Love Turned Evil Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Love Turned Evil Essay, Research Paper # 8220 ; If merely they had neer gone # 8230 ; to bring the Golden Fleece! Then neither would Medea, my kept woman, of all time have set canvas for the walled town of Iolcus, huffy love for Jason # 8230 ; # 8221 ; ( Sanderson 14 ) . We will write a custom essay sample on Love Turned Evil Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This quotation mark is the gap lines to Euripides # 8217 ; tragic drama, # 8220 ; Medea # 8221 ; ( Blaiklock 234 ) . Their foreordained destinies all begin with Jason and his conquering for the Golden Fleece ( Hamilton 161 ) . Medea, known to be a powerful sorceress, was hit by Cupid # 8217 ; s pointer and fell frantically in love with Jason ( Sanderson 3 ) . It was Aphrodite and Hera # 8217 ; s program for Medea to help Jason in his escapades even though it meant bewraying her male parent, her fatherland, and the decease of her brother ( Hamilton 168 ) . Traveling against her male parent, Medea retrieved the Golden Fleece from the sacred grove and fled to Greece with Jason ( Hamilton 173 ) . Medea # 8217 ; s brother was sent to halt them, but Medea tricked him into run intoing her at a temple where Jason was waiting to kill him ( Sanderson 4 ) . Medea was overcome with love and would make anything in her power to assist Jason ( Hamilton 172 ) . All she received in return was perfidy ( Hamilton 175 ) . Jason and Medea returned to Corinth where they were married and lived merrily together for 10 old ages ( Paranda 3 ) . Medea # 8217 ; s expatriate from her fatherland and loss of her household seemed irrelevant compared to her great love for Jason and the birth of her two boies ( Hamilton 175 ) . After all the forfeits Medea had made, Jason violated his sacred curses and promises ( Hamilton 175 ) . He grew tired of Medea and wanted a younger and more representative married woman ( Paranda 3 ) . In ideas of his ain selfish aspiration, Jason was to get married the girl of the King of Corinth ( Hamilton 176 ) . Humiliated and disturbed, Medea sought retaliation ( Paranda 3 ) . This led to tragedy ( Parada 3 ) . She knew of merely one manner to do Jason wage for his treachery: # 8220 ; By decease, oh, by decease, shall the struggle of life be decided, Life # 8217 ; s small twenty-four hours ended # 8221 ; ( Hamilton 178 ) . In the authoritative tragic play # 8220 ; Medea # 8221 ; , Euripides illustrates how the power of love can be used as immorality. Love is the important issue and driving force of the drama # 8220 ; Medea # 8221 ; ( Zuger 29 ) . It is depicted in many different ways throughout the class of the secret plan ( Zuger 29 ) . At first, Medea could non defy her love and was astounded with unbelievable desire for Jason ( Sanderson 3 ) . She could non give to her love and went against her male parent and fatherland ( Sanderson 3 ) . Jason had made an curse to get married her and take her off with him but, in the terminal, went against his word ( Sanderson 6 ) . Medea blamed her overpowering passion and love on her actions ( Zuger 29 ) . Even though Medea had so much love for Jason, he was still to marry the King # 8217 ; s girl ( Sanderson 6 ) . In fright of Medea # 8217 ; s black magic, the King intended to ostracize Medea and her boies from the state ( Hamilton 176 ) . Exiled from her fatherland and from her household, Medea had nowhere to travel ( Sanderson 6 ) . Guilty and regretful of all she had sacrificed, her outraged love and wretchedness of her destroyed life motivated her programs of devastation ( Hamilton 176 ) . Medea # 8217 ; s intense love for Jason turned to hatred. The significance of love is lost to Medea as disgust and spite conquer her bosom ( Zuger 29 ) . The drama # 8220 ; Medea # 8221 ; blames the act of love as a consequence of its sorrowful terminal ( Zuger 30 ) . Vengeance was Medea # 8217 ; s chief finding ( Sanderson 6 ) . Medea wanted Jason to endure as she suffered ( Zuger 30 ) . She plotted to take away all that Jason loved merely as he had taken away her love ( Zuger 30 ) . Medea sent a poisoned robe to the princess ( Sanderson 6 ) . As the princess put it on, she was set on fire, and the King of Corinth besides died as he tried to salvage his girl from the fires ( Hamilton 178 ) . Medea had killed Jason # 8217 ; s wife-to-be ( Hamilton 178 ) . Jason and Medea loved their boies really much and even fought over whom loved them more ( Zuger 29 ) . Their boies were the merchandises of Medea and Jason # 8217 ; s passion, and Medea used them for her hateful retaliation ( Zuger 30 ) . Knowing Jason # 8217 ; s love for their boies, Medea stabbed her boies to decease ( Hamilton 178 ) . She allowed all her hatred and fury to overmaster her love for her kids ( Hamilton 178 ) . In the terminal, Jason was left with nil merely as Medea had plann ed ( Zuger 31 ) . Jason, full of sorrow and rage, attempted to kill Medea, but she fled from the roof of their place in chariot drawn by firedrakes ( Hamilton 179 ) . Unable to digest the loss of his bride and boies, Jason was neer the same ( Parada 3 ) . Medea obtained her retaliation on Jason, but at that place was genuinely no victor ( Zuger 31 ) . The drama # 8220 ; Medea # 8221 ; has a transmutation of tempers from love to detest and so excessively vindictive choler ( Zuger 30 ) . lt ; /p > Euripides successfully portrays the character Medea as the victim of error and the actor of deep incorrect ( Blaiklock 236 ) . In the beginning of the drama, the audience is led to experience sympathy and compassion for Medea ( Blaiklock 236 ) . She had done so much for her hubby # 8217 ; s sake ( Gill 2 ) . Medea had saved Jason # 8217 ; s life, retrieved the Golden Fleece, betrayed her household and fatherland, and bore him two boies ( Gill 2 ) . In return, Medea was wrongfully hurt and betrayed by Jason ( Blaiklock 236 ) . After this clip, the audience is shown another side of Medea ( Blaiklock 236 ) . Euripides presents how betrayal can take to common perfidy ( Blaiklock 236 ) . With confusion and desperation, Medea did what she had to get the better of her sense of impotence ( Gill 2 ) . She had loved Jason so unconditionally yet uses it for her retaliation ( Zuger 30 ) . Her pride and award were destroyed by Jason and left her with merely the finding of retribution ( Zuger 30 ) . Even though Medea loved her kids, she knew taking their lives was the lone manner to acquire back at Jason for all the hurting he has caused ( Sanderson 6 ) . Medea, excessively, suffered from the loss of her kids, but it gave her peace cognizing Jason was besides enduring ( Zuger 30 ) . In the # 8220 ; Quest for the Golden Fleece # 8221 ; , Jason was depicted as a superb hero ( Hamilton 175 ) . His function changed in # 8220 ; Medea # 8221 ; as he became selfish and narcissistic ( Gill 2 ) . They had lived together merrily for 10 old ages, and so Jason felt he wanted to get married the girl of the King of Corinth so that one twenty-four hours he would be King ( Hamilton 177 ) . Jason had made a jeer of Medea # 8217 ; s love ( Sanderson 6 ) . In one confrontation, Medea pled with Jason and reminded him of all that she had done for him ( Sanderson 6 ) . Jason countered that it was because of the Gods that led Medea salvage his life ( Gill 2 ) . He fought back, and claimed he had helped her in the long tally, and that she should be thankful to him ( Sanderson 6 ) . Jason twisted all of Medea # 8217 ; s Acts of the Apostless of love into his ain self-glory and believed # 8220 ; Yea, work forces should hold begotten kids from some beginning, no female race bing ; therefore would no evil of all time have fallen on world # 8221 ; ( Gill 2 ) . He had broken his curses of matrimony and, as a consequence, lost everything ( Zuger 31 ) . Jason pushed her beyond all degrees of human endurance for defeat and weakness ( Gill 1 ) . Euripides # 8217 ; # 8220 ; Medea # 8221 ; proves how love can besides be a unreliable force. Love is really powerful but, in this drama, it is shown how it can be turned against oneself. Medea is the tragic hero as she overcame her licking yet is still victimized by the loss of her love. Jason selfishly went against Medea even after all that she did for him. Arrogantly, he did non except the incrimination for the result of their lives because he felt that he was the 1 who had done everything for Medea. So wounded and defied, Medea became outraged with rage that all her love turned to pure immorality. She loves her kids really much but used them to ache Jason by slaying them. Both Medea and Jason claim undying love for their boies but genuinely utilize them for their ain demands and self-pity. Indulged in their ain ego worth, their thought of love is turned nefarious. Love is suppose to be good and righteous, yet in Euripides # 8217 ; # 8220 ; Medea # 8221 ; it is used as immorality that causes a true bad luck. In the drama # 8220 ; Medea # 8221 ; , Jason neer claims his love or compunction for Medea. He used her for his ain self-redemption and so credits himself for his good luck. At the beginning, Medea had so much love for Jason that she would make anything that she could for him. Medea went against her household to assist Jason and fled from her fatherland. Medea # 8217 ; s love and Jason # 8217 ; s betrayal lead to this drama # 8217 ; s calamity. Love was the indispensable power that enkindled Medea but, in decision, retribution and hatred prevailed. This drama was a true calamity for no 1 proved to stand out. In decision, the drama # 8220 ; Medea # 8221 ; exhibits how evil can pervert even the purest and most passionate signifiers of love. Bibliography Work Cited Blaiklock, E.M. # 8220 ; Nautical Imagery of Euripides # 8217 ; Medea. # 8221 ; Classical Philology. Vol. L. 1955. Gill, N.S. # 8220 ; Medea. # 8221 ; Ancient/Classical History. 10 Apr. 2000. Education gt ; Ancient/Classical gt ; Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. Little, Brown and Company, 1942. Parada, Carlos. # 8220 ; Medea. # 8221 ; Greek Mythology Link. 10 Apr. 2000. Sanderson, James L. , and Everett Zimmerman, eds. Medea: Myth and Dramatic Form. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1957. Zuger, H. # 8220 ; The Aegus Episode and the Poetic Structure of Euripides Medea. # 8221 ; The Classical Bulletin. Vol. XLIX. 1972.

