Effective Teamwork Questionnaire Essay

Answer each question in 200 to 300 words, using specific information from the text, â€Å"Helping Annie†, â€Å"Team Building†, and â€Å"Building a Team of Talent† videos, and your research and experience. 1. What are the characteristics of effective teams? How will you ensure your collaborative team works effectively? Effective team are important, and their functions crucial to their success. I have found that clear goals, relaxed environment, open communication, and freedom to express ideas and feelings are great ways to ensure success. In the video â€Å"Helping Annie†, the dynamics of the team were lost due to lack of information, who was right and who could be trustworthy. When team members meet, they should feel as though they blend in with the group. They should feel a commitment to the goals and achievements to the group. What I know about groups are, that having valued diversity, defined roles, balanced participation, and cooperative relationships help with moving the group to a positive outcome. As a participative leader, as it is said in our eBook Working In Groups, â€Å"there is a balance of primary roles and when team members know their roles, work to their strengths, and actively manage weaknesses.† (Engleberg, 2013, p. 55). I will commit myself to ensuring I respect commitments, consistent communication to the group, collaborate, and contribute to the group’s goals and ideas with valuable information that helps in the decisions. I will also be aware of the group’s diversity, talents and dynamics. I bring knowledge of how to deal with problems, planning techniques and ways to improve myself within the group. 2. How will you deal with behavior that hurts your team’s objectives? With conflict in a group environment, I would handle it with respect, recognition, focused on accountability and be aware of unfulfilled needs of that particular team member. I would not reward the difficult behavior nor would I encourage the disruptive behavior. I believe that if you ignore it or â€Å"sweep it under the mat† it takes time, energy away from the group, and I  would want the group to resolve it quickly. I would make sure that I/we do not citizen or â€Å"brand† that person as a trouble maker. I would work together with the group and the individual and encourage each other to focus on the group’s interests and not individual’s position. It is also important to look for opportunities that encourage and empower each team member in the group. I would express a sensitive listening ear to uncover the root of the problem. Listing out the objectives to the individual and the group and reminding them why we are here and how to accomplish them Practicing direct communications, body language and clarifying questions helps resolve the situation and gives the group clarity to the behavior. In dealing with behavior that is disruptive to the group can be a challenge in itself, however it can be resolved with patients and a good listener. 3. What are your proactive processes to keep a team member up to date if he or she misses a meeting? What are your backup plans if things are not working on your team? There are several great ways to keep a team member up to date. Develop and cultivate easy ways to stay connected with those that miss. Face-to-Face and computer-mediated communications are great ways to reconnect and share ideas, goals and feelings. Face-to-Face provide excellent results in effectiveness, comprehension, and gives opportunities to be educated on the use of technology. It builds up respect, inclusion and grows your professional relationship with the team member and group. Update through venues such as emails, skyping, this can be challenging to coordinate, this provides another source of information. This can save time, money and bring the meeting/information to others that live far away. When things do not work out as they are supposed to, I chose to take a moment and find out where things went areaway. Encourage others to share and discuss what happened and create new plans, goals that incorporate processes that help us stay on track. Back up plans help in always being prepared for when things don’t just right. When setting up your backup plans, tap into the group and find team members that have knowledge and expertise in planning. As I use this, it will set up the entire team in a supportive and positive atmosphere. 4. How will you use technology to support your team’s efforts? What are some  questions you should ask? Working with technology has made it easier to communicate, track the individuals / groups progress and increasing productivity. With using an assortment of media platforms such as emails, Skype, video conferencing,instant messaging, and facetalk. These software programs can assist in better group communication, making decisions, and discussing issues easily. I will educate, create a â€Å"how to† of resources that will include information on each media platform. I would bring the group together in collaboration to see where they are with technology and create a smaller group to assist in the training. As new technology is made available, have continued training and education of the group as to stay current with technology. As with new technology always assessing the software, cell phones, computers, servers and other products are current. This will produce a group that is collaborating, productive, which will benefit the company and group. Asking questions is a great way to understand and know your group. With technology, it is important to find out what media platforms the group are already using. I would also ask how can we stay on task with these different media platforms and which ones work best for the group. Stay consistent with the goal/ objective and have a group that through technology use, becomes one unit! 5. Is your team more task-focused or relationship-focused? Why? What are the implications to your team? I find that our group is a mixture of both task-focused and relationship-focused. I have seen just in the last class that we all want to succeed and grow from each others experience. With having the mixture of the two, the work is defined, and roles expected. There are structures in place; a plan devised and we are organized to meet our tasks. As the group continues to work together, there is a supportive, motivating, and collaborating group. We are concerned with each person ideas, thoughts and actions. With these two types of people in the group, we can be productive, accomplish a lot and have a good time in doing it. Although with task-focused or relationship-focused, set up activities and follow up and follow through. With tasks, you can do it with encouragement and empower each team member to always do their best. Through the recommendations from our text this week, have an agenda, plan out your tasks, involve each team member, listen, and encourage them. By engaging  your team, you can meet the challenges of business head on and with seasoned team members involved you can pull from their experiences and knowledge. They will become confident, learning new skills and lead successful change. REFERENCES Engleberg, Isa. (2013). WorkinWorking in Groups: Communication Principles and Strategies, Sixth Edition, by Isa N. Engleberg and Dianna R. Wynn. Published by Pearson.g in Groups: Communication Principles and Strategies, Sixth Edition, by Isa N. Engleberg and Dianna R. Wynn. Published by Pearson. (6th ed.). : Pearson.

Abduction Is a Short Story by Shelagh Delaney

Abduction is a short story by Shelagh Delaney, it is a story about misunderstanding the concept of love. However it is also a story about, misunderstanding or not looking for the needs of the ones we love. Abduction is the title, and it refers to the way, that Ann abducts her sixteen year old younger brother from their parents, and brings him to london. Ann is a woman who always new, what she wanted: â€Å"She couldn't get out of Manchester quick enough. Although she'd been born and brought up there it had never been good enough. There was only one place worth living.London. † (p. 1, ll. 24) Ann moved and never looked back, except from the one time, where she came to take her younger brother to live with her in London. There can be many reasons why Ann felt the need to take him away from his home, but all in all she has a very strong need to look after someone, and control their life. Considering the fact, that she is working at a children's hospital, may give the impression, that she would want to have kids on her own, but that is not the case. Already when she was a young woman, she was sterilized.It is a bit of a mystery, because while she loved kids, she did not want any of her own. For her it was more easy to become a mother to her younger brother. Therefore she spoiled him with money, and never gave him have a life of his own. When he gets a girlfriend, who also become pregnant, Ann tells them to get an abortion, and they do what she says. Ann's younger brother's girlfriend points out to him, that there is something wrong between the two siblings: â€Å"She's more like a possessive mother than a sister,† She told him. â€Å"Are you sure you're not really her baby? † (pp, 4. ll, 81).This is said because Ann's behavior is more appropriate for a mother than a sister, because as his sister, she should not take the mothers part in the upbringing. As mentioned before Ann spoils her brother with money. She gives him, what she believes he wan ts, and he is too week to tell her, that what she is doing is wrong. When he graduates from college, (where he had studied media, which he actually despised, but did for his sister sake), Ann provide him with a job, which of course leads to Ann giving him a lot of new and expensive close, he never wanted. After that day, he immediately changed to his belongings from his birth house.Ann's brother married Marianne, the girl who got an abortion, she gets pregnant again, and this time, they keep the child. After Marianne has given birth to their child, Ann transfers her own sense to the child, and spoils it with money, even though the parents tell her to stop. After some years Ann's brother start to drink, and become an alcoholic. Marianne tries to help him, but she decides to divorce him. He moves back to Ann, and they are back were they were before the marriage. This is very satisfying for Ann, because now she can control her brother, the way she like.Again she can spoil him with mone y, and give him the things, she think he wants. He says that he does not want her to spend the money, but she answer him back that it is only money, and that is what they are for. The money she gives him, is her way of expressing her love to the brother. She never think that maybe he wants something totally different, he wants feelings, wants someone to tell him that he exist for a reason. His alcoholism is according to Ann not existing, her brother can simply not have an alcohol problem. It is easy to see, that this is her brothers way of going against his sister.He has the need to do something against his sister, and make her realize, that she can not make him, something he is not. She can not make him wear clothes, he dislike, she can't change him, no matter how big an amount of money she gives him. His life is a mess, he is in a deep alcoholism, even though he loves his child and ex-wife. â€Å"He'd wanted to run away then, run back home to his mother and father. Was it possibl e to start all over again? † (pp, 4. ll, 119) Ann is very controlling, she wants him to stay week, so she drags him back into alcoholism, she thinks that she has all the right answers.That her mother and father was in no condition to raise a child, that she could do it better herself, but all she ever did was doing it the wrong way. Money can not replace true feelings, it can not replace the love between to humans, money can never make a person happy, and it did not make her brother happy, it killed him. Both the picture by Edward Munch, and the text by D. H. Lawrence is about women controlling their men. In the painting, a woman encloses a man with her hair, he is in her power. She has the power to control him. The man in he picture has a very sad look in his eyes, as if he nows that he does not have the power to get out of her grip. In the text a man is describing how his girlfriend is very possessive and wants to control him. â€Å"She had such a lust for possession, a gre ed of self-importance in love†(pp. 6, ll. 7). This painting and the text are both very similar to the themes in the short story. They both surrounds the topic of women being dominant, and wanting to control the men, just like Ann's needs to control her younger brother. Fiction and non-fiction is two very different ways of writing.In fiction you can write anything that comes to you mind, there are no specific rules that inquirer you to do something certain. A fiction story can be very unrealistic, but also very realistic. When looking at the short story Abduction, it is quickly discovered that it is a fiction story. To start with it has a third person narrator. In fiction a narrator can write down the characters thoughts, and him or her, can be very subjective: â€Å"The first time he left his sister's house for the office he felt like a fool togged up in a black cashmere and silk shirts†(pp. 3, ll. 8). Non-fiction on the other hand is submitted rules, in non-fiction you have to stay as objective as possible. Personal thoughts are not to prefer, the writer is telling the story as it happened, him or her is passing on valuable information, and that information has to be unbiased. â€Å"Alfred Adler observed that there was an innate â€Å"drive for power an superiority† that was evidenced in sibling rivalry†(pp. 8, ll. 1) Alfred is observing something, and these observations can be used to conclude something. That would not have been the case, if the text had been fiction.

