The Case Study of Aalsmeer Flower Auction, Introducing an Information Essay

The Case Study of Aalsmeer Flower Auction, Introducing an Information System - Essay Example A range of facilities are available at the auction, such as access to marketing channels and financial information, storage facilities and management of logistics. Prices of flowers are determined at these auctions because it offers a nodal point where suppliers and buyers can meet, and the prices set at the auction are also used in other parts of the world as price indicators. The auction also provides a place where growers who bring their flowers in large quantities at optimum transportation costs and can then break them down into smaller quantities for specific buyers and thereby improve efficiency. While this has been a good arrangement for several years, certain developments have created a problem situation where the level of business at the auction may be compromised. These developments are as follows: (b) While growers are able to achieve efficiency by getting savings in transportation costs, retailers are unable to achieve similar efficiencies because consumer tastes are changing and in order to satisfy those changing tastes, retailers need access to fresher flowers, smaller quantities, larger number of varieties and more than one delivery every week, thereby making the supply based auction unviable in a situation where demand might need to drive supply. (c) The voice of retailers and their changing demands has become sharper, because of the mergers and acquisitions among them. Growers are also becoming more interested in using electronic means to sell their products. In view of the above, the Alsameer Flower Auction has felt the threat to its existing business processes and experienced the need to bring about structural and operational changes to improve their market share, strengthen their connection with wholesalers and retailers, reduce the transaction costs and enable innovation. In order to achieve these aims, the

National Security vs Individaul Privacy Essay Example for Free

National Security vs Individaul Privacy Essay 1. Your document’s heading is not formatted correctly. In the upper left corner of the first page, the words Running head: should preface a shortened version of your title. The upper right corner of the page should have the numerical page number. The shortened version of your title should be in all capital letters. On subsequent pages, the shortened version of your title should appear on the lefthand side, with a page number on the right-hand side. For additional information, visit the Ashford Writing Center located in Constellation. Click on Ch 7 -Sample Paper with Formatting Instructions. [Nicole Moore] 2. Instructor: Leon, You should be using a 12 pt. font, and double spacing your work. [Nicole Moore] Throughout history, there have been breeches to the security of this nation which caused an increase in awareness. Rights and civil liberties of the public have been cut, and in many instances revoked completely. Individual privacy is 2 1. Throughout Leon, You are not using the correct font. You need to be using  Times New Roman 12 pt. Please adjust for your final paper. Remember to use Times New Roman 12 point font per 6th edition APA guidelines. [Nicole Moore] 2. in awareness. an awareness of what? Make sure you are clear. [Nicole Moore] 3. Block quotations of more than 40 words should be double spaced per APA 6th edition guidelines. Each line should be indented 1/2 inch. Quotation marks should not be included, and the citation should be placed at the end of the quote following the punctuation. [Nicole Moore] 4. Since the attack on the World Trade Leon, please try reading this sentence out loud what are you trying to say? I think you might be missing some words. How might you rework? [Nicole Moore] 5. In response, law enforcement agencies Are the agencies requesting them now, or have they been requesting them since 2001? You might want to use the past tense or say, ..agencies have been requesting [Nicole Moore]  important and if you take it away from the public, they will then feel an increase of intrusion and loss of privacy. â€Å"All human rights are indivisible, interdependent, and interrelated: the improvement of one right facilitates advancement of the others; the deprivation of one right adversely affects others. Freedom of expression and privacy are explicit parts of this international framework of human rights and are enabling rights that facilitate the meaningful realization of other human rights.† (Dunstan, 2011) Since the attack on the World Trade Center, U.S. soil have resulted in the tragic loss of thousands of innocent human lives. In response, law enforcement agencies are requesting broader and more pervasive laws to counter this security challenge. As technology has grown in leaps and bounds over the last three decades, it has also brought with it new challenges to protecting people’s privacy and curbing privacy violations. Determining the proper balance between citizens’ right, civil liberties, and concerns for security is a particularly vexing difficulty for the democratic societies. It has long been understood that civil liberties are neither absolute nor unequivocal and that there is normally tension between the carrier for democratic values and the desire to live in safety and security. â€Å"Citizens’ rights frequently collide with the 1. â€Å"Citizens’ rights frequently collide Great quote for right here. Double check the APA formatting guidelines you want to put the period on the outside of the (). citizens (Davis, 2008). [Nicole Moore]  rights of others and with governments’ ability to provide for the safety of its citizens.† (Davis, D. W. 2008) 1 National Security plays a part in every aspect of the world. What national security does is maintain the survival of  the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection, and political power. Protections give a nation what it needs to posses economic security, energy security, and environmental security. The national valuables in this broad sense include current assets and national interests, as well as the sources of strength upon which our future as a nation depends. A former NSA director, Gen. Michael Hayden, now director of the Central Intelligence Agency, has said the NSA often gets FISA warrants for wiretaps. He knew that Bush was using this tool to gather information. Bush had the NSA employees also listen in on conversations without such warrants if they suspect links to terror groups, he said. â€Å"In its suit, the ACLU also contends that the NSA surveillance program violates First Amendment protections of freedom of speech and assembly by intruding into the private conversations and e-mail exchanges of individuals and organizations. Deans, (2006) â€Å"Weeks after the September 11 attacks, Bush issued a top-secret order authorizing the National Security Agency to use its high-tech eavesdropping tools to listen in on phone calls and read electronic mail coming into the United States. The Fourth Amendment of the constitution prohibits â€Å"unreasonable searches and seizures† without judicial warrant affirming there is â€Å"probable cause† for suspecting criminal activity.