The Existential Of Existential Anxieties Of Anna, Sandro...

â€Å"We define existential mattering (EM) as the degree to which individuals feel that their existence is of significance and value; to feel a sense of EM is to feel that one’s existence is important and relevant.† (39) Demonstrated by Batthyany et al. definition of existential mattering, is the importance of self-awareness, a theme that perpetuates through Antonioni’s L’Avventura. Anna, Sandro and Claudia, three of the characters of interest in Antonioni’s film, are in constant limbo with their self-awareness and seem as if they are unable to achieve conscious, rational self-evaluation. Throughout this text, we will evaluate the existential anxieties of Anna, Sandro and Claudia as presented through the narrative and filmography of L’Avventura. We are first introduced to Anna, a thin woman with short dark hair, in her dialogue with her father where it quickly becomes apparent that they already have a difference in opinion on love, marriage and what she should wear on a yacht. â€Å"that guy will never marry you my darling daughter† to which Anna replies â€Å"so far, I’ve been the one who doesn’t want to marry him† â€Å"it’s the same difference† her father disagrees (Antonioni. 3:45 – 3:55). Although this is a short glimpse into Anna’s character we can see that she resists these social standards and almost seems annoyed by them. Anna is seemingly the most self- aware of the characters but seems to be stuck in a position where she is unsure of how everyone else will react to her true

The Data Collection From State Bank Of Pakistan Financial...

Methodology Data: This study is based on the data collection from state bank of Pakistan financial analysis of non-financial companies listed on Karachi stock exchange (2006-2011).The publication provides the data of 411 companies in around 10 sectors from year 2006 to 2011. In this research we are not including the financial firms because their structure is totally different from non-financial firms and financial firms are services firms. Methodology In this study we are using the panel data regression analysis and it considers both cross section and time series features. It helps to create the clear picture of the relationship between different variables because panel data considers multiple variables for different time periods. Panel data have many advantages over time series and cross sectional data sets. Provides large numbers of observations; It increases the level of freedom and decreases level of co linearity among the independent variables. Why Panel Data? The main purpose of panel data econometric model is to utilise, which comprises the data in cross section with time series data to deal with the variables which are being analysed in this study. In this study we worked on the cross sectional units over the 6 years’ time span and we made the observations on each variable during this time. According to Terra (2002), the panel data analysis have advantage in relating to the economic problems when dynamic effects and cross section variatrions are related. InShow MoreRelatedFirm Aggressiveness And Respective Performance Empirical Study Under Pakistan Essay1501 Words   |  7 Pagesat CFCBE, CECOS University, Peshawar Pakistan bluechip1122@gmail.com Abstract Finance manager aggressiveness regarding designing capital structure (especially working capital) which yields optimum return is a debatable matter from last 50 years. 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Introduction to Marketing Legal Frameworks

Question: Discuss about the Introduction to Marketing for Legal Frameworks. Answer: Introduction: Identification of appropriate marketing strategy is the key to the success in the competitive world of business. Companies design their products according to the customer needs and the external requirements like socio-political norms or legal frameworks. Now, depending on the target market it has to define its marketing plan. For the successful completion of this marketing plan, the author has chosen Starbucks and its three products. The discussion has been divided into five segments. After identifying three products, the author has identified the positioning of those products. Then he/she has identified the gaps in the products market and proposed some alternative marketing strategies for the company. Finally he/she has concluded the essay with the summery of the discussion. Discussion: The Products: For the successful completion of this marketing plan the author has chosen three popular products of Starbucks, i.e. Espresso Frappuccino, Earl Grey Tea and Creamy Egg Baby Cos Sandwich (Starbucks Coffee Australia 2017). All these products are popularly available in the Australian market, mainly in the urban areas. Positioning of the Three Products: According to Qian and Xing (2016) depending on the product features and the preferences of the targeted customer base, the companies opt need to opt for a suitable positioning strategy. As mentioned by Tuan (2014) the positioning of a product is the image that a product occupies in the mind of the consumers. The companies try to position their products in the mind of the customers with the help of the product features, pricing strategies, the offerings of the competitors, Starbucks has opted for almost a general positioning strategy for its products. The company has mainly targeted the high and middle income group and developed the products and the promotional strategies according to their preference and availability (Starbucks Coffee Australia 2017). In the case of the three selected products, the company does not have a point of differentiation regarding the test or the composition of the products from its competitors. As discussed by Wirtz and Lovelock (2016) in the case of the impulse products, like soft drinks or the fast foods (both are the product offerings of Starbucks), the customers opt for the factors like availability and brand awareness. In the case of creating the point of differentiation for creating a unique position in the minds of the customers the company has opted for the following factors. The premium pricing: in the case of the products like Espresso Frappuccino, Earl Grey Tea and Creamy Egg Baby Cos Sandwich, the company is not able to create much change in the products from its competitors. Mainly in the case of the sandwich, the product is essentially imitable to the competitors and the companies like McDonalds is offering same kinds of products (Hota and Newlands 2017). Hence, the company has opted for creating difference in the price of the products. For the products like Earl Grey Tea and Espresso Frappuccino the company has opted for the premium pricing. On the other hand, the price of the Creamy Egg Baby Cos Sandwich is also higher than the similar products in the market (Tuan 2014). Figure 1: The Perception map of identifying the positioning of the products (Source: Starbucks Coffee Australia 2017) The quality brand awareness: with the promotional tagline Starbucks or Nothing. Because Compromise Leaves Really Bad Aftertaste, and the mission statement Establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow", the company is creating an image of high end product in the minds of the customers (Starbucks Coffee Australia 2017). It is being strategically supported by the premium pricing policy of the company. The quality of the products like Espresso Frappuccino and Earl Grey Tea is essentially high. Starbucks is denoting this quality as the value of this price. Moreover, branding itself as high end service provider Starbucks is creating a sense of differentiation among the customers (Steenkamp 2017). Possible Gaps in the Products Market (SWOT Analysis): As described by Boone and Kurtz (2013) identification of the gaps in the market of a certain product help the companies to develop strategies or design the products to address them and obtain a substantive level of competitive advantage. As mentioned by Hota and Newlands (2017) with the identification of the internal and external forces those are influential in operational management, the company becomes able to identify the strength or weaknesses in the market. Here, a SWOT analysis will be able to identify the gaps in the products market of Starbucks. Strength Weaknesses Quality product Strong brand image High end service Absence of delivery system Lack on online ordering The premium pricing policy Lack of verity in the food section Opportunities Threats Technological advancement Changed customer preference New market opportunities Hugely competitive market The imitable products Figure 2: SWOT analysis for Starbucks (Source: Starbucks Coffee Australia 2017) According to the above-discussed SWOT analysis Starbucks has a good level of strength in the market. In the case of the three selected products, the company obtains the same strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The Gap in the Market: As identified in the SWOT analysis the possible gap in the market of the products of Starbucks are revolving round the marketing mix mainly the placing of the products. As identified by the SWOT analysis, the major gaps in the markets of the selected products are: The products mainly belong to the premium product line of the company which is not affordable to a large number of customers. The absence of online ordering and to home delivery system of Starbucks is affecting the demand of these products (Hota and Newlands 2017). The products do not create much point of differentiation from the competitors to the customers. Depending on these gaps in the market of these three selected products, the company needs to revise its marketing strategy and opt for alternative marketing plans. Alternative Marketing Strategies: As mentioned by Chua and Banerjee (2013) the marketing strategies of a company largely involves the designing of the product offerings, the pricing strategy, the identification of the product distribution channels and the suitable promotional strategies to address the target market. Hence, creating change in any of these mentioned factors may bring alteration in the marketing strategy of the company. Here, the following alterations in the marketing mix can be made for addressing the gaps in the market of the three selected products of Starbucks. Place: As identified by Pastoll et al. (2014) the modern customer base of coffee chains like Starbucks in Australia is the young professionals. With the changes in the time and technological advancements, the customers are continuously being inclined to the online marketing. In this competitive market, Starbucks needs to start attending the customers with the online channels. The company can start taking orders of the selected products with online ordering channels. On the other hand, for the products like Espresso Frappuccino and Creamy Egg Baby Cos Sandwich the company needs to start delivery options. Price: For the products like Espresso Frappuccino and Creamy Egg Baby Cos Sandwich the company needs to change the pricing strategy. The presence of strong competitors is restricting the market opportunity of the company (Taecharungro 2016). Hence, Starbucks needs to concentrate on lowering down the price of the products and approach a new segment of the customers i.e. the low income group. Promotion: As identified by Tuan (2014) the majority of the target customer base of Starbucks comes from the young enthusiasts. Moreover, the customers of the products like Espresso Frappuccino and Creamy Egg Baby Cos Sandwich are the young students and busy professionals. Hence, the company needs to opt for the strategies like flat discounts. The company is now following customer loyalty program which is not much applicable for the impulsive buyers. Flat discounts will be helpful in this regard. For the premium customers of the Earl Grey Tea the company can opt for the strategy of public relation. With the online and physical promotion the company can declare that a certain percentage of the price of the premium products like Earl Grey Tea will go for the philanthropic CSR of the company, and the customer will be provided a personal thank you note from the organization. This will address the psyche and emotion of the premium customers and they will support the sales of this product. Conclusion: In conclusion it can be stated that with the changes in the customer preferences and technological advancement the company needs to use the new operational opportunities for addressing the market gaps. Being a premium product company Starbucks is using a similar pricing strategy coupled with high quality for positioning of the brand in the market. However, with the changes in time the company needs to change its marketing plan by altering its placing, pricing and promotional strategies. References: Boone, L.E. and Kurtz, D.L., 2013. Contemporary marketing. Cengage learning. Chua, A.Y. and Banerjee, S., 2013. Customer knowledge management via social media: the case of Starbucks. Journal of Knowledge Management, 17(2), pp.237-249. Hota, M. and Newlands, D., 2017. Case Study 2: Starbucks Philippines: Brewing a Filipino-American Experience. In Services Marketing Cases in Emerging Markets (pp. 17-25). Springer International Publishing. Pastoll, C., Rochwerg, T., Vlaar, B. and Compeau, D., 2014. Starbucks Canada: The Mobile Payments Decision. Qian, Y.A.N.G. and Xing, T.U., 2016. Starbucks VS Chinese TeaStarbucks Brand Management Strategy Analysis in China. International Business and Management, 12(1), pp.29-32. Starbucks Coffee Australia. (2017). Home | Starbucks Coffee Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.starbucks.com.au/Home.php [Accessed 3 Feb. 2017]. Steenkamp, J.B., 2017. Global Brand Strategy: World-wide Marketing in the Age of Branding. Springer. Taecharungroj, V., 2016. Starbucks marketing communications strategy on Twitter. Journal of Marketing Communications, pp.1-19. Tuan, T., 2014. Taiwanese College Students Views on Starbucks Brand Loyalty Strategy and What Other Coffee Shops can Learn from it. Wirtz, J. and Lovelock, C., 2016. Services marketing: people, technology, strategy. World Scientific Publishing Co Inc.

