanna Price are forgiven by the end of the novel, and others, such as Nathan Price are not as fortunate. In this story the biggest†¦show more content†¦As a soldier stationed in the Philippines, Nathan ran away from the fray when he was wounded by piece of shrapnel. While in hiding, his unit would meet their death in the infamous Bataan Death March. Nathan is the only one to in his unit to survive. This is root of his guilt and the influence of his actions, for the rest of the story. Nathan, forever guilty of his cowardice, is permanently scarred. â€Å"Hounded by what happened in a Philippine Jungle and the ghosts of a thousand men who didn’t es cape it, his steadfast disdain for cowardice turned to obsession† (Kingsolver,96) Nathan even receives the Purple Heart for â€Å"surviving† the war, the medal isnt for heroism or bravery, its for being wounded. It’s a medal of failure, that further provokes Nathan’s shame. After the war is when Nathan began his strict devotion Christianity, what the reader witnesses throughout the story. This is what leads him to Kilanga, willingly putting his family in danger to spread the name of the lord, in hope of redemption. Nathan’s guilt at having escaped the Bataan death march has twisted his belief in God, he sees God as one who punishes and rewards strictly on the basis of merit. He lives trying to earn his, by pushing the teaching of Christianity to the Congolese. Nathan masks his cowardice using a sort of â€Å"divine right†. He uses god to justify every decision he makes, disregarding anyone elses opinion. â€Å"father needs permission only fr om the SaviourShow MoreRelatedSummary Of The Poisonwood Bible 2533 Words   |  11 PagesAnupa Joseph Period 07/24/15 Fernstrom The Poisonwood Bible Reader Response #1: Pages 1-186 Whose Revelation? What is the Revelation? What do the girls learn? Book two is entitled â€Å"The Revelation† and the girls’ sections is entitled â€Å"The Things We Learned.† The Revelation was intended to mainly the Price family, excluding the father. The theme revelation has another definition: apocalypse. In the bible, the apocalypse leads to destruction and demise right before when God makes it a better place

Gcom 123 Study Guide Free Essays

Study Guide for GCOM 123 Students are recommended to know this information for class tests and the final exam. Fundamentals of Communication Chapter 1: Competent Communication What are the most common myths about communication? Explain the differences between the three models of communication: linear, interactive, and transactional. Define the basic communication elements contained in the communication models (channel, sender, receiver, message, encode, decode, context, fields of experience, noise, and feedback) Explain the two aspects of every message: Content and relationship. We will write a custom essay sample on Gcom 123 Study Guide or any similar topic only for you Order Now Understand the communication competence model. How could you enhance your communication competence? What differentiates a constructive communication climate from a destructive communication climate? Chapter 2: Perception of Self and Others Define the perceptual process. What is a perceptual schema (prototype, stereotype, and script)? How is self-concept developed (reflected appraisal, significant others, and society)? What are some of the influences on perception (gender, culture, past experiences, mood, and context)? What is self-disclosure? Define the concepts of depth and breadth in terms of self-disclosure. What are the guidelines for offering and receiving self-disclosure? Why is reciprocal sharing important? Define the term â€Å"self-serving bias†. What is the self-fulfilling prophecy? What does it influence? Define the process of attribution? How does the fundamental attribution error impact competent communication? What is empathy? Chapter 3: Culture and Gender Define what culture is. Explain how culture influences communication. Define ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, and multiculturalism. Explain the major differences between individualistic and collectivistic cultures. Explain the major differences between low-power distance and high power-distance cultures. Explain the major differences between feminine and masculine cultures. How does culture influence nonverbal communication? Chapter 4: Language Explain the nature of the relationship in languages from phonemes, morphemes, syntax, and semantics. Define the four essential elements of all languages (structure, productivity, displacement, and self-reflexiveness). Explain the abstracting process (sense experience, description, inference, and judgment). Explain the two versions of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Explain how connotative meaning differs from denotative meaning. What is the difference between a fact and an inference? What are jargon and euphemisms? Chapter 5: Nonverbal Communication What are the differences between verbal and nonverbal channels of communication? What are the functions of nonverbal communication (repetition, substitution, regulation, contradiction, accentuation)? Explain the major types of nonverbal communication (kinesics, paralanguage, territoriality, proxemics, and haptics). Can you identify the kind of nonverbal communication exhibited in an example? Chapter 6: Listening to Others Define listening by its basic elements (comprehending, retaining, and responding). What are the types of listening (informational, critical and empathic)? What are the most common problems that thwart competent informational listening (conversational narcissism, competitive interrupting, glazing over, pseudo-listening, and ambushing)? What are the most common listener response styles used in empathic listening? Interpersonal Communication Chapter 7: Power Define power. Explain the difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness. What are the major power resources (expertise, legitimate authority, reward, punishment, personal qualities)? How is power indicated in communication (verbally and nonverbally)? Chapter 9: Interpersonal Conflict Management Define conflict. Differentiate between destructive and constructive conflict. Define the three internal relational dialectics (openness-closedness, novelty-predictability, and autonomy-connection). How do we address these relational dialectics? Define the five most common conflict negotiation strategies (accommodating, avoiding, controlling, compromising, and collaborating). Group Communication Chapter 10: The Anatomy of Small Groups Define what a small group is. What are the advantages and disadvantages of small groups? What is cohesion? How is it developed? What influence does cohesion have on task and social dimensions of small groups? What are group norms? What is a small group role? What is the difference between formal and informal roles? Explain the difference between the three types of informal group roles (maintenance, task, and disruptive). What is leadership? What are the different approaches to leadership (traits, styles, and situational)? Define the major leadership styles (directive or autocratic; participative or democratic; laissez-faire, and situational). Chapter 11: Effective Groups Explain the distinctions between a team and a group. What is brainstorming? What is critical to its success? Explain the steps in the Standard Agenda. Explain the differences between the major forms of decision-making (majority rule, minority rule, and consensus). What are the benefits and disadvantages of consensus? What is groupthink? How might groupthink be avoided? Public Speaking Chapter 12: Preparing Speeches What are the components of audience analysis (demographics, values, beliefs, attitudes)? What elements of speech making are influenced by audience analysis (preparation and presentation)? Define the general purpose, specific purpose, and central idea in public speaking. What should be considered when choosing a topic (speaker, subject, and person addressed)? How does one avoid plagiarism? What are the types of supporting materials used in speeches? What are the criteria for evaluating supporting material? What are the basic elements of a competent outline (symbols, coherence, completeness, balance, and division)? Identify the organizational pattern used in speeches (topical, spatial, causal, chronological, problem-solution, and Monroe’s Motivated Sequence)? Chapter 13: Presenting Speeches What is speech anxiety? What are some guidelines for managing speech anxiety? What are the critical elements of a speech introduction? What are the critical elements of a speech conclusion? What is the difference between oral and written styles of speech making? What impact do various delivery considerations have on an audience (eye contact, vocal variety, verbal fluency, poise, dynamism)? Explain the differences between the major delivery styles (manuscript, memorized, extemporaneous, and impromptu). Chapter 14: Informative Speaking What distinguished informative speaking from persuasive speaking? What is a transition? What is necessary for an appropriate or effective oral citation? What are the types of visual aids that can be used during a speech? What are guidelines for the competent usage of visual aids? Chapter 15: Persuasive Speaking Define persuasion. What are the primary dimensions of credibility (competence trustworthiness, dynamism, and composure)? Define the three Aristotelian modes of proof (ethos, logos, and pathos). Identify propositions of fact, value and policy. How to cite Gcom 123 Study Guide, Essay examples

