A Report on the issue of absenteeism within business organizations Research Paper

A Report on the issue of absenteeism within business organizations - Research Paper Example After concluding, the report will present recommendations that can be used to eliminate or control the issue of absenteeism within business organizations. This present report is based on the issue of absenteeism and in particular, the report will critically analyze this issue in regards to different case examples from different business organizations, According to the studies by Mullins (2007), absenteeism is described as the act of failing to report to the workstation or school without prior knowledge of the work supervisor or the schoolteacher or in other circumstances with prior knowledge to the work supervisor or the schoolteacher. Therefore, absenteeism can be scheduled or unscheduled or it can occur intentionally or unintentionally. Absenteeism is a common issue at the workplace and it occurs in almost all industries, however, De Paola (2008) stated that in the disciplined forces such as the Army or the navy, the issue of absenteeism is not quite prevalent because of stringent rules and regulations in the disciplined forces that prohibit against unscheduled and intentional absenteeism. Numerous studies have focused on the issue of absenteeism because of the overall impact that it has on work operations and the subsequent impact on the bottom line of a business organisation. ... 1.0 Introduction This present report is based on the issue of absenteeism and in particular, the report will critically analyze this issue in regards to different case examples from different business organizations, According to the studies by Mullins (2007), absenteeism is described as the act of failing to report to the workstation or school without prior knowledge of the work supervisor or the schoolteacher or in other circumstances with prior knowledge to the work supervisor or the schoolteacher. Therefore, absenteeism can be scheduled or unscheduled or it can occur intentionally or unintentionally. Absenteeism is a common issue at the workplace and it occurs in almost all industries, however, De Paola (2008) stated that in the disciplined forces such as the Army or the navy, the issue of absenteeism is not quite prevalent because of stringent rules and regulations in the disciplined forces that prohibit against unscheduled and intentional absenteeism. Numerous studies have focus ed on the issue of absenteeism because of the overall impact that it has on work operations and the subsequent impact on the bottom line of a business organisation. Mullins (2007) noted that given the fact that employees perform various roles or duties while on their workstation, it means that during their absence, certain functions will not take place or the output from their respective positions will be considerably low. This is because the employees who will be replacing them or acting on their position will not have similar or matching skills and qualifications. It is however, important to note that the impact of absenteeism on a company’s operations or the bottom line of a company largely depends on the position

Study of a leader in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Study of a leader in business - Essay Example ere a psychological profile that identifies a leader, and if so are there different psychological attributes that can identify a great leader If these traits can be somehow quantified, are there other qualities which are present in differing degrees that determine a business leader. ... he mood and temper of the people as well as the critical components inherent in the objectives Or are leadership qualities constant, displaying inherent characteristics that in differing degrees can be found in examples of leadership throughout history Is it something that a person is born with, inherits, or is learned Is there a psychological profile that identifies a leader, and if so are there different psychological attributes that can identify a great leader If these traits can be somehow quantified, are there other qualities which are present in differing degrees that determine a business leader. Is it style, intelligence, insight, a Midas touch, or elements of luck Could it be that the qualities that determine a successful business leader are attributes one is born with, or is it the ability to respond to the demands of the consistently changing business climate by finding solutions which enable one to work through vicissitudes and come out on top One common thread which is obvious in all great leaders, be they revered or scorned, is that they viewed the world, events, history, the present as well as the future in ways that were different from their contemporaries, and in such a manner that distinguished them in their era. What great leadership is, how it manifests itself in certain individuals is a subject which could entail considerable debate, thus the examination shall limit itself to one particular individual and determine if we can understand what and why this person has exhibited and demonstrated the attributes which cause us to view him in such a manner. This study shall look at Sir Richard Branson as an example of leadership in that he represents a contemporary individual who rose from modest means to become one of the world's most successful

