Packaging, Handling, Storage, and Transportation (PHS&T) as Element of Essay

Packaging, Handling, Storage, and Transportation (PHS&T) as Element of International Logistics - Essay Example However, in the recent times the term is used quite often. International logistics involves not only transportation, although transportation is considered to be a significant component of international logistics. There are other elements of the international logistic systems as well such as packaging, storage and handling. Since in the context of international logistics, people generally refer to the goods that move across national borders, this segment of logistics can be identified to be in a category all by itself. (Long, D. C., â€Å"International Logistics: Global Supply Chain Management†). Elements of International Logistics Packaging, Handling, Storage, And Transportation (PHS&T) consists of the resources, design concerns, actions and processes for ensuring that the equipments, systems and the related support items are properly packaged, stored, handled, preserved as well as transported from one place to another (Gabel, â€Å"Logistics Element Manager’s Desk Gui de†). ... Main focus is upon the safe delivery of the goods and services without any potential damage and deterioration of the systems and spares (Gabel, â€Å"Logistics Element Manager’s Desk Guide†). The numerous elements of international logistics such as packaging, storage, handling and transportation include the requirements, the resources, the methods and the considerations for the purpose of ensuring that the equipments and materials as well as related support systems are stored, preserved, handled, packaged, and transported appropriately (Lancioni & Chandran, â€Å"The Role of Packaging in International Logistics†). It is to be remembered that the firms need to have proper planning for the logistics systems to operate smoothly in the international market. The firms are supposed to examine each and every aspect in a proper way. As soon as the shipment leaves the docks of the shippers it takes greater effort for them to control till it reaches the consignee’s location. It has been noticed that the international logistics systems tend to work well in circumstances when all the possible phases have been planned in a systematic manner. One of the significant areas in context of international logistics is packaging. It is to be mentioned that packaging determines the condition at which the product will reach the location of the customers (Lancioni & Chandran, â€Å"The Role of Packaging in International Logistics†). Material handling encompasses various aspects of work in progress, movements of raw materials or finished goods within the plant or in warehouse. Packaging, handling, storage and transportation (PHS&T) plan is generally prepared in order to identify the distribution and the transportation procedures

Argumentative Structure in A Long Way Gone and Sizwe's Test - A Essay

Argumentative Structure in A Long Way Gone and Sizwe's Test - A Comparative Study - Essay Example More importantly each of them have revealed an as yet undiscovered face to the causes that they explore – adding significantly to our understanding of them and their potency. The purpose of this paper is to discern the argumentative structure in either narration and to provide a comparative study based on specific examples from either. Very often, such a study in itself can be very fruitful towards understanding the works better as a pivotal change in narration, a particular emphasis on a style of argument that permeates a given work, or certain paragraph that stand out clearly in it’s narration as opposed to the rest of the text, add significantly to the depth of the work and subconsciously affects the reader’s enjoyment adding or subtracting from it as the case maybe. Before we proceed to the core of our discussion, it would be advisable to consider both works separately and understand the gist of their argument, as this would be important for understanding why a particular work has adopted a particular point of narration. A Long way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, written by Ishmael Beah, published in 2007, is an autobiographical account of the plight of boy soldiers in world’s conflicts and in particular tell this story from the war ravaged Sierra Leone. ... He presents his story in front of the United Nations where he meets many other people like him and story carries him to the United States where he begins a new life 2. The story tells the hardship of the life of boy soldiers, children who anywhere else in the world are still in the innocence of their childhood and hands that carry books haven’t yet the crassness of a knife. Sierra Leone opens before us in wonderful detail, with the layers of it’s social interaction being visible in greater strides finally dissolving into a medley of social interactions that we all can identify and relate to. Sizwe’s Test by Jonny Steinberg, published in 2008, tells the story of the AIDS epidemic in South Africa. No other country perhaps has been at the peril of this scourge as perhaps South Africa where one in eight men are HIV positive1. Steinberg is puzzled that despite this, most people do not get tested for HIV, nor do they adopt widespread safe sex practices. His story tells us the complex socio – economic realities in the suburban slum of Lusikisiki, thorugh the eyes of Sizwe – a local shop owner 3. The story begins and then proceeds at a casual tone of narration, getting the reader to the characters and the environment in which they live. Then they reveal in wider and ever expanding circles the layers of this semi-urban community and finally tells us why the people are so stigmatized about HIV. Sizwe has had unprotected sex with many women and is at great risk himself, but he refuses to get tested. He becomes the window through which Steinberg narrates the tale of Lusikisiki. The absolute lack of privacy, the fear of being shown as