Pricing Decision free essay sample

Week 4 Assignment Pricing Decisions BUS 612-Advanced Project Procurement October 01, 2012 Pricing Decision One of the most important and complex decisions a firm has to make is how much to pay for its items and services. The buying professional should be able to detect easily exceptionally high prices. Thus, it is necessary to give meticulous consideration to pricing decision when buying products and services. Pricing is one of the most important decisions a marketer makes regarding a product since price plays a crucial role in competitiveness and consumer demand.Marketers must determine price at the initial stage of a products life and re-evaluate pricing to manage the delicate balance between production and profits (Benton, 2010). No product can succeed if its pricing is too out of line with standards in its industry. A thirty ounce can of peanuts no matter how good cannot be priced at ten dollars and expect to draw a consumer following that allows it to achieve beyond a niche in the market. We will write a custom essay sample on Pricing Decision or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When developing pricing strategy, managers must do a thorough evaluation of competitor pricing to determine the prevailing pricing structures and how their product is positioned. Pricing StrategyPricing strategy refers to method companies use to price their products or services. Almost all companies, large or small, base the price of their products and services on production, labor and advertising expenses and then add on a certain percentage so they can make a profit. There are several different pricing strategies, such as penetration pricing, price skimming, discount pricing, product life cycle pricing and even competitive pricing (Stevenson, 2010). When considering how a price should be set, one fundamental question should be answered, what the organization is attempting to achieve with this price (Indounas, 2009). How the product is priced has an effect on the success of the company. â€Å"Price reflects more than cost and profit; pricing decisions also must be based on the degrees of competition and buyer seller relationships† (Benton, 2010 p. 297). Prices must cover cost, be set to preserve equilibrium in the market place, and set to assure sales. â€Å"In order for the purchasing professional to survive as an effective buyer, she or he must have an adequate understanding of economics and psychology. In addition, the federal, state, and local laws that affect price also must be followed† (Benton, p. 294, 2010). In today’s competitive environment in which customers are demanding more service and quality, market pricing is perhaps the most popular approach. Market pricing is in the interests of both the selling firm and the buying firm. In the end, the buying firm must determine whether the purchase price fits its competitive cost structure (p. 294). Pricing strategy refers to method companies use to price their products or services. Almost all companies, large or small, base the price of their products and services on production, labor and advertising expenses and then add on a certain percentage so they can make a profit.There are several different pricing strategies, such as penetration pricing, price skimming, discount pricing, product life cycle pricing and even competitive pricing. Benton (2010) discusses pricing strategy as Price-Setting strategy: Economic and Price-Making Strategy: Psychological. The price setting, economic focus on â€Å"target† market pricing, target pricing is practiced when the buying firm determines whether the purchase price fits its competitive cost structure. Price-making strategy consists of several types of discounts, trade discounts, quantity discounts, and cash discounts (Benton, 2010).Mullins (p. 307, 2010) outlines several other pricing strategies, such as, market skimming, market penetrations, price adaptation and cost-plus pricing. Market skimming involves charging the highest possible price for a given product; market penetration is a strategy to keep prices relatively low in order to gain market share; price adaptation keeps prices relatively low in order to gain market share, and cost-plus pricing assures that all costs, both fixed and variable are covered in the desired percentages (p. 71). Company Using Purchasing Strategy Dell is a company that has used a purchasing strategy to improve the financial impact of the company. Historically, prices were determined through bargaining or negotiations between buyers and sellers. Different prices were set based on the buyer needs and bargaining skill. The establishment of one price for every customer is relatively new phenomenon that came about with the rise of retailers but price still remains a major factor in affecting consumer-buying decisions.The ability of price to affect consumer decision and its flexibility makes pricing strategies important in meeting Dell’s objectives in a competitive environment (Dell 10-K, 2005). The main objective of Dell is to produce the low price and profitable notebook for the customer. For Dell Company, all the prices that they sell are posed to the internet and that is usually based on the e-commerce market (eweek, 2001). The main reason for successful pricing strategy is having a reasonably precise idea of supply and demand.Dell Company has set different types of pricing based on the home user, small business user and medium or large business user. The pricing structure changes as the products move through their life cycle. Dell is the low-cost leader in the industry. Dell’s highly efficient supply chain management and manufacturing organization, efficient direct business model, and concentration on standards-based technologies allow â€Å"Dell to maintain the lowest cost structure among its major competitors, and to pass those savings to its customers.

