City Pages The Key to Local SEO for Multiple Cities

If your business only serves one location, optimizing your website for local search is relatively straightforward. You submit your business to Google My Business and optimize your site for local SEO. However, ranking in search engines for multiple locations is a more complicated process. Fortunately, there’s a workaround which involves creating city pages. These are web pages that highlight specific regional areas that you serve. With over 50 percent of all Google searches now having local intent, improving SEO for each of your locations is crucial if you rely on local search traffic. Free Actionable Bonus: Looking to elevate your SEO strategy? We partnered with Jay Baer of Convince Convert to create this free ebook on 6 Ways to Fix Your Barebones SEO Strategy Are City Pages Good for SEO? Google released the Panda algorithm update to penalize sites using poor content techniques, which includes duplicate content. But in the process, it also punished a more legitimate type of content (i.e. the city page.) So while there’s nothing wrong with creating city pages, for them to work from an SEO perspective, they need to be unique. You can’t just change a word or two for each location and expect positive results. Every city page must offer something unique to visitors and search engines crawlers. When you get it right, there are multiple benefits. You can: Boost your website’s ranking. Attract more localized web traffic. Highlight different solutions to customers from each location. Create different calls-to-action on each page. Include more internal and external links. Eliminate the costs of maintaining separate domains. So how do you create unique city pages if you’re offering the same thing to each location? Tips for Optimizing Your City Pages for Local Search Now the actionable part of this post. We know city pages are useful for local SEO – and we know that merely duplicating a page and changing â€Å"Portland† to â€Å"Eugene† isn’t enough. So how do we create unique city pages and optimize those pages for local traffic? Limit the Number of City Pages Before you create any city pages, think about how many separate pages you need. Having a large number of city pages is difficult to maintain and could reduce your ability to rank as high in search engine results pages (SERPs). Focus your time and energy on the most significant cities or those that contain more of your current customers. Optimize Your Website Data Every time you create a new web page, the on-page data should be optimized for search engines. Search engine crawlers should understand that the page has local intent. Optimize the following elements: The URL. Search engines prefer short URLs. Try to include the page topic and your location. The title tag. This defines what searchers see in SERPs. Include your target keyword that refers to the topic of the page, your location, and your business name. The meta description. This appears below the title tag in SERPs. Use compelling language that highlights how potential customers will ultimately benefit from clicking through to your page. Headers, body content, and images. Use relevant keywords that help to define the page content. Improve the Internal Linking Structure Getting the internal linking structure right helps search engines to determine the relevancy of web pages, helps visitors navigate your site, and distributes page authority among web pages. Make sure the page you’re linking to has some relevance. For example, create a blog post on a specific topic that is relevant to the city page, and then links back to that blog post from the city page. Include City Pages in Your Main Navigation City pages should be incorporated into your site’s navigational structure. For example, create an â€Å"Areas we serve† link in the main navigation on your homepage. Or in the â€Å"Contact Us† link, include sub-pages to each location. Optimize for Mobile Devices Make sure your city page navigational links appear on all versions of your website, not just on your desktop site. According to Forrester Research, 69 percent of smartphone users search online at least once a week, and around half of these searches have local intent. This is why it’s crucial for your website to be mobile-friendly. For more tips on mobile optimization, visit our post: 13 Ways to Generate More Mobile Traffic and Boost Conversions. Use Testimonials from Local Customers Potential customers that land on your city page will be looking for directions to your location or contact information, but many visitors will also be searching for reviews of your business. Use testimonials from customers living in each specific location to add unique content to your city page and build your credibility. Create More External Links Having links on your pages pointing to other domains is also a critical factor in search engine rankings. Like internal links, external links add value to a web page and help search engine crawlers define and rank your content. You could link to local news sites, local government pages, or even link to other complementary businesses in your area. You might even get a link back from another local company. Take Part in City Events Is there anything more you can do to promote your business in each city? You could sponsor a local team, host a local event, or volunteer your time. Every community event you get involved in is another way to promote your business. Being more active in your local community can also result in more links to your website from local media sites. Create Unique and Personalized City Pages Try to make city pages unique and useful for potential customers from each location. Some examples of unique content: Location guides. Employee interviews. Team photos. Behind-the-scenes videos of your business. Work project photos. Customer testimonials. A list of the best local complementary businesses. Local news stories. A local events calendar. Regularly updating city page content can boost search rankings and attract new customers to your content. Ensure you include location-specific keywords and phrases in any new content. Are Your City Pages Optimized? To increase engagement and build a more loyal customer base, your content needs to be interesting, informative, and relevant to local customers. When you get city pages right, they’ll play an essential part in your content marketing strategy and improve your chances of ranking higher in local search results. If you’re struggling to come up with fresh content, consider outsourcing your content to professional writers. Freelance writers have years of experience in writing engaging, SEO-optimized city pages for every industry. Are you looking for knowledgeable writers to create content for your company? Check out our various content services. For more tips on local SEO optimization, read our article: Local SEO: How To Increase Your Local Search Rank.

