Researching Politics and International Relations Essay

Researching Politics and International Relations - Essay Example 11) The idea is that politics is abstract in its character, with its ideologies and values, and could not be perceived by the senses. The positivist school identified this as the most important criterion in order for a field to be considered factual and, hence, measured, examined and analyzed scientifically. In addition, along with the abstract concepts such as aesthetics, political theory was relegated to the mere declarations of conflicting preferences and opinions. This perspective, however, changed with the emergence of behaviorism. Here, political science under the wider coverage of social science became scientific because of the systematic introduction of quantitative methods of analysis as the supreme methods of inquiry as well as displacement of the normative frameworks of political theorists by the development of the empirical theory. (Held, p. 13) One of the most important arguments behind this school is the Aristotelian thought that man is a social being and human activity is carried on in a social and political setting. Political science, hence, studies, â€Å"inter alia, the chief theatre in which good men must act out their lives; and in determining the design of the theatre it will of necessity take an interest in, and sets limit upon, the type of drama which may be played out there.† (Aristotle et al. p. xvii) In this regard, Held also cited the arguments of figures like Thomas Kuhn, Imre Lakatos and Mary Hesse who stressed that science, as a form of human activity itself, is inescapably an interpretative endeavor, involving problems of meaning, communication and translations – variables that political science also covers. (p. 13) Finally, one turns to Lyotard’s (1984) criteria in order for politics to be considered as scientific. For him, science is a subset of learning and that it is composed of denotative statements and imposes two supplementary conditions on their

Sales management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Sales management - Assignment Example Effective personal selling will help to enhance the value of We-Print in the mind of consumers.1 Personal selling techniques will facilitate the company to reach maximum numbers of customers in its target market segment within a short span of time. For acquiring the business market of UK the company should implement industrial selling. This personal selling technique of We-Print will involve in selling of large printing machineries to different companies and industries. With the help of well educated and trained sales person We-Print should implement this sales strategy. These sales persons will provide assistance and information to the companies in regards to We-Print’s printing machines. We-Print needs to create demand for its products in the market of UK. For this reason the company should implement missionary selling technique. In this technique sales person will visit different retail stores and dealers and will give detailed information about We-Print products. This will make them aware of the company’s products and will encourage them to attract customers. With the help of this technique the company will be able to place its products in different retail stores of UK. We-Print needs to implement trade selling technique by maintaining regular contacts with wholesalers and retailers. Strong personal contact with them will help the company to build good relationship. As a result the products of We-Print will reach to its customers easily. Implementing this technique effectively will facilitate the company to receive bulk orders from wholesalers. We-Print needs to place good sales person in different retail stores where the company will display its products. This retail selling technique will facilitate the company to directly deal with the customers. By making strong communication with customers, the sales persons will able to know the needs and requirements of its customers in more details and according to that the

