Analysis of Case Study from a Perspective of Human Development Essays

Analysis of Case Study from a Perspective of Human Development Essays Analysis of Case Study from a Perspective of Human Development Essay Analysis of Case Study from a Perspective of Human Development Essay Analysis of Case Study from a Perspective of Human Development across the Life Span From the angle that the case study has been presented, I as the school’s social worker have been tasked to look into the case of â€Å"Yasmin† a previously high achieving student who has recently been scoring low grades and is reportedly moody. We have been informed that she lives with her mother and five other siblings. Their ages were not presented, and as such, we will be conducting this analysis on the assumption that her mother is in her fifties, her eldest brother in his twenties, her elder sister in her late adolescence (17 – 18 yrs), and that her younger siblings are in primary school. Much of our analysis will be based on Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of Development [1950; 1968]. Analysis amp; Assessments Yasmin was â€Å"abandoned† by her biological father soon after her birth, at a stage of life where an infant would normally be going through the stage of â€Å"Trust VS Mistrust† as defined by Erikson [1950; 1968]. This is generally a period of time where â€Å"Caregivers comprise the infant’s main Microsystem [Bronfenbrenner, 1977], and through the nature and quality of their interactions, influence his/her perception and understanding of the world as either safe or fearful†. [Sugarman, 2005] Erikson [1950] mirrors that perspective, and states that the major emphasis for the child is the need for the mother’s positive and loving care, and if this need is not met, the child will move into a state of â€Å"Mistrust† where she would develop deep seated self-esteem issues, and a sense that the future may not be as stable as hoped. With the knowledge that Yasmin’s father abandoned the family at this juncture in time, we may need to make the assumption that Yasmin’s mother may not have been in the right state either mentally or emotionally to care for her newborn child. This coupled with the fact that her mother was the only caregiver present; Yasmin probably did not get adequate attention and care, and may likely have developed a negative self concept, and may harbour an abnormal view of the world. Yasmin’s mother soon remarried, and she gained a new father figure in her life. The support of this new caregiver may explain how she matured into a student who was capable of doing very well in school; her teachers called her â€Å"bright†. One may make the assumption that her step-father was supportive and played a huge role in her development bringing security into her insecure world. As such, Yasmin would have probably developed a strong attachment [Bowlby, 1988] to her step-father. At this juncture, she would have been going through what Erikson [1950] defined as the stage of â€Å"Autonomy VS Shame†, where her parents being newly married with a new sense of hope would have worked to develop her in terms of right and wrong, giving her the autonomy to make her own decisions. This would have been further reinforced when her younger siblings were born. By then, Yasmin would probably have already transited into what Erikson [1950] defined as the â€Å"Play Age†, one of â€Å"Initiative VS Guilt†. We can make the assumption that although parental attention would have waned at this juncture, the play and interactions she would have built with her younger siblings would have further strengthened her development. She likely would have been given the opportunity to take the initiative to at times care for her younger siblings, identifying her â€Å"social role† as one of the elder sister, further growing her in terms of confidence. However, her step-father’s recent death must have affected her greatly. As earlier stated, she may have likely seen him as the one who brought her out of her â€Å"rut†, and was probably very attached to him. His death would have been a huge blow to her, and her deep seated esteem issues from her infancy may have resurfaced. At this juncture, she would have just entered into adolescence, a period where she would undergo huge changes both in the physical and socioemotional domains, and would be faced with the major developmental task of creating an identity for herself in the transition to adulthood, her â€Å"personality† so as to speak [Perkins, 2008]. Erikson [1968] defined this as a period of â€Å"Identity VS Role Confusion†, whereby she would be faced with further developmental tasks or discovering herself as an individual, separating herself from her family, achieving new and more mature relations with her peers, and to establish a â€Å"life’s philosophy† [Harder, 2009], in other words finding her meaning and calling. This is a turning point in her life, a period whereby she is confronted by the need to re-establish boundaries for herself and to do this in the face of an often potentially hostile world. [Richard, 1983] and at this juncture her academic success may likely contribute greatly to her formation of identity. She has probably gravitated towards the stage of â€Å"role confusion† whereby the sudden loss of a father figure and breadwinner in the family, coupled with the sudden stigma of being poor, negative choices made by elder role models and the likely withdrawal of her mother have caused her to lose her self-esteem, to question what is right and wrong, and to go on a search for acceptance; leading her into a state of â€Å"moratorium† [Erikson, 1968] where she has chosen to seek the influence of her peers (however negative their behaviours are). This has caused a change in behaviour (eg. the defiance at home, and academic failure) [Kwok, et al, 2008]. Yasmin’s Mother upon being interviewed has informed us that she is depressed and does not know where to turn. She is very affected (assumption) by her husband’s death and the behaviour of her two older children, and does not think she can do anything about Yasmin’s grades. She is likely finding it difficult just holding everything together. She is working as a cleaner at night and (assumption) spends the day taking care of the younger siblings. This is a period in her life that she herself is going through what Erikson [1950] defines as the period of â€Å"Generativity VS Self Absorption† where her most major developmental task is to transmit culturally accepted values to her family [Harder, 2002]. Other important tasks may include maintaining the family’s standard of living, and assisting her children with transition into adulthood, and basic parenting [Lachman, 2001]. These tasks however are not being fulfilled in this case. With the loss of her husband, she may be finding it difficult to put food on the table having to work late into the night, let alone transmit values to and assist her children with transition into adulthood. She is probably moving into the stage of â€Å"Self Absorption† whereby she is beginning to become more absorbed by â€Å"her own† problems, and would rather dwell on them instead of taking action in regards to her children’s issues. Yasmin’s Elder Brother has recently been charged with housebreaking, and is facing incarceration. He is in his twenties and in Erikson’s [1968] definition, is in the life stage of â€Å"Intimacy amp; Solidarity VS Isolation†. A period whereby he is faced with the task of finding mutually satisfying, intimate relationships, however, this is also a trying period for him; Erikson describes intimacy as â€Å"finding oneself yet losing oneself in another†, and one can assume that both he and his younger sister took up the responsibilities of filling in as the â€Å"father and mother† of the family when their biological mother could not. Finding himself in the newly vacant position of â€Å"family head†, and wanting to solidify the relationships within his family, he (assumption) attempts to fill the financial need of his family by any means possible, ultimately leading to his housebreaking charge. Looking into his own childhood, we also see that he and his second sibling both experienced their father walking out on the family while they were still in school, during what Erikson defined as the period of â€Å"Industry VS Inferiority†. Being fatherless, both likely may have grown to believe that they were inadequate and inferior to their peers, resulting in deep seated negative self-concepts. Sugarman [2005] also explains that young adults who live in economic deprivation may see â€Å"work† as unattainable. These factors likely played a part in his choice to commit a crime with the intention of financial gain, believing that he would not be able to find proper job. Yasmin’s Older Sister is assumed to be in her late adolescence, a period whereby she is faced with the challenge of â€Å"Identity VS Role Confusion† [Erikson, 1968]. On one hand, she is an average teenager, going through polytechnic and gaining an education. On the other, she doubles up as a â€Å"parent† at home, filling the role that her mother is beginning to relinquish. This role reversal together with the sudden stigma of being poor, has caused her to become confused in her identity creation process and has (assumption) probably led to her belief that like her brother, she will need to step up and provide for her family by any means possible, ultimately leading to her dropping out of school in search of work. Little is known about Yasmin’s Younger Siblings except for the assumption that they are in primary school, and that they are probably in the stage that Erikson [1950] defines as â€Å"Industry VS Inferiority†. A very social stage whereby the major developmental task is to build significant relationships with peers in school and in the neighbourhood, and feelings of inadequacy and inferiority may cause problems in the development of competence and esteem [Harder, 2009] Evaluation amp; Intervention As a school social worker, little can be done on our part regarding Yasmin’s older siblings. We can however, intervene in the dimensions that involve Yasmin herself. These dimensions or rather systems that we have influence over are in Bronfenbrenner’s [1979] terms, the Microsystem, which involve Yasmin’s school, peers, parent and teachers, and the Mesosystem, which involves interaction between Microsystems. Being the school’s social worker, my immediate action would be to focus on Yasmin’s academic success, mainly affected by her current grades and peer group. Knowing that stress has negative effects on self-esteem, which in turn, may lead to risky behaviours in adolescents [Kwok, et al, 2008], focus should be placed on relieving the stress caused by stigma and her family’s low income. This could be facilitated by assisting her mother in applying for educational financial assistance with the school, which will assist the family in the area of Yasmin’s school fees and textbooks. Financial assistance regarding Yasmin’s daily sustenance can also be actualised by applying for the Straits Times’ School Pocket Money Fund. Refer to references It is also my proposal that Yasmin’s teachers and peers be involved as well, as Yasmin being an adolescent has a strong need for acceptance. Having teachers that can act as friends and mentors instead of just educators and disciplinarians can make all the difference; they may be able to encourage and edify Yasmin, working on her strengths and building up her self-esteem; and guide her into making proper peer choices. As Bill Cosby once said, â€Å"Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future†, the peers that surround Yasmin have an integral part to play in her success. As such, it is also my recommendation that the school activate the student council to play â€Å"big brother and big sister† to Yasmin, providing her with a group of peer leaders that she can look to for support and acceptance. Yasmin will also be involved in the school’s â€Å"Time Out Programme† [MOE, 2008] for at-risk students. Her teachers and I will also need to work with her mother to help her understand the needs of her children, and to involve her in Yasmin’s educational journey. Being the school social worker, I would also ensure that Yasmin is accountable for her wn growth and schedule regular sessions where Yasmin can confide and â€Å"check in† with me regarding her progress. As for Yasmin’s family, we may be able to refer them to a nearby Family Services Centre, where they would be able to apply for financial assistance. My referral will also specifically identify the need for family counselling, as there is a need to reorganize the family’s current dynamics, and for specific help to be provided for Yasmin’s older siblings in the areas of career and educational guidance. Yasmin’s younger siblings will also need financial assistance in regards to their education. nbsp;

