Is Energy Consumption A Major Challenge For Most Countries...

Nowadays energy consumption has become a major challenge for most countries all over the world in terms of efficient utility and environment protection. Most negative effects, such as air pollution, destruction of landform, disturbance of ecological balance and climate change, could be attributed to massive use of fossil fuel. At the same time, fossil fuel resource, which accumulated for billions years on earth, would be running out in a short term under such unlimited consumption. â€Å"The Stone Age didn’t end for lack of stone, and the oil age will end long before the world runs out of oil.† (Sheikh Zaki Yamani, 1970s) Despite facing the same challenge as other countries, Australia keeps her track of development in a designing route by a high-proportion fossil fuel consumption during recent decades. In 2013-2014, the fossil fuel such as coal, oil and gas, took 94.1% part of whole energy consumption, on the other hand, 5.9% part of renewable energy could even be ignored. (Australian energy statistics, 2015) However, there is almost no doubt that to replace fossil fuel consumption with non-fossil fuel energy is the inevitable trend of future ages. It is not only one of the best approaches to preserve the earth environment in our time, also leaving enough resource and technology accumulation to next generations building a healthy and efficient society. It is a long journey to achieve this promising change with difficulties in terms of cost, no-fossil fuel energy distribution,Show MoreRelatedThe Global Consumption Of Oil904 Words   |  4 PagesThe global consumption of oil has been deliberately risin g for past two decades. The use of energy resources all over the world has raised concerns over the consumption of energy resources and its environmental impacts. In this essay, an attempt is made to picture the geographies of energy consumption that increased attention to carbon emissions in the G7 and BRICs and countries like India, China, Brazil, U.S.A and Canada and its implications for human society, climate and political or economic dimensionsRead MoreDubai, United Arab Emirates Along with Karachi, Dubai is recognized as one of the fastest1600 Words   |  7 Pagesrecognized as one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Dubai is also known as the world’s biggest building site built in the desert. Its annual gross domestic production has reached about 20 billion dollars with relatively small population of 2 million people. The effective government strategy of shifting Dubai into a tourist and business destination from oil production has been greatly worked and contributed to its economic development. Country also improved its duty-free shopping as it builtRead MoreThe American Government Supports The Energy Industry Through Large Investments For Research And Development1286 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican government supports the energy industry through large investments for research and development. The stability and corruption of the American government is a debate continuing today. America is viewed as one of the most powerful countries, although it has been weakened in the past. The public view of safety in America varies, as there are thoughts as to whether the American government is a main target of terrorism. America is one of the most competitive countries worldwide, thus making it difficultRead MoreA Common Fear Of Population Growth1425 Words   |  6 Pagesif it is not controlled. It is anticipated that most of the projected population growth during this century will take place in developing nations. These countries have faced many challenges in recent years, including low levels of education, poor health standards, scarcity, limited housing, natural resource exhaustion, strife, and monetary and governmental command by other countries. In places like Africa, industrial development has stalled and most workers still make a living from survival agricultureRead MoreBusine ss Case Study : Nova, The Producer Of Nova1508 Words   |  7 PagesSituation â€Å"Nova,† is an energy drink manufactured in Oregon, USA. The producer of â€Å"Nova† is a small business that has marketed its product successfully throughout the United States, and now wishes to expand into the international market. The owner of â€Å"Nova† has expressed interest in expanding into two countries in South America. This case study will analyze and assess market factors, economic conditions, government and political factors, and cultural factors associated with expanding their marketRead MoreGreen Growth : A New Concept Of Growth1171 Words   |  5 Pages1.0 Introduction After the Industrial Revolution, there has been a challenge to accumulate the most capital. People are focusing on the increase of economic, such as the rapid increase in GDP. However, it is clear that the natural resources are limited on Earth, high rate of consuming resources will lead to lacking in the future to sustain society. So, it is important for the world moving into a new stage of economic growth-Green Growth This report is organized as follows: It first provides a conceptualRead MoreThe Rising Rate Of Obesity Essay1573 Words   |  7 Pages The rising rate of obesity has reached epidemic proportions and is now one of the most serious public health challenges that we face in the United States. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 70.7% of adults over age 20, and 47.4% of children aged 2-19 are either overweight or obese (2015). Over the last 30 years, the number of overweight or obese cases among children tripled, and has doubled among adults according to the former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satchel (2012). ForRead MoreDeclining and Growing Powers and Empires in Europe and the Rise of United States of America1454 Words   |  6 Pagesfrom that off 1880 because there was a major shift of power in Europe between Great Britain and Germany. Germany was challenging Great Britains power outright while the United States was indirectly challenging Britain on an economic scale. This essay will demonstrate how a countrys geography directly influences its economic and military statistics from 1880-1914 and also the significant tensions between the European countries. The dominant power at 1880 was GreatRead MoreFossil Fuels : The Global Energy Problem1352 Words   |  6 Pagescornerstone of the world energy production. Oil is the most notable fossil fuel; however, coal and natural gas are also mainstream. Since global warming is the most important environmental problem the world faces and the cause is from greenhouse gases, many look to renewable energy resources to resolve the environment and energy crisis. The Global Energy Problem For many years, the world has been in an ongoing debate and struggle on what to do with our energy production and reservesRead MoreThe World s Population Growth1099 Words   |  5 Pagesin the developing world. On top of that, the world’s population will continue to develop toward urban areas having approximately 70% living in urban populations by 2050 as compared to around fifty percent today. The world has faced an unprecedented rise in population during the past century having dramatic shifts in the production and consumption of food and for the most part has accommodated this population explosion, but with the changes in the consumption of meats in the world, the strain on resources

A library of ancient information Free Essays

Inside most of the cells in each human being resides molecules known as DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid. These molecules are made up of four different bases which are assigned the letters G, C, A and T (for guanine, cytosine, adenine and thymine) and the manner by which these bases are arranged or sequenced defines the particular kind of protein that they will give rise to. Given that humans are highly complex organisms, it is natural and correct to assume that we are made up of a huge number of different proteins that are coded for by an equally large number of different DNA sequences known as genes (Krogh, 2003). We will write a custom essay sample on A library of ancient information or any similar topic only for you Order Now The totality of an organism’s genes is known as its genome and since each gene provides the instructions for making a specific protein, the genome can be thought of as a collection or library of instruction manuals for producing all the proteins necessary for an organism to function normally and survive (Krogh, 2003). This collection though, is not one that is built up as the organism grows but rather, one that is inherited from the organism’s parents. Human beings have 46 sets of these instruction manuals called chromosomes. Chromosomes come in pairs but during reproduction, only half of each pair is passed on by each parent to their offspring so that the offspring would likewise end up having a total of 46 chromosomes (Krogh, 2003). This goes on for each new generation of offspring produced and so if we try to trace things back we can imagine how we have, for example, inherited the gene for our particular hair color from either our mother or father, and how they in turn have likewise inherited theirs from either of their parents. Going a long way back towards our ancestors’ generation, we can therefore imagine ourselves as having inherited inside us a library of ancient instruction manuals which tell our body how to produce proteins practically the same way that they have been produced in our ancestors. Naturally though it would be expected that during the course of time, modifications may have been made in these instructions but the fact still remains that these basic instructions were passed on from one generation to the next so that the information it carries may serve succeeding generations. How to cite A library of ancient information, Essay examples