Communication and Social Media for Business Communication

Question: Discuss about theCommunication and Social Media for Business Communication. Answer: But developing relationships with coworkersyour peers, superiors, and subordinatesis incredibly important, perhaps even the most important thing youll do at work, and this is completely dependent on your communication skills. The above lines from the famous book Effective Business Communication of Scribendi discusses about the importance of the concept of communication in the genre of business operations. It is significant to note that the communication forms an important part of the various business organizations. The advent of globalization and the recent developments in the field of technology has significantly transformed the way the various business organizations as well as companies conduct their business with the other business organizations or the customers and the end users (Kernbach, Eppler and Bresciani 2015). It is significantly here that the concept of communication comes into play. However, it is significant to note that in the present times the various business organizations are increasingly turning towards the various platforms of the social to attain the process of effective communication (Kernbach, Eppler and Bresciani 2015). The various platforms related to the social media not only pro vide a cheap platform where information can be easily passed on but also a very reliable and at the same a fast one (Kernbach, Eppler and Bresciani 2015). This essay will discuss about the impact of social media on the contemporary business communication. The concept of communication can be defined as the process by means of which one person or a business organization conveys on or passes on the required information to the other person or business organizations (Aral, Dellarocas and Godes 2013). In the opinion of many people the process of communication requires the presence of three entities, namely, the sender, medium and the receiver of the information (Aral, Dellarocas and Godes 2013). Therefore, business communication is information sharing between people within and outside an organization that is performed for the commercial benefit of the organization(Goh, Heng and Lin 2013). It is significant to note that there are three primary kinds of communication within a particular business organization-the first kind of communication is the one which occurs between the shareholders of the organization and the organization itself, the second of communication is the communication which occurs between the organization and the various emplo yees of the organization and the third kind of communication occurs between the organization and its customers or the end user of the products or the services provided by the concerned business organization (Goh, Heng and Lin 2013). In the present times it is seen that the various business organizations often take the help of the various platforms offered by social media to effectively conduct the process of communication with these diverse entities of the business organization and thus the use of social media has gained prominence within the various business organizations (Aral, Dellarocas and Godes 2013). Woolworths Limited founded by Percy Christmas, Stanley Chatterton, Cecil Scott Waine, George Creed and Ernest Williams in the year 1924 is one of the largest retail business organizations not only of the nation of Australia but also of the world (Woolworths.com.au. 2018). The business organization offers retail services to the customers and is known for the wide range of products as well as services which it offers to the diverse customers (Woolworths.com.au. 2018). It is significant to note that it is the second largest company in Australia by revenue, after Perth-based retail-focused conglomerate Wesfarmers and the second largest in New Zealand (Woolworths.com.au. 2018). In addition to this, the concerned company is also the largest takeaway liquor retailer in Australia, the largest hotel and gaming poker machine operator in Australia, and was the 19th largest retailer in the world in 2008 (Woolworths.com.au. 2018). The net revenue earned by the concerned company for the year2017 w as $25.7 Billion (Forbes.com. 2018). Therefore, it can be said that concerned business organization forms the backbone of the economic framework of the country of Australia. The most important kind of communication which the majority of the business organizations including Woolworths Limited require for their business purposes is the communication with their customers or the end users of the products or the services offered by them (Guffey and Loewy 2012). It is significant to note that the customers or the end users of the products or the services offered by a particular business organization form the most important part of the various business organizations and it is on them that the prospects of a particular business organization (Guffey and Loewy 2012). It is here that the role of the social media becomes very important as this particular platform is utilized by the various business organizations to convey their messages most effectively to the customers or the end users of the products offered by them (Chaney and Martin 2013). The various platforms of social media is utilized by the company Woolworth Limited not only to provide relevant information about their existing products as well as services to the customers or the end users but also relevant information about the new products or the services which they are about to launch or have already launched in the market (Chaney and Martin 2013). Furthermore, it is also seen that the various business organizations take the help of the various platforms related to the social media to address the various questions as well as the grievances of the customers (Chaney and Martin 2013). It is seen that in the present times the customers like the take the help of the products or the services offered by a particular company which have a positive image over the social media and they often get influenced by the reviews of the other customers who have already utilized the products or the services offered by the particular business organization (Guffey and Loewy 2012). Therefore, the various platforms related to the social media become very important for the business organizations like Woolwor ths Limited not only to communicate effectively with the various customers or the end users of the products or the services offered by them but also to create a positive brand image for themselves (Chaney and Martin 2013). The employees are another part of the business organization which plays a significant role in the business process and therefore an effective communication with them is very important for the better performance of the employees (Wang, Yu and Wei 2012). The process of communication gains special significance as the business organizations need to convey their goals as well as objectives in the most effective manner to the employees so that the personal goals and the objectives of the individual employees are in synchronization with that that of the business organization (Wang, Yu and Wei 2012). Furthermore, the concept of communication is utilized by the various business organizations to effective convey information to the employees about the diverse job roles which they need to perform (Erdo?mu? and Cicek 2012). It is significant to note that in the opinion of many people this particular process helps the various business organizations like Woolworths Limited to maintain coordination not only between the concerned organization and the employees but also among the diverse employees as well (Erdo?mu? and Cicek 2012). It is here that the role of the various platforms related to the social media becomes very significant. The various platforms related to the social media not only provide a very inexpensive medium to the concerned business organizations but also a very medium. It is generally seen that if the business organizations use traditional forms of communication medium it is not only time consuming but also requires a considerable amount of resources of the business organizations (Erdo?mu? and Cicek 2012). Therefore, the various business organizations take the help of the various platforms related to the social media not only for the purposes of delivering the desired message to the employees but also to maintain coordination among the various employees. It is significant to note that the various researches suggest that the use of social media also helps the v arious people to reduce the level of stress felt by them (Wang, Yu and Wei 2012). Therefore, the various business organizations take the help of the various platforms related to the social media not only for the purposes of effective communication but also for the purposes of reducing the level of stress faced by them (Wang, Yu and Wei 2012). Thus, it would be apt to say that the use of social media for the purposes of communication provides several benefits to the business organizations like Woolworths Limited. The various shareholders also form an important part of the various business organization and they are the people have invested in the business of the concerned business organization and therefore take an active interest in the business process of the concerned organization (Thill and Bove 2013). Therefore, an effective communication with these shareholders related to a particular business is very important and in a bid to achieve the process of effective the various business organizations take the help of the diverse platforms offered by the social media (Thill and Bove 2013). The business organizations like Woolworths Limited need to convey the relevant information about the various strategies as well as the decisions related to their business operations to the various shareholders of the business organization (Kim and Ko 2012). It is here that the importance of the various platforms offered by the social media comes into prominence. The introduction of the social media has drastic ally changed the way the various business organizations communicate with their shareholders. It is significant to note that the business organizations in the traditional times used to communicate with their shareholders with the help of the various traditional means like meetings, conferences, seminars and others (Kim and Ko 2012). However, the introduction of the social media has drastically modified this and now the various business organizations take the help of the social media to communicate with their shareholders. Therefore, instead of using the traditional means of meetings, seminars and others the various business organizations in the present times take the help of emails, social media, video calls and others for the process of communication with their shareholders (Kim and Ko 2012). The company Woolworths Limited takes the help of this innovation for the purpose of their communication with their shareholders. The major problem which most of the business organizations like Woolworths Limited in the present times face is the problem of cross cultural miscommunication which has become one of the most significant problems for the organizations operational in various diverse locations (Kwok and Yu 2013). The problem of cross cultural miscommunication arises when the people involved in the process of communication are from the various diverse cultural backgrounds (Argenti 2015). Therefore, the various business organizations like Woolworths Limited take the help of various platforms related to the social media in a bid to overcome this particular problem. The use of social media for the purposes of communication not only obliterates the various barriers in the process of effective cross cultural communication but also helps in a better conveyance of the message to the diverse entities of the workplace (Grunig 2013). The process also helps in reducing the amount of conflicts and misunderstandings . Therefore, it is seen that most of the business organizations take the help of social for the process of communication. To conclude, communication forms an important part of the various business organizations and the concept is used by the various business organizations to effectively deliver their desired messages to the various people who are related to the business. Furthermore, the recent advancements in the field of technology and also the recent innovations has drastically modified the way the various business organizations communicate not only with their employees and the shareholders of the business organizations but also with the various customers who are related to the organization and form the main source of their income. Therefore, the platform of social media is used by the various business organizations for the purpose of effective communication. The various platforms related to social media not only provides a very fast medium for communication but is also very inexpensive and helps to reduce the amount of misunderstanding among the employees. References Aral, S., Dellarocas, C. and Godes, D., 2013. Introduction to the special issuesocial media and business transformation: a framework for research.Information Systems Research,24(1), pp.3-13. Argenti, P.A., 2015.Corporate communication. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Chaney, L. and Martin, J., 2013.Intercultural business communication. Pearson Higher Ed. Erdo?mu?, ?.E. and Cicek, M., 2012. The impact of social media marketing on brand loyalty.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,58, pp.1353-1360. Forbes.com. 2018.Forbes Welcome. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/companies/woolworths/ [Accessed 25 Apr. 2018]. Goh, K.Y., Heng, C.S. and Lin, Z., 2013. Social media brand community and consumer behavior: Quantifying the relative impact of user-and marketer-generated content.Information Systems Research,24(1), pp.88-107. Grunig, J.E. ed., 2013.Excellence in public relations and communication management. Routledge. Guffey, M.E. and Loewy, D., 2012.Essentials of business communication. Cengage Learning. Kernbach, S., Eppler, M.J. and Bresciani, S., 2015. The use of visualization in the communication of business strategies: An experimental evaluation.International Journal of Business Communication,52(2), pp.164-187. Kim, A.J. and Ko, E., 2012. Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An empirical study of luxury fashion brand.Journal of Business Research,65(10), pp.1480-1486. Kwok, L. and Yu, B., 2013. Spreading social media messages on Facebook: An analysis of restaurant business-to-consumer communications.Cornell Hospitality Quarterly,54(1), pp.84-94. Thill, J.V. and Bove, C.L., 2013.Excellence in business communication. Pearson. Wang, X., Yu, C. and Wei, Y., 2012. Social media peer communication and impacts on purchase intentions: A consumer socialization framework.Journal of interactive marketing,26(4), pp.198-208. Woolworths.com.au. 2018.{{metaController.metaData.title}}. [online] Available at: https://www.woolworths.com.au/ [Accessed 25 Apr. 2018].