Thomas Jefferson1 essays

Thomas Jefferson1 essays Thomas Jefferson symbolizes the promise and the contradictions of Americas historical heritage. As the third president of the United States, a diplomat, plantation owner, architect, scientist, and philosopher, he is one of the most important figures in American history. The writings of Thomas Jefferson are today more meaningful than ever before in Americas history. You could reach into your pocket, pull out a nickel and find him gazing into the middle distance. Jefferson was born on April 13 (April 2, Old Style), 1743, at Shadwell, the most important of the tobacco plantations owned by his father Peter Jefferson, in the Virginia upcountry. An intelligent man, although educated, Peter Jefferson became a successful surveyor, landowner, and member of the Virginia House of Burgesses from Albemarle County. His wife Jane Randolph, a member of one of the most distinguished Virginia families. As a child, he enjoyed to the full the advantages of his familys position in life: the books, the horses, and the good life of the Big Houses at Tuckahoe and Shadwell. When his father died he left his fourteen-year-old son with not only valuable lands and property but the inheritance of Virginia wealth as well as loving and caring advise. Thomas not formally educated himself; he studied at Revered Mr. Maurys school, not far from Shadwell. After two years in the spring of 1760, he left his native Albemarle to attend William and Mary College. Jefferson gives evidence of enjoying to the party scene: the music, the dancing, the flirtations, and the punch drinking. After graduating from William and Mary in the spring of 1762, Jefferson studied law five years under George Wythe. Knowledge of the law is essential to an understanding of governmental procedures. He became a successful lawyer starting his career. When Jefferson was turning thirty he started his political career. In January of 1772, he had ma...

BPPG - Individual Reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

BPPG - Individual Reflection - Assignment Example This understanding has impacted the value I bring to my role at work. This is because it has created an edge for me to put the right thing where it belongs by only selecting the right data resources and striving for their continuity with the organization. From the content of the course, I have developed a new thinking of the way business information systems are managed in the organization. Generally, there is now a new conceptualization that have been developed that in the use of business information systems, the output determines the input. This means that the level of commitment that is taken to having the right data resources in place will determine how useful the overall outcome of information systems would be (Parker, 2012). Because of this, my goals for the future have been shaped on the need to developing thorough research before placing priorities for the organization’s information systems. I have also developed new goals that focus on the need securing the information system so as to ensure continuity. Back-up in information systems is one way of ensuring safety with the handling of data so as to avoid the possible loss of data (Currier, 2010). This is because while using information systems, there are tendencies of experiencing system crash, theft or breakdown that can result in losing hardware and software. This also happens in everyday use of data such as class files and notes. My back-up plan is a 3-tier approach that stores data on three major levels. The first level is a primary level, whereby I will store data on a pen drive or external hard drive. The second is to store the same data on another computer that is updated on a periodic basis. This will be the secondary level, and the tertiary level will require using cloud storage, where data will be stored via a cloud system. My specific goal for professional and personal development is to improve the security of all data available to me at the organization level. This means

A New approach to teaching ESOL in ethnic minorities in UK Essay

A New approach to teaching ESOL in ethnic minorities in UK - Essay Example With reference to the ESOL or English for Speakers of other languages, there had been several arguments running around the world. Particularly the funding, policies and future of this community is still a centre point of conversation in many literatures. The point of focuses would be that whether they come out successfully in their studies, how does the teaching get along with the ethnic community in terms of understanding, and in what way the future of these communities is placed. The ethnic population in UK comprises of Asian, African-Caribbean, and Chinese etc. The progresses of these children seem to be travelling in a traumatic situation, if they are beginners. In the sense children who belong to the ethnic community first face a difficult situation in terms of language. But literature say that most of the mainstream schools fail to cope up with the problem, so the thought of setting a separate school atmosphere for them also on the run. The condition of those ethnic population, who are treated as refugee are even worse than this, The Institute Of Race Relations [2001] has to say that â€Å"When post-war immigrants first came here, there was clear evidence of discriminatory practices (such as the bussing of Asian children or the relegation of West Indian children to schools for the subnormal) which marginalised and segregated children - setting them up for failure† But though the situation might give a changed look, still the teachers are at the critical position to give recognition for them. In a survey report The Institute Of Race Relations [2001] has pointed out that â€Å"71% of minority ethnic 16-19 year-olds are in full-time education compared with 58% of whites of the same age. Though they are 9% of the 18-24 age group, minority ethnic young people form 13% of university undergraduates.† What has to be analyzed is that how

How a Cellular Phone System Works Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How a Cellular Phone System Works - Assignment Example The cells can either take a hexagonal or circular shape. One cell can operate multiple radio towers. People can simultaneously use their cell phones due to the widespread frequency reuse within a city. The cells enable cellular phones to have incredible range as they can automatically switch as people move around. A cellular network’s range is not limited as compared to that of a walkie-talkie (1.1 miles) and a CB radio (4.9 miles). Frequencies also shift between cells when an individual is on a call while in motion. As a cellular phone moves away from its cell, change in signal strength is detected by the cell’s base station. The next base station being approached detects the increasing signal strength. The two base stations in the two cells coordinate, through a Mobile-Telephone Switching Office, and the user is ‘handed over’ to the next cell automatically. The shift makes it possible for someone to drive across a city while using a cell phone, and keep up a conversation for the entire period (Wisniewski, 36). A cell phone differs from both CB radios and walkie-talkies, which are both half-duplex devices. It is able to use multiple frequencies, hence a full-duplex device. An individual can use one frequency for listening and a second frequency for talking. The multi-tasking capability of a cellular phone is that, two people on a call can talk simultaneously. The towers in these cells transmit a two-way frequency maximizing the capabilities of cellular phones as full-duplex devices. Nonadjacent cells can use the same frequencies severally since base stations and cell phones employ low-power transmitters, which ensure that transmissions do not go very far from a cell and the cell phones around it. Low-power transmitters have a stake at the shape of cellular phones since they ensure that the power consumption of the phone is relatively low hence a small battery. Similar frequencies must