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 4

Marketing - Essay Example In additional, traditional techniques such as billboards and catalogues are also recommended. Apart from that modern techniques such as social media advertisement, in store promotion are also recommended pt the company. With such approaches it is expected that Trung Nguyen will be able to reach a good position in UK coffee industry. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 The plan 5 Conclusion 11 Appendix 12 Bibliography 14 Introduction It has been recommended that a strategy of franchising is undertaken in importing Vietnamese coffee to the UK market. The prime intention is operate effectively in the UK market and pursue development and focus strategy. On the basis of this a promotional plan has been developed which considers the use of different type of promotional activities such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations and sponsorships. It has been suggested that the in UK market promotional activities such as advertising in magazines and newspapers, broadca sting advertising including television, radio, billboards and catalogues are useful. In addition, it was also suggested that the company should also use social networking websites to promote the product in the UK market. Furthermore, Trung Nguyen Coffee also intends to influence and persuade buy their offerings through premium and discounts coupons, offering samples to show the distinct advantages of fresh coffee and a website that provides information about the company (Trung Nguyen Company, 2013). It is believed that the suggested strategy almost covers all the aspects of marketing and if properly implemented can provide the company with good results. Hence, the recommend strategy is accepted and a promotional plan for the same will be developed through this project. This study will now present a promotional plan which is to be undertaken by Trung Nguyen to promote their product. The promotional plan is responsible for creating awareness about Vietnamese coffee. Hence for this pur pose, this paper will first shed light on the target market for the product and will also underline the way of promoting, selling and distributing the product. A SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound) objective will be also developed to ensure effective implementation of the promotional plan. Furthermore, a rough budget and a timeline for the entire promotional plan will be developed. Lastly, an overall conclusion will be drawn. The plan Target Market It is essential to define the target market clearly in order to develop an effective promotional plan (Hollensen, 2007). It was recommended to the company that they should target niche market segment, especially because other established players such as Starbucks, Costa and Nestle are highly competitive. Moreover, being a new player, it will be difficult for the company to compete with them on a large scale. This is the reason why the company is recommended to cater to specific sections of the society. Trung Ng uyen has been recommended with two different target segments. The first one is people who work and study like wringing professional, students and the second group is the coffee lovers. Target Group 1 Students and Working Professions Target Group 2 Coffee Lovers Product Distribution The distribution of products is another important activity of marketing. There are number of cases where a good product has failed sustain in the market due to poor

At least four general characteristics of materials handling contribute Essay

At least four general characteristics of materials handling contribute to its intrinsic hazard potential. Name and explain four such characteristics - Essay Example In general lack of operational control may increase the scope of intrinsic hazards as it may cause either cause damage either to the operator, the fellow workers or the environment in varied combinations and extremities. Non-Identification of Hazardous Materials: The proper identification and description of the extent of the risk posed by a hazardous material must be well aware to the person handling it. Any lacuna in this would proportionally increase the intrinsic hazard potential of the material. Handling procedures including details on the hazard levels and risks posed must be studied in detail before handling the material Continued exposure of Hazardous materials: If hazardous materials with are not isolated and demarcated, it may lead to uncontrolled exposure of the same to the people handling it which would contribute to the increase of its potential risk. Thus such materials must be isolated and made to be handled by trained persons Personal Safety Equipments: The proper use of Personal Safety Equipments like gloves, goggles, safety shoes, work coat, sunscreen is very important to avert the risk posed by hazardous materials. Improper use of these or not using these while handling a hazardous material increases the intrinsic hazard potential of the

A study on John Calvin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A study on John Calvin - Research Paper Example His father's intention was to bring his sons to the priesthood. John turned out to be smarter and more quick-minded than his brothers, and by the age of twelve he already served as bishop's clerk. Furthermore, Gerard Cauvin managed to engraft John into the home of one of the best Noyon families, the Montmors where he "received a more thorough classical grounding, and acquired a polish of manners to which he must ever have remained a stranger had he grown up under his father's humble roof"3. The Montmors helped John get enrolled at the Collge de la Marche in Paris, a school where he took his first formal studies4. Upon finishing the school in 1525, Calvin entered philosophy faculty of the Collge de Montaigu, the second of Paris' two universities in those days (Sorbonne was the first one)5. At the university, John focused on the study of philosophy and logic for BA and MA degrees. The discipline practiced by Calvin's tutors was literally iron while the schedule was exceptionally tough. Thus, a typical day began at four o'clock in the morning, and the first lecture lasted until six. However, Calvin was so intent on studying his majors that missed mealtime and even "long after others were locked in sleep, he was still awake; he would be pouring over the pages of schoolman or Father until far into the morning"6. Despite impressive progress made by John in his philosophic endeavou... Despite his personal reluctance, Calvin obeyed his father and spent three years studying law from brightest lawyers of those days, Pierre de L'Estoile. In 1529, John entered the University of Bourges to continue his legal education. It was there that Calvin became interested in the ideas of Andreas Alciati, an outstanding humanist lawyer. During his one and a half years in the University Calving learned Greek which was necessary for reading and studying the New Testament8. During the period 1529 and 1533, Calving focused upon studying Greek, Hebrew and theology. It was here too that his prowess as an evangelist and teacher of theology was first recognized. God-fearing, harassed Protestants in the city clamored for his refreshing exposition of Scripture. Almost daily, men and women were "added to the church" as a result of the visits of Calvin to humble homes in the city. Before him stretched, he was convinced, a vast and profitable field for labor9. By 1532, Calvin received his diploma in law and published his first work, which was a commentary on Seneca's De Clementia. The year of 1533 saw gradually increasing tensions at the Collge Royal between the humanist/reformist and conservative wings of faculty members. Rector of the University, Nicolas Cop, represented the humanist wing and on 1 November 1533 he delivered his inaugural address emphasizing the need for reformation and renovation of the Catholic Church. Entitled "Christian Philosophy", the address included a scholarly statement of the doctrines of grace and immediately produced huge effect in the city. After Cop's speech, Catholic priests left the university hall muttering "Grace, pardon of God, Holy Spirit; that's all this speech is filled with. Nothing about

Safety management Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Safety management - Lab Report Example This study’s core focus encompasses thermal stress, which is exchange of heat with an ambient environment from a radiating body. However, this phenomenon may differ significantly based on varied factors besides location, which are climatic conditions, work demand and clothing. Hence, influencing workers’ conduct especially if they are working in a closed or poorly ventilated place to the extent some may exhibit irritability, working slowly or taking persistent breaks to go out where conditions are favorable. Therefore, the knowledge of this phenomenon is essential to engineers and other related experts in structural engineering when designing appropriate buildings in quest of installing proper ventilations. In this experiment, interval for elevation of temperature was at least 10 minutes in order to allow even distribution of heat and for the used equipments to stabilize for better results. Obtaining of the required results entailed measuring of both WBGTin and WBGTout coupled with tabulating them in a table for later comparisons when giving deductions. Hence, compare them though in ascertaining the premise of this experiment divergence will not show big margins. This experiment seeks to compare the two equipments’ accuracies based on their results. After having obtained the required materials and equipments required for this experiment, the second step was to set up the entire structure as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. This is to ensure after the commencement of the experiment observations are easy and devoid of errors in case of any incorrect setting of respective equipments or apparatus. Once the setting was complete, out of fifteen students they were to observed resulting data but in groups. These were to read varied temperatures quantities and recording them correctly after they have come to a consensus that they had taken respective readings accurately. The insistence of correctness in this experiment was to ensure its results do not minimum