Essay Writing Tips - How to Write a High School Essay

Essay Writing Tips - How to Write a High School EssayWriting a high school essay is difficult enough without the added pressure of not having to use any math or reading assistance that your instructor gives you, and in addition to this, most of your essay topics are already covered with the reading material. While there are many students who are just starting to write a first college essay, there are also students who have been writing college essays for years and have the ability to write college essays themselves.Since so many courses focus on college coursework, it is not surprising that the essays that students need to write are already covered by their other assignments. These essays are known as home-study essays because students are allowed to review or rewrite the assigned work at their own pace. Home-study essays are usually part of the literature course, freshman composition or the undergraduate English class.Writing your own essay can be a challenging task for many student s but with a little help from a few essay writing tips, you will be well on your way to completing your first essay for that semester. There are many ways to get started with your own essays. One great idea would be to ask someone close to you to help you out as you start writing.Many students will suggest that you keep your questions simple and to do some research on your topic if you have one. The goal is to give your essay a straight forward and easy to understand structure.If you have not had much exposure to writing on a basic topic like college essays, then you may be overwhelmed. Some teachers who encourage home-study can be great tools to help you when you begin writing your essay. The most important thing is to keep yourself interested in the topic and how you will go about doing it.For example, if you want to write a paper on the history of college or the joys of writing an essay for college, you can find many tips online orfrom personal experience to help you along the wa y. There are also things that you can do in your homework assignment to help you with writing your essay. If you do not understand something, you can ask a friend or someone in your class for advice.In addition to this, there are many ways to relax and to make your writing a great time. Whether you are doing your research on a topic or just relaxing and enjoying yourself, being able to write a good essay is something that all students can enjoy.

Elizabeth Was The Unwanted Daughter Of King Henry VIII, The King Who K

Elizabeth was the unwanted daughter of King Henry VIII, the king who killed her mother, because she did not bear a son. Elizabeth grew up in a country at war with it self in the wake of King Henry's religious reforms. Through no fault of her own, Elizabeth was cast aside by her own father; resulting in a lonely childhood and adolescence. While her half sister Mary I was queen, as a young women Elizabeth lived quietly, waiting for her opportunity to succeed. On November. 17, 1558, Mary died and Elizabeth began her reign. During her years as a queen, Elizabeth influenced England greatly, with which to this day the Elizabethan age is most often associated. Education was one of Elizabeth's greatest influences on England. Perhaps her influence on the importance of education as a young girl and her longed desire to learn helped her strive for this particular goal. Children in those days began their studies really early in the morning. They were expected to work long hours with out getting distracted. Over the years her tutors wrote glowing reports on her excellent progress. At ten years old, Elizabeth was excellent at Latin, and she could speak Italian pretty well. She was also taught ancient and modern languages, religion, history, geography, mathematics, science, and music. She kept up her studies even when she became queen.(Zamoyska 10-11) Queen Elizabeth introduced to her country the seeds of freedom, which English men now took for granted. The growing number of printing presses made books more readily available, because an increasing amount of people, both men and women began to read. (Bush 93) As a Protestant, Elizabeth influenced her country's religious decisions. According to Zamoyska: While Mary was still queen of England, Elizabeth did not want to risk her greatest opportunity of being next in line. She had a difficult task of having to conform openly to the Catholics, while still keeping support for the Protestants and the younger generation that "looked up to her." (19) "Elizabeth's first decisions bore on the religious issues. She turned the situation back to the state of things during the last years of Edward VI, allowing the repatriation of the Protestant leaders who had been driven out underMary.She didn't, however encourage further changes, and essentially supported the Church of England ..." (Rachum 162) Moderate Protestantism had been practiced under Henry VIII , and under Edward VI even more radical Protestant programs were implemented.. Mary in the other hand, had restored the Roman Catholic faith. Elizabeth herself was a moderate Protestant, and her settlement excluded papal authority, and brought back the Book of Common Prayer. This however did not recognize the demands of the extreme Puritans. During her reign a lot of pressure continued, but she resisted. Eventually the Puritans were driven underground. One of her greatest fears was that an alliance of Catholic powers might force her out of the throne, and introduce again a Catholic monarch. Eventually Elizabeth send English forces to fight on the Protestant side: In the war of religion in France and the revolt of the Dutch against Spanish rule. (Academic American Encyclopedia 141) The Spanish Armada was perhaps the greatest threat to Elizabeth. Intending this fleet to secure the deposition of Elizabeth in favor of himself, Philip II of Spain-Thus restoring Catholicism. The Naval battle in the English Channel devasted the Spanish flotilla. The use of the fire ships, English seaman ship and the "Protestant Wind" as the English call it, were responsible for the English victory that turned out to be so famous. (Academic American Encyclopedia 142) Before the war, Queen Elizabeth made a dramatic speech to her troops at Tulbury. She assured them that she had "...the heart and stomach of a king" and she promised that "...we shall shortly have a famous victory over these enemies of my God, my kingdom, and my people." She wore a gleaming silver armor and a white velvet dress. She was not about to barricade herself into one of her castles in this time of danger, but she was intending to show her country what a queen could be. The war was declared an English victory. Thus the defeat of the Armada strengthened Elizabeth's position as a figure of Protestantism. She was the one who in spite of everything, seemed "invincible." (Bush 87-90) Queen Elizabeth was the most important patron of Elizabethan theater. "Her influence was essential protecting the theatrical profession from puritan inspired prohibitions, and her court provided an important source of income and prestige for leading London acting companies..." (Boyce