The Concept of Power in Animal Farm free essay sample

In the allegorical fable Animal Farm by George Orwell, power is shown in the way the animals take over the farm to achieve their own means, with the conclusion drawn by Orwell that Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. To begin with, Old Major, a highly respected old boar, uses his position of trust to influence the other animals that it is time for change. To do this, he uses the power of oratory, using a number of persuasive techniques. The Roman philosopher Cicero observed regarding oratory, There is to my mind no more excellent thing than the power, by means of oratory, to get a hold on assemblies of men † and as a trusted elder of the farm, Old Major uses this ‘power’ to great effect. He tells the animals about a dream he claims to have had, in which animals live in a world free from the tyranny of men, and by using emotive language, he causes the animals to have an ‘emotional’, rather than ‘rational’ response. We will write a custom essay sample on The Concept of Power in Animal Farm or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page People generally respond better to emotional inferences rather than to mere facts, as Orwell demonstrates. First, Old Major gets the other animals to share a common injustice, that throughout their lives, they have all been unfairly taken advantage of by men; a point they can all equally agree upon. He then appeals to each individual set of animals †¦ citing how each of them have been used in a particular way. This makes the speech much more personal, and therefore powerful, as it makes it easy for them to relate to individually. Further, using this combination gains the maximum effect of bringing an audience together over a common cause through individual experience. The second idea is that man is a threat, and for the sake of the animal’s very existence, needs to be dealt with. Old Major states in his speech â€Å"Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished forever. † So, something needs to be done. Action needs to be taken. Revolution! Using the power of emotional oratory, he urges them to do everything they can to get rid of the humans who claim they own them, and pursue the vision of his dream. Old Major knows he may not (and in fact doesn’t) live to see the results of his oratory power, but he has sown the seeds of action to achieve what he ultimately desires for his kind. (His power however also leads to future tragedies. ) Soon after Old Major’s death, the animals, inspired by the power of his words, rise in revolt, overthrow the cruelly irresponsible Farmer Jones, and take over the farm. It is at this time two young pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, begin to display their power. Napoleon, a rather fierce-looking pig, represents the direct approach to power. He is generally accepted as the most powerful of all the animals primarily because of the way he presents himself. He tends to look mean when he speaks, which is seldom, and often utilises Squealer, the small fat porker, to speak for him. He does this firstly because Napoleon isnt very good with his words, but more importantly, by having another animal convey his wishes, it makes him appear even more powerful and important. The animals also know he has a reputation for getting his own way, so no matter what Napoleon does to them, they all simply treat him as a leader, never even questioning his authority. Snowball on the other hand, in an attempt to gain the confidence of the other animals and therefore subtly exert his power, appears more easy-going. His intention is to show that he is simply ‘one of them’. Therefore, the animals will feel more relaxed and calm around him so he is more easily able to gain their trust. It is apparent that Snowball uses slyer techniques to gain power, appearing to be on the same level as the other animals, rather than the more straightforward technique Napoleon uses to put himself ‘above’ the other animals †¦ at least to begin with. While Snowball becomes a valuable leader in the cause, it is Napoleon who systematically begins to control all aspects of the farm until he is an undisputed tyrant – a person who exercises power in a cruel way. He partly achieves this because he later secretly trains the dogs to attack Snowball! Snowball and Napoleon are two very similar characters, yet they struggle for power over the farm in different ways. Squealer, also exhibits a type of power; the ability to manipulate the animals’ thoughts through the use of empty, yet compelling rhetoric. So in Animal Farm, we have several types of power portrayed: The power of words; Old Major’s emotional speech which set the wheels in motion. The straightforward, highly assertive approach, employed by Napoleon. Snowball’s more subversive approach of gaining trust to control from within. And the loud emptiness of rhetoric – the use of largely ornamental language to effectively please or persuade. However, the real power of Animal Farm work is in its use of allegory; a technique involving multiple levels of meaning. On one level the story is about animals taking over a farm. However, the way the animals behave throughout the story becomes a criticism about the nature of people and ideas. Because allegorical stories encourage us to make comparisons and connections, their relevance is timeless. In this way, Animal Farm continues to show us the ways people abuse power and manipulate others.

The Electric Chair essays

The Electric Chair essays The Debate over the merits of capital punishment has endured for years, and continues to be an extremely indecisive and complicated issue. Adversaries of capital punishment point to the Marshalls and the Millgards, while proponents point to the Dahmers and Gacys. Society must be kept safe from the monstrous barbaric acts of these individuals and other killers, by taking away their lives to function and perform in our society. At the same time, we must insure that innocent people such as Marshall and Millgard are never convicted or sentenced to death for a crime that they did not commit. Many contend that the use of capital punishment as a form of deterrence does not work, as there are no fewer murders on a per- capita basis in countries or states that do have it, then those that do not. In order for capital punishment to work as a deterrence, certain events must be present in the criminal's mind prior to committing the offence. The criminal must be aware that others have been punished in the past for the offence that he or she is planning, and that what happened to another individual who committed this offence, can also happen to me. ut individuals who commit any types of crime ranging from auto theft to 1st-Degree Murder, never take into account the consequences of their actions. Deterrence to crime, is rooted in the individuals themselves. Every human has a personal set of conduct. How much they will and will not tolerate. How far they will and will not go. This personal set of conduct can be made or be broken by friends, influences, family, home, life, etc. An individual who is never taught some sort of restraint as a child, will probably never understand any limit as to what they can do, until they have learned it themselves. Therefore, capital punishment will never truly work as a deterrent, because of human nature to ignore practised advice and to self learn. There are those who claim that capit ...

Mankind vs. Humankind

Mankind vs. Humankind Mankind vs. Humankind Mankind vs. Humankind By Mark Nichol The issue of gender-neutral language reemerged recently in the form of a publicized incident involving a college student who was (mildly) penalized for the use of the term mankind in a paper she wrote for a class. Why was the score on her assignment lowered by one point out of fifty? The course’s professor had explicitly admonished students to use gender-neutral language such as humankind in place of the gender-specific mankind in their papers. The student (a woman), to test the instructor’s conviction about the point, deliberately used mankind in the assignment and discovered that the professor was serious. So, what’s the big deal? Mankind has been used to refer collectively to humans since the Middle Ages. (Humankind, by the way, is younger but also dates back hundreds of years.) Why is the term widely considered sexist and exclusive? For the same reason that writers are encouraged to refer to police officers, not policemen, and chairs, not chairmen, and servers, not waiters or waitresses (though chairperson is considered cumbersome, and it is inoffensive to use waiters for either gender, thanks to the fact that waiter, though originally a designation for what was at the time of its coinage an exclusively male occupation, is not masculine in form). Many people, including numerous women, decry this supposedly politically correct linguistic reformation, which is based on the belief that terms that encourage one to engage with a concept with the assumption that it pertains primarily to males perpetuates a perception that women are second-class citizens. The backlash is not without merit, as proposed gender-neutral language can be absurd (as with waitperson or waitron, gender-neutral substitutions for waiter or waitress, or in regard to gender-neutral pronouns that, absurdly, have been coined in an attempt to replace the gender-specific pronoun he, when effective solutions already exist). But extending mankind with two letters, or even replacing the collective man with humanity, seems a reasonable accommodation to bend language to reflect an effort to achieve gender equality. Many authorities agree. Bryan A. Garner, in Garner’s Modern American Usage, recommends humankind- and on a related topic writes, â€Å"The writer’s point of view matters less than the reader’s† (with the implication that, in addition, the writer should not presuppose the reader’s preference, but should as a default use inclusive language). The Modern Language Association supports gender-neutral language, and The Chicago Manual of Style advises it, too. Three of the pillars of society- education, politics, and business- champion gender-neutral language, with justifications that are distinct yet universally applicable: In education, inclusiveness encourages a perception of the human race that doesn’t conjure an image of a man or men by default; in politics, it discourages discrimination in laws and policy; and in business, it welcomes all potential customers and clients. Gender-neutral language also accommodates those who reject a binary gender system, and regardless of one’s ideology about gender identity, gender fluidity is a scientifically validated concept. This issue is ultimately one of style, and, as always in regard to style, if one self-publishes, one does so with the freedom to choose how one conducts oneself in writing, with the attendant consequences of assuming that responsibility. But writers who elect to submit content to publishing companies or to contribute to an employer’s or client’s publications must accept that most publishers will heed Garner’s admonition stated above. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?Precedent vs. PrecedenceDrama vs. Melodrama

Non-Cultural And Cultural Factors In Marketing Case Study

Non-Cultural And Cultural Factors In Marketing - Case Study Example A country like India is considered as a developing country as it has not attained a stable market structure while the United Kingdom is a developed country. For such reasons, both categories of countries need special ways to market goods both locally and internationally. To understand the differences in marketing it is important to study the three broad categories like political and economic systems, market infrastructure and consumer behavior. Under this category one can identify the modes of production, purchasing and selling as they are related to the laws, government, and customs of a particular entity. This means that the political and economic system of a country highly affects the marketing strategies not only locally but also internationally. This is so because there are set laws that each government of the country puts up to regulate the production of goods and services of firms. Moreover, political stability is very important in the production and distribution of goods and services. Political stability ensures that a country is not experiencing wars thus the government can make better suggestions on how to develop the country. In addition, political stability increases assurance of companies to continue producing more this means that they will have to market for their goods as the economic status improves. With a stable political and improving the economic status of a country, competition between firms and industr ies increases. This, therefore, makes firms to improve their marketing strategies in order to bit their rivals in sales they make. In addition, as countries improve their economic status, they also improve their technology. Thus they adapt better marketing strategies that use the latest technology. India, as a developing country, has not shown the signs of attaining political stability.