Professional Development Plan (PDP) & Review - Developing new skills Assignment

Professional Development Plan (PDP) & Review - Developing new skills and behaviours - Assignment Example Since the cycle of development is a continuous process, it is only via reviewing the plan effectively in order to formulate appropriate plans for the future steps. Furthermore, the effective review of the plan can also identify the effectiveness of one’s plan, and that their direction is aligned to their future ambitions. Objectives/Goals Students, just as professionals, require a professional development plan to monitor their academic progress. This tool enables the student to devise a plan which to follow in ensuring their success and development into a sort-after employee (Barrett, 2008). A student’s learning environment is central to their success and as such they must be provided with suitable physical and mental environment from which to grow their academic ambitions. The recent past has seen huge developments in technology that has seen some technologies like the iPad rise into prominence. As a result, Barrett (2008) believes that it is vital to keep up to date w ith such technological advancements in order to keep by the CPD standards as well as improve the personal performance of the student, team performances as well as inflict organisational or institutional excellence. In order to achieve this, it is essential to set SMARTe goals. The set goals should be strategic and specific with respect to the student’s needs, they can be measured, they are attainable, they should be results oriented or relevant, they can be achieved within a specific period of time and they must also accommodate everyone. The major objectives include: i. To ensure that the students have a supportive, safe, and equitable environment for learning their activities. ii. To explore as well as implement different instructional strategies in order to increase the achievement of the students. iii. To increase the achievement of the students via the use of technological applications in the classroom as well as in the instruction and management of data in the instituti on. Professional Development Plan A professional development plan (PDP) is a tool that enables students to identify their existing skills as well as help them develop new plans for the further development of other skills in desired and or relevant fields. Employers all over the globe are placing greater emphasis on skills and their advancement or development. As a result, it vital that students be able to lay bare that the skills they possess have been acquired and developed actively over a relatively long time. The development of such skills enables students to develop into productive professionals as well as placing them into better positions to compete for the ever reducing opportunities for employment after successful completion of their academic courses. Day and Sachs (2004) define CPD as â€Å"a term used to describe all the activities in which professionals engage during the course of a career, which are designed to enhance their work† (p. 3). Progress Review Among the underpinning stones of long-term learning is the ability to self evaluate as well as update personal skills and knowledge. Critical skills for students’ development are the abilities to learn via experience and become progressively more self critical and self aware (Luzinski, 2011). This can be determined via evaluation and reflection

Assignment2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Assignment2 - Essay Example Glossary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..13 Images Image 1: The Waikato River System†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Image 2: The Waikato River passing through Hamilton City†¦..5 Abstract The government of New Zealand has made it known that it intends to sell Mighty River Power together with some other assets; Mighty River Power is the sole proprietor of the Waikato River Hydro scheme which makes use of waters of the Waikato river water to generate hydroelectric power. A number of Maori organizations have indicated that they are against the sale because they believe they should have a say on the usage of the waters of river Waikato, and through the sale they will not be able to put this claim to the test. This issue has resulted in a nationwide debate regarding the ownership of the river’s waters, and is therefore worth discussing an d writing about. The Treaty of Waitangi, an agreement between the Maori tribes of New Zealand and the Britain’s colonial government, was signed in 1840 after much deliberation by the Queen and a growing concern for the welfare of New Zealand’s indigenous peoples (Orange 1987, pg.32). The Resource Management Act (RMA) was an act of parliament that was passed in 1991 for the primary purpose of stipulating how New Zealand’s natural resources should be managed, and the principles of the Treaty are regarded as the guiding framework of the Treaty of Waitangi. ... At the end of this report, this question should be solved and more clarity should be achieved with regards to this issue. 