† Deans, (2006) Despite the labors of the Bush administration to bypass the FISC system, FISA courts still exist and the number of warrant request coming before them has increased significantly in recent years. The use of FISA and its courts does protect the government from accusation that it violates the Fourth Amendment rights U. S. persons. Since the disclosure of the warrantless searches, President Bush has instructed the various intelligence organizations that the FISC system be used for all intelligence-gathering activities. The debate over FISA and its court is ongoing, with many critics believing that both the law 2. Is this another long quote? If so, you might consider the amount of quotes you are using, and rely more on your own writing and statements. Use the research to support your analysis, not fill up your paper. It generally requires the government to seek warrants before monitoring Americans’ communications. The  controversy over the FISC Court has intensified. The Bush administrations make it view known that the onerous requirements of FISA stood in the way of intelligence gathering. In a secret court proceeding before the FISA Appeals Court on September 9, 2002, with only government lawyers present, the Bush administration presented its case that the FISC had hindered the flow of information and had obstructed the president’s authority to conduct warrantless searches to obtain foreign intelligence information. â€Å"Less than an hour after President Bush signed the 2008 amendment, the ACLU filed a law suit challenging the law’s constitutionality. Because the 2008 amendment is scheduled to sunset in December, the ACLU is also calling on Congress to Fix FISA by prohibiting dragnet surveillance activities, and strengthening safeguards for privacy.† American Civil Liberties Union, (2012) Bush’s main goal was to gather as much information coming into the United States, but forgot about the fact that he would invade peoples’ privacy. It seem like everything was moving fast and no thought was put in it from the government. Our civil rights is right for us the citizens of this country to have privacy, the right of peaceful protest, the right to a fair trial, the right to personal freedom and the right of equal protection. However, when you take our freedom away for expressing ourselves, you violate our civil rights. This Act allowed him to violate the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution which further blurred the lines between national security and individual privacy. It is precisely the reason why we’re so skeptical about the implementation of national security over our civil rights. They 1. but forgot about the fact that I really take issue with the word forgot I feel that you will be much better served, and have a stronger  paper, if you find a different word disregarded, ignored, etc [Nicole Moore] 2. Our civil rights is right for us the Our civil rights give the citizens of this country the right to. [Nicole Moore] 3. why we’re who is were? do you mean some U.S. citizens? Be clear about your references. [Nicole Moore] forget about the little people that make up this country. One must understand that the problem that is in conflict with our civil rights here, relates more to internal security than it does to external. National security is important to the safety of this country but it should never intrude an individual privacy. The national valuables in this broad sense include current assets and national interests as well as the sources of strength upon which our future as nation depends on it. 4 4. National security is important This, Leon, should be your specific claim, and it should be in the beginning of your paper, not on page 6. [Nicole Moore] -6- Reference ACLU, (2012) American Civil Liberties Union’s Retrieve from http://www.aclu.org/national-security/fix-fisa-endwirelesstapping Atkins, S. E., (2008) Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. ABC CLIO, Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/abcne/foreign_intelligence_su rveillance_act_of_1978 Davis, D. W., (2008) Civil Liberties and Security Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/peace/civil_liberties_a nd_security Deans, B., (2006) Domestic Wiretaps: Rights Suit Centers on U.S. security vs. privacy of citizens. The Atlanta Journal, Retrieved from http://searc.proquest.com/docview/337265486 Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/privacy Dunstan, A.H., (2011) Protecting Human Rights in the Digital Age.BSR Retrieved from http://www.bsr.org

Marketing MA Management and International Business Essay -- Business a

Marketing MA Management and International Business Introduction CRM is a term for methodologists, technologies and e-commerce capabilities -used by companies to manage customer relationships. (Foss, 2001:1) It is also called customer management, customer care and sometimes customer centricity or customer-centric management. (Brown, 2000:1) All the names and definitions of CRM have customer, as its core-it is the management of customer relationships, which attempts to revolutionize marketing and reshape entire business models. To survive and grow the business must make a profit. To make a profit it has to find people who are willing to pay more for its products/services than they cost. Therefore profit comes from customers. All Profit comes from customers So if no profit=no business And no customers=no profit Then no customers=no business Therefore customers ARE the business The idea of CRM is not new-it was the way the local shopkeeper treated his customer-he knew him, knew what was happening in his life, what he was buying, (one to one marketing?) etc. What is new though is that nowadays the retailers try to establish dialog with tens of thousands or even millions of customers in an attempt to understand them better, their individual needs and maximise the lifetime value of this relationship. In this respect it is not ‘revolution’ of marketing, but rather ‘evolution’. The old model of doing business is back into action but armed with technology and different schemes to reach the customer and retain them for life. The four types of CRM programmes, described by Stanley (2000) are aimed at enabling the company to win back customers, who have defected or are planning to, (Win Back or Save), to create loyalty among customers (Retail Loyalty), to up-sell or cross sell services to these customers (Cross Sell/Up-Sell) and to prospect for new customers (Prospecting) Retail Loyalty "Loyalty is a feeling or attitude of devoted attachment and affection; or the act of binding oneself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action. (http://dictionary.reference.com) In everyday life loyalty implies emotional commitment to family and friends, fidelity in marriage. It also suggests monogamy-one choice above all others. (Humby et.al, 2003:9) In this sense loyalty is something expected. But when it comes to... ...ce a Customer, Always a Customer† Dublin: Oak Tree Press Foss, B., Stone, M., (2001) â€Å"Successful Customer Relationship Marketing† London: Kogan Page Gilbert, D., (1999) â€Å"Retail Marketing Management† Harlow: FT/Pitman Humby, C. et al., (2003) â€Å"Scoring Points† London: Kogan Page Oliver R. (1997) â€Å"Research† New York: McGraw Hill Omar, O (1999) â€Å"Retail Marketing† London:FT Management Reichheld, R. (1996) â€Å"The Quest for Loyalty† Boston: Harvard Business School Press Daley, J (2004)† Is a toaster a fair swap for your loyalty as a shopper?† The Independent (http://proquest.umi.com) Davis, H. (2002) â€Å"Marketing is all about intellectual use of data† Loyalty Guide Jones, K (2002) â€Å"Are you exploiting the potential of your customer base?† Loyalty Guide http://www.at1.uk.com/Loyalty_Fundamentals.htm www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results. asda+loyalty+scheme www.foodanddrinkeurope.com/news/news- -loyalty-cards http://www.mori.com/polls/2002/blacksun.shtml 2002) http://money.guardian.co.uk/(Datamonitor report by E.Ripley) www.mori.com http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/52056.stm Cross J. (2004) Lecture notes Southampton, University College

Research methodology Essay

Methodology and methods are two terms which have been used interchangeably often by scholars. The practice is unfortunate because they are not the same. The former refers to philosophy and the latter refers to technical procedures applied to conduct research. The word methodology comprises two nouns: method and ology, which means a branch of knowledge; hence, methodology is a branch of knowledge that deals with the general principles or axioms of the generation of new knowledge. It refers to the rationale and the philosophical assumptions that underlie any natural, social or human science study, whether articulated or not. Simply put, methodology refers to how each of logic, reality, values and what counts as knowledge inform research. On the other hand, methods are the techniques and procedures followed to conduct research, and are determined by the methodology (i.e. sampling, data collection, data analysis and results reporting, as well as theories, conceptual frameworks, taxonomies and models). Even the focus and intent of the research, and the actual research questions themselves, are shaped by the methodology (McGregor, 2010). In methodology we study the various steps that are generally adopted by a researcher in studying his research problem along with the logic behind them. It is necessary for the researcher to know not only the research methods/techniques but also methodology. (Kothari, 2004). The following are the systematic analysis of the principles of methods, rules, and postulates employed in research which define methodology: 1. Formulating the Research Problem The definition of research question is the most important step when undertaking any research as they give direction to the research method applied (Yin, 2003). Sebastian et al, (2011) explains that it requires an open mind while framing the research question. At the same time the researcher is required to familiarize with potential research methods and build awareness of their requirements. A researcher must examine all available literature to get himself acquainted with the selected problem. 2. Literature Review A literature review discusses published information in a particular subject area, and sometimes information in a particular subject area within a certain time period. Comprehensive knowledge of the literature of the field is essential to most research papers. Literature reviews provide you with a handy guide to a particular topic and can give you an overview or act as a stepping stone. They also provide a solid background for a research paper’s investigation. Depending on the situation, the literature review may evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most pertinent or relevant (The Writing Center, 2010-2013). For purposes of literature review abstracting and indexing journals,conference proceedings, government reports, books etc must be tapped depending on the nature of the problem. 3. Developing a Working Hypothesis Hypothesis is a statement of the predicted relationship between two or more variables. As a reseracher you do not know about a phenomenon but you do have a hunch(theory) to form the basis of certain assumption or guesses. You test these by collecting information that will enable you to conclude if your hunch was right. The verification process have one of the three ouytcomes, right, partially right and wrong. Without this process of verification, you cannot conclude anything about the validity of your assumptions. Hence hypotheses is a hunch, assumption, suspicion, assertion or an idea about a phenomenon, relationship or situation, the reality or truth of which you do not know. These hypotheses form the basis for enquiry (Slideshare, 2013). 4. Preparing Rearch Design Research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of data in a particular manner that aims to combine relevance to the research purpose with economy in procedure (Slideshare, 2013). In order to develop a complete research design it is valuable to understand the nature of the point from philosophical point of view. Failure to think through philosophical issues can seriouly affect the quality of management resesearch (Eaterby-Smith et al, 2008). The steps involved in research design according to (Umesh) are: a) The means of obtaining the information b) The availability and skills of the researcher and his staff (if any) c) Explanation of the way in which selected means of obtaining information will be organized and the reasoning leading to the selection. d) The time available for research e) The cost factor relating to research i.e. the finance available for the purpose 5. Determining Sample Design Sample design is a definite plan determined before any data are actually collected for obtaining a sample from a given population. The sample design to be used must be decided by the researcher taking into consideration the nature of the inquiry and other related factors. According to Statistics and Probability Dictionary, (2013) a sample design is made up of two elements: 1. Sampling method. Sampling method refers to the rules and procedures by which some elements of the population are included in the sample. Some of the common sample methods used are simple random sampling, stratified sampling and cluster sampling. 