Efficient Markets Theory and Behavioural Finance Essay

Efficient Markets Theory and Behavioural Finance - Essay Example In this theory, therefore, assumptions are done perpetuating that the information organisation and the behaviour of market participants systematically control individuals’ decisions in investment and the outcomes of the market. According to (Malkiel, 2003) the efficient market theory, has implications of theoretical perspectives to the market trends, while it ignores or underestimates the practical perception of the market. On the other hand, the behavioural finance theory has been thought of being more practical based and focused on people’s behaviour (Ashta & Patil, 2007). Following the event of the financial crises in 2007 to 2010, contention has developed amongst various authors on its implication to the popularity of the already criticised efficient markets theory and its contribution to the upsurge of the prevailing interest in behavioural finance theory. This paper compares and contrasts the explanations of efficient market theory and behavioural finance with reg ard to the financial crisis 2007 to 2010 and identifies the explanation considered to be strongest. The efficient market theory upholds the notion of the randomness in stock prices, based on short-run serial relationships amid successive changes in stock prices (Malkiel, 2003). Such was the case in the year 2001 when the US economy experienced a recession, followed by a boom that led to the dotcom bubble, and accounting scandals. The behavioural market theory regarded such occurrences in a different way from that of the efficient market theory, in that, the fears in individuals’ mind of a recession were considerable. Therefore, in regard to the recession in 2001 being disregarded, the stock market was thought of as not having a memory of the way the price of a stock behaved in the past, so as to determine its future behaviour. The randomness inefficient market theory is questionable, due to the high frequencies with which successive moves towards the same direction occurred in the period of 2001 and 2003 when subprime mortgage grew from 2001 to 2005.  Ã‚  

Investigatin a ski jump Essay Example for Free

Investigatin a ski jump Essay Aim:To investigate how the starting position of a ski jumper affects the horizontal distance travelled in the jump. I will not take air resistance, friction and other various type of energy lost into account, however in practical I have to keep in mind that they do exist and cause variation in my results. Introduction Ski jumping is a sport event that involves a steep ramp and a landing zone, where the skier has to travel as far as possible after leaving the ramp horizontally. When the skier is in motion in the air and the range it reaches is what I am investigating. This motion is called the projectile motion and the displacement, velocity and acceleration of the projectile are all vector quantities. Each of these can be placed into vertical and horizontal components. In my experiment, I will create a similar model of the ski jump using a plastic curtain rail as the slope and model the skier as a particle, in this case, a ball bearing. Diagram This is a diagram of the basic equipment setup This investigation has much room for expansion on the original above setup. The accuracy can be improved using a combination of more sensitive measuring equipment and a more accurate measuring setup. B 1. The friction between the ball and the curtain rail, along with the air resistance are neglible, therefore, will not be accounted for in this experiment. 2. The ball bearing is taken as a point, as the motion of a rolling ball differs from anything else. 3. Gravity does not affect the horizontal velocity Prediction/Hypothesis I have based my prediction on the calculated formula R=V(4hH). Ball Bearing Object that models skier as a particle Meter Ruler Will be used to measure the range (x) travelled by the ball and the height (h) of the starting position. Measurements recorded in metres. Set square To make sure the height obtained is perpendicular to the table G-Clamp This will clamp the curtain rail to the table Table Where the slope will be placed on and clamped to Sand Tray This will be placed on the floor in the spot where the ball will land, leaving its mark. Method Variables Controlled Variables Constants Launching position Height of table. Acceleration due to gravity Time of flight Mass of ball Velocity 1. Test all equipment to make sure there are no problems and also test the sensitivity of the sand tray. 2. Set up appartus as show in diagram. 3. Check all apparatus are set up correctly and clamps are tightened securely 4. Using the meter ruler mark the 1st height at which the ball will be dropped from. In my case, I am recording 8 different heights ranged 0. 20m 0. 55m. Each within a 0. 05m interval. 5. Using the set square against the height, the exact position of the ball is determined. 6. The ball is manually held in place at the desired height and released, allowing the ball to roll down the ramp and off the edge of the table, landing on the sand. 7. The distance from the edge of the table to the mark made in the sand is measured and then recoded. 8. This is process is then repeated untill all results have been collected. Safety Precautions There are few minor risks in doing this experiment, which with careful setting up and appropriate behaviour, can be avoided. These are: When bending down to record measurements of the range, it is possible to bas your head coming up. Simply be aware of your surroundings. Having a sand pit on the floor can prove to be an obstruction to passers-by and can be a hazard of tripping over. I will make sure there are no obstructions by the landing zone when in practise. The ball bearing is heavy enough to cause injury to anyone if hit by it. Keeping distance should prevent this. Data interpretation Alongside doing the experiment I will plot a graph. This will allow for any correlations to be spotted early on and then further predictions to be made. It will also allow the investigattion of anomalies. Therefore drawing a graph alongside the experiment allows for greater scientific accuracy and better end results. Sensitivity The sensitivity of this experiment is concerned with by the accuracy of the equipment available. For example, a much more accurate measuring device can be used to distinguish to an accuracy of i 0. 1mm, but the ruler markings are only accurate themselves to i 1mm. Therefore, this creates a small error and show that to get the best out of the results, the most accurate equipment should be used in all situations. Accuracy. The accuracy of this experiment can be improved in a number of ways: When reading the ruler the eye must be at the same level as the object, otherwise an incorrect value will be seen. The range measuring ruler must measure from the point the ball leaves the ramp, which in this case is the edge of the table. This means that it must be accurately aligned under the table, this can be achieved using a plumb line. It is facing directly downwards, allowing the ruler to be placed directly under the point at which the ball leaves the ramp. There may be a small error in the position of the plumbline of about i 2mm. The sand in which the ball drops into may be uneven and the mark made when the ball strikes the sand may prove to be difficult to measure precisely. A travelling microscope could be used to measure the precise impact with the sand. But considering the level of accuracy used throughout the rest of the experiment, this would be an inefficient method. Results Height h/cm Height Distance x/cm Distance xi /cmi xmean H/m /cm2 1st 2nd 3rd Mean 1st 2nd 3rd Mean 1st 2nd 3rd. There were no anomalous results recorded in this experiment Error in distance x To calculate the positive error in x, the Xmean value is taken away from the Xmax value. To calculate the negative error in x, the Xmiin value is taken away from the Xmean value. Distance xi /cmi xmean xmax xmin Positive Error Negative Error Analysis From looking at the graphs, a positive correlation between the squared value of the range and the height the ball is dropped from can be seen, although points vary from the line of best fit. The results prove that the equation is correct and that the range of a ball does depend mostly on the height it is dropped from and the height the ball leaves the ramp. The formula (Ri =4Hh) states that an increase in the drop height, h, increases the range of the ball. The results have proved this and my prediction to be correct. However, the percentage at which the graphs agree to this equation is: H = 92cm 4H = 368cm (expected) Gradient of distancei graph = 192. 3 (experimental) Expected gradient = 368 192. 3 x 100% = 52. 3% agreement. 368 Conclusion In conclusion the experiment occurs the following way: The ball is released with high gravitational potential energy as it rolls down the slope, this energy is converted into kinetic energy, the higher the drop height, the longer the ball is travelling down the slope, so more energy can be transferred giving more kinetic energy and hence more speed when the ball leaves the ramp. From the results it is also seen that there are other factors that affect the range as the gradient was smaller than expected. The equation is correct, but the only part that could affect the results in this way was the assumption that all energy was transferred. The transfer is likely to be less efficient than assumed, 100% energy transfer from potential energy to kinetic energy is extremely unlikely. The energy can be lost in a variety of ways which are the limitations. Limitations Air resistance is an important limiting factor as it would have the most affect on the results. This was not counted for when doing the experiment and therefore has some affect on the results. As the ball moves through the air, the air itself is putting up a resistance against the ball, lowering its speed, and its distance travelled. Air resistance is dependant on the size of the object, as the larger the object the more air it has to push to the side. It also depends upon the speed at which the object is travelling, as an object travelling at faster speeds has to push aside more air in the same time. This effect can be used to explain the slight curvature at the top of the graph. This is because the ball is travelling at higher speeds (because it is being dropped from greater heights), with more air resistance acting upon it due to the higher speeds, causing it to cover less distance. Evaluation The trend of the graph 2 is a very clear with a positve correlation. There can be three different ranges of the line of best fit but I have only drawn the most obvious one. The 1st line of best fit can be drawn from the origin through the top ends of the error bars, whereas the 2nd can be drawn through the bottom ends of the error bars. However, due to the error bars being so small, it will be very difficult to show these 3 lines together. The accuracy and sensitivity of the apparatus leaves a minor error in the results giving a range of different values for that particular result. Ie. At a height of 5cm, the mean result was 31. 33cm. However this can actually be smaller or bigger than this value considering the errors in apparatus. The position of the plumbline to mark the the edge of the table will have an estimated i 2mm, having to join 2 meter rulers together will have an estimated i 1mm and judging the landing position of the ball will also have a i2mm effect on the results. In total the range of values for the results will be i 5mm. Therefor the range of values for 31. 33cm would be 30. 83cm 31. 83cm. Percentage error I will take the maximum result of the range and calculate the percentage error based on the uncertainty values. % error of range, x, 93. 33cm i 0. 5cm 0. 5cm i 93. 33cm x 100% = 0. 53% The values are vastly small and so are not worth considering. Improvements If this investigation were to be repeated, there are a few things I would like to change. Firstly, I would ensure to take more care that the above factors were fully compramised and minimised. Furthermore, I would take a much larger range of results to provide a more reliable end result, taking fairness of the experiment into account much more seriously. Finally, I would use a much more accurate range of apparatus to get the most accuracy in my results. For example, a specialised light gate can be set up at the end of the ramp to dictate the exact speed at which the ball leaves the ramp. This could then be considered with the mass to calculate the kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy and hence the total energy loss. Bibliography Salters Horners Advanced Physics Various web pages for research.