History of Roman Government

History of Roman Government The Romans have had almost every type of government there is.They've had a kingdom, a republic, a dictatorship, and an empire.Their democracy would be the basis for most modern democracies. Thepeople have always been involved with and loved their government, nomatter what kind it was. They loved being involved in the government,and making decisions concerning everyone. In general, the Romans werevery power-hungry. This might be explained by the myth that they aredescended from Romulus, who's father was Mars, the god of war. Theirgovernment loving tendencies have caused many, many civil wars. Afterany type of government, the change has been made with a civil war.There have also been many civil wars between rulers. But it all boilsdown to wanting to be involved in government.When the Greeks finally entered Troy after ten long years ofsiege, a man named Aeneas escaped the city with his father, Anchises,and his son, Ascanius.Aeneas, whom the Romans believed Romulus and Remus...They went to Mt. Ida, where they were to meetAeneas' wife, Creusa, but she never showed up. Saddened, Aeneasacquired a boat and sailed around the Mediterranean. He bounced aroundfrom Asia Minor to Greece to Crete looking for a place to found a newTroy, but he couldn't find a satisfactory place. As told by Homer inthe Aeneid, Aeneas was cared for by the gods. Venus, in particular,was very worried about him. She asked Jupiter, king of the gods abouthim, and he said this:"Since you are so consumed with anxiety for Aeneas,I shall turn forward farThe hidden pages of fate and speak of the future.He shall conduct a great campaign for youAnd conquer all Italy and its haughty peoples.He shall impose laws on his own peopleAnd build...

Nonverbal communication questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nonverbal communication questions - Assignment Example With respect to the tests and results to prove the linkage and correlation between verbal and non-verbal forms of communication, the authors reveal how these two separate forms were analyzed both side by side and apart from one another and then the results compared as a means of being able to infer what the true impacts of these can be. 8. These perceptions that are utilized, according to Knapp, include all of the human senses, and a great deal of emphasis upon the visual interpretation of nonverbal forms of communication. a) as such, naturally, designed, and manipulated environments in which such interactions and communications take place can have a profound level of impact with regards to the take-away information that an individual is able to glean. Due to the conflicting and differentiated cues that an individual would receive in each of these, the ultimate wording and intent could be identical in each of these three situations; however, the understanding could be entirely differ ent. b) Ultimately, influenced perception by setting up a false archectural construct as a means of focusing attention, the listeniner/viewer is able to distance themselves from some of the distractions that might otherwise capture their attenion at the scene. For this very reason, news crews and cameramen attempt to stage a scene so that the ultimate focus can be on the individual providing the information and not on the scene itself; unless otherwise warranted. 9. People tend to orient towards time as an environmental feature due to the fact that the changing rate of culture and understanding sets continual new precedents that must be engaged in a different way depending upon the time that is represented. Monochronic refers to only one â€Å"time† being represented at a single instance; whereas polychronic represents several times being represented. Likewise, Gonzales and Zimbardo referenced 7 different time zones dealing with the way in which individuals integrated with ne w information. Interestingly, even though these time zones can be understood as unique vantage points from dissimilar groups, a noted level of overlap was discovered with respect to the way that individual integrated with information. 10. Territoriality, personal space, and conversational sdistance, as well as seating arrangements and patterns, has to do with the geometry and actual geographic relationship that the speaker has to the audience. As such, these factors impact heavily upon the way in which information is understood and the rate at hwhich a level of comfort can be provided to the speaker/audience. 11. A sense of territoriality can vary and change depending upon the cultural makeup of the audience and/or the speaker. As such, a level of sensitivity to the unique needs and expecations of different groups is required prior to seeking to plan the way in which territoriality will be evidenced within a specific space. 12. Contextual factors such as a sense of fear or friendshi p, the overall level of perceived reception, and/or a litany of other factors impact upon the level and extent to which territoriality is perceived and a sense of threat or invitation is understood. 13. Seating arrangements

Biological Theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Biological Theory - Research Paper Example Biological theory is a statement that is dedicated to covering evolution and all aspects of humanity. These fields includes, understanding human psychology, biological evolution, philosophy of science and development of biology. This theory explores all the aspects of these fields and helps in understanding how to deduce problems in the fields. The theory was first published in 2005. Biological Theory  is devoted to hypothetical developments in the arenas of development and understanding psychology. It does so with prominence on the theoretical combination afforded by evolutionary and growing tactics. The journal petitions to wide listeners of experts, communal boffins, and professors from the specific fields (Springer, 2014). In addition, this knowledge applies to theorists and students of biology. The field of biological theory clarifies how things happened to be working at the time associated with creating. The idea is split into areas, which tend to be Behavioural Hypotheses, Psychodynamic Hypotheses, Humanist Hypotheses, and Characteristic Theories (Cherry, 2014). A behaviour view within psychology offers held which exploratory evaluation of knowledge must start with a study of human conduct. Behavioural concept has benefited from the work associated with early researchers, for example Pavlov, Thorndike, and afterwards the function of W. F. Skinner. Work associated with the improvement of behaviour theories within the educational mind-set has permitted theorists in order to explore ways human action might be controlled via manipulation associated with stimuli as well as patterns associated with reinforcement. Informational processing is dependent on a concept of understanding that explains the digesting of, storage space, and access of knowledge within the mind. Factors for example, sensory sign-up, attention, operating memory, and long-term memory play a substantial part with this theory