Methods Of Data Collection For Primary Data

Methods Of Data Collection For Primary Data Once the researcher has determined his research objective, research question, and the corresponding hypothesis for his research project, what he needs to do now is to collect the required data. Data is information from sample that the researcher would analyse in order to meet his research objective, facilitate his research question, and prove his research hypothesis. For example, the data or information about customers are gender, age, qualification, marital status, number of kids, monthly income, brand of car, type of house, religion, hobby, sports, leisure activities, credit cards, golf membership etc. Figure 5.1: Methods of data collection (primary data) Method for Collecting Primary Data Survey Method Observation Method Face-to-Face Interview Telephone Interview Computerised Questionnaires Direct Observation Mechanical Observation Content Analysis Personal Interview Mail Survey Self-Administered Questionnaires Actually, what variable to include in the study depends on your research objectives, research questions, and the corresponding research hypotheses. The researcher should always refer to the three elements above when determining what data to collect in order to avoid collecting the unnecessary data, or worse, not collecting the required data. Based on Figure 6.1, the method of data collection can be classified into survey methods and observation methods. A) Survey method According to Zikmund, Babin, Carr and Griffin (2010), survey is a research technique in which a sample is interviewed in some form or the behaviour of respondents is observed and described in some way. In survey method, questionnaires are given to respondents to elicit information for the study. Respondents are asked the questions based on the information needed by the study. The questions may be asked in the verbal forms (interview), writing (mail questionnaire), or through computer (internet or e-mail). Several advantages are Quick Efficient Inexpensive Accurate means of assessing information about a population B) Types of survey methods i) Personal interview: face to face communication in which an interviewer asks respondents to answer questions (Zikmund, Babin, Carr and Griffin (2010). Face to face interview In the face-to-face interview (sometimes called personal interview), the researcher will prepare the questions to be asked during the interview with respondents. Each question represents the variable that the researcher wants to obtain its data. The questionnaires cover all variables required from a respondent. Before the interview begins, the researcher would explain the objective of research, ask for cooperation, and give assurance that the response given is only for research purpose and the information is treated with confidential. This is important since personal data is confidential, and no one will reveal his personal information if the confidentiality is not assured. The interviewer should posses good personality so that the interview session proceeds smoothly and in a friendly atmosphere. During the interview, the interviewer will read the question and record the response. Personal interviews may be conducted at the respondents home, offices, or anywhere. Below are the common examples of places which are basically used to conduct the interview. Door-to-door Interview Door-to-door interview refers to the interview in which the respondents are interviewed face-to-face in their homes. The major advantage of this interview is high participation rate, but the disadvantage is high cost. Mall Intercept Interview Mall intercept interview refers to the personal interviews conducted in shopping malls. Interviewers typically intercept shoppers at a central point normally at the entrance to the mall. The advantage of this method is low cost since no travel required to the respondents home. Mall intercept interview is appropriate when the respondents need to see, touch, or taste the product before they can provide meaningful information. Computer-Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) This interview uses a computer to get the information from the respondents using several user-friendly electronic packages to design questions easier for the respondent to understand. However, this method is classified as personal interview technique because an interviewer is usually present to serve as a host and to guide the respondents. CAPI is normally used to collect data at shopping malls, product clinics, conferences, and trade shows. Advantages of face-to-face interview Higher response rate. With proper plan and approach, the respondents will not turn down the request for an interview. The interviewer must be friendly and creative in getting cooperation from respondents. The interview method normally achieves a response rate of more than 70%. Data more accurate. The face-to-face meeting allows the interviewer to clarify terms or anything which might confuse the respondents. Once the respondent understands the question, he will provide an accurate response. The interviewer can note specific reactions by respondents during interview. The physical reaction and facial expression by respondent can tell whether he is providing accurate responses or not. The interviewer can also note the physical environment surrounding the interview such as the respondents office, the house, the dress etc that should tally with his response. People will usually respond with good gesture and provide accurate responses when approached in person. The Malay culture of not saying no still holds true when someone comes to the door with polite and peaceful manner. An experienced interviewer can sense out if the respondent is trying to hide some information. In this case, he will use his creativity to clarify the intention or terminate the interview. Disadvantages of face-to-face interview High cost. Interviewers must be given specific training on methods such as the art of making personal approach, the art of asking questions, the art of requesting cooperation etc, which is expensive and time consuming. The interviewer must be confident enough to work on his own. At the same time, the daily allowance for travelling, food, lodging etc is very high. Incomplete response. Any small mistake by interviewer can cause error in the response. The mistake such as using a wrong approach, bad facial expression, coming at the wrong time, not sensitive to certain issue in the conversation sometimes could hinder respondents from giving truthful response. Error in recording. This happens especially when the interview session is in a hurry due to time constrain on part of respondents. The interviewer who needs to read the question and record the response quickly and simultaneously is prone to making mistakes. Require close supervision. The interviewers work should be supervised closely to avoid interviewer cheating. Sometimes, due to many reasons such as time constraint, respondent is difficult to contact or the respondent is not available during appointment time, the interviewer will fill the response on his own. Telephone interview Sometime it is possible to collect data through telephone conversation. This method is possible if the researcher has complete directory of telephone numbers of population under study. If the respondents are government officers, employees of private firm, professional people such as doctors, lawyers, accountants etc, then the researcher have the option of using this method. Traditional Telephone Interview In traditional telephone interview, respondents are called through the telephone and the interviewer will ask a series of questions and record the responses. Respondents are more willing to provide detailed and reliable information on a variety of personal topics over the telephone than with personal interviews. Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) CATI uses a computerized questionnaire administered to respondents over the telephone. The interviewer would contact respondents over the telephone, read questions posed on the computer screen, and record the respondents answers directly into the computer memory bank. The computer systematically guides the interviewer and checks the responses for appropriateness and consistency. Advantages of telephone interview Less expensive compared to the face-to-face interview. The financial cost for travelling, lodging, and outstation allowance is not involved. Less time consuming. The number of respondents interviewed through telephone in one day is much higher than the number interviewed through face to face. Easy monitoring. The researcher can monitor the interviewers work more easily since he can check the telephone numbers of respondents and the time called. Disadvantages of telephone interview Lower response rate. The rate of response is lower since the respondents can just hang-up the call when he realised it is time consuming, or unsure of the confidentiality of the conversation. Fewer questions could be asked. Usually the conversation through the telephone cannot take long especially when the topic of discussion is not interesting, especially for the respondent since he has no particular interest in it. Difficult to get good cooperation. Conversation through the phone is not convincing enough especially when trying to get cooperation from the respondent. It is difficult to convince someone when they cannot see you in person, your facial expression, you body gesture etc. 2) Self-administered questionnaire In this technique, the researcher distributes questionnaires to respondents personally, through mail service, by inserting in the newspapers, or by sending to the email address. The difference between self-administered questionnaires compared to personal interview is in the self-administered questionnaire, the respondents make an effort to read and respond to the questions. However, the effectiveness of self-administered questionnaire will depend on the efficiency of the written words rather than the soft skill of interviewers. Mail Survey A mail survey is a self-administered questionnaire sent to pre-selected respondents through the mail. Basically, a mail interview package consists of the outgoing envelope, cover letter, questionnaire, return envelope, and possibly an incentive. Mail Panel A mail panel consists of a large, nationally representative sample of households that have agreed to participate in periodic mail questionnaires and product tests. The data on the panel members is updated every year and households are compensated with various incentives. Mail panel is appropriate for longitudinal design studies which allow obtaining information from the same respondents repeatedly. Advantages of mail survey Low cost. No interviewer bias Disadvantages of mail survey Low response rate Slow data collection speed Structured questionnaires One of the most popular methods of collecting research data is through the structured questionnaire. These questionnaires are self-explained and self-administered. In using this method, the researcher designs carefully a series of questions that cover the variables of interest in the study such as the respondents demographic background, their opinions concerning certain issues, their perception concerning certain service performance, and their intentions to do in the future etc. Structured refers to the degree of standardization imposed in the process of data collection (questionnaires). In other words, the researcher arranges the questions properly on a paper together with the cover letter to explain the purpose of data collection, the instruction to the respondents on how to respond to the questions, and the assurance of confidentiality of information provided. Advantages of a questionnaire Lowest cost incurred. The cost is low due to no interview, no training of interviewers, no travelling, no lodging allowance involved. No monitoring cost incurred. Usually the sending of questionnaires and receipt of responses from respondents are done by the researcher himself. More respondents and wider area can be covered. The researchers can send his questionnaires to as many respondents as he likes since the cost for each respondent is very small. Response more accurate. Since there is no influence, no gesture, no facial expression, and no interruption from the interviewer, the respondents can answer the questions at his own convenience. This manner will assure the accuracy of responses. Disadvantages of a questionnaire The poor rate of response from respondents. Since the researcher does not have gestures or face-to-face contact with respondents, the respondents can just throw away the questionnaires. In this method, the researcher should make a regular follow up contact with respondents using letter or telephone call. Usually the researcher would call the respondents earlier to inform them that he is sending a questionnaire to obtain data for his specific objective. The call is made as a gesture in order to obtain good cooperation from respondents. Once the respondent has difficulty regarding certain terms or questions in the questionnaire, he will not bother completing the remaining questions since nobody is available to explain. Sometimes the respondents simply send back the incomplete response. There is no assurance that the person who responds to the questionnaire is the intended respondent or the legitimate respondent. This matter will result in sample not being representative of the population. Private agents who conduct surveys found that people are more likely to respond to mail questionnaire that has professional appearance and come together with attractive prizes such as lucky draws for the respondents who send the completed questionnaire in time. Some questionnaires obtain good responses from respondents especially the questionnaire that comes together with the warranty cards when customers purchase certain products. Customers will have to answer series of questions on the warranty cards before sending back to the manufacturer for product warranty. Computerised questionnaire Internet survey Lately, the internet poll has become one of the popular methods to obtain information from the public especially their opinion concerning certain issue of public interest. In internet survey, the researcher brings an issue to attention and requests the opinion from the public. The public can respond by voting the statement that closely resembles their opinion. At the same time they can view the current standing in term of the most popular opinion and the corresponding vote obtained. Internet survey appears when a computer user is asked to go to a particular Web site location and answer the series of questions displayed in the website. In this technique, the respondents are not selected using specific technique but those who visit the Web site where the survey is posted are invited to participate in the survey. 2. E-mail survey In the e-mail survey, questionnaires are sent out to the respondents directly through their e-mail address. The respondents would reply the email by providing their response to each item on the questionnaire. The professional market research groups are using the internet to send their questionnaires to the respondents email. The respondents would complete their respective questionnaires and also return through the internet to the researchers e-mail address. Normally, these research agencies would provide certain rewards in terms of discount coupons etc in order to encourage the respondents to participate in the study. Advantages of computerised questionnaire Low cost. Very high data collection speed. Non interviewer bias Disadvantages of computerised questionnaire Very low response rate Low control of data collection method B) The observation methods According to Zikmund, Babin, Carr and Griffin (2010), observation is the systematic process of recording the behavioural patterns of people, objects and occurrences as they are witnessed. Several types of observation methods are: Direct observation In this method, the researcher will identify his respondents and records the required data based on what he observes. This method is suitable for a research to study the behaviour of respondents. For example, the research is carried out to identify how car drivers behave on the road during traffic jam. In his observation, the researcher will record the type of drivers who follow the traffic rules properly, and the type of drivers who choose to ignore rules such as queue jumping or overtaking using emergency lanes. The researcher may also be interested to know the types of vehicles (motorcycles, cars, buses, and lorries) which always ignore traffic rules during traffic jams. Another area where this method is suitable is to observe customers behaviour in the supermarket. In the market research study for example, the researcher is interested to know how customers make decisions in choosing which shampoo to buy. The researcher will stand in the area where hundreds of shampoos of differen t brands are placed on the rack. He will record how the customers choose the shampoo. Most probably some customers have decided earlier which brand to buy; some customers will compare prices, packaging, and even the smells before buying the shampoo. The researcher will record specific characteristics of customers who prefer certain brands of shampoo etc. Advantages of direct observation The data obtained reflect the actual behaviour of respondents. The respondents will tend to hide their actual behaviour when approached in person or when answering the questionnaires. The researcher gets a clearer picture and a better feeling of the situations for his study. Hence, he will be in a better position to make a proper recommendation regarding the underlying phenomena in the study. Disadvantages of direct observation The respondent will not act his normal behaviour if he knows that he is being observed. The data collection process is cumbersome and tedious. Mechanical observation Sometimes certain mechanical devices such as video cameras, rather than human observers to observe are used and record customer behaviours. The devices do not require the respondents direct participation in the study but they will capture the respondents behaviour for analysis. The early application of this technique is in a study to determine the level of comfort among train passengers by taping or recording how they sat and moved in their seats. Advantages of mechanical observation It offers high disguise by using the hidden camera. However, other mechanical device such as the use of psycho galvanometers is very difficult to disguise. Low observation bias since mechanical observation involves the non-human observer. Disadvantages of mechanical observation Low ability to observe in a natural setting. However, it depends on the mechanical tools used in the observation. The degree is low when using psycho galvanometer but high if using turnstiles. Less flexible. Content analysis Content analysis is usually used to study communication rather than behaviour, or physical objects. It is defined as the objective, systematic, and quantitative description of the manifest content of a communication. Content analysis obtains data by observing and analyzing the contents or messages of advertisements, newspaper articles, television programs, etc. It involves analysis as well as observation which systematically analyze peoples communication to identify the specific information contents and other characteristics such as words, characters (individuals or objects), themes (propositions), space and time measures (length or duration of the message), or topics (subject of the message). Advantages of content analysis High degree of disguise since the data is collected over the situation to be observed. High degree of observation specification and measurement. Disadvantages of content analysis Low ability to observe in natural setting because observation takes place after the behaviour has occurred. Potential of observation bias because human observer is involved in data collection process. 5.3 Factors determining choice of survey methods. Selecting the type of survey you are going to use is one of the most critical decisions in many social research contexts. Youll see that there are very few simple rules that will make the decision for you you have to use your judgment to balance the advantages and disadvantages of different survey types. There are several factors needs to be considered: Population issues The first set of considerations has to do with the population and its accessibility. Can the population be specified? For some populations, you have a complete listing of the units that will be sampled. For others, such a list is difficult or impossible to compile. For instance, there are complete listings of registered voters or person with active drivers licenses. But no one keeps a complete list of homeless people. If you are doing a study that requires input from homeless persons, you are very likely going to need to go and find the respondents personally. In such contexts, you can pretty much rule out the idea of mail surveys or telephone interviews. Is the population literate? Questionnaires require that your respondents can read. While this might seem initially like a reasonable assumption for many adult populations, we know from recent research that the instance of adult illiteracy is alarmingly high. And, even if your respondents can read to some degree, your questionnaire may contain difficult or technical vocabulary. Clearly, there are some populations that you would expect to be illiterate. Young children would not be good targets for questionnaires Are there language issues? We live in a multilingual world. Virtually every society has members who speak other than the predominant language. Can you produce multiple versions of your questionnaire? For mail instruments, can you know in advance the language your respondent speaks, or do you send multiple translations of your instrument? Can you be confident that important connotations in your instrument are not culturally specific? Could some of the important nuances get lost in the process of translating your questions? Will the population cooperate? People who do research on immigration issues have a difficult methodological problem. They often need to speak with undocumented immigrants or people who may be able to identify others who are. Why would we expect those respondents to cooperate? Although the researcher may mean no harm, the respondents are at considerable risk legally if information they divulge should get into the hand of the authorities. The same can be said for any target group that is engaging in illegal or unpopular activities. What are the geographic restrictions? Is your population of interest dispersed over too broad a geographic range for you to study feasibly with a personal interview? It may be possible for you to send a mail instrument to a nationwide sample. You may be able to conduct phone interviews with them. But it will almost certainly be less feasible to do research that requires interviewers to visit directly with respondents if they are widely dispersed Sampling issues The sample is the actual group you will have to contact in some way. There are several important sampling issues you need to consider when doing survey research. What data is available? What information do you have about your sample? Do you know their current addresses? Do you have their current phone numbers? Do you have an up to date contact lists? Can these respondents be found? Can your respondents be located? Some people are very busy. Some travel a lot. Some work the night shift. Even if you have an accurate phone or address, you may not be able to locate or make contact with your sample. Who is the respondent? Who is the respondent in your study? Lets say you draw a sample of households in a small city. A household is not a respondent. Do you want to interview a specific individual? Do you want to talk only to the head of household (and how is that person defined)? Are you willing to talk to any member of the household? Do you state that you will speak to the first adult member of the household who opens the door? What if that person is unwilling to be interviewed but someone else in the house is willing? Can all members of population be sampled? If you have an incomplete list of the population (i.e., sampling frame) you may not be able to sample every member of the population. Lists of various groups are extremely hard to keep up to date. People move or change their names. Even though they are on your sampling frame listing, you may not be able to get to them. And, its possible they are not even on the list. Are response rates likely to be a problem? Even if you are able to solve all of the other population and sampling problems, you still have to deal with the issue of response rates. Some members of your sample will simply refuse to respond. Others have the best of intentions, but cant seem to find the time to send in your questionnaire by the due date. Still others misplace the instrument or forget about the appointment for an interview. Low response rates are among the most difficult of problems in survey research. They can ruin an otherwise well-designed survey effort Question issues Sometimes the nature of what you want to ask respondents will determine the type of survey you select. What types of questions can be asked? Are you going to be asking personal questions? Are you going to need to get lots of detail in the responses? Can you anticipate the most frequent or important types of responses and develop reasonable closed-ended questions? How complex will the questions be? Sometimes you are dealing with a complex subject or topic. The questions you want to ask are going to have multiple parts. You may need to branch to sub-questions. Will the screening of questions be needed? A screening question may be needed to determine whether the respondent is qualified to answer your question of interest. For instance, you wouldnt want to ask someone their opinions about a specific computer program without first screening them to find out whether they have any experience using the program. Sometimes you have to screen on several variables (e.g., age, gender, experience). The more complicated the screening, the less likely it is that you can rely on paper-and-pencil instruments without confusing the respondent. Can question sequence be controlled? Is your survey one where you can construct in advance a reasonable sequence of questions? Or, are you doing an initial exploratory study where you may need to ask lots of follow-up questions that you cant easily anticipate? Will lengthy questions be asked? If your subject matter is complicated, you may need to give the respondent some detailed background for a question. Can you reasonably expect your respondent to sit still long enough in a phone interview to ask your question? Will long response scales be used? If you are asking people about the different computer equipment they use, you may have to have a lengthy response list (CD-ROM drive, floppy drive, mouse, touch pad, modem, network connection, external speakers, etc.). Clearly, it may be difficult to ask about each of these in a short phone interview. Content issues The content of your study can also pose challenges for the different survey types you might utilize. Can the respondents be expected to know about the issue? If the respondent does not keep up with the news (e.g., by reading the newspaper, watching television news, or talking with others), they may not even know about the news issue you want to ask them about. Or, if you want to do a study of family finances and you are talking to the spouse who doesnt pay the bills on a regular basis, they may not have the information to answer your questions. Will respondent need to consult records? Even if the respondent understands what youre asking about, you may need to allow them to consult their records in order to get an accurate answer. For instance, if you ask them how much money they spent on food in the past month, they may need to look up their personal check and credit card records. In this case, you dont want to be involved in an interview where they would have to go look things up while they keep you waiting (they wouldnt be comfortable with that). Bias issues People come to the research endeavor with their own sets of biases and prejudices. Sometimes, these biases will be less of a problem with certain types of survey approaches. Can social desirability be avoided? Respondents generally want to look good in the eyes of others. None of us likes to look like we dont know an answer. We dont want to say anything that would be embarrassing. If you ask people about information that may put them in this kind of position, they may not tell you the truth, or they may spin the response so that it makes them look better. This may be more of a problem in an interview situation where they are face-to face or on the phone with a live interviewer. Can interviewer distortion and subversion be controlled? Interviewers may distort an interview as well. They may not ask questions that make them uncomfortable. They may not listen carefully to respondents on topics for which they have strong opinions. They may make the judgment that they already know what the respondent would say to a question based on their prior responses, even though that may not be true. Can false respondents be avoided? With mail surveys it may be difficult to know who actually responded. Did the head of household complete the survey or someone else? Did the CEO actually give the responses or instead pass the task off to a subordinate? Is the person youre speaking with on the phone actually who they say they are? At least with personal interviews, you have a reasonable chance of knowing who you are speaking with. In mail surveys or phone interviews, this may not be the case. vi) Administrative issues Last, but certainly not least, you have to consider the feasibility of the survey method for your study. costs Cost is often the major determining factor in selecting survey type. You might prefer to do personal inter