Shakespeare - Authorship Essay -- essays research papers

In 1564, a man was born by the name of William Shakespeare. He was born to a poor family, was given little education, and had no interaction with sophisticated society. Thirty-eight plays and over 150 sonnets are not attributed to this ignorant man. Those who believe that Shakespeare was the author have no definitive proof but instead point to Hamlet’s declaration: "The play’s the thing(Satchell 71)." The true author, however, lies hidden behind he name of Shakespeare. Edward de Vere the premier Earl of Oxford is not only considered a great poet in history, but he may also be the great playwright who concocted the sonnets and plays which are now attributed to William Shakespeare of Stratford, England. Edward de Vere was the Lord Great Chamberlain and the seventeenth Earl of Oxford. He was raised as a Royal Ward and from a very young age was educated in the sports and arts of nobility. Although disgraceful for a nobleman to waste time writing frivolous plays, Oxford as a young man wrote and staged the entertainment for the court. As an adult, he became engrossed in theatrical performances and frittered away his fortunes in support of several writers and actors (Friedman 13). During this time, De Vere also began writing several poems and plays. Much like Samuel Clemens, who wrote under the name of Mark Twain, Oxford adopted the pseudonym Shakespeare. Soon after plays appeared under the name of "Shakespeare," poems by de Vere ceased (Russell 5). Coincidently, the coat of arms of Lord Bulbeck, a third title of Edward de Vere, is a lion shaking a spear (Ogburn 10). De Vere was also known by the people as the "spear-shaker" because of excellence at the tilts and at j ousting (Russell 5). Many believe this pen name was for protection. Many of the plays said to have been written by Shakespeare explicitly describe the corruption in court politics and contain "thinly veiled satires and parodies of politicians and courtiers." In addition, public theatres such as the Globe were laced with prostitutes, drunkards and criminals and because of the scoundrel audiences, playwrights were held in low esteem. Moreover, many scholars believe de Vere’s reasons for his pseudonym may be linked to the homoerotic threads in many of the Shakespearean sonnets and de Vere’s possible homosexual affair with his son-... ...o one (Huston 162). In Sonnets 25 through 46, de Vere also spelled out in 22 letter patterns W SHAKESPEARE-OXFORD-VERE (Huston 170). The odds of this happening are even greater than that of the aforementioned probability. Using poetic license, de Vere of Oxford utilized codes and ciphers to spell out his name and other such messages. Edward de Vere of Oxford lived from 1550 to 1604. In the duration of that time, he was a young nobleman, a poet, and a lover of the theatre, but was also probably a great playwright who has yet to receive full credit for the plays he composed. De Vere witnessed first hand the inner workings of nobility. He traveled throughout Europe, completed his education at Cambridge University, studied the law at Gray’s Inn, and had abundant knowledge of historical occurrences and literary works (Russell 4). These are not only elements in the works attributed to William Shakespeare, but also are things which William Shakespeare of Stratford England knew nothing of. Who wrote the Shakespearean sonnets and plays? There is only one answer to this pivotal question – Edward de Vere of Oxford England.