Describe the current Australian economic situation and support your Assignment

Describe the current Australian economic situation and support your claims - Assignment Example Introduction Global Economy is experiencing one of its worst phases of history because of the widespread economic downturn. What started with the subprime mortgage crisis has now created widespread economic panic which has even resulted into the downgrade of credit ratings of the largest economy of the world. The emerging sovereign debt crisis has exposed many governments’ ability to maintain a sustainable level of debt. The Euro Zone is actively looking for new ways and means to support economies like Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy to avert their sovereign default. Considering such situation, the overall growth prospects for the world economy are suggesting a stagnant growth rate of approximately 4.5% for current year and for the year 2012 and 2013. Australian Economy however, despite such downturn managed to achieve reasonable growth rates as well as better economic performance. Growth during 2010 and 2011 remained healthy despite the fact that country faced harsh weather co nditions which slowed down economic growth. Real GDP increased by 2.7% as on Dec 2010 however, growth in household consumption remained low. It is important to note that there is a gradual increase in the inflation owing to rise in the food prices. (BBC, 2011). Increasing inflation level therefore may erode the overall economic growth of the country if it is not able to control inflation levels. The recent statistics for the unemployment level also suggest that the overall level of unemployment is increasing in the country. Figures for July 2011 suggested an unemployment rate of 5.1% which seem to have surprised many. (Zappone, 2011). Current Economic Situation in Australia As discussed above that economy of Australia posted improved performance when world was witnessing economic and financial turmoil. However, the recent data suggests that the overall economic situation may not sustain for long as there is a gradual increase in the level of inflation as well as the unemployment lev el. The overall cash rate i.e. the rate offered by Reserve Bank of Australia is held at 4.75% however, there are indications that the overall rate may further be increased due to rising inflation level. (RBA, 2011). Higher interest rates prevailing in the economy may be due to the fact that the Australia may be looking for to ensure that the inflation remain within control. The recent monetary policy issued by the central bank of the country suggests that the increase in the level of unemployment has slowed down however; it is still increasing thus causing important repercussions for the Australian economy. It is also important to understand that the overall industrial wages are also increasing in the economy thus increasing the overall burden on the firms in terms of their overall variable costs. It has also been suggested that the overall fiscal policy is being exercised in contractionary mode thus creating an environment where the demand for government purchase of goods and servi ce may decline. Such contraction therefore may result into the reduction in the overall aggregate demand in the economy and thus reduce the overall growth rates. The current performance of the economy therefore may witness further decline in the future. Important Factors One of the key challenges faced by reserve bank is the declining consumer activity within the economy. The lack of domestic demand therefore may be one of the key economic variables

INTERPROFESSIONAL WORKING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

INTERPROFESSIONAL WORKING - Essay Example Any illness or medical condition always worsens with the advancement of age, and thus it is very necessary that the patients should be given proper treatment as and when the time is abundant. But while looking at the case study of Mrs. Ivy, it is hard not to notice the negligence of various authorities and the mention of lexis such as â€Å"waiting list† and â€Å"Social services would not get involved without proper†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Selfishness is really a very amazing temperament of a human being – My point being, since Mrs. Ivy needed tremendous care and a supervisory body while she developed her Dementia, her daughter should have let Mrs. Ivy stay at her home rather than looking for a flat or government’s care centers. And there is not a mention of what her son did for her after the part that â€Å"he lives far away†. A person can not always expect the government to stand by their ‘parent’s’ side at their time of need. After all, it is logical to say, that the government can not possibly cater all the dying people. We as humans should also realize our responsibility and thus her children should have favored her to stay with either one of them. The government of Britain has set up various trusts and policies to help the elderly (particularly with mental problems such as Alzheimer, Dementia, etc. Some of the current active policies are as follows: As Mr. Tisdall notes in his book â€Å"Children, Young people and social inclusion: Participation for What?† (2006), the chief motive behind this policy states that it is really hard for children of mentally disabled parents to cope up with their parents, economic conditions and personal lives. Therefore, the government has set up this program to help the mentally disabled parents of such children to pass along the troubled times. This program by the government is basically focused on health related issues of asylums, refugees, minorities, and

My first college experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My first college experience - Essay Example I was nervous as well as excited about this initiation of this new chapter in my life. I enrolled in college and I adapted to my new surroundings very happily and I have learnt many important things which will be of assistance to me in my future. I took admission in Paris Junior College in Sulphur Springs Texas last semester to follow my dream of becoming a nurse. I was anxious about this new beginning and I thought that things would be really complicated and difficult for me to deal with. I thought that I would face communication problems with my colleagues as I was not aware what kind of language would be used in college. When I joined college, I realized that it was a totally new atmosphere for me and I started liking the new environment that I was in. I tried to grasp as much information as I could from my surroundings. Things were not as difficult as I had expected them to be. I could easily coordinate and communicate with my colleagues and I realized that the college served to provide a very healthy and welcoming atmosphere. Education was my first priority and my entrance into college motivated me further to work hard and give my attention to my studies. I found myself studying in a class amongst students who are much junior to me in age. These teenagers made me realize of my maturity and experience in life. I realized that I held much greater respect for my teachers and there was a strong dedication within me towards my studies. Being in college has made me appreciate the importance that education holds in the life of a person. It has provided me with the satisfaction that I am working towards the achievement of my goal. My first college experience has provided me with a sense of maturity and I realize the importance of knowledge and goals in the life of a person. I study in college and look forward to completing my education in the best possible manner. I am aware of the fact that I