Black Reconstruction by Debois essays

Black Reconstruction by Debois essays "BLACK RECONSTRUCTION" BY W.E.B DUBOIS Black Reconstruction was written by William Edward Burghardt DuBois and first published in New York: Harcourt, Brace in 1935,and later in New York : Atheneum ; Toronto : Maxwell Macmillan Canada ; New York : Maxwell Macmillan International, 1992 W.E.B.DuBois was born on 23rd February, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, just five years after slavery was officially abolished in the United States. Great Barrington had at that time had only about 25-50 blacks among the 5000 or so population. Although there were little signs of overt racism, its venom was nevertheless present in the form of vindicative attitudes of its residents. This constant barrage of innuendos, combined with the discriminatory behavior caused the nature of young DeBois to change from good natured and outgoing to sullen and withdrawn, elements which haunted him all his life. DeBois died in August 27,1963, on the eve of the March On Washington, in Accra, Ghana. The Black Reconstruction by DeBois is a book written on the subject of discrimination of the black society by the whites in the American society. The period of setting of this book is the immediate decade preceding the abolition of slavery in 1868. Although the author, DeBois was born after about five years into this announcement, the effects, the venom, the prejudiced attitudes of the whites against the black citizens was very strong present and these coupled with his own upbringing into his hometown where no more 50 blacks resided, changed and brought out one of the greatest authors of Civil Rights movements. The book centers on the theme of black people who although had found freedom from slavery, but their actual beings were yet to freed as the new society of white supremacy now treated the blacks as inferior beings and normal acts performed by whites were considered a crime ...