Maritime Policy Essay

Maritime policies are set and managed so as to ensure the safety of ships while on the open seas. Furthermore maritime policies also have control over ports and the policies for docking, shipments, monies, what can be imported or not. Liabilities and values are managed and in some respects so are ethics. The policies are to designate water rights and boundaries. Shipping has inherent risks associated with the trade that needs to have emergency plans in place should something go wrong. There are environmental factors to take into consideration. 1 Add to this list, insurances, warranties and the laws that bind and by far, but not even the least, hazmat with the MSDS sheets of chemicals being transported, inspections, proper loads and bills of lading. Piracy isn’t much of an issue in today’s modern times but yet there are policies on piracy though much of this is outdated back to 1800-1900. Let us start with the safety aspect of shipping. Safety always starts and ends with the human element. Without human intervention there is no guarantee of proper safety procedures being followed. Granted there are no guarantees anyway but a plan to follow is by far better than not having one. Maritime safety policies offer a protection not only to humans but to the environment and each territory or country has its own maritime safety policies and their own policies in general. In following safety as put in the policies this can also promote economic development and activity. 2 If safety procedures set forth in each policy are adhered to then the smooth sailing into and out of ports and countries, taking into account the shipment, humans and wildlife and water handling as well as obeying water boundaries and the knowledge of these policies per each are of sailing then one can be fairly presumptuous in a smooth transaction. Smooth transactions will enable a stable and economical trade for a long time. Funny how safety and policies are a direct relation to simply sailing right? On top of written policies as mentioned, maintenance is also a huge safety concern. Without proper and timely maintenance of sea faring vessels, catastrophes can happen, shipments can be late which can in turn affect contracts of imports or exports which of course goes straight into the economics of shipping. As mentioned, the MSDS of chemicals is hugely, astronomically important in safety! The MSDS sheets give an abundant amount of information relating to any and all chemicals with regards to properties, explosiveness, stability, storage, shipping, proper handling, exposures to human and animals, what to do in case of accidents, medical issues and who to call for questions and answers. MSDS furthermore gives information as to protective wear and the immediate emergency criteria. While the MSDS (material safety data sheet) is one of the most important aspects in the USA for chemicals, even if they don’t seem dangerous, transport and safety factors, other countries will also have their own individual regulations for shipments containing dangerous chemicals. These regulations must be followed as well. This is to ensure safety precautions from both levels. Simply not following, even the MSDS instructions can cause severe issues. Explosions can happen, people and animals may become ill or death may occur. Long term lasting effects may happen to both humans and wildlife. If the safety practice is not followed with regards to whatever is being transported, whomever did not follow the instructions will be held liable and an end result can mean cancelled contracts, economic loss and soured politics with one person or country or even company. You must see the broad picture and how all of this relates to successful shipping, economics, policies and in general to the world. The economics of shipping is like a well oiled machine when operated correctly and with the use of good teamwork throughout all ports, countries and waterways and once again the following of policies at each port, within each territory. Economic welfare consists of the sum of consumers’ surpluses and producers’ surpluses plus or minus any relevant externalities. 3 The economy also requires a strong organizational skill of the shippers, producers and purchasers, not necessarily meaning consumers. The transportation of goods being shipped must be organized in respects to sea, air and freight transport, the production of making and delivering the goods, the ability to produce contracts in a timely manner, even the ability to put together a contract and keep it. Economics also requires the knowledge of knowing port fees and taxes in the other ports being frequented. Market trends will also play a large part in a successful economic empire. If you do not know the ever changing markets and the different economies at each port then the dismals failings are easily found in the shipping industry. This will slide right into the sociological factors of shipping. So how does this part of the shipping management work? How does it prosper? The entire shipping industry, to run in a smooth way uses all of the above but then there is an ultimate management of it all. The human resources management, the industry management, the social management, it all plays a huge part. The items in which are shipped, the taxes and prices of the different items all vary. The weight allowed for each ship, rail car or air transport matter in all ways. Social change denotes this. Social change can also be a dangerous happening to an industry if not prepared. When social change happens, this is similar to the industry changing and the industry and companies must be ready to absorb losses and be prepared to switch gears at a moments notice in their decisions of what to ship to who and when. Contracts may have to be renegotiated and in some cases when they can’t be then there is once again the absorption of the possibility of losing monies, contracts, and in worse case scenarios, allies from other countries. Maybe contracts won’t renew or no new contracts accepted. 4 The sociological side of a shipping industry and all involved are yet again directly correlated with the ecological aspects. There is an ecological factor to also take into consideration, both of the environment side and the human side. The environment side is in relation to protecting the seas, plant and animals within and against leakages that poor maintenance and unnecessary pollutions can cause. If maintenance is not done in the fashions that need to be, ships can fail at sea, shipments can be late. This is a small factor in the ecological side. The bigger problems are with lack of maintenance causing a fuel spill or oil spill then the natural inhabitants of the sea are affected, plant life is affected thus in the end so is the human life. Humans, whether spending the time to cleanup up or from suffering from the damages in a physical way, it is all apart of the ecology. On the human side, and back to the sociological side, which is a direct line to discrimination in today’s world, is the interdependence of the people. This means the people who work together in close quarters and those who work on the ports in far away countries or locally. Interdependence is a vital role in today’s world. If one person discriminates against another, that person loses an interdependence thus making for an unhappy person and in the end this can result in suits being filed. The interdependence of companies relies on maintaining a good policy and ethics as well. On the psychological level of this, companies who cannot maintain all the aspects of maritime policies lose their internal interdependence thus causing the loss of business and potentially causing conflicts that no one ever needs. Conflicts, no matter how small, have too many variables that affect to many avenues. The normal human resources departments of any business must have a good grip on the social aspects of management as well. This doesn’t just include the inter office workings but also all the working at sea, in the air or ground transportation involved. With regards to all the different ports and lanes that a shipping company must deal with there is always the word monopoly that comes to mind. Just like any other person who owns businesses, they are not allowed to corner the market and create this monopoly. Large shipping empires that have attained a level of success would love to monopolize. In a monopoly they would have the most control thus thinking that they have the most power which is an obvious factor to the God complex and this mentality can backslide back hundreds of years to a piracy level. Piracy in any form is not healthy for any economy worldwide. Another issue, especially since the 911 attack, is the threat of terrorist activity. These two play a part in negotiating contracts and between the US and other countries contracts can be quite difficult in forming before they are signed. Hand in hand with this can also be the social aspect. Considering the many parts to a shipping contract, not all parties are going to agree, not all parties are going to easily find the synergy needed to help one another and if a contract is negotiated wrongly, this can, in an astute way cause a port war which can engage much more than the initial port issue thus quickly embroiling itself into wars of territorial or world wars. The security involved policies is to prevent against this form of uprising and thus security issues are addressed in contracts as well. Our history shows that it doesn’t take much to cause a full fledged war as it is, so a good democratic person, or many, with a political mind and good business sense partnered with common sense may be a good one to deal with the different contracts and ports. The biggest issue seems to be the limits of liability. How much liability is each player going to accept if a shipment goes wrong? The factoring of circumstances that control this will help make this decision but in the end no one ever wants to be liable. We must work with and against liability issues such as warranties, lost or late shipments, unexpected happenings, transportation failures and the like. Someone has to be liable at all times and this liability shifts constantly from one person or company, to another. In the end someone has to pay for the negative liability caused. Another, much harder issue to deal with is the contract of intermodal transport. The ships provide transport but contracts also have to be written for the air and land travel as well. Who is responsible and the timeliness factor and costs at each port. Who becomes responsible when arriving at a port and suddenly the shipment isn’t available per unexpected intervention? This becomes a frustrated contract and thus many people lose in this instance. Intermodal transport requires high organization from many variables. Time, type of shipment, weight of shipment, cost of the transport, who can better do the transport with quality and quantity are all important roles. When transportation details are being negotiated, no matter if land, sea, air or a culmination of them all, it is imperative that all operates as expected. When something fails, it affects facets of the industry itself as well as families and all inbetween. With any maritime traveler there is a large and sometimes very emotional, ongoing issue in direct relation the sociological factoring and that’s the families of these travelers. There is a lot of time spent at sea, more so than at home by a wide margin. Even though wives, and sometimes husbands may marry a sea traveler, accepting that lifestyle can be a time of intense and long term distraught. Families have been interrupted and torn apart, simply because the other partner is not there as often as the other one wants them to be. While one partner is striving to provide the economical balance for the family, both parties must also have their own brand of political reasoning in order to maintain that family status. Now it seems crazy that a seafaring family would have politics within their home but it is definitely inevitable to a much higher degree than normal family politics as much more is at stake and much bigger changes happen. The one contract at this point that is generally easier to dissolve is the marriage contract and this happens frequently. â€Å"In this New World [of globalization] there is no room for national industrial policies and shipping is no exception. National shipping policy is dead – or it should be. † (Sletmo, 2001, p 334). While Sletmo may state that specific policies do not broaden the economics of the shipping industry but yet the government keeps making policies does not mean that the whole shipping industry policy is dead or needs to be dead. There are many policies that we may be unaware of that indeed do not strengthen the economics of this industry. The policies were put there for a reason and even if it is the policy on piracy it remains. This is a check and balance system that will always be ever changing. Can you imagine what would happen if all references to piracy were exonerated in maritime policies? Bounce right back to history of The Boston Tea Party or of the days of pirates stealing ships and cargo and the deaths involved, the families destroyed. It is a requirement to have the government involved to a degree. To have policies in place is needed. This is the only way, even in a globalized world, to survive whether it be industrial of nature or not. National shipping policy is not dead; just not agreed upon as much. From the Federal standpoint of maritime laws, shipping policies will remain in place as it desperately needs the protection that it affords. This protection encompasses regulation safety issues, contracts, ecological and sociological issues, water borders, individual countries port rules and much more. Policies affect the world wide shippers to some degree, even if only contemplating the policies in the USA. With larger shippers from Germany, Japan, Netherlands, China and Hong Kong present, it is imperative to have policies in place, especially when considering the past issues of wars between the USA and some of these countries. There is no room for error, no margin for a lack of agreed upon policies to maintain a profitable shipping policy. These countries must get along; one slip can create chaos and the loss of the economy even more so than ever, the loss of allies, and an uprising. This can even inadvertently and directly affect our stock markets and jobs world wide. If one thinks about the logical, in-depth reasons for policies, one will also recognize that many of the USA products, to include our actual ships, come from other countries. Without a policy in place for protection then shipping ports begin to lose. Without a policy, taxes may not be agreed upon, shipments may not be considered as satisfactory, maybe someone would decide to usurp someone else’s authority thus the possibility and likelihood of angering a different country or a specific port. It is somewhat recognizable that there will be a never ending aspect to problems that can happen and their effects which only go to prove that yes, policies, in all arenas of shipping need to be made under all circumstances. There is an abundant amount of pressure in shipping. One specific example is where we obtain our ships. Most of the ships the USA or other countries uses or owns are built in Germany. With Germany building the ships we buy or lease there is the maintenance and warranty to consider. Without proper maintenance a warranty is void, with a voided warranty, as with anything, tempers flare as each party believes another to be responsible. When proper maintenance of a ship is adhered to per policy then generally it leaves little to no room for argument when it comes time to file against a warranty. Warranties in everyday life, for little items are sometimes hard enough to get honored as it is; imagine enforcing a warranty for a multi million dollar freight ship. It becomes obvious how important it is to follow the shipping policy of just maintenance alone. Once again, think of the broader picture of maintenance and how it is related to safety as already discussed. Another example of shipping is actual the lower cost of labor for production in countries such as Japan and China. What if one day the shipping industry was paying 10 cents on the dollar for the labor to produce the items for shipment and then the next day that labor cost shot up to 50 cents on the dollar because of a suddenly strained atmosphere between countries? This rise would affect everything involved with contracts, timeliness, allies, shipments, sociological factors and who knows what else may happen that we don’t see. In summary, yes there are many policies for both the USA shippers for sea, land and air shipping but there are also policies for ports and countries abroad. There are many contracts to consider, many safety precautions to follow. There is a lot of political and economical pressure from all parties involved in the shipping industry and without policies in place there is no way that the shipping industry would survive. This lack of survival would affect all of us, world wide. Companies, persons, ports and countries would do as they saw fit, each persons view would be different and there would be nothing in place to prevent severe consequences from happening. While nothing is ever perfect in our imperfect world, the world of maritime policies must be complete in every aspect and almost perfect. Policies are ever changing as needs arise and in the end, if terms cannot be agreed upon to form a new policy then this can go anywhere from losing a contract before it is signed, to losing part of an economy to a full out war. Globalization demands policies at all levels. The statement of there being no room for industrial shipping policies is a huge fallacy. Make room for the policies needed for the safety, economical, political reason on all levels throughout the world, that, or have a mess on hand that will be a hard cleanup. List of References MSc in Maritime Security, Safety and Enviromental Management (2005) http://www.deu. edu. tr/DEUWeb/English/Icerik/Icerik. php? KOD=6756http://www. maritimesafetymanagement. com/AboutMSEM/AcademicProgram/Unit3SafetyandEnvironmentalManagement1/tabid/723/Default. aspx Maritime Transport Policy (2006) Barrott, Jacques http://ec. europa. eu/transport/maritime/doc/maritime_transport_policy_en. pdf pg 2 Gross, Richard (2004) Economic Welfare and Maritime Economics (http://web. deu. edu. tr/smbm/RGoss. pdf Scollick, Andy. Maritime Regional Sustainability http://web. pml. ac. uk/globec/structure/fwg/focus4/symposium/posters/S5-P8. pdf Norfolk Southern Railway Co. v. Kirby, 125 S. Ct. 385 (2004). Federal Maritime Jurisdiction Pushes Inland http://www. olemiss. edu/orgs/SGLC/National/SandBar/4. 1maritime. htm SLETMO, G. K. 2001. `The End of National Shipping Policy? A Historical Perspective on Shipping Policy in a Global Economy`, International Journal of Maritime Economics, 2001, 3, (333-350). Sletmo (2001) The Economic Effects of Shipping policies http://www. porteconomics. nl/docs/the_economic. pdf Shipping Management Plan VS 1 (2003-2005) http://www. amsa. gov. au/shipping_safety/great_barrier_reef_and_torres_strait/gbr_review_report/Documents/shipmgt1. pdf The New York Times ( 1919) http://query.nytimes. com/mem/archive-free/pdf? _r=1&res=9504E7D6163AE03ABC4C51DFB3668382609EDE&oref=slogin National Shipping Fleets and Access to Shipping Markets (1950-1960) http://www. unescap. org/ttdw/Publications/TFS_pubs/Pub_1988/Pub_1988_Ch5. pdf Law of the Sea. Murdoch University (1901-1988) http://weblaw. edu. au/display_page. phtml? WebLaw_Page=Law+of+the+Sea Traveling by Sea. Traveling Advice for Shipping and Ports (2008) http://www. smartraveller. gov. au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/shipping_and_ports Department of Transport. Shipping and Ports (2007) http://www. dft. gov. uk/pgr/shippingports/ State of Connecticut Maritime Policy (2006) http://www. ct. gov/dot/cwp/view. asp? a=2314&Q=309828 Maritime Affairs (2008) http://ec. europa. eu/maritimeaffairs/ Ferguson, Allen R. Refom on Maritime Policy: Building blocks of an Integrated Program http://www. cato. org/pubs/regulation/regv17n2/reg17n2-ferguson. html BioMarine: Integrated Maritime Policy (2008) http://www. marinelink. com/Story/BioMarine:+Integrated+Maritime+Policy-213236. html Maritime Areas of Practice http://www. klgates. com/practices/ServiceDetail. aspx? service=77 The Transportation Institute http://www. trans-inst. org/EuropeanMaritimePolicies. htm Word count=3069