Outsourcing to Developing Countries Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Outsourcing to Developing Countries - Term Paper Example The question of outsourcing has a brought about a lot out a myriad of protests, many of them by them based on the escalating the rates of unemployment. Notably, while there are some Americans that take it as a positive thing many more are scared by what it portends especially those who have lost their jobs to foreigners. According to Howard, in the article â€Å"Globalization is an anomaly and its time is running out,† China hosts very many of American china stores and myriad firms all are taking advantage of the cheap labor and raw materials. However, should China involve itself in search for oil from its Arabian neighbors there is potential for conflict? In such a case, America and China may be embroiled in an international row and this might force the investments in America to be closed down (Howard). Furthermore, due to political instability in many developing companies, outsourcing might mean risking losing the investment in the time of riots or civil wars and the economy back home would suffer directly as a result of a conflict in which America is neutral. Outsourcing is a two-sided sword, effectively cutting both parties in the arrangement, in America; there are several financial gains especially for the firms involved. They get to form international networks thanks to globalization, obtain cheap labor, wide market and finally they are paying very little tax since some of the countries in which they outsource give foreign investors tax breaks to encourage them and other multinationals to invest therein. In this paper, the issue of outsourcing will be examined closely in order to support, through argument, the position that outsourcing is doing more harm than good to the American economy. Outsourcing carries a myriad of negative financial implication for America; one of these is that it greatly contributes to unemployment in the USA. It is predicted that 949 million will be lost because of outsourcing annually. These losses are not purely business by a huge fraction of it represents lost wages, to Americans, whose former employers have decamped so they can hire cheaper labor.  

The Year Of 1776 In American History History Essay

The Year Of 1776 In American History History Essay The year of 1776 was an important year in American history. The Revolutionary War had just begun and the outcome was still uncertain. It was year that would decide Americas future and test the will of our American soldiers. Several key battles were to be fought in an 18 month time frame and some of the most key battles were fought during the year of 1776. The author David McCullough takes the reader back in time to the 18th century right after the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill. These battles marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War. He starts the book off with the Siege of Boston and continues through to the Battles of New York, Princeton and Trenton. David McCulloughs vivid knack for story telling captures the ups and downs that the Continental Army would face during the year of 1776. The Revolutionary War, (1775-1783), also called the War of Independence was between Great Britain and the thirteen British colonies. The King of Great Britain was George III, he was very popular during his reign, but he lost the loyalty of the American colonist who felt that being taxed without representation in Parliament violated their rights. Congress appointed George Washington as Major General and Commander-in-chief to lead, the soon to be independent states, against the super power Great Britain. The lives of both these men are fairly portrayed in this book. King George and Parliament have had enough of the traitors turned rabble in arms. (McCullough 20) George Washington, is portrayed as a human man, who has doubts and is always wondering what the future holds for them around the corner. The Siege of Boston was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War in which the New England militiamen, who later became a part of the Continental Army, surrounded the town of Boston, Massachusetts to prevent movement by the British Army garrisoned within. The first battle for Boston began at Lexington and Concord, where the New England militia surrounded Boston. The British successfully seized Bunker Hill but they suffered many casualties despite fighting an army half their size. The end of the siege came when George Washington decided to seize the high ground at Dorchester Heights, overlooking Boston. Since it was the middle of winter, they were unable to dig in and they had to use logs branches and anything else available to fortify their position. The British cannons were out of range and their barrage of cannon fire could not reach the Americans at such a height. They planned an assault on the heights but due to a terrible storm they decided to withdraw peacefully as long as they were allowed to leave undisturbed. While the British were leaving, they thought they saw some movement and opened up a massive hail of cannon fire that lasted all night. It only killed four men but they were again out maneuvered by General Washington and his rabble in arms.(McCullough 20) McCullough does an excellent job portraying the differences in the Continental Army compared to the British. The Continental Army was made up of mostly volunteers. Often they were short of gun powder and clothing. They were unskilled in combat but they did have a few advantages. A major advantage was they fought on their own soil and knew the terrain well. They may have lost some battles, but they took the lives of many British soldiers who could not easily obtain reinforcements. For the British, it was discouraging to win battle after battle to realize how many men and supplies it cost them in the process. Surely to conceive that you were far superior in the art of war but couldnt bring the Continental army to their knees had to have severe psychological effects. The British troops eventually turned their focus to capturing New York City. The King hired Hessian troops to assist with defending New York. The British would drive back the American troops to the Brooklyn Heights. Washington had to withdraw his entire remaining army and all of their supplies across the East River in one night without the British noticing. This led to Washingtons decision to attack the Hessians on Christmas night by way of crossing the frozen Delaware River. They captured almost 900 Hessians at the Battle of Trenton. McCullough states With the victory at Trenton came the realization that the Americans had bested the enemy, bested the fearsome Hessians, the Kings detested hirelings, outsmarted them and outfought them, and so might well again. (McCullough 290) Cornwallis marched to retake Trenton but was outmaneuvered by Washington, who successfully defeated the British at Princeton. In my opinion this book is a must read for anyone interested in early American history. McCullough has a keen way of bringing readers back to the fateful year of 1776. He has a great eye for detail and has a knack for bringing the story to life. He was fare to the English and George III and was able to show why the English felt the American colonist rebellion was illegal but, an insult to them as well. I also like how he showed the human side of George Washington as indecisive and apt to makes some key errors at times. He also shows it was the determination of the Continental Army that made all of the difference in winning the war. Without these men our country would most likely still be under British rule. Every American should read this book it would help a vast amount of people to gain some appreciation of the founding of our country and the sacrifice of all of those who made this the great nation what it is today.