Rise in Bed Bug Infestations

Rise in Bed Bug Infestations Question: Why Are Bed Bugs Making a Comeback? Answer: For centuries, bed bugs were a common pest wherever humans lived. According to Susan C. Jones, Assistant Professor of Entomology at Ohio State University, bed bugs traveled to North America with the colonists. From the 17th century until World War II, people slept with these bloodthirsty parasites biting them. Just after World War II, strong pesticides like DDT and chlordane came into widespread use. Bed bugs nearly disappeared completely over several decades of heavy pesticide use. Bed bug infestations were limited, and bed bugs were no longer considered a major pest. Eventually, these pesticides were proven harmful to peoples health and the environment. The U.S. banned DDT in 1972 when it was shown to contribute to the decline of birds like the bald eagle. A total ban on chlordane followed in 1988. Peoples attitudes about pesticides also changed. Knowing these chemicals could harm us, we lost our enthusiasm for fumigating every last bug in our homes. The pesticides used in homes today do a better job of targeting specific pest populations. Rather than spray a broad spectrum pesticide in their homes, people use chemical baits and traps to kill common pests, like ants or roaches. Since bed bugs feed only on blood, they arent attracted to these pest control baits. Just as broad spectrum pesticide use waned, cheap air travel allowed people to visit places where bed bugs still persisted. Bed bugs hadnt made headlines in years, and most travelers never considered the possibility of bringing bed bugs home. Stowaway bed bugs in luggage and clothing made their way to cities and towns where they had been eradicated decades ago. Bed bugs now infest numerous public places, where they can crawl onto clothing and hitchhike to your home. Hotels top the list of bed bug hideouts, but they may also be found in theaters, airplanes, subways, trains, buses, prisons, and dormitories. Your best guard against bed bugs is information. Know what they look like, and take appropriate steps to keep them from crossing your threshold.

Human Resources Project 1&2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resources Project 1 - Assignment Example This information can be used to understand the career opportunities in the company. A deeper analysis reveals that the HR policies are guided by the main HR policy statement of Nestec Ltd (2002). This is the Nestle Human Resources Policy, implemental to all subsidiaries of the company including those in USA. 2. The company is Nestle Waters North America, and its HR policies appear to be based on the Nestle Human Resources Policy document. I think some updating is needed for this set of HR policies. 3. In order to update the set of HR policies of Nestle Waters North America to optimize its North American operations flexibly with respect to the main policy framework of Nestec Ltd, it is mandatory to embark on a qualitative research followed by a number of activities for drafting and proposing some viable HR policy updates. The activities are described below: I. Interview of the current employees II. Interview of and discussion with the HR managers III. Analysis of current policies with regard to existing academic and business literature IV. Preparation and presentation of the new and/or updated policies in a proposal format V. Briefing the top HR managers 4. In this section, a proposal that describes the types of policies that are to be prepared and/or changed will be discussed. A close examination of Nestle Waters NA’s (2006) HR policies reveals that they are highly dependent on the HR policy manual of Nestec Ltd. First of all, one of the biggest drawbacks of these policies is that they put certain restrictions on the role of the HR managers. According to Nestec Ltd (2002, p. 4), â€Å"HR managers and their staff are there to provide professional support in handling people matters but should not substitute themselves to the responsible manager.† This sort of approach is rather traditionalistic. The second point is that Nestle Waters NA (2006) maintains strict control over its all hiring and training operations. However, relatively recent experience of certain companies shows that outsourcing the HR responsibilities can bring about more concentration on the vertical specialties of the company (Tornbohm and Da Rold 2005). So these two HR approaches need to be changed. A tentative timeline of the proposed HR policy updating and implementation task is provided in Table – 1. Table – 1 A Tentative Timeline of HR Policy Update and Implementation Program Task Time Task – 1: Interview of current employees (at least 20 to 30 employees randomly selected) 7 days Task – 2: Interview of and discussion with the company’s current HR managers. This will involve one to one interaction 7 days Task – 3: Existing policies are to be analyzed. This will involve correlating the existing practices with external case studies as available in different business journals, magazines, etc. 4 days Task – 4: Preparation and presentation of new policies (final draft) 3 days Task – 5: Briefing the HR mana gers before the plan is rolled out. 2 days Total time taken +2 reserve days to compensate loss of time (if any) in the course of the project Total 3 weeks and 4 days (approx) Project Part 2 Updating the existing HR policies First, HR managers must not be constrained in their HR specific roles only with such a strict regulatory approach. At the first place this makes the hierarchic system of the corporation too strong. The HR managers must be given some of the company’s specialties based training. For example, HR managers can be given some basic training on mineral water processing and manufacturing at

Feedback for solutions for brewing company problems Essay

Feedback for solutions for brewing company problems - Essay Example Molson Coors have therefore decided to pull its international businesses out Asian markets so that they can focus on the local markets. The importation of beer in China holds only 1% share of the market share compared to the domestic and Coors only ranks second despite the China’s low domestic prizes. It is therefore important when the company withdraws its operations from china because there are no chances of succeeding in that market. Coors should first alert their customers in china market and sell their stake to Sihai Beer Company because of the company’s inability to sustain its assets and the need to cover losses as much as possible. Coors should sell its beers at a lower price as a way of getting rid of its excess reserves (Russel Web). The Company should focus on improving its big Canada share and the US market shares in order to improve their sales. This is only possible when the UK and China markets are closed due to their low markets that in turn lead to a higher cost of operation in both UK and China. The partnering between Coors and the SABMiller will also increase the market share to almost 30% in local market. The issue of new marketing material has got a large impact on the success of the firm especially within the local market. The sales have slightly increased after almost a year due to the increased marketing. The small board that was created to facilitate aggressive marketing in North America has not boosted the market share as expected but only increased the operating assets due to its overstatement as the income statement do not include the US (Russel Web). The decline of the consumption of Molson’s products in its major markets is such a big blow to the company and puts the company into a very challenging situation. With the voting rights of Coors remains at 50% hence making it difficult to account for the company’s benefit in the consolidation process. The product for both the companies