1. Introduction The Treaty of Waitangi is often viewed as the founding document of the country that is now known as New Zealand (Calman 2003, pg.30). Since its signing in 1840, it has played a very influential role in shaping the country, how its resources are managed and its relation to its indigenous peoples (in this case the Maori). Over years, there have been disagreements between the New Zealand government over the management of resources that the Maori people consider â€Å"theirs†. Most recently, the Crown’s intention to sell Mighty River Power has drawn criticism, outrage and uproar from various groups representing the Maori people. The purpose of this report is to discuss, examine and evaluate the Treaty, the RMA and the principles and to come up with a sensible and practical conclusion on the issue at hand. These three aspects are very impo rtant to the final outcome since they explain where all this is coming from and how it can be resolved. The significance of this report is that it will finally decide how to move forward in this whole conundrum; it will look at both parties’ claims and address them in a sound manner and finally put the matter to bed. This report will cover events and aspects dating from 1840 to the current and most recent controversy pitting the government of New Zealand and the Maori people. As a result, whatever conclusion is reached will be arrived at after a lot of factors are studied and examined exhaustively. Limitations to this study might be that so many changes have occurred since 1840, and yet everything in between must be looked into; the

Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in Canada Essay Example for Free

Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in Canada Essay You know the world is off tilt when the best rapper is a white guy (Eminem), the best golfer is a black guy (Tiger Woods), the tallest basketball player is Chinese (Yao Ming, 76) and Germany doesnt want to go to war (in Iraq). Charles Barkley stated in a 2003 interview, pointing out various misconceptions with stereotypes. A stereotype is defined by dictionary. com as: something conforming to a fixed or general pattern; especially: an often oversimplified or biased mental picture held to characterize the typical individual of a group. I have commonly heard stereotypes such as the French are good cooks, Italians are great lovers, and the Irish are lazy or comments made like dumb jock, lazy Cape Bretoner, or that women are not strong!! The list could go on endlessly as there appears to be stereotypes regarding people of all races, religions, sexes and ethnic groups, etcetera. Stereotypes can be either positive or negative. Most stereotypes tend to make us feel superior in some way to the person or group being stereotyped. Stereotypes ignore the uniqueness of individuals by painting all members of a group with the same brush. Throughout the course of this paper I plan to discuss some racial and ethnic issues in Canada. Where some of these issues originated from, what we can personally do to help eliminate discrimination in the workplace and what the government is doing to try to combat such discrimination. Let me first begin by defining discrimination, racism and ethnicity since these terms are all important terms to understand before going into further discussion. To discriminate is simply defined by yourdictionary. com as: To make distinctions on the basis of class or category without regard to individual merit; show preference or prejudice. Therefore, discrimination occurs when a person is not treated equally because of their gender, race, religion, ethnic origin, nationality, sexual orientation, or age. Yourdictionary. com defines racism as: The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others. Discrimination or prejudice based on race. In other words, when an individual or group is treated unfairly or abused because of their skin color or racial heritage they are victims of racism. Ethnic, as defined by yourdictionary. Com is: Of or relating to a sizable group of people sharing a common and distinctive racial, national, religious, linguistic, or cultural heritage. B. Being a member of a particular ethnic group, especially belonging to a national group by heritage or culture but residing outside its national boundaries. With that being said, it is my belief that stereotypes and ignorance about others most often lead to discriminatory behavior both inside and outside the workplace. I have heard Canada described as a multicultural nation meaning that Canadians are not of any one cultural background, race or heritage. For all Canadians, including Aboriginal People, this multicultural diversity can be traced to an immigrant past. This does not mean that the majority of todays Canadians are immigrants but rather that the majority of Canadians have in their past, perhaps many generations ago, a family member who migrated here from another country. That is why many of us have a mixed ancestry, for example; Irish, Scottish, Ukrainian, French and Aboriginal, and the list can go on. Canadas Aboriginal People were the first to immigrate, and settle across the continent, tens of thousands of years before European settlers. After the European settlers came the French, followed by the English, Scots and Irish formulating Canada into the diverse country it is today. In the years before the American Civil War, thousands of black slaves escaped slavery in the United States by following the Underground Railway north to Canada. Then, at the turn of the century, American farmers moved northward into the Canadian prairies to develop farm lands. Although Canada originally consisted of a wide variety of immigrants, some people