An Honourable Policy Pursued by Honourable Men Essay Example for Free

An Honourable Policy Pursued by Honourable Men Essay When Neville Chamberlain came to power in 1937, he was left with the problems of Nazi Germany to deal with. Chamberlain stuck to a policy of appeasement, making peace in Europe his main aim. He went to new lengths to try and prevent war, such as flying to Germany and discuss problems in person (shuttle diplomacy) which had not been done before. For his efforts in trying to keep the peace, perhaps Chamberlain was an honourable man. However there were weaknesses to his approach, such as his arrogance in refusing to listen to his Foreign Secretary Eden, which may be important factors to why appeasement inevitably failed. If not honourable, then appeasement was certainly a logical policy to undergo initially. Not only was Great Britain economically unprepared for a war, but the vast majority of British people did not want another war. World War I was said to be the war to end all wars, so preventing another war was certainly a logical decision, perhaps even a moral one. At this time there was also unrest in the Far East involving Britains colonies. Britain was certainly not in the position to get involved in conflicts in the far east and in Europe. Neville Chamberlain said himself; war wins nothing, cures nothing, ends nothing, therefore appeasement seemed the most obvious solution. As a politician Chamberlain had his strengths. From the outset he never did trust Hitler or Mussolini, which means he was not totally unaware of their danger. Had Chamberlain made decisions involving Hitler or Mussolini without being aware of their aggressive natures, he would undoubtedly have been a naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve and somewhat stupid politician. However he was careful in his decision-making and made it clear how little he trusted Hitler. Chamberlain also surrounded himself with people he knew, and who supported his ideas. His original foreign secretary, Eden, did not agree with Chamberlains approach, and they did not get on. Chamberlain put his faith in someone he knew, Lord Halifax, to partake in diplomatic talks with Hitler in Germany instead of Eden. Although this was undermining Eden, it could be argued that without full support, a government is essentially weak. Having a weak government at this time would be just the thing Hitler would look for. Therefore Chamberlain was not wrong to ensure he had a team of people all working toward the same goal. Chamberlains Plan Z is definitely commendable, as it shows the lengths he went to, to work out Hitlers plans and try and keep the peace. Chamberlain flew to meet Hitler in Berchtesgaden which had not been done before in British politics. Hitler wanted to reclaim the Sudeten land, and Chamberlain agreed. Although some critics would view this as giving in and encouraging Hitler to make more demands, in the short term it was a good decision. Very few people were prepared to go to war over the Sudeten land, including France who even had an alliance with Czechoslovakia. The reality of it was that the Sudeten land was a predominantly German area, and had originally been part of Germany until the Treaty of Versailles. Most people living in the Sudation land actually wanted to be part of Germany again too. Therefore most people believed it was rightfully Germanys anyway, and giving the Sudeten land to Hitler was a far more logical decision than going to war over it. When Chamberlain returned from Germany after his third visit, he returned with a signed agreement saying that Germany and Britain did not want to go to war with one another again. At the time, Chamberlain was seen as a hero, and in the short term, he was, as he had managed to prevent war from breaking out again. Chamberlain stuck to his view on preventing war, despite making alliances which would suggest otherwise. Britains alliance with Poland can be seen as honourable as it was not only promising to protect Poland if it were to be invaded, but instead of encouraging war, it acted as a deter to Hitler. Although appeasement eventually failed, Neville Chamberlain was certainly honourable in his efforts to try and keep the peace in Europe. However, there were definite weaknesses to Chamberlains character and some of his actions. Although Chamberlain made clear how little he trusted Hitler, there were certain incidents which should have shown him that Hitler was unappeasable. Even before Chamberlain came to power, Hitler made clear he was more than a little untrustworthy when Eden in 1936, sent him a questionnaire asking him on his exact terms and demands in Europe, and Hitler never replied. Hitler and Mussolini later together helped in the Spanish Civil War to bomb certain cities, which would look more like practice for a later war as opposed to the actions of men interested in appeasement. In 1937, when Eden said that Germany could chose between co-operation and force, and should they choose co-operation there is nobody in this country that would not assist whole-heartedly to remove misunderstandings, Hitler replied This is not possible until Germany is treated equally. By equality Hitler probably meant scrapping all the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. This response shows that Hitler was not interested in peace, but fighting for what he wanted, which should have shown Chamberlain he was not interested in appeasement. Maybe this should have made Chamberlain realise that appeasement was a weak policy where Hitler was concerned. Perhaps the most alarming indication that Hitler was unappeasable was the fact that he signed the Munich agreement without reading it through thoroughly. Instead of making Chamberlain notice how insignificant this therefore made the Munich agreement, he returned to Britain as a hero. This makes Chamberlain seem much more of a naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve politician than an honourable one. Instead of pursuing with appeasement when Hitler seemed less than dedicated to it, Chamberlain should have concentrated more on rearmament and gaining allies in preparation for a war which was imminent. Chamberlain was right to an extent to surround himself with people willing to work towards the same goals, and who believed in the same as him, as without this a government is essentially a weak one. However Chamberlain was not willing to listen to opinions of people that disagreed with his in any way. This is a weakness for any politician, as politicians need to work together and point out possible improvements in each others ideas. Chamberlain was not honourable in sidelining his foreign secretary Eden, as this was a sly move. Eden was interested in making allies, whereas Chamberlain was interested in lessening enemies. Instead of listening to each other and coming to a compromise, Chamberlain deliberately undermined Eden when he sent his close friend Lord Halifax to Germany for diplomatic talks with Hitler. Not only did he fail to consult Eden on this matter, but it was Edens job as a foreign secretary to have talks with Hitler, not Halifaxs. Halifax was more of a civil servant than a politician as were many of the men in Chamberlains cabinet. Halifax even failed to recognise Hitler when he met him. This was therefore not only a sly decision to make, but also a foolhardy one, which could have ended disastrously, as Halifax did not have the skills or knowledge that Eden had. This shows Chamberlain in a far less honourable light. Both Chamberlain and Eden showed how childish and unprofessional they were when they had a meeting with Grandi, and quite openly rowed to the extent that the following day, Eden resigned. If Chamberlain had any integrity he would have at least have spoken to Eden in private and tried to find a compromise. Showing a public display of discontentment within the British government could also have made Britain look weak, as so an easy target of Hitler and Mussolini. Chamberlain and Eden both wanted what they believed was best for Britain, however Chamberlain was arrogant in his refusal to listen to Edens professional opinion. As the two of them were unable to come to any agreement, this shows how stubborn they both were, or at least how arrogant Chamberlain was in not listening to his own foreign secretary and effectively forcing him out of office. Another foolish and somewhat arrogant decision Chamberlain made, was to refuse to partake in an international conference proposed by President Roosevelt of the USA. This conference was designed to try and solve the current problems and unrest in Europe. However Chamberlain believed the only thing that Britain could rely on from the USA was words. However Chamberlains response was instantly dismissive which could have proved dangerous as the USA was a strong ally to have. Chamberlain was against the idea of America taking the credit for solving the problems in Europe, which at this time was a rather childish attitude to take, as preventing a dictator from causing a second full-scale war was a far more pressing issue than a battle of reputations and pride. As Stanley Baldwin rightly said, Chamberlain had a naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve confidence in his own judgement and powers or persuasion. This shows how Chamberlain was not entirely honourable. Many see. the policy of appeasement as a failure as Hitler seemed the character to fight for what he wanted, not have it given to him. Perhaps the policy of appeasement made him even more aggressive, as Hitler did not want to negotiate terms on land which he believed was rightfully his. Chamberlain seemed to go out of his way to accommodate Hitlers demands, which some believe encouraged Hitler to make new demands. Many believe the Munich agreement was a disaster, as Hitler could have been stopped if Britain had declared war in 1938. Chamberlain also failed to build a Grand Alliance between the USSR and USA. Hitler failed to take appeasement seriously, but nobody could be expected to when Chamberlain signed an alliance with Poland, as this shows even he was getting prepared for war. Appeasement was certainly an honourable policy to the extent that it was a moral and ethical one, as it was designed to prevent war. It is easy to use hindsight to discredit Chamberlains attempts, as war inevitably did break out in 1939. However he went to new lengths, such as shuttle diplomacy, to negotiate with Hitler, who was a difficult man to work with as Chamberlain admitted. Perhaps Hitler was always the stronger character and politician, who was determined to fight for his beliefs, not have things given to him, which could be why appeasement failed. However, Chamberlains attitude towards his foreign secretary Eden was incredibly arrogant. Had he worked with Eden, ensuring they built strong allies such as the USA, this could have deterred Hitler from declaring war. This shows how Chamberlain allowed pride and reputation to dictate his politics and diplomacy. Chamberlain gave Hitler too much leeway, and should have realised sooner that Hitler was not interested in appeasement, but war. Therefore he should have put more into rearmament and ally-building sooner. Chamberlain showed great honour in his determination to try and prevent war, and in essence appeasement was an honourable policy. However appeasement was obviously failing as Hitler made more and more demands, which somehow defeats its honour. Neville Chamberlain had serious flaws to his character and dealings with appeasement which too took away from his honour, as did his and Edens approaches toward each other. Therefore initially appeasement was honourable, as was Chamberlain for pursuing it, but both began to lose their honour when appeasement was obviously failing, and Chamberlain was leading through naivety and over-confidence in his own judgement and powers of persuasion.