Essay --

Important Discoveries in Chemistry Since the dawn of man, chemistry has been the tool used to fulfill our search for knowledge. A multitude of discoveries have changed the way use chemistry. These discoveries are being made every day and they change the way we see the universe. The following is a sample of important discoveries in chemistry. 1. Discovery of the Atom The idea that atoms make up matter has been around for centuries. However, it has only played a role in chemistry for the past 200 years, and the idea hasn’t taken off until the last 100 years. Ancient Greek philosopher, Demokritos, was one of the first to propose the idea that matter is made up of smaller units. He called these units, â€Å"atoms†. The word atom means unable to be divided. Demokritos also thought that the atoms moved through an infinite â€Å"empty†. Aristotle, however, believed the world contained continuous substances; his belief would be dominant for the time period. The atom would not be scientifically theorized until 1808 by John Dalton. His atomic theory states: All matter contains indivisible and indestructible particles called atoms. The atoms of any one element have the same mass and properties. Compounds are the result of the combination of different atoms. The rearrangement of atoms results in a chemical reaction. Today, nothing in chemistry would be the same without the idea of the atom. Not only is it the basic building block of all matter, but it is also the basic building block of almost all of our knowledge in chemistry. 2. Discovery of the Electron The electron was discovered by J.J. Thompson, a physics professor at Cambridge University. The discovery would be the result of Thompson’s experiments with cathode tubes used in electric and ... ...ial agent was at its greatest. The U.S. pushed industry to produce the penicillin mold. Towards the end of World War II, 650 billion units of penicillin were produced every month. 7. Discovery of Water in Martian Soil A more recent discovery might set the path to discovering life on another planet. Data collected by NASA’s Curiosity rover shows that Martian soil holds about 2% water. The rover’s â€Å"Sample Analysis at Mars† instrument heated a soil sample to 835 degrees Celsius. The resulting gases were oxygen, chlorine, and surprisingly, water vapor. Laurie Leshin of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute says that a cubic foot of the soil would yield a couple pints of water. From what we know so far, this water is drinkable. However, no one has worked out how to use the soil as a resource for water. One idea is to use a condenser to cool the water vapor into a liquid.