Pablo Neruda Biography

Pablo Neruda Biography Introduction Pablo Neruda’s poetic skills came to light while he was still a teen. He did his writings in diverse styles which include historical epics, surrealist poems, a prose autobiography, overtly political manifestos, and erotically-charged love poems. In most cases he used green ink in his writings, which symbolized desire and hope from a personal perspective. He believed in communism and advocated for world peace and unity, victimized in his native nation and compelled to exile, his output is a manifestation that protects the cultural legacy of Chile and the larger South American region. Life experiences influenced his writing Childhood His real name was Neftalà ­ Ricardo Reyes Basoalto and his town of birth is Parral, Chile on 12th, 1904. He was born to Rosa Basoalto Opazo and Josà © del Carmen Reyes Morales. The later was a railway worker and the former a school teacher; she died due to tuberculosis a couple of months after conceiving his first and only son. Pablo Neruda grew up in Temuco with half-sister Laura and half-brother Rodolfo. He went to the Men’s Lyceum of Temuco where he underwent his high school education. Early years 1917-1920 He published his maiden poems at age 13; while still in high school among them is â€Å"Entusiasmo y Perseverancia† in the regional daily â€Å"La Maà ±ana†. Come 1918 he published thirteen poems in the journal â€Å"Run and Fly† which include â€Å"My eyes†. Come 1919 he got the third prize in a home contest with his poem â€Å"Nocturno ideal†. His father was against his son’s writing interest; nonetheless Neruda got support from in his school tutors. Aged fifteen, Neruda met Gabriella Mistral, who was a tutor in the home girl’s school. She familiarized him with the work of European poets and predominantly Russian literature which inspired him the most. Due to the fact that Neruda intended to conceal his publications from his father he opted for the pseudonym of Pablo Neruda, thus all upcoming publications after October 1920 were published under that pseudonym. Jan Neruda, a Czech poet influenced the young poet from whom he acquired his last name. Afterwards he lawfully changed his name to Pablo Neruda. Universidad de Chile – 1921 His father wanted to see him become a teacher. Come 1921 when he was sixteen and after graduating from high school Neruda shifted to Santiago to learn French and Education at the University of Chile. He bore no interest in pedagogy; his drive was in learning French so that he could read French literature. After his arrival he did publish a chain of poems in the university magazine â€Å"Clarity† with Pablo Neruda as the signatory. In the course of this time as a student he created a good number of his renowned output and made his mark as a reputable poet. He associated with Rosa Albertina Azocar who was his influence for a sequence of poems in a Song of Despair and 20 Love Poems. It was evident that Pablo intended to follow a career in writing as a result his father cut financial supplies to him. Come July 1923 the maiden output of â€Å"Crepusculario† was published at the Student Federation of Chile by Clarity Editions. In the subsequent year, Nascimiento Editors publi shed the first edition of â€Å"Veinte Poemas de Amor y una Cancion Desesperada†, which would become one of his renowned and most translated outputs. Diplomatic career 1926 In his role as a writer, Neruda was experiencing financial constraints thus he started to look for a job as a consul. His achievements in literature and interactions enabled him get a consular job in Burma. He was a frequent contributor to the newspaper â€Å"La Nacion† in Santiago where he gave publishes regarding his travel chronics. Come 1929 he was dispatched to Colombo, Sri Lanka as a consul. In the process, he tried out diverse styles and did a succession of surrealistic poems that formed component to â€Å"Residencia en la tierra† one of his most vital outputs. Come February of 1932, he resettled in Santiago and was given a job in the Department of Cultural Extension of the Ministry of Labor, during this period the second edition of â€Å"Twenty Poems of Love and a Song of despair† was published. Come 1933, Neruda was chosen to be a Consul in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Nascimiento Editors published â€Å"Residence on Earth† restricting its publication to a lowly 100 print outs. Neruda was transferred to Madrid in 1935 in the same capacity as a consul as a replacement to Gabriela Mistral. Neruda was a founder of â€Å"Green Horse for poetry† a magazine that specializes in literature. He abandoned his family in Barcelona and hooked up with Delia del Carril. Spanish Civil War and communism Come July 1936 the Spanish Civil War started and Federico Garcia Lorca was killed by forces devoted to Franco. Consequence to this happening, Neruda became politicized laying allegiance to the republican side thus a communist for the remainder of his life. He remained neutral to political causes due to his role as a consul. He made publishes in secrecy of â€Å"Song to the mothers of the dead militants† captured in the literary journal â€Å"The blue monkey† which afterwards turned out to be a component of â€Å"Spain in the heart†. The government of Chile opted to close down its consulate in Madrid. He then afterwards moved to Paris alongside Delia del Carril and commenced his work in support of the Spanish Republic. He orchestrated the Latin American Committee in defense of the Spanish Republic and presented a conference regarding Federico Garcia Lorca, this was against the Chilean administration wishes. He made publishes of his takes in the magazine â€Å"The world poets defend the Spanish people† which was printed in French and in Spanish. He united with Peruvian Cesar Vallejo and discharged duties in the Association for the Defense of Culture. In the poem â€Å"I explain a few things† he exhibited a militant and radical tone with respect to political and social aspects. On moving back to his native Chile, he realized the Alliance of Intellectuals. The maiden edition of two thousand copies of â€Å"Espaà ±a en el Corazon† sold out in the first few days and two months later a second edition print outs were made. Mexico 1940 -1943 Come 1940 Neruda was assigned in Mexico City as the Consul General of Chile. In the aftermath of the murder attempt of Leon Trotsky Neruda, Nerudo granted a visa Chile to David Alfaro Siqueiros, a Mexican accused as one of the schemers to assassinate Trotsky. This led to his one month suspension with no pay. Come 1942 Neruda gave a series of talks courtesy of an invitation by the Ministry of education. During his stay in Cuba he heard of the demise of his close friend Miguel Hernandez in a Spanish prison. During this time, he did 2 poems â€Å"The lost shepherd† and â€Å"To Miguel Hernandez killed in the prisons of Spain† which were incorporated in â€Å"The grapes and the wind† and â€Å"Canto General† respectively. While on a trip Mexico he recited his poem â€Å"Song to Stalingrad† which commemorated the vital Russian triumph over the Nazis. This led to condemnation that he did a poem â€Å"New love song to Stalingrad†, both poems were incorporated in his book â€Å"Third Residence†. Neruda yet again did a violation on his diplomatic impartiality when at the funeral of Leocadia Felizardo, he recited his poem â€Å"Dura elegà ­a† thus making utterances that were deemed offensive to Getulio Vargas, the Brazilian dictator. Consequently, he resigned from his positioned and went back to Chile. While on board to Santiago, he visited the remains of Machu Picchu, which influenced him to write â€Å"Alturas de Machu Picchu† he wound up in 1945. He highly rated the undertakings done by ancient Andean civilization; at the same time he condemned the slavery that happened in a bid to accomplish such an exceptional edifice and their ensuing subjugation by the Spaniards. Return to Chile and the Communist Party 1944 Shortly after going back to Chile, Neruda was made senatorial candidate for the provinces of Tarapacà ¡ and Antofagasta in representation of the Communist Party of Chile. Despite not being a formal militant, he became part of the party shortly afterwards. He was engrossed in the campaigns and come 1945 he was elected Senator of the Republic. Come 1946 Gabriel Gonzales Videla was voted Chilean President in a coalition with the Communist Party. In the subsequent year, Gonzales Videla turned against the Communists and aligned himself with the U.S initiating a campaign in opposition to the communists. An aggressive repression of a miner’s strike in Lota influenced the poet to condemn President Gonzales Videla’s policy in a speech. He recited the names of the miners and their families who had been put behind bars. For the reason that Gonzales Videla barred the communist party newspaper â€Å"The Century† from operations, Nerudo did publishing of a letter â€Å"Intimate letter for millions of men† in a good number of Latin American nations. This communication criticized the government guiding principles against its people. The ruling regime accused Neruda of insult and of condescending Chile abroad and initiated the process of prosecution. Around this time he went into hideouts and regularly changed houses to evade capture. In the process he completed â€Å"Canto General†. Exile 1948 Come 1949 he went to Mexico where he took part in the Latin American Congress for Peace. While in Mexico, he suffered thrombophlebitis. A Chilean singe, Matilde Urrutia, was engaged to look after him leading to a love affair which lasted until his demise in 1973. The affair influenced him poetically as he wrote a good number of poems where Matilde Urritia featured prominently, most notably in â€Å"On hundred love sonnets†, â€Å"Estravagario†, â€Å"The Barcarolle, â€Å"The sea and the bells† and â€Å"The captain’s verses†. After 1953 going forward, her existence in the poet’s output becomes deeper. In the course of 1950 during his recuperation in Mexico â€Å"Canto General† was printed out in Mexico City with the first edition of five hundred copies. A clandestine edition was published in Chile by the communist party. At the end of the year he received the Stalin Prize for the Peace. Return to Chile 1952 Come 1952 he returned to Chile after three years in exile, this was possible considering the weakness of ruling regime as well as the support of the poet’s faction group made up of politicians and intellectuals. This period saw the publishing of â€Å"The captain’s verses†. The controversial nature of the book resulted into it being anonymously published; this was out of respect for his wife. Matilde Urrutia again featured prominently in poems in this book. 1959 from 1954 seven books were published; â€Å"Elementary odes†, â€Å"New elementary odes†, â€Å"Third book of odes†, â€Å"Extravagaria†, â€Å"Navigations and return†, â€Å"One hundred love sonnets† and â€Å"Grapes and the Wind†. â€Å"One hundred love sonnets† brings out Neruda’s affection for Matilde Urrutia, he eventually married her in 1966. Conclusion Neruda was terminally ill when he went back to Chile. As the contemporary administration collapsed, trials were instigated against his political followers, most of whom friends were imprisoned or were forced to seek asylum in other countries. His home in Isla Negra was broken into and his writings were damaged by the military police. In the meantime his health was failing at a rapid rate and was thus transferred to Santiago from Isla Negra. Neruda was bed ridden at Santa Marà ­a Clinic in Santiago and few afterwards he passed on due to heart failure. He was temporarily laid to rest in the mausoleum of the Fittborn family. Big crowds assembled at the cemetery in defiance of the measures of the military police where they paid their last respects to the greatest poet of all time.

Analysis of The World Bank Group Essay -- Business Management Banking

Analysis of The World Bank Group   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the past generation, more progress has been made in reducing poverty and raising living standards than during any other period in history. In developing countries, life expectances have increased from 55 to 64 years, Income per person has doubled and Infant Mortality has been reduced by 50 percent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Despite the successes, massive development challenges remain. Three billion people live on less than 2 dollars a day and 1.3 billion live on less than one dollar a day. Over 40,000 people die each day from preventable disease. 130 million never have the opportunity to go to school and 1.3 billion do not have clean drinking water. By allowing poverty to increase in developing countries this can adversely affect wealthier nations as markets and investments opportunities shrink, the environment is damaged and people migrate in search of work and income.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The World Bank is helping countries to strengthen and sustain the fundamental conditions they need to attract and retain private investment. With World Bank support financial and nonfinancial governments are reforming their overall economies and strengthening banking systems. They are investing in human resources, infrastructure, and environment protection which enhances the attractiveness and productivity of private investment. The World Bank Group The World Bank Group comprises five organizations: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The term World Bank refers to only IBRD and IDA.The World Bank is the largest provider of development assistance to developing countries and countries in transition, committing about $20 billion in new loans each year. Its main focus is to help people in developing countries raise their standards of living through finance for agriculture, schools, health programs, transportation and other essential needs. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) are the private sector affiliates of the World Bank Group. IFC supports private enterprise in the developing world through loan and equity financing. MIGA facilit... ...levant to its objectives and sponsors a number of publications. These include multi-volume collections of Investment Laws and of Investment Treaties, which are periodically updated by ICSID staff. Since April 1986, the Centre has published a semi-annual law journal entitled ICSID Review--Foreign Investment Law Journal. A New Bank for 2000 As we move into the new millennium, the Bank has embarked on a strategic compact with its clients and shareholders to improve the quality of its assistance, by:  · Helping the poorest countries reduce their debt burden so they can fund development initiatives instead of interest payments  · Helping fight corruption that undermines economic growth  · Helping developing countries to adopt modern communication technologies and skills so they can be more competitive  · Strengthening and reforming banking systems and financial sectors that would help avoid future crises such as those in Mexico in 1994-95 and East Asia in 1997-98  · Meeting the future food needs of a growing population and paying more attention to agricultural and rural development  · Ensuring development is consistent with the social and cultural needs of beneficiaries