Carrolls Pyramid Of Corporate Social Responsibility Model Accounting Essay

Carrolls Pyramid Of Corporate Social Responsibility Model Accounting Essay In the past, the common perception of a business responsibility was to maximize their firms profit. This is because businesses were perceived to always put the shareholder interests first. However, businesses are moving towards impacting the socials and environments. Several research have found that businesses now have direct responsibilities to various other stakeholders which include preventing the harm of human rights and ensuring that there are solutions available if abuses occur (Smith, Wokutch, Harrington, and Dennis, 2001). The modern view of business responsibility demands companies to help in problems relating to public welfare. As firms have no utmost responsibility for these unpleasant situations, philanthropic responsibilities are still not mandatory. However, due to a decrease of social institutions that provide help to the communities, people have higher expectations towards company and believe that they should take part in filling up the shortages (Carroll, 1979). Carroll has proposed a CSR concept, which states the organizations 4 business responsibilities (i) economic, (ii) Legal, (iii) Ethical, and (iv) Discretionary (as shown in diagram 1). These four components are complementary to each other (not mutually exclusive). Diagram 1: Carrolls Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility Model Source: Chaisurivirat, 2009. The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility: Exploring the Relationship among CSR, Attitude toward the Brand, Purchase Intention, and Persuasion Knowledge. The economic and legal responsibilities are the basic and essential element in a business. There are a few researches done to further enhance the importance of these elements (Jamali and Mirshak, 2006). Basically, economic responsibility is similar to the traditional view of a business role; which is to maximize the firms profit for their shareholders. Carroll (1979) stated that business itself is an economic unit to the society. In addition, legal responsibility is where companies are required to obey the laws and regulations set by the government or respected authorities. The conventional profit-maximizing view explored in Albert Carrs article Is Business Bluffing Ethical (Velentzas and Broni, 2010). Carr stated that making money out of a product is the businesses main role. Business is said to be like a poker game, whereby organization are to play within the set of rules of the game (Carr, 1968). Those who do not comply will not be successful in their business. The duty that they had towards employees and shareholders surpasses the other moral obligation as long as it does not go against the law (Carr, 1968). Besides that, Milton Friedmans also explained that it is essential for a firm to maximize the revenues of a shareholder by overcoming all the environmental challenges (Cheers, 2011). Similarly, Friedman (1970) reemphasize that, There is one and only one social responsibility of business is to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profit so long as it stays within the rule of the game. This can be further supported by a case of Dodge v. Ford Motor Company (Cheers, 2011). The Ford founder, Henry Ford aims to provide Ford vehicle for everyone by reducing the price. The shareholders were dissatisfied and claimed that the company should not make a profit-reducing decision. Court held that firms are primarily to bring profit to the shareholders. The company should not exercise any choices which will bring disadvantage to the shareholders. However, nowadays, the perception of a business role has changed. The businesses concern should not include only the shareholders, but also other parties or entities that would be affected by the organizations action, which refers to stakeholders (Fassin, 2008). Freeman (2012) defined stakeholders as (i) people or institutions that are affected by the corporate action, practices and decisions and also (ii) those who are related to the success of the corporation. Firms are expected to transform the profit maximization mindset to trusteeships or multifiduciary stakeholders concept, whereby the business role is now to achieve balance among the stakeholders interest by avoiding doing any harm to any individuals or groups (Goodpaster and Mathews, 1982). In addition, Carroll introduced the ethical and philanthropic responsibility. Carrolls ethical aspect refers to the societys perspective of a good behavior (Carroll, 1979). Corporation must comply with the rules and regulation set while operating. Moreover, it also includes the norms or expectations which are not written in law; in other words, the moral value and rights (Carroll, 1991). Furthermore, firms are obligated to act voluntarily beyond their business scope and rational ethical acts. This is known as the philanthropic responsibility, such as organizing or participating in charity event (Carroll, 1979). Bowen (1953) mentioned that social and philanthropic responsibility would serve as a guideline for the business in the future. Nowadays, most businesses believe that they should be more social responsible towards the society and environment and hence, criticisms arises over the traditional perspective. For example, some critics disagreed that business is a game, as it is a needed component in the society. Besides that, the competitions between different businesses are involuntary, which would involve and influence many other stakeholders, such as government and local communities (Kirkpatrick, 2002). Therefore, institutions are said to be accountable to the stakeholders. They need to pay back to the society for what they have done and thus, provide reasonable explanation to the stakeholders. Accountability vs Accounting According to Blagescu, Casas, and Lloyd (2005), accountability is the processes through which an organization makes a commitment to respond to and balance the needs of stakeholders in its decision-making processes and activities, and delivers against this commitment. As mentioned before, todays corporations also have responsibilities to other stakeholders, such as the society. Therefore, corporations have the obligation to be accountable to those stakeholders (Brennan and Solomon, 2008). An accountability framework, Global Accountability Project (GAP) (as shown in diagram 2), was developed by One World Trust with a purpose of generating wider commitment to the values and principles of accountability among global organizations (Blagescu, et.al, 2005). In the case of GAR, it can be seen that they have indeed put in efforts to increase their accountability to their stakeholders, especially in relation to social and environmental aspects. Diagram 2 Global Accountability Project (GAP) Framework Source: Blagescu, Casas, and Lloyd (2005). Pathways to Accountability: The GAP Framework. According to GAP framework, there are four dimensions that are important for increasing and evaluating accountability of organizations. First is the transparency. Transparency is that stakeholder can access to credible and timely information about the organizations operations (Blagescu, et.al, 2005). To be transparent, organizations must do more than simply disclose commonly standardized information. In other words, it needs to provide more useful and needed information for the stakeholders for decision-making. Organizations should be focusing on the quality of the information disclosed, instead of the quantity (Hassan and Marston, 2010). GAR disclosed important information for their stakeholders. For example, they announce that they will partner with TFT for forest conservation while building shareholders value (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011b). The second dimension is participation. It means that the organizations allow those key stakeholders to be involved in the decision-making process and activities which would influence them (Blagescu, et.al, 2005). GAR does fulfill their accountability obligation in this dimension. They have been working hard to engage with their stakeholders, such as their customer, Nestle, in order to improve the performances (Harvey, 2011). Furthermore, evaluation is another essential part of organizations accountability. It involves the evaluation and monitoring of both end results and the ongoing progress of the organizations activities (Blagescu, et.al, 2005). This dimension plays two significant roles in accountability. It reports the performances against expectations after an event in order to supply crucial information to stakeholders; it also increases accountability by learning and increasing organizational responsiveness to stakeholders (McKenna, 1983). In fact, GARs performances in relation to sustainability development are evaluated and monitored by few external independent organizations, such as Greenpeace (Harvey, 2011). Additionally, the dimension of complain and response mechanisms is for both organizations and stakeholders to seek and receive feedbacks from each other in order to increase accountability (Blagescu, et.al, 2005). For instance, GAR takes into account the responses of customers, such as Nest le (Harvey, 2011). Although the interpretations of accountability are very wide and are limited only by imagination, accountability is always found to have links with the provision and receipt of financial information in many accounting literatures (Narasimha Rao and Raghavendra, 2011). Due to the rapid climate change, undeniably, accounting and the environment are no longer mutually exclusive (Andrew, 2001). In fact, accounting had long been treated as just a technique used to provide financial information for stakeholders (Bushman and Smith, 2001). Normally, people will assume that all the accounting information is just financial. However, a modern accounting concept should also include some green issues in order to increase organizations transparency (Andrew, 2001). Besides, accounting system can also help the stakeholders in evaluating the organizational performances as it could provide them with relevant information (Perrini and Tencati, 2006). It is not surprising that accounting can actually be used to increase organizations accountability. Overall, increasing accountability is important for organizations, including GAR. GAR was required to increase their degree of accountability, especially to those external key stakeholders. This is because According to The Straits Times (2010), GAR had deforested illegally before in Indonesia. In order to meet the expectations of the stakeholders, GAR started to be committed in the conservation of forests and peatlands in Indonesia. There are two main actions taken by GAR to do so. Firstly, GAR has signed a forest-conservation agreement with TFT, a non-government organization (NGO). Also, GAR starts to disclose their social and environmental performances in annual report (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011b). GAR published their inaugural sustainability report in 2011, after their illegal deforestation activity was discovered to the society (The Straits Times, 2010). All these signs indicate that GAR is bowing to the pressure from the NGOs and external stakeholders (Harvey, 2011). In fact, there are some conceptual theories which could provide an explanation for the sudden changes made by GAR. These organizational practices changes in GAR could be explained using Legitimacy Theory. This theory asserts that organizations seek to ensure that their activities and operations are perceived to be legitimate by the society and stakeholders (Deegan, 2011). Legitimate could be said as a social construct based on cultural norms for organizations behaviors (Suchman, 1995). Therefore, organizations have to be committed to the social contract between the companies and the society to gain recognition. Social contract could be roughly defined as the implicit and explicit expectations that the society has on the organizations (Deegan, 2011). In fact, failing to commit to the social contract would be perceived as not legitimate, and eventually will bring negative impacts to the companies, such as difficult to obtain resources and supports from the society to continue the operations. Thus, legitimacy is an important component for the organizations as it is considered as a precious intangible resource which organizations rely on in order to survive (ODonovan, 2002). Corporations could actually establish their legitimacy by information disclosures (Suchman, 1995). Through the disclosure of information in relation to social and environmental performance, the company would gain the societys trust. Consequently, it will be beneficial to the company in ways, such as improving companys reputation and establish competitive advantages (Porter and Kramer, 2006). As a result, GARs changes their organizational practice by starting the publication of sustainability report. Besides that, Stakeholder Theory could also be used to gain an understanding of why GAR responds to NGOs in this manner. One of the branches of Stakeholder Theory, ethical perspective, adopts a normative