2. Estimator. The estimation process for calculating sample statistics is called the estimator. Different sampling methods may use different estimators. For example, the formula for computing a mean score with a simple random sample is different from the formula for computing a mean score with a stratified sample. The â€Å"best† sample design depends on survey objectives and on survey resources. 6. Data Collection According to Basic Tools for Process Improvement, Data Collection, (1998-2013) data collection is obtaining useful information on key quality characteristics produced by your process. Data Collection enables a team to formulate and test working assumptions about a process and develop information that will lead to the improvement of the key quality characteristics of the product or service. In summary, data collection helps to establish a factual basis to making a decision. For one to collect data uniformly, you will need to develop a data collection plan. The data collection plan developed should answer the following question: 1. Why do we want the data? What will we do with the data after we have collected them? You must decide on a purpose for collecting the data 2. Where will we collect data? The location where data are collected must be identified clearly. 3. What type of data will we collect? In general, data can be classified into two major types: attribute data and variables data 4. Who will collect the data? Those closest to the data, the process workers, should collect the data 5. How do we collect the right data? Collect data that best describe the situation at hand. 7. Data analysis Eisenhardt, (1989) explains that analysis is an interactive process started with the development and presentation of an initial set of theoretical propositions based on evidence from the first phase of data collection, during field work and the theoretical assumptions associated with the theoretical framework. According to Kothari, (2004) the term analysis refers to the computation of certain measures along with searching for patterns of relationships that exist among data-groups. Thus ‘in the process of analysis, relationships or differences supporting or conflicting with original or new hypotheses should be subjected to statistical tests of significance to determine with what validity data can be said to indicate any conclusions. The process operations in data analysis are: a. Editing: it is a process of examining the collected raw data to detect errors and ommsisions and to correct these where possible. b. Coding: it refers to the process of assigning numerals or other symbols to answers so that responses cab be put into a limited number of categories or classes. c. Classification: it is the process of arranging data in groups or classes on the basis of common characteristics. d. Tabulation: it is to arrange data in some kind of concise and logical order. 8. Hypothesis Testing Hypothesis testing refers to the formal procedures used by statisticians to accept or reject statistical hypotheses (What is Hypothesis Testing, 2013). Statisticians follow a formal process to determine whether to reject a null hypothesis, based on sample data (Statistics and Probability Dictionary, 2013). This process is called hypothesis testing. An hypothesis test consists of four steps. a) Formulate the hypotheses. This involves stating the null and alternative hypotheses. The hypotheses are stated in such a way that they are mutually exclusive. That is, if one is true, the other must be false; and vice versa. b) Identify the test statistic. This involves specifying the statistics (e.g., a mean score, proportion) that will be used to assess the validity of the null hypothesis. c) Formulate a decision rule. A decision rule is a procedure that the researcher uses to decide whether to reject the null hypothesis. d) Test the null hypothesis. Use the decision rule to evaluate the test statistic. If the statistic is consistent with the null hypothesis, you cannot reject the null hypothesis; otherwise, reject the null hypothesis. 9. Interpretation Interpretation refers to the task of drawing inferences from the collected facts after an analytical and/or experimental study (Kothari, 2004). The task of interpretation has two major aspects viz., (i) the effort to establish continuity in research through linking the results of a given study with those of another, and (ii) the establishment of some explanatory concepts. Interpretation is considered a basic component of research process because of the following: a) It is through interpretation that the researcher can well understand the abstract principle that works beneath his findings. Through this he can link up his findings with those of other studies, having the same abstract principle, and thereby can predict about the concrete world of events. Fresh enquiries can test these predictions later on. This way the continuity in research can be maintained. b) Interpretation leads to the establishment of explanatory concepts that can serve as a guide for future research studies c) Researcher can better appreciate only through interpretation why his findings are what they are and can make others to understand the real significance of his research findings. d) The interpretation of the findings of exploratory research study often results into hypotheses for experimental research and as suich interpretation is involved in the transition from exploratory to experimental research. 10. Report Writing Features of Good report, (2013) defines a report as a piece of informative writing that describes a set of actions and analyses any results in response to a specific brief. A quick definition might be: â€Å"This is what I did and this is what it means.