were not as welcome in the country as others and were therefore not treated equally. Those who were of different race, color, or religion then the majority of Canadians were labeled as foreigners. The use of the term foreigner held many connotations for example, different, strange or inferior and many at the time wanted to see the foreigners assimilate to fit into Canadian society. There are many events in Canadas past that has contributed to the racism and discrimination in Canada today for example, the disregard and unfair treatment of Aboriginal Peoples by Europeans who settled here. Even though a vast majority of African-Americans moved to Canada to avoid slavery, from early in the 1600s until 1834 there was a recorded 4092 slaves throughout the country, mostly living in Quebec . The Asiatic Exclusion League, which originated in California in 1905 as an anti-Oriental movement, moved north into Vancouver in 1907. The league was the main instigator in anti-Asian riots in the city since their main goal was to have all Chinese and Japanese immigrants removed from North America out of fear that they were taking jobs away from Whites . It also appears that throughout history the acceptance of immigrants in Canada greatly depended upon the economic state of the country at that time. During the Great Depression of the 1930s immigrants seeking jobs were unwelcome and overlooked for employment. Although the Government of Canada has made many advances in breaking the barriers that Aboriginal People, immigrants and minorities face in the country; immigrants today still face a number of problems when trying to enter the labor market, for example: ? Non-recognition of international credentials and work experience ? Lack of Canadian work experience ? Inability to communicate in English or French ?Insufficient labor market information prior to immigrating to Canada I have traveled to some of the major cities in Canada and was a little surprised by the degree of segregation that is apparent in these cities. By this, I mean that these larger cities, like Toronto and Vancouver, have communities which are almost completely independent from the rest of the country. These independent communities that I saw, of Chinese or Italian people, seemed to have everything they needed to survive within the community including their own schools. I could not help but wonder what effect this type of segregation has on the country. I respect the fact that all people are trying to protect their identity. At the same time, by choosing to live in Canada, shouldnt they try to integrate into the country a little more while still preserving their identities? Shouldnt they try to assimilate? How can Canada thrive as a country with so much segregation? We need to become a unified country. Not such a historical thought pattern, I guess!! It is people who have attitudes like mine that are causing problems in the country or do all people have these thoughts and choose not to admit it. I have similar negative feelings about scholarships being available only to certain people or government funding for certain people to attend university because they are a minority. I understand that differential treatment is required in order for equality to become a possibility. However, I still feel a degree of resentment about these programs being offered when I have to borrow money in an effort to obtain my university degree. Will this resentment evolve? When I hold a management position in the future, will I discriminate against a person because he or she doesnt have a huge student loan to pay and another does? It is cases like mine that causes racism to continue in society and the workplace today? With the announcement of Nova Scotias plan to increase immigration into the province came an increase in the racist comments I have heard. Since I work in bars I hear, and partake in, a great deal of conversation. When people are drinking they tend to be even more likely to say things they normally wouldnt. That is why I have heard, at times, some very racist remarks. People have said that the government should be trying to retain people in the province that are born here before they bring foreigners here. They need to take care of their own first!! It is because of these comments and feelings that I am doubtful that discrimination against people, because of their race or color, will ever be completely eliminated in the country. How do we achieve equality with so much differentiation? How do we check or personal opinions at the door when we go to work? Since it is impossible to eliminate racism and discrimination entirely in society, we need to do as much as possible to eliminate it in the workplace. We need to make changes similar to the changes companies have made in an effort to combat discrimination against people because of their religion. For example, adapting zero tolerance rules, providing more education for employees, human resource departments need to provide more opportunities for people of minorities, immigrants, and Aboriginal Peoples and barriers have to be removed for all these people who are trying to enter our labor market. March 21, 2005 is International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination a day to remember the struggles and challenges that Aboriginal peoples and people of color have endured. It is also a time to recognize and applaud the fact that members of these two communities have made anti-racism struggles a significant part of labors agenda. Lets respect this day and try to make some positive changes at home, school, or work toward eliminating racism.