Article summary of Roschach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article summary of Roschach - Essay Example The findings of over 125 meta-analysis and 800 multimethod assessment studies have shown that psychological assessment instruments such as the Rorschach perform as effectively as any instrument used in the entire health services industry such as â€Å"electrocardiograms, mammography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), dental radiographs, Papanicolaou (Pap) smears, positron emission tomography (PET) scans, and serum cholesterol level testing†. This conclusion was arrived at after analyzing a comprehensive set of 144 validity coefficients for psychological and medical tests. The results of these tests were comparable to those obtained for finding the validity of intelligence scales and the Minnesota Multi-phasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Hence the research scholars unanimously concur on the validity of the Rorschach, stating that they find no reason why this instrument should be criticized. Moreover, when one considers the contexts in which the Rorschach is usually used, then most criticisms directed against it don’t hold good. Hence conditional validity is a key area of research going forward.

Business Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Business Law - Case Study Example To save the marriage couples from such unfortunate happenings, the government thought to have compulsory counselling for the to-be-married interracial individuals. There are many arguments that can be used against the statutes. Firstly, it can be notified that the for the people whose vehicles are registered outside the state of Minnesota, are compelled to purchase and install an expensive device to reduce radioactive emissions to save the birds. This can be treated as injustice to those vehicle owners. If the device can really check pollution, the device should be made mandatory to all vehicles and not just to those registered with a different state. In the second case, the two weeks of counselling for the inter-racial couples prior to marriage can be identified as state imposition. The law of the land preferably should not dictate the matured adult citizens. Marriage is a personal agenda and varies from person to person. The law should not be mingled with the requirements of the pre-marriage counselling sessions. The prime duty of the court of law is to ensure that the justice is ensured to all the parties. It functions with in the broad guideline that the legislature has provided with. Also, the court does not have the weapon to execute the law. For such purpose, it has to depend upon the executive. The court would ensure that the all the legalities are maintained in its best form. Ralph feels that the company of drug free enterprise has breached his trust. For the purpose, Ralph wants to sue the company with $ 79,000. The most appropriate court would be the place where the agreement was signed in between the enterprise and Ralph. It could also be the place upon where Ralph was supposed to oversee the distribution. The basis for the jurisdiction would depend upon the minute details that were penned down in the agreement between Ralph and the company. There may be lot many reasons. Some of them might involve deviation from the agreed price or

Finance Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Finance Analysis - Assignment Example The company’s debt to total assets and the debt to equity ratio clearly shows that the company has been keen towards loan finance and currently the company’s debt as a percentage to its total has exceeded over 50%. The company’s quick ratio portrays a falling trend. This reduction in the quick ratio suggests that the company may face problems in paying of its obligations as they fall due, this can be because of an increase in debt obligation and a reduction in the ability to convert stock into cash (as shown by the inventory turnover ratio). 2. Assuming that the share price for REC company is $30, the company’s P/E ratio in the year 2004 would be 15.3 (30/1.96 (Market price per share/ EPS)). This P/E ratio can be considered to be good with respect to the clothing industry, hence it can be deduced that a $30 price per share for the REC company is the best value for money for an investor (Yahoo Finance, 2011). 3. The days payable outstanding ratio for the REC company is 41 days. This collection period is higher than the industry average, hence it clearly suggests that the wholesaler would be paid in comparison to the industry trend. As a wholesaler, this would not be amusing and would result in selling shoes to other retailers rather than REC company, who would pay a bit earlier i.e. in line with the industry average of days payable outstanding ratio. 4. As a recent college graduate, I would definitely join the company as the company seems to be a good learning prospect. The company operates in two different industries i.e. recreational equipment and clothing hence it would provide good learning exposure for me. The company’s finance department seems to be operating efficiently, considering the financial statements and the ratios prepared by the finance department. The financial statements seem to prepared after considering the relevant accounting and financial standards hence it the seniors