Family Systems theory Essay

Why study families? †¢Traditional psychology – problem an individual one – Externalise distress – act out – Internalise distress – withdraw Theorists – Psychoanalytic – e.g Freud – fixated at a phase due to trauma and regress to this level – Behaviourists – e.g learn inappropriate response – Attachment – insecure primary attachment †¢Sociological perspective Bronfenbrenner’s model – ecological approach a)Life cycle stresses b)Stresses related to cultural expectations c)Stresses related to historical time d)Random fate e)Stress reactions which create more stress Does research support the sociological viewpoint? YES – Distress related to lack of social support – Overcrowded housing, father in gaol, depressed mother – Parental stress & maternal negativity plus child temperament – Poverty What is family’s position in the sociological model? – most influential part of child’s social context – buffer between child and outside world – serves to protect or expose child – usually positive Do families need support? – Bronfenbrenner’s model less applicable now? – Less sense of community – Increased fragmentation How do families work? Can be seen as a system – stress -> distress – child most likely to be the distressed person as most powerless Basic premises Circulatory causation – interactive model Non-summativity – whole more than sum of parts Communication – feeling and content Governed by rules – spoken or understood Homeostasis – in some sort of balance Morphogenesis – flexibility to respond to change How do you measure family relationships? Research relies on two dimensions – Affection (aka warmth, acceptance, cohesion, closeness) Disengaged————-OK—————-Enmeshed Acceptance – Control (aka power, autonomy, flexibility) Neglect——————-OK—————–Rigid Autonomy What happens when families get stressed? Timberlawn studies (Walsh 1993) Optimal families †¢Strong, warm relationships especially marital one †¢See causes and effects as circulatory †¢See events as multi-causative. †¢Actively involved in world outside family †¢Negotiate effectively †¢Feelings and thoughts expressed and accepted †¢Little blame or personal attack †¢See human nature as benign – do best in a situation †¢Flexible – adjust to new situations ADEQUATE FAMILIES Seek control rather than intimacy †¢Centripetal Rule bound Enmeshed Power battles Scapegoating Severe – eg sects †¢Centrifugal More comfortable with negative feelings Blame and attack Children expected to be independent early Material wealth takes preference over relationships Extreme – chaotic, intimidating, very unstable How can early childhood educators help? Recognise difficulties Emotionally supporting Referring on Information Helping with children if in crisis

Genetic Privacy essays

Genetic Privacy essays Genetic information is unique. It tells not only about an individual, but also about an individual's family. Unlike medical information, genetic information does not change over time. Genetic information is more than health information; it also reveals our heritage and connections to relatives and communities. Where does genetic information belong in our scale of respect for and protection of personal privacy? What level of privacy restrictions, if any, should be put on genetic information? Some genetic information, such as the color of our hair and skin, is obvious and cannot be kept secret. But what about that genetic information which is less apparent to others, such as our risk for developing a health disorder late in life? Who should be able to have access to this information? Privacy rules set limits on who can access genetic information, and how they may do so. The concept of genetic privacy is split into three primary elements: genetic information as private, confidentiality of genetic information, and the possible use of genetic information to discriminate against individuals or groups. The reason why I am dividing genetic privacy into these three elements is because they are the key essentials that can be debated for or against privacy. In this paper, I will discuss the debates for and against genetic privacy. I will present my position on these debates providing my argument against genetic privacy, respond with how someone may reply to the position advocated, and finally conclude with my belief that setting restrictions on genetic privacy is very difficult and impossible with the issue of discrimination while still taking into consideration of the other side of the argument. Genetic information being kept private can be seen as possible or impossible. Without federal laws to protect the privacy of patients and the confidentiality of medical records, efforts to reform the nation's health care system will not be completely s...

Useful Phrases to Learn for French Class

Useful Phrases to Learn for French Class If you are a student of French, you should learn typical classroom requests and statements expressed as French words and phrases. The more you use French in context and hear it spoken, the more you will internalize it. After a while, it becomes natural, as though youve always known it. The younger you are, the easier it is to learn another language; the older you get, the more you need to practice. Essential Phrases to Use in  French Class Pay close attention to how you say these words and phrases in French, particularly the vowels, which require you to open your mouth and elongate your lips  much more than in English. If you say a French  o,  for instance, form your lips in the shape of an o; youd be surprised how much this helps achieve a true French sound. Click on the links to hear how the words and phrases are pronounced. To make it easier to learn how to say the word or phrase in French, the meaning is given first in English, followed by the French translation: What?   Comment?I dont know.   Je ne sais pas.I dont understand.   Je ne comprends pas.I have a problem.   Jai un problà ¨me.I have a question.   Jai une question.What page?   Quelle page?I forgot my ___.   Jai oublià © mon/ma ___. May I borrow a ___?   Puis-je emprunter un/une ___ ?May I go to the bathroom?   Puis-je aller aux toilettes?I would like (to) ___.   Je voudrais ___.I need (to) ___.   Jai besoin de ___. Essential  Words to Use in  French  Class Sometimes you only need a single word to make your point clear in class. The examples show you how to say classroom words in French: Yes  Ã‚  ouiNo  Ã‚  non  OK  Ã‚  daccord  Who  Ã‚  quiWhat  Ã‚  quoi  When  Ã‚  quand  Where  Ã‚  oà ¹Why  Ã‚  pourquoiHow  Ã‚  comment Translating Asking how to say words in French class will be easier with the following translations: How do you say ___ in French?   Comment dit-on ___ en franà §ais?What is ___ in French?  Ã‚  ___, cest quoi en franà §ais?What does ___ mean?   Que veut dire ___ ?What is the English translation of this sentence?   Quelle est la traduction de cette phrase? Listening and Understanding Youll know how to ask for help in the classroom after you study the following questions and requests: Repeat,  please.   Rà ©pà ©tez, sil vous plaà ®t.One more time   Encore une foisSlower (Or: More slowly)   Plus lentementHow do you spell it?   Comment est-ce que cela sà ©crit?Can you write it?   Pouvez-vous là ©crire?Whats the difference between ___ and ___?   Quelle est la diffà ©rence entre ___ et ___ ?Is this sentence correct?   Cette phrase est correcte? Resources and Tips In addition to classroom words and phrases, take the time to review  essential French,  greetings, terms of politeness, and additional words for  school and supplies, as well as the most common  French phrases  and  words. If you need more practice to feel comfortable using these expressions, try enlisting a friend or family member to help you: For instance, one of you could say the expression in English, while the other gives the translation in French.

Compare Montaignes work de 'institution des enfants in Essais livre 1 Essay

Compare Montaignes work de 'institution des enfants in Essais livre 1 and Jean Jacque Rousseau novel Emile ou de l'education theories of education, with particular reference to authority - Essay Example Indeed, in the introduction to Montaigne’s On the Education of Children, William Harris includes a chart that illustrates striking similarities in both the philosophical and literary stylings of the theorists. Both writers seek to shift the traditional assumptions of the education process away from merely treating the student as an open receptacle to whose head knowledge of facts and figures is dutifully filled. Instead, they embrace a progressive concept of education that would later be echoed in the transcendental theories of Emerson and Thoreau, and the self-exploratory theories of Maria Montessori. Rousseau and Montaigne contend that the focus of education must be placed not on the rote memorization of knowledge, but on the acknowledgement that true wisdom is gained in the understanding of the processes of learning. Even as the underlining message of both writers concerning the need of shifting the emphasis of education away from socially constructed knowledge, towards the grasping of the intuitive processes of its attainment is the same, they differ in the extremity of their characterizations. While Montaigne acknowledges the necessity of questioning particular elements of society, he ultimately embraces it for its essential role in personal development. Conversely, Rousseau understands socially constructed knowledge to be inherently unsound and encourages the systematic and perhaps revolutionary questioning of its foundational concepts. In The Social Contract, another influential work, he even goes as far as chastising society because "the social pact gives the body politic absolute power over all its members (Rousseau 70)†. Whereas for Montaige, Harrison writes, â€Å"Humanity is too complex to reach the millennium through any single revolution, whether it be in religion, politics, or education. Montaigne saw this vaguely, yet more clearly than did

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 8

Research Paper Example although Bear-Stearns investment firm analysts claim that the US illegal immigrant population "may be as high as 20 million people." (Illegal Immigration) Every year millions of people sneak illegally into another country by crossing the border line, this is very common in United States of America. This is called illegal Immigration, in other words, people who do not have work permit or any kind of permission from the government to come and stay in that particular country. The same affects the health facilities in the country and negatively impacts the overall healthcare facilities in the USA. Research has found that illegal immigration affects the citizens of that particular country, especially the poor people and the legal immigrants. It is also found that the taxes paid by these illegal immigrants are far less than the services received by them. Countries like United States of America are trying their level best to counter this by increased border patrol but this is not only reason for illegal immigration, most of the cases occur because of people who overstay even after their visa is expired. United States of America provides Medicaid facilities to the legal and illegal immigrants but this results in a very big loss for the economy of the country because the people take undue advantage of the same by overstaying in the hospitals even after recovery. The Medicaid policies depend on state to state but there are some states in America which provide the young children and elders requiring medical attention with great facilities like free drugs, free nursing and proper med ical attention. Of late the federal law has brought in many restrictions to keep a check on the illegal immigrants, this also ensures a strict check on the money spent on the public welfare. Some of the services provided by Medicaid to the people are Vaccine for the children, rural health care services, transportation services and these are just a handful of many services provided by the