Methods of Social Research

Methods of Social Research Methods of Research The correct choice of research methods to use in answering researcher set questions investigating a topic is one of the most crucial and vital elements to the successful conduct of a research exercise, (McNeill, 2005). While much attention can be paid to theory within the methodology employed by the researcher it is also critical to consider the actual research tools which back up the theoretical decisions made and provide the raw data against which the hypotheses of the research can betested. For much research the research tools will be a decisive factor in thesuccess or failure of the project. In many instances the choice of research tool is not assessed correctly with the result being data is generated which is of little or no use to the researcher, (Ruane, 2005). This occurs both due to the research method not suiting the particular needs of the researcher and the improper administering of the research method itself. For many,  choice of research tool is influenced however not by the objective needs of the research but by the ability and capabilities of the researcher in terms of time, cost or other related factors such as familiarity with the processes and techniques involved within specific sets of research tools. In this essay, we examine three research methods, show how they can be constructed in a holistic manner toachieve triangulation in relation to a research question and illustrate ethical concerns and the manner in which they can be resolved in the successful deployment of these research methods, (Somekh and Lewin, 2005). We discuss these methods as a process and thus relate our discussion to the manner in which theycan be integrated and successfully deployed. In this sense then we examine howfocus groups can provide insights into theoretical observations, how theseobservations can be explored within semi-structured interviews with a selectedsample and how these observations from interviews can be developed intogeneralised into hypotheses tested against larger samples through the use of questionnaires.However it should be noted that a critical element in deciding on whichmethodologies should be used in a research project and the relative strengthsand weaknesses of using those methodologies will depend to a large extent onthe specific circumstances involved in conducting the research, (Bryman, 2004). By this it ismeant that weaknesses for example within the conduct of questionnaire may infact be a positive element for certain projects and negative for othersdepending on the contextual basis for the research. We explore this and otherfeatures of research methods subsequently. Focus Groups Focus groups are atype of qualitative based research method based loosely on the generalprinciples which apply to interviews. However while interviews are generallyone-to-one situations involving a interviewer and interviewee relationshipfocus groups employ a one to many dichotomy, (Holloway and Jefferson, 2000). Indeedfocus groups resemble semi or unstructured interviews more particularly thanstructured interviews as one of the primary objectives of the researcher withinfocus group interviews is as a facilitator or moderator of group discussionbased on sets of general themes identified as being related to the research objectivesfor which the focus groups are being used to generate data, (Bloor et al, 2001).In particular focus groups are a very useful method to consider in theexploratory stages of research to help form ideas related to theoreticalobservations upon which later research can be based. While notoriginally a tool familiar to the social sciences focus group methodologieshave been long deployed and successful elements within business andspecifically marketing research. From these origins however their utility for socialscientific research has come to be recognised within many sections for specificinstances for which they are useful, (Fern, 2001). Focus groups havea number of advantages and disadvantages when applied towards collecting datain answering sets of research questions. Let us discuss the advantages of usingthis methodology to begin with. Perhaps a fundamental strength of focus groups istheir interactive nature when designed and implemented properly. In this mannerthe researcher can set general themes and topics and also ask specificquestions of the group related to the research topic by facilitatingintra-group discussion arising out of the topics mentioned by the moderator. Subsequentlyrecording and monitoring the discussions and interactions which occur withinthe group as the issues raised by the researcher are thrashed out can provide immenselyvaluable qualitative data and also critically have the possibility of offeringtheoretical insights or considerations missed by the researcher. In terms of aspecifically action research or ethnographic research outlook focus groups areeven more element as the interactive nature of focus groups allows the groupand its participants to actively engage with the research and even when plannedfor adequately by the researcher allow them to shape the outcomes and processesof the research itself, .