John G Roberts

John Roberts By: Juan Castillo Rm. 309 John Glover Roberts Jr. was born in Buffalo, New York, on January 27, 1955, the son of Rosemary and John Glover Jack Roberts, Sr. (1928–2008). When Roberts was in fourth grade, his family moved to the beachside town of  Long Beach, Indiana. He grew up with three sisters: Kathy, Peggy, and Barbara. Roberts attended Notre Dame Elementary School, a Roman Catholic grade school in Long Beach, and then  La Lumiere School, a Roman Catholic boarding school in  La Porte, Indiana. , He studied five years of Latin,  some French, and was known generally for his devotion to his studies.He was captain of the football team, and was a regional champion in wrestling. He attended  Harvard College, graduating with an  A. B. summa cum laude  in history in three years. He then attended  Harvard Law School  where he was the managing editor of the Harvard Law Review. He graduated from law school with a  J. D. magna cum  in laude 1979. Afte r graduating from law school, Roberts served as a law clerk for Judge Henry Friendly on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals for one year. From 1980 to 1981, he clerked for then-Associate Justice William Rehnquist on the United States Supreme Court.From 1981 to 1982, he served in the Reagan administration as a Special Assistant to U. S. Attorney General William French Smith. From 1982 to 1986, Roberts served as Associate Counsel to the President under White House Counsel Fred Fielding. Roberts entered private law practice in 1986 as an associate at the Washington, D. C. -based law firm of Hogan & Hartson. As part of Hogan & Hartson's pro bono work, he worked behind the scenes for gay rights advocates, reviewing filings and preparing arguments for the Supreme Court case Romer v.Evans (1996), which has been described as as well as arguing on behalf of the homeless. Roberts left Hogan ; Hartson to serve in the George H. W. Bush administration as Principal Deputy Solicitor General from 1 989 to 1993 and as Acting Solicitor General for the purposes of at least one case when Ken Starr had a conflict. In 1992, George H. W. Bush nominated Roberts to the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, but no Senate vote was held, and Roberts's nomination expired at the end of the 102nd Congress. John Roberts argued 36 cases and prevailed 25 of them.On July 19, 2005, President Bush nominated Roberts to the U. S. Supreme Court to fill a vacancy that would be created by the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Roberts was the first Supreme Court nominee since Stephen Breyer in 1994. On September 5, Bush withdrew Roberts's nomination as O'Connor's successor and announced Roberts's new nomination to the position of Chief Justice. Bush asked the Senate to expedite Roberts's confirmation hearings to fill the vacancy by the beginning of the Supreme Court's session in early October.

L’Oréal’s brand portfolio Essay

1.Review L’Oreal’s brand portfolio. What role have target marketing, smart acquisitions, and R&D played in growing those brands? The success of L’Oreal is a result of tactical choice of markets, targeting them wisely, thorough research and development and smart acquisitions. It is one of the leading cosmetic companies in the global market. Over the years it has created a successful brand value and expertise in the field of cosmetic and beauty products. Targeting the market was one of the factors that play pivotal role in L’Oreal success, the company targeted the audience with products as per their requirements, like, in Japan they marketed mascaras specially designed and volume as per the requirement of Japanese women. Acquisition of local beauty companies like Soft Sheen Products and Carson Products helped them to eliminate competition and also gain huge profits in U.S. and African Markets. L’Oreal spends 3% of its annual sales in research and deve lopment with 14 research centers around the world. Clear concepts about the different skin and hair and their different needs around the world helped them to design diverse products for all. 2.Who are L’Oreal’s greatest competitors? Local,global, or both? Why? The major competitors for L’Oreal are companies like, Lakme, LVMH Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton, Estee Lauder and Chanel etc. The skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care businesses are characterized by intense competition over the world. As each company products are close substitutes to one another. 3.What has been the key to successful local product launches such as Maybelline’s Wondercurl in Japan? The eyes and eyelashes of the women in the Western Asia is different. They have small eyes and their lashes are short and straight. Thus, when the R&D team of L’Oreal companies came up with the idea of Wonder curl Mascara, it became a instant success. 4.What’s next for L’Oreal on a global level? If you wereCEO, how would you sustain the company’s global leadership? L’Oreal is already a successful brand in the global market. Its success is seen especially in the areas of make-up and hair product, and not in the skin care. It is now required to come-up with different skin care products for people. Also, the price factors have to be kept in mind. Most brands are distributing their products at a reasonable cost. L’Oreal can achieve  success in the middle-class people by setting a reasonable price for them.

Prussia essays

Prussia essays Analyze the military, political, and social factors that account for the rise of Prussia between 1640 and 1786. The rise of Prussia between 1640 and 1786 occurred as a result of a combination of military, political, and social factors. War and the threat of war aided Frederick William and Frederick William I greatly in their attempts to build royal absolutism in Prussia. Due to the wartime atmosphere, Frederick William and Frederick William I were able to reduce the political power of the landlord nobility, and allow them to keep control over the peasantry. The landlords, satisfied with being unchallenged masters of their peasants, did not challenge the monarchs power, which ultimately led to the rise of Prussia. When Frederick William, of the Hohenzollern family, later known as the Great Elector, gained power in 1640, in Brandenburg, Prussia, and scattered land along the Rhine in western Germany, he was determined to unify the areas and assert royal absolutism. During the early seventeenth century, the Estates of the provinces, dominated by the nobility and landowners, or the Junkers, controlled taxation. However, the Great Elector gained power over in Brandenburg in 1653 and in Prussia between 1661 and 1663 to levy taxes without the Junkers consent. The Great Elector took military actions to defend his land. In 1660, he first financed a permanent standing army. He obtained the revenue to do so by imposing permanent taxes on the Estates without their consent. The soldiers doubled as tax collectors and policemen, becoming the core of the rapidly expanding state bureaucracy. Due to financial independence and an excellent army, Frederick William reduced the power of the Estates. He also tripled the states total revenue during his reign and greatly expanded the army, welcoming French Huguenot immigrants as talented, hard-working soldiers. ...

Response about Landscape and Narrative by Barry Lopez

Response about Landscape and Narrative by Barry Lopez As the title illustrates, ‘Landscape and Narrative’ by Barry Lopez illustrates the relationship between the landscape and a narrative.   The author illustrates that a narrative serves its purpose if it manages to illustrate the relationship between the interior and the exterior landscape effectively and in an orderly manner.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Response about Landscape and Narrative by Barry Lopez specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The exterior landscape represents the earth and the ecosystem while the interior landscape represents the mind, thoughts and everything that happens in a person’s mind.   Therefore,  it is clear that Lopez uses the issue of landscape to illustrate the role of a narrative as well as the points that ought to be considered to come up with an effective narrative. Lopez illustrates that a narrator should have knowledge on the interior and exterior landscape to come up with an effective narrative. Since the exterior landscape represents the land, a narrator is supposed to have a lot of knowledge on the   Ã‚  same to be in a position to effectively provide the relationship between the two landscapes. However, since it is not possible to have full knowledge on the land or the exterior landscape, observing the relationship between different elements can be very helpful. Most importantly, the author illustrates that full knowledge can only be realized if all the elements are studied together not separately. For instance, in an organization, there are different departments and the importance of each department can only be understood if someone studies how the whole system works. By so doing, the narrator is able to represent the exterior environment in such a way that the reader can identify with it and believe the narrator. Apart from that, the way it is presented is also a consideration as well as the phrases used since it is i mportant to ensure that all readers at all levels can be in a position to grasp the main idea and understand the content. In that case, Lopez has succeeded in illustrating how a story can be informative since it is a main prerequisite of an effective narrative. The role of a narrative is also a major idea that is brought out throughout the whole story.   Lopez   illustrates   that a well organized story that  unites the two landscapes is able to result to a state   of well being   since it is stated that â€Å" The  Ã‚   listener who takes the   story to heart will feel pervasive sense of congruence within   himself and   also in the world â€Å"(Lopez pp. 44). Therefore, according to Lopez, a well written story has got the power of healing and even  nurturing the spirit  of human beings after uniting the interior and the exterior landscape. Moreover, it provides individuals with knowledge concerning various elements in the land through studying their relat ionship as illustrated by the narrator.Advertising Looking for critical writing on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lopez uses the example of a narrative to illustrate the constituents of an effective narrative as well as the eventual roles played by the same. Use of the wolverine stories is very effective since by so doing, the reader grasps the intent of the author without major difficulties. Moreover, the  story also illustrates the power of presenting information of the exterior environment in an orderly manner and in a way that the reader can identify with the elements of the land. As a result, the author is able to believe the narrator and to take the information as truth. As an example, Lopez explains that after sending the information about the wolverine to a friend, she got a positive response though the friend had never seen the creatures. Therefore, although Lopez does not concentrate so much on presentation, she has made a major contribution in illustrating not only the role, but also the constituents of `the story. In conclusion, Lopez states that â€Å"As long as the  storyteller carefully  describes the  order before him, and uses his story telling skill to heighten and emphasize certain relationships, it is even possible for the story to be more successful  than the story teller himself is able to imagine† (Lopez pp. 146). Work Cited Lopez, Barry. Landscape and Narrative . 1970. Web.