BBC - Events Planning and Management

Question: Describe about is shrinking budget or short lead times the number one challenge facing the event industry today? Answer: This essay is about the different challenges that the event management companies face today. In particular, shrinkage of budgets and short lead times are focused onto, to judge whether they are number one problem that these companies face. Have we ever wondered how does the Opening ceremony of Olympic Games come into action? Have we ever wondered about how beautiful fireworks show come alive? We must have visited some birthday party and admired the decoration and arrangements. We must have gone to a college fest and enjoyed ourselves. We all must have watched Kate Middleton sat I do. Did we ever think of how these things were organised? Its all because of some event management company. The professionals work day and night to create the best results possible for guests, sponsors, stakeholders, spectators. Event management mean to co-ordinate, run, and plan an event. They try their best to put forward a planned, nicely conducted, and enjoyable event. Now-a-days, event management teams are needed in all sectors. They include entertainment, government, finance, fashion, music, sport. So, their job has a large range of thrilling challenges and different situations. Event management at present is a million dollar industry an d is growing very fast (Nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk, 2015). The event organizer always wants to make best for the client and most appropriate for the occasion. Cutting short of the budget by the client is a normal phenomenon because everyone wants to save more and spend less. As the economic decline continues event organizers and managers have to provide uncommon, motivational events on smaller and tighter allocation of budgets (Liverpoolchamber.org.uk, 2015).As opined by Sheehan et al., (2006), as a result of shortage of budget the Event Organizer always tries to provide their employer with unique and creative solutions to fight against the shrinkage of budget. This results in the invention of many techniques which was previously unknown. Such an example is the use of graphics in making films which helps the producer to cut short his budget and also saves a lot of time. According to Parry (2015), it has been observed that there has been a reduction in budget of around 20% from their original budget during the past 2 3 years as reported by respondent event manager personnel. Recently most of the companies have started planning events in house and around 1/3 of the clients organize it only to reduce their budget. More than 20 events a year are promoted by a single company hence if the event manager is not able to cut short their initially allotted budget then it will be very difficult for them to maintain or to get the next contract for his company. While doing so sometimes event managers have to compromise with the quality of their service as a result the event standard deteriorates. As stated by Bowdin et al (2012), budgets should be changed according to the circumstances. The shortening of the budget may result in behavioural changes in the event managers. This change may cause a drastic effect on their business. The budget when decreased de-motivates the employees as a result the whole event may be compromised. The spending within the budget creates a use it otherwise loose it mentality in the event managers so they try to spend little and save most. This less spending of the event managers may affect the quality of the event (Usenix.org, 2015). Managers become very preoccupied with reviewing the budget with the customer and mostly forget to focus about the actual issues which would help him in winning of customers (Bbc.co.uk, 2013). As stated by Bladen (2012), the reduction in budget creates a rivalry among the event managers which help them to bring out more efficient ways of conducting an event in lower and affordable cost. This is a healthy competition where the event managers are always facing challenge to think of ideas which would make their event more successful as well as affordable. Lead time is the time between the start and execution of a particular process. In event management, it is the time taken to complete a project. Different events need different lead time for its completion. Short lead time is a common problem faced by most of the event management companies. It is becoming a challenge day by day (Middlebury, 2010). Short lead times are gaining prominence in today's times. Event management companies think they will face this challenge in future. If budgets are signed off earlier, the additional time may be used appropriately for sourcing the cost effective and desirable venue. Suppliers can help in delivering unique and more memorable events. It gives a good return on the investment. It is a trend now in event industry to work in shorter lead times. Some clients have a typical 12 month planning cycle but now most events take place in 3 months lead time. Every planner loves the long lead times and is found loathing the short lead times (Liverpoolchamber. org.uk, 2015). Clients who give short lead times do not realise that giving longer lead times would have helped them in making the event successful. Due to short lead times, the roles and responsibilities of each become clear for the event management professionals. There is no room for error in case of the misunderstandings if there is short time in hand (Liverpoolchamber.org.uk, 2015). According to Mehndiratta (2008), often event managers get sleepless nights due to short lead times. They get last minute instructions to plan an event. Thus, the planners and managers can prove themselves to be amazing in managing everything in short lead times. So often, they take up the challenge in a positive way. As stated by Whitfordet al. (2013) there are certain disadvantages of short lead times that have become a challenge for the industry. They include higher last minute transport fares, higher cost of printings, difficulties in group booking, few venue options, and fewer choices of entertainment packages. Creativity is hindered. The creativity of the planners is not showcased to the fullest. Planners get in dilemma on whether to explain the clients the drawbacks of giving short lead times or whether to deliver better in short lead times. They face these challenges and it becomes difficult to come up with the solutions.Often certain things are compromised with. Everything that is wanted may not be achieved. The time has to be spent wisely. Staying focused is the key to success. So event managers often find it difficult to put up an event in very short time. It possesses a challenge for them (Liverpoolchamber.org.uk, 2015). Mehndiratta (2008) states that the practise of giving shorter dea dlines has turned into business and now planners get little time to pull things together. Even though proliferation of shorter lead times is getting better, it is still now a problem (Ignitemag.ca, 2015). There is disagreement on whether lead times have got longer for big events. Boag and Cuskelly (2000) agrees that lead times are now shorter than what it used to be five years ago and it has brought along certain challenges. In conclusion, we can say that running such a company of event management can be difficult. It is a very complex task. Many factors influence the success of event planning. Be it a small event or be it a large event, the procedure of planning and managing is a hectic job. There are many issues that hinder the functioning of such event management industry. The two most important factors are shrinking budget and short lead times. Short time creates problems for the event managers to provide good places for their customers as because most of the good places need to be booked before a long time and cannot be booked within a short notice of time but still the event managers are able somehow to show their skills and manage well deserved place according to the event as well as great food which shows really how hard they work to make it up to the customer. Shortening of budget though makes the event planner very sceptic about the use of different products but the restriction in budget brings out the unique ideas from the event planner, which is more profitable for the customer. Indeed shrinkage in budgets and short lead times are the challenges in event management industry today. Short lead time is the number one challenge it seems. References: Bbc.co.uk, (2013).BBC - Events: Planning and Management - myRisks Information. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/safety/resources/aztopics/event-planning-management.html [Accessed 6 Jul. 2015]. Boag, A. and Cuskelly, G. (2000).Event management. Belconnen, ACT: Australian Sports Commission. Ignitemag.ca, (2015).Incentives + Meetings | Short Lead Times | Ignite Magazine. [online] Available at: https://ignitemag.ca/incentives_meetings/event_short_lead_times [Accessed 3 Jul. 2015]. Liverpoolchamber.org.uk, (2015).The Top 10 Challenges Facing Event Organisers - Liverpool Chamber of Commerce. [online] Available at: https://www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk/article.aspx/show/2321 [Accessed 3 Jul. 2015]. Mehndiratta, V. (2008).Event management. Chandigarh, India: Abhishek Publications. Middlebury, (2010).Event Planning - How much lead time is required to plan an event?. [online] Available at: https://www.middlebury.edu/offices/business/scheduling/EventFAQ/node/153091 [Accessed 3 Jul. 2015]. Nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk, (2015).Events manager Job Information | National Careers Service. [online] Available at: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/eventsmanager.aspx [Accessed 6 Jul. 2015]. Parry, A. (2013).Top challenges for event organisers in 2013 by Rachael Cotton, head of trade and corporate sales, Alton Towers Resort - Event Industry News. [online] Event Industry News. Available at: https://www.eventindustrynews.co.uk/festivals-outdoor-event-news/top-challenges-for-event-organisers-in-2013-by-rachael-cotton-head-of-trade-and-corporate-sales-alton-towers-resort/?utm_source=feedburnerutm_medium=feedutm_campaign=Feed%3A%20event-industry-news%20(Event%20Indu [Accessed 6 Jul. 2015]. Usenix.org, (2015).Challenges in Event Management | USENIX. [online] Available at: https://www.usenix.org/publications/login/august14/paree [Accessed 6 Jul. 2015]. Whitford, M., Dunn, A. and Cooper, C. (2013).Event Management. Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers Ltd. Bowdin, G., Allen, J., Harris, R., McDonnell, I. and O'Toole, W. (2012).Events Management. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Sheehan, M., Diggs-Brown, B., Newsom, D., Grellier, J. and Shone, A. (2006).ALR279 public relations and event management. Bladen, C. (2012).Events management. London: Routledge.

Unemployment Problem in Bangladesh free essay sample

In govt. offices, banks and institutions, the number of posts is fewer than the number of candidates. As the government cannot afford to set up newer institutions and create employment opportunities, the number of unemployed people is increasing day by day. Unemployment has some negative impacts on our social, national and economic development. Unemployed people suffer from frustration because they are not respected in the society. Hence they engage themselves in many anti-social activities. They involve in robbery, terrorism and violence. Many become drug addicts. They do anything to collect money to buy drugs. Mostly the people of young generation are unemployed. So, in spite of contributing to the social development, they are creating anarchy in the country. Unemployment problem needs to be solved immediately. Self-employment is one of the possible solutions to this problem. Though there is scarcity of jobs, people can be self-employed in a number of income generating activities. We will write a custom essay sample on Unemployment Problem in Bangladesh or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Self-employment is challenging and involves risk. But when it provides positive results, it will encourage people. They will find that they are earning more money than the govt. obs. To provide the unemployed youths with self-employment opportunities, the ministry of youth development has set up ‘Youth Training Centers throughout the country to impart training on various trades and vocations. Besides, the Krishi Unnayan Bank, the Grameen Bank and different government and non-government organizations are providing loans to the unemployed youths to become self-reliant. Youths should avail themselves of the opportunities of training and loans to earn and become self-dependent. In this way, unemployment problem can be solved to a large extent.

Saints and Sanctity

Saints and Sanctity Saints and Sanctity Saints and Sanctity By Mark Nichol The Latin adjective sanctus, meaning â€Å"consecrated† or â€Å"holy,† is the root of a family of words that sometimes but not always have a religious context. Definitions of those words follow. Saint (from the Anglo-French word seint) originally was simply an adjective applied to the name of a person who had been canonized, or officially designated as holy, but it soon became a noun and eventually a verb as well, though that latter usage is rare. By extension, it informally describes a person of remarkable patience or virtue. Saint, in reference to a person or as part of a place name, is spelled out in formal contexts, but occasionally it is abbreviated to St. (In place names, the Spanish masculine and feminine equivalents, San and Santa, respectively, are never abbreviated.) As a surname, it is spelled out or abbreviated according to personal preference (in French usage, it is spelled out and hyphenated to the following word); consult a biographical dictionary for accuracy. Sanctity is the quality of holiness; sanctimony and sanctitude are less common synonyms, though the former is often seen in its adjectival form, sanctimonious, to refer pejoratively to someone who is falsely pious. (The positive sense is obsolete.) To sanctify is to make holy. A sanctum is a holy place; the Latin phrase sanctum sanctorum, meaning â€Å"holy of holies,† has been borrowed directly into English, and in secular contexts, â€Å"inner sanctum† refers to a private place of retreat. Sanctuary originally referred to a building designated for worship (it also applied to a sacred relic or any other holy object), and because some churches served as refuges where fugitives were generally immune from arrest, the word was applied outside of religious contexts to a place of protection or safety, including one set aside as wildlife refuge. The adjective sacrosanct means â€Å"especially sacred† and, by extension, applies to any belief adhered to with great devotion. (A follow-up post will discuss sacred and related words.) To sanction is to make sacred or to confirm or decree; the word also applies, as a noun, to an act of doing so or the confirmation or decree itself. As with other related terms, it also has a secular connotation, and in this sense is a near contronym (also known as a contranym or autoantonym): Sanction means approval or permission, but it also applies to punitive but nonviolent measures one or more nations take to compel another nation to conform to international law. (The word also pertains to something that prompts action or judgment in response to a question of morality.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply withUse a Dash for Number RangesPeople vs. Persons