Birth Control :: Contraceptives, Birth Control Essays

The practice of birth control prevents conception, thus limiting reproduction. The term birth control, coined by Margaret SANGER in 1914, usually refers specifically to methods of contraception, including STERILIZATION. The terms family planning and planned parenthood have a broader application. METHODS OF BIRTH CONTROL Attempts to control fertility have been going on for thousands of years. References to preventing conception are found in the writings of priests, philosophers, and physicians of ancient Egypt and Greece. Some methods, though crude, were based on sound ideas. For example, women were advised to put honey, olive oil, or oil of cedar in their vaginas to act as barriers. The stickiness of these substances was thought to slow the movement of sperm into the uterus. Wads of soft wool soaked in lemon juice or vinegar were used as tampons, in the belief that they would make the vagina sufficiently acidic to kill the sperm. The Talmud mentions using a piece of sponge to block the cervix, the entrance to the uterus. Sperm Blockage Several modern methods of birth control are practiced by creating a barrier between the sperm and the egg cell. This consists of the use of a chemical foam, a cream, or a suppository. Each contains a chemical, or spermicide that stops sperm. They are not harmful to vaginal tissue. Each must be inserted shortly before COITUS. Foams are squirted from aerosol containers with nozzles or from applicators that dispense the correct amount of foam and spread it over the cervix; creams and jellies are squeezed from tubes and held in place by a diaphragm or other device; and suppositories--small waxy pellets melted by body heat--are inserted by hand. More effective at keeping sperm and egg apart are mechanical barriers such as the diaphragm and cervical cap (both used with a spermicide), the sponge, and the condom. A diaphragm is a shallow rubber cup that is coated with a spermicide and positioned over the cervix before intercourse. Size is important; women need to have a pelvic examination and get a prescription for the proper diaphragm. The cervical cap, less than half the size but used in the same way, has been available worldwide for decades. It was not popular in the United States, however, and in 1977 it failed to gain approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); in 1988, the FDA again permitted its sale. The contraceptive sponge, which keeps its spermidical potency for 48 hours after being inserted in the vagina, was approved in 1983. Like the diaphragm and cervical cap, the sponge has an estimated effectiveness rate of about 85%. The devices only rarely produce side effects such as irritation and allergic reactions and, very rarely, infections. The condom, a rubber sheath, is rolled