position; that organizations should consider the rights and interest of all the stakeholders, regardless of their powers and influences on the company (Deegan, 2011). According to Freeman and Reed (1983), stakeholders are any parties that are affected by the organizations operations. Usually, organizations would try to meet the stakeholders expectations and be accountable to them by providing and disclosing organizational information (Gray, Kouhy, and Lavers, 1995). Therefore, it is believed that this might be one of the reasons why GAR alters their organizational practice. Undeniably, bowing to the pressure from stakeholders is a good start for GAR. Committing to CSR, disclosing social and environmental performance records, and being more accountable are indeed beneficial to GAR themselves and also their stakeholders. It is also important to note that accountability and transparency are one of the essential factors in enhancing the organizations sustainability development (Global Public Policy Institute, 2005). Sustainability development is generally defined as to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). Golden-Agri Resources Ltd (GAR)s Sustainability Report Currently, there is no any legal law or regulation states that organizations have to disclose their social and environmental aspects. However, voluntary disclosures would bring favorable impacts to both internal and external stakeholders. Therefore, many corporations start making voluntary disclosures, so does GAR (Cheynel, 2012). In fact, GAR published their inaugural sustainability report for a purpose of providing the stakeholders a better understanding of the companys priorities, performances, and stakeholder engagement process (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011b). GARs sustainability reports standard was assessed at application level B, based on an internationally established reporting framework (shown in diagram 3) developed by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011c). This framework was designed to provide organizations with a set of principles for defining report content and ensuring the quality of the reported information (Global Reporting Initiativ e, 2000). Diagram 3 Global Reporting Iniative (GRI) Framework Source: Global Reporting Initiative, Sustainability Reporting Guidelines (https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/G3.1-Sustainability-Reporting-Guidelines.pdf) Diagram 4 Global Reportive Initiative (GRI) Principles for Reporting Source: Institut fur Wirtschaftsinformatik, GRI Principles (http://www.iwi.uni-hannover.de/upload/lv/sosem10/Seminar_SS_2010/SS10/Seminararbeit/torres/www/measuring2.html) According to the GRIs framework, there are 4 principles (Materiality, Stakeholder Inclusiveness, Sustainability Context, and Completeness) (shown in diagram 4) for defining the report content (Global Reporting Initiative, 2000). The materiality principle requires corporations to address the most important and concerning issues to their stakeholders. The major current concerning issue for GAR and their stakeholders is deforestation in Indonesia (Harvey, 2011). This is because GAR had cleared the forests illegally before in Indonesia, as mentioned before. In addition, this deforestation act is destroying the livelihood of the habitat there. The stakeholders, such as Indonesia government, local communities, and even those NGOs are therefore showing their concerns on this issue badly (Harvey, 2011). In GARs sustainability report, it focused on disclosing information about policies of preventing deforestation. For example, they state that they would have a no-deforestation footprint in In donesian rainforest by partnering with NGO, TFT to launch Forest Conservation Policy (FCP) (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011b). Overall, it is believed that the report content is fairly material. Furthermore, GARs sustainability report does fulfill the principle of stakeholder inclusiveness. One of the main disclosures is their multi-stakeholder engagement process (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011b). For examples, engaging NGOs, customers, and local communities to address the interests those stakeholders have in order to achieve their expectations and sustainability development. Moreover, the underlying question of a sustainability report is how organizations plan to contribute in the future to improve economic, environmental, and social developments at both local and global level (Global Reporting Initiative, 2000). This is related to the principle of sustainability context. The report discloses that GAR is committed to a holistic approach towards sustainability, as it is always looking at methods to increase productivity while reducing negative impacts on its land. One of its sustainability policies, Yield Improvement Policy (YIP), is focused on plantation management and land suitability (Global Reporting Initiative, 2000). This shows that GARs voluntary disclosures do meet the requirement of sustainability context. Besides that, the information GAR discloses includes all significant actions or events within the reporting period; which fulfills the principle of completeness. However, it can be seen in the report that data and statistics regarding to enviro nment and sustainability performances are insufficient. Furthermore, there is limited alignment between the sustainability report and overall business strategy. Lack of all these information could affect the completeness of the report (KPMG, 2008). Apart from the content aspect, the quality of the sustainability report is also an important element. Balance, comparability, timeliness, accuracy, and reliability are the 5 principles used to test the report quality (shown in diagram 4). GARs report does not really meet the balance principle as they mostly disclose favorable aspects of the organizations performance while there is lack of unfavorable results and topics. This could affect stakeholders assessment and decision making adversely. Besides that, the comparability principle is irrelevant to the report as this is the inaugural sustainability report for GAR. Therefore, it cannot be used by the stakeholders to compare with its past performance (Global Reporting Initiative, 2000). Other than these, the report does meet the accuracy and reliability principle. Qualitative statements in the report are valid only if it is based on the basis of other reported information and evidences (Global Reporting Initiative, 2000). GAR does pro vide other evidences and information to increase the accuracy and reliability of their reports. Overall, GARs sustainability report is believed to have met the reporting standard requirements set by GRI. Nevertheless, the quality of the report can be improved through the compliance of accounting standards. Accounting Standards Accounting standards (AS) are defined as a policy set by authorities such as accounting body, government or regulatory body to regulate the accounting transactions in the financial statement (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, 2011). As globalization emerges, the business world realizes the importance of having a common standard in the financial aspect. A survey conducted by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) shows that majority of the leaders from accounting fields support the idea of having common international standards as part of economic growth (Private Company Financial Report, 2008). Thus, the International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) developed the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) (Cellucci, 2011). IFRS aims to serve as a regulation for financial reporting which can be exercised equally throughout the world (Ball, 2006). One of the advantages of IFRS is that it provides a principle-based framework with better quality. In addition, there are lesser regulation and exception as compared to the other standards such as General Accepted Accounting Principle. By adopting IFRS, a more professional judgment is being introduced which helps to reduce the risk faced by the company. There is also more transparency in the economic transactions (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2007). However, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) states that the standards in IFRS are highly inadequate compare to some accounting standards (Cellucci, 2011). For instance, the General Accepted Accounting Principle (GAAP) is considered to be the gold standard in US (Private Company Financial Report, 2008). The Staffs interpretation of GAAP includes some disclosures of environmental issues on contingent liabilities. This is to recognize the contingent losses and to acknowledge the different accounting practices and disclosure on contingent liability (Roberts, 1995). However, IASB reported that environmental issues reporting are not within the scope of IFRS (Yara C, Nelson, and Bruna, 2008). Thus, it shows that IFRS are still not compatible with other standards like GAAP in the social and environment accounting aspect (Center for Audit Quality, 2009). Besides that, there are several studies which reported that there are limitations in the role of accounting standards. This includes ensuring the reporting quality as well as the emphasis on the firms incentive in reporting (Ball, Kothari, and Robin, 1998; Ball, Robin, and Joanna, 2002; Leuz, 2003; Ball and Shivakumar, 2004). The application of the accounting standards involves significant judgments and usage of private data. Thus, substantial discretion is provided by any accounting standards to a firm. However, the quality of how the firm behaves depends on the incentive in reporting, such as the market forces and legal institutions (Daske, Hail, Leuz, and Verdi, 2008). The institutions have the right to choose the information that they want to disclose. Hence, an accounting standard for better sustainable development should meet the needs of the users by encouraging feedbacks and comments. Similarly to other accounting standards, IFRS do not record all the effect of economic action (SIGMA, 2003). For instance, externalities, such as the costs and benefit which do not affect the organization directly, are not included in the financial reports. Costs and benefit should be included to provide a better market-based decision making (SIGMA, 2003). For example, the emission of petrol will cause climate changes and air pollution. These consequences are considered as the original cost to the society in the present and future. However, these costs are not reflected in the fuel price. Positive externalities are those that would be beneficial to the society. This shows that the present accounting standard does not have sufficient regulation that enables the firms to relate to the sustainable development aspect. For a company to achieve sustainable development, one should balance the economic, social and environmental impacts in their decision-making. This includes the analysis of the positive and negative impacts of the three dimensions on policy changes, and identifying the outcomes which would benefit one party and harm the other parties as well as the proper precaution steps to minimize negative impact (Bebbington, 2000). The analysis on past principles focuses more on economic impact (Kirkpatrick, George, and Curran, 2001). Rio Principle 4 states that it is essential for environmental aspect to be integrated as part of the development process while Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) principle 3 recognized the importance of integrating the 3 dimension policy and purpose (Janeiro, 1992). Overall, the current accounting standards are inadequate in maintaining a companys sustainable development. Therefore, many efforts have been done to integrate the economic, social and environment policy. For instance, Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment, Global Initiative for Sustainable Rating and others have been created. This shows that our current standards are not capable to ensure companies, such as GAR, to commit to sustainability development. Hence, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) is launched to create sustainable accounting standards for the users (Deloitte, 2012). This will include the disclosures of sustainability issues which enable investors and public to have a better decision making. The SASB developed a Sustainable Industry Classification System (SICS) to create a sustainable accounting standards that suits different industry (Deloitte, 2012). As a conclusion, apart from profit maximization, organizations play a major role in the community. Organizations should also disclose social and environmental factors in their financial reports. Thus, GAR is held accountable to the Indonesian forests and peats as well as all the stakeholders. They should maintain environmental disclosure in their financial reporting for all stakeholders. However, besides GAR, the regulators and professional bodies also play a big role in ensuring organizations to be more committed to sustainable development. This can be done by creating adequate sustainable accounting standards for the organizations.