Effect of the 2012 Olympic Games on Disabled Transportation

Effect of the 2012 Olympic Games on Disabled Transportation The Olympic Games in 2012 can â€Å"leave a legacy of accessible transport and facilities not just for disabled sportsmen and women, but for people with a disability in general.†[1] Phil Lane, British Paralympic Association Chief Executive Table of contents (Jump to) 1. Introduction 2. Methodology 3. Evaluation 3.1. Legislation 3.1.1. DDA 1995 3.1.1.1. Meaning of Disability 3.1.1.2. Meaning of Discrimination 3.1.1.3. Positive Duty under the DDA 2005 3.1.1.4. Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles 3.1.1.5. Rail Vehicles 3.1.1.6. Public Transport Vehicles 3.1.1.7. Aircraft and Ships 3.1.1.8. DDA 1995: Comparison to other Anti-Discrimination Legislation 3.1.1.9. Criticisms 3.2. Case Law 3.3. Stakeholder Commentary 3.4. Survey Results 4. Recommendations 5. Conclusion 5. Appendix â€Å"A† 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1.  Introduction The Labour government under Tony Blair has set out an ambitious agenda for tackling disability discrimination across society. Part of this agenda has involved amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995)[2] in order to ensure that the lessons of the first ten years of the Act having been in force are taken into account. The DDA 1995 sets out, along with the regulations and orders made under the Act, the legislative framework the intention of which is to ensure that disabled people throughout the country have access to the same opportunities as the public at large. With London having been awarded the Olympic Games in 2012, the ability of this legislative framework to force through change, both on a functional level, and on a cultural one, will be put to the test. The purpose of this report is to examine and critically assess, within the context of transport in London and airline operators, whether or not this legislative framework is sufficient to meet the needs of disabled people coming up to the Olympic Games and beyond. 2.  Methodology In order to assess the readiness of London to meet the needs of disabled travellers during the Olympic Games and beyond within the confines of a research paper it is necessary to clearly define the scope of the intended research. In this case, the scope of the investigation is limited to transport in London, which includes taxis, trains, public authority vehicles, buses, the underground, aircraft and, to a lesser degree, accessibility to the buildings from which those transport vehicles leave from and arrive to. In order for it to be concluded that London will be ready to meet the needs of disabled travellers by 2012, it will need to be shown, that the current legislative framework is sufficient; that where there are ambiguities within the legislation, the Courts have been willing to provide useful guidance to transport providers and disabled travellers generally; that the culture within the public transport industry has changed with managers and employees now aware of their obligations under the legislation; that there are adequate penalties in place to discourage those that fail to comply; and finally, that these previously mentioned factors will all work together to provide disabled travellers with a integrated means of getting around London by 2012. In order to investigate these matters, it was necessary to look in detail at the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995), how the Act has been amended over the past eleven years, and in particular by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA 2005), the various regulations and orders made under the DDA 1995 pertaining to public transport, cases decided dealing with the DDA 1995 and various commentary available from both public transport service providers, disabled travellers and other stakeholders. A survey of both rail and airline employees was also undertaken in order to gauge the level of understanding of the provisions of what is a complicated and often misinterpreted piece of legislation. The results of that survey are set out in Appendix A and discussed within the body of this report. 3.  Evaluation 3.1  Legislation One of the main aims of this report is to establish whether or not the amendments made to the DDA 1995 by the DDA 2005 have assisted in making the DDA 1995 more accessible or whether it remains, as noted by Lord Justice Mummery, â€Å"without doubt an unusually complex piece of legislation which poses novel questions of interpretation.†[3] 3.1.1  DDA 1995 The primary piece of legislation dealing with discrimination against disabled people using public transport is the DDA 1995 which has been amended by the DDA 2005. The DDA 2005 received royal assent on the 7th April 2005. Its main purpose was to give effect to the submissions made by various groups relating to the operation of the DDA 1995 over the preceding ten years by providing for certain important amendments in relation to that legislation. The DDA 2005 makes several substantial amendments to the DDA 1995. Those that apply to public transport are set out in Sections 5 to 9. Section 5 inserts a new Section 21ZA into the DDA 1995 and replaces the existing exclusion of transport services from Sections 19 to 21 of the DDA 1995 with a more precise exclusion which relates to only those transport services which consist of vehicle provision and use. Section 21ZA(1)(b) excludes discrimination which relates to a service provided, or not provided, while a disabled person is travelling in a vehicle. Section 21ZA(2) excludes from the duty to provide adjustments, transport services involving providing or using a vehicle. Sections 21ZA(1) and (2) can be disapplied through regulations made by the Secretary of State under Section 21ZA(3).[4] Section 6 of the DDA 2005 clarifies the timeframe for the bringing into force regulations dealing with all rail vehicles and the duty requiring rail operators to have in place measures allowing for disabled people to get on and off regulated rail vehicles in safety and without unreasonable difficulty and to be carried in regulated rail vehicles in safety and reasonable comfort. The Secretary of State is now required, under the new Section 46(4A) to ensure that all rail vehicles are regulated under the rail vehicles accessibility regulations by 1st January 2020. Section 6 also removes from the definition of â€Å"rail vehicle† the exemption relating to vehicles first brought into use after 31st December 1998. This means that there is now no start date and the Secretary of State is able to make regulations which apply to all rail vehicles and for instance, make regulations which apply to rail vehicles first brought into service before 1998 and which are for example refurbished. This closes a potential loop-hole in the legislation and allows the Secretary of State to meet the deadline imposed by 46(6A).[5] Section 6(3) clarifies the Secretary of State’s powers to make exemption orders relating to regulated rail vehicles by specifically allowing the making of exemption orders which relate to the operational as well as the construction elements of the rail vehicle accessibility regulations. Section 6(4) clarifies the procedure to be followed by the Secretary of State when exercising their discretion under Section 67(5A) of the DDA 1995. This procedure applies to the making of exemption orders and requires the Secretary of State to consult the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, and any other bodies that may be appropriate, and furthermore, for such regulations to be subject to the draft affirmative procedure which allows for greater parliamentary scrutiny. In the same vein of providing closer scrutiny over the making of exemption orders, Section 6(5) of the DDA 2005 inserts a new section (67B) which requires an annual report to be produced by the Secretary of State deta iling the exemption orders which have been made and containing details of the consultation process undertaken.[6] Section 7 of the DDA 2005 deals with the new concept of rail accessibility compliance certificates and allows for the Secretary of State to make regulations appointing independent assessors responsible for granting and enforcing the certificates, setting out the mechanisms for the charging of fees and dispute resolution. The intention of the certification scheme is to ultimately prohibit regulated rail vehicles operating without a valid compliance certificate. These certificates will also provide a degree of flexibility with Section 47A(4) allowing the certificates to be subject to conditions.