Enron collapse A look back Essay

Enron collapse: A look back Introduction                   Enron was formed as a result of merging with another company and it became a successful corporate. The joy of the business owners is to see how it grows fast and to attract more investors. There are rules and regulation that governs the corporate financial report that is open for inspection by potential investors (Folger, 2011). The audit of these financial reports should disclose the accurate financial state of the company and this should be made known to the stakeholders of the company. The stakeholders of a company play an important role in progress of the business and the going concern of the company (Sterling, 2002). The company of Enron did not manage its debts and therefore looked for means of hiding the truth from its stakeholders so as to continue making profit.                   The aim of a business is to make profit and be able to pay the debts of the creditors and also attract investors who are interested in the business. Most investor relay on the financial statement to determine whether to invest or not to invest (Folger, 2011). The Enron Company was a big company that was famous and successful before its fall. The corporate attracted many investors since they financial report showed how the business was growing at high rate (Bauer, 2009). However the corporate management did not disclose the true and fair view of the financial reports. The financial report of a company should not mislead the shareholders or its members.                   Moreover, in the Enron scandal there were some cases in which it showed misconduct of its financial reporting since the corporate did not display true and fair financial accountings to its stakeholders. The corporate used financial fabrication and mark- market accounting to hide its actual debts and real financial situation (Folger, 2011). These reports made the investor believe that the corporate was making profit while it was making losses in real sense. It is also a form of fraud to stakeholders since it cannot meet all its debts and in case of winding up majority of the investors and shareholder would suffer greatly. The Enron scandal was deemed to be great since it had huge debts to settle and its assets could not settle these debts.                   Indeed, financial misconduct affects a large group of stakeholder and leaves a great mark that cannot be erased (Sterling, 2002). For example the shareholders of Enron corporate were highly affected and suffered a loss of billions that were not recovered since the corporate went bankrupt and the assets of the business were also false in existence. The investors also suffered greatly from these financial misconduct, they lost their resources. In addition, the employees suffered greatly by losing billions of pension benefits due to the misconduct of financial reports which led to the bankruptcy of the Enron therefore could no longer pay them (Folger, 2011).                   The financial statement of a company is very important to the investors, it gives an over view of the stability of the business and its ability to pay debts. The Enron corporate failed to disclose true and fair view financial statements by hiding its real financial reports and the investors were misled and also due to many investments made by the company lead to its bankruptcy (Sterling, 2002). The purpose of accurate financial reports is to help the investors and also the company to know to what extent they should contract or invest in other businesses. It also helps in managing of the company’s debt thus making profit but the Enron was only interested in making a lot of profits that led to their down fall.                   Ethics are rules that govern every business and its members on how to conduct their daily roles in the company (Brady, & Dunn, 1995). In other words, the managers of this corporate owe their loyalty to its stakeholders and their interest ought to be the interest of the business (Bauer, 2009). In deontology of the Enron corporate, the management had a duty and obligations to display the true statement of finance and also to operate the business in the interest of the stakeholders and not their interest. As the leaders they ought to make sure that the going concern of the business is kept and the assets of the company are secured. In addition, the duty of the Enron managers was to disclose the true and fair view of financial reports (Bauer, 2009).                   On other hand, utilitarian is a form ethic that is used to show the positive side of the organization, for example by disclosing the false statement to stakeholders thus blinding them of the real situation (Folger, 2011). The Enron leaders used different methods to conceal the truth about its debts and faked the profits. They made the business look attractive and therefore more investors invested in the business. At the end, the ethics rules were violated and the leaders had a role to play .Enron had a role to disclose the truth which could have rescued the company (Bauer, 2009). If at the beginning, the company revealed the truth it would not have ended bankrupt and the employees would have secured their jobs. Finally, the company had a duty to disclose the true financial statements and also save the company from falling and the scandals would have been avoided. The companies should put into practice the ethics governing the corporates. Therefore, to pr event any future happenings such as the past frauds in the company, there has been an enhanced regulation as well as oversight in the company (Folger, 2011). References Bauer, A. (2009). The Enron scandal and the Sarbanes-Oxley-Act. München: GRIN Verlag. Brady, F. N., & Dunn, C. P. (1995). Business meta-ethics: An analysis of two theories. Business Ethics Quarterly, 385-398. Folger, J. (2011). The Enron collapse: A look back. Investopedia, December 1. Retrieved October 25, 2014, at http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1211/the-enron-collapse-a-look-back.aspx Sterling, T. F. (2002). The Enron scandal. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Source document

Metropolitan Museam of Art

Rob Murphy Art and Culture Extra Credit My Second Visit to the Met 12/10/11 My second visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art was equally enjoyable as the first. On my first visit, I hovered around the American wing and Egyptian wing mainly. On the contrary, my second visit consisted of a trip to enjoy the Greek and Roman wing. Wings such as the Egyptian, are big enough to re-visit, as I was able too. The works I was able to enjoy on my second trip were the â€Å"Cleopatra† sculpture, and the world renowned â€Å"Perseus with a Head of Medusa†. The â€Å"Cleopatra† sculpture was quite a sensational one.It was carved by William Wetmore Story out of marble; spanning eleven years , it was completed in 1869. The Boston bred sculptor’s masterpiece is in Gallery of American painting and sculpture of the Met. This beautiful sculpture is of the Egyptian queen , born in 69 BC. Alike many of William Wetmore Story’s sculptures, Cleopatra is sitting down in a c hair. The Queen is wearing a long dress with her left breast exposed. She is accessorized with jewelry and an Egyptian head piece. Her facial expressions and body positioning suggests she is is in a deep state of thought. Whether reflecting on past behavior or contemplating future actions, the figures are thinking about deeds of cataclysmic significance†(Metropolitan Museum of Art). This suggests Cleopatra is said to be thinking of something of great significance. The reason I chose the sculpture of Cleopatra as one of the works from my second visit is because it was understandable, and expresses a clear thought. She is a famous figure, and once I witnessed it , it was enjoyable to see something familiar. His sculpture made of marble is beyond my imagination of how someone could complete this.The neoclassical sculptors, â€Å"Cleopatra†, were one of William Wetmore Story’s most applauded works of art. The second work of art I appreciated on my trip to the Met was â€Å"Perseus with the Head of Medusa†. â€Å"Perseus with the Head of Medusa† is located in the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts hall. Italy native Antonio Canova carved this sculpture spanning from 1804 to 1806. In addition to the past sculpture, this was also carved out of marble. It displays Perseus, who is a mythical hero who was said to have defeated various archaic monsters; Most notably known for the Greek hero who killed Gordon Medusa , as displayed in the sculpture.Medusa was a monster who, when someone would lay eyes upon her would be transform into stone. After being killed by Perseus, Medusa’s head was used as a weapon by this hero ,and later given as a gift to his goddess, Athena, as a shield ornament. This greatly detailed sculpture shows Perseus nude , wielding a shield in one hand and medusas decapitated head in the other. He is shown staring at the severed head of Medusa. Perseus takes pride in slaying this monster , and holds her head h igh and might with pride.The face of Medusa looks unpleasant, and has a defeated expression. The mythical hero has her by the hair, except , her would be hair is represented by snakes. The reason I chose to write about this sculpture is because along with Cleopatra, Medusa was a familiar figure to me . In addition , I am also intrigued by Greek mythology such as Medusa and Perseus. The extreme detail of this exquisite sculpture also caught my attention. Canova’s detail is remarkable. The fact that he can capture facial expressions, thoughts, and predictable actions in this sculpture is phenomenal.The Metropolitan Museum of Art is an extraordinary experience. Being lucky enough to enjoy it twice is rare. While gawking at everything you lay eyes upon, you have a sense of disbelief. To think these unparalleled sculptures were hand carved, in days of minute technology is beyond understanding. These two works of art are truly amazing and the fact that they were kept in such immacu late condition is marvelous. The reasons I chose these two was because, I was familiar with both characters and I was interested to do research on them, and learn more.In conclusion I would recommend to anyone planning on taking a trip to this museum to visit these two miraculous works of art. Bibliography: http://www. metmuseum. org/collections/search-the-collections? gallerynos=548&ft=* http://www. metmuseum. org/Collections/search-the-collections/20013020? rpp=20&pg=1&ft=cleopatra&pos=5 http://www. framemuseums. org/jsp/fiche_oeuvre. jsp? STNAV=&RUBNAV=&CODE=O115046173127831&LANGUE=1&RH=UsaFRAMEMuseums&OBJET_PROVENANCE=COLLECTION