Healthy Fast Food Essay -- Essays on Fast Food

It is nearly impossible to turn on the television or radio and not be hit with advertisements introducing the latest fast food trend – fresh and healthy food options. More often, the media bombards us with slogans such as Subway’s common pitch to â€Å"eat fresh† or McDonald’s million-dollar advertisement campaign to try the new fruit and walnut salad. Attention has made an abrupt turn from the greasy, deep-fried originals at the fast food chains to more health conscious food choices. Even a documentary of a man named Morgan Spurlock made headlines and won awards when he ate McDonald’s three times a day for a month and publicized the effects through a movie called Super Size Me. Shortly after Super Size Me caught high publicity attention, McDonald’s has introduced three â€Å"garden fresh salads.† Other popular fast food chains were not far behind the healthy menu options McDonald’s has offered, and soon numerous salad, yogurt, fruit, and grilled chicken food items popped up on every fast food menu. The message is simple; people are becoming too fat due to the consumption of fast food. Therefore, obesity and the demand for fresh, quick food service have increased the popularity of health conscious food selections on fast food menus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Obesity, especially child obesity, is becoming more of an epidemic concern among society today and commonly linked to fast food. Recent data suggest that nearly fifteen percent of U.S. youngsters and almost one-third of adults are obese; and everyday nearly one-third of these U.S. children aged four to nineteen eat fast food. Yale University obesity researcher Kelly Brownell said, â€Å"Fast food contributes to increased calorie intake and obesity risk in children† (CBS News). No wonder parents are becoming concerned with the options children have when facing a fast food menu. Parent complaints are not enough of influence to entice the big-ticket fast food joints to make a healthy switch, however, lawsuits is. The nation's obesity epidemic has focused attention on fast-restaurants, and while recent class-action lawsuits attempting to blame McDonald's Corp. for making people fat have failed, many chains have begun offering healthier fare in fear of lawsuits (CBS News). A growing concern with on-the-go food consumers is the freshness and dietary guidelines that go into their diet. Tight schedules make people spend m... ...r, are not the causes for the change – it just happens to fit in perfectly with the scenario. Obesity and freshness have provoked a new health trend in fast food, and it is no secret with all the advertisements. So dare to super size an order of healthy fast food – a once considered oxymoron now becoming more of a reality. â€Å"Diet Trends Today.† May 20, 2004. Blog Spot. June 25, 2005 http://ffood.blogspot.com/ â€Å"Fast Food Linked to Child Obesity.† January 5, 2003. CBS News. June 25, 2005 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/05/health/main591325.shtml â€Å"Fast Food Trends Analyzed.† April 11, 2005. Biz Community. June 25, 2005 http://www.biz-community.com/Article/196/87/6281.html Martin, Andrew. â€Å"What’s Next for Fast Food? McTofu?† June 15, 2005. Chicago Tribune. June 25, 2005 http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/chitribts/20050615/ts_chicagotrib/whatsnextforfastfoodmctofu Solomon, Jesi. â€Å"Healthy Fast Food.† February 2005. Star Chefs. June 25, 2005 http://starchefs.com/features/trends/healthy_fast_food/index.shtml â€Å"The Next McDonald’s?† December 2002. Springwise Newsletter. Trend Watcher.com. June 25, 2005 http://www.springwise.com/newbusinessideas/2002/12/next_mcds.html