Never share this information at work

Never share this information at work Networking is what gets you in the door, but building real relationships with coworkers is what keeps you there and earns you respect. And you can’t really connect to people- even colleagues- if you don’t open up and share every once in a while. But sometimes the bonding goes too far. When sharing becomes oversharing, you can erode any credibility you’ve built up in a workplace. Here are a few things smart and successful people make a rule of never  bringing up in the workplace.How much you hate your coworkersNo matter how terrible Bob in Sales is at his job, it’s not something you can talk about with your coworkers- even your friends. Unless you’re talking to your best non-work friends or your partner, there’s no cause to broadcast someone’s ineptitude. Be kind. Take the high road. And for that matter, don’t smack talk about your boss or how much you hate your job either.PoliticsBy far the easiest way to alienate someone is t o casually discuss politics. Things are quite simply too fraught these days. A haphazard comment here or there could really lose you points. In general, it’s best not to mix office and politics in general- tense times or not. You never know where someone (or the cubemate quietly listening) stands. If others are talking politics, listen and smile and step outside.  How much you makeEven if you’re sharing your salary to commiserate with other low-level earners, you never know what those people might be making. It could be even less than you. Don’t run the risk of humblebragging. And definitely don’t outright brag. First of all, nobody cares. Second, they’ll just assume you’re a materialistic jerk.Your sex life†¦ or anybody else’sReally, there’s no reason to divulge any details about what goes on in your bedroom. Or worse- to speculate about what might or might not go on in someone else’s. It’s just gossip, wh ich is never a good idea. Plus, it’s likely against company policy. You just never know when you might make someone feel uncomfortable, so respect work and personal boundaries.Your ongoing job huntIf you’re job hunting because you’ve outgrown your position or you just plain hate your job, that’s fine. Keep it on the DL. Nobody wants to be friends with the kid who doesn’t even want to be on the playground with the other kids.Your online presenceUnless you become actual friends with a coworker, it’s best to keep your social media networks separate. LinkedIn is great for work friends, but keep your Facebook and Twitter and Instagram to people who won’t be annoyed by your vacation photos of margaritas and tequila shots.Offensive jokesAgain, anything off-color is probably going to get you in trouble with your human resources department. If you have a racist, misogynist, or intolerant joke in your pocket, do yourself a favor and keep it to yourself. You  will offend someone and people  will think less of you. Is it really worth the forced laughter?Your dreams of a promotionIt’s fine to covet rungs above yours on the ladder. It’s not fine to tell people that you’re out to unseat your coworker or your boss. The news will definitely get back to that person, ruining a relationship for good. And whether or not you get your way, you won’t have the respect of everyone around you.Personal dramaYou might be having problems at home, or in your relationship, or with your health. Save intensely personal tales for your besties and your therapist. At the very least, save them for lunch hour with one or two close work friends, not your water cooler buddy. Work is not the place to be blabbing about your issues and emotions- it’s a professional setting, no matter how casual the office and how kind the people.

Human Recourse Management and Personnel Issues Essay - 1

Human Recourse Management and Personnel Issues - Essay Example There are a number of occasions when assessment is done. Such as when a student is admitted into a high school, he is often required to take some test, likewise, during his educational, time to time, his educations is assessed under certain standards. Finally, when he wished to enter the professional life, there too, he is assessed for certain skills that the employer expects to be essentially present in an employee. Out of all these assessments, the pre-employment assessment is considered to be one of the crucial ones. This is so on the account of the fact that this test will enable him to enter into the professional life through the gate he wants. There is one complexity involved with the assessments. The complexity is that what factors should be tested in order to determine that who is the most deserving candidate is. This complexity is enhanced when it comes to the assessment for the recruitment. So far as the assessment for academic entry such as admission in masters is concerne d, it seems quite logical that you primarily test the academic skills and a bit of Intelligent Quotient etc. But, when we talk about employment, the purpose is to find the deserving candidate and what factors make a person a deserving candidate differs from person to person. From organization’s perspective too, it is also essential to filter the right person so as to make their organization run more effectively and efficiently.

Autobiography on how my life led to the decision of becoming a nurse Essay

Autobiography on how my life led to the decision of becoming a nurse - Essay Example I have overcome many obstacles and have made many difficult decisions to get where I am in life. The journey that I was meant to take has recently become clear. Ultimately, this decision was there all along; however I did not recognize it or realize that the calling of a nurse was one that was right for me. After having spent what seemed like forever wandering and searching for my life’s purpose, I reached the lowest point in my life. After much thought, I decided I needed to go back to school; yet my options were limited as the only thing I could afford was a technical school. I enrolled in a Medical Assistant School and instantly fell in love with the subject matter. For the first time in my life, I felt like a part of something greater than just the information that was being presented to me. I got a job the week I graduated and became a Medical Assistant in a large Allergy and Asthma practice. I went above and beyond my job and felt like this was finally the path I was meant to be on. My motivation kicked in and I knew this was what I needed to do; moreover, rather than it merely being a job, I craved more. I tried to figure out a way to go back to school in order to realize my dream of becoming a nurse, and there was no way I was going to settle for anything else. I wanted to go all the way and pursue my degree; however, the biggest obstacle at this point was purely financial. It just so happened that my older cousin moved in with my family at this time; because he too was feeling a little lost. The only thing that made him happy was looking back at memories he made while he was in the military. He kept talking about how much he needed motivation so that he could go to college and get a degree and how the military would now pay for it. This is when it all started to click for me. I finally realized this was what I needed to do to get where I wanted to go in life. I decided that I was

Decoding the Dna of the Toyota Production System Essay Example for Free

Decoding the Dna of the Toyota Production System Essay Many manufacturing industries such as aerospace, consumer products, metals processing and industrial products had tried to adopt the TPS in their factories. But they have failed and get frustrated. The essence of the TPS could be in the system itself, the connections, activities and production flows. Also the great flexibility of their operations and this push the system to innovate and improve. The scientific method plays an important role inside the improvements and creation of any new methodology. Toyota uses a rigorous problem-solving process that integrates the sm. The system simulates workers ad managers to engage in the kind of experimentation that is widely recognized as the cornerstone of a learning organization. The four rules guide the design, operation and improvement of every activity, connections, and pathway for every product and service. The output of an ideal person, group of people, or machine is very specifically and clear. This kind of knowledge helps Toyota to reduce batches. The rules make workers capable and responsible for doing and improving their own work, by standardizing connections between individual customers and suppliers. The flow problem must be push to the lowest possible level of the organization. What did you learn? The first factor I learned is that we can’t copy o try to implement any system, no matter how success is it; we have to know the essence of the methodology and then try to apply it to another industry sector. In other case, we could fail as the article mention. The second factor I learned was the concept of the four rules that could have the essence of the success of the TPS system. These rules complement the entire philosophy of kanban, poka yoke, wastes, TPS house, etc. The problem is that many observers (managers, workers, teachers†¦) may forget to study the rules. The third and last important concept was the implementation of the scientific method in order to design new improvements that push the company to a higher level of quality, innovation and profit. It is the first time that I heard about a real application (outside a laboratory) of the scientific method. How can you apply them into your professional career? As I have told in other articles, the TPS is part of any Industrial Engineer but more in those who will specialize or work on the manufacturing industry. Also, the article mentions that today many industries want to try this methodology in order to success. So it’s important to understand the four rules or the whole Toyota system to make an improvement on our workstations, any working area or entire industry. It will depend in the position or level of organization we are. Conclusions  The Toyota’s system success is based on the way of managing, how rules are followed and implemented, the specified and rigid methodology, the connection between the levels of the organization, and of course the high variety of tools and techniques that TPS has. But what makes this system effective is the four rules that other companies hadn’t did at all. These rules make the production system more flexible with a high variety of products at low cost. The great benefit of nested, modular organizations is that people can implement design changes in one part without unduly affecting other parts.

Essay --

Tough on criminals, soft on crime: power, drugs and the failure Over the recent past one of the major problems has been that of conflicts between the criminals and the society on the whole. There has been debate regarding the facts whether we have handled the problems more aptly or not. Because there are certain schools of thought that are of the opinion that we should not go soft on the crime side in any case or form. It is this world of the organized crime that is responsible for all the power abuse and the drugs and they have caused, instigated and at times bribed the people to bring the social system to a standstill. It is all their doing which can prove to be too costly for the people and the culture as well as for the economy on the whole in the long run. As per the conflict perspective, the differential structure of social power necessarily requires that dominant groups to exercise control over subordinate groups but is that really the case? Yes we do need some form of domin ance and the other over the period of time but is that really all that there is to life? In reality if we look at things this is the way we have begun to perceive things because a bigger and a better society needs people to be more open and they need to be more apt. They are the ones who have to look at the things and it is up to them to interpret the meanings of the things in the literal sense. If we start to believe that the people are going to dominate others and there are some who are very docile and innocuous and there are others who are good at governance and who are good at controlling things is that the good enough reason to allow them to do the things their way? In my opinion it should never be that way simply because those who have the power ... ... move all the time. It is about the nature of addiction and the ancillary crime associated with it, which causes so many people to get entangled in it all. Although there has been a lot of talk about the treatment and rehabilitation and the reason for that is that it is significantly less expensive and more effective. Public safety is something that is completely dependent on how well we are able to control the above-mentioned social evils because in front of them it becomes a secondary thing. Incarceration is not always the only solution that is available to the authorities because that may deter the world of organized crime but it does not strike at the very roots that it is founded on. That is the whole objective that we should avoid going soft on the world of crime at all costs if we want to have any chance of preserving the sanctity of the future generations.

Challenges of the Fire Department.

Todays fire service faces multiple challenges, one of the biggest challenges that threatened our existence is the waning of public support. Since the decline in our economy, many politicians have made firefighters their enemy and attacked the fire service. Recently, fire department wages have been blamed for our municipality’s dire fiscal condition. A majority of the public has taken note of these attacks and has taken the side of the politicians. Through our actions, we must work hard to regain the publics respect and trust. Without the publics support the fire department would not exist.Throughout our nations history the fire service has been held in high esteem and very well respected. It has taken generations to establish this reputation and now it is now up to us to carry and build upon this foundation. The majority of firefighters do a great job on and off duty but it is the poor judgment of a few individuals that discredit and tarnish our organization’s reputatio n. Just in the last few years, there have been numerous charges against firefighters that include; murder, DUI, soliciting prostitution and grand larceny.All these charges are from within the Las Vegas Valley and do not mention the charges faced by our brothers and sisters across the nation. These charges coupled with political attacks have resulted in eroding the relationship between the fire service and the general public. It is up to our generation of firefighters to win over our citizens and regain their trust. We must do this by performing our duties with the outmost professionalism and customer care in mind. It all begins with our appearance. Whether we recognize it or not, we are judged not only by our actions but also by our appearance.Our uniforms and conduct must reflect the professionalism that is expected from the fire department. Our equipment must also be well maintained and organized. We must show pride and take care of the equipment granted to us by the public. Durin g emergency calls we must show compassion and understanding even if by our definition the call does not warrant an emergency response. We are in the business of serving the public and we must show our citizen’s that we are here for them and are willing to respond and mitigate their emergency regardless of the time of day.Once an emergency is mitigated, it should be our goal to have our citizen’s completely satisfied and be astonished to level of care provided by their neighborhood fire department. We should not leave the scene until our customers needs have been completely met. I understand and have responded to calls where people are less than friendly, but we must also treat these customers with the same level of professionalism and respect. Our profession places us under the scrutiny of the public’s eye and we must not forget about the multiple spectators that are always on scene.With the popularity of cell phones and cameras our every word and actions could easily be recorded and posted on social network sites. We have all benefitted by the hard work and dedication of previous firefighters. We cannot take their effort for granted and we must work hard to rebuild our public image. We must police and hold ourselves to a higher standard. Our conduct on and off duty must reflect that of a professional if we want our legacy to continue and be passed forward.