Advantages and Disadvantages of large Sample Size Free Samples

1.In our case being that the population size was sixty nine thousand, a sample size of fifteen thousand represented by over twenty percent covers over one fifth of the population. This sample therefore has a bigger sample size than expected. i.e. 383 bank workers were to make the sample size for this population size (69,000) with confidence level of 95 percent and margin of error of 5 percent. Large sample sizes are therefore associated with advantages and disadvantages. Large sample sizes ensure for the reliability of the sample mean as the estimator of the population parameter. For a sample to fully reflect the correct population mean, larger sample size is always contemplated of. The quantity need to be pinned down. Standard error (Se) of the mean is therefore used to quantify the reflection of population mean. This standard error is essential for all calculated sample means. This is taken as an advantage of the large sample sizes due their wide coverage of the population. Working with large samples is important since it helps in sweeping out the outliers in the sample. Small samples are perceived prone to outliers which may misrepresent the data in the sample. Bigger samples capture greater odds of outliers in the sample. However, in most of the cases, outliers tend to complicate analysis of statistical data but accounting for them help in giving realistic picture and the characteristics of the population. Another advantage of large sample sizes is that they help in obtaining a quality and precise mean. This is so because the mean will have covered many elements of the population. Determination of the mean is important for it help the researchers to do away with the outliers from their data. Outliers in the dataset are important to be dealt with because they totally differ from the mean greatly and may give a deceitful image about the sample or population. Since large sample size is suitable due to its large and wider coverage of the population of study, it is in the same way time consuming and expensive to work with. For instance, sampling 15,000 workers who work in the Belgian bank will require a lot of time and also the expense that will be involved will be high. A lot of time is required since the larger sample size is spread in the manner that the population is spread and thus collecting data from the entire sample will involve much time compared to smaller sample sizes. Due to its wider coverage, the expense that is involved in data collection process is also higher compared to expense that could be incurred in a small sample size. Overrepresentation of population data in a population involves large sample size. Collection of data from this sample size in a well distributive way will require high financial involvement for the success of the process as planned Decision on what sample size to use will depend on the population size i.e. 69,000 bank workers and cost that will be involved in data collection. If the researcher wants to incur low cost in the process, smaller sample size will be preferred. In that case, it will also help in determining how precise we should be with our data. Sampling whole lot of 15,000 Belgian bank workers will mean high cost incurred in the data collection process. Prior information concerning the subject of study will help in determining the sample size for use in the study. This prior information can be considered in deciding whether to reduce the sample size or not. The key elements that will be considered from prior information is the prior mean and variance estimates, this is according to (Moher et al, 1994). Practicality is another factor to be considered when choosing for the sample size. The sample size chosen for use must make sense and practical in real life situation. Margin of error also forms another key factor for it will be relied on in determining how reliable and perfect a sample is. It will be showing the width or interval at which the calculated mean will lie and also help in construction of the confidence interval level. 2.The bank workers who were to be involved in the study were given equal chances of being selected by employing probability sampling methods. The chances will be made in such a way that they are greater than zero; this helps in reducing human biasness that may arise through their judgments thus making the process free and fair for inclusion of all banks and the bank workers in the process (Bacchetti, 2002). Probability sampling method used by the research institutions was stratified sampling method. The research institutions first randomly identified the banks which formed the strata then in the identified banks; they randomly selected the workers for fairness in their selection. Compared to other probability sampling methods like the simple random sampling, stratified sampling method gives more precision of the same sample size. Precision is important in the estimation process of the population parameter, each stratum’s statistic will be calculated and their closeness compared to one another. The process is found to be cost effective as it only involves random selection of different baking institutions and workers over the entire population which makes it half completed because of its precision. It is also flexible in that any number of participants can be selected with ease and efficiency. Also, this process tends to be more effective as it results to accuracy in selection of data since it involves lesser degree of judgment of the researcher. It as well forms easier way of sampling as compared to other sampling methods since it does not involve long and complicated processes. Moreover, probability sampling method does not require any technicality the refore any person can carry it out even non-technical persons. Since it only require random assignment of numbers over the specified strata. This method (stratified probability sampling method) of selecting the sample results to the selection of only specific class of samples. This sampling method is as well time consuming as the researcher is required to follow all due procedure such as first identifying strata and also going down to the strata to do the selection of individuals that will now participate in the process. The process result to monotony as the researcher or the surveyor will be repetitively assigning numbers in order to obtain the required information through this method; this may have further effects such as reducing the efficiency of the surveyor. 3.The chosen sampling method will have influence on the outcome data for use in the analysis. For instance, if the method that was used in sampling the banks was found to be biased, this will affect the results and the conclusions that will be drawn from this sample study (Mann, 2003). So to eradicate such short comings, the researcher is supposed to ensure that they reduce biasness as much as possible to save on the results and their dependability. This can be done through randomization. This ensures that all the possible samples are given equal chances of being selected for the sample of study. This so far is the effective technique that can be applied by the researcher in ensuring for equality of all possible samples when using simple random sampling. To reduce and improve stratified sampling technique, the groups are divided into groups referred to as strata that must be showing relationship that is meaningful in the study. In some cases, responses from the strata may be different from one another in a survey. Stratification is done in response to help in reflecting the population and ensuring that each stratum’s opinion is represented and reflected in the sample. In most of the cases, stratification is done by gender in order to take care of the divergent opinions and have all of them represented. Because each sampling method is concerned with precision in the analysis thereafter, testes methods are supposed to be conducted. This is done with the aim of ensuring that each sampling method chosen for use to satisfy research goals. The level of precision and the cost associated will be important to determine for each potential method. In this case, since standard error will be used, it will help in measuring the level of pre cision whereas the smaller the standard error, the greater the precision of our sample. 4.More often, questionnaires have been widely used in the collection of data from the respondents. In as much it has been preferred method for data collection, it is always associated with some problems (disadvantages). Dishonesty has been a big problem rocking the use of questionnaires in data collection. This arises as a result of the respondents abscond the truth from the researcher when answering the questions. In our case since the questionnaires were sent to the respondents, this may result to lack of clarity of questions for easy understanding by the respondents (Zaza et al, 2000). The matter of dishonesty may be as a result of hiding what they consider private for the fear of disclosure and desirability bias. Though this kind of problem can be dealt with by ensuring them (the respondents) about their privacy and also that their identifications will be hidden. Also, conscientiousness of the responses provided by the respondents can be missed since some of the respondents do not carefully think when responding to the questions. In some cases, they preselect the answers before they go through the whole question to know the requirement of the question. Validity of the data is affected when the respondents try to split the questions and even go further ahead to skip some of the questions thus missing out potential answers. The research institutions involved in this study can collect the most accurate data through structuring simple questions that are easy to read and understand by the respondents. If the questions are not presented to the respondent face-to-face like in this scenario, the respondents may have difficulty with understanding the questions and interpreting them since the researcher is not around to give clarity of what the questions need and offer guidelines. This will lead to a variation in interpretation of the questions thus resulting to different responses which some may not even be meaningful and related in any way with the subject of discussion (Zaza et al, 2000). Skewed results from this can be combated by well structuring the questions and making them easy to read, understand and interpret. Questionnaires should always be made accessible. The choice of which data collection tool to be used should be made by considering the respondents. For instance, people with other forms of physical disability such as visual impairment or hearing impairment, survey should not be used with them to collect data. Problems of this sort are eliminated or dealt with by making appropriate choice of which data collection tool to use. At sometimes, some respondents do have their own hidden agenda and this may lead them to provide biased information. Interest of the participants may steer them towards either the product or services. Questionnaires that only make use of open-ended questions are difficult to analyze by the respondents. Answers obtained through these types of questions are individualized opinions hence they cannot be quantified by the analysts since they vary across all the individual groups. Structuring a questionnaire with many open ended questions will result to more data to be analyzed. So it can be dealt with by reducing the number of open-ended questions and using the closed ended questions instead. Some of the questions remaining unanswered are other problems that are being encountered by the researchers when using questionnaires especially when the questions are optional. This risk can be avoided by making the questionnaires online and terming all the fields required. In the same way, the questions are supposed to be precise and easy to respond to. 5.The dataset that will be used to check for the representativeness of the sample will be obtained from the National Bank of Belgium in conjunction with Employment industry in Belgium. They will be used as the checking point for collected data for study. They will also be used to obtain data that are termed relevant from other sources like from the previous study. Additionally, secondary data provide descriptive information that is used to support the study that is currently being carried out thus helping in the development of the study with facts. Variables used in the study are in most of the cases tested if at all there is a relationship that exist between variables thus helping in building up the model. Secondary data are as well used in data mining where computer technology is used in studying the trend for the previous research by visiting large volumes of data. Among other uses of the secondary data, they are as well used in the identification of relevant sources in order to d o away with plagiarism. Moher, D., Dulberg, C. S., & Wells, G. A. (1994). Statistical power, sample size, and their reporting in randomized controlled trials.  Jama,  272(2), 122-124. Bacchetti, P. (2002). Peer review of statistics in medical research: the other problem.  British Medical Journal,  324(7348), 1271. Mann, C. J. (2003). Observational research methods. Research design II: cohort, cross   sectional, and case-control studies.  Emergency medicine journal,  20(1), 54-60. Zaza, S., Wright-De Agà ¼ero, L. K., Briss, P. A., Truman, B. I., Hopkins, D. P., Hennessy, M. H., ... & Pappaioanou, M. (2000). Data collection instrument and procedure for systematic reviews in the Guide to Community Preventive Services.  American journal of preventive   medicine,  18(1), 44-74.