The Problem with Overcrowded Prisons

At the turn of the 21st century the problem with the United States penitentiary system could no longer be ignored. There is no need to be incarcerated to understand the suffering of both inmates and personnel managing the prison. Just imagining constricted spaces and forced interaction with an increased number of criminals and or psychologically challenged people can be counterproductive to the supposed rehabilitation purpose of jail time. But reducing the number of inmates or making bigger facilities is not going to be the simple solution for this problem. There are many factors to consider and the dilemma is building up each year. A solution has to be reached before the problem can develop into a full-blown crisis that could result in total breakdown of the system.This study takes a closer look into the problem of overcrowded prisons. This includes finding out why overcrowding has become a riddle for many officials. The research would also tackle the effects of overcrowding. Moreov er, the proponent would find out what are the challenges faced by those who tried to formulate an acceptable solution.Overcrowding the JointIn a nation where slavery is outlawed and where everyone has the opportunity to make something out of life, it is a puzzle why many still go to prison. In the Information age where a person has access to more knowledge, it is a mystery why many are none the wiser since they commit deeds that would put them behind bars.In the book about U.S. prisons, authors Clear, Cole, and Reisig found out that, â€Å"In 2003, 22 states and the federal prison system reported operating at or above capacity. The federal system was estimated to be operating at 39 percent, and overall the state systems were operating at 14 percent above capacity† (2005, p. 467).Michael Jacobson the former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction, the largest city jail system in the U.S. provides additional figures that helps to clearly illustrate the crisis . And he remarked, â€Å"The United States now locks up a higher percentage of its population than any country in the world. The more than 2 million people who are incarcerated today make up roughly eight times the number in 1975† (Jacobson, 2005, p. 8).Overcrowding is due to tougher laws that were ratified due to the belief that habitual offenders must be punished longer. These laws also aimed to put these types of criminals locked up for good – that they may feel the full force of the law. Joycelyn M. Pollock in her book assessing the current state of American prisons remarked why there will be an increasing number of men and women who will be under lock and key for the rest of their lives:Even as recently as 1968, 23 states had statutes that authorized life imprisonment for habitual offenders who had previously been convicted of certain specified offenses [†¦] these â€Å"new† sentencing laws have the potential to exacerbate already severely overcrowded prison conditions while simultaneously creating more problems for state and federal governments, criminal justice agencies, and prison administrators (1997, p. 62).Problem with OvercrowdingWhat is the big deal with overcrowding? Others may even dare speculate that it could add another dimension to the punishing of criminals and therefore why make their stay more comfortable?It is therefore helpful to see prison overcrowding from another perspective. And that is to understand the real purpose of incarceration. Mark Colvin in his study of the infamous New Mexico prison riot of 1980 asserted that squeezing more and more inmates like sardines into a tin can was the result of a change in philosophy.It is therefore easy to argue that riots can be expected in prisons where the needs of inmates are not met or when the prisoners feel that basic human rights are not respected due to the lack of resources. It is also not hard to imagine the stress levels experienced by shorthanded staff. When riots ensue, the safety of the prisoners and at the same time the staff responsible in managing said facility will be in extreme jeopardy.Freeman elaborates on this issue when he wrote that, â€Å"It is difficult to maintain a close watch on ‘problem’ inmates when overcrowding exists. This problem is especially acute when those problem inmates are prone to violence† (1999).Colvin argued that policy makers should be reminded that the main purpose of prison is to rehabilitate offenders and not just function as a place to lock them up. Colvin realized that this situation is did not happen overnight and he wrote, â€Å"This current crisis emerged in the 1970s when the ideological commitment to rehabilitation declined sharply, along with our nation’s optimism about alleviating poverty and a host of other social ills† (1992, p. 1).SolutionA good start would be to again revisit the original aim of prison systems. As discussed earlier policies must be alter ed to minimize the punitive intent of incarceration and rather transform regulations so that it will focus more on helping prisoners deal with the root cause of their crime.Overcrowding reduces the efficacy of whatever rehabilitative impact prison can offer. This was highlighted by Clear, Cole and Reisig when they asserted that, â€Å"Prison overcrowding directly affects the ability of correctional officials to do their work, because it decreases the proportion of offenders in programs, increases the potential for violence, and greatly strains staff morale† (2005, p. 469).With regards to dealing with the main cause of crime, the discussion will then shift to preventive measures such as elevating poverty and providing for opportunities for marginalized members of society to have access to education and other training to improve skills.Finally, a solution is right down under the noses of policymakers; but they are so preoccupied by other more sensational and controversial issue s that they miss it. An example of a simple adjustment in the system can mean hundreds of millions of dollars in savings each year and a significant reduction in the number of incarcerated delinquent. The solution calls for a serious assessment of the role of parole officers within the criminal justice system.To better understand the structure altering role of parole officers, Jacobson made a case for the consequence of neglecting the needs of said officers:Virtually no one in government can spend money like a parole officer [†¦] who has no budget to control and may work in a cramped and overcrowded office in a rundown building in a rundown part of town. He or she may have little or no access to programs or treatment for parolees and may earn much less than a correction or police officer (2005, p. 132).Looking at the insight of Jacobson it takes little to understand the domino effect of neglecting this country’s parole officers. Fortunately for those suffering in an inef ficient criminal justice system, there is an insider in the person of Jacobson who truly understand how the system works.It is a wonder that only a few realized that when a parole officer gets overworked and when their morale are dangerously low they would not have the patience to help offenders walk the more difficult path of an ex-convict. A parole officer is like a volunteer counselor who has to work from the heart, giving more than expert advice. And to walk the extra mile to help those who do not deserve help. But according to Jacobson the system is not helping them and he wrote, â€Å"†¦parole officers have no ability to compel parole agencies to spend additional fund on less expensive parole services such as drug treatment, job training programs, or additional officers to lower caseloads† (2005, p. 132).If all else fails then a suggestion is to improve infrastructure and to add cutting-edge equipment to solve the problem of increasing number of prisoners which sig nificantly affect the inmate to staff ratio. In other words technology will be used to make prisons more safe and more manageable. The positive impact as well as the drawbacks were succinctly explained by who remarked:In the USA, new generation design has even been used to reduce staff-inmate contact [†¦] Too much reliance on technology to eliminate danger and reinforce control can be perilous; in the event of equipment failure, staff can feel virtually helpless. Technology should not be an end in itself, but an aid to officers’ personal control and supervision†¦(Fairweather & McConville, 2000, p.32).Another plausible solution is the privatization of prisons. Pollock argued that with privatization comes efficiency managers and controls that will help shape up the current penal system. There are others who object to privatization citing possible obstruction to due process since privatization means control not by the government but by certain people. But in the end Lo gan was right in saying that, â€Å"†¦in no area have I found any potential problem with private prisons that is not at least matched by an identical or a closely corresponding problem among prisons that are run by the government† (as cited in Pollock, 1997, p. 382).ChallengesThose who are knowledgeable about budget deficits and the need for more money to finance other programs; plus those who are wise enough to understand the ill effects of mass incarceration are clamoring for reduction of the overcrowding in U.S. prison systems.Convincing a large part of the population will not going to be an easy task. The first challenge is changing the perception of the majority, which was heavily influenced by the media and the exposure to controversial crimes. Yet even without high profile crimes many are aware of the problem of repeat offenders and even committing crimes while still being on trial or on bail or on parole. This was elaborated by Karti Sieberg who studied the said criminal dilemma, and she remarked, â€Å"According to the report made by the Council on Crime in America, in 1990, among those accused of violent crimes, 12% were awaiting trial for earlier offenses when they allegedly committed rape, murder, assault, or robbery† (2001, p. 16).ConclusionThe solutions discuss above aims to reduce the number of people held behind bars. The proposed methods and policy changes that advocates of reducing overcrowding are increasingly leaning towards a more lenient system. Being lenient can mean different things to many people but in the limited discussion made earlier, those espousing for leniency wished not to be misunderstood.Criminals must serve time but there are many that do not need to spend more time in prison. It will be for their benefit and the society also. Moreover, a focus on preventive measures can significantly reduce this problem. But most importantly giving importance to the role of parole officers can effectively change the dire ction of overcrowded prisons.Jacobson was right when he said that, â€Å"†¦parole officers’ decisions have had the effect of fueling U.S. incarceration boom by sending many parolees back to prison†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (2005, p. 132). If policymakers can start here they could make a lot of headway.Reference ListClear, T., G. Cole, & Reisig, M. (2005). American Corrections. Belmont CA: Thomson HigherEducation.Colvin, M. (1992). The Penitentiary in Crisis: From Accomodation to Riot in New Mexico. NewYork: State University of New York Press.Fairweather, L. & McConville, S. (2000). Prison Architecture: Policy, Design, and Experience.MA: Elsevier.Freeman, R.M. (1999). Correctional Organization and Management: Public Policy Challenges,Behavior and Structure. MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.Jacobson, M. (2005). Downsizing Prisons: How to Reduce Crime and End Mass Incarceration.New York: New York University Press.Pollock, J. (1997). Prisons: Today and Tomorrow. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Pub lishers.Sieberg, K. (2001). Criminal Dilemmas: Understanding and Preventing Crime. New York:Springer.