Jose Rizal, an exemplary leader Essay

Many were still debating on the credibility of Jose Rizal as the national hero of the Philippines. Many assumes that he was an American hero for he was appointed by the Americans. Others believed that Bonifacio was the real hero for he was the one who fought the battle for the Philippines. Who is who? Who is the real hero, who is the greater leader? I myself believed then that Rizal do not deserve to be the national hero and is not worthy to be called a leader, that was until i enrolled my Philippine Ideology subject. In the course i found out the exemplary deeds of Rizal from his childhood up to his execution. I came to realize why he was chosen to be the national hero. Among his great deeds, his leadership was at its peak when he died at Bagumbayan. Before the his death, he already showed what a leader should be. In his last travel abroad, he was then asked to stay at Singapore and hide their but he opt to continue his voyage though he already knew where will his fate will lead him, a leader must be brave as what Rizal had shown, he was not afraid to face his challenges and he faced these with such bravery. Furthermore, when Spanish armies arrested Rizal, Rizal do not hesitate but he voluntarily go with them, a leader should know when to fight and when to stay calm. In his last days in Dapitan, Rizal was visited by a vast number of friends and relatives, being a leader does not mean â€Å"me† but it is â€Å"we†, because of his characteristics, Rizal gained lot of friends whom together with his family did not left him until the end. Until the death of Rizal he showed that he was an exemplary leader, who among us can face our death as Rizal did? Who among us can sacrifice his own life to the intruders just for the country. Rizal died for me, Rizal died for you. Without his death the eyes of our fore fathers might not been opened and maybe until now we are still wrapped on their arms. Rizal is a hero, a leader, a Filipino.

CTV Newsnet Case Analysis Essays

CTV Newsnet Case Analysis Essays CTV Newsnet Case Analysis Essay CTV Newsnet Case Analysis Essay Chapter 3 CTV Newsnet [pic] 1. Abstract In January 2000, the CTV Newsnet was confronted with a threat to its reputation and growth. A tape with offensive remarks made by the News broadcaster Avery Haines’ were aired mistakenly, and it aroused great public indignation. By means of OB analysis, we found that Haines’ dispositional characteristics such as low emotional stability and lack of conscientiousness, heavy workplace stress, and different attribution processes conducted by the anchor, her coworkers and the audience may all be causes of that crisis. Therefore, we suggest that CTV Newsnet could deal with its reputation crisis and prevent the similar technical and behavioural mistakes in the future as the following: 1) communicating effectively with the viewers about the company’s value and attitude toward this incident, 2) setting up positive reinforcers and punishment rules to encourage desirable behaviour and eliminate undesirable behaviour, 3) holding periodical seminar to strengthen employees’ awareness of work ethics, 4) doing job redesign to verify job tasks and reduce working pressure, and 5) providing proper training programs to improve employees’ cognitive abilities and professional skills. Table of Contents 1. Abstract 2 2. Introduction 4 3. Case Analysis 4 3. 1 Personality 4 3. 2 Stress 5 3. 3 Actor-observer Effect7 4. Solutions8 4. 1 Operant Learning Theory8 4. 2 Coping with Stress 9 4. 3 Attribution Theory 10 5. Conclusion 11 6. Bibliography12 7. Appendices13 2. Introduction The news channel, CTV Newsnet, had been playing important role in practicing the CTV Inc. ’s philosophy which emphasizes the social commitment, such as caring about farming issues. However, in January, 2000, CTV Newsnet had faced a severe challenge to maintain its reputation. This incident started with the CTV Newsnet anchor Avery Haines, who had stuttered and flubbed while recording a report introduction on farmer issues. In order to cover her own embarrassment and ease the tension for other co-workers in the studio, she made a private self-deprecating joke which included inappropriate remarks about various minorities. Of course, they retaped this part, but later that day, a CTV technician mistakenly aired the wrong tape which included the error and the offensive comment to the public. Soon after, mountains of criticism and suspicions about CTV’s professionalism and integrity flooded into the company. The happening of this fatal mistake indeed had adverse impacts on the company’s reputation as well as its further expansion plan. Thus, the purpose of our report is to decrease the possibility of making small but fatal mistakes among employees and to improve their sense of responsibility. 3. Casa Analysis 3. 1 Personality and the Big Five Personality can be described as the individual’s personal style to deal with the world. For Haines, there is a whole mixture of features that describe her personality. When hiring Haines as a â€Å"Hostess† for CTV, Kowalski, the CTV News senior vice-president and general manager was applying one of the key concepts of OB: the fit concept (textbook P41). Indeed, Kowalski felt immediately that Haines is the right person to fit in the fast-paced and demanding milieu of TV. Kowalski was impressed by her personal and professional qualifications. At the professional level, Haines had won many awards, shown a high level of performance, and earned wide popularity. At the personal level, and according to the five-factor model of personality, Haines showed her openness (she was creative and eager to move forward from radio to television), agreeableness (she humbly accepted criticism and advice, and completely committed to the job) and extraversion (she was interested in everything and had quickly gained the support and affection from her co-workers) (Ng, et al. , 2005). However, her lack of emotional stability (self-confidence) and consciousness (responsibility) didn’t appear to Kowalski until the fatal errors occurred. In fact, Haines’ self-depreciating joke to cover her embarrassment and hide her vulnerability and awkwardness is a display of the lack of confidence and consideration of the consequences. According to the intereactionist approach, organizational behaviour is a function of both dispositions and the situation (George, 1992). Indeed, Haines was facing a weak situation where there are loosely defined roles and few rules, so it’s hard to define appropriate behaviour (Adler Weiss, 1988). As a result, personality tends to have most impact in weak situations, which was the case of Haines behaviour. 3. 2 Stress It was a very long day in CTV, they were preparing for a show talking about the farmers’ story which attracted growing attention all over Canada, and Haines due to being stressed made her famous mistake. Stress can be defined as a psychological reaction to the demands inherent in a stressor that has the potential to make a person feel tense or anxious (McGrath, 1970). In our case, the viewers of the broadcasting on the farmers’ issue were the potential stressors to Haines, whereas Haines was also the potential stressor to her co-workers. Haines’ personality which was discussed earlier can mainly determine the extent to which the potential stressor becomes a real stressor, and it also determines how she reacted to stress behaviourally, psychologically, and physiologically. This can explain why Haines can be a potential stressor who exerted in turn stress on the work environment in which employees actions were affected and the wrong tape mistake was made. In terms of Locus of control (which is a set of beliefs about whether one’s behaviour is controlled by mainly internal or external forces), Haines reacted in this way since she was an external person. This type of people are more likely to feel anxious in the face of potential stressors (Ng, et al. , 2006), and that’s the case of Haines when she made her famous mistake; she was stressed and started making jokes to overcome her mistake, unlike if she was an internal person (which internal factors determine her personality) she would have confronted her stressors. Furthermore, Haines suffered from managerial and executive stress, since she had a work overload on the day of the incident. Also, Haines has a heavy responsibility and her work carried considerate significance to CTV’s philosophy which addresses social commitment; thus, not only she was under great pressure but also her co-workers, which increased the possibility of the occurrence of the tape mistake. Finally, other general stress factors such as work-family conflict, Job insecurity, and role ambiguity might affect the level of stress among CTV employees and led to the problem in the workplace. 3. 3 Actor-observer Effect According to Attribution theory, people’s behavior can be attributed to dispositional and situational causes though they are not always accurate. When people are forming attribution to explain others’ behavior, biases and errors are hard to avoid. Thus, in the CTV Newsnet case, Haines and her colleagues in the studio did not perceive her joking as a big problem  ; on the other hand, viewers were more likely to attribute her comments to her real disposition. The fact that viewers and her co-workers had different perceptions of Haines’s joking reflected the actor-observe effect in attributing process (Watson, 1982).. In this case, Haines tended to attribute her making joke to some external factors. They may include her extreme tiredness with the heavy workload, the attempt to ease the embarrassment, and the certainty of a second recording. This is because Haines as an â€Å"actor† is more sensitive than â€Å"observers† (the audience) of the pros and cons that the environment offered (Textbook, p83). Moreover, she knew exactly her own thoughts and intentions which is to get herself and her co-workers relaxed. In general, people know better anout how and why their behavior varies by situations, while the observers tend to guess. In terms of the perspectives of Haines’ co-workers, they would also attribute Haines’ behavior to the external causes because they understood Haines’ motivation and thoughts in that specific situation, and they also know her personality well. They usually saw Haines as a talented, reliable and unbiased person. Thus, coworkers might perceive her making improper joke as an accident due to the low consistency and high distinctiveness of her this behaviour (Medcof, 1990). As the observer of Haines’s behaviour, CTV viewers had high possibility to commit the fundamental attribution error through overemphasizing dispositional causes and ignoring the possible environmental factors that may incur her joke making (Jones, 1979). Because viewers lacked the knowledge about the constraints, private thoughts, feelings, and intentions regarding Haines’s behaviour, they intuitively assumed that the anchor’s making discriminatory remarks reflected her real thoughts. Hence, they inevitablly felt horrified and annoyed. 4. Solutions: 4. 1 Operant Learning theory What happened to the CTV Newsnet indicated two main problems that threatened the maintenance of its reputation and integrity, less professional broadcasting and inferior technical error. Both behavioural mistakes should be eliminated for the sake of the entire company. According to the operant learning theory, two approaches could help CTV newsnet to improve their operationing effectiveness. One approach is to use appropriate positive and negative reinforcement to stimulate desired behaviour. The other is to use extinction and punishment to stop undesired behaviour (Textbook P49-55). In order to avoid such basic technical misconduct on the short-term basis, the CTV managers could adopt positive reinforcement by establishing periodical employee recognition programs. They include offerring financial rewards quarterly or annually to error-free employees and employees who made significant progress in their work. Moreover, a long-term training and development program can be conducted for technicians to learn how to operate the broadcasting equipment properly and efficiently as well as to adopt new technologies and upgrade their professional knowledge. To minimize the similar mishap made by Haines, CTV should create clear communication channel between company and employees to encourage a more direct feedback. It will give help the organization find out their employees’ personal or work-related difficulties so that their performance can be enhanced (Peterson Luthans, 2006). If employees’ problems were incurred by too much workload, managers should consider hiring extra staff or enhancing the efficiency of management to cut the workload for employees. If making mistake was due to the lack of job interest and enthusiasm, the company could offer employees the opportunity to rotate among different positions or grand employees more controling power over their tasks to raise their sense of involvement. Meanwhile, through the negative reinforcement, the upper management may also monitor employees’ job performance and behaviour. Building up a more strict set of operational rules helps prohibit undesirable behaviours in the studio. Any breach of the rules could lead to disciplinary actions such as a verbal warning, a written warning or an ultimate dismissal. Employees’ attemppt to eliminate these unpleasant outcomes (warning and dismissal) can motivate them to obey the rules (textbook, p50). Although punishment might cause unwanted impacts on employees’ working enthusiasm, it is a effective way to prohibit seriously adverse behaviour sometimes. It also serves as a sound warning for other potential mistake-makers and a necessary compromise for easing the public anger. In CTV case, Haines should be fired for her unprofessional behaviour though unintentional since it already incurred a huge wave of public irritation. The technician who played the wrong tape should also be punished for his or her carelessness. However, using punishment should always be careful. 4. 2 Coping with stress In order to reduce and overcome the stress which could occur in the work place now and in future, CTV should start implementing concrete actions. For example, doing job redesign that changes the job depth and breadth can rebuild the job tasks with more diversity and authority. CTV could socially support its employees by planning events and activities which can improve the employee’s social life. The human resource department could establish a family friendly policy for the employees, which will allow the staff to balance better between their job duties and family responsibilities (Grant Parker, 2009). Finally CTV could also introduce stress management programs and work balance programs to allow its employees to arrange their time and tasks effectively with a wisely designed working schedule. . 3 Attribution theory Concerning the above analysis, some work-related attitudes among employees in CTV Inc. should be modified or reinforced. Since attitudes can be modified through persuasively changing people’s beliefs and values (Textbook, p120), holding seminars and developing training programs can indeed help improve the work-related attitudes of CTV workers. First, employees should improve their awareness of the limitation of viewers’ knowledge about the journalists’ or broadcasters’ personal conditions. Interactive activities involving CTV employees and CTV viewers can be conducted to help them establish better mutual understanding. Then, mangers can hold discussion panels to reinforce the belief that working in CTV requires rigorous work ethics and extensive sense of responsibility, especially as journalists and broadcasters. And through these trainings, the employees will be encouraged to ponder internal factors for their own behavior and be more aware that their self-perceived minor mistakes could be fatal to the further growth of their company. Besides, CTV Newsnet should enhancee its employees’ personal skills to maintain its professionalism and reliability. According to the concepts of job performance, individual job performance is heavily affected by his or her general cognitive ability, which refers to intelligence (Textbook, P149). Training programs can be conducted to refine speaking skills of the anchors so that they can be more careful and thoughtful about wording when broadcasting the public information. Moreover, periodical seminars can be held to retain employees’ proper consciousness of political, religious and ethnic issues and to enrich their storage of the relevant knowledge. 5. Conclusion About decade ago, CTV Newsnet anchor Avery Haines’ offensive remarks were aired mistakenly and caused great controversies in the public. The management was facing a severe challenge: the news station’s reputation and growth were threatened. Through OB analysis we have found that certain traits of Haine’s personality, i. e. low level of emotional stableness and ack of conscientiousness, workplace stress from too much workload and pressure, as well as different attribution processes conducted by the anchor, her coworkers and the audience may all causes contributing to the problem. CTV Newsn et could deal with its reputation crisis and avoid these technical and behavioural errors in the future by taking the right steps: communicating effectively with the audience about the company’s value and attitude toward this incident, setting up positive reinforcers and punishment rules to encourage desirable behaviour and eliminate undesirable behaviour, doing job redesign to clarify roles and reduce workload, and providing proper training programs to improve employees’ cognitive abilities and awareness of work ethics. Bibliography 1. Adler, S. , Weiss, H. M. (1988). Recent developments in the study of personality and organizational behaviour. In C. L. Cooper I. Robertson (Eds. ), International review of industrial and organizational psychology. New York: Wiley. 2. George, 1992; Weiss, H. M. , Adler, S. (1984). Personality and organizational behaviour. In B. M. Staw L. L. Cummings (Eds. ), Research in organizational behaviour (Vol. 6, 1-50). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. 3. Grant, A. M. , Parker, S. K. (2009). Redesigning work design theories: The rise of relational and proactive perspectives. Academy of Management Annal, 3, 317-375. 4. Jones, E. E. (1979). The rocky road from acts to dispositions. American Psychologist, 34, 107-117; Ross, L. (1977). The intuitive psychologist and his shortcomings: Distortions in the attribution process. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 10, 173-220. 5. McGrath, J. E. (1970). A conceptual formulation for research on stress. In J. E. McGrath(Ed. ), Social and psychological factors in stress. New York: Holt, Rinehart, Winston. 6. Medcof, J. W. (1990). PEAT: An integrative model of attribution processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 23, 111-209. 7. Ng, T. W. H. , Eby, L. T. , Sorensen, K. L. , Feldma, D. C. (2005). Predictors of objective and subjective career success: A meta-analysis. Personal Psychology,58, 367-408. 8. Ng, T. W. H. , Sorensen, K. L. ,Eby, L. T. (2006). Locus of control at work: A meta-analysis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 27, 1057-1087. 9. Parasuraman, S. Alutto, J. A. (1981). An examination of the organization antecedents of stressors at work. Academy of Management Journal, 24, 48-67. 10. Peterson, S. J. , Luthans, F. (2006). The impact of financial and nonfinancial incentives on business-unit outcomes over time. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 156-165. 11. Saks. A. M. , Gary. J. (2011). Organizational Behaviour. Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall. 8th edition. (textbook) 12. Watson, D. (1982). The actor and the observer: How are their perceptions of causality divergent? Psychological Bulletin, 92, 682-700.