Ethnography

AN ETHNOGRAPHY â€Å"When used as a method, ethnography typically refers to fieldwork (alternatively, participant-observation) conducted by a single investigator who ‘lives with and lives like' those who are studied, usually for a year or more. † –John Van Maanen, 1996. â€Å"Ethnography literally means ‘a portrait of a people. ‘ An ethnography is a written description of a particular culture – the customs, beliefs, and behavior – based on information collected through fieldwork. † –Marvin Harris and Orna Johnson, 2000. â€Å"Ethnography is the art and science of describing a group or culture.The description may be of a small tribal group in an exotic land or a classroom in middle-class suburbia. † –David M. Fetterman, 1998. Ethnography is a social science research method. It relies heavily on up-close, personal experience and possible participation, not just observation, by researchers trained in the art of et hnography. These ethnographers often work in multidisciplinary teams. The ethnographic focal point may include intensive language and culture learning, intensive study of a single field or domain, and a blend of historical, observational, and interview methods.Typical ethnographic research employs three kinds of data collection: interviews, observation, and documents. This in turn produces three kinds of data: quotations, descriptions, and excerpts of documents, resulting in one product: narrative description. This narrative often includes charts, diagrams and additional artifacts that help to tell â€Å"the story† (Hammersley, 1990). Ethnographic methods can give shape to new constructs or paradigms, and new variables, for further empirical testing in the field or through traditional, quantitative social science methods. Ethnography has it roots planted in the fields of anthropology and sociology.Present-day practitioners conduct ethnographies in organizations and communitie s of all kinds. Ethnographers study schooling, public health, rural and urban development, consumers and consumer goods, any human arena. While particularly suited to exploratory research, ethnography draws on a wide range of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, moving from â€Å"learning† to â€Å"testing† (Agar, 1996) while research problems, perspectives, and theories emerge and shift. Ethnographic methods are a means of tapping local points of view, households and community â€Å"funds of nowledge† (Moll & Greenberg, 1990), a means of identifying significant categories of human experience up close and personal. Ethnography enhances and widens top down views and enriches the inquiry process, taps both bottom-up insights and perspectives of powerful policy-makers â€Å"at the top,† and generates new analytic insights by engaging in interactive, team exploration of often subtle arenas of human difference and similarity. Through such findings ethnographers may inform others of their findings with an attempt to derive, for example, policy decisions or instructional innovations from such an analysis.VARIATIONS IN OBSERVATIONAL METHODS Observational research is not a single thing. The decision to employ field methods in gathering informational data is only the first step in a decision process that involves a large number of options and possibilities. Making the choice to employ field methods involves a commitment to get close to the subject being observed in its natural setting, to be factual and descriptive in reporting what is observed, and to find out the points of view of participants in the domain observed.Once these fundamental commitments have been made, it is necessary to make additional decisions about which particular observational approaches are appropriate for the research situation at hand. VARIATIONS IN OBSERVER INVOLVEMENT: PARTICIPANT OR ONLOOKER? The first and most fundamental distinction among observationa l strategies concerns the extent to which the observer is also a participant in the program activities being studied. This is not really a simple choice between participation and nonparticipation.The extent of participation is a continuum which varies from complete immersion in the program as full participant to complete separation from the activities observed, taking on a role as spectator; there is a great deal of variation along the continuum between these two extremes. Participant observation is an omnibus field strategy in that it â€Å"simultaneously combines document analysis, interviewing of respondents and informants, direct participation and observation, and introspection. In participant observation the researcher shares as intimately as possible in the life and activities of the people in the observed setting.The purpose of such participation is to develop an insider's view of what is happening. This means that the researcher not only sees what is happening but â€Å"fe els† what it is like to be part of the group. Experiencing an environment as an insider is what necessitates the participant part of participant observation. At the same time, however, there is clearly an observer side to this process. The challenge is to combine participation and observation so as to become capable of understanding the experience as an insider while describing the experience for outsiders.The extent to which it is possible for a researcher to become a full participant in an experience will depend partly on the nature of the setting being observed. For example, in human service and education programs that serve children, it is not possible for the researcher to become a student and therefore experience the setting as a child; it may be possible, however, for the research observer to participate as a volunteer, parent, or staff person in such a setting and thereby develop the perspective of an insider in one of these adult roles.It should be said, though, that many ethnographers do not believe that understanding requires that they become full members of the group(s) being studied. Indeed, many believe that this must not occur if a valid and useful account is to be produced. These researchers believe the ethnographer must try to be both outsider and insider, staying on the margins of the group both socially and intellectually. This is because what is required is both an outside and an inside view.For this reason it is sometimes emphasized that, besides seeking to â€Å"understand†, the ethnographer must also try to see familiar settings as â€Å"anthropologically strange†, as they would be seen by someone from another society, adopting what we might call the Martian perspective. METHODOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES Following are three methodological principles that are used to provide the rationale for the specific features of the ethnographic method.They are also the basis for much of the criticism of quantitative research for failing to capture the true nature of human social behavior; because it relies on the study of artificial settings and/or on what people say rather than what they do; because it seeks to reduce meanings to what is observable; and because it reifies social phenomena by treating them as more clearly defined and static than they are, and as mechanical products of social and psychological factors (M. Hammersley, 1990). The three principles can be summarized under the headings of naturalism, understanding and discovery: 1.Naturalism. This is the view that the aim of social research is to capture the character of naturally occurring human behavior, and that this can only be achieved by first-hand contact with it, not by inferences from what people do in artificial settings like experiments or from what they say in interviews about what they do elsewhere. This is the reason that ethnographers carry out their research in â€Å"natural† settings, settings that exist independently of the resea rch process, rather than in those set up specifically for the purposes of research.Another important implication of naturalism is that in studying natural settings the researcher should seek to minimize her or his effects on the behavior of the people being studied. The aim of this is to increase the chances that what is discovered in the setting will be generalizable to other similar settings that have not been researched. Finally, the notion of naturalism implies that social events and processes must be explained in terms of their relationship to the context in which they occur. 2.Understanding. Central here is the argument that human actions differ from the behavior of physical objects, and even from that of other animals: they do not consist simply of fixed responses or even of learned responses to stimuli, but involve interpretation of stimuli and the construction of responses. Sometimes this argument reflects a complete rejection of the concept of causality as inapplicable to the social world, and an insistence on the freely constructed character of human actions and institutions.Others argue that causal relations are to be found in the social world, but that they differ from the â€Å"mechanical† causality typical of physical phenomena. From this point of view, if we are to be able to explain human actions effectively we must gain an understanding of the cultural perspectives on which they are based. That this is necessary is obvious when we are studying a society that is alien to us, since we shall find much of what we see and hear puzzling. However, ethnographers argue that it is just as important when we are studying more familiar settings.Indeed, when a setting is familiar the danger of misunderstanding is especially great. It is argued that we cannot assume that we already know others' perspectives, even in our own society, because particular groups and individuals develop distinctive worldviews. This is especially true in large complex soci eties. Ethnic, occupational, and small informal groups (even individual families or school classes) develop distinctive ways of orienting to the world that may need to be understood if their behavior is to be explained.Ethnographers argue, then, that it is necessary to learn the culture of the group one is studying before one can produce valid explanations for the behavior of its members. This is the reason for the centrality of participant observation and unstructured interviewing to ethnographic method. 3. Discovery. Another feature of ethnographic thinking is a conception of the research process as inductive or discovery-based; rather than as being limited to the testing of explicit hypotheses.It is argued that if one approaches a phenomenon with a set of hypotheses one may fail to discover the true nature of that phenomenon, being blinded by the assumptions built into the hypotheses. Rather, they have a general interest in some types of social phenomena and/or in some theoretica l issue or practical problem. The focus of the research is narrowed and sharpened, and perhaps even changed substantially, as it proceeds. Similarly, and in parallel, theoretical ideas that frame descriptions and explanations of what is observed are developed over the course of the research.Such ideas are regarded as a valuable outcome of, not a precondition for, research. ETHNOGRAPHY AS METHOD In terms of method, generally speaking, the term â€Å"ethnography† refers to social research that has most of the following features (M. Hammersley, 1990). (a) People's behavior is studied in everyday contexts, rather than under experimental conditions created by the researcher. (b) Data are gathered from a range of sources, but observation and/or relatively informal conversations are usually the main ones. c) The approach to data collection is â€Å"unstructured in the sense that it does not involve following through a detailed plan set up at the beginning; nor are the categories us ed for interpreting what people say and do pre-given or fixed. This does not mean that the research is unsystematic; simply that initially the data are collected in as raw a form, and on as wide a front, as feasible. (d) The focus is usually a single setting or group, of relatively small scale. In life history research the focus may even be a single individual. (e) The analysis of the data involves interpretation of the eanings and functions of human actions and mainly takes the form of verbal descriptions and explanations, with quantification and statistical analysis playing a subordinate role at most. As a set of methods, ethnography is not far removed from the sort of approach that we all use in everyday life to make sense of our surroundings. It is less specialized and less technically sophisticated than approaches like the experiment or the social survey; though all social research methods have their historical origins in the ways in which human beings gain information about th eir world in everyday life.SUMMARY GUIDELINES FOR FIELDWORK It is difficult, if not impossible, to provide a precise set of rules and procedures for conducting fieldwork. What you do depends on the situation, the purpose of the study, the nature of the setting, and the skills, interests, needs, and point of view of the observer. Following are some generic guidelines for conducting fieldwork: 1. Be descriptive in taking field notes. 2. Gather a variety of information from different perspectives. 3. Cross-validate and triangulate by gathering different kinds of data.Example: observations, interviews, program documentation, recordings, and photographs. 4. Use quotations; represent program participants in their own terms. Capture participants' views of their own experiences in their own words. 5. Select key informants wisely and use them carefully. Draw on the wisdom of their informed perspectives, but keep in mind that their perspectives are limited. 