The Three Main Goals Of Research Psychology Essay

The Three Main Goals Of Research Psychology Essay Research is the examination of a particular topic using a diversity of reliable, scholarly resources. The three main goals of research are establishing facts, analyzing information, and reaching new conclusions. The three main actions of doing research are searching for, reviewing, and assessing information. This KAM will examine the different research paradigms available for my study. The paradigms will be compared and contrasted against other research methods that are available in order to determine which the best methods to use are. There are many different paradigms available which include: the positivist/empiricist view, the constructivist/naturalist worldview and the pragmatic model. Abstract Depth There are many research paradigms and research methods available to be used by researchers depending on the nature of the study that is being undertaken. This thesis paper on the depth component explores the strengths and weaknesses of each paradigm and outlines the key research methods that can used to ensure successful use of the approach. The depth portion will include the traditional annotated bibliography addressing the research paradigms and their use in accounting research. This report employs secondary research on the internet and most of the information gleaned is from the content and literature. Additionally this paper lays the grounds for further research in research methods and their uses. Abstract Application In the application section both the breadth and depth will be brought together with other research in regards to developing or discussing uses of the different research paradigms. The breadth section of this thesis paper will lay out in detail all of the available research paradigms and how the relate to accounting research. When looking at these paradigms this paper will try to focus on the one that will be chosen for my research, and how it compares and contrasts to the rest. This paper will particularly detail the chosen research paradigm and how it relates to the concept of auditing practices and their effects on the corporate governance of a company with a conceptual focus on international accounting principles. This report employs secondary research on the internet and most of the information gleaned is from the content and literature from non-profit organizational case studies, applications and on-going research on auditing practices on an international level. Breadth Section Organizations use research, especially in market research activities. Market research is used to identify potential markets, the needs and wants of each, how those needs and wants can be met, how products and services could be packaged to be most accessible to customers and clients, the best pricing for those products and services, who the competitors are and how best to complete against each, potential collaborators and how to collaborate with each and many other applications of research. Organizations can conduct this research without having to have advanced skills (Free Management Library, n.d.). Academic research is research and development (RD) undertaken in the higher education sector, including universities, polytechnics, etc., and research centres that have close links with higher education institutions. Higher education research has grown during the past 20 years. Between 1981 and 2003, the share of RD carried out by the higher education sector increased from 14.5% to 17.4% of the total RD effortà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Vincent-Lancrin, 2006, p. 170). Drivers of this growth include professionalization of the academic profession (including specialization and standardization of the trade), the importance of the quantitative research output in academic career paths and the emergence of strong external incentives to publish following the introduction of research assessment exercises in several countries. The well-known publish or perish rule is rather recent (Vincent-Lancrin, 2006). Research Paradigms A paradigm offers a theoretical framework for seeing and making sense of the social world. The implication of paradigms is that they shape how one sees the world and are reinforced by those around us and the community of practitioners. Contained by the research process the attitudes a researcher holds will reflect in the manner they research is planned, how data is both gathered and analyzed and how research results are presented. For the researcher it is significant to distinguish their paradigm, it permits them to identify their role in the research process, decide on the course of any research project and differentiate other perspectives (Methodology, n.d.). There are numerous research paradigms that are used across and within different disciplines. These include (a) the positivist/empiricist view, which supports the use of quantitative methods, (b) the constructivist/naturalist worldview, which supports the use of qualitative methods, and (c) the pragmatic model, which supports the use of quantitative, qualitative, or a combination or mix of both methods (Tashakkori Teddlie, 1998). Other paradigms that will be looked at in this paper include post-positivism and interpretivist view. Paradigms guide how we make decisions and carry out research. As a researcher, it is important to know where ones discipline belongs, that there are different ways of viewing the world and that ones approach to knowledge is one of many. Paradigms can be characterized through their: ontology (What is reality?), epistemology (How do you know something?) and methodology (How do go about finding out?). These characteristics create a holistic view of how people view knowledge: how they see themselves in relation to this knowledge and the methodological strategies they use to discover it (What is your paradigm, n.d.). Positivist/empiricist View The positivist paradigm of exploring social reality is based on the philosophical ideas of the French Philosopher August Comte. According to him, observation and reason are the best means of understanding human behaviour; true knowledge is based on experiences of sense can be obtained by observation and experiment. At the ontological level positivists assume that the reality is objectively given and is measurable using properties what are independent of the research and his or her instruments; in other words, knowledge is objective and quantifiable. Positivistic thinkers adopt scientific methods and systemize the knowledge generation process with the help of quantification to enhance precision in the description of parameters and the relationship among them. Positivism is concerned with uncovering truth and presenting it by empirical means (Research Methodology and Design, n.d.). Using scientific method and language to investigate and write about human experience is supposed to keep the research free of the values, passions, politics and ideology of the researcher. This approach to research is called positivist, or positivist-empiricist and it is the dominant one in social research. Positivist researchers believe that they can reach a full understanding based on experiment and observation. Concepts and knowledge are held to be the product of straightforward experience, interpreted through rational deduction (Ryan, n.d.). According to the positivist epistemology, science is seen as the way to get at truth, to understand the world well enough so that it might be predicted and controlled. The world and the universe are deterministic; they operate by laws of cause and effect that are discernable if we apply the unique approach of the scientific method. Thus, science is largely a mechanistic or mechanical affair in positivism. Deductive reasoning is used to postulate theories that can be tested. Based on the results of studies, we may learn that a theory does not fit the facts well and so the theory must be revised to better predict reality. The positivists believe in empiricism, the idea that observation and measurement are at the core of the scientific endeavor. The key approach of the scientific method is the experiment, the attempt to discern natural laws through direct manipulation and observation (Krauss, 2005). The social scientist must study social phenomena in the same state of mind as the physicist, chemist or physiologist when he probes into a still unexplored region of the scientific domain. Objectivity is then defined by being the same as that of natural science and social life may be explained in the same way as natural phenomena. This tradition may therefore be characterized in terms of the prediction and explanation of the behaviour of phenomena and the pursuit of objectivity, which is defined as the researchers detachment from the topic under investigation. The results of research using this method of investigation are then said to produce a set of true, precise and wide-ranging laws (known as covering laws) of human behaviour. We would then be able to generalize from our observations on social phenomena to make statements about the behaviour of the population as a whole. Positivism thus explains human behaviour in terms of cause and effect and data must then be collected on the s ocial environment and peoples reactions to it (May, 2001). In its broadest sense, positivism is a rejection of metaphysics. It is a position that holds that the goal of knowledge is simply to describe the phenomena that we experience. The purpose of science is simply to stick to what we can observe and measure. Knowledge of anything beyond that, a positivist would hold, is impossible. predict how people will behave everything else in between (like what the person is thinking) is irrelevant because it cant be measured. Positivists believe that reality is stable and can be observed and described from an objective viewpoint, without interfering with the phenomena being studied. They contend that phenomena should be isolated and that observations should be repeatable. This often involves manipulation of reality with variations in only a single independent variable so as to identify regularities in, and to form relationships between, some of the constituent elements of the social world (Positivism Post-Positivism, 2006). In empiricism knowledge is only validated through sense experience, or in more recent versions through the surrogates of scientific instrumentation (which in the social sciences would include survey questionnaires and interview data). Its importance to scientific method in the natural and social sciences lies in the centrality of emphasis placed on empirical hypothesis testing. Thus if we formulate a hypothesis such as industrialization leads to worker alienation, this is only meaningful if it can be verified empirically; anything less is metaphysical speculation. Moreover empiricists (unlike realists) eschew claims of causal necessity, because (after Hume) it is maintained that although event A may precede event B in time, we cannot be sure A brought about B. In social science this principle is exemplified by the social survey where the strength and direction of association between variables is expressed, but no necessary function claimed (Williams, 2006). Post- Positivism Post-positivism is a wholesale rejection of the central tenets of positivism. A post-positivist might begin by recognizing that the way scientists think and work and the way we think in our everyday life are not distinctly different. Scientific reasoning and common sense reasoning are essentially the same process. There is no difference in kind between the two, only a difference in degree. Scientists, for example, follow specific procedures to assure that observations are verifiable, accurate and consistent. In everyday reasoning, we dont always proceed so carefully (Positivism Post-Positivism, 2006). Constructivist/Naturalist Worldview Constructionism is a perspective that considers facts, descriptions and other features of objective reality to be inescapably contingent and rhetorical. This is a more recent formulation of constructionism (without the social) which follows the traditional view of social constructionism as a perspective wherein people are seen as produced (constructed) through social interaction rather than through genetic programming and biological maturation (Hepburn, 2006). Naturalism is the hypothesis that the natural world is a closed system in the sense that nothing that is not a part of the natural world affects it. More simply, it is the denial of the existence of supernatural causes. In rejecting the reality of supernatural events, forces, or entities, naturalism is the antithesis of supernaturalism (Augustine, 2012). The naturalist or constructivist view says that knowledge is established through the meanings attached to the phenomena studied; researchers interact with the subjects of study to obtain data; inquiry changes both researcher and subject; and knowledge is context and time dependent (Krauss, 2005). Constructivists maintain that scientific knowledge is constructed by scientists and not discovered from the world. Constructivists argue that the concepts of science are mental constructs proposed in order to explain sensory experience. Another important tenet of Constructivist theory is that there is no single valid methodology in science, but rather a diversity of useful methods. Constructivism is opposed to positivism, which is a philosophy that holds that the only authentic knowledge is based on actual sense experience and what other individuals tell us is right and wrong (Guba Lincoln, 1994). Pragmatic View The pragmatic approach to science involves using the method which appears best suited to the research problem and not getting caught up in philosophical debates about which is the best approach. Pragmatic researchers therefore grant themselves the freedom to use any of the methods, techniques and procedures typically associated with quantitative or qualitative research. They recognize that every method has its limitations and that the different approaches can be complementary. The pragmatic approach to science involves using the method which appears best suited to the research problem and not getting caught up in philosophical debates about which is the best approach. Pragmatic researchers therefore grant themselves the freedom to use any of the methods, techniques and procedures typically associated with quantitative or qualitative research. They recognize that every method has its limitations and that the different approaches can be complementary. Being able to mix different approa ches has the advantages of enabling triangulation. Triangulation is a common feature of mixed methods studies. It involves, for example: the use of a variety of data sources (data triangulation) the use of several different researchers (investigator triangulation) the use of multiple perspectives to interpret the results (theory triangulation) the use of multiple methods to study a research problem (methodological triangulation) (The four main approaches, 2012). Research is a necessary ingredient for a knowledge-based society, which includes a knowledge-based economy and its growth. A professional publication process is indispensable for the dissemination of knowledge and the advancement of knowledge through further, innovative research. These goals of publishing are best reached by means of an open access publishing business model. It is essential that open access becomes the standard and does not remain the exception. Open access publishing should become a requirement for publicly funded research. In order to make open access publishing a success, the enthusiastic cooperation of the professional publishing companies active on the market is highly desirable (Engelend, 