Solomon Northup, Author of Twelve Years a Slave

Solomon Northup, Author of Twelve Years a Slave Solomon Northup was a free black resident of New York State who was drugged on a trip to Washington, D.C. in the spring of 1841 and sold to a slave dealer. Beaten and chained, he was transported by ship to a New Orleans slave market and suffered more than a decade of servitude on Louisiana plantations. Northup had to hide his literacy or risk violence. And he was unable, for years, to get word to anyone in the North to let them know where he was. Fortunately, he  was eventually able to send messages which prompted legal action that secured his freedom. Writing His Narrative and the Impact on Abolition After regaining his freedom and miraculously returning to his family in New York, he collaborates with a local attorney to write a shocking account of his ordeal, Twelve Years a Slave, which was published in May 1853. Northup’s case and his book attracted considerable attention. Most slave narratives were written by former slaves who had been born into slavery, but Northup’s perspective of a free man kidnapped and forced to spend years toiling on plantations was especially disturbing. Northup’s book sold well, and on occasion, his name appeared in newspapers alongside such prominent abolitionist voices as Harriet Beecher Stowe and Frederick Douglass. Yet he did not become an enduring voice in the campaign to end slavery. Though his fame was fleeting, Northup did make an impact on how society viewed slavery. His book seemed to underscore abolitionist arguments advanced by people such as William Lloyd Garrison. And Twelve Years a Slave was published at a time when the controversy over the Fugitive Slave Act and events such as the Christiana Riot were still on the minds of the public. His story came to prominence in recent years thanks to a major film, â€Å"12 Years a Slave,† by British director Steve McQueen. The film won the Oscar for Best Picture of 2014. Northups Life as a Free Man According to his own account, Solomon Northup was born in Essex County, New York, in July 1808. His father, Mintus Northup, had been born a slave, but his owner, a member of a family named Northup, had freed him. Growing up, Solomon learned to read and also learned to play the violin. In 1829 he married, and he and his wife Anne eventually had three children. Solomon found work at various trades, and in the 1830s the family moved to Saratoga, a resort town, where he was employed driving a hack, the horse-drawn equivalent of a taxi. At times he found employment playing the violin, and in early 1841 he was invited by a pair of traveling performers to come with them to Washington, D.C. where they could find lucrative work with a circus. After obtaining papers in New York City establishing that he was free, he accompanied the two white men to the nation’s capital, where slavery was legal. Kidnapping in Washington Northup and his companions, whose names he believed to be Merrill Brown and Abram Hamilton, arrived in Washington in April 1841, just in time to witness the funeral procession for William Henry Harrison, the first president to die in office. Northup recalled watching the pageantry with Brown and Hamilton. That night, after having drinks with his companions, Northup began to feel sick. At some point, he lost consciousness. When he woke, he was in a stone basement, chained to the floor. His pockets had been emptied and the papers documenting that he was a free man were gone. Northup soon learned he was locked inside a slave pen which was within sight of the U.S. Capitol building. A slave dealer named James Burch informed him that he had been purchased and would be sent to New Orleans. When Northup protested and asserted he was free, Burch and another man produced a whip and a paddle, and savagely beat him. Northup had learned it was extremely dangerous to proclaim his status as a free man. Years of Servitude Northup was taken by ship to Virginia and then onward to New Orleans. In a slave market, he was sold to a plantation owner from the region of the Red River, near Marksville, Louisiana. His first owner was a benign and religious man, but when he got into financial difficulty Northup was sold. In one harrowing episode in Twelve Years a Slave, Northup recounted how he got into a physical altercation with a violent white master and was nearly hanged. He spent hours bound with ropes, not knowing if he would soon die. He recalled the day spent standing in the broiling sun: What my meditations were - the innumerable thoughts that thronged through my distracted brain - I will not attempt to give expression to. Suffice it so say, during the whole long day I came not to the conclusion, even once, that the southern slave, fed, clothed, whipped and protected by his master, is happier than the free colored citizen of the North. To that conclusion I have never since arrived. There are many, however, even in the Northern States, benevolent and well-disposed men, who will pronounce my opinion erroneous, and gravely proceed to substantiate the assertion with an argument. Alas! they have never drunk, as I have, from the bitter cup of slavery. Northup survived that early brush with hanging, mainly because it was made clear that he was valuable property. After being sold again, he would spend ten years toiling on the land of Edwin Epps, a plantation owner who treated his slaves brutally. It was known that Northup could play the violin, and he would travel to other plantations to perform at dances. But despite having some ability to move about, he was still isolated from the society in which he had circulated prior to his kidnapping. Northup was literate, a fact he kept hidden as slaves were not allowed to read or write. Despite his ability to communicate, he was unable to mail letters. The one time he was able to steal paper and manage to write a letter, he was unable to find a trustworthy soul to mail it to his family and friends in New York. Freedom After years of enduring forced labor, under threat of whippings, Northup finally met someone he believed he could trust in 1852. A man named Bass, who Northup described as a â€Å"native of Canada† had settled in the area around Marksville, Louisiana and worked as a carpenter. Bass had been working on a new house for Northup’s master, Edwin Epps, and Northup heard him arguing against slavery. Convinced he could trust Bass, Northup revealed to him that he had been free in New York State and was kidnapped and brought to Louisiana against his will. Skeptical, Bass questioned Northup and became convinced of his story. And he resolved to help him obtain his freedom. He wrote a series of letters to people in New York who had known Northup. A member of the family which had owned Northup’s father when slavery was legal in New York, Henry B. Northup, learned of Solomon’s fate. An attorney himself, he took extraordinary legal steps and obtained the proper documents that would allow him to travel into the slave South and retrieve a free man. In January 1853, after a long trip which included a stop in Washington where he met with a Louisiana senator, Henry B. Northup reached the area where Solomon Northup was enslaved. After discovering the name by which Solomon was known as a slave, he was able to find him and initiate legal proceedings. Within days Henry B. Northup and Solomon Northup were traveling back to the North. Legacy of Solomon Northup On his way back to New York, Northup visited Washington, D.C. again. An attempt was made to prosecute a slave dealer involved in his kidnapping years earlier, but the testimony of Solomon Northup was not allowed to be heard as he was black. And without his testimony, the case collapsed. A lengthy article in the New York Times on January 20, 1853, headlined â€Å"The Kidnapping Case,† told the story of Northup’s plight and the thwarted attempt to seek justice. In the next few months, Northup worked with an editor, David Wilson, and wrote Twelve Years a Slave. No doubt anticipating skepticism, Northup and Wilson added extensive documentation to the end of Northup’s account of his life as a slave. Affidavits and other legal documents attesting to the truth of the story added dozens of pages at the end of the book. The publication of Twelve Years a Slave in May 1853 attracted attention. A newspaper in the nation’s capital, the Washington Evening Star, mentioned Northup in a blatantly racist item published with the headline â€Å"Handiwork of Abolitionists†: There was a time when it was possible to preserve order among the negro population of Washington; but then the great majority of that population were slaves. Now, since Mrs. Stowe and her compatriots, Solomon Northup and Fred Douglass, have been exciting the free negroes of the North to action, and some of our resident philanthropists have been acting as agents in that holy cause, our city has been rapidly filling up with drunken, worthless, filthy, gambling, thieving free negroes from the North, or runaways from the South. Solomon Northup did not become a prominent figure in the abolitionist movement, and he seems to have lived quietly with his family in upstate New York. It is believed he died sometime in the 1860s, but by that time his fame had faded and newspapers did not mention his passing. In her non-fiction defense of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, published as The Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe referred to Northup’s case. â€Å"The probability is that hundreds of free men and women and children are all the time being precipitated into slavery in this way,† she wrote. Northup’s case was highly unusual. He was able, after a decade of trying, to find a way to communicate with the outside world. And it can never be known how many other free blacks were kidnapped into slavery and were never heard from again.