(Czarniawska, 2004) Some of the keydisadvantages we can associate with the use of focus groups are internal groupdynamics, participant and interviewer bias and transcription related problemsin codifying and making the data generated amenable to analysis. However the primarydrawback to this method is related to the interactive nature discussed above inthat the researcher has much less control over the type and nature of datagenerated during the course of the research. Again as mentioned planning andgood moderating skills are essential in the use of this method, (Litosseliti, 2003). Internal groupdynamics can play a vital role in determining the success or failure of using focusgroups as a means of answering research questions. The specific disadvantagesbeing spoke of here include a common feature of socials groups wherebyindividual members of that group through personality and group dynamics come tolead and dominate discussions, (Vaughn, Shay, Sinagub, 1996).An interviewer needs to be aware of such situations and develop tactics andstrategies which are inclusive in terms of encouraging all of the individualswithin a group to participate as equally as possible in the discussion as it isbeing held. With larger groupsand to some extent even smaller groups as well due to possibilities of manypeople answering at the same time, especially in more animated discussions thenecessity of effective recording allowing for accurate transcription isessential. Bias can occur both in terms of the moderator and participants inthat moderator may lead the discussion too much in their desire to gatherrelevant data or otherwise colour the responses of participants who in turn maydesire to satisfy what they perceive to be the wishes of the moderator duringthe course of the discussion. Such considerations are not isolated to focusgroups and should be a common concern for any research exercise, (Morgan, 1997). Ethically similarsafeguards that are used in other types of research methods need to be employedwithin focus groups with some specific concerns. As with other types ofresearch informed consent needs to be adequately collected from theparticipants and in particular with focus groups if the topic is sensitive orcovers material of a private nature it must be remember that other people willbe present and thus the moderator must take further care in considering theethical implications of this feature, (Gregory, 2003). Semi-structured interviews If a researcherhas used a focus group in order to identity common themes and concerns associatedwith his or her choice of questions a useful follow on from focus groups can bethe use of more in depth and detailed semi structured interviews. Theinterviewees could perhaps be drawn from a representative sample from which thefocus group was composed. Semi structured interviews are a popular form of qualitativeresearch much relied upon within social scientific as well as otherdisciplinary investigations. The general purpose of such interviews is toexplore in details specific topics relevant to the interviewees knowledge andalso relevant to the research questions and objectives forming the focus of theresearch project, (Silveman, 2004). The normalstructure for such an interview is a one to one situation with an interviewereither having a list of some predetermined questions which are then used to branchfurther questions outwards during the conduct of the interview or alternativelythe interviewer is equipped with a set of general topics from which questionsare generated during the course of the interview. While not as interactive asfocus groups good semi-structured interviews are however in some way reliant onparticipant determination for the tenor and tone of the conduct of theinterview. This can be a principal strength of using this method in that it canbe a highly fruitful manner of exploring topics with which participants arefamiliar The advantages ofsemi structured interviews can be surmised under a number of headings. Thefirst of these is the opportunity it gives to both interviewer and intervieweeto explore in depth and detail the substantive issues for research within agiven project mentioned above. Not only though do semi-structured interviewsafford the opportunity to discuss themes in detail but the semi-structurednature also gives the interviewer freedom to dynamically adapt and respond tothe flow of the discussion as it occurs. In this sense the interviewer canexplore themes not suggested by the structure of the interview which wasoriginally planned; this is an important difference from structured interviewswhich lack this interviewer flexibility and freedom. A semi-structuredinterview can thus be said to allow for frank discussion, is a flexible and adaptivemeans as the interviewer and interviewee can respond and explore topics as theyoccur during the interview and as such can be a useful source of data for anyresearch project. Disadvantages withsemi-structured interviews again like those common to focus groups are thosewhich need to be taken account of with the use of any research method. Some ofthe main disadvantages we can associate with the use of semi structuredinterviews include participant bias, interviewer bias and the reliability ofany data