The Future of the Iraqi government

The Future of the Iraqi government The future of Iraq is in the hands of the U.S. and with that the U.S. has promised to assemble a democracy for the Iraqi people. But this will be a difficult task, it will not come as easily as it may seem. The U.S. cannot just democratize Iraq at gun point because a democracy cannot be forced on unwilling people. There is a huge mistrust of the U.S. and what they plan to do in the Middle East. Many polls from Western Europe indicate that even the U.S.'s traditional allies think that this war in Iraq is about the access of oil. The Arab people think even less of the Bush Administration and the war is not helping his popularity at all. In fact from the few polls available, the Arabs think that the U.S. dissevered the attacks of 9/11.Before going to war the Bush Administration should have had a clear plan on the way they were going to democratize Iraq, but they didn't.Collage of images taken by U.S. military in Iraq. ...Instead they had many different proposals that were cut down to th ree. The short term option, this is where the U.S makes a true effort to get a full functioning democracy in Iraq and just leaves everything into the hands of the newly elected Iraqi government. The long term option, which will take about ten years or more in were the U.S. starts from scratch to establish democratic roots in Iraq. Another short term option around two years, were the U.S. installs a puppet regime in Iraq and move the U.S. troops out.Option one is called Democracy Lite it is where the U.S. spends a considerable amount of time making an up and running democracy and when this is all set up the U.S. troops go home and leave everything to Iraq's...