Quantitative And Qualitative Methodologies

Quantitative And Qualitative Methodologies This essay analyses the key viewpoints underpinning the theory and critically evaluate the suitability of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to undertake an empirical research into procurement practice through a literature review. However the way in which research is conducted may be conceived of in terms of the research philosophy subscribed to, the research strategy employed and so the research instruments utilised in the pursuit of a goal the research objectives and the quest for the solution of a problem the research question. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the research philosophy in relation to other philosophies; expound the research strategy, including the research methodologies and techniques that suits the proposed research aim (Jankowicz 2003a; Stevenson and Cooper 1997) The essay discusses the research philosophies; set out the approaches to research positivist and interpretivist; quantitative and qualitative studies, and how they are mixed. Denzin and Lincoln (1998) state that a research philosophy is a belief about the way in which data about a phenomenon should be gathered, analysed and used. The term epistemology (what is known to be true) as opposed to doxology (what is believed to be true) encompasses the various philosophies of research approach. Holden and Lynch (2004) argue that depending where the researcher sits on the continuum of these two extremes, their ontological stance will influence their core assumptions concerning the epistemology and human nature (Holden and Lynch 2004). However, Guyer and Wood (1998) argue that the purpose of science, then, is the process of transforming things believed into known: doxa to episteme. Creswell (2007) argue that before any type of research methodology or strategy is chosen, there should be a definition of what information is needed to respond to the research question. It is important to make explicit why one choose to collect information on a certain subject and not on another, and why choose to treat this case in the study and not the other (Creswell 2007). The research paradigm provides accepted methods of collecting data. The term paradigm refers to the progress of scientific practice based on peoples philosophies and assumptions about the world and the nature of knowledge (Collis and Hussey 2003, p:46) However, Jankowicz (2005) pointed out that the researcher must understand their own ontological position because it will determine what evidence is collected and what evidence is set aside in building the research argument, which is to do with ones epistemology. In the field of social science where the proposed research aim Supplier Relationship Management fits into, there has been increasing debate regarding the research methods and theory construction. Bryman et al (2008). Fish (1990) focused on the distinctions between and relative merits of the traditional objective or positivist approach and the alleged subjective approaches variously described as naturalistic, qualitative, phenomenological, and most recently interpretive. (Fish and Dorris 1990). Giorgi (1971) characterised traditional scientific approach as reductionistic, in reducing phenomena to operational definitions; deterministic, in that all phenomena are believed to have causes which can be duplicated; predictive, in that the goal is to predict behaviour; observer independent, in that the researcher tries not to influence the data; empirical, in that only observable data are to be examined; repeatable, so that the research can be replicated by other investigators; quantitative, in that the phenomena should be described in a measurable terms. So, traditional research examines variables in order to predict behaviour. (Giorgi, 1971) Giorgi (1971:21) posits that the essential question for the human science is not how do we measure phonomena? but rather, what do the phenomena mean? Hirschheim et al. (1985) state that both research traditions start in Classical Greek times with Plato and Aristotle (positivists) on the one hand, and the sophists (anti-positivists) on the other. After long, dark periods in European scientific thought, the renaissance of the discipline came in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. (Hirschheim and Klein 1985). Sandberg (2004) as referred to in Weber (2004), state that the alleged differences between positivist and interpretive research approaches can be characterised in a number of ways. One could argue whether Sandberg characterisation would be accepted widely. However, before the two different approaches are analysed their differences needs to be explored (Weber 2004). Weber (2004) describes how positivism and interpretivism supposedly differ in terms of their various metatheoretical assumptions. Morgan and Smircich (1980) argues that the subjectivist ontological position maintains that reality does not exist outside oneself, that ones mind is ones world, hence reality is all imagination. The polemic position to that of the subjectivist is the objectivist ontological position, which is one of realism (Morgan and Smircich 1980) Weber (2004) asserts this argument and stated that positivist supposedly believe that reality is separate from the individual who observes it. They apparently consider subject (the researcher) and object (the phenomena in the world that are their focus) to be two separate, independent things. In short, positivistic ontology is alleged to be dualistic in nature. In contrast, interpretivists believe that reality and the individual who observes it cannot be separate (Weber 2004). In a nutshell, that the perceptions about the world are inextricably bound to a stream of experiences that one has had throughout our lives. The life-world has both subjective an objective characteristics. According to Holden and Lynch (2004) objectivists contend the world will still exist as an empirical entity, made up of hard tangible and relatively immutable structures, independent of the cognitive efforts of individuals. The objective characteristics reflect what one constantly negotiates this meaning with others with whom people interact. In other words, it is objective in the sense that it reflects an intersubjective reality (Holden and Lynch 2004). Kuhn (1970) added, for positivists the objects they research have qualities that exists independent of the researcher. However, interpretivists believe that the qualities they ascribe to the objects they research are socially constructed they are product of their life-worlds. (Kuhn, T. S. (1970) Lee (1989) and Dubà © et al (2003) assert this argument and state that positivists tend to use laboratory experiments, field experiments, and surveys as their preferred research methods. They seek large amount of empirical data that they can analyze statistically to detect underlying regularities. In the other hand, interpretivists tend to use case studies, ethnographic studies, phenomenographic studies, and ethnomethodological studies as their preferred research methods (Weber 2004). Easterby-Smith et al (1991) argue that objectivist content that the relationship between man and society is deterministic, we are born into a world in which there are causal laws that explain patterns of our social behaviour. Alternatively, Dubà © (2003) argues that a statement made by a researcher is true when it has a one-to-one mapping to the reality that exists beyond the human mind (a correspondence theory of truth). On the other hand, interpretivists subscribe to a notion of truth whereby a researchers initial interpretation of some phenomenon conforms to the meaning given to the phenomenon through the researchers lived experience of it (Weber 2004). Searle (1999) find the alleged differences between positivist and interpretivist in relation to ontology to be vacuous. He admits that some kind of reality exists beyond our perception of it! Kuhn (1970) recognises the inherent limitations of the knowledge they seek to build. Positivists understand fully that their culture, experience, history, and so on impact the research work they undertake and thus the results of their work. In Kuhns (19970) view, irrespective of whether researchers believe in an objective reality that exists beyond the human mind or a socially constructed reality, all accept that the artefacts they build to understand the world (theories, frameworks, constructs, etc) are socially constructed. Kuhn (1970) goes on to argue that research is a continuous journey to find improved ways to understand this reality. It is apparent from Lee (1989) and Dubà © (2003) argument that positivists researchers fully understand that we have no way of knowing the world as it really is, at least for the moment. In this light, pragmatically they can place little value on a theory of truth that relies on the level of correspondence between research statements they make and an unknowable thing (Weber 2004). Dubà © (2003) added, there are no differences