6. Be aware of and sensitive to the different stages of fieldwork. (a) Build trust and rapport at the entry stage. Remember that the researcher-observer is also being observed and evaluated. b) Stay alert and disciplined during the more routine middle-phase of fieldwork. (c) Focus on pulling together a useful synthesis as fieldwork draws to a close. (d) Be disciplined and conscientious in taking detailed field notes at all stages of fieldwork. (e) Be as involved as possible in experiencing the observed setting as fully as possible while maintaining an analytical perspective grounded in the purpose of the fieldwork: to conduct research. (f) Clearly separate description from interpretation and judgment. (g) Provide formative feedback as part of the verification process of fieldwork.Time that feedback carefully. Observe its impact. (h) Include in your field notes and observations reports of your own experiences, thoughts, and feelings. These are also field data. Fieldwork is a highly personal experience. The meshing of fieldwork procedures with individual capabilities and situational variation is what makes fieldwork a highly personal experience. The validity and meaningfulness of the results obtained depend directly on the observer's skill, discipline, and perspective. This is both the strength and weakness of observational methods. SUMMARY GUIDELINES FOR INTERVIEWINGThere is no one right way of interviewing, no single correct format that is appropriate for all situations, and no single way of wording questions that will always work. The particular evaluation situation, the needs of the interviewee, and the personal style of the interviewer all come together to create a unique situation for each interview. Therein lie the challenges of depth interviewing: situational responsiveness and sensitivity to get the best data possible. There is no recipe for effective interviewing, but there are some useful guidelines that can be considered.These guidelines are summarized below (Patton, 1987). 1. Through out all phases of interviewing, from planning through data collection to analysis, keep centered on the purpose of the research endeavor. Let that purpose guide the interviewing process. 2. The fundamental principle of qualitative interviewing is to provide a framework within which respondents can express their own understandings in their own terms. 3. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of different types of interviews: the informal conversational interview; the interview guide approach; and the standardized open-ended interview. . Select the type of interview (or combination of types) that is most appropriate to the purposes of the research effort. 5. Understand the different kinds of information one can collect through interviews: behavioral data; opinions; feelings; knowledge; sensory data; and background information. 6. Think about and plan how these different kinds of questions can be most appropriately sequenced for each interview topic, including past, present, and futur e questions. 7. Ask truly open-ended questions. 8. Ask clear questions, using understandable and appropriate language. . Ask one question at a time. 10. Use probes and follow-up questions to solicit depth and detail. 11. Communicate clearly what information is desired, why that information is important, and let the interviewee know how the interview is progressing. 12. Listen attentively and respond appropriately to let the person know he or she is being heard. 13. Avoid leading questions. 14. Understand the difference between a depth interview and an interrogation. Qualitative evaluators conduct depth interviews; police investigators and tax auditors conduct interrogations. 5. Establish personal rapport and a sense of mutual interest. 16. Maintain neutrality toward the specific content of responses. You are there to collect information not to make judgments about that person. 17. Observe while interviewing. Be aware of and sensitive to how the person is affected by and responds to different questions. 18. Maintain control of the interview. 19. Tape record whenever possible to capture full and exact quotations for analysis and reporting. 20. Take notes to capture and highlight major points as the interview progresses. 1. As soon as possible after the interview check the recording for malfunctions; review notes for clarity; elaborate where necessary; and record observations. 22. Take whatever steps are appropriate and necessary to gather valid and reliable information. 23. Treat the person being interviewed with respect. Keep in mind that it is a privilege and responsibility to peer into another person's experience. 24. Practice interviewing. Develop your skills. 25. Enjoy interviewing. Take the time along the way to stop and â€Å"hear† the roses. SITE DOCUMENTSIn addition to participant observation and interviews, ethnographers may also make use of various documents in answering guiding questions. When available, these documents can add additional insi ght or information to projects. Because ethnographic attention has been and continues to be focused on both literate and non-literate peoples, not all research projects will have site documents available. It is also possible that even research among a literate group will not have relevant site documents to consider; this could vary depending on the focus of the research.Thinking carefully about your participants and how they function and asking questions of your informants helps to decide what kinds of documents might be available. Possible documents include: budgets, advertisements, work descriptions, annual reports, memos, school records, correspondence, informational brochures, teaching materials, newsletters, websites, recruitment or orientation packets, contracts, records of court proceedings, posters, minutes of meetings, menus, and many other kinds of written items.For example, an ethnographer studying how limited-English proficient elementary school students learn to acquire English in a classroom setting might want to collect such things as the state or school mandated Bilingual/ESL curriculum for students in the school(s) where he or she does research, and examples of student work. Local school budget allocations to language minority education, specific teachers' lesson plans, and copies of age-appropriate ESL textbooks could also be relevant.It might also be useful to try finding subgroups of professional educators organizations which focus on teaching elementary school language arts and join their listservs, attend their meetings, or get copies of their newsletters. Review cumulative student records and school district policies for language minority education. All of these things could greatly enrich the participant observation and the interviews that an ethnographer does. Privacy or copyright issues may apply to the documents gathered, so it is important to inquire about this when you find or are given documents.If you are given permission to incl ude what you learn from these documents in your final paper, the documents should be cited appropriately and included in the bibliography of the final paper. If you are not given permission, do not use them in any way. ETHICS IN ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH Since ethnographic research takes place among real human beings, there are a number of special ethical concerns to be aware of before beginning. In a nutshell, researchers must make their research goals clear to the members of the community where they undertake their research and gain the informed consent of their consultants to the research beforehand.It is also important to learn whether the group would prefer to be named in the written report of the research or given a pseudonym and to offer the results of the research if informants would like to read it. Most of all, researchers must be sure that the research does not harm or exploit those among whom the research is done. ANALYZING, INTERPRETING AND REPORTING FINDINGS Remember that the researcher is the detective looking for trends and patterns that occur across the various groups or within individuals (Krueger, 1994).The process of analysis and interpretation involve disciplined examination, creative insight, and careful attention to the purposes of the research study. Analysis and interpretation are conceptually separate processes. The analysis process begins with assembling the raw materials and getting an overview or total picture of the entire process. The researcher's role in analysis covers a continuum with assembly of raw data on one extreme and interpretative comments on the other. Analysis is the process of bringing order to the data, organizing what is there into patterns, categories, and basic descriptive units.The analysis process involves consideration of words, tone, context, non-verbals, internal consistency, frequency, extensiveness, intensity, specificity of responses and big ideas. Data reduction strategies are essential in the analysis (Kru eger, 1994). Interpretation involves attaching meaning and significance to the analysis, explaining descriptive patterns, and looking for relationships and linkages among descriptive dimensions. Once these processes have been completed the researcher must report his or her interpretations and conclusions QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIONReports based on qualitative methods will include a great deal of pure description of the program and/or the experiences of people in the research environment. The purpose of this description is to let the reader know what happened in the environment under observation, what it was like from the participants' point of view to be in the setting, and what particular events or activities in the setting were like. In reading through field notes and interviews the researcher begins to look for those parts of the data that will be polished for presentation as pure description in the research report.What is included by way of description will depend on what questions the researcher is attempting to answer. Often an entire activity will be reported in detail and depth because it represents a typical experience. These descriptions are written in narrative form to provide a holistic picture of what has happened in the reported activity or event. REPORTING FINDINGS The actual content and format of a qualitative report will depend on the information needs of primary stakeholders and the purpose of the research. Even a comprehensive report will have to omit a great deal of the data collected by the researcher.Focus is essential. Analysts who try to include everything risk losing their readers in the sheer volume of the presentation. This process has been referred to as â€Å"the agony of omitting†. The agony of omitting on the part of the researcher is matched only by the readers' agony in having to read those things that were not omitted, but should have been. BALANCE BETWEEN DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS In considering what to omit, a decision has to be made about how much description to include. Detailed description and in-depth quotations are the essential qualities of qualitative accounts.Sufficient description and direct quotations should be included to allow readers to understand fully the research setting and the thoughts of the people represented in the narrative. Description should stop short, however, of becoming trivial and mundane. The reader does not have to know absolutely everything that was done or said. Again the problem of focus arises. Description is balanced by analysis and interpretation. Endless description becomes its own muddle. The purpose of analysis is to organize the description in a way that makes it manageable. Description is balanced by analysis and leads into interpretation.An interesting and readable final account provides sufficient description to allow the reader to understand the analysis and sufficient analysis to allow the reader to understand the interpretations and explanations presente d. Try It Yourself Why do people see things differently? The importance of ethnographic research Apple Example Thomas Kuhn suggests that what people see depends on what â€Å"previous visual and conceptual experience has taught† them. This suggests that what we look at and what we see are two different things. Anthropologists Anne Campbell of Washington State University and Patricia C.Rice of West Virginia University give an excellent example of how what we look at and what we see can be different things, depending on who perceives a situation or thing. Try this: * gather two to three people and mentally place an apple on a table in front of the group. * Without any prior discussion, each group member should take a moment to individually write down what it is he or she sees. * After a few minutes, compare notes. What do you find? Did everyone see the same thing? What color was the apple? Are there specific colors given to the apple?What about the type of apple on the table, d id anyone acknowledge if there was a difference between a golden delicious and a Macintosh? What about the size of the apple? Did anyone include size as a characteristic of the apple? What this example shows is that no two people see the same thing. We may understand what an apple is, but in terms of describing it and â€Å"seeing† it much of our sight comes from pervious â€Å"visual-conceptual† experiences. Someone knowledgeable in produce may know that there are many types of apples, just as someone interested in quantities of food may take note of the size of the apple.