Argumentative Synthesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

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Genetic and Molecular Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Genetic and Molecular Biology - Essay Example The chromosome theory on inheritance said that Chromosomes are in pairs and genes, or their alleles, are located on the chromosomes. 4. Each of several Alternative forms of a Gene is called an Allele. Letters are used to represent Alleles: Capital Letters refer to a Dominant Allele that masks or hides expression of a recessive allele. Lowercase Letters refer to a Recessive Allele its expression is masked by a dominant allele. Yes, it is possible for more than two alleles of a gene to exist. 5. Scientists gradually learned about DNA in a curiously twisted fashion that is common in science. For one thing, the discovery of DNA required progress on three separate fronts: cytology (the study of cells through a microscope), genetics, and chemistry. Scientists working on DNA in the early 1950s used the term "gene" to mean the smallest unit of genetic information, but they did not know what a gene actually looked like structurally and chemically, or how it was copied, with very few errors, generation after generation. Nevertheless, many scientists continued to believe that DNA had a structure too uniform and simple to store genetic information for making complex living organisms. The genetic material, they reasoned, must consist of proteins, much more diverse and intricate molecules known to perform a multitude of biological functions in the cell. 6. Gene is a hereditary unit consisting of a sequence of DNA that occupies a specific location on a chromosome and determines a particular characteristic in an organism. A chromosome is a grouping of coiled strands of DNA, containing many genes. 7. Each strand of DNA is a chain of chemical "building blocks", called nucleotides, of which there are four types: adenine (abbreviated A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). These allowable base components of nucleic acids can be polymerized in any

Aristotle and Plato’s Concept of the Soul Essay Example for Free

Aristotle and Plato’s Concept of the Soul Essay Most individuals are interested in knowing and understanding the various phenomena that exist among their midst. It could be as simple as looking for information as to why the sun rises and sets or it could involve very trivial matters that deal with things that is not seen by the naked eye. This is why the field of philosophy exists in order to investigate the ideas of truth, existence, knowledge, and other subjects by means of logic and reason (Kemerling). In relation to this, many famous philosophers have their respective theories that tend to explain various matters. This could be exemplified by Aristotle and Plato’s ideas behind the existence of a soul. Aristotle wrote three books of De Anima wherein he elaborated a varying array of philosophical and scientific topics. In Book II, Chapter 1 of De Anima, Aristotle made a sketch or outline of the nature of the soul. He explained the concept of the soul by using a scientific perspective that uses elements of biology. In relation to this, he also employed the idea of metaphysics that tackled everything such as substance, form, matter, potentiality, and actuality. Aristotle perceived that the soul is united with the living body. As such, the existence of the soul is also dependent upon the host. He deems that the soul is made simply for the purpose of development, which can only happen if it is connected with a body or some kind of container in the physical world. In this sense, the soul is assumed to exist as the form of the body. The importance of the soul is greatly dependent upon the body or a type of entity that gives life to it. Since the soul designates life, Aristotle believed that it is also present in every living thing, including plants and animals. He also elaborated that different entities have various versions of the soul. The soul of a human being is unique from others because it has the ability to hold rational beliefs and use reason. It is regarded as the higher level of soul while the lowest ones are those that are found in plants and animals. Moreover, Aristotle’s association of the soul to specific forms made the soul as the mover because it is the culmination of the various life forces (Davidson). On the other hand, Plato believes that the soul is made up of three basic energies, including reason, emotion, and appetite that are responsible in animating human beings. The energy of reason is regarded as having the greatest value, while emotion and most especially appetite are considered as the lower passions. Reason is responsible in governing the soul that controls the emotion and the appetite of an individual. In relation to this, Plato deems that the soul is important in living a moral life. He explained that morality is the cause of happiness, which motivates an immoral person to behave righteously if he or she wants to be happy. Plato asserted that a happy person is a just person. Moreover, the psychic harmony of the soul is expressed in four cardinal virtues that are related to the three basic energies. In terms of reason, the just person has wisdom or prudence. In relation to emotion, the just person has the virtue of courage. Lastly, when it comes to the energy of appetite, a just person has the value of temperance (â€Å"Plato theory of the Soul†). Aristotle and Plato’s respective theories of the soul have similarities in the sense that they both believe that the soul is responsible for the ability of human beings to think logically and rationally. Nevertheless, there are many differences in their concept of the soul. Since Aristotle employed the scientific topics in his theory, he perceived the soul as dependent upon the body. In relation to this, he also deemed that other living things have souls. On the contrary, Plato merely focused on the existence of human beings’ soul. He explained his idea of the soul in the light of morality rather than biology. Furthermore, Plato argued that the soul is influenced by external force in order to move, while Aristotle asserted that the soul is the mover itself because it is an assortment of life forces. The varying theories of Aristotle and Plato with regards to the soul only show that philosophers have different perspective and understanding in the pursuit of understanding various matters of an individual’s existence.