Co

Co One of the most novel ideas in education instruction is collaborative teaching. Learners with special needs learn alongside ordinary students in an ordinary class setting. A special needs teacher is supposed to assist the regular teacher in preparing materials for special learners, delivering assisted learning during and after the regular classes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Co-teaching specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The purpose of collaborative learning is to give learners with special needs an opportunity to acquire education and an environment that does not have any restrictions, thus maximizing their chances to learn. Collaborative learning employs multiple teaching and learning skills. It should not be confused with other teaching practices such as one teacher preparing material and another delivering instruction. It is an opportunity to distribute teaching activities amongst a group of individuals with di fferent teaching skills. This paper endeavors to give a an assessment of collaborative teaching Where collaborative learning is used efficiently, students with learning difficulties reap maximums benefits, while ordinary learners acquire the skills to socialize and live harmoniously with special need students. It is therefore an idea worth implementing (Logsdon, 2011). Cushman (n.d.) also argues that this type of teaching model propagates a sense of productive interdependence amongst teacher. It is more effective when co-teachers realize that each of them is not sufficiently equipped to respond to the diversely unique needs of a class. It is also an effective way of ensuring each individual teachers account for individual responsibilities. However, collaborative teaching is not without hitches. It is time consuming and creates too much interference in terms of unnecessary movements and uncontrolled noise in a class.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It may also be disorderly when collaborative teachers have extremely diverse teaching skills (Deluca, Borman, Jump, Ratzlaff and Nystrom, 2010). Many people have suggested an alternative where there is one teacher in a class assisted by several assistants. While this may be good in having many professional with diverse skills in the same class, its implementation may be cumbersome. It is therefore more preferable to have two teachers who take their time to plan for the class. This will reduce the amount of confusion and interference in the teaching process (Haynes, 2010). Evaluation of student’s progress is usually a challenging task in a mixed abilities class. Various issues complicate the type of grading system to use. Co-teachers usually have a problem grading, given that students have different abilities and learning styles. It is also difficult to determine how to evaluate daily assignments, who e valuates them and how they reflect on the final grade (University of Kansas, 2005). There should also be mutual respect for each other personal space and opinion between the co-teachers. For ordinary education teachers who are doing it for the first time, one of the major learning points is sharing teaching space with a fellow professional (Creighton Education, n.d.). Several qualities identify an ideal co teacher. To begin with, a co-teacher must be able to share professional knowledge as well as be open to communication and criticism. They must also be inclined towards learner centred teaching. Most importantly, they must be willing team players. Absence of these basic characteristic in a co-teacher make hinder the whole process (EFL classrooms, 2010). Co-teaching is an idea that is yet to gain much support. However, the benefits of co-teaching are worthwhile.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Co-teaching specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Learners with learning difficulties are motivated by learning in a less restricted ordinary class and get to enjoy the benefits that the ordinary learner gets. Despite the complexity in its implementation, the many professions and learning institutions should try it. Reference List Creighton Education, (n.d.). Co-teaching in todays classrooms. Retrieved from https://people.creighton.edu/~ekw49122/Co-Teaching/Paper%20One.htm Cushman, S. (n.d.). What is co-teaching? Word Press. Retrieved from yeslife.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/what-is-coteaching.pdf Deluca D, Borman J, jump T, Ratzlaff R and Nystrom C. (2010). Co teaching. Class  Chatter. Retrieved from  www.classchatter.com/edtech/co_teaching.ppt EFL classrooms, (2010). Co-teaching: general guidelines and procedures.  Edublogs. Retrieved from http://ddeubel.edublogs.org/2010/10/01/co-teaching-general-guidelines-and-procedures/ Haynes, J. (2010). Collaborative teaching for ells: Are two teachers better th an one? EverythingESL. Retrieved from http://everythingesl-everythingesl.blogspot.com/2010/02/collaborative-teaching-are-two-teachers.htm Logsdon, A. (2011). Collaborative teaching Special education in collaborative classrooms. About.com Guide. Retrieved from http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/publicschoolprograms/p/collaboration.htmAdvertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More University of Kansas , (2005). Grading considerations. Special Connections.  Retrieved from specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-hbin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=collaborationsection=mainsubsection=coteaching/grade

Dumb-blonde stereotypes Essays

Dumb-blonde stereotypes Essays Dumb-blonde stereotypes Essay Dumb-blonde stereotypes Essay Tony then arrives to let Gary know that their pub is closing down, both shocked Gary walks out abandoning Dorothy, this is a stereotypical think that men dont care about woman as much as booze, or footie.  In scene 2 Gary and Tony have a drink with the new pub landlord; the drink is seen as a stereotypical bonding way of men. Scene 3 in Debs flat is a good scene because it shows how careless men are, when Tony shows up with a condom machine badly wrapped, this also supports the stereotypical idea of men being obsessed with sex. Debs flat is stereotypically feminine in that it is tidy, clean, bright, homely and tasteful unlike Gary and Tonis flat which is dirty and overloaded with beer cans. When Debby tells Tony about her interest in astrology Tony then gives her a stereotypical male view of it guys dont believe in all that bollocks, unless they want to get off with a girl who really thinks (its true). Tony then makes a joke with a sexual overtone, you show me yours, Ill show you mine, again this stereotypical idea that men only think about sex. In scene 4 Tony and Gary go o n a pub crawl to find a new pub, as mentioned they approach this as if buying a house, as it will become their home from now on. Gary makes a list of what to look for in a pub, the list includes taking a good look at the outside step (when they are drunk), and local take-ways (stereotypical lad, them getting drunk and getting the munchies). Over the scene Gary and Tony start dancing drunkenly in the street, this is a very stereotypical. In scene 5 we see Garys flat which has been turned in a pub with the old pubs filthy toilets and the optics. They then start having a conversation about girly words like: loo, doobry, oops, potty, flip flop, being different from guy words such as carburettor, penalty shoot-out. The girly words have a more soft and connotations of home, where as the guy words are linked to stereotypical male obsessions like cars and football. When Dorothy comes in and Gary tries to explain the importance of pubs to men by comparing a pub to cathedral, suggesting that drinking is their religion. Gary then enacts all of his bad habits mentioned earlier. When Gary goes to the pub he lives to-do notes for Dorothy, and she from furry goes to the pub and does a role reversal and acts like a stereotypical lad does. Now what Dorothy does is, in effect, to expose the dominant ideology that says its socially acceptable for men to behave like this, but totally taboo for woman to do the same. The humour in this scene comes through the surprise of the role reversal/breaking of stereotypes showing us what we do not expect to see. The second comedy I am going to look at is AbFab, now the humour comes form the characters breaking the stereotypical representations of woman, unlike MBB where the humour comes form the exaggerated stereotypes. AbFab is an almost entirely female sitcom, there are hardly any men in the programme, and those that appear are usually either gay or unimportant (seen as sex objects, as woman would be seen in MBB and earlier sitcoms. The humour in this sitcom comes from Patsy and Edina acting in this extreme, and in social terms unacceptable behaviour.  The episode of AbFab that Ive studied is the first ever episode made of AbFab. In scene 1 and throughout the episode we see that Edina breaks the stereotype of being a good mother and there is a theme of role reversal in which Edina is, is a teenager and Saffy is the responsible mother figure. The scene opens with Edinas room and shes in bed as she had a hangover from the previous night. This is where we see that she had none of the qualities of a mother: as she is messy, get drunk and smokes to excess (we see bottles, ash trays and cigarette buds all over the room), she is irresponsible (as she cant be asked to get up to go to work), she is lazy and she is very loud. The role reversal is seen when Saffy comes in and starts shouting at Edina to get up and go to work (as if a parent would do to their child), Edina reacts by hiding the drink bottle under her duvet so that Saffy doesnt see it (again as a teenager would hide drinks or fags). The comedy comes from Edina breaking the stereotypical mother image. In the second scene we see Edinas kitchen and again that is also covered with drink bottles everywhere. We see the Edina is not at all domestic because she confuses the washing machine with a cupboard, this reveals that she is not a stereotypical domestic housewife and the humour comes from that.  Saffy is presented as a stereotypical mother should be: caring, responsible, practical, concerned and trying to tell Edina the difference between right and wrong (as a mother should instead its the daughter). Edina acts in a very unfeminine manner, as she is loud, vulgar, aggressive and childish (like a stereotypical teenager would be perceived as). In scene 3 we meet Patsy for the first time, now as soon as she enters the room we can tell that Saffy doesnt like her (like when parents meet daughters boyfriends and think their not good enough). Patsy arrives in a smart suit (this reflects the dominance over Edina and as if she is the man in the partnership). She has a sixties beehive hairdo, this is a throwback to the time that Patsy and Edina are stuck in. now Edina sees her relationship with Patsy more important that the motherly relationship with Saffy ( un stereotypical, as mothers should put their kids before everything else), similar to the relationship in MBB, where they see mates more important than girlfriends. In scene 4 we see Edina and Patsy doing things to excess like drinking, smoking (these are unfeminine vices), later we see them taking drugs like its a everyday, normal thing. Edina seems to have few maternal instinct and Patsy none, Patsy asks whats the point of having kids when all they do is ruin your body, and not come with you to fashion shows, Patsy only sees the disadvantages. Patsy is independent and in control other own sexuality without any maternal hang- ups at all (like a stereotypical man, who has one night stands all the time and doesnt care). Patsy breaks the stereotypical traditional feminine stereotypes as her life seems to revolve around; drinking, smoking, bitching, drugs, and drugs, those things you would expect only a man to do, this breaks all feminine stereotypes, and thats why its seen as funny to the audience as they would never expect a woman to do that. In scene 5 we meet Bubble, she is perceived as and extreme dumb-blonde stereotypes, her name presumably refers to the fact that she is an air-head, but also she is reversing the stereotype of the efficient female assistant. In this scene Edina is very much her own boss (as you would expect a stereotypical man to be), also you see how AbFab is a world of woman, as there are no men in it or the fact that no men are mentioned. We also see how ruthless, insincere, heartless and totally lacking maternal feelings Edina is (you wouldnt expect to see woman like that, it breaks away from the stereotypical representation of woman) when she organises the fashion show.