2011). Interpretivist View Interpretive researchers believe that reality consists of peoples subjective experience of the external world; thus, they may adopt an inter-subjective epistemology of the ontological belief that reality is socially constructed. Some believe that interpretivists are anti-foundationalists who believe that there is no single correct route or particular method to knowledge. It has also been argued that in the interpretive tradition there are no correct or incorrect theories. Instead, they should be judged according to how interesting they are to the researcher as well as those involved in the same areas. They attempt to derive their constructs from the field by an in-depth examination of the phenomenon of interest. Interpretivists assume that knowledge and meaning are acts of interpretation, hence there is no objective knowledge which is independent of thinking, reasoning humans (Research Methodology and Design, n.d.). The interpretivist research paradigm emphasizes qualitative research methods, which are flexible, context sensitive and largely concerned with understanding complex issues. Researchers widely debate how the trustworthiness of interpretivist research efforts is evaluated. Positivist researchers, who emphasize the issues of validity, reliability and generalizability, often regard qualitative research methods as unscientific. Several researchers suggest new criteria for evaluating qualitative enquiry and many different approaches to evaluating qualitative research have been discussed in the literature (Carcary, 2009). In the interpretivist paradigm, the researcher is not perceived as being entirely objective; rather he/she is a part of the research process. Interpretivism recognizes the difficulty in making research value-free and objective. In terms of this view, a single objective reality does not exist. The social world does not lend itself to being understood by physical-law-like rules. Multiple realities need to be considered. These include an external reality, which is what actually occurred in the physical world, and internal realities, which are subjective and unique to each individual. Because each situation is different, the researcher needs to delve below the surface of its details to understand the reality. The meaning derived by the researcher is a function of the circumstances, the people involved and the broad interrelationships in the situations being researched (Carcary, 2009). The interpretivist paradigm emphasizes qualitative research methods where words and pictures as opposed to numbers are used to describe situations. In qualitative research, the researcher is actively involved and attempts to understand and explain social phenomena in order to solve what Mason (2002:18) calls the intellectual puzzle. It relies on logical inference (Hinton et al, 2003) and is sensitive to the human situation as it involves dialogue with informants. In general, the researcher collects large quantities of detailed evidence. Thus, qualitative research may achieve depth and breadth. Further, qualitative methods are useful when the researcher focuses on the dynamics of the process and requires a deeper understanding of behaviour and the meaning and context of complex phenomena. It is the most appropriate approach for studying a wide range of social dimensions, while maintaining contextual focus (Mason, 2002). Conducting qualitative research requires considerable reflection on the researchers part, and the ability to make a critical assessment of informants comments. It involves debating the reasons for adopting a course of action, challenging ones own assumptions and recognizing how decisions shape the research study (Carcary, 2009). Once a paradigm for research is chosen one must then decide on which research methods to employee in order to conduct their research. There are three different types of research methods that are available to those who are undergoing research. These include: quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. These methods will now be explored in great detail throughout the rest of this paper. There have always been important differences between the research findings derived from quantitative research and those of qualitative research. The two methodologies have different approaches and their intended goals are not the same. In many ways, they also have competing visions of what constitutes truth. Despite these differences, however, the two methodologies often work in effective symbiosis with each other and each brings to the other a level of understanding that it would not otherwise achieve (Barnham, 2012). Quantitative Research Research involving the collection of data in numerical form for quantitative analysis. The numerical data can be durations, scores, counts of incidents, ratings, or scales. Quantitative data can be collected in either controlled or naturalistic environments, in laboratories or field studies, from special populations or from samples of the general population. The defining factor is that numbers result from the process, whether the initial data collection produced numerical values, or whether non-numerical values were subsequently converted to numbers as part of the analysis process, as in content analysis (Garwood, 2006). Quantitative research tends to be associated with the realist epistemology, the approach to knowledge that maintains that the real world exists, is directly knowable (although not necessarily at this moment) and that the real world causes our experiences. That is, real things exist, and these can be measured, and have numerical values assigned as an outcome measure, and these values are meaningful. These values can only be meaningful if researchers accept some of the criteria associated with the positivist standpoint (Garwood, 2006). Gaining numerical materials facilitates the measurement of variables and also allows statistical tests to be undertaken. For example, descriptive statistics can be used to illustrate and summarize findings, detect relationships between variables, as in correlation coefficient values, or inferential statistical analysis can be undertaken to establish the effects of different interventions, as in analysis of variance, analysis of covariance and multivariate analysis of variance. Interactions between variables can also be investigated within experimental designs and also as part of the analysis of data from surveys or secondary sources. Changes over time can be more easily tracked using quantitative methods, as measures of the same properties can be taken at several points during an intervention (Garwood, 2006). Quantitative studies provide data that can be expressed in numbers-thus, their name. Because the data is in a numeric form, we can apply statistical tests in making statements about the data. These include descriptive statistics like the mean, median, and standard deviation, but can also include inferential statistics like t-tests, ANOVAs, or multiple regression correlations (MRC). Statistical analysis lets us derive important facts from research data, including preference trends, differences between groups, and demographics (McClain, 2012). Quantitative research design is the standard experimental method of most scientific disciplines. These experiments are sometimes referred to as true science, and use traditional mathematical and statistical means to measure results conclusively. They are most commonly used by physical scientists, although social sciences, education and economics have been known to use this type of research. It is the opposite of qualitative research. Quantitative experiments all use a standard format, with a few minor inter-disciplinary differences, of generating a hypothesis to be proved or disproved. This hypothesis must be provable by mathematical and statistical means, and is the basis around which the whole experiment is designed. Randomization of any study groups is essential, and a control group should be included, wherever possible. A sound quantitative design should only manipulate one variable at a time, or statistical analysis becomes cumbersome and open to question. Ideally, the research should be constructed in a manner that allows others to repeat the experiment and obtain similar results (Shuttleworth, 2008). Qualitative Research Qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world. Qualitative research consists of a set of interpretive, mate ­rial practices that make the world visible. These practices transform the world. They turn the world into a series of representations, including field notes, interviews, conversations, photographs, record ­ings, and memos to the self. At this level, qualitative research involves an interpretive, naturalistic approach to the world. This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempt ­ing to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the mean ­ings people bring to them (Denzin Lincoln, 2011, p.3) Qualitative research is not a single set of theoretical principles, a single research strategy or a single method. It developed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, across a range of disciplines, on varied and sometimes conflicting philosophical and theoretical bases, including cultural anthropology, interpretive sociologies (such as symbolic interactionism), phenomenology and, more recently, hermeneutics, critical theory, feminism, post-colonial theory, cultural studies, post-structuralism and postmodernism. These diverse approaches inevitably give rise to substantial differences and disagreements about the nature of qualitative research, the role of the researcher, the use of various methods and the analysis of data (Sumner, 2006). However, qualitative research is often based upon interpretivism, constructivism and inductivism. It is concerned to explore the subjective meanings through which people interpret the world, the different ways in which reality is constructed (through language, images and cultural artifacts) in particular contexts. Social events and phenomena are understood from the perspective of the actors themselves, avoiding the imposition of the researchers own preconceptions and definitions. There is also often a concern with the exploration of change and flux in social relationships in context and over time (Sumner, 2006). The methods used in qualitative research, often in combination, are those which are open-ended (to explore participants interpretations) and which allow the collection of detailed information in a relatively close setting. These methods include depth interviewing, ethnography and participant observation, case studies, life histories, discourse analysis and conversational analysis. It is in the nature of qualitative research, with its emphasis on depth and detail of understanding and interpretation, that it is often small-scale or micro-level (Sumner, 2006). According to Glesne (2006), qualitative methods strive to understand some type of social phenomena through the perspectives of the individuals involved. Two major assumptions include a predisposition that reality is socially constructed and that the variables in a situation are highly complex, interwoven and difficult to measure. The purpose of such research is to contextualize, understand and interpret a situation. Typically, qualitative research begins with some type of inductive inquiry, resulting in a hypothesis or participant generated theory. The researcher is considered the main instrument in a setting that is as naturalistic as possible. The methods involved require a high level of descriptive writing and attention to detail. Moreover, a significant amount of time to collect and process the data is required. The researcher is directly involved with the research in a personal way. The various methodologies of qualitative inquiry allow a researcher to choose a strategy that is best suited for his or her purpose. Examples of qualitative research include ethnographies, grounded theory, case studies, phenomenologies and narratives (Designing a Qualitative Study, n.d.). Each methodology relies on specific protocols such as interviews, observations, content analysis, fieldwork, video and audio-taped transmissions, surveys or open-ended questionnaires. Data resulting from qualitative research should be thick in description, meaning that it go beyond surface explanation, expressing in-depth understanding not possible with quantitative methods. The methods of qualitative research are concerned with process, or how something occurs within the confines of the inquiry. The researcher constructs, analyzes and interprets data in a non-linear, non-chronological fashion (Szyjka, 2012). Participant Observation One of the most frequently used methods for qualitative data collection is participant observation, which is also one of the most challenging. It necessitates that the researcher become a member of the culture or context that is being observed. The literature on participant observation discusses how to penetrate the context, the function of the researcher as a participant, the compilation and storage of field notes, and the examination of field data. Participant observation frequently requires months or years of concentrated work because the researcher needs to become accepted as a normal part of the culture in order to guarantee that the observations are of the natural occurrences (Qualitative Methods, 2006). Advantages These include that it affords access to the backstage culture; it allows for richly detailed description, which they interpret to mean that ones goal of describing behaviors, intentions, situations, and events as understood by ones informants is highlighted; and it provides opportunities for viewing or participating in unscheduled events. It also improves the quality of data collection and interpretation and facilitates the development of new research questions or hypotheses (Kawulich, 2005). Disadvantages Disadvantages include that sometimes the researcher may not be interested in what happens out of the public eye and that one must rely on the use of key informants. Different researchers gain different understanding of what they observe, based on the key informant(s) used in the study. Problems related to representation of events and the subsequent interpretations may occur when researchers select key informants who are similar to them or when the informants are community leaders or marginal participants. To alleviate this potential bias problem, it has been suggested that pretesting informants or selecting participants who are culturally competent in the topic being studied (Kawulich, 2005). Direct Observation Direct observation is notable from participant observation in a number of ways. First, a direct observer doesnt characteristically try to become a participant in the environment. However, the direct observer does attempt to be as inconspicuous as possible so as not to prejudice the observations. Second, direct observation proposes a more disconnected perspective. The researcher is observing rather than taking part. As a result, technology can be a helpful part of direct observation. For example, one can videotape the occurrence or observe from behind one-way mirrors. Third, direct observation tends to be more centered on participant observation. The researcher is viewing certain sampled circumstances or people rather than trying to become engrossed in the complete context. Finally, direct observation tends not to take as long as participant observation. For example, one might observe interactions among people under specific conditions in a laboratory setting from behind a one-way mir ror, looking particularly for any nonverbal cues that are being used (Qualitative Methods, 2006). Advantages Simply observing people bypasses all the prob