generated during the course of the interview. Like focus groups theinterviewer needs to be aware of their responses and comments to theinterviewee so as not to colour or bias the responses given. Similarly aninterviewer needs to display a manner which does not indicate to theinterviewee preference supposed or otherwise for a particular set of responses.Reliability is a concern with qualitative research in general and aninterviewer needs to be cognisant of the type and form of data generated duringthe conduct of the interview. Ethically again similar principles which appliedto focus groups apply to semi-structured interviews in that the participants insuch interv iews give full informed consent to the interview taking place andthat confidentiality is ensured on the part of the interviewer in terms of anydata generated from the participant. Questionnaires Perhaps the mostfamiliar of research methods both to researchers and the general publicquestionnaires as part of a survey strategy have long held a dominant role inthe conduct of research projects, (Frazer Meredith, 2000). Questionnaires come in a variety of forms from postal, totelephone administered, to interviewer administered and so on but they are all characterisedon a reliance on a predetermined set of questions with predefined answers whichmake the data amenable to later statistical analysis either by hand or throughthe use of the many statistical computer programs which now exist. Questionnairesexcel at the testing of hypothesis concretely formed and outlined as well atgathering opinion based data from large samples, (McQueen, 2002). Questionnaires area form of quantitative research and thus they involve many statistical elementsin terms of carrying out research using them. Some of the fundamental concernswith using questionnaires include the need for sampling, ensuring effectiveresponses and a high response rate. In turn these three elements are related tothe principal advantages and disadvantages of using this method, (Oppenhiem,1992). Or in other words the success or failure and the degree to these for aparticular questionnaire is determined to a large extent by the successfulsampling of a target group and having a well-designed questionnaire with clearinstructions for participants in order to ensure correct responses and a highnumber of responses from the sample. The primary advantageof using a questionnaire lies in the amount of data which can be collectingallowing for varying degrees and sophistication in statistical analyses whichcan be performed on the data, (Gillham, 2000). The primary disadvantage ofusing questionnaires is the inverse of this strength in statistical termsrelated to the rigid and inflexible way in which data must be collected in thatthe researcher is unable to benefit from any interactivity in the research andeven when the questionnaire is interviewer administered there is a rigidity tothe questionnaire format which must be adhered to, (Houtkoop-Steenstra, 2000). Questionnaires in terms of the triangulation discussed above couldusefully be deployed in order to test hypothesis generated from theexplorations and conclusions reached during the use of focus groups. Conclusion As can be gatheredfrom our discussion then all of the research methods we have discussed are possessedof both positive and negative aspects in the case of their deployment in orderto answer research questions set by the researcher. It is argued that perhapsthe best means in which to consider the use of any of these research methods isto see them as part of a cyclical process related to the triangulation ofcertain research objectives, (yen, 1990). It can be arguedthat by using a combinational method then in the approach of constructing aresearch methodology has the benefit of playing various research methodsagainst each other, by this it is meant that certain methods will be strongothers weak and that a combinational approach will allow for the strongestpossible methodology to emerge and thus have the best chance of generatinguseful data for the research questions at hand, (Gorard and Taylor, 2004). However asmentioned in some of the limitations we discussed previously with regards tothe methods each of these particular methods require certain skills of the researcherfor them to be truly effective methods. Thus projects which would seek to useall of these methods as well as possible others would need to draw upon skilledresearchers in terms of their ability to conduct quantitative and qualitativeresearch in equal measure. Similarly using a combinational method increases therange of ethical considerations for the researcher with the possibility ofthere being a complex network of ethical issues that need to be resolvedcontinuously across the range of research methods used in the project (deMarrais Lapan 2004). Similarly for acombinational method to be effective as well as the use of any of these methodssolely also a strong methodology in terms of a plan for the research and itsconduct will need to be in place in order to generate truly relevant data forthe research questions which the researcher wishes to investigate, (Andrews,2003). In conclusion the organisation of research methods in terms of their deploymentis the most critical determinant of the success of the researcher in gathering datawhich will be of use in their subsequent and later analysis based on theresearch questions they have tasked themselves with answering. Organisation it canthus be argued is one of the principal determinants of whether the selection ofany research methods will be successful in collecting relevant and valuabledata for that project, (Ragin, 1994). References Andrews, R.J.