How Long Does It Take to Learn a New Language [Infographic]

How Long Does It Take to Learn a New Language [Infographic] Do you know English is actually not the most common language in the world? Only one-seventh of the world can speak English. If you want to start a conversation with other 6 billion people who can’t speak English, you’d have to learn their languages. Learning a new language takes time and how long it takes will vary depending on how similar your mother tongue is to the new language. As you might imagine, for English speakers, languages like Arabic and Chinese take the longest to learn.Also, keep in the mind that your own time will vary. The numbers in the infographic below are based on information from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), and they based their numbers on a 25 hours study week.Check out the infographic below to learn how long it takes English speakers to learn the most common languages in the world.

Monetary Policy and the Stock Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Monetary Policy and the Stock Market - Essay Example Many papers have found that the extent to which monetary policymakers react to stock market changes are often driven by other factors such as the rate of inflation and output gap. In most of the cases, stock market changes are rarely the aspects which influence monetary policy. The present paper attempts to examine this very fact through employing least square methods. In order to assess this relation, Taylor’s rule has been modified accordingly. The output however, yielded does not depict a highly significant association between stock market fluctuations and the dependent variable, monetary policies which is duplicated by Federal Funds Rate. 1 - Introduction Stock market fluctuations often decide the financial state of an economy. These, in turn, could act as the decisive forces behind the monetary policy framework of an economy. Movements adapted by stock market indices often reflect the behaviour patterns exhibited by many essential economic variables. Stock market indices might be regarded as a mirror image of the way their components behave over time. In case that these components exhibit an average upward trend, the implication is that of a rising stock price index, while they display a downward trend implies the stock prices moving down on an average. Movements of stock prices often indicate the extent to which an economy is soaring. High figures of stock price indices in an economy indicate upward inflationary trends in the economy. Hence, it is important to keep a note of the fluctuations that the stock market indices depict. Inflationary pressures are rather regarded as harmful for the economy and hence they often are kept under control by the monetary policymakers of an economy. Thus, it can be argued...Stock market fluctuations often decide the financial state of an economy. These, in turn, could act as the decisive forces behind the monetary policy framework of an economy. Movements adapted by stock market indices often reflect the behaviour patterns exhibited by many essential economic variables. Stock market indices might be regarded as a mirror image of the way their components behave over time. In case that these components exhibit an average upward trend, the implication is that of a rising stock price index, while they display a downward trend implies the stock prices moving down on an average. Movements of stock prices often indicate the extent to which an economy is soaring. High figures of stock price indices in an economy indicate upward inflationary trends in the economy. Hence, it is important to keep a note of the fluctuations that the stock market indices depict. Inflationary pressures are rather regarded as harmful for the economy and hence they often are kept under control by the monetary policymakers of an economy. Thus, it can be argued that higher the stock market index of a nation , greater will be the inflationary pressure upon the economy. This tempts the monetary policymakers to frame strategies for regulation of the same. This inflationary pressure could actually lead to a rise in the velocity of money .This , in turn, could actually result to higher economic activities and at the same time leads to price hikes. These price hikes might lead to depreciation in the rate of exchange and thus eventually reduce the inflow of foreign direct investments. This is because overseas investors are no longer allured by the thought of earning higher amounts in repayment.

Technology in My Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Technology in My Life - Essay Example Similarly, I use kitchen appliances for cooking and baking. I also make use of mobile phone to communicate with my friends and relatives. I get information about new technologies through internet research and buy the products, which I consider useful for me. For example, a couple of weeks ago, I planned to buy some new television technology to enjoy good pixel quality. I explored internet sources and came to know about light emitting diode (LED) sets, which provide excellent picture quality and enhanced view of dark scenes. Therefore, I bought a LED set, which proved to be a good choice for me to view movies and other programs. In my professional life, I make use of a range of technologies, which include laptop, iPad, fax machine, scanner, printer, and mobile phone. My company has provided all of these products to me to make me show improved productivity and efficiency. I believe that in the present age, use of technology has become critical for the success of a person in his/her professional life. Therefore, I try to make a great use of all of available technologies to show improvement in my job efficiency and

Literature review of my research about Dual authority in matrix Essay

Literature review of my research about Dual authority in matrix organization - Essay Example This resulted in the creation of a structure in which a number of employees were working under two heads, the department head or the project manager of the interdisciplinary project team. When this structure was depicted in paper, it was found that the crossing of the organizational lines could be represented in the form of grids or a matrix. Henceforth it was termed as matrix organizations (Kuprenas, 2003, p.1). When it is compared with the other forms of organizational structures, it is viewed as a combination of the traditional hierarchy which is overlaid with some form of lateral authority, influence or communication. The overlay creates a combination of commands, one which is long the functional aspects of the project and another which are along the project lines. Assuming the complexities of the project management in the business world of today, matrix structures are primarily used where the requirement of technical assistance across many different areas are required (Kuprenas, 2003, p.1). This structure is especially preferred in large scale consulting, the construction and the aerospace industry. One of initial and first users of the structures was Bureau of Engineering in the City of Los Angeles. However, certain problems were faced during the implementation of the same (Kuprenas, 2003, p.1). Implementation Challenges of the Matrix structure Research shows that implementation of the matrix structure in any organizational structure is difficult. Implementation of the matrix design in the Bureau of Engineering came with a number of difficulties. The Bureau experienced a number of confusions and conflicts with regards to the responsibilities and roles of the functional manager

Taking the position that increased vending machine regulation in Essay

Taking the position that increased vending machine regulation in public schools is a good idea - Essay Example One major problem regarding children’s health is the huge quantity of sugary and high calorie food that is available to them at school. Vending machines are not supervised so it is hard to stop children from eating or drinking as much of these types of food or drink as they want. And since children don’t know what is best for them, this can often be a lot. A number of recent studies have shown the negative role vending machines play in children’s health, and in this essay I will look at some of their arguments. Part of the reason why the issue of vending machines is on the radar these days is because obesity is becoming more and more of a problem in the United States. Obesity can lead to diseases like Type-2 Diabetes. According to Amy Virus, a registered dietitian, â€Å"[m]iddle schools students are at particular risk, because they are going through puberty, their physical activity and dietary habits are fluctuating . . .†1 It doesn’t help that there is temptation around every corner, with as many as 75 per cent of middle schools possessing vending machines which sell sugary drinks and fatty snacks. With all the emotion going on in their lives, it is not surprising that children going through puberty might reach out to enjoy some â€Å"comfort food.† Some might call them â€Å"comfort foods,† but others might call them â€Å"competitive foods,† as the U.S. Department of Agriculture does. These are â€Å"foods offered at school other than meals served through USDA school mean programs—school breakfast, school lunch, and after-school snack programs.†2 Because the USDA is responsible to parents and taxpayers, it is careful to provide healthy options for school meals. Plus, this food is being given out by employees and teachers. If a student comes back to the cafeteria for a fourth helping of food, the staff can easily say, â€Å"You’ve had enough to eat.† But those who stock vending machines aren’t responsible to anyone: they just want

Economic Development in East Asia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Economic Development in East Asia - Essay Example Many countries started the modern economic growth post Second World War while some other countries chose to start them according to their preference. The biggest developer Japan decided to use the modern economy from 1985, where as china implemented it from 1980s. It followed the economy policy and preferred market economies over central economy. From then it has been a growing stage for each country as well as the East Asia as a whole. Globalization created so much impact on all the countries and only some could withstand the era of Globalization. East Asian countries did not face this problem. They were strong enough to accept and change towards globalization, and from then there has been a continuous growth in all the countries. As politics played a major role in the development of a country, many countries could not improve their economic standard immediately. They had to cooperate with the government and abide by their rules and regulations. The growth and development was seen in starting up new industries and inventing new things.(Nabende 2003). Import and Export underwent a transformation. Countries like Japan and China started to manufacture their own products instead of importing them from other foreign countries. This in turn resulted in exporting goods manufactured by them to the other countries. Manufacturing companies started to produce textiles, technological products and other industrial and home appliances. The shares of each country were based on their development and some of them had a tough time due to the massive improvement of China and Japan. (Sycip 1996).There was also a growth on the education and employment, which gradually improved the economy. After some years, the government started providing monetary support to the countries, which made the development easier. The trade and its market started to improve; import and export decided a countries role to develop other nations. Though East Asian countries were experiencing growth, in the 1980s there was a setback which the countries found it difficult to cope up with. Some of them reported zero growth and import and export were affected. This condition improved after years of struggle and fight. Japan was leading in the development stage and it faced a severe competition with the improvement of United States. The value of dollar and Yen kept in fluctuating. There was a tough competition between them. Financial Crisis Financial crisis disturbed and turned down the improvement of almost all the countries in the world. East Asian countries were the worst hit by the financial crisis. There was a drop in their currency value too. (Greenwood 2005).The U.S dollar continued to dominate and countries like Japan and China had their currencies floating. The recovery from this crisis took some time and improvement seemed to be tough. Due to this crisis, trading operations totally came to a halt. Countries with good economies could manage, where as smaller countries started to suffer. Investment went down and they found it difficult to tide over the situation. But then after sometime the countries started to recover and the recovery was rather a shock to the other countries. With the help of the government, countries gained financial support and their trading, import, export and investment seemed to improve. Trade assignments between the East Asian countr