[7] Section 8 of the DDA 2005 replaces the criminal sanctions set out in the DDA 1995 for a breach of the rail vehicle accessibility regulations with a civil regime allowing the levying of penalties should an improvement notice and final notice issued by the Secretary of State not be complied with. It also provides the Secretary of State with new powers of inspection in cases in which it is suspected that a regulated rail vehicle fails to conform to the provisions of the rail vehicle accessibility regulations (Sections 47E and 47F). New sections 47D to 47L deal with the imposition of penalties on train operators. Section 47D to 47H deal with the amount, due date and recovery of penalties imposed under the Act. Most importantly, any penalty imposed cannot exceed 10% of the operator’s â€Å"turnover†. Section 47K sets out the procedure to be followed and the operator’s right to object. If the operator is not satisfied with the penalty imposed by the Secretary of State, they have the right to appeal to a Court, whether or not they have lodged an appeal with the Secretary of State, but only on the grounds that either the penalty should not apply to them or that the level of the penalty is too high.[8] Section 9 allows for the recognition in England and Wales of disabled persons’ parking badges issued in foreign jurisdictions. This then allows for reciprocal recognition of UK badges in other EU countries.[9] 3.1.1.1  Meaning of Disability The DDA 1995 defines a â€Å"disabled person† as someone who has a disability.[10] A person has a disability if they have, â€Å"†¦a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.†[11] This is further clarified in Schedule 1 of the DDA 1995. A mental impairment is not exhaustively defined but it originally only included mental illnesses in cases in which that illness is clinically well-recognised.[12] This constraint has now been removed by Section 18(2) of the DDA 2005. In addition, the DDA 2005 by way of Section 18(3) deems those suffering from HIV, Cancer or MS to be disabled before the symptoms set out in Section 1, or paragraph 8 of Schedule 1, have been experienced by them.[13] An impairment is held to be long-term if a person has had it for at least twelve months, it is expected to last for at least twelve months or it is likely to affect the person for the rest of their life.[14] 3.1.1.2  Meaning of Discrimination Section 3A(1) of the DDA 1995 states that a disabled person is discriminated against if, for a reason relating to a disabled person’s disability, a person treats a disabled person less favourably than they would someone without a disability and the person alleged to be discriminating against the disabled person cannot show that it is justified to treat them in this way. In order for the treatment referred to above to be justified, it must be both substantial and material to the particular cases’ circumstances.[15] However, if the treatment amounts to direct discrimination, it cannot be justified.[16] Similarly, if the person was required to make reasonable adjustments to cater for disabled people and has not done so, they will not be able to rely on a defence of the treatment being justified unless even if he had complied with the duty it would have been justified.[17] More relevantly to the issue of public transport, a person is also held to have discriminated against a disabled person if when a duty to make reasonable adjustments in relation to disabled people is imposed on them, they fail to comply with that duty.[18] 3.1.1.3  Positive Duty under the DDA 2005 The DDA 2005 introduced the concept of a â€Å"positive duty† for public authorities which makes it unlawful for them to, in the course of carrying out its functions, to discriminate against disabled people.[19] A similar â€Å"positive duty† has not been included with respect to private companies and employers. 3.1.1.4  Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles The DDA 1995 allows the Secretary of State to make regulations to ensure that it is possible for disabled persons; â€Å"to get into and out of taxis in safety,† and â€Å"to be carried in taxis in safety and in reasonable comfort;† and for disabled persons in wheelchairs; â€Å"to be conveyed in safety into and out of taxis while remaining in their wheelchairs,† and â€Å"to be carried in taxis in safety and in reasonable comfort while remaining in their wheelchairs.† It is proposed that regulations are introduced in respect of all new Taxis by 2010 and all Taxis by 2020.[20] One notable exception is that private hire vehicles are not provided for under the DDA 1995 however, this is not an exception that is likely to remain for long with both the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Group and the Disability Rights Commission looking into the matter.[21] 3.1.1.5  Rail Vehicles A â€Å"rail vehicle† as amended by the DDA 2005 is a vehicle, â€Å"constructed or adapted to carry passengers on any railway, tramway or prescribed system.†[22] The DDA 1995 provides the Secretary of State with the power to make â€Å"rail vehicle accessibility regulations.†[23] These regulations, made in 1998 and amended in 2000, cover several important areas. They allow the Secretary of State to require, by way of these regulations, transport operators to provide means for disabled persons to be able to get on and off regulated rail vehicles in safety and without difficulty and to be able to travel in those vehicles in safety and comfort. They also cover such matters as, â€Å"wheelchair accessibility, the design of on-board accessible toilets, the size and location of handrails, handholds and control devices as well as the provision of audible warnings and other equipment.†[24] The DDA 1995 also allows the Secretary of State to make an exception in relation to a case in which a rail vehicle operator is unable to meet the requirements and makes an application for exemption. An example of such an exemption relating to London is the one granted to Gatwick Express (The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Gatwick Express Class 458) Exemption Order 2006). This Order exempts Gatwick Express from some of the requirements of the regulations until April 2011.[25] However, without doubt, the main hurdle that the government needs to overcome to ensure that the Olympic Games in 2012 are an inclusive event is the issue of accessibility to the London Underground. Transport for London currently lists as accessible by means other than stairs or escalators, only 40 of its 275 underground stations.[26] The pace of improvements taking place also fails to fill one with confidence. Over the next five years there will be an additional 27 step-free stations. The intention is then for 25% to be step-free by 2010 and 50% by 2015.[27] As the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) correctly point out, if these figures are to be accepted, less than half of London’s Underground stations will be accessible by way of stair-free means by the time of the Olympics in 2012 and this is a situation that they find unacceptable.[28] While being the main means of transport for many spectators who will arrive in London at the time of the Olympic Games, the Tube is also perhaps the most culturally significant icon that London possesses and it will reflect poorly on the country as a whole if accessibility to London Underground stations has not been addressed in a productive manner before 2012. 3.1.1.6  Public Transport Vehicles The regulations applying to public transport vehicles are set out in the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000. These regulations provide standards which are to be met and apply to â€Å"all new public service vehicles (buses or coaches) introduced since 31st December 2000 with a capacity exceeding 22 passengers used to provide a local of scheduled service.†[29] They also set out deadlines for the meeting of the standards. For instance, wheel chair users must be able to access all small buses by the 1st January 2015, large single deck buses by the 1st January 2016 and double deck buses by the 1st January 2017.[30] At present the accessibility by wheelchair users of buses nationwide stands at approximately 30%.[31] However, the DPTAC note that with respect to London’s buses, accessibility for wheelchair users is close to 100%.[32] The main concern with respect to buses in the capital is not in relation to compliance with the required modifications, but rather with the failure of some drivers to use the modifications available to assist their disabled passengers.[33] It should be noted that the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 do provide for a driver refusing to assist a disabled person in cases in which doing so would â€Å"adversely affect his health or safety, your safety or that of other passengers or the safety of the vehicle.† [34] However, it should be stressed to all drivers that this exemption should only be relied upon in specific circumstances with clear examples being provided. Finally, the DPTAC also suggest the greater availability of audible and visual information systems and this is an area that Transport for London is considering as an improvement for all their customers, not only those that are disabled.