(2003) Research Questions, Continuum, London Bloor, M. et al (2001) Focus Group inSocial Research, SAGE Publications, London. Bryman, A. (2004) SocialResearch Methods, Oxford University Press, Oxford Czarniawska, B.(2004) Narratives in Social Science Research, Sage, London deMarrais,K. Lapan, S.D. (2004) Foundations for Research: Methods of Inquiry inEducation and the Social Science, Mahwah, N.J. : L. Erlbaum Associates. Fern,E.E. (2001) Advanced Focus Group Research, SAGE, US. Frazer,L. Meredith, L. (2000) Questionnaire Design Administration : aPractical Guide, John Wiley, London. Gillham,B. (2000) Developing a Questionnaire, Continuum, London. Gorard, S. andTaylor, C. (2004) Combining Methods in Educational and Social Research,Open University Press, Maidenhead Hollway,W. Jefferson, T.(2000) Doing Qualitative Research Differently: FreeAssociation, Narrative and Interview, SAGE, London. Houtkoop-Steenstra,H. (2000) Interaction and the Standardized Survey Interview: the LivingQuestionnaire, Cambridge University Press, UK. Litosseliti,L. (2003) Using Focus Groups in Research, Continuum, London. Gregory, I. (2003)Ethics in Research, Continuum, London McNeill, P. (2005)Research Methods 3rd Edition, Routledge, London McQueen, R. (2002)Research Methods for Social Science, Prentice Hall, Harlow Morgan,D. L. (1997) Focus Groups as Qualitative Research 2nd edition,Sage Publications, US. Oppenheim,A. N. (1992) Questionnaire Design, Interviewing, and Attitude Measurement,Pinter Publishers, New York. yen,E. (1990) Comparative Methodology: Theory and Practice in InternationalSocial Research, Newbury Park, London. Ragin,C.C. (1994) Constructing Social Research: the Unity and Diversity of Method,Thousand Oaks, Pine Forge Press, US. Ruane, J.M. (2005)Essentials of Research Methods, Blackwell Publications, Malden MASS Silveman,D. (2004) Qualitative Research: Theory, Method and Practice, SAGE,London. Somekh, B. andLewin, C. (2005) Research Methods in the Social Sciences, Sage,London Vaughn,S., Shay, J. Sinagub, S.J. (1996) Focus Group Interview in Educationand Psychology, SAGE, US.

Television and Media - Daytime Talk TV is Immoral Essay -- Argumentati

Daytime Talk TV is Immoral Today’s society has become a visually based culture and, as a result, people learn and act from what they see. With the advent of television, many programs have been aired ranging from news programs to sitcoms and from game shows to talk shows, but talk shows, today, have the most effect on the public. Daily, viewers turn on their televisions and many are bombarded with images of sex, drugs, and violence on the talk shows. Unfortunately, many people are either disturbed or affected by what they see. As Vicki Abt and Leonardo Mustazza point out in their article, â€Å"Coming After Oprah: Cultural Fallout in the Age of the TV Talk Show,† â€Å"Surely long-term exposure to this genre has consequences for the way we judge ideas, behaviors, and ‘values’† . . .† (Abt and Mustazza 26). Despite many people’s beliefs that daytime talk TV today is purely entertainment, it is certain that it presents many immoral values and distorts th e reality of how our society should behave. One negative effect that talk shows have on their viewers is the false sense of reality portrayed to children. Many viewers of daytime talk TV are young children because many are not in school when these programs are being aired since they are not old enough to attend yet, or they have come back from school. Sadly, these children are exposed to the distortion of reality portrayed from these talk shows. Shows, such as Jenny Jones, Ricki Lake, and Jerry Springer, are constantly having guests who speak about topics like sex and drugs, and there is always violence as well. In most episodes, the guests are either cursing at each other or attempting to attack one another. Children viewing these episodes may begin to grasp a f... ... America needs to step back and take a look at what these talk shows are doing to society as a whole and rethink exactly what should be on talk shows and what should not. People are being corrupted with these images of sex, drugs, and violence, and it needs to come to an end. Though talk shows are not solely responsible for the way people behave or think, they are a big part of it. As they are teaching corrupted morals and values, it is obvious that talk shows are not purely entertainment, but are very immoral. Works Cited Abt, Vicki and Leonard Mustazza. â€Å"Coming After Oprah: Cultural Fallout in the Age of the TV Talk Show.† Reading Culture. 4th ed. Ed. Diana George and John Trimbur. New York: Longman, 2001. 25-27. Willis, Ellen. â€Å"Bring in the Noise.† Reading Culture. 4th ed. Ed. Diana George and John Trimbur. New York: Longman, 2001. 34-37.