Managing In A Mixed Economy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing In A Mixed Economy - Assignment Example The transport industry in a global observance has had numerous challenges. One of the main problems affecting this industry is the management and the development of good strategies that are meant to improve service delivery to the clients and citizens of the nations involved. It is in this bid that private and public partnerships of governments and private developers have come in to save the crumble of a lucrative economy. This paper focuses on the development of the private partnership between the United Kingdom government and private sector in the railway transport. A greater scrutiny into the functioning of the partnership, the different strategies and innovation packages that the two have developed will also form part of the analysis of this essay. There is an analysis of the nature of partnerships, the expected returns and the different strategies that have been developed over time for the realization of the objectives of the partnership programme. This paper therefore acknowled ges the role that the country plays as a public entrepreneur and its partnership with the private partners in the rail industry.... The government has therefore entered into partnership with the ACORP (Association of Rail Community Partnerships). United Kingdom Freight Transport Report (2012) notes that the visit paid by the minister for the department of transport to the many projects involved have led to an increased developmental partnership and drawing of strategies together. The partnership between the two entities is thus projected towards the provision of better rail transport and supply of the rail systems to various cities in the region. There is also a projection towards the leadership in the management of the local community rail stations so as to improve the delivery of services. United Kingdom Freight Transport Report (2012) notes that one of the principle roles of the partnership with the government is to serve as a watchdog and yardstick upon which the decisions are made so as to benefit the local person. Therefore, local decisions in the country are made in bid to ensure that the budget of the rai l management falls under the rightful specifications and with uttermost accountability. It therefore serves as the public watchdog besides the oversight of proper penetration of the rail systems to the remote parts of the community. Analysis of the partnership’s strategies The approach taken by the ACoRP and the UK government seeks to develop differentiated approaches for both infrastructure and operations. There is also bench marking of routes and also bring the power of management and decision making to the local people in the areas of operation. The partnership between the government and the ACoRP also adopts that a budget be drawn which will link the two entities in a mutually benefitting partnership programme. This will therefore ensure that there is responsible, proper and