THE SYMBOLIC Essays - Virtue, Christian Ethics, Ethics, Philosophy

THE SYMBOLIC Essays - Virtue, Christian Ethics, Ethics, Philosophy THE SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION OF PRUDENCE Val. Ed. I 7-Jade Submitted by: THE ALLEGORY OF PRUDENCE The lady prudential is the symbol and representation of the virtue prudence, she is depicted with a book that symbolizes wisdom, representing the ability to draw from a large source of knowledge and judging when to do which action, and a long writhing snake being crushed in her one hand to represent the ability of prudence to seek the truth and crush the false wisdom and deception represented on the snake. Another version of the lady prudence also has her holding a mirror, as prudence is clear sighted and looks at reflections of what is instead of what might be, in other words the truth about one's self and one's surroundings are reflected clearly, and a scroll which, along as also representing similar features to the book, symbolizes records of the past and using them today and learning from our experiences.

Molecules Shine Individually on Camera Essays

Molecules Shine Individually on Camera Essays Molecules Shine Individually on Camera Essay Molecules Shine Individually on Camera Essay In a scientific discipline intelligence article by the Department of Energy. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. an advanced find on a certain combination of technique for analyzing single molecules undergoing reactions was presented. The article entitled Electron Give-and-take Lets Molecules Shine Individually on Camera was really adopted from an article in the journal Chemical Communications by Chenghong Lei and Dehong Hu. The original rubric of the diary article was Single-molecule Fluorescence Spectroelectrochemistry of Cresyl Violet. Basically. the article reports a new technique of analyzing the negatron transportation reactions of molecules. Through the usage of the new combination of techniques. scientists have found a manner of sing single molecules as the reaction returns which was traditionally impossible. Due to this discovery. scientists can now carry on further research to modify and even make proteins that possesses maximal reaction rates which could bring forth more energy than their opposite numbers ( DOE 2008 ) . Electron transportation reactions are important in the vitalizing procedures that occur in workss and animate beings. They are responsible in bring forthing energy every bit good as prolonging the life of an being such as in photosynthesis. To understand how such negatron transportation reactions occur. it is possible that chemists and applied scientists can happen ways on how to animate such maximum energy coevals which is typical of nature’s negatron transportation reactions ( DOE 2008 ) . In visible radiation of these attempts. there have been several techniques of detecting the mechanisms behind the reactions of biomolecules. One of these techniques is fluorescence spectroelectrochemistry. However. although fluorescence has been of great aid in the field of chemical science. like other traditional techniques it merely allows for the observation and analysis of majority molecules. Therefore. in hunt for a method of analysing single molecules. scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Library have devised an instrument wherein the power of making electric Fieldss to originate reactions and that of concentrating into a individual molecule was developed ( DOE 2008 ) . This was successfully done by uniting fluorescence spectroelectrochemistry with that of single-molecule fluorescence microscope. Using the new instrument. scientists so studied negatron transportation reactions in single instances. They have found that although bulk of the molecules undergo negatron transportation reactions. there are some single molecules that contradict the manner other molecules behave. Upon fluorescence utilizing cresyl violet dye. some molecules that should hold been lit were non while upon taking the electric current. some molecules continued to give of fluorescence where they should hold blinked off ( DOE 2008 ) . Such discovery therefore history for the bomber maximal energy coevals of some reactions that occur. Using the same instrument. scientists can now happen out why these peculiar molecules behave in such a manner. To command the reactions could so be a great advantage for many of our chemists ( DOE ) . Further surveies are now being conducted to accomplish this end. The merger of two of import instruments used in chemical science and microbiology was really a fresh part to both Fieldss. Basically. fluorescence spectroelectrochemistry is a technique used by chemists to pull strings reactions in their survey of the mechanisms molecules follow whereas single-molecule fluorescence microscopy is employed in microbiology for the survey of fluorescent micro-organisms. By uniting the two techniques. new research ventures can now be accomplished both in the Fieldss of chemical science and microbiology. Furthermore. the advanced instrument has someway created a span between the two Fieldss of scientific discipline. one of which is chiefly concerned with the minute elements of the abiotic universe while the other is concerned with the minute elements of the biotic universe. The information about the new combination of instrument is rather utile. Having learned of this new setup. it is so possible that future enterprises that might be undertaken by the readers employ the usage of the device. Furthermore. the informations obtained from the negatron transportation reactions up near is an first-class account of why molecules generate as much energy merely as they are able to. The program of scientists to spread out the survey is besides really interesting since it will clear up why molecules behave the manner they do. The reader could state that the information is converting every bit good as organized. Although there are no elaborate descriptions of the consequences of the survey. the presentation of the valuable results is meaningful and dependable. This is due to the fact that the article is an version of a dependable diary article. However. it would hold been more piquant if the scientists include some informations tabular arraies. graphs or images on the behaviour of the single molecules that were studied alternatively of generalising the information presentation. The article is extremely recommended to people in the field of biofuels research. As has been mentioned in the article. if applied scientists will happen out how to command the behaviour of molecules during negatron transportation reactions. they may increase the energy generated by biofuels by using the maximal bound of each single molecule ( DOE 2008 ) . By making so. applied scientists will obtain a big sum of energy with the least natural merchandise input increasing efficiency and production every bit good as take downing costs and disbursals. Mentions DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. ( 2008. September 24 ) . Electron Give-and-take Lets Molecules Shine Individually on Camera. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 27. 2008. from http//www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2008/09/080925094. htm.

Driving and texting Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Driving and texting - Research Paper Example Checking of the emails in smart phones among the US citizens is a rampant incident that leads to destructive driving. Driving as well as texting at the same time can be very dangerous to the lives of individuals for it can cause many accidents. Institutions that is responsible for enacting laws to put this act to stop by coming up with guidelines to the use of phones while driving. Laws, rules and procedures need to be used to illegalize the act of driving while texting to keep save the lives of persons from accidents (Jaytay). Using of mobile phones does distract drivers in many ways of which it includes; physical destruction, instead of paying much attention the physical tasks that are required while driving. Gear changing and steering are the physical tasks that an individual need to concentrate on while driving. The driver has to use one or both of their hands to operate the phone. The next distraction is the visual destruction. Mobile phones distract an individual while driving in two ways. That is the driver has to move their eyes to and from the road and concentrate on the text. Secondly, while operating the phone, the eyes should be on the road and hence are not properly positioned to the road thus causing accidents (Darden). Sound is another form of distraction caused by texting. Here, attention will move from the road and directed to the sounds of the emails and messages that enter the phone. It normally applies when the phones sound is of poor quality. In addition, some people are cognitively distracted during the process of texting. In this case, thoughts of the driver diverted from the road and redirected into the conversation that is going on the phone (Evans). All the forms of destruction by mobile phones are the highest cause of accidents in various roads, and the most affected generation is the youthful generation. In other states, restrictions are major to minors and individuals who just acquired the license. Other institutions

A paper proposal on the the Rhetoric of Sugar Sweetened Beverages Assignment

A paper proposal on the the Rhetoric of Sugar Sweetened Beverages - Assignment Example In this literature review, I intend to analytically review a variety of literature on Sugar Sweetened Beverages. Thus, I will put emphasis on a wide range of SSBs. These include, but not limited to soft drinks (soda), flavoured waters, sweetened teas, ready to drink coffees, sports drinks, and juices. Babey, Wolstein & Goldstein(2013) contend that the increase in consumption if drink that have added caloric sweeteners is attributed to less healthy diets as well as health concerns such as overweight and obesity. What is the problem addressed in the literature review? The problem addressed is that there is the increased consummation of SSBs and consequently increased rates of obesity and overweight. Overwhelming research as presented in a wide range of literature has specifically cited increased consumption of SSBs as the main cause of the increased rates of obesity. Over the last four decades for instance, the rates of obesity and weight gains have tripled. Statistics of study carried out by Ogden & Carrrol (2010) between 2007 and 2008 established that one in every six children and adolescents aged between 2 and 9 is obese. These statistics are worrying. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (1998), obesity increases the risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, various cancers, and many other chronic diseases. As such, the increased rates of consuming SSBs have the risk of escalating the already increased cases of obesity. This will consequently case a major strain to the public health care system. Currently, the U.S government spends more than $174 billion annually in treating obesity. It also spends more than $147 billion annually in treating health problems related to obesity and overweight. According to Wang et al. (2012), this accounts for more than 9.1 percent of the government’s health care expenditure. This has led to widespread concerns over the need to control the major causes of diabetes and ove rweight. What are the questions addressed in the literature review? The questions addressed in my literature review are: 1. What can be done to reduce the rate of SSBs consumption? 2. What role can the media play in reducing the rate of SSBs consumption? What gaps have you discovered in the literature? An analytical review of the literature on SSBs consumption reveals that there exists a large gap between the increasing rate of SSBs consumption and the measures that can be used to reduce these rates. There is also a large gap in regard to the role played by the media and the increased rates of SSBs consumption. There also exists a gap on the approaches to be used on reducing SSBs consumption. Generally, the approaches to reducing intake have varied. Some literature proposes a tax on sugar sweetened beverages, while other literature advocates an extreme tax on SSBs. On the other hand, some literature argues that a tax will not suffice at all. Most literature argues that there is stro ng link between the high levels of consumption of sugar sweetened beverages and obesity and adverse effects on the public health care system. Babey ,Wolstein & Goldstein H (2013) claim that soda and other SSBs, such as energy and sports drinks, are the largest source of added sugar in the diets of both children and adults in the U.S. It is argued that liquid calories do not satisfy as well as solids, and SSBs add calories instead of replacing them. It is suggested