† Kothari, (2004) outlines the following as different steps in writing a report: a. Logical analysis of the subject matter: thre are two ways in which to develop a subject (i) logically and (ii) chronologically. The logical development is made on the basis of mental connections and associations between the one thing and another by means of analysis. It contains materials from the simple possible to the most complex structures. Chronological development is based on a connection or sequence in time or occurrence, the directions for doing or making follow the chronological order. b. Preparation of the final outcome: outlines are the framework upon which long written works are constructed. They are and aid to the logical organisation of the material and a reminder of the points to be stressed in the report c. Preparation of the rough draft: the researcher writes down what he has done in the context of his study. He will write down the procedure adopted by him in collecting the material for his study along with limitations faced, the technique of analysis adopted, the broad findings and generalizations and the various suggestions he wants to offer regarding the problem concerned. d. Rewriting and polishing the rough draft: while rewriting and polishing, one should check the report for weaknesses in logical development or presentation. He should also see whether the material presented as it is presented , has unity and cohesion. In addition the researcher should give due attention to the fact that in his rough draft if he has been consistent or not. He should check the mechanics of writing-grammar, spelling and usage. e. Preparation of the final bibliography: the bibliography , should contain all the works which the researcher has consulted. f. Writing the final draft: while writing the final draft, the researcher must avoid abstract terminology and technical jargon. Illiustrations and examples based on common experiences must be incorporated in the final draft as they happen to be most in communicating the research findings to others. The format suggested below is the same as that used in most published papers as laid down in Guide to Writing Research Reports, (2013). 1) Title: The title should provide a single line description of the study. In many cases, the title will mention the independent and dependent variables. Your title should be a brief, but accurate reflection of the content of the report 2) Abstract: The abstract is a short summary of the report. It should contain a brief description of the rationale and of the method, results and discussion sections. It should be a comprehensive but concise summary of the whole report which will enable readers to decide if they wish to read any further. A useful rule of thumb is to try to write four concise sentences describing: (1) Why you did it, (2) What you did, (3) What results you found and (4) What you concluded. Write the abstract after you have written the rest of the report. 3) Introduction (Why you did it): The Introduction should present the reasoning behind the particular study which you are describing. This means that the reader, having read the introduction, should feel able to anticipate what your study will involve and should allow someone who is not an expert to understand why you did this study. For this reason the introduction will begin at a general background level and progress through to the specific reasons for and aims of the study. This will normally include a review of past work in the area and an explanation of the theoretical or practical reasons for doing the study. 4) Method (How you did it): In the method section, you describe the essentials of how you gathered your data. This section must contain enough information for the reader to be able to repeat the study, but should exclude any irrelevant details. It explains about the (i) research participants, (ii) apparatus used, (iii) materials used, (iv) design and (v) procedure. 5) Results (What you found out): Begin this section with a description of how you treated your data. This means that you should describe what you got from all of the responses that were made by each participant to the scores that were analyzed. Follow the description of the treatment of the data with a clear, concise summary of the data using descriptive statistics. 6) Discussion (What you think it means): This is the section in which you interpret the results of the study and discuss their meaning. It is important that your discussion relates to the issues raised in the introduction, since this presented the reasons for conducting the study and the results should provide more details about these issues. You should link the arguments made in this section with the issues and research hypotheses raised in your introduction section. In particular: (i) How do your results compare with your research questions and/or predictions? (ii) How do your results compare with relevant published results? (iii) What are the implications for future research? 7) References: Should contain all the works which the researcher has consulted. 8) Appendices: You should include here all material that would have been obtrusive or damaging to the ‘flow’ of the report itself, and not just use it as a bin to contain things you wished to say but could not fit into the main report. Therefore, the contents of the Appendices usually consist of raw data, statistical formulae and computations, lengthy protocols, examples of stimuli and details of stimulus preparation, etc Bibliography 1. Basic Tools for Process Improvement, Data Collection. (1998-2013). Retrieved September 15th, 2013, from Balance Scorecard institute, Strategy Management Group: http://www.balancedscorecard.org/portals/0/pdf/datacoll.pdf 2. Eaterby-Smith. (2008). Management Research: An Introduction. SAGE publishers Ltd. 3. Eisenhardt, K. (1989). Building Theories from Case Study Research. Academy of Management Review , 14 (4) 532-550. 4. Features of Good report. (2013). Retrieved September 15th, 2013, from University of Reading, Malaysia: http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/studyadvice/StudyResources/Essays/sta-featuresreports.aspx 5. Guide to Writing Research Reports. (2013). Retrieved September 15th, 2013, from University of Essex, UK: http://www.essex.ac.uk/psychology/department/A-Z_files/GUIDE%20TO%20WRITING%20RESEARCH%20REPORTS.pdf 6. Kothari. (2004). Research methodology: Methods and Techniques Second Edition. Jaipur,India: New Age International Publishers Limited. 7. McGregor, J. A. (2010). Paradigm, Methodology and Method: Intellectual Integrity in Consumer Ccholarship. International Journal of Consumer Studies 34 . 8. Sebastian Reiter, G. S. (2011). Strategy for Delayed Research Method Selection: Deciding Between Grounded Theory and phenomenology. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods Volume 9 . 9. Slideshare. (2013). Retrieved September 14th, 2013, from Slideshare.Inc: http://www.slideshare.net/rao_sahab/hypothesis-12915876?from_search=1 10. Slideshare. (2013). Retrieved September 14th, 2013, from Slideshare.Inc: http://www.slideshare.net/sagar_sambare/research-design-13174653?from_search=4 11. Statistics and Probability Dictionary. (2013). Retrieved September

English As A Second Language Program Essay