between positivist notions of validity and interpretivist notions of validity. The position of the Author in this debate leans toward notion that tries to measure reality in a research. There is no way of knowing reality, so how can one know whether his measure of reality, whatever reality might be, is valid? What is believed to be a reality at one particular point in time, may change, for example, with new knowledge, at a later point in time, therefore it was never a true reality originally then! Fundamentally, the Author sees little difference in positivist and interpretivist notions of reliability. Both groups of researches are concerned ultimately with the idea of replicability. In the case of positivists, the strategies and methods for achieving replicability are more straightforward because the research methods they tend to use are well-defined and routinized. Weber (2004) argue that in the case of interpretivists, replicability is a more-difficult goal to achieve because the research methods they tend to use are less well-defined and the subjective nature of interpretation is acknowledged explicitly. For these reasons, interpretivists try to lay out clearly their research methods and ways in which they have achieved certain kinds of interpretations. (Weber, 2004). Klein and Myers (1999) questioned whether there is any difference between positivism and interpretivism. The Author believes that the differences lie more in the choice of the research methods rather than any substantive differences at a methatheoretical level. In this regard, researchers who labelled themselves as positivists tend to use certain kinds of research methods in their work experiments, surveys, and field studies. Interpretivists, on the other hand, tend to use other kinds of research methods in their work case studies, ethnographic studies, phenomenographic studies, and ethnomethodological studies (Klein and Myers 1999). The researcher believes that there are large-scale social forces affecting and influencing individuals interpretations and behaviour (Collis and Hussey 2003). Although there are a number of variations in terminology, the majority of literature appear to use the terminology positivist to describe the quantitative approach, which is objective in nature as mentioned in this essay, and employs inductive research methods; and interpretivist to describe the quantitative approach which is subjective in nature and employs deductive research methods. (Davies, 1968). The issue of quality and quality criteria in social science research is a topic that has become increasingly prominent in methodological discussions in recent years. Gurtler and Huber (2006) argue that qualitative and quantitative methodology textbooks as well as research reports often use ambiguous language in the sense that many formulations cannot be assigned unequivocally to one of the main methodological orientations (Gurtler and Huber 2006). However, Gilmore and Carson (1996) argue that the adaptability and flexibility of qualitative research methods and techniques throughout the entire research process have many advantages. For example, at an early exploratory stage of research, qualitative methods allow the researcher to become familiar with the area(s) of interest, explore the fields and consider the dimensions involved because of their open-ended, non-pre-ordained nature (Gilmore and Carson 1996). Cohen and Manion (1994) as referred in Milliken (2001), who identified two competing views of the social sciences, modify this perspective. One view posits that social sciences are essentially the same as natural sciences and are therefore concerned with discovering natural and universal laws regulating and determining individual and social behaviour (Milliken 2001). The other view emphasises how people differ from inanimate natural phenomena and from each other, while sharing the rigour of the natural sciences and the same concern of traditional social science to describe and explain human behaviour. Hunt (1994) supported by Van Eijkelenburg (1995) argued that it is time for the advocates of both qualitative and qualitative methods to declare a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦rhetorical cease-fire (Van Eijkelenburg 1995). Kirk and Miller (1986) advocated that qualitative research is implicitly orientated to the question of validity. The polemic approach to quantitative research is qualitative research. Medawar (1969) argues It is no use looking to scientific papers for they not only merely conceal but actively misrepresent the reasoning that goes into the work they describe (Medawar 1969). However, Crescentini and Mainnardi (2009) state that what makes a research question a qualitative one is precisely the nature of this combination: qualitative goals are different from quantitative ones, and qualitative questions are asked in a particular way and refer to qualitative contents. The peculiarities of qualitative goals reside in the way the question is framed a need to describe, verify or understand. A qualitative research question must explore a qualitative argument in a qualitative way. The question has to be grounded in a qualitative argument. (Crescentini and Mainnardi 2009) Some literatures suggest that there is quite often a mismatch between the rationale for combining quantitative and qualitative research and how it is used in practice. (Bryman 2009). Fisher (2004) makes an interesting observation on the subject of mixing methods. If you take a realist stance, then aspects of an interpretivist approach could be brought in as useful adjunct to the research. But they also claim that the reverse is not true. If you are doing interpretivist research, then there is no way that an element of realism (or more seriously an element of positivism) can add to it. This is because of the positivists view of the world i.e. things are real and can be measured, which would totally contradict the interpretivist perspective of the world. Robson (1993) argues that triangulation in its various forms, or multiple methods, of obtaining information can be valuable if two sources give the same message, then to some extent they cross-validate each other and provide a means of testing one source of information against other sources which results in more credible results. According to Denzin (1978:291) triangulation as a form of combination of methodologies in the study of the same phenomenon has become more widely accepted now as a means of ensuring validity. There is a distinct tradition in the literature on social science research methods that advocates the use of multiple methods. This form of research strategy is usually described as one of convergent methodology, multimethod/multitrait (Campbell and Fiske, 1959). Jick (1979) argue that these various notions share the conception that qualitative and quantitative methods should be viewed as complementary rather than as rival camps. In fact, most textbooks underscore the desirability of mixing methods given the strengths and weaknesses found in single method designs. Yet those who most strongly advocate triangulation (e.g., Webb et al., 1966; Smith, 1975; Denzin 1978) fail to indicate how this prescribed triangulation is actually performed and accomplished. However, Gill and Johnson (2002) claim that multi methods are infrequently applied mainly due to the fact that multi methods are extremely time consuming and can be costly. Indeed, they argue that where methods are well separated from one another, this approach would be impracticable (op cit). Despite this view, Easterby-Smith et at (1991) argue that in recent decades there has been a move towards researchers developing methods and approaches (triangulation) that provide a middle ground and some bridging between the two extreme viewpoints. Triangulation of methods certainly appears to be gaining support and as Hussey and Hussey (1997) point out, triangulation can overcome the potential bias and sterility of single method approaches. Rohner (1977) argue that in all various triangulations designs one basic assumption is buried. The effectiveness of triangulation rests on the premise that the weaknesses in each single method will be compensated by the counter-balancing strengths of another. The proposed research aim, as mentioned early in this essay, is the Supplier Relationship Management. As the research will require use of e-survey, semi-structured and structured interview the mixed method approach revealed to be the most suitable. There are both quantitative and qualitative research elements in the research. There are quantitative data deriving from the e-survey and there are qualitative data deriving from answers to open questions in the e-survey and the semi-structured interviews. The chief rational for using this combination of sources of data is that it was felt from the literature review for this essay, that a complete picture could not be generated by any one method alone. Each source of data represents an important piece in a jigsaw. (Bryman, et al 2008).