Star Formation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Star Formation - Essay Example Some of the widely known astronomical substances that represent mainly the basic building blocks of most galaxies are stars. This therefore means that the composition, age and distribution of stars in a galaxy usually suggest the dynamics, evolution and history of that particular galaxy. Furthermore stars are mostly responsible for the manufacturing and dispensing of heavy elements for instance oxygen, carbon and nitrogen and therefore their distinctiveness is closely tied to the uniqueness of the planetary systems that may possibly unite around them. As a result the study of the origin, life and ultimately death of stars is key to the astronomical field (Whitworth, Thompson, 2012). Stars usually are formed within comparatively dense concentrations of interstellar dust and gas referred to as molecular clouds. These areas are mostly very cold and temperatures may fall to around 10 to 20K, just over absolute zero. Gases under these temperatures become molecular which means that there is binding together of atoms. Within the interstellar gas clouds are mostly Hydrogen and carbon monoxide molecules .These low temperatures result in extremely cold conditions causing the gases to clump together to high densities. It is when the density attains a specific point when stars are formed. The regions are mostly dense and consequently opaque to any visible light and are referred to by the name dark nebula. They also do not shine by light that is optical which means that they are observed and investigated by use of IR as well as radio telescopes (Whitworth, Thompson, 2012). Formation of stars starts when the denser regions of the cloud’s core collapse due to their own gravity or weight. The cloud’s core usually has got masses to the tune of 104 solar masses and is mostly in the structure of dust and gas. Being of higher density than the outside clouds,

The Role of Taxation Policies under Globalisation and Trade Essay

The Role of Taxation Policies under Globalisation and Trade - Essay Example In this case tax competition will increase everyone will want to reduce their rates and give more incentives. The global mobility of goods, services, finance and consumers has disturbed the tax system of both mobile and immobile factors. This requires efficient taxation of firms operating in different regions. Every country want to minimal taxation to attract Fade-in this article we will discuss the different taxation policies under globalization and trade. Due to the globalization process private and public sectors also had change their policies and practices.3 When a country formulates its policies it takes in to consideration its domestic economy. Whenever there is any type of agreement or trade treaties between nation they are don’t compromise on national independence  regarding taxation. Globalization has change base, implication, design and administration of taxaes.Fiscal termites is used to describe the effect of globalization on tax systems. Adoption of tax system ac cording to globalization is slow process, as tax administrator face difficulties in administering new tax system and making it feasible to IT system and people. Government are facing stiff competition in reducing taxes and giving more incentives to attract FDI, this may lead to race to the bottom in which overall tax collection will be less. Literature Review Taxation It is a system of obligatory contribution imposed by government on people, corporation and property in order to raise revenue for public expenditure. It can direct and indirect it varies from country to country.4 It can be progressive, proportional or regressive tax. Under Progressive tax as income rises tax rates increases. Proportional Tax remain the same at all level and under regressive tax rate decreases as income increases this effect poor people then rich .it is impossible for a government to run its operation without taxes. It also a legislative power and help in implementation of rules. Taxation is set of rule s, how much a very person has to pay and whom and when it should be paid. Taxation is a powerful tool to gain social evolution and economic advancement. By giving tax exemption some activities supported for growth and for the discourage of certain product or activity heavy taxes are imposed. Local business are promoted by imposing heavy taxes on foreign goods . The basic principles of taxation are as follow5: Efficiency : It focuses on the foundation of the taxation policies prevailing in a country.An efficient taxation system should be unbiased and anti-nepotisum and simple so that people can understand it. Equality: The application of the tax system should be Equitable and should treat all taxpayer in similar economic conditions and different treatment in different economic conditions. Certainty : For the establishment of an ideal taxation system certainty is fundamental because one should know what is going to be tax cost and outcomes of tax avoidance. Positive Economics Effects: In actual taxation is for the smooth flow of national affairs and stability in the country and promoting economy.    Trade Trade is transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person to another the act of doing trade is called transactions, the original form of trade

Principles and Articles of the United States Essay

Principles and Articles of the United States - Essay Example The principle of checks and balances monitors all the branches of the government to ensure that each of the branches balances the government so that no one is powerful and supreme than the other. For instance, the judiciary interprets the policy or law, the executive implements the law and the legislature formulates the law. The U.S constitution was drafted in a unique manner of checks and balances to protect people’s liberty and rights against combination of government authority. It made legislature, judiciary and executive completely separate and autonomous as to work but coordinated for proper function with security to block usurpation of authority or power. When people talk about checks and balances in government, it is significant to understand the composition of the three branches of government that can act or amend another branch of the government to prevent it from possessing too much authority over the other branches (Hollitz, 2010). This system has proved to be effective in the U.S. For a long time, the U.S constitution has been analyzed, interpreted, and amended to conform and adapt to transforming circumstances, and the authority exercised by the federal or central government have transformed with it. For example, since the Federal or Central government can affect the States, it has t he right to hold back federal money from the States that do not desire to conform to the plans of the federal government. The constitution grants these powers to the federal government, which it has to exercise in moderation and not excessively (Hollitz, 2010). The system of checks and balances have functioned very well for a long time in America despite the fact that some clashes have occurred, when vetoes of certain branches of government have been overtaken or appointees declined, these cases are rare. The system has managed to keep the judiciary, executive and the legislature in balance, which has seen these branches attain a