History of Pension Abuses

History of Pension Abuses Introduction In traditional times, the welfare of the elderly was taken care of by the tightly knit family set up in which they lived. However, the structure of the community has largely changed and this traditional set up seldom exists. This combined with the fact that we are living in a time where the average life-span has significantly lengthened therefore leading to the presence of a significant aged population has resulted in the need for an apparatus to guarantee the welfare of the elderly. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of Pension Abuses specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Pension schemes present such a platform since they create a means through which the elderly who suffer diminishing power can acquire some form of economic and social security (Blackburn 4). Consequently, the issue of pension benefit remains on the foreground of many governments’ policies as increased benefits of securi ty in retirements is sought after. However, the issue of pension abuse threatens the very foundation of the pension institute. Considering the significant role that pensions play in the lives of the elderly, it is important that these abusive practices be contained. This paper shall set out to provide an informative discussion on the history of pension abuses in our country. The manners in which these detrimental practices can be prevented will also be explored. History of Pensions Pension funds are in essence an agreement by a sponsor to provide income to participants upon their retirements therefore guaranteeing their well being after they are out of the work industry (Blackburn 5). While the earnings made in the pension scheme are significantly less than those made while in employment, they ensure that the retired person can live comfortably without working. Jeszeck documents that over 50% of the private sector workforce participate in some form of pension scheme (6). As a resu lt of this, the pension industry has gained such prominence in modern life that those who manage pension products have become big players in the financial world. Pension funds are vulnerable to fraud and corruption mostly because of a flawed enforcement policy that results in abuse by those who are responsible for the funds (Ferguson and Blackwell 92). As of 1950, the government implemented the Pension Plans Disclosure Act which was meant to ensure that pension plans disclosed more financial information to the Labor Department and to the plan participants (Howard 124). In recognition that employers had too much power over the pension funds, congress in the 1970s sought ways to reduce this. The formation of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation which was responsible for regulations governing vesting and funding standards was set up. This body required the reporting and disclosure of pension plans by the employers.Advertising Looking for research paper on labor law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 resulted in the Department of Labor being charged with the task of administering and enforcing fiduciary requirements, an act which resulted in the fragmentation of the pension interests therefore ensuring that no one body could exploit the pension funds. Defined benefit pension plans must meet the requirements set by the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Pension Protection Act (PPA) (Sipe, Metrejean and Donaldson, 177). The most recent act, the PPA is particularly significant since it obligates companies to ensure that their pension schemes are fully funded and if not, penalties are imposed on the said companies. Pension Abuse The American system allows companies to manage their employee’s pension funds in whichever way they deem appropriate. While it is assumed that the organization will ha ve the employee’s best interest at heart, this is not always the case and there are instances whereby the company uses the pension funds in ways that are beneficial to the company but detrimental to the employees. Perhaps the best example of such behavior is the Enron scandal in which the company utilized money from employee pension funds to inflate its share capital (Blackburn 202). When the Enron scandal was made public, the share prices of the company plummeted and as such, employee pension plans could no longer be paid. Pension funds are often invested in company shares which makes them open to falling prey of corporate greed and indulgence which has resulted in the collapse of many companies in America. Many U.S. corporations are notorious for their extravagant top executive compensation schemes. The motivation for this is to align the interests of executives with those of the shareholders therefore resulted in huge profits for the company through rising share valuatio ns. This set up often results in executives looking for ways to boost share prices so that they can benefit themselves. This short-term boost might have a negative effect on the long-tern health of the company which constitutes fraudulent behavior (Blackburn 202). The cost of this share price manipulation by executives will affect the employees who have invested their pensions of the same company.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of Pension Abuses specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another danger that pension schemes suffer from is pension buyouts by financial entities. Purcell, Orszag and Net reveal that buyouts create new risks that could adversely affect the welfare of the workers (137). In addition to this, such buyouts results in the creation of a third-party sponsor who does not have an incentive to manage the plan in the interest of the employees. This is as opposed to a pension scheme that is sponsored by the company which will have an incentive to properly manage the plan so as to maintain a good working relationship with the employees. Prevention of Abuses Blackburn asserts that while a good pension scheme can help reinforce a healthy and sustainable economy, a bad one results in economic dangers and social dis-tempers (4). Pension fraud results in a bad pension scheme and therefore threatens the economy and social harmony. It is therefore of uttermost importance for means to be sought through which pension fraud can be prevented altogether or mitigated at the very least. Stewart reveals that most workers are highly exposed to risks such as insolvency by the plan sponsors. Owing to the significance of pension funds to the lives of the people who make the investments, it is of great importance to ensure that the said funds to no fail. One of the manners through which this can be ensured is through Pension Benefit Guarantee Schemes (PBGS). Stewart articulates that PBG Ss are insurance type arrangements which â€Å"take on outstanding obligations which cannot be met by the insolvent plan sponsors (2). Such safeguards are especially vital in a volatile market where the health of a company may not be guaranteed. The PBGS in recent years bailed out over 4000 failed pension plans therefore ensuring that the employees who had been investing in the fund were not affected by the plans failures (Sipe, Metrejean and Donaldson, 186).Advertising Looking for research paper on labor law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another proposed solution for ensuring that pension abuse does not occur is by imposing of strict rules that ensure that the pensions are at all times funded. Stewart reveals that in Dutch where such a system has been adopted, all pension funds are required to have a certain minimal percentage of funds at all times (9). While it has been demonstrated that having a 100% funded pension may not be feasible as a result of deterioration of investment returns and other unexpected outcomes, the higher the percentage of minimal funding the lower the risks of a the pension fund collapsing. The U.S. also has such a policy in place through the PPA which not only dictates that pension is fully funded but it also increases the disclosure requirements for employers funding private pension funds. Conclusion Given today’s economic realities, it is important to ensure that the pension funds are safeguarded from fraud. This paper set out to give a brief history of pension funds, the abuses t hat can be perpetrated against the funds and possible preventions. From this paper, it is evident that pensions continue to be vulnerable as a result of fraudulent behavior by the funds managers as well as little policing efforts to ensure that the funds are kept in the right order. This paper has outlined the various methods which can be used to perpetrate abuses of pensions. All this methods result in the employees losing a significant or even all of their pension. However, proactive steps have been taken so as to ensure the prevention and detection of pension fraud. These methods such as the PBGS and the PPA is properly implemented will result in the safeguarding of pensions from fraudulent persons. This will not only ensure the protection of the future welfare of the employees but it will also have a positive impact on the country’s economy. Blackburn, Robin. Banking on death: or, investing in life: the history and future of pensions. Verso, 2003. Print. Ferguson, Kare n and Blackwell, Kate. The pension book: what you need to know to prepare for retirement. Arcade publishing, 1996. Print. Jeszeck, Charles. Retirement income: challenges for ensuring income throughout retirement. Diane Publishing, 2010. Print. Sipe, Stephanie. Metrejean, Cheryl and Donaldson, William. â€Å"Defined Benefit Pension Fraud: A ticking time bomb.† Journal of Forensic Investigative Accounting Vol. 2, Issue 2. Stewart, F. Benefit Security Pension Fund Guarantee Schemes. OECD Working Papers on Insurance and Private Pensions, No. 5, OECD Publishing. Purcell, Patrick and Orszag, Peter. Underfunded pensions, pension dumping and retirement security. The Capitol Net Inc, 2009. Print.