Critical Analysis of Business and IT (BIT) Alignment

Critical Analysis of Business and IT (BIT) Alignment Abstract This paper is a critical analysis of two academic papers from peer-reviewed journals, each investigating the Business and IT (BIT) alignment topic that has been a top concern for IT practitioners for two decades (Cahn, 2000). The papers have been selected as they adopt contrasting research strategies qualitative and quantitative. The objective of this analysis is to highlight the positive/negative points in both papers in terms of the researchs aim, objectives, design, and method and to propose an alternative research strategy for each paper. The investigation concludes that both papers had positive and negative points, regardless of their philosophical positions and design strategies. Choosing between qualitative and quantitative methods or mixing them depends on the studys questions; both methodologies have their strengths and weaknesses. The main issue for any research is the credibility of its findings, regardless of the researchers philosophical position. Introduction and Analysis Structure This paper is a critical analysis of two academic papers from peer-reviewed journals, each investigating the Business and IT (BIT) alignment topic that has been a top concern for IT practitioners for two decades. (Cahn, 2000) For many years, a number of researchers have emphasised the importance of BIT fit in organisations to achieve competitive advantage (Luftman et al., 2005). Reich Benbasat (1996) define alignment as the degree of IT strategy necessary to support a businesss mission, objectives and plans. Many studies have been conducted to understand and assess the relationship between business and IT in organisations, most of which have adopted a quantitative methodology to validate empirically the relationship between IT investment and organisational performance and to provide credible evidence of the positive impact of aligning IT strategy to business strategy. Therefore, it was difficult to find a good qualitative research paper in this area (Cahn, 2000). The first paper (paper 1), entitled Understanding the business-IT relationship (Coughlan et al., 2005), follows a qualitative methodology and the second paper (paper 2), entitled Factors affecting IT and Business alignment: a comparative study in SMEs and large organisations (Gutierrez et al., 2009), follows a quantitative methodology. It is important to note that this work is not a comparison of the two papers; therefore, the papers are analysed separately to achieve a clearer picture. This paper is organised in the following way. Section 3 covers paper 1, highlighting its positive/negative points in terms of the researchs aim, objectives, design, and method. In addition, an alternative research strategy is proposed. Section 4 covers paper 2 in a similar way. The conclusions and implications of adopting different research strategies are discussed in section 5. Paper 1 Introduction This paper provides an insight into the Business and IT (BIT) relationship (alignment) in organisations taking a communication-based view on the concept of BIT alignment (Coughlan et al., 2005:303). In other words, it provides contextual insight into the BIT relationship, with particular reference to the organisational communication process. The authors noted that organisations need to develop and sustain a strong BIT relationship to benefit from the value-added development in todays demanding economy. BIT alignment is a complex process that involves creating many crossover links between different parts of the organisation and requires a strong BIT relationship. However, this relationship has suffered a divide that stems from the failure to justify high IT expenditure compared to business benefit. According to Coughlan et al. (2005), communication problems are the main contributor to the BIT relationship divide; therefore, a social-oriented approach was proposed to understand the flo w of information in organisations. This is an interpretive research paper adopting a case study strategy with which to collect and analyse qualitative data via semi-structured interviews, in order to achieve an in-depth understanding of the communication process in the BIT relationship context. The lack of the literatures attention to communication issues in the BIT relationship context was the driver for this inductive approach (Saunders et al., 2007). Research Purpose The research aim is to provide insight into the Business and IT (BIT) relationship in organisations via the following objectives: Identifying the areas and issues that affect communications in organisations (Coughlan et al., 2005:307). Categorising communication issues in organisations (Coughlan et al., 2005:306). Mapping the connections between organisational issues to the way in which they relate to IT (Coughlan et al., 2005:306). Investigating how different facets of the communication process interact in real life (Coughlan et al., 2005:307). Rationale for conducting this study The importance of the research topic was well justified by addressing the following points: Communication problems within the BIT relationship context are a major concern for both researchers and practitioners (Coughlan et al., 2005). Communication problems are a main contributor to the BIT relationship divide (Coughlan et al., 2005). Poor BIT communications are normal in the financial sector; therefore, the banking industry has created a new organisational role the Relationship Manager (RM) to deal with relationship communication problems (Coughlan et al., 2005). Despite the importance of communication within the BIT relationship and implications for the RMs role, there has been little attention given in the literature (Coughlan et al., 2005). Previous social studies (structuration theory and actor network theory) have provided theoretical analyses of the complexity between an organisation and its IT infrastructure, therefore a more practical approach required to empower practitioners with solutions. Research design A four-dimensional communication framework (PICTURE), based on Shannon Weavers (1994) classic model of communications, was used to guide the study. PICTURE was originally devised to improve IT system design: The acronym PICTURE represents real life communication components and their application: (1) Participation and selection; (2) Interaction; (3) Communications activities; (4) Techniques Used for Relationship Establishment. (Coughlan et al., 2005:306). The framework was used to guide the identification of important areas in the complex communication process. A clearly articulated conceptual framework is an important tool for guiding semi- structured interview themes, and provides a structured approach to interpreting the findings (Smyth, 2004). The study was conducted on a major high street UK bank, referred to as FinCo for reasons of confidentiality. Furthermore, the study was conducted at one point in time, focusing on two key areas of the organisation retail banking and IT. The retail banking division was chosen specifically because it is the biggest customer of the IT division, and research suggests that retail banking has deep organisational divisions (Coughlan et al., 2005). FinCo is an informative case for the following reasons: It has a rapid and extensive uptake of IT. IT is closely integrated into the organisation to support its information management processes. FinCo starting a relation management programme to facilitate BIT communications. FinCo has separated BID activities, creating a divide. Yin (2003 34-14) defined a case study as an empirical inquiry which investigates a phenomenon within its dynamic real life context to allow researchers to understand complex issues, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident. A case study strategy with underlying interpretive philosophical assumptions was an appropriate choice for this study, since the aim of this work is to provide insight into the Business and IT (BIT) relationship in organisations (Coughlan et al., 2005:303), adopting a behavioural and social-oriented view, with communication difficulties featuring as a major determinant (Coughlan et al., 2005:304). The authors addressed the framework limitation by noting that the framework was used in this study to identify areas that affect the communication process and not as a measurement tool. Recognising and noting the research limitations is always good practice, as it gives future researchers a starting point to continue the study in this area. Research Method and Data Collection According to Coughlan et al. (2005), the communication process is dynamic and complex, involving individuals with different perspectives. A qualitative data collection method was adopted to provide deep understanding of the processs state, with reference to FinCos retail and IT relationship. This method is appropriate because it focuses on uncovering participants perceptions and experiences, which are difficult to uncover with a quantitative method (Ghauri Gronhaug, 2002). Coughlan et al. (2005) used semi-structured interviews to collect data, which were conducted with top-level managers from both retail banking and IT to capture their perceptions of both organisational areas. Each interview session lasted an hour based on a set of prepared questions and extra questions to expand on the relevant question. The questions were designed to probe for experiences, thoughts and opinions relating to BIT relationship perceptions. There was no explanation as to why the semi-structured interview methodology was chosen over unstructured interview or focus group methodologies, which are better suited as unstructured interviews are often used in case studies to uncover information without limiting the field of inquiry (Punch, 2005). Although Coughlan et al. (2005) noted that the interviews covered the spectrum of top-level managers, there was no mention of the sampling method used to justify the chosen number of interviews. My assumption is that the judgemental sampling method was used, since it is a very popular choice in qualitative research and involves the choice of participants who are in the best position to provide the required information (Saunders et al., 2007). The authors did not discuss reliability, which is a common criticism of qualitative researches. However, qualitative researches argue that reliability is not an issue in qualitative methodology because research replication is not feasible due to the complexity of the research topic and context. Nevertheless, credibility could have been promoted through any of the following: audio recording of the interviews to reduce interviewer bias during data analysis (Ghauri Gronhaug, 2002); providing the interviewees with a list of interview themes to allow them to gather supporting organisational documents that could be used as secondary data (Triangulation); using a respondent validation technique by submitting research findings to the interviewees to confirm that the findings represent the social reality (Bryman Bell, 2007). Alternative Research Strategy The research problem should always drive the research method (Cryer, 2006). As discussed earlier, the aim of the study is to provide insight into the Business and IT (BIT) relationship in organisations identifying relevant areas and the issues (variables) that affect communications in organisations. A pure quantitative strategy is not an option for this study, as this can only be used when the studys variables are identified clearly. In other words, researchers generally have a very clear idea on what is being measured before they start measuring it. Nevertheless, a mixed methodology can be used to improve confidence in findings and to overcome qualitative strategy limitations. Mixed method studies attempt to bring together methods from contrasting research strategies. The authors could have started with a qualitative research method, e.g. in-depth interviews with BIT managers from different organisational levels followed by a thematic content analysis of the transcribed interview ma terial to help understand and identify communication issues in the organisation. Once they identify the communication areas and issues with reference to the BIT relationship in this organisation, they can test the credibility of the findings by conducting a questionnaire survey of other BIT managers in other organisations. An online questionnaire with close-ended questions is best here for ease of administration. Qualitative and quantitative methods can be complementary when used in sequence (Bryman Bell, 2007). Summary The research objectives and questions were not explicitly or clearly exhibited in this paper. In a well structured research paper, a research objective should be clearly defined and expressed within the research purpose section, and it is very important to clearly define the research questions to help form research objectives (Saunders et al., 2007). A comprehensive literature review was conducted to justify the importance of the research topic. A case study strategy with unstructured interviews would have been more suitable for an interpretive approach, but the research method section was very short, which affected transferability; qualitative researchers are encouraged to provide a detailed description of their methodology and findings to give others the option of adapting these findings to their environment. For example, a clear mapping between PICTURE components and the semi-structured interview questions would add more credibility to the study (Bryman Bell, 2007). Paper 2 Introduction The main aim of this study is to identify the organisational size impact on the way they perceive Business and IT strategic alignment and the relationship between the alignment factors and their planning integration strategy (Gutierrez et al., 2009). Gutierrez et al. 2009 noted that IT alignment remains one of the top issues for top-level IT managers, and for the past two decades many studies on Business and IT alignment have been conducted, starting with alignment definition, how to achieve it, factors affecting it, and its value to organisations. Most of these studies provided a theoretical understanding of this process, and a few of them provided practical solutions to measure alignment; however, these models could not be generalised as they were case-specific. According to Gutierrez et al. (2009), various alignment factors have been identified, e.g. prior IS success, the communication level between business executives, domain-shared knowledge and planning integration. Most of these studies were based on large organisations. The research approach is positivistic, seeking to identify and measure the importance of the business and IT alignment factors (variables) with reference to organisational size. It utilises an appropriate quantitative methodology, i.e. conducting a survey of a sample of top-level management respondents to collect data via an online questionnaire (Saunders et al., 2007). Research Purpose A positive aspect of the study is that the objectives were clearly depicted as below: To identify whether small, medium and large enterprises have different perceptions as to which of the factors described by Luftman (2000) in the strategic alignment model (SAM) are more relevant to attain alignment (Gutierrez et al., 2009:198). To identify whether there are any correlations between the factors and the planning integration strategy adopted in the organisations (Gutierrez et al., 2009:198). Although the research objectives were clearly defined in this paper, the research questions were not explicitly or clearly exhibited. Clear research questions leave the reader in no doubt as to exactly what the study seeks to achieve (Saunders et al., 2007). Research design Gutierrez et al. (2009) analysed many scholarly alignment assessment models systematically, which were categorised to identify practical models that used data analysis to score factors affecting alignment. The analyses helped to identify four sets of authors Reich Benbasat 2000, Hussin et al. (2002), Chan et al. (2006) and Sledgianowski et al. (2006) whose models are appropriate for the context of the study (see Appendix1). The latters work was based on Luftmans Strategic Alignment Model (SAM). The authors demonstrated that a critical literature review was conducted to justify the choice of Luftmans SAM and to include organisational size and planning integration factors, as they were not explored in enough detail. Justifying the above measures is a positive aspect of the paper (Saunders et al., 2007, p.54). Gutierrez et al. (2009) chose SAM as an assessment model for this research for the following reasons: It can be used to assess any level of alignment in an organisation. It has been validated via Sledgianowski et al. (2006)s extensive study. It covered most of the alignment factors used in the other three models (see Appendix A). The study adopted a comparative cross-sectional design to collect quantitative data from a large number of cases (managers) at a single point of time; the data were related to predefined variables (factors and attributes) (Bryman Bell, 2007). Research Method and Data Collection An initial questionnaire with twenty-one questions was tested by twenty-two professionals to assess the participants understanding of it. The feedback resulted in changing the questionnaire to include only twelve relevant questions to map to SAM factors: communication, competency/value measurement, governance, partnership, scope and skills (Gutierrez et al., 2009:203). In addition, the analysis of the pilot test data confirmed the importance of planning integration and its three stages independent, sequential and simultaneous. Pilot testing is crucial to a self-administered questionnaire in order to ensure there are no problems with the questions. Furthermore, it enables the researcher to assess the questions validity and the reliability of the collected data. An additional short questionnaire could have been used to obtain structured feedback (Saunders et al., 2007). Gutierrez et al. (2009) explained that conducting an online survey with a standardised set of questions was appropriate for this study, as there is no room for individual interpretation and it provides easy access to a large number of participants in different geographical locations. This is a positive point in terms of justifying the choice of the research method, but there was no explicit explanation as to the relationship between this method and the implicit positivistic research approach. This is a general criticism of quantatative papers. While Gutierrez et al. (2009) discussed the reasons for choosing executives, managers and top managers as targeted participants, it was not clear as to whether they were business or IT managers. This distinction should have been made very clear, as the questionnaire was designed to measure both IT and business peoples perceptions of the alignment factors importance, e.g. in the communication factor section of the questionnaire, participants were asked to rate two attributes. The first question rated the understanding of business strategies by the IT department (this should be answered by IT people to accurately represent the reality), while the second question rated the understanding of IT capabilities by the business department (this should be answered by business people) (Gutierrez et al., 2009:205). This is a two-way measurement and requires participants from both sides this is an extremely negative point that could affect the findings reliability and validity and could have been avoided by either describing the targeted participants in more depth, i.e. justifying this choice in terms of their suitability to provide representative answers, or by redesigning the questionnaire so that some questions could be answered by different respondent categories. Neither the limitations nor the sampling process are discussed. It is important to follow a sampling process that includes the following sequential activities: defining the population, choosing a sampling frame, selecting a sampling method, determining sample size, specifying an operational plan, and finally executing the plan. Following this process will help in achieving a representative sample and consequently help the researcher to be confident about the studys findings. Another positive outcome of this process is the ability to calculate the response rate, which is a decisive factor in evaluating the reliability of survey results, i.e. findings are seen as more accurate if the response rate is high. The response rate was mentioned very briefly: organisations around the world were requested to participate in the survey by telephone to achieve a better response rate (Gutierrez et al., 2009:206). In addition, the data collection section mentioned that a total number of 161 response s were collected and only complete questionnaires were used for data analysis. The questionnaire design was appropriate in terms of including the studys identified alignment factors. It had two parts, the first of which contained questions with regards to the respondents organisational profiles and the level of planning integration. The second part covered the factors prioritisation. Another positive aspect of the research design is that organisational size was defined to achieve consistency when referring to a small, medium or large organisation. Data Collection The data collection section was very brief; hence it would be very difficult to replicate the study. Moreover, the phrase organisations around the world (Gutierrez et al., 2009:205) is a very weak description of the population. According to Gutierrez et al. (2009), a total number of 161 responses were collected and only 104 complete questionnaires were used for the data analysis. The data collection section should be detailed to allow for replication, which provides some assurance of the results validity, reliability and generalisability. In addition, Gutierrez et al. (2009) used the term survey instead of questionnaire on more than one occasion throughout the paper. It should have been noted that there is a clear distinction between a survey and questionnaire the first is a method and the second is a tool used for this method (Saunders et al., 2007). Alternative Research Strategy The research strategy should always be driven by the research aim. An interpretive qualitative strategy is not applicable in this study, as the main objective of this study is to measure the relationship between well-defined variables. Qualitative methods are used mainly to study human behaviour and behaviour changes, and are more applicable if the research topic is new and there is not much in the literature to guide the researcher. As discussed earlier, many studies on Business and IT alignment factors have been conducted for the past two decades, during the process of which the alignment factors have been identified. Summary This paper is well structured in general and the research objectives clear. However, the research questions did not explicitly present the research strategy. The research design had a few negative points, e.g. a targeted population and the size were not defined clearly. Ideally, research papers should include a measure and measurement section to address the targeted population, concept indicators and instrument reliability and validity. However, not all researchers follow the recommended practices, e.g. some rarely provide information about stability tests and measurement validity and only 3% of research papers provide measurement validity information (Bryman Bell, 2007). The data collection method is appropriate for achieving the research objectives, as conducting a survey is a popular choice amongst positivist methods. Nevertheless, a clear justification for the choice of this data collection method in the light of the research design would add more credibility to the paper. No at tention was given to error control, e.g. sampling-related and data collection errors. The best part of the paper is the abstract section, which is very structured and clear. Additional structured interviews with Business and IT executives in other similar organisations, utilising the same questions used in the questionnaire, would help in overcoming the above gaps and confirm the studys findings. Conclusion Two research papers that followed contrasting research methodologies were analysed critically. Both papers had positive and negative points, regardless of their philosophical positions and design strategies. In any credible research paper, well-defined and clear objectives are vital, as they should lead the research design and, consequently, the method. Hence, defining the research problem is the first and most important step of the research process, as it is highly likely that an unsuitable research design and method will be selected if the research problems are not defined clearly. Choosing between qualitative and quantitative methods or mixing them depends on the studys questions; both methodologies have their strengths and weaknesses. For example, qualitative research provides complex textual descriptions of peoples behaviour that cant be provided by a contrasting methodology, since quantitative research focuses frequently on the study of meanings in the form of attitude scales. The main issue of any research is the credibility of its findings, regardless of the researchers philosophical position. This can be achieved by utilising multi methods (data collection triangulation within the same research strategy) or mixed methods (qualitative followed by quantitative and vice versa) (Saunders et al., 2007). Researchers are trying to find effective ways to incorporate elements of the contrasting strategies to ensure the accuracy of their studies. As a result, mixed, or combined, methodology research is becoming increasingly popular in the business and management field (Bryman Bell, 2007).