Child Obesity Media And Technology Children And Young People Essay

Child Obesity Media And Technology Children And Young People Essay The topic of this research is looking into child obesity and whether it gives cause to come under child neglect laws. This will be done in a literature review format incorporating interviews to look at fact and opinions on the matter. The results provide a complex over view and debate the topic thoroughly, taking into consideration affecting factors. Yes, child obesity can be neglect if a parents have persistently ignored guidance and failed to seek needed help. It can also be no as not every child obese case gives cause to be considered neglect and it is extremely rare. Obesity is a condition in which weight gain has reached the point of seriously endangering health. While some people are genetically more susceptible than others, the direct cause of obesity in any individual is always an excess of energy intake over energy expenditure (Chambers and Wakely, 2002: X). The issues arisen from criminalising child obesity being under the law of child neglect will be critically discussed in this dissertation. Obesity is a major concern in the UK, proven to potentially shorten lives by up to 9 years, health professionals are starting to express their worries of parents outliving their children as a consequence of the health problems that accompany obesity (Kellow, 2011). Some of the possible health implications of child obesity are: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis (Sullivan, 2004 and Heaton-Harris, 2009). In 2010 20% of boys and 17% of girls aged 11-15 could be described as clinically obese, with 14% and 15% aged between 2-10 being obese. From 1995 child obesity has risen 6% for boys and 3% for girls (reference). This would make nearly 1 in 5 of all children not just overweight, but a t the point of serious health issues (Health Survey for England, 2010). It is already said to be costing the UK  £2 billion annually (Kellow, 2011) and estimated to increase to  £50 billion annually by 2050 if trends continue (Butland et al. 2007). The increase in child obe sity has sparked a moral panic about the concern for childrens health driving the government to do more to protect children from becoming obese. Obesity is defined by BMI which stands for body mass index. BMI is calculated by dividing a persons weight (in kg) by their height (in meters). To be classed as obese a persons BMI would need to be over 30, and to be classed as morbidly obese, which is extreme cases of obesity the BMI would need to be 40 or above (Chambers and Wakely, 2002). This is not what you expect to be talking about when discussing children, as the stereotypical image of a child is healthy and happy, getting plenty of exercise and being fed properly. However, Heaton-Harris (2009:14) provides an opposite portrayal, saying Obese children are less active than the average pensioner. She then goes onto explain that overweight children will get out of breath after 5 minutes due to the additional strain on the heart to pump excessively around the body, which is too large and demanding oxygen rich blood. It is clear from the statement that Heaton-Harris (2009) argues that obese children are very disadvantaged and unfit. Children are vulnerable and dependant on parents and guardians and it is their duty is to make sure their children are healthy and happy. Ford-Martin (2005) says that children learn by example and that as a parent or guardian you are their primary role model. The parents or guardians of children struggling with obesity are therefore failing their children as the child is severely unhealthy and is at risk of severe health problems. It currently can become a child protection issue if children are allowed to eat excessive amounts of food, or have a seriously unbalanced diet (Grady, 2012). In extreme cases children can be removed from parental or guardian care by the court due to the affecting factor, children being obese. The fact that children sometimes need protection from parents if they are obese is interesting and leads onto the discussion whether this should also be a punishable offence. As it stands the definition of child neglect is, a persistent failure to meet a childs basic physical and/or developmental needs. Neglect includes failing to provide for a childs health, education, emotional development, nutrition, clothing, shelter, safety and safe living conditions, and includes exclusion of the child from the home and abandonment. It is different from poverty, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), because it happens when there is failure to provide the resources to meet a childs needs if those resources exist or should be available (Bovarnick online, 2007). This definition explains under current statute what would be classed as child neglect and as you can see this covers a very wide spectrum. Although it does say failing to provide for a childs health (Bovarnick online, 2007).This could allow child obesity to fit into this category. Although generally the main focus of child neglect is failure to provide a child with something not allowing children excessive amounts of something. The question this dissertation sets out to answer is whether or not child obesity presents the scope to be punishable by law under child neglect statute. The aims are to establish how much blame is on the media, technology and parents to establish whether or not it is justifiable to hold them responsible for the obesity state their child/children are in. This question will be looked at through current literature and interviews to see what people think about the issue also. The first chapter discussing the role media and technology play on the obesity state of the youth in the UK. The second chapter puts forward the debate on whether or not parents should take the main responsibility of their childrens obesity state. The third and final chapter deliberates the on-going debate on the issues of child obesity being a form of child neglect taking into consideration both of the discussed issues presented in the previous chapters. The impending investigation takes the format of a literature review, which incorporates interviews also. There is extensive literature on the topic of child obesity in the UK which is taken advantage of in the format being used to answering the question set out. As well as gathering qualitative data from interviews to get opinions and see if they back up the literature found. Chapter 2: Methodology The methods section is the most important aspect of a research paper because it provides the information by which the validity of a study is ultimately judged (Kallet, 2004:1129). 2.1: Research design and rationale Child neglect and child obesity are both current issues and can both impose health problems to children. It is an on-going debate whether child obesity should come under child neglect laws which can hold parents or guardians responsible and therefore punish them for the obesity state their child/children are in. These two topics for investigation are strongly linked and consequently showing a need to investigate them together and answer the question whether child obesity should be criminalised. The methodology used to conduct this investigation into child neglect and child obesity is mainly library based research but incorporated into the research investigation is a short interview to compare with the literature based findings. The methodological approach needs to fit the purpose and the question being researched. Therefore justification for the methods used in any research being conducted needs to be established (Kumar, 2011). This is also backed up by Robson (2002), who articulates the data collected by the researcher in any topic is dependent on the particular research question and aims. Winstanley (2009) and Saunders et al., (2007) state there are two categories research can be separated into; primary research and secondary research. According to Sorenson (2010) the difference between the two is how the research is gathered: primary research is collected by the researcher whereas secondary research is carried out using already existing data. Secondary data according to Bryman and Bell (2007) and Zikmund (2003) is when, documents by other researchers are analysed by people most commonly not involved in the collection process. This allows experience and knowledge to be drawn from other academics which may be vital to the subject area being discussed. This paper is at an under-graduate level making expert knowledge and expertise crucial in making the paper of value in the academic world. Zikmund (2003) also draws attention to the lower cost, which is also a main advantage over primary data which can be expensive. Saunders et al. (2007) comment that secondary research allows a wide range of information to be gathered such as: quantitative, qualitative, descriptive and explanatory data. However every form of data collection comes with weaknesses. Secondary data may provide a lot of good quality information but may not link entirely with the given research questions and aims providing no value towards further research; this is something researchers need to consider. In a lot of instances it can be near impossible to find sufficient information (Zikmund, 2003). Also if pre-existing data is relevant, credible and specifically what the researcher needs to discuss time and effort designing and collating new research maybe a waste of the researchers time. Secondary research was the main data collection method chosen as it seemed the best choice to answer the question on whether child obesity should or is criminalised. When talking about a debate that already exists it is paramount to include current literature, especially when this issue is a current governmental and political matter. With an abundance of existing research in this area, secondary data collection was the easiest method and the most appropriate main form of data collection. However the weaknesses pointed out do need to be noted as secondary data can provide such a wide scope of data and most of it may be irrelevant and only relevant data needs to be discussed, this will be discussed in more detail under the inclusion/exclusion of data. The debate on criminalising child obesity is a current one in the academic world however this dissertation took a new direction, by adding interviews as there would have been no point carrying out something that had been done before. The secondary data gathered was in the form of a library based dissertation also known as a literature review. This is the main source of information being used to discuss the issues of child obesity and whether criminalising it is appropriate and considers: journals, newspapers, reports, textbooks, abstracts, media sources both electronically and in hard copy format (Hart, 1998). Hart says that a literature review is The selection of available documents on the topic, which contain ideas, data and evidence written from a particular standpoint to fulfil certain aims or express certain views on the nature of the topic and how it is to be investigated and the effective evaluation of these documents in relation to the research being proposed (1998: 13). Literature reviews are seen as very important and as Aveyard (2010: 6) explains them to be like jigsaw puzzles as you piece each part of the puzzle (piece of literature) together to give the reader the overall picture. Therefore playing an important part allowing all relevant information on a given topic to be in one place at the same time, this brings to light conflicting academic works to be seen together which may have gone unnoticed before. This type of research can also incur new insights to be drawn as a result of re-analysing previous sources. However Aveyard (2010) notices they are useful but in order to be reliable they need rigour and structure. The idea is not to find literature to back up the desired answer but to open-mindedly collate information to reach and answer on a predefined question. This is very important as literature reviews permits the overall picture to be seen and therefore hopefully eliminating bias so the researcher needs to adhere to this and this why it is vital that a systematic approach is taken. Hart (1998) establishes that literature reviews need to present all available documents on the chosen topic not just selected few to give the reader everything to make up their mind. This poses a difficulty as the resources available to an under graduate student will not allow a team of researchers and there are time constraints. This is why a systematic approach will be adhered to but may not reach the exact same criteria a fully funded and resourced literature review will. To present information to allow a reader to reach his/her own conclusions on the predefined question, whether childhood obesity should be criminalised, it will be thoroughly researched selecting only relevant information. The systematic approach used key terms (Appendix 2: 54) to search the library data base at Buckinghamshire New University and the internet. This was systematic do uncover any relevant literature which ensured everything relating to the topic was read and if found useful was then included in the discussion. However this is not the only form of data collection being used as primary research is also being used in the form of interviews which shapes the literature already in circuit to cater directly to the needs of the question and objectives giving and already existing topic area a new direction. The dissertation aims to uncover not only current issues and debates but peoples attitudes and thoughts which are only possible if opting to incorporate primary data also that adds value to the issues being presented. The interview questions were formed around the literary findings, which then allowed the literature and interviews to be compared and discussed. Interviews were conducted as part of the research which is one of the main methods of gathering primary data; permitting data to be brought together that has not been gathered previously. Ghauri et al. (2005) highlights one of the main advantages of using primary research methods is the data is going to be relevant as it is specifically gathered to the specialised research area, this is also backed up by Zikmund (2003). Being able to shape the data being gathered to suit the needs of the study allows consistent information to be provided. Saunders et al. (2007) points out that a main limitation to primary research is interviewee and interviewer bias when using focus groups. The research in this study does not involve focus groups for this exact reason to decrease the chance of bias. However the interviewees and interviewer were criminology students and may present a bias for that reason. Having bias makes it less reliable which affects the validity and also makes it hard to generalis e results, this is something to be taken into consideration for this study. Nevertheless this is a valid point and makes the study less reliable but not an easy issue to overcome given the ethical restrictions and materials available for the study. The library based element and the interview section are both focusing on qualitative data, however there will be some secondary data featured in the form of quantitative statistics jotted throughout. Bryman (2001: Page number) describes qualitative research to be a strategy that usually emphasizes words, feelings, perception, and qualitative research tends to be concerned with words rather than numbers. The point of the dissertation is to look into the perception people have and the way society see child obesity and what they think in regards to it being criminalised. Hoepfl (1997) stated that qualitative research allows data to discover the meaning of events rather quantitative using numbers to establish facts. Qualitative data provides the means to find out what peoples attitudes and