Mathematical Model Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mathematical Model - Research Paper Example Introduction A model is a representation or an abstraction of a real or abstract system or a process. Thus, mathematical modeling is the process of representing real or abstract phenomenon using mathematical tools, which includes mathematical notations, formulas, relations, and symbols. Models are necessary since they enable scientists define a problems, understand data, organize thoughts/ideas, make predictions and communicate with the world (Bender, 2000, p. 23). Most real problems or phenomenons are complex and, therefore mathematical models enable us to capture certain key aspects of the phenomenon. Usually, it is impossible or unnecessary to represent some facts about a phenomenon since they are either too complex or unnecessary. Models can take many forms, including statistical models, dynamical systems, or game theoretic models, differential equations (Korotayev, Malkov & Khaltourina, 2006). Other forms of mathematical models use logic and they are mainly applied in humanities and philosophy. Although models represents real phenomenon they do not necessarily agree related experimental measurement. This has been a basis for advanced theories to define the related phenomenon. The role that mathematical models Figure 1 Brief History There are two basic types of mathematical models namely deterministic and empirical models. ... Through these models, scientists were able to explain basic physical properties such as motion. Newton’s models have been fundamental in Newtonian mechanics, which is still a fundamental aspect of modern mathematical physics. Initial models were deterministic and, they enabled scientist to write explicit mathematical formulas connecting two or more variables. Some of the well-known Newtonian models include The models occur naturally for a point mass m moving in space. such models could not be applied on multivariate problems. This necessitated the development of empirical models that are based on experimental observations. Key Developments Key developments in mathematical modeling include application of computer software to solve numerical equations resulting from mathematical models. Other developments involve the application of abstract theories in the development of models. Early models relied on experimental theories that resulted in deterministic models. However, advances in the field have proved that other branches of mathematics such as topology, algebra, and analysis are of equal significance in formulating mathematical models. Indeed, mathematicians are exploring the possibility of abstract approach in formulating models. Mathematical Content Fundamental theory in mathematical model is dependent on outcomes of natural laws and phenomenon. For instance, models of population studies have to incorporate basic theories on the subject. For example, the models have to account for population growth rate, implication of diminishing resources, carrying capacities of the environment, predation, death, and decay. Consequently, modelers have to have concrete knowledge in formulating natural problems using mathematical

Economic Development in East Asia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Economic Development in East Asia - Essay Example Many countries started the modern economic growth post Second World War while some other countries chose to start them according to their preference. The biggest developer Japan decided to use the modern economy from 1985, where as china implemented it from 1980s. It followed the economy policy and preferred market economies over central economy. From then it has been a growing stage for each country as well as the East Asia as a whole. Globalization created so much impact on all the countries and only some could withstand the era of Globalization. East Asian countries did not face this problem. They were strong enough to accept and change towards globalization, and from then there has been a continuous growth in all the countries. As politics played a major role in the development of a country, many countries could not improve their economic standard immediately. They had to cooperate with the government and abide by their rules and regulations. The growth and development was seen in starting up new industries and inventing new things.(Nabende 2003). Import and Export underwent a transformation. Countries like Japan and China started to manufacture their own products instead of importing them from other foreign countries. This in turn resulted in exporting goods manufactured by them to the other countries. Manufacturing companies started to produce textiles, technological products and other industrial and home appliances. The shares of each country were based on their development and some of them had a tough time due to the massive improvement of China and Japan. (Sycip 1996).There was also a growth on the education and employment, which gradually improved the economy. After some years, the government started providing monetary support to the countries, which made the development easier. The trade and its market started to improve; import and export decided a countries role to develop other nations. Though East Asian countries were experiencing growth, in the 1980s there was a setback which the countries found it difficult to cope up with. Some of them reported zero growth and import and export were affected. This condition improved after years of struggle and fight. Japan was leading in the development stage and it faced a severe competition with the improvement of United States. The value of dollar and Yen kept in fluctuating. There was a tough competition between them. Financial Crisis Financial crisis disturbed and turned down the improvement of almost all the countries in the world. East Asian countries were the worst hit by the financial crisis. There was a drop in their currency value too. (Greenwood 2005).The U.S dollar continued to dominate and countries like Japan and China had their currencies floating. The recovery from this crisis took some time and improvement seemed to be tough. Due to this crisis, trading operations totally came to a halt. Countries with good economies could manage, where as smaller countries started to suffer. Investment went down and they found it difficult to tide over the situation. But then after sometime the countries started to recover and the recovery was rather a shock to the other countries. With the help of the government, countries gained financial support and their trading, import, export and investment seemed to improve. Trade assignments between the East Asian countr

The Music of the Night Essay Example for Free

The Music of the Night Essay In operas, either people love them or hate them. Play and song writer Andrew Lloyd Webber portrays a new light on opera in the famous musical The Phantom of the Opera. In scene five of the musical where the Phantom of the Paris Opera House sings a romantic melody entitled â€Å"The Music of The Night† to the orphaned ballerina dancer Christine Daae, he is telling her to â€Å"Close [her] eyes and surrender to [her]/ darkest dreams!/ Purge [her] thoughts of the life/ [she] knew before!† (12-15). He is basically telling her to live up to her dreams and for her not to let her past hold her back. The Phantom knows that Christine looks up to him as her guide; she calls him â€Å"The Angel of Music†. When her father was alive when she was younger he was a famous violinist and he told her repeatedly that a guardian called â€Å"The Angel of Music† would look after her if he wasn’t able to (Christine’s Character). Christine’s father fell ill and died when she was only seven years old and she was taken in by a family friend that spent a great time at the Opera House—that is where her career started to begin. Christine Daae had troubles and tried to forget about them, but the Phantom knew that it isnt easy to forget someone you once had close to you; and he knew it was affecting her talent. When he sang to her, he reassured her by letting her know that she should â€Å"turn [her] thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light† meaning that when she starts to think about heartbreaking and miserable thoughts, she needs to stop (9-10). In the following lines 24-28, he lets her know that she needs to, â€Å"Open up [her] mind, Let her fantasies unwind, In this darkness which, [She] knows [she] cannot fight- The darkness of the music of the night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thus, letting her know that even though it is hard to overcome her troubled past, she should bring out her emotions in her performance when she listens to any harmony of music; he knows that in every musical number, there is darkness behind it someway, somehow and she can portray it with beauty and grace. The Phantom believes in her and looks after her just like her father said that an â€Å"Angel of Music† would. The Phantom lets Christine truly believe this by hearing him sing this ballad; trying to show her that she can let her dream begin at anytime, but only she, herself, can let her darker side give in to the power of the music (39-41). So, he uses the word â€Å"garish† in the song, which means, according to an online dictionary, crudely or tastelessly colorful, showy, or elaborate (Garish define). He is stating that the â€Å"garish light of day† can be misleading and that she should just focus on the music of the night (8). The Phantom makes the night life sound very appealing by the introducing lines of the song: â€Å"Night-time sharpens, Heightens each sensation Darkness stirs and wakes imagination Silently the senses abandon their defenses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1-4) He is showing her that at night fall imagination stirs and bubbles forth no matter who the person is. They recognize feelings at night time, before, that at times they may have never felt, therefore pushing one’s imagination towards how they feel. For example, in Christine’s situation, she may have never really put much thought towards how much she really misses her father and why it is holding her back from achieving more in her life. As she has some time alone at night to think, to dream, she is able to have time to search her inner most thoughts and reflect her life and imagine what it could have been if her father was still around. That can bring out her senses, her defenses are then abandoned, and she has just discovered a little of what makes her connect with the music of the night. Christine  needs to not live with feelings that overshadow her life and she should start a journey through this new experience. All-in-all, the song â€Å"The Music of The Night† is about us getting in touch with our imagination and us embracing our feelings. Andrew Lloyd Webber fully captivated audiences around the world and made them take hold of their mind’s eye and their senses. The music in this chilling masterpiece is mind opening in which one can let their fantasies take flight. When listening to the song and fully taking in it’s meaning, a person, such as me, can really let the beautiful lyrics flow loudly out of the boom box speakers and into the thoughts of my life. So, like Christine, the Phantom was reassuring her that in the end â€Å"[She] alone can make [his] song take flight-/ help [him] make the music of the night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (42-43). Only she is capable of accepting the help from â€Å"The Angel of Music† and the help from herself as she tries to use her imagination and the sensation that the night brings to help her over come the feelings that affect her perfo rmance on the stage and in her everyday life. Even though her father had passed, she found what she thinks to be â€Å"The Angel of Music† and she is now following her fathers wish, yet she is finding herself along the way. That is what is best for her, to keep moving forward with her life while achieving her dreams.