Data Interpretation :: Papers

Data Interpretation Male- 42% Female-58% In Fig it illustrates that 58% of the people interviewed were female, this suggests that the tourist attraction sin Cheddar appeal more the females Fig backs up this theory that the majority were either retired or young mothers, which suggest that there was more females interviewed, or that all of the men were out working. The fact that each interviewee was interviewed at a different place suggests the results collected were of an even spread. In fig the main spread of where people came from is around the Cheddar area, for example Somerset, from this I then created a sphere of influence, the sphere of influence by Cheddar is shown to be global. In fig it shows how often people visited Cheddar, this can be linked to where they live or come from because someone who lives in Weston-Super-Mare has more chance or easier access to visiting Cheddar. In Fig 98% of the people visiting Cheddar were on a day trip, the other 2% were not on a day trip, this again links back to where people live or come from, because someone who lives in Finland or Cape Town in Africa aren't going to fly out to England just to visit Cheddar but then people who live in Bath have the time to visit Cheddar for more than just a day trip they could stay for a few days. In Fig it shows how they members of the public travelled to Cheddar on that particular, from the pie chart you can clearly see that the most common use of transport was by Car. You can also see that the public buses were not used at all to travel to Cheddar. In Fig it shows the tourist attractions visited by the members of the public, you can see that the main attractions were the Caves and the Jacob's ladder, the attraction visited by the members of the public could have been affected by the length of stay each person has, for instance someone who is on a day trip may want to visit them all in

Importance of military history Essay

Military professionals should take out time from their busy schedules to read military history because military history is the very foundation of their knowledge of tactics and strategy. It is also the foundation on which the theoretical and practical training troops and the development of training directives are based. A careful study of objective military history with an open mind and with the determination of learning from the experiences of others will be of great benefit to any military professional. According to Gen. Charles L. Bolte, former Vice Chief of Staff, and Department of the Army; â€Å"The past must be studied as the basis for, and a guide to, the study of the future. To make a sound prediction one must project the past into the future. † The American Army has followed the advice of such great captains as Frederick the Great and Napoleon, as well as of others who have more recently made their mark on the pages of history. Napoleon has written, â€Å"†¦ the knowledge of the higher arts of war is not acquired except by experience and the study of history of wars and the battles of great captains. † Gen. George S. Patton Jr. , one of America’s great offensive battle leaders, also emphasized the importance of history. His words, written on the battlefield, were: â€Å"To be a successful soldier you must know history, reads it objectively- dates and even minute details of tactics are useless†¦ You must read biography and especially autobiography. If military professional do it they find war is simple. The study of past is fundamental to the preparation for the next, for current military problems cannot be solved without an understanding of the past from which they stem. The military professionals must be rooted in the past to understand the present that he may project himself into the future. Reference US Department of the Army. (2001). The Writing of American Military History: A Guide. New York: The Minerva Group, Inc. pg 1,7,10,9,12.