Accessibility and usability: Web technologies

Accessibility and usability: Web technologies Abstract: The relationship between accessibility and usability can be a contentious issue especially with the advent of new web technologies. Does accessibility have an adverse effect on usability and vice versa and is this in anyway affected by new web technologies? With the advent of new web technologies it is thought by some that the two supposedly bipolar methodologies of web design and evaluation contradict one another even more. In order to determine if this is in fact true this paper will look at the effect of new web technologies on accessibility and usability and the current practices in each of these areas. This paper considers various views on this topic, compares definitions and methodologies and concludes that even when using new web technologies, embracing both sets of practices and recognizing their points of similarity, it is still possible, with considered and judicious use of new web technologies to make a web design that is both usable and accessible. 1. Introduction Some accessibility practitioners believe that by applying new web technologies to a web design, that because of the added level of complexity, they create another barrier to disabled people (Everett 2006). Some usability practitioners believe that by enforcing accessibility practices that the interactivity will in some way suffer (Koch 2002). In terms of new web technologies is this still the case. Is there any merit in these beliefs? Can common ground be found to achieve the some kind of balance? There appears to be a lack of clarity of what constitutes a usable web site and misunderstanding of what constitutes a truly accessible website. The aim of this paper is to discuss the relationship between usability and accessibility by firstly looking at the differences between them and where they overlap. We will then need to understand current thinking on the relationship between accessibility and usability and how it is affected by current web technologies. Will Web Standards and new web technologies have an effect on accessibility and usability? With the advent of Web standards (Featherstone et al. The Web Standards Project 1998) and updated web accessibility guidelines (Henry et al. W3C 2008) it has become easier for developers to create sites that are more usable and accessible. This paper will also investigate technologies such as AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)(Garrett 2005), and whether this will have any further effect on the relationship between accessibility and usability 2. Definitions and methodologies 2.1 New web technologies (Web 2.0) The concept of Web2.0 began with a conference brainstorming session. Members noted that far from being unviable after 2001, when many online businesses collapsed, the web was more important than ever, with exciting new applications and sites appearing regularly (OReilly 2002). Web 2.0 websites are characterized by their rich and interactive content. This is in stark contrast to the static HTML. By using scripting technologies such as JavaScript an AJAX (Garrett 2005) it is now possible to create web-based applications that resemble desktop applications with the advantage of being able to access them from almost anywhere. Through the use of scripting libraries it is now possible to add interactive desktop-like interface items to web pages and provide the ability to allow users to make changes to current content. Core characteristics of Web 2.0 web sites are (OReilly 2002): Web Services, not packaged software (Web applications) User control over data sources that become more comprehensive the more people use them (Wikis) Users trusted as co-developers (Wikis, blogs) Harnessing collective intelligence Software available to almost any device (Mobile Apps) Lightweight user interfaces and development models With all of these new technologies and coding techniques, what effect do they have on the relationship between accessibility and usability? Web 2.0 has the potential to enhance usability due to the added ability to create a more rich and interactive environment for the website user. However with all of these new technologies, can they be interpreted by assistive technologies used by disabled users? Have disabled users been considered? Will methodologies such as design and evaluation need to change? 2.2 Accessibility The web gives people with disabilities the ability to do things that they would be unable to do via any other avenue. The web offers them freedom and independence. However, all of these possibilities are removed if a web site is not created in an accessible way. Essentially accessibility can be defined as access for everyone no matter what disability they suffer from (Berners-Lee, via Henry W3C 2009). Other have a more flexible approach such as Clark (2002) where he suggests that allowances of for disabled users should be made to make a website accessible. Another term used in connection with Accessibility is Universal Design, which incorporates elements of usability with the goal of making websites or any product as usable as possible by as many people as possible without requiring adapted or specialized design. (Mace 2008) The guidelines by which most accessibility practitioners develop and evaluate websites is Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 which are updated standards developed by The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These are written to accommodate new technologies and provide better and more comprehensive help for developers and designers when trying to make websites accessible. These standards consist of 12 guidelines that are organized under 4 principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. For each guideline, there are testable success criteria, which are at three levels of priority: A, AA, and AAA with all A guidelines having the highest priority (Caldwell et al. W3C 2008). The four principles of the WCAG 2.0 guidelines can be explained as follows (Caldwell et al. W3C 2008): Perceivable Web content should be made available to any or all of the senses sight, hearing, and/or touch Operable Interface objects such as forms, controls, and navigation must be operable independent of the input method Understandable The sites content, information and interface must be understandable to the target audience Robust Sites can be used reliably by a wide variety of user agents such as web browsers, mobile devices and assistive technologies The W3C also lists various methods for evaluating websites for accessibility to determine their compliance with WCAG (Abou-Zahra et al. W3C WAI 2008). Various methods including preliminary reviews, manual and automated evaluation tools, are used to determine compliance. When developing websites whether with new technologies or not it is recommended that Web Standards coding practices should be used to attain conformance with WCAG 2.0. Web standards are technologies and practices established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), along with other groups and standards bodies for creating and interpreting web-based content. By making use of these technologies it is possible to create web content that benefit a greater number of users and at the same time making this content usable in the long-term regardless of technology changes (Featherstone et al. WASP 2006). The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has developed an Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite (ARIA) in order to make rich internet content more accessible for people with disabilities (Henry et al. W3C 2009). This suite is currently not fully supported in all user agents (browsers) and AJAX libraries (Henry et al. W3C 2009). Will updated accessibility practices be able to enhance or be incorporated into usability practices? 2.3 Usability The generally accepted definition for usability in ISO 9241 states: the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use Usability is defined by five quality components (Nielsen 2003): Learnability: Ease with which a basic task can be completed at the first attempt. Efficiency: The speed with which a task is performed Memorability: The ease with which an interface will be remembered. Errors: The number and severity of errors Satisfaction: The level of enjoyment or pleasure when using an interface An extension of usability is the term User-Centered Design (UCD) (Preece et al. 2006), where users are involved throughout the lifecycle of website developments by using structured methodologies in order to determine and meet all the needs of the target user (Usability.gov 2009). Some of the techniques used include (Usability.gov 2009): Usability testing Representative users are observed while attempting to complete set tasks. Notes on the observations of user behavior and comments are made. Card sorting Participants arrange and even label cards representing site content into logical groups and categories to inform the information architecture of a site design. Individual interviews Individual participants are interviewed typically for 30 minutes to an hour either in person, by telephone, or by any means available which allows conversation. These interviews can be formal or informal and do not involve observation. Contextual interview or field studies Contextual interviews are similar to user testing because the users are observed, however they are not given a set of task but are rather observed in there natural environment. Observers also take notes. Surveys These are used to obtain data from large groups of people in a relatively short time and are normally used to gather user requirements. They can also be used for summative usability evaluation. Focus groups These are usually a discussion among eight to twelve current users or potential users or stakeholders of your site conducted by an experienced moderator. Focus groups typically lasts approximately two hours and covers a range of topics that are decided on beforehand. Task analysis Is used to determine the typical tasks that users perform to achieve a particular goal. Work patterns are studied and broken down to provide a list of tasks and the order in which they are performed. Prototypes Are representations of your website/application shown to users in order to inform the design and determine any major defects before proceeding with further development. These can range from paper drawings (low-fidelity) to near complete products (high-fidelity). Expert evaluations Experts are asked to evaluate sites for usability employing various methods such as heuristic evaluation where sites are evaluated against a set of usability principles. Other methods such as Cognitive walkthroughs and pluralistic evaluation are used (Preece et al. 2006). Will usability practices need to include accessibility practices in order to include people with disabilities or will doing this minimize usability of web products? 3. Relationship 3.1 Would disabled users also benefit if usability practitioners considered accessibility guidelines as part of the efficiency and satisfaction of a site? By analyzing the definitions for accessibility and usability to understand their relationship to one another we can see that accessibility focuses on the making allowances to improve the experience for a particular group of users whereas usability focuses on the effectiveness, satisfaction and efficiency in achieving a specified goal of a particular user when using a website. We can see here that the goals are similar albeit with a slight difference in focus. Disabled users can be considered a group of users with varying needs however; in many cases they are not considered when websites are being built (Disability Rights Commission 2004). If a site is not accessible to a user it will obviously not be an enjoyable or effective experience (Clark 2002). With usability the target audience is determined by means of usability techniques such as questionnaires, surveys and focus groups (Preece et al. 2006). However in many cases accessibility practitioners do not attempt to determine the level of use by a particular disability group for a specified website (Chandrashekar et al. 2006). Some work has been done in this area, however the uptake has not been as expected (Sloan 2006). In addition when websites are developed the focus of the accessibility effort is placed on the needs of blind users without bearing in mind the needs of other user groups such as those with colour-blindness or low vision. This is mainly due to a lack of awareness of what disability groups exist, besides blind users, and the varying difficulties encountered by these people. The WCAG 2.0 guidelines attempt to cover these areas but without being able to see these users encounter problems there is little impact and therefore less motivation to cater for these users. From this we can deduce that disabled users should be included as a potential target group and this should be determined by incorporating usability techniques into web accessibility practices. 3.2 Should both sets of guidelines and principles be adopted by both sets of practitioners or should a single Universal set of guidelines be used? If we compare the most commonly used guidelines of both parties we can see that there are similarities. Usability practitioners commonly make use of Nielsens usability heuristics to perform expert evaluations (Nielsen 1994): Visibility of system status Information should be given to the user via appropriate and reasonably timed feedback Match between system and the real world Language and terms that are familiar to the target audience should be used. Information should be presented naturally and logically. User control and freedom If a user makes a mistake they must be able to exit the function easily or undo the action without being confronted by confusing and unnecessary screens or dialogs. Consistency and standards The system should be consistent in terms of words to indicate actions, navigation and the system should use conventions that the user is accustomed to. Error prevention Always attempt to prevent the error in the design instead of providing good error messages Recognition rather than recall System elements, actions and objects should always be visible or easy to retrieve in order to alleviate the need for recall of previous actions or instructions. Flexibility and efficiency of use The system should be flexible enough to accommodate experienced and inexperienced users. The system should be configurable to allow access to frequently used actions. Aesthetic and minimalist design Only important and relevant information should be displayed in dialogues. Irrelevant or unnecessary information will detract or diminish the visibility of important information. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors Messages and suggested solutions to problems should be written in language that is plain, precise and constructive. Help and documentation If necessary, documentation should be focused, concise, concrete and easy to locate Now let us expand on the four principles of the WCAG 2.0 accessibility guidelines mentioned in section 2.1(WCAG 2008) and point out any similarities between these and Nielsens heuristics. Perceivable Web content should be made available to any or all of the senses sight, hearing, and/or touch. Usability guidelines for Visibility of System Status, Recognition rather than recall (Nielsen 1994) will fail for the disabled user if the items in the site are not perceivable. Operable Interface objects such as forms, controls, and navigation must be operable independent of the input method User control and freedom and Flexibility and efficiency of use (Nielsen 1994) guidelines are not satisfied if they are not operable. If a site is very complex or unattractive it can be difficult to operate therefore it should make use of Aesthetic and minimalist design (Nielsen 1994). A site cannot be operated if it does not apply Consistency and standards (Nielsen 1994). Understandable The sites content, information and interface must be understandable to the target audience User control and freedom, Consistency and standards, Error prevention (Nielsen 1994) cannot occur if the content is not understandable. Help and documentation (Nielsen 1994) is necessary to improve understanding. It also not possible to Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors (Nielsen 1994) if the site cannot be understood. Robust Sites can be used reliably by a wide variety of user agents such as web browsers, mobile devices and assistive technologies. In many cases minimalist design (Nielsen 1994) of a website will allow for web standards-based coding techniques to be employed which will allow it to be used on a variety of devices. Also be easier to follow platform conventions in terms of Consistency and standards (Nielsen 1994). As we can see there is an overlap between the two sets of principles. This overlap in principles could be the reason that Thatcher et al. (2003) where he suggests that accessibility issues are a type of usability problem hence accessibility is a subset of usability. Conversely Universal usability as conceptualized by Shneiderman (2003) where usability problems are thought of as a subset of accessibility problems, which expands the scope of usability to include disabled users in usability evaluations. However it is suggested the relationship between accessibility and usability isnt simply a case of applying a universal approach but that issues also be grouped into categories (Petrie et al. 2007). These being: Problems that only disabled users experience are referred to as pure accessibility problems Problems that only able-bodied users experience are referred to as pure usability problems Problems that both groups of users experience are referred to as universal usability problems The use of a universal set of guidelines is a good starting point however they will need to be refined to include the various accessibility and usability problems encountered by disabled and able-bodied users. 3.3 Should accessibility professionals employ usability practices? Usability practitioners employ numerous methods to determine the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of a project whereas accessibility practitioners will use various techniques and methods to achieve compliance with a set of guidelines. User testing is used by both sets of practitioners, more so by usability practitioners (Chandrashekar et al. 2006). However the difference being that usability practitioners will use this method early on and throughout the design process (Preece et al. 2006 p412). Accessibility practitioners will employ this method at the end of the project. Both groups make use of design guidelines (section 3.2). However guidelines are possibly not the most effective way of evaluating accessibility or usability as they are to be used as guidance but cannot by their nature guarantee the desired results. There are similarities between the accessibility and usability principles with accessibility guidelines being more technical in nature (Kelly et al. 2007), as they require websites to present a particular level of coding. However there are a number of non-technical accessibility guidelines. It is often thought that by making use of accessibility guidelines or universal design techniques that a site will be accessible by all. However this is not necessarily the case (Petrie 2007). Usability guidelines can also present problems (Spool 2002). As with the use of any guidelines they can conflict with one another, they can be misinterpreted and misapplied and they do not guarantee results. In practice accessibility experts will evaluate web sites against guidelines as opposed to user testing. However this has also been found to not be the most effective way of making a website accessible as shown by Disability Rights Commission (DRC) investigation, into website accessibility for disabled people. The study found that designers could not be expected to understand and repair the problems that disabled users experience when visiting a website. To overcome this problem the report suggests that disabled users should be directly involved in the development process (Disability Rights Commission 2004). Guidelines are important from a technical standpoint however it is also important to recognize that the guidelines cannot accommodate all users all of the time. The areas where the guidelines are not practical or important need to be clearly identified and alternate methods need to be identified in order to achieve accessibility (Kelly et al. 2007). Since the publication of the WCAG 2.0 in 2008, however, there are a variety of success criteria and methods suggested that could be used to achieve accessibility (Henry 2008). This being the case guidelines for measuring accessibility is still used predominantly because of the difference in cost between an expert evaluation and user testing and the availability of participants. It is often difficult to get a broad spectrum of users with varying disabilities and therefore accessibility practitioners inevitably end up repeatedly utilizing the same participants for disabled user testing. The reason cost is an issue is due to the fact that accessibility is not built into the project from the beginning and that many do not view it as being of great importance as the number of disabled users is thought to be proportionately very low in comparison with non-disabled users. However there is a strong business case for including disabled users. Christopherson (2007) states: The combined spending power of the 10 million people with a disability in the UK amounts to  £80 billion. There are 6 million people in the UK with dyslexia, with severe cases numbering around 4 million. Many users do not class themselves as disabled even though they may often suffer from disabilities that arent physically manifested such as age related issues, colour-blindness or cognitive difficulties. Some websites do not cater for older devices. By not including disabled users fully may exclude many users from a website which could mean a significant loss in revenue. In many cases accessibility testing is normally regarded as something that can be quickly done at the end of a project in order to comply with the legal obligations of a project. This approach to web accessibility is very shortsighted and potentially costly. If accessibility problems are encountered at the end of a project they can be very difficult to rectify after the fact. As is now recognized in the usability field, it is more efficient and cost effective to include usability evaluation from the beginning and throughout a project. This should also the case for accessibility evaluation as promoted by Henry (2007) in his book Just Ask: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design. The main chapters deal with: The importance of building accessibility at the beginning and throughout the project Including disabled users and not relying only on standards and guidelines Tips on how to deal with disabled users It is better to involve disabled users throughout the lifespan of a project rather than relying on guidelines alone. By involving disabled users practitioners may be able to determine accessibility issues and usability issues which may have been otherwise missed in usability testing (Petrie 2007 pp 405). Accessibility professionals should not adopt usability principles if they are only going to rely on guidelines. However the usability practice of including actual users in evaluation and design from the start and throughout a project should be adopted. 3.4 What effect do new technologies have on usability? As stated earlier (section 2.1) new web technologies can enhance usability. Is this statement true? Does the ability to add more interactivity to a website improve the usability? According to Nielsen (2007) Web 2.0 technologies add more complexity to a website where it is sometimes not necessary and divert design resources. In his report he found amongst other things that: Internet applications were too complex Community content has too few users on the Internet Features merged from different websites (Mashups) can cause branding confusion Application type websites will benefit most from the use Web 2.0 technologies. Most other websites have very few repeated actions thus not requiring the use of this technology. Therefore as Nielsen (2007) states that efficiency is not as important as simplicity and that modest use of Web 2.0 technologies can be of benefit, however the benefits of advanced features have little effect in improving the users experience. If used modestly new technologies can be beneficial for certain types of user experience such as web applications. 3.5 What effect does new technologies have on accessibility? In a study by Hailpern et al. (2009) it was found that Web 2.0 applications force blind users to adapt to an inaccessible use model, although the evolution of technologies such as WAI-ARIA (section 2.3) and AJAX (section 2.3) may change this in the future. Some believe that Web 2.0 will make it more difficult to create accessible websites. Christopherson via Everett (2006) states that if accessibility is not kept in mind there is a greater chance that Web 2.0 will cause problems for disabled users. Basically Web 2.0 adds a further level of complexity, both in terms of accessibility and usability and this will need to be considered throughout the design process if these technologies are going to be used. 4. Conclusion To make sites that are usable and accessible we will need to change our thinking of usability. Is your site still usable if sighted people can fully and conveniently use it but it is a frustrating exercise for a blind person? (Clark 2003) In understanding the concept of an accessible site we have to understand what an accessible site is. A disabled persons experience of a website does not have to be identical to that of an able-bodied person. If accessibility features are simple and well written they should be unnoticed (Clark 2002). Clark (2002) reiterates, Equality is a misnomer. Equivalency is the goal. As can be seen from the above discussion there is an overlap between the definitions and methodologies employed by accessibility and usability practitioners and that there is scope for accessibility guidelines to be employed by usability practitioners and vice versa. However this is not simply a case of making a universal set of guidelines, as firstly accessibility and usability issues cannot be universally grouped and that there are distinct groups of accessibility issues. Secondly the use solely of guidelines is fraught with controversy and do not necessarily guarantee that a site will be accessible or usable. Involving users both disabled and able-bodied throughout the project lifecycle is the most effective approach in achieving the most usable and accessible product. Involving disabled users is also makes good business sense. Web 2.0 technologies do have an effect on the relationship between accessibility and usability. For them to not have a negative effect they need to be used with discretion always bearing in mind that they add a level of complexity for both able-bodied and disabled users. Therefore we can conclude that that by embracing the techniques and methodologies and recognizing points of similarity between usability and accessibility practices, and with modest and careful, considered use of new web technologies a web design can be made both usable and accessible. References Abou-Zahra, S (ed) (2008) Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility: Overview. Worldwide Web Consortium, Web Accessibility Initiative. Available at: http://www.w3.org/WAI/eval/Overview.html. Accessed 7 December 2009. Caldwell, B, Cooper, M, Reid, LG Vanderheiden, G (2008) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Available at: http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/REC-WCAG20-20081211/. Accessed 7 December 2009. Christopherson, R (2007) Making the business case for accessibility. AbilityNet. Available at: http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/webbusinesscase. Accessed 7 December 2009. Chandrashekar, S, Fels, D, Stockman, T, Benedyk, R. (2006) Using think aloud protocol with blind users: A case for inclusive usability evaluation methods. Proceedings of the 8th international ACM SIGACCESS conference on computers and accessibility, Portland, Oregon Clark, J (2002) Building Accessible Websites. New Riders. Available at: http://joeclark.org/book/. Accessed 7 December 2009. Disability Rights Commission (2004) The web: access and inclusion for disabled people. Available at: http://joeclark.org/dossiers/DRC-GB.html. Accessed 7 December 2009. Everett, C (2006) Web 2.0: A step backwards for accessibility? ZDNet.co.uk. Available at: http://resources.zdnet.co.uk/articles/0,1000001991,39284428,00.htm. Accessed 7 December 2009. Featherstone, D. Gustavson, A. Sims, G (1998) Working together for standards The Web Standards Project. Available at: http://www.webstandards.org. Accessed 7 December 2009. Garrett, JJ (2005) Ajax: A New Approach to Web Applications. Adaptive Path. http://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/essays/archives/000385.php. Accessed 7 December 2009. Hailpern, J, Guarino-Reid, L, Boardman, R, Annam, S (2009) Web 2.0: blind to an accessible new world. Proceedings of the 18th international Conference on World Wide Web (Madrid, Spain, April 20 24, 2009). WWW 09. ACM, New York, NY. Henry, SL (2009) W3C: Accessibility. Worldwide Web Consortium. Available at: http://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility. Accessed 7 December 2009. Henry, SL (2007) Just Ask: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design. Madison, WI. Available at: http://www.uiAccess.com/JustAsk/. Accessed 7 December 2009.