[35] 3.1.1.7  Aircraft and Ships One of the main criticisms of the DDA 1995 is that it fails to specifically address the duties of ship and airline operators. While ports and airports will still need to comply with the requirements of the legislation, the DDA 1995 fails to provide in respect of ships and aircraft the same regulatory making powers that it provides with respect to taxis, rail and public transport vehicles. Ships and aircraft come under European laws dealing with anti-discrimination legislation, however it is still argued that for disability discrimination legislation to be effective, it must apply to all public transport vehicles that operate within the UK. This gap in the legislation is seem as a major hurdle to ensuring that there is consistency across all types of public transport coming up to the Olympic Games and beyond. The DPTAC endorses this view and notes that â€Å"aircraft and ships will be the first and last Olympic travel experience that most overseas participants and audiences will experience, and we believe that the Government should do all it can to ensure that that experience is a positive one.†[36] They also emphasise that aviation and shipping are currently covered by voluntary codes but that the government has made it clear that should these codes fail, they would be prepared to remove the exemption from Part 3 of the DDA 1995 that currently applies to them.[37] As Karen Buck, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport sets out in her response to Tony Manwaring, CEO of Scope, the government is carrying out benchmarking tests in association with DPTAC the results of which were hoped to be available in early 2006. These exercises would then help determine whether or not it was necessary to lift the DDA 1995 Part 3 exemption currently granted to airline and shipping trans port providers.[38] 3.1.1.9  DDA 1995: Comparison to other Anti-Discrimination Legislation One of the most important differences between the DDA and other anti-discrimination legislation is that the DDA only applies to people who meet the criteria set out for being disabled. The Disability Rights Commission estimates that approximately ten million people have rights under the DDA 1995.[39] In contrast, other anti-discrimination legislation is much more pervasive in its application and applies to all members of society as long as they can show that the type of discrimination they are alleged to have suffered occurred. Another important difference is that the DDA takes into account the fact that the aim of assisting people with a disability is not to ensure that they receive equal treatment but rather, treatment which is appropriate to their circumstances. As such, the DDA does not aim to restrict the ability of those dealing with disabled people to positively discriminate in their favour, rather accepting that where appropriate, disabled people need to be treated differently.[40] Under other anti-discrimination legislation, discrimination can never be justified. 3.1.1.9  Criticisms Jan Nesbitt, chair of the Disability Law Service, notes that, â€Å"one of the weaknesses of the DDA has been that the service provision elements have been brought in over a lengthy period of time and some disabled people have had to wait for their needs to be met. There are some areas that are unsatisfactory, transport is still not covered, except for design features†¦Ã¢â‚¬ [41] The focus of the DDA 1995 is to put the duty to change on the public transport operators. This focus is sometimes referred to as being â€Å"solution-oriented†.[42] A solution-oriented approach to disability discrimination is a positive and extremely powerful tool in combating discrimination. However, this approach can only genuinely apply to those with physical disabilities and this has lead some commentators to suggest that the DDA 1995 is in fact discriminatory in itself as it places much more emphasis on those with physical disabilities as opposed to those suffering from mental disabilities. This however could be said to simply reflect the relative ease of making adjustments for those with physical disabilities, compared to making adjustments for those suffering from mental illnesses. People suffering from mental illnesses create a much more difficult problem for public transport providers to solve. There are no simple physical modifications that can be made to cater for people suffering from mental illnesses. This is further exacerbated by fact that it is often clear when someone is suffering from a physical impairment and staff can be trained to respond to their needs quickly and effectively. It is a lot more difficult to gauge whether or not someone is suffering from a mental illness, how best to assist them and whether or not they may pose a danger to staff and/or other members of the public. A frightening prospect is that the legislation as it currently stands could allow public transport companies to segregate those with disabilities from the rest of the travelling public. While this is already done to some extent, eg spaces for people needing wheelchair access; it is only a short distance from an ID card which lists a person’s disability, to a separate carriage for those with disabilities. The unfortunate aspect of this is that it would no doubt be argued that this solution provides the best means of catering for the individual needs of disabled people. 3.2  Case Law One of the leading cases decided under the DDA 1995 was Clark v TDG Ltd (t/a Novacold).[43] This was an appeal from the Employment Appeal Tribunal and was the first appeal decided by the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) under the DDA 1995. While that case dealt with employment law, Lord Justice Mummery’s comments about the DDA 1995 and its relationship to other anti-discrimination legislation is still of importance to the area of public transport. Lord Justice Mummery stated, â€Å"Contrary to what might be reasonably assumed, the exercise of interpretation is not facilitated by familiarity with the pre-existing legislation prohibiting discrimination in the field of employment (and elsewhere) on the grounds of sex (Sex Discrimination Act 1975) and race (Race Discrimination Act 1976). Indeed, it may be positively misleading to approach the 1995 Act with assumptions and concepts familiar from experience of the workings of the 1975 Act and the 1976 Act. Unlike the earlier discrimination Acts the 1995 Act does not draw the crucial distinction between direct and indirect discrimination on specified grounds; it provides a defence of justification to less favourable treatment which would constitute direct discrimination and be without such a defence under the earlier Acts; and it does not replicate the express requirement of the 1975 Act (section 5(3)) and the 1976 Act (section 3(4)) that, when a comparison of the cases of persons of different sex or persons of different racial groups falls to be made, the comparison must be such that the relevant circumstances in the one case are the same, or not materially different, in the other. One consequence of these differences is that the terms discriminate and discrimination are not used in Part II of the 1995 Act in the same sense as in the earlier Acts. Failure to discern and observe this difference in meaning in decision making (and in commentaries on both the 1995 Act and on decisions under it) can lead to serious conceptual confusion.† The key question that Lord Justice Mummery concluded as being fundamental to whether or not a disabled person had been discriminated against was, â€Å"is the treatment related to a complainant’s disability?†[44] Andy Rickell, director of the British Council of Disable People has stated, in respect of the case law arising from the DDA 1995, â€Å"Barristers are, and have been, running a coach and horses through disabled people’s rights.†[45] Jan Nesbitt, chair of the Disability Law Service, concurred with Rickell’s sentiments but added; â€Å"It’s like any new piece of legislation, barristers will find loopholes because there’s no case law so there’s nothing to test against. I think what happened in the beginning was that a lot of disabled people, in employment tribunals particularily, conducted their own case, and fell at the first hurdle which was proving that they were a disabled person. Any good barrister will make their case. The definition of â€Å"disability† is one of the things that’s currently being reviewed so that tribunals and courts have a better understanding of it. In any case, it is important for disabled people to get access to legal representation when taking a case.†[46] A case more relevant to transport was Roads v Central Trains.[47] This case involved a disabled resident of Norwich who relied on her electric wheelchair for mobility who brought a claim against Central Trains. The facts of the case revolved around the claimant not being able to access platform 1 at the station. The only means of accessing the platform from the side he was on was to either cross the footbridge or travel half a mile down the road where he could pass under the track and return on the other side. As both of these alternatives were not reasonable, the train company suggested the claimant, at no extra cost, take the train to a further station which was equipped with disabled access facilities, adding approximately one hour to the journey time. The claimant suggested that this was not reasonable and that the defendant company should have paid for a specially adapted taxi to drive him around to the other side. In the first instance, the Judge held that as the nearest specia lly adapted taxi was based in Norwich which was some way from Thetford where the station was located, it was unreas