An ESL or English as a second Language program, as the name suggests is for students or people in general who do not speak English as their first language and have an interest in learning this language for certain reasons which may range from applying to a college or university in United states or elsewhere or they would want to get accustomed to this language for the purpose of conducting business overseas, for communication with peers at work or it can be for the simple reason of communicating with people at different situations. In this article we are going to focus on ESL programs for students at a school district, comparing and contrasting on the ways they are executed and the ways they should be executed. English as a Second Language programs for students are offered to students by either scheduling classes in between their regular course classes or they can be undertaken as a separate programs by certain individuals who are accommodated in the vicinity of the university. Today, since the ratio of international students is increasing at an alarming rate in United States or Canada, offering an ESL program is more of a legal requirement for most districts so that all students are taken forward together at university or when they enroll into one in future. It is also due to this very fact that a lot of emphasis is given to ESL programs at elementary and middle school levels to prepare students to use English as a channel of communication in future. The execution and the effectiveness of these programs however, vary with different school districts depending upon trained teacher, the program and the dedication of the students themselves. The duration and intensity of an ESL program varies with the individual or university requirement and can be full time or part time, ranging from a couple of weeks to even a year. These details as mentioned do differ, so for example the ESL program offered at the Greenwich public school which aims at providing students academic and communication skills In order for them to succeed in U.S universities as effectively as possible. The elementary school offers this program for an average 2- 4 years with one to eight hours of instruction every week depending upon the grade and language individual needs of students. The school also focuses on very small groups and emphasizes individual attention to students to better understand their weaknesses and fill I the gaps. The Greenwich Public School district has been offering ESL programs for the past 28 years and has seen an influx in the number of ESL students over the years. In the year 2004-05 approximately 731 students enrolled in the program altogether from 54 countries. The elementary school curriculum includes a variety of materials according to student needs such as work books, songs, CD’s, learning of poems, class presentations etc. this program is more content based   and strong emphasis is give on the reading aspect in this program.   The program is organized around themes and aims at teaching critical thinking along with language skills to enable success in mainstream class rooms. In more specific terms this ESL program for elementary students includes Theme based English series which includes work books, posters etc. Group activities (theme based) which tend to explore literature along with songs, activities, TPR games etc. Miami Linguistics, which are designed for ESL beginners in a sequential reading manner. In Greenwich Public School, after completing the elementary school program after reaching grade 2 or grade 3, ESL students are expected to formulate questions, read outside of class, compare materials in a text and also contrast them. They are also able to express a story in their own words with proper understanding and expressions, write small paragraphs and initiate conversations. After completing the basic ESL program for elementary school, students can decide to move out of the program or advance to higher level middle school ESL program, which has its own curriculum and particular hours to be covered aimed at developing proficiency in English language. Placement in this program is based on entry tests and educational history. After looking at the details of different ESL programs offered by various institutes, if one actually compares them with reality, one can say that ESL programs put students under a lot of stress as they try to achive excellence in a second language, therefore recreational facilities should be made affordable, also the students should be encouraged to mingle with American students in order to culturally adjust with them   and pur into practice all the theories they have learnt in   class. Also one of the most important things which teachers for this program need to understand is that students enrolled in an ESL program come from very different backgrounds and cultures, therefore the same methodoligies cannot be applied across the board for teachin purposes. Students must be carefully monitered and encouraged to use their strengths to achive succcess in the course.   (Currie, 2003) If one compares the ESL program offered by greemwich Public School with other ESL programs offered, we can say that most ESL programs are similar in conducting theme based activities, which can be selected by asking students what they want to say, moulding the curiculum in children’s interest. Also at this stage most ESL programs are content based, songs are also one of the important keys to success in most ESL progrms. One of the methods which can contribute towards the improvement of an ESL program at Greenwich is that revision of matrial is very important before every new leson taught, this can be best achived with the help of songs before proceeding forward. Each lesson should be broken down into three to four parts, starting with warm up and revision of previous material, then teaching new lesson, for example new vocabulary words etc, the third part should incorporate games or activities t practice the new lesson and the ending of a esson sholud be on a happy thankful note, referably a song. This approach has been teted at ther ESL program and has proved to be very succesful. Different approaches to learning can be adressed thorough ESL games, making learning lessions fun and more effective. Depending on the students theses ESl games can vary from auditorylearnig style in which games involve more listening through peoms or repitation etc. Visual ESL styles ca be used for students who are more comfortable with videos of games involving flash cards etc and finally tactile learnig styles can be used in which â€Å"touch† are used.   (Vernon) In conclusion, if the current ESL program in a School district is evaluated in terms of the comparisons and details mentioned above,   I would say that diverse approach towards the students is missing and teachers are adopting   a homogenous method towards all students. In my opinion more effort needs to be diverted in this angle where different games and teaching styles are used after analysing the capabilities of students and more emphasis should be place on practical learning.