intentions are about fundamental topics (Ghauri et al, 2005). This permits researchers to broaden knowledge and insight in their chosen topic. This is very useful and one of the main reasons interviews were picked was to develop an understanding of whether obesity is seen as criminal as it will give an insight to peoples opinions on the issue as well as comparing it to current literature available. Interviews were chosen as they have potential to gain rich and insightful data (Robson, 2011). Sarantakos (1988) highlights the main advantages of interviews are: there flexible and adaptable, they directly ask the questions and can assess non-verbal behaviour, which can sometimes reverse the meaning. Robson (2007) also highlights that direct face to face interviews have advantages as you can measure the seriousness which participants take the exercise and you get a higher response rate as it is harder to say no. Although Sarantakos also points out that there are disadvantages such as biases are hard to rule out and that interviews are very time-consuming considering the time it takes to transcribe interviews. Interviews were picked from this study to gage an understanding of what people thought about childhood obesity as from interviews you can directly ask the questions you need answered. It was tailored to the topic of the dissertation which allowed the discussion of both literatu re and the data found in the interviews. Interviews not only helped to gage an understanding and present data for discussion but as it was done whilst the literature was being gathered it showed areas that were in need for research to cover the topic of child obesity. For example, in one interview the topic of illnesses and diseases that can make you obese was discussed about bringing to light this new area to be included. The interviews will be carried out on two separate days with 5 interviews on one day and 5 on the other. All interviewees were handed a leaflet (Appendix 3:55-56) to inform them that the interview will remain anonymous and that they can stop at any time and this leaflet is then signed by each interviewee to ensure consent is present. Participant numbers will be used when discussing in the main paper and no names will be included within the dissertation to keep identities confidential. There will also be a verbal introduction read out to participants to ensure consistency (Appendix 4: 57). 10 students will be asked the same three questions in the same order. Interviewees will be both genders but all over the age of 18 attending Buckinghamshire New University. They were interviewed in a rentable room in the library of Bucks New University. All interviews were recorded on a Dictaphone and transcribed after all participants had completed the interview. The interviews will be structured a nd based upon four questions (appendix 4: 57). Interviewees were asked to explain their answers in as much detail as they could. A main advantage of the research design is that it incorporated both secondary and primary research by being a library based review including short interviews to compare and possibly back up the literature based findings. The disadvantages of just doing one form of research will be minimised as you will decrease the disadvantages of doing primary or secondary by using both. For example a main disadvantage of using primary research is researcher bias which can still occur but will be compared to other literature on the same topic so this will be minimised, this makes the results found in the dissertation a higher validity. 2.2: Data Analysis 2.2.1 Library Based Research A library based search is an analytical overview of literature on a given topic. In order to present the literature found in from the library search it was thoroughly studied and then broken down into the three chapters. They were broken down into chapters to specifically analyse each section of information uncovered giving the direct access to then compare to the interview findings. 2.2.2 Interviews Gibbs (2007) describes coding as the direction you take when analysing your data, where you systematically link together similar theories and descriptions. Robson (2011) explains the importance of thematic coding has to drawing points of interest out of data. Thematic coding was used to analyse the data gathered from the interviews as the reason they were carried out was to gage what people thought about child obesity. The interviews consisted of peoples thoughts and ideas and being able to dissect the meaning of these gives value to the data collected and transforms it to a functional format, this is then used when discussing the issues that arose. Being able to identifying general themes from the interviews was necessary in understanding more about the phenomenon. It was especially useful in pin pointing specific areas in need for discussion as child obesity is a broad topic; this was how the chapters were chosen. There were a lot of advantages to thematic coding such as: flexibility, being easy to pick up, within reach to those with little or no experience and it allowed key features to be summarised which then made it easy to remark on in the chapters. However the main disadvantages these were: being flexible it gave the potential for a broad range of data which could then be confusing to interpret and use and that coding may be limited to description or exploration and not very focused towards interpretation (Robson, 2011). Robson (2011) then goes onto describe the five phases to thematic coding: the first phase is familiarising yourself with data, the second phase generating initial codes, the third identifying themes, the fourth constructing thematic networks and the fifth and final phase integration and interpretation stage. Miles and Huberman (1994) mention that there are more than one stage to coding the first level is attaching labels to groups and the second putting the initial themes into a smaller amount of themes. 2.3: Inclusion/Exclusion of Criteria Research materials included in the research investigation would need to be from the UK and information from other countries or discussing other countries will be excluded as the points will not be as relevant, unless it specifically addresses the UK or is used in a comparative style. Another crucial point is the date period which is something the researcher should be aware of (Zikmund, 2003). If a publication was older than 10 years it is not likely to still be of importance, however in the case of childhood obesity it seems to be a newly mediated topic which can mean that all information is still of relevance. So literature that is older than 10 years will only be included if it seems to still be of significant importance or a pivotal point for discussion. Chapter 3: Child Obesity, media and technology Of course, with the important role comes responsibility, the media must operate in an ethical and responsible way (Browne, J, 2011, online). This chapter looks at the part media and technology play in the child obesity epidemic. The media cannot be punished for neglecting children as they do not owe the same duty of care parents do, establishing how much the media affects the problem of obesity nevertheless will benefit the overall argument. It can be broken down into three categories, firstly the rise in technology, which has increased sedentary activities among youths. Secondly, with the issue of child obesity increasing this has led to an upsurge of media coverage on the issue (Kim and Wills, 2007), the ways in which the issue is portrayed may too affect child obesity. Thirdly studies have shown that advertising of junk foods may be directly linked to the increase of child obesity, and has been a topic of much discussion in recent years. It is important to remember that not only are media there to inform but they aim to educate and entertain and are getting paid so it is important to remember they may have hidden agend as (Melville-Brown, 2007) as well as their aim being to publicise health problems not rectify them. 3.1: Literature Findings 3.1.1 Sedentary lifestyles amongst youths The involvement children have with physical activity has noticeably decreased over the past 20 years. Dr Watkins (cited in Cole and Kmietowicz, 2007:334) stated that free range children have been replaced with battery reared children reared in cyberspace, and thats the reason for the epidemic of childhood obesity. This highlights that the increased participation in sedentary activities, that are more readily available for the children of today, play a huge role in their lives and may impact on the statistical increase of childhood obesity. The changes in lifestyle that causes lack of physical exercise and the consumption of more high in fat foods are thought to be major influences to obesity, even when taking into consideration genetic causes that are coming to light more and more (Warren et al., 2003). What are the pin point changes in society that caused this change in lifestyle? We now live in an instant culture (Heaton-Harris, 2009). Children in todays society spend their time pl aying video games and socialising on the internet rather than meeting face to face. It is these sedentary pursuits that allows children to do little exercise and encourages them to snack more. Ford Martin (2005) found that 92% of children had a home gaming system and the average time a day children spend in front of a media screen is 6 and a half hours. It is no wonder that child obesity is on the rise and physical activity is at an all-time low among young children. It is starting at such a young age as a Kaiser family foundation study (cited in Ford-Martin, 2005) found that a third of all children aged six and younger had their own televisions in their bedrooms. The children of today do not know anything different than sitting down in front of computers and televisons. It is not that sedentary activities are what children are most commonly engaging in.   It is worrying because it is replacing physical exercise of  youth  altogether  (Ofcom, 2004). Ofcom (2004) emphasise that there is a correlation between watching television, poor diet, poor health and obesity with children and adults. Steinbeck (2001) links the decrease in physical activity to the increase of child obesity; Biddle, Gorely and Stensel (2004) believe this to be true also. It would appear to attempt overcoming the child obesity epidemic children need to lessen their time involved in sedentary activities and partake in more physical activities. 3.1.2 Media Coverage Rodgers (2009, online) believes there is currently a panic surrounding child obesity in the UK with this sudden rise of media attention. Marsh and Melville (2011, online) describe moral panics as an exaggerated social reaction to something embraced by the mass media, which is caused by the activities of certain groups and/or individuals. This becomes the source of major public concern that amplifies the panic surrounding such activities. The TV series Jamies school dinners (2005), presented by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, made a huge impact on child obesity, the media coverage on the topic and public perceptions. The Chef uncovered that 97% of school children were getting a totally unbalanced diet on a daily basis and this needed to change for the benefit of childrens health. A nutritionist on the series explained that the current school dinners lacked fruit, veg and vitamin C which are crucial in forming immunity (Jamies School Dinners, 2005). The TV series not only changed the public perception, more importantly led to changes by the government to ensure children had healthier school dinners. The Department for Education (2013), explains the governments current stance that there are strict nutrient-based standards that all schools in England need to comply with. This includes food and drink that can be obtained throughout a school day. The Government clearly state that they take the issue of healthy school dinners seriously, as it can affect childrens willingness to learn, behaviour and eating habits for life. The Schools Food Trust (2007, online) is a document that sets out the compulsory standards the Government insisted on that needed to be in place by September 2009. A 2011 article in the Sunday Observer shows that since the positive change to healthier school dinners that there has been an increase in not only learning as test results show but absences have dropped by 14% (Boffey, 2011). The media therefore has positive effects as well as negative. The media has seen to be useful for informing people about child obesity and helping to overcome the epidemic, as Jamie School Dinners is a prime example. However the media is widely known to provide misconceptions, which could worsen the issue. As it has been discussed child obesity is prominently featured in the media. When an important issue such as a childs health is at stake it is important that the issue is honestly portrayed ensuring it can be dealt with effectively. An argument is that the media portray only the extreme cases of obesity as that would be shocking news stories (Winterman, 2012). This then leads people to think that to be obese you would need to be extremely obese which may be cause for confusion and misunderstanding. As shown when half of parents underestimated the size of an obese child which implies that the media maybe the cause of this dangerous misconception (Winterman, 2012). If parents are misinformed by the media this could have life threatening affects for children who are obese, especially if it encourages the parents to believe that their children are not obese and do not take much needed action. It has also been noted that prime time TV shows about obesity, that dominate popular channels, give the wrong impression about obesity also. Boyce and Inthorn, (2007) studied programmes that were dedicated primarily to obesity, and came to the realisation that the shows directed blame on individuals generally rather than a public health issue. They tended to give the impression that it was down to self-control and discipline of the individual, with weight control being easily attainable as a result. The study also found that the programmes failed to improve levels of knowledge on obesity as it used shame and humiliation to persuade people to lose weight not knowledge. Jones (2006) backs this relaying that lack of correct information is a key problem. Rees et al. (2011) interviewed children about obesity, and they also shared the opinion shared by most TV programmes on obesity and thought if a child was obese they were to blame as it was something the media made out to be controllable . This false idea that obesity is easily controllable is wrong and may cause a lot of bullying in schools. 3.1.3 Advertising Its not just TV programmes that are thought to be affecting the ideas around child obesity; also adverts for unhealthy food are being blamed for the increase in child obesity (Carvel, 2003). It had been established beyond reasonable doubt that advertising of unhealthy products influences what children not only eat and drink but also the brands they prefer. Boyce, (2007) agrees that advertising is widely seen to encourage unhealthy consumption, particularly with children, as food is the most frequently advertised product on childrens TV. Coon and Tucker (2002) conducted a literature review into journal articles and concluded based on their findings that children exposed to advertising were significantly more likely to opt for advertised food products than those not exposed. Ofcom (2004) provided research also to suggest that there is a direct link to childrens food choices and advertisement. The report written by Barclay (2011) expresses clearly the governments stance, which indicates that they strongly agree junk food adverts encourage childrens ill health. From July 2007 such adverts were not restricted but totally banned from childrens TV by Ofcom, in what one would presume

