External environmental factors contribute to the need for change. Some of these factors are legislative and some are financial Changing regulatory and legal frameworks The way an organisation interprets legalisation, or regulatory frameworks, determines the content of internal policy. For example, laws governing illegal file sharing have led to most schools and employers banning the use of p2p file sharing, even if the files shared are legal or open- source.The legalisation relating to checks on people who work with children and vunrable adults is undergoing change and relevant employers will need to ensure they keep up to date with the changes.
Legalisation on equality of opportunity is also undergoing change with the October 2010 consolidation of equality laws into the single equality act. Another change is the October 2010 rising of the minimal wage, which in the current economic climate could have a major impact on the finances of some business.Other policies will be in place for legal reasons; such as insuring equipment is regularly tested for safety or compliance with the data protection act. Other examples of legalisation that will have an impact on company policy’s include the display screen regulations, computer misuse act and the disability discrimination act, which requires organisation to supply suitable equipment for employees who have a disability, or specific need, to help them carry out their jobs, for example.Attracble for a user with arthritis or wrist wrests to help prevent rsi. A company may also have a policy to make its website accessible to people with disabilities.
In the usa it is a legal requirement and in this country there are elements of the dda which legislate for the web accessibility. Tools, such as bobby, can be used to check and improve on the accsesbility of a website. Keeping up with competitorsThere is increased potential by competition by global companies at local level using e commerce. This has enabled organisations operating online to acquire business from more traditional traders. For example, online grocery shopping was started by tesco, which rapidly took business from its competitors.
Other super markets soon followed suit and if they had not done so, the would of lost more business.