gatdream Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - Casting Doubt Upon the American Dream :: Great Gatsby Essays

Casting Doubt Upon the American Dream in The Great Gatsby   The Great Gatsby' is set in the Jazz Age of America, the 1920s which have come to be seen as a bubble of extravagance and affluence which burst with the Wall Street Crash in 1929. Fitzgerald wrote the book in 1925, and in it he explores the fundamental hollowness which characterized the Age as he saw it, and casts doubt upon the very core of American national identity - the American Dream. The American Dream is a concept elegantly simple and yet peculiarly hard to define. At the root of it is the sense that America was created entirely separate from the Old World; the settlers had escaped from the feudal, fractious and somewhat ossified nations of Europe and been presented with a chance to start anew - "a fresh green breast of the new world." From this blank slate, those first idealistic settlers had created a society where "all men are created equal" and everyone had the chance to do the best for themselves as they could. Let us examine the passage from the Declaration of Independence from which that quote is taken: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." A fine and daring ideal in the 18th century, and at the heart of what America hoped that it stood for. 'The Great Gatsby' examines how this dream existed in the early 20th century and whether or not it had been accomplished. The American Dream permeated all of society, and so every one of the characters in the book is in some senses a reflection of the the world envisaged by Jefferson and Washington, and even before them by those first people fleeing to a new life in the New World. When we examine the characters in the book we can immediately see that they are not all born equal. Daisy and Tom, and to some extent Nick, are born into a rich, 'old money' environment which is symbolised in the novel by the established wealth of East Egg - a place of glittering "white palaces". Gatsby and the Wilsons are not 'old money', and despite Gatsby's wealth we get the impression throughout the book that through all his parties and social events he is trying to join that old clique, but never succeeding in elevating himself to the "distinguished secret society" of Tom and Daisy.

The First Descent of the Grand Canyon Essay -- American America Histor

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Wesley Powell was one of the foremost explorers in American history, and his first descent down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon is one of America’s greatest adventure stories. Although he is not as well known as other explorers, his travels and his contributions to American history are significant because they represent a spirit of discovery motivated not by self-glory or the acquisition of gold or land, but by a curiosity about and appreciation for both the natural world and the native peoples of the West.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Wesley Powell pursued knowledge and the uncommon experience his entire life. Born in 1834 in Ohio to a Methodist minister, he became interested in science as a boy and was fortunate to have a neighbor who was both an amateur scientist and a willing teacher (Stegner 13–14). In 1846, the Powell family moved to Wisconsin, where John Wesley struggled to continue his scientific education against the will of his father, who wanted him to become a preacher. In 1857, he set off on his first great adventure: a trip down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in a rowboat (Stegner 16).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1861 Powell enlisted in the Union Army and was elected captain of artillery under U. S. Grant. He was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862 and lost his right arm. Despite his debility, however, Powell returned to active duty and finished the war (Stegner 17).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the Civil War, Powell became a professor of science at Illinois Weslyan and curator of the Illinois State Natural History museum. In 1867 he went on his first expedition to Colorado and began his life-long love affair with the American West and the native peoples who lived there. The next year he went back to Colorado and spent the winter amon... ...de him fearless and victorious against hardship. Because of his unfaltering dedication to knowledge and the preservation of the West, Powell is truly one of the most significant American explorers of the nineteenth century. Works Cited Hillers, John K. â€Å"Tau-gu, Chief of the Paiutes, and Major John Wesley Powell.† 1873. National Anthropological Archives. Washington: Smithsonian Institution. Powell, John Wesley. The Exploration of the Colorado River. Ed. Wallace Stegner. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1957. ---. Report on the Lands of the Arid Region of the United States. 2nd ed. Washington: GPO, 1879. ---. â€Å"Wreck at Disaster Falls.† Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and Its Tributaries. Washington: GPO, 1875: 26. Stegner, Wallace. Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1954.

A Comparison of Two Paintings from the Renaissance Period Essay

A Comparison of Two Paintings from the Renaissance Period Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper will compare the themes found in the paintings â€Å"Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist and an Angel† by Domenico di Bartolomeo Ubaldini (Puligo) and â€Å"Madonna Enthroned† by Giotto. Both paintings deal with fables from the Christian faith but were executed during different periods in art. The Giotto painting was created around 1310 and the Puglio painting was executed between 1518 – 1520. Here, these two paintings have similar themes both at the extreme beginnings and endings of the Italian Renaissance, and as such they serve to present an exceptional example of the developments in art that occurred within that time. This paper shall compare these two paintings through addressing a series of questions on the subject. Subject Matter or Iconography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Madonna Enthroned† is the earlier of the two works to be surveyed in this paper, and as such there is a great deal more popularity surrounding this work. The image is simple: The subject matter is religious and concerns a host of holy figures surrounding the Madonna with an infant figure of Christ on her lap. â€Å"Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist and Angel† is similar in that other holy figures are gathered to pay their respects to Christ but the scene is more open and less focused on just the two central figures. â€Å"Madonna and Child†¦Ã¢â‚¬  in my opinion is therefore a more complex composition, where instead of having two recogn...

Healthcare Facilities

Research the websites of two competitors and assess the effectiveness of their online presence. Identify specific areas where those websites are superior to yours whether in form or function. Also identify areas where your own website is superior. In searching the Web for the only two competitors in the community in which our organization serves, it was interesting to learn that neither had a website. When searching for Desoto Healthcare Center website, web-surfers are led to a blue page that flashes the message â€Å"This site is currently under construction†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (desotohealth. com. 2013).This for profit nursing home, located nearest the only Hospital in the community, is a 120-bed center with no apparent online presence. Landmark of Desoto, another competitor, is a 60-bed non-profit nursing home with no online presence nor is there any sign of a website to come. Therefore, when compared to other Skilled Nursing Facilities in the area, it is safe to say that Golden Living Center’s website is in fact superior to the competition in both form and function. Research the websites of one supplier and one client. Evaluate the effectiveness of each website as it relates to their association with your organization.Identify specific areas where those websites could better serve your needs. In the Nursing Home sector of Healthcare, many of the suppliers are also the clients. Sta Home Health and Hospice serves as both a supplier and a client to our organization. Sta-Home’s website effectively allows us to refer potential patients to them directly through a link on the site offering us the opportunity to save time from having to make a phone call, leave a message, or provide needed information to someone who may not deliver it to the proper person or location.The website includes a â€Å"Helpful Resources† tab where patients can obtain information on diseases, treatments, tests and procedures, and many other resources. This tab, however, does not offer any information regarding the services offered by my organization. If a Sta Home patient or family were seeking assistance with finding a skilled nursing facility in the area this site would be of no help to them, nor would help my organization with gaining a new referral or potential resident. Identify a journal or publication specific to your industry.Evaluate the overall value that reading such a journal brings to your knowledge of your organization's performance. In reading the Long Term Living publication I learned valuable information about the performance of my organization. While reading an article on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services I discovered clarification on new guidelines to laundry regulations for nursing facilities. These guidelines have not yet been implemented in my facility and failure to do so would result in receiving an F tag on the Annual State Survey (Pamela Tabar, 2013).My continued reading introduced me to new products on the market that would allow for better monitoring of the residents and patients in our care. With a wristwatch appearance, The Trilock personal locator functions as both a tracking and communications device and offers a perimeter management setting that would alert caregivers when the wearer is near the set area (Tabar, 2013). For my organization, this would serve as another safety measure and allow for added patient/resident security.As I read through this online publication, I found information that is vital to both patient care and overall operations of our organization. Some of this information had not been communicated to our facility and could cause potential service issues or even result in a failing score on CMS review. This gives me insight that there is a possible breakdown in our organizations performance as it relates to communications from the top down. References Desoto Healthcare Center. 2013.Retrieved on February 15, 2013 from http://www. desotohealthcare. com/ Stahome. com Pam ela Tabar. 2013. CMS Cleans Up Guidelines on Laundry and Infection Control. Retrieved on February 15, 2013 from http://www. ltlmagazine. com/news-item/cms-cleans-guidelines-laundry-and-infection-control Pamela Tabar. 2013. GPS Wristwatch Locates Wandering Seniors, Contacts Care Team. Retrieved on February 15, 2013 from http://www. ltlmagazine. com/news-item/gps-wristwatch-locates-wandering-seniors