Revising with the Present Perfect

Revising with the Present Perfect Revising with the Present Perfect Revising with the Present Perfect By Maeve Maddox The following item appeared in the column of one-sentence news items on the front page of my morning newspaper: William Bradford Bishop Jr., who was a State Department employee in 1976 when he is suspected of killing his wife, mother and three sons, was added to the FBI’s list of â€Å"Ten Most Wanted Fugitives,† drawing renewed attention to the case. Conveying a coherent report in 50 words or less is quite a feat, and the writers in my paper usually do an amazingly good job of it. Nevertheless, this strange assortment of verb tenses left my grammar nerve twitching. The principal fact being reported is that the FBI has added Bishop to the list of â€Å"Most Wanted Fugitives.† Next in importance is the reason for which Bishop was added to the list: he is a suspected murderer. Last in importance is the fact of Bishop’s employment at the time of the murders. All three facts refer to past events, so present tense is definitely does not belong. Changing the is to was would help, but then we would have: â€Å"Bishop, who was an employee in 1976 when he was suspected, was added to the list.† Not only does this revision produce a litany of three wases in a row, it obscures the most recent event being reported: the fact that the man has been added to the â€Å"Most Wanted Fugitives† list. What we need is a tense that will distinguish the most recent past from the remoter past. Enter the present perfect: William Bradford Bishop Jr., suspected of killing his wife, mother and three sons in 1976 when he was a State Department employee, has been added to the FBI’s list of â€Å"Ten Most Wanted Fugitives,† drawing renewed attention to the case. Both was added (simple past) and has been added (present perfect) describe completed actions, but the present perfect describes a completed action that is still relevant in the present. The present tense auxiliary has adds an immediacy to the news item that alerts the reader to which of the three facts being reported is the most recent. 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 Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned†30 Nautical Expressions

Essay on Applied Project Management part 4

Essay on Applied Project Management part 4 Essay on Applied Project Management part 4 Essay on Applied Project Management part 4Essay on Applied Project Management    part 3Milestones and an activity scheduleThe development and implementation of the project will pass through several key stages, milestones that determine outcomes of the project. The first milestone is the elaboration of goals, mission and vision of the project. The second milestone is the identification of resources required for the project, elaboration of the plan and design of the project. The third milestone is the creation of the new sport nutrition. The fourth milestone is fundraising for the project. After that, the company can start recruiting professionals to complete the project and construct the production facilities. One more milestone is distribution. The company has to distribute its product successfully. Finally, monitoring and control are also crucial for the successful accomplishment of the project.The company can use existing developments in the field of sport nutrition as the grou nd for the production of its new sport nutrition. In addition, the company can use the growing interest of customers to sports and the popularity of sport in New York to introduce its new sport nutrition successfully.What I have learned from this course (no more than 250 words).Scope: The work on the project has contributed to the development of my project management skills and abilities. The work on the project was a valuable experience for me since I have learned how to work on real world projects through the development of the project of my own that can be implemented in the real world. At the same time, the work on the project has revealed the full extent to which the clear and accurate identification of the scope of the research is crucial for the overall success of the project. To put it more precisely, I have found out that the clear identification of the scope of the research determines resources required for the project, goals that are achievable in terms of the proposed pr oject and development of effective systems of management and control over the project. In such a way, the scope of the study may have the determinant impact on the project. On the other hand, the adequate assessment of the scope of the project allows developing effective strategies and policies that can help to complete the project successfully and overcome numerous challenges that may arise in the course of the implementation of the project.Assignment 2The project focuses on the introduction of the new sport nutrition that will involve the recruitment of the personnel, the construction of the production facilities, promotion and establishment of the communication between the company and the target customer group.ScopeThe scope of the project is broad in terms of the target customer group but limited in terms of the area, where the project will be implemented. To put it more precisely, the new sport nutrition focuses not only on professional sportspersons as other sport nutrition pr oducts do, but also on amateurs, who practice sports intensively (Hill, 1997). In such a way, the project aims at broadening the scope of the implementation of sport nutrition products to the particular customer group. The focus on broader customer groups opens new opportunities for the successful implementation of the project of the introduction of the new sport nutrition. At the same time, the project will be implemented in the New York City, New York, US only, while the further implementation of the project in other large cities of the US with the possible entry to international markets will be possible, only in case of the success of the project in the US. In such a way, the physical area of the implementation of the project is limited to New York only.TimeThe time of the implementation of the project comprises three months, in the course of which the project may be implemented from the launch of the production of the sport nutrition to the introduction of the product in the mar ket. Along with the launch of the production, the company will need to promote the new product in the market. In this regard, the project may involve the celebrity endorsement as the core of the promotional strategy. The involvement of the professional sportsman into the promotion of the new product will help to reach the target customer group faster and to enhance the position of the company in the market through the rise of the customer awareness of the new brand and its confidence in the reliability, effectiveness and safety of the new product. In fact, the popular sportsman involved in the project will create a positive brand image, attract the target customer group and help the company to gain the customer confidence in possibly shorter terms. After the promotion, the company can introduce the new sport nutrition in the market because the target customer group will be ready to buy the new product. After the first introduction of the new product, the company should conduct the a nalysis of the performance of the new sport nutrition in the market in a month after the first introduction of the product. The first month sale rates will show whether the introduction of the new sport nutrition was successful or not.CostThe costs of the project involve costs of the production, promotion and the maintenance of the production process (Cerza, 2004). In addition, the project involves costs spent on the development of the customer relationship and enhancement of the position of the new product in the market through active promotion, enhancement of the quality and potential of the market expansion through the increase of the productionIn such a way, the rise of costs in the course of time is the result of the increased of production, but the growing costs are expected to be covered by the growing revenues from the project.Quality managementThe quality management is crucial for the overall success of the project. The quality management involves the creation of the new sp ort nutrition, which is safe and of the high quality and matches target features. Therefore, the project will need to involve the development of the new product, which may be based on existing technological achievements in the field of nutrition. The quality of the new sport nutrition should be controlled with the help of the automated system that ensures the high quality of products due to the accurate control and analysis of the quality of products manufactured by the company. In addition, the high quality of the new sport nutrition is supposed to be achieved due to the high level of the automation of the production process. The automation of the production contributes to the higher quality of the product compared to the wider use of the manual labor.RisksThe development and implementation of the project involves several risks. First of all, the project may raise the risk of the failure of the new sport nutrition to obtain FDA’s certification. In fact, such risk is relative ly low since the modern technology allows developing safe sport nutrition of the high quality. Another risk is the possible failure of the celebrity endorsement strategy for the promotion of the new sport nutrition. For example, a scandal involving the popular sportsman sponsoring the project can make the celebrity endorsement ineffective or even harmful for the public image of the new brand. In this regard, the company may shift from the celebrity endorsement strategy to conventional ways of promotion, including advertisements online, placed on specialized sport websites, specialized print media and other methods.Furthermore, the risk of the tight competition affects consistently the implementation of the project. For example, if the competition turns out to be higher than forecasted in terms of the project, then the project may fail or, at least, face considerable difficulties in the course of its implementation. This is why the plan of the project implementation should include al ternatives based on the pessimistic forecasts concerning the competition and possible pressure from the part of the major rivals that already operate in the market.Human resources managementHuman resource management plays one of the most significant roles in the development and implementation of the project. In this regard, human resource management will be under the responsibility of the human resource manager employed by the company. The human resource manager will be responsible for the recruitment of employees, their training and professional development. Human resource management will focus on the professional development of employees to ensure the high quality of products delivered to customers. Human resource management will motivate employees to maximize the effectiveness of their performance because the effectiveness of each employee contributes to the overall effectiveness of the company. In addition, the high effectiveness of employees increases the cost-efficiency of the company.CommunicationThe communication is crucial for the success of the project. In this regard, it is necessary to distinguish internal and external communication in the course of the implementation of the project. The internal communication will involve the communication between professionals working within the company. In this regard, the human resource manager should maintain the effective communication between top executives and employees of the company. The internal communication should involve regular meetings of managers and employees to discuss current issues, possible problems and find ways to their resolution. Managers should provide employees with positive feedback to motivate them to enhance their performance. The external communication will involve the customer relationship management and communication between the company and customers. In this regard, the popular sportsman will be responsible for the development and maintenance of the communication with the target c ustomer group. The effective communication will allow the company to enhance its marketing position. The popular sportsman will be able to focus on sportspersons and persuade them to choose the new sport nutrition and use his authority to promote the new product not only among professional sportspersons but also among amateurs.ProcurementThe project will involve the supply of the equipment to launch the production of the new sport nutrition. In addition, the project may outsource the research and creation of the new nutrition. For instance, it is possible to hire scientists and nutritionists, who can create the target sport nutrition with the required features. In such a way, the project should involve the supply of those products and services that are required for the successful implementation of the project.Integration managementThe integration management is important in terms of the integration of all elements of the project plan and design and their successful implementation. In this regard, the role of the project manager is particularly significant for the integration of all elements of the project plan and design. The project management should take the lead and coordinate the work of all managers and employees involved in the project. The project manager will manage the entire project and coordinate actions of all participants of the project respectively to current needs and possible challenges.