Creationism vs. Evolutionism The Impacts of Religion

Creationism vs. Evolutionism The Impacts of Religion Introduction In the modern society, religious principles have a considerable impact on the ongoing debate regarding evolution and creationism. However, few scholars and analysts give no data as regards to the influence of religion on the debate. Studies show that religious approaches support the creationist perspective whereas non-religious approaches tend to support evolutionary perspective. It should be noted that the debate is even complex as opposed to how it is usually presented in simple terms.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Creationism vs. Evolutionism: The Impacts of Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some scholars support evolution yet they are religious whereas some non-religious individuals are of the view that everything was created in the world. The understanding of the debate demands an in-depth analysis of issues surrounding the two theories or schools of thoughts. The main aim of this article is to establish the influence of religion on the big debate that has always raised controversies among scholars and analysts. Creationism vs. Evolutionism: The Impacts of Religion The issue under contention in the ongoing debate between creationist scholars and evolutionist scholars is whether the earth and everything in it were created or they came about as result of countless cosmic accidents. Creationists believe that God created everything. This is the official standpoint of many religions meaning that religion is the major variable in the debate. Without religion, the debate could be taking a different direction because the church has always opposed the idea that people evolved from apes. In fact, the debate is usually considered a debate between science and religion or reason vs. religion. Religion has ensured that the debate on the origin of species and the earth in general continues (Butler 56). The debate could be over in case the competing institutions were separa te from religion. The debate has been in existence for over one fifty years because the church has always defended its standpoint on the matter. Religion has ensured that no theory is generated to give an alternative explanation other than creation and evolution, which they highly dispute. The church upholds its status as the major societal institution, which should explain issues related to morality, sexuality, and justice. In this regard, it has always revived the debate on the origin of species, claiming that people have the right to know their origin since it would amount to morality, justice, purpose, development of the sense of self-worth, obligation, and humanity. The understanding of the origin of man has a tremendous impact on the individual behavior. The theory of evolution teaches that human beings and other species evolved through gradually to become what they are in the modern society. The current species represent the ideal population that has gone through various proc esses to be what it is now. The most superior species tend to survive while the weak is always eliminated because they are unable to cope with the challenges of society.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, the strongest species in society are able to acquire food and water. This makes them strong to acquire desirable qualities, which are passed from one generation to the other. Charles Darwin termed this type of arrangement as the survival for the fittest because only the strong species could live long (Beer and Darwin 69) Evolution theory tends to suggest that the less fit species should be eliminated in society to pave way for the strong. Through this, resources would be enough for only the strong species (Miller 21). According to the theory, nature is very discriminative because it does not allow the mating of the strong with the weaker. Moreov er, it does not allow the blending of superior and inferior race because this would destroy quality. If nature allows the blending of various races, the process of evolution would be under threat because inferior qualities that are unable to cope with the environment would be produced. Therefore, the war of nature and other factors such as famine and inadequacy of resources have led to the extinction of weak species. The current species in the modern society are all strong implying that no species is going to be lost any soon. Human beings are not exempted from the war of nature simply because they are a class of animals. The theory of evolution has always been misquoted to execute social injustices such as exterminating so many Jews during the Second World War. Hitler was of the view that Jews were from an inferior race yet they were multiplying like vermin. This means that the world would then be filled with an inferior race, with undesirable qualities. Scholars at the time did no t oppose Hitler’s views because some claimed that Hitler was a reasonable evolutionist who was fulfilling the theory of natural selection. Some scholars claimed that Hitler’s actions were to be understood within the precincts of evolution. Stalin invoked the theory of evolution in exterminating the lives of over sixty million people in the world. This shows that the theory can affect negatively human behavior. People misquote or misinterpret the theory to suit their own selfish interests. The church has always given these reasons to justify the claim that the theory of evolution should never be relied upon to explain the origin of species. The church has been successful in convincing people to believe that the theory is destructive since it states that the weak should be allowed to die since they would have been selected negatively. The issue of natural selection and survival for the fittest is one of the issues that have encouraged various religious organizations to f ight back enthusiastically. In reality, the theory of evolution is unethical since it claims that the weak should be left to die since they do not have a chance of surviving in an environment that is dominated by the strong individual.