The Effects of Technology on Students Essay -- Education Teaching

The Effects of Technology on Students Change is constant. Though one may not be able to see the change, one can look back through the course of a year or maybe even a few months and see the change. Technology has transformed with our culture. There are many benefits for students with the new advancements of technology. Teachers have seen many of these benefits with the influence of technology on their students. Many students find a sense of accomplishment when working with technology. Students are now more willing to write and work on computational skills (Estey). Then students find these tasks appealing and are able to achieve more. Another area that technology has impacted is the expansion of the learning environment. It allows students access to primary source material they could not otherwise see, information they could not otherwise find, places they could not otherwise go, and different opportunities for collaboration and team learning they otherwise could not have (Miller 44). Students who have disabilities or transportation problems benefit from this technology. Students are able to do research from their home rather than going to the library. Pages of information can be available to students from across the nation with just a few clicks of the mouse. Students in a Chicago suburban elementary school recently used technology to explore the history of Ice Age animals in Illinois. Using the Internet, they â€Å"traveled† to the Illinois Sate Museum (200 miles away) and the Brookfield Zoo (10 miles away) to gather information and talk with experts via two-way video. The students constructed an electronic database to organize and analyze their information and shared their findings with students outside ... ...e should use these gifts because in the Bible, I Peter 4:5 reads, â€Å"Each on should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully, administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.† Works Cited Miller, Steven E. â€Å"Technology: what’s it good for?† Learning and Leading with Technology 28 (2001): 42-5. Estey, Carolyn. â€Å"Technology and Education Reform: Technical Research Report.† 2001 U.S. Department of Education. 10 November 2002 http://www.ed.gov/pubs/SER/Technology/ch.9.html â€Å"Networked Classrooms of the Future: An Economic Perspective.† March 2001. http://www.cnets.iste.org. 24 November 2002.