Opinionated Response to Peer Comment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Opinionated Response to Peer Comment - Essay Example In response, the government implemented many tax rate reductions to appease the people’s rising disgruntlement (Friedberg, 2011). Using Keynesian economic principles, tax cuts will generate more purchasing power. With lesser taxes, the people will have more money to buy good and services. With more tax cuts, the people’s demand for products and services increases. Consequently, with more demand, the stores and other suppliers can sell more goods. With more goods sold, the government can collect more taxes. Basically, the overall effect on the government’s tax collections seems the same (Mankiw, 2008). With more sales, the companies pay more taxes to the government. With more demand for products and services, the factories hire more workers to produce the highly salable products and deliver more services. With more employees, the government can collect more salary-based taxes. As proof, During the George W. Bush Presidency, the president was beset with an economic depression. To rehabilitate and improve the economic depression, President George W. Bush spearheaded permanent tax cuts. As expected, the President Bush Tax cuts increased the public’s purchasing power, rejuvenating the ailing economy (Mankiw, 2008). Getting the substance of the above discussion, the 1940s and later years’ tax cuts met the people’s increasing requests to reduce the high tax rates. The study indicates the importance of implementing the people’s demand for lower tax rates. The study proves that the 1940s and later years’ tax cuts benefit many parties, especially the United States government. Without a doubt, the comment stating the benefits have become popular in the United States during the 1940s when the United States Congress passed tax breaks for some business entities is

Cover Letter & Resume Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cover Letter & Resume - Assignment Example Additionally, I have participated in exchange programs in the years 2012 and 2007 in Miami-Dade College and Delegate of Nanjing Foreign Language School in Nanjing respectively. This means that am capable of co-ordinating several clients and sponsors despite their language. To add on, I worked as a marketing representative at Chu’s Chinese Restaurant from September 2011 to September 2012. I was also a mathematics Tutor from September 2012toDecember 2012. I worked as a sales vice president at Jiangsu GPRO Group Company from 2009 to 2010. Lastly, I was a full time intern at Bank of China New York branch. With the above experience I am able to design and conduct surveys, make marketing plans, solve company’s problems, create sales plans, market new products and make translations to foreign languages. Since the above duties are the general functions of a human resource manager, it means that I am qualified for the job (Beatty, 2004, 35). I will be liable to the customer’s plans and marketing plans. I will be the general overseer of the company’s proceedings. Thus my experience makes it easy for me to be a Human Resource Manager at your