The fast fashion retail sector in the UK with reference to two Essay

The fast fashion retail sector in the UK with reference to two value-fashion specialists, T.K. Maxx and Primark - Essay Example The selected companies are T.K. Maxx and Primark, two value-fashion retailers that have larger presence in the UK. Both T.K. Maxx and Primark are held by larger holding companies, TJX Companies and Associated British Foods, respectively. The report begins by giving descriptions of these two companies, their target markets and profitability. To pace the report in context, we next evaluate the macro-environment using PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal) approach. After that, we look at the competitive environment using Porter’s five forces analysis. The report is then concluded with an analysis of the core strategies deployed by these two firms as well as the challenges that emanate. 2.0. Company descriptions 2.1. Primark Primark Stores Limited is a retailer of affordable fashion that has 232 stores as at December 10, 2011, in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands (Primark, 2011). It is par t of Associated British Foods (ABF), a diversified international food, ingredients and retail group. Primark contributed 28% of ABF’s total group revenue in 2011 which was 13% greater than 2010s figures (Associated British Foods, 2011). In 2010 Primark was UK’s largest clothing retailer with sales of ?3,043m, closely followed by ASDA and Marks & Spencer (Shields, 2010). The company sources its apparel mainly from manufacturing units in China, India, Turkey and Bangladesh, but also sources from other countries as well. Its target market is the fashion-conscious under 35s and its positioning is to offer the best value on the high street. Primark sells a range of fashion items that includes... This report seeks to compare the strategy of two retailers with a UK presence competing in the same market sector and segment. The selected companies are T.K. Maxx and Primark, two value-fashion retailers that have larger presence in the UK. Both T.K. Maxx and Primark are held by larger holding companies, TJX Companies and Associated British Foods, respectively. The report begins by giving descriptions of these two companies, their target markets and profitability. To pace the report in context, we next evaluate the macro-environment using PESTEL approach. After that, we look at the competitive environment using Porter’s five forces analysis. The report is then concluded with an analysis of the core strategies deployed by these two firms as well as the challenges that emanate. The fast fashion industry has been turned on its head by the emergence of value-retailers such as Primark and T.K. Maxx. Primark has utilized its lean and efficient supply chain, limited operation costs and store location and size to create its competitive advantage in the sector. On the other hand, T.K. Maxx has exploited the strategies of opportunistic buying, pricing and flexible business model as its competitive advantage. Neither company has fully exploited online retailing as an alternative business model despite its steady growth in the UK. Also, the companies are overly reliant on the UK market for bulk of their sales and profits whereas they could exploit the larger European Union to increase their profitability.

Conflict Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conflict Management - Essay Example First, explain the problem to the other party, however the language and mode of communication need to be convincing. The second step involves application of social skills to calm down the situation. This requires creativity in attracting the audience of the other partner. In such situation, if a sad mood exists, then allow time for calmness before proceeding (Konijn, 2008). The final step involves building a positive relationship. After explaining the challenge at hand, one needs to create a cordial and joyous relationship. This step is a bit difficult; however, creative skills in problem solving and conflict management need to apply to maximum to ensure that, the meeting ends in fine moods. In conclusion, the plan for interpersonal challenge management involves diverse skills of problem solving and apt communications skills. In addition, the fundamental aspect in this situation is the creation of a fine