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Creationism vs. Evolutionism: The Impacts of Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The church and other religious organizations from Islamic and Hindu religions cannot sit back and see the weak oppressed simply because the theory of evolution does not favor them. This would amount to immorality and injustice to the weak. This is something that does not please God. The church, as well as other religious groups, has consistently accused evolutionary theory for bringing about all forms of evil in the human life. Evolutionary theory posits that survival is for the fittest in society meaning that oppression and subjugation is justified. Moreover , an individual is justified to do anything in society, as long as it enables him or her to survive. This would mean that social crimes such as robbery, kidnapping, carjacking, murder, money laundering, and drug trafficking are justifiable since it is a source of livelihood to many individuals. It is claimed that the church has played a critical role in ensuring that evolution theory is not applied fully in society since many people could have suffered. The rich in society have always dominated the poor by subjecting them to poor working conditions claiming that survival is for the fittest in society (Strobel 88). Through evolution theory, some scholars came up with a notion that the end will always justify the mean implying that the process through which an individual uses in achieving his or her objective does not matter in society. However, the religion groups have always ensured that all people, including those in positions of influence, observe ethics. The theory has not been e xecuted fully since religion has played a role of hampering full implementation of the theory. Religion teaches that God, created the earth, as well as all living creatures meaning he has the right of taking what he brought in this world. In this regard, no entity should try to take away life with claims that only the strong should survive. Abortion would be allowed legally in many parts of the world in case religious groups do not intervene during the designing of constitutions. In Kenya, there was a heated debate over abortion, with some claiming that it should be allowed since it is part of the process of natural selection. The church was able to reduce the debate to when does life start. Some noted that life starts at conception while others argued that life starts at birth. However, religion prevailed because it was agreed that abortion could not be procured unless under special conditions, especially when the life of the mother was under threat. The church has contributed too much to the debate. It has influenced the direction of the debate by giving some justifications based on the bible and Quran. Beer, Gillian, and Darwin, Charles. The origin of species. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996. Print.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Butler, Samuel. Evolution, Old and New: Or the Theories of Buffon, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, and Lamarck, As Compared With That of Charles Darwin (1911). Washington: Kessinger Publishing, 2007. Print. Miller, James . An evolving dialogue: theological and scientific perspectives on evolution. Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 2001. Print. Strobel, Lee. The case for a Creator: a journalist investigates scientific evidence that points toward God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan/Willow Creek Resources, 2004. Print.

Fantasys Integral Role In Creation Of A Monster Essays - Free Essays

Fantasys Integral Role In Creation Of A Monster Essays - Free Essays Fantasys Integral Role In Creation Of A Monster Fantasy's integral role in the creation of a monster In the past decade, the elusive creature known as the serial killer has captured the attention of American culture. With the popular press churning out dozens of books and movies centered around the serial killer each year, the term has almost become a catch-phrase, replacing earlier terms such as 'homicidal maniac.' Fiction writers and the movie industry use 'serial killer' in a much more casual manner than can be allowed in a systematic study. Therefore, for a proper definition of what constitutes a serial killer, pop culture cannot be used as a source. It cannot be denied that the serial killer kills. Killing, however, integrates a variety of meanings. A mere slip of the hand on the steering wheel can turn a normal person into a killer. And it is conceivable that a second such happening could turn an otherwise normal person into a serial killer of sorts. The FBI's Uniform Crime Reports define murder as the willful, nonnegligent, killing of one human being by another (Holmes & De Burger, 1988). The serial murderer, then, is what has fascinated American culture, and captured the attention of the law enforcement world. For the purposes of this paper, serial killer and serial murderer will be used as interchangeable terms. Narrowing the definition to intentional homicide does not, however, limit the category sufficiently. Under the heading of intentional homicide falls the work of hired assassins, mercenaries, and the guerrilla warrior. These types of people are not of great interest, at least not in this context. The three above types of murderer work for obvious, understandable goals. The hired assassin and mercenary work for one of the most obvious motivations, money, while the guerrilla fighter kills for some ideal. The serial killers of the popular media, and of this paper do not work for such external, obvious goals. Instead, they are driven from within, living and dying for that which appeals only to them. The nature of this drive has been heavily debated, but there is a consensus on some points. Sexual undertones in the murder have been noted by many researchers. This point was first espoused two decades ago, by David Abrahamson (1973), who said simply, sexual elements are always involved... (p.11) in murder. More recently, this was qualified by Albert Drukteinis (1992) , who recognized that the sexual element of the crime varies depending on its meaning to the offender (p.533). In other words, that which signifies womanhood may differ radically between killers. At the same time, similarities in the acts and thoughts of serial killers cannot be denied. These sexual undertones are one of the more prominent difference, and have inspired several researchers to refer to the self-motivated serial murderer as a serial sexual murder (Ressler, 1988). One of the other common points concerning the serial killer is the presence of free will. It cannot be denied that there are a great deal of unconscious drives present in the actions of the serial killer, and that these drives are still shrouded in darkness. At the same time, there is a great deal of evidence that the serial killer acts from a conscious perspective (Holmes & De Burger, 1988, p.98). Simply put, the serial killer decides to kill. These two points make the serial killer simply fascinating for a sizable portion of American culture, as evidenced by the continuing production of serial-killer based works. And these two points make serial killers similar enough to be put in one category, but different enough to make them difficult to study. Indeed, Albert Drukteinis (1992) argues that the mere existence of common characteristics among serial killers does not constitute a distinct psychological phenomenon. Contrary to Drukteinis' statement, however, the serial killer is indeed a distinct psychological phenomenon. If one group was to be labeled as the leading authority on serial killers, it would have to be the FBI, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI has studied serial killer methodically for over a decade (Ressler, 1988), and has compiled vast amounts of information concerning the killers themselves, their methods, and their motivations. Still, they have not developed a