Management and Leadership: Military Essay

Introduction Though popular consensus is that management and leadership are interchangeable terms with the same purpose and meaning nothing could be further from the truth. Management can be defined as influencing one or more person’s actions and activities through planning, organizing, leading, controlling and guiding toward accomplishing set goals or objectives. Leadership can be defined as effectively influencing and directing others in a manner that encourages obedience, confidence and loyal team support in accomplishing organizational goals. From these two definitions one might have a subtle hint as to how management and leadership differ. The purpose of this paper is to differentiate between managerial and leadership positions within military organizations, describe the roles that military managers and leaders play in creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture, and explain how the four functions of management support the creation and maintenance of a healthy organizational culture within military organizations. The final discussion will include two recommendations to create and maintain a healthy  organizational culture. Leadership and Management Just as the definitions suggest a distinct deference between management and leadership all military organizations have distinctive positions for management and leadership purposes. Military organizations use a designated ranking structure for the purpose of immediate distinction between management and leadership. Leadership personnel hold the title of officer in all branches of military service. Management personnel hold the title of noncommissioned officer (NCO). While officers are immediately recruited and appointed into the leadership position NCO’s have to earn their title and managerial position in the course of progression through the ranks from private to NCO. Though these two positions differ on many levels each is equally important to military organizational culture. â€Å"A leader is anyone who by virtue of assumed role or assigned responsibility inspires and influences people to accomplish organizational goals† (FM 6-22, 2006). Therefore, an officer’s (leaders) main focus is to motivate soldiers both inside and outside of their immediate chain of command to pursue actions, focus thinking, and shape decisions for the greater good of the organization (FM 6-22, 2006). Officers influence military personnel by setting a personal example (leading by example) on and off duty hours. Officer’s actions have a direct correlation to the amount of influence they will have in conveying purpose and vision, providing direction and motivating others. Being able to convey purpose and vision is important for officers’ to give subordinates the reason to take the necessary steps needed to accomplish missions. Open communication is essential in providing clear direction on how subordinates will go about accomplishing the mission. In order to provide clear direction officers are responsible for prioritizing mission tasks, assigning responsibilities and confirming that subordinates understand all directives given. Motivation is the key to encouraging subordinates to do whatever is necessary to accomplish the mission. An officers’ role in motivation is to understand or get to know as much as  possible about the needs, capabilities or limitations of his or her subordinates to determine what motivates who and personally praise or encourage when necessary. The process of getting subordinates to do whatever is necessary to accomplish the mission falls to the NCO (managers). According to Army Regulation 5-1 (2002) â€Å"management is linked with leadership, just as doctrine, systems, processes, facilities and equipment are connected with the people who use them.† Therefore, NCO’s have the authority to make decisions based on the needs of set missions in accordance with organizational policies. The NCO’s main focus is on daily operations, and immediate subordinate’s actions toward accomplishing set tasks in order to fulfill missions. The NCO’s mission is to provide instruction and supervision over subordinates to ensure tasks are being performed effectively, efficiently and in a timely manner. NCO’s implement the four functions of management in every mission presented. Planning is used to determine a working strategy to accomplish each mission assigned to the division. NCO’s will use organizing to determine how to break down missions into smaller tasks that can be performed over time. Once tasks and timelines have been determined human resources (available manpower) is evaluated according to knowledge and experience to determine who will be most effective on which task then tasks are assigned to individuals or teams. Once teams are assigned work commences and leading begins. NCO’s are responsible for overseeing each team’s daily progress, making on the spot corrections, giving additional instruction, motivating and directing each team to ensure that all projects are going according to schedule and all workers are performing effectively and efficiently toward achieving set goals. When issues arise NCO’s are responsible for controlling situations through risk management, bringing subordinates back on track, on the spot training, enforcing organizational rules and regulations and so forth. Types of controls that are used in any given situation will vary depending on an individual’s leadership or management style. Though leadership and management styles vary depending on individual  preference three specific styles stand out with both officers and NCO’s in military organizations: (1) autocratic, (2) participative and (3) delegating. Bateman and Snell (2007) describe each of these strategies as: Autocratic: leaders and or managers make decisions about what needs to be done at their own discretion then tell subordinates what to do and how they want it done. Participative: leaders and or managers will involve one or more subordinates in the decision making process on specific task planning and organizing. Delegating: leaders or managers will delegate authority to capable subordinates allowing them to make decisions for specific tasks while the leader or manager will still take full responsibility for any decision that was made through delegation. Each style is effective in its own right and in specific circumstances. Officers and NCO’s who use all three styles at different times are more effective than those who just stick to one. Organizational Culture Organizational culture is the basic nature or overall actions and conduct of an organization based on shared values and goals. In order to have a fuller understanding of military organizational culture one would need to grasp military organizational structure. Military organizations use a hierarchical divisional organizational structure. Bateman and Snell (2007) describe a divisional organization structure as â€Å"departmentalization that groups units around products, customers, or geographic regions.† Military divisional organizational structure is based around geographic regions. See Chart 1 for a visual break down of basic military organizational structure. DIVISIONAL ORGANIZATION: BASIC MILITARY ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Chart 1: Divisional Organization: Basic Military Organizational Structure. Notice that the basic structure consists of Officers; NCO’s and subordinates (enlisted soldiers). From the battalion level down to platoons each leader is accompanied by a manager. Information goes down the chain of command while requests go up the chain of command. Military culture is based on strict adherence to the chain of command and company policies i.e. subordinates would have to go through the squad leader and the platoon sergeant to speak to the first sergeant and so forth up the chain. Basic military organizational structure and culture is learned in _basic training_ (boot camp) where new recruits, both officers and enlisted personnel, undergo rigorous physical, mental and emotional training to establish military values and team building experience. Graduates are then separated and sent to _advance individual training_ (AIT) schools to learn specific trade skills. Through shared experiences from basic training new team building experiences develop. Again, graduates are separated and assigned to units based on their field of training. Shared experiences are the foundation for unit cohesiveness among all military personnel. While common experiences may vary they open the path for shared ideas, values, responsibility and perceptions of military uniformity to military organizational culture that guides all military personnel toward achieving common personal and organizational goals throughout their career. Though troops and their families are uprooted and moved from post to post at the needs of the military, sometimes at a moments notice, shared experiences and personal and professional commitment to military values and mission preserve the military organizational culture. Military organizational culture is more than a commitment. Military organizational culture is a way of life for all who dedicate their lives to honor and defend this nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Recommendations Military organizational culture is a culture that has stood the test of time decade after decade. Retired war heroes and new recruits all have one thing  in common. Each has a _common bond_ through shared experiences, dedication to military values, mission, ethics, code of conduct and so forth. Young or old, each has dedicated themselves to something bigger than themselves and committed their lives to honor and defend this nation’s freedom at all cost. While military culture has been mocked and scorned by many over the years, much can be learned from such a strong organizational culture. Many failing organizations in today’s challenging business environment would do well to incorporate some of the standards of military organizational culture into their own business. Having _strong core values_ in place is the basis for creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture. Military organizational culture consists of strong core values such as: â€Å"loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and courage† (U.S. Army web site, 2008). While some of these values could be considered strictly military oriented all organizations could agree that loyalty, duty, honor and integrity could be considered universal. More companies could and should integrate these types of core values into their mission and values statements to help create and maintain a more healthy organizational culture. Having a _code of conduct_ in place establishes guidelines for acceptable employee behavior which helps create and maintain a healthy organizational culture. Military organizations have established a strong code of conduct which describes separate and military distinctive areas of specific conduct becoming of service members. While the truth is that the military code of conduct is not applicable to civilian organizations all organizations could agree that specific behaviors do exist that are expected of all people within specialized organizations. Therefore, organizations could and should come up with a written policy explaining specific behaviors and actions that are acceptable and expected of all employees. Organizations may even have separate codes of conduct expectations for managers versus employees. The point here is to have an established and acceptable pattern of behavior for all employees to follow in order help maintain an overall healthy organizational culture. Conclusion From the research presented one can conclude that distinct differences between leaders and managers do exist. Leaders mainly focus on inspiring and motivating individuals toward accomplishing set goals. Managers mainly focus on motivating individuals through planning, organizing, leading and controlling functions of management. Based on these descriptions the main difference between management and leadership would be the method used to motivate individuals to accomplish goals. Though organizational structures may differ from one organization to the next organizational structure does help set the foundation for organizational culture. Organizational culture sets the tone for organizational success through shared experiences, values, beliefs and behaviors. Though many theories exist for creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture each organization must come up with standards i.e. core values, code of ethics and so on that are unique and attainable to that particular organization based on specific needs i.e. values, mission and purpose. References Army Regulation 5-1. (2002). Management: Total Army Quality Management. Retrieved July 11, 2008, from http://www.hqda.army.mil/leadingchange/Army%20Policies/r5-1.pdf Bateman T., and Snell S., (2007), Management: Leading & Collaborating in a Competitive World (7th Ed.), McGraw-Hill/Irwin, New York, NY. FM 6-22. (2006). Army Leadership: Competent, Confident, and Agile. Retrieved July 10, 2008 http://usacac.army.mil/cac/cal/FM6_22.pdf U.S. Army web site. (2008). U.S. Army: Training and Doctrine Command. Retrieved July 15, 2008, from http://www.tradoc.army.mil/