The Review Of Randomised Control Trials

The Review Of Randomised Control Trials The effectiveness of the methodological approach used in any study most certainly determines the accuracy and reliability of the research hence the need to select the most viable methodology. Subsequent studies indicate that the use of a poor methodology is not only misleading but it could also lead to detrimental consequences in the event that the results of the study are used as a basis for decision making or implementation of recommendations. Further, different methodologies are expected to be more effective in particular experiments only. The use of Randomised Control Trials Research is highly popular in nursing and medicine due to its effectiveness in obtaining outcomes that are relevant, mostly in testing the safety of treatments and drugs before they can be fully utilized in the health care system. RCT as Randomised Control Trials Research is often abbreviated is popular because unlike other methodologies, allocation bias is minimised and prognostic factors that are known or u nknown to the researcher are balanced, thus giving accurate results. This paper seeks to critique Randomised Control Trials Research with a view of establish its philosophical foundation and its application in research. In this regard, the paper also includes a critique of three experiments that were done using Randomised Control Trials Research. Methodological review The history of Randomised Control Trials can be traced back to about 600 B.C. It was first recorded by Daniel Judah, whose research is probably the earliest as far as clinical research is concerned. He sought to establish the effects of royal Babylonian diet and the vegetarian diet for a time period of 10 days (Stolberg, Norman Trop, 2004). While his research was devoid of contemporary medical standards such as ascertainment bias, allocation bias and confounding by divine intervention, the research has remained an influential record in the history of Randomised Control Trials. Major advancements were recorded in the 19th century. The credit for modern CRT is attributable to Sir Austin Bradford Hill. This was witnessed during the Medical Research Council trials which sought to test streptomycins effectiveness in treating pulmonary tuberculosis. The research is considered a landmark research in medicine and since Hills achievement, the use of randomised control trials has grown except ionally (Stolberg, Norman Trop, 2004). RCT are actually considered the basis for evidence-based medicine. Randomised Control Trials are used in modern day health care and medical trials in assessing the effectiveness of interventions such as drugs and medical procedures. Randomised Control Trials Research is a methodology that is highly popular in the medical and health services sector and which has been used in testing the efficacy of drugs, treatments and health care services such as nursing and medicine (Rosenberger Lachin, 1993; Jadad, 1998). Randomised Control Trials Research (RCT) is distinguished by the fact that once the eligible study subjects have been identified, they are put through one or other of the studys alternative treatments before the intervention to be studied begins. Once the study groups are randomized, they are followed up in exactly the same way and specific care standards are given to each study group depending on the research being performed (Edwards, Lilford Hewison, 1998). The use of Randomised Control Trials Research is considered highly effective because it minimises allocation bias to a significant level. Further it is possible to balance the known and unknown prognostic factors such that the treatments are more accu rate unbiased and reliable. A significant characteristic of Randomised Control Trials Research is that tests usually include a control experiment alongside the main treatment (Charlton, 1995). These are known as placebo-controlled studies and they are used in comparing changes recorded in the active treatment group in order to ascertain that the study group that was not included in the treatment does not react in a similar manner. This serves the purpose of proving whether the active treatment actually had an impact on the active study group. RCTs are occasionally known as randomised controlled clinical trials when they are used for clinical research (Charlton, 1995). Besides their use in medical research however, RCTs are also used in education, criminology, international development and social work. The use of RCT is mostly popular because of randomisation. This involves the selection of random samples and it has been identified as an effective approach because of various advantages as follows. Firstly, it eliminates bias because the researcher selects the participants from a random sample as opposed to convenience thus eliminating the possibility of researcher bias and confounding (Edwards, Lilford Hewison, 1998). Secondly, the use of RCT enhances blinding or masking of the treatments under study from the participants, investigators and assessors thus reducing the possibility of bias and irregularities (Charlton, 1995). The use of randomisation further permits the researchers to use probability theory in expressing that differences in outcome could have resulted from chance. Despite the efficacy of Randomised Control Trials Research, the method has raised various ethical issues that are said to limit the authenticity of the research methodology. To begin with, the Zelens design used in various RCTs is considered unethical because it randomizes the subject prior to obtaining their consent (Edwards, Lilford Hewison, 1998). This unethical aspect of this design however is mostly considered where screening and selected therapies are used as opposed to common therapeutic trials. The principle of clinical equipoise is common in defending the ethics of Randomised Control Trials. The principle which represents the genuine uncertainty about a preferred treatment within the expert medical community is used as a justification for the use of RCT (Gifford, 1995). On the other hand however, the clinical equipoise also raises ethical concerns, with suggestions being put forth that equipoise cannot generally justify RCT because it is likely to conflict with the unavaila bility of personal equipoise where a person believes that a particular intervention is effective (Gifford, 1995; Edwards, Lilford Hewison, 1998). Other limitations of RCT apart from ethical issues mostly concern external validity. They include differences in where RCT is performed such that one treatment works in a particular country and fails to work in another; characteristics of the patients such that there may be differences in their natural features; study procedures, for example where RCT patients are likely to receive more intensive treatment and care, which would certainly be impossible to achieve in the real world; and incomplete reports of adverse effects recorded during the interventions (Jadad, 1998). RCTs can also be highly expensive and are therefore considered inapplicable where financial resources are limited. Stolberg, Norman and Trop (2004) further notes that RCTs cannot be used in all types of trials. They note that there are a significant number of situations in which the use RCT is not appropriate, feasible or necessary in solving the said problems. Examples include cancer screening, ability to cease smoki ng and assessment of interventions that are likely to have rare outcomes or whose outcome takes long to develop. Critical discussion The use of randomised control trials research in nursing is undoubtedly relevant in that it aids in obtaining the desired results of the interventions used. It can be established that the use of random samples helps greatly in ensuring that authenticity of data is assured. As noted by Altman, Machin and Bagant (2000), data authenticity can only be assured if it can be established that there is no bias in the selection of the sample. Furthermore, unscrupulous researchers have been known to manipulate the research samples in order to ensure that the outcome of their studies favour the desired outcome. It is also clear that there is a limited possibility of coming up with false results because randomised control trials are mostly done hand in hand with control tests. This ensures that comparison of results yields the differences that exist between the two study groups. It is these differences that can determine for sure that the active group actually underwent a change as a result of a particular treatment. In Altman, Machin and Bagant (2000) definition of a control experiment, he notes that a control experiment serves as proof that the changes recorded in the active experiment is actually true and that the effect should not be recorded in the control experiment if the results are indeed true. Further, the status of the two study groups should have been the same at the beginning of the experiment. The use of randomised control trials in nursing promises the possibility of obtaining highly reliable results. This is because the research groups can be easily sought from medical records as opposed to where the researchers have to obtain samples from highly dispersed populations (Altman, Machin Bagant 2000). Furthermore, randomised control trials unlike other forms of research do not limit the researcher to a particular geographical region but only to persons with similar characteristics to be used for the study. This could however be disadvantageous in that the inability to locate the required sample population may result in inadequate results. Such an occurrence is likely to occur in cases where potential participants refuse to take part in the study for one reason or the other. An example is where the researcher seeks to experiment a certain medication with individuals suffering from HIV/AIDS and potential participants are unwilling to participate. According to Jadad (1998), ma ny individuals actually have the fear of being used as guinea pigs without the knowledge on whether the results will have positive or negative effects on them. Case studies Further critical analysis of the randomised control trials is done through the use of various case studies in the medical field as indicated below: In a study by Dulin, Hatcher, Sasser and Baringer (2006), they sought to prove that an over the counter supplement known as Policosanol used in the treatment of elevated cholesterol levels was ineffective. The study made use of Randomised Control Trials to examine the effectiveness of Policosanol derived from sugarcane; which had not been tested since its effectiveness was questioned. The objective of the study was to examine the efficacy of the sugar cane-derived policosanol in improving the health conditions of adults with mild hypercholesterolemia. The study would take eight weeks and it involved observing the percentage change in cholesterol level among the participants. The researchers studied the total cholesterol change, triacylglycerols and lipoprotein as well as the dietary habits, blood pressure and weight of the participants. A group of 40 healthy adults with mild hypercholesterolemia were included in the study and they were to receive 20mg of policosanol orally or placebo for the 8 weeks. The results of the study indicated that no significant changes were witnessed in cholesterol levels between the 20 adults under policosanol treatment and the 20 adults under placebo. The same applied to triaclyglycerol and other components tested for. In conclusion therefore, policosanol was ineffective in altering the serum lipid profile of individuals and therefore not effective in reducing cholesterol levels. Richardson and Montgomery (2005) sought to experiment the effectiveness of a dietary supplement for use by children who suffered from developmental coordination disorder. This is a form of disorder affecting approximately 5 percent of school going children and results in learning and behaviour difficulties as well as psychosocial adjustments that are likely to be evident even in adulthood. The researchers sought to experiment whether the use of a supplement to replace the polyunsaturated fatty acids whose absence are said to cause the disorder could help in treating the disorder. The basis for this experiment was that there was insufficient evidence-based treatment for the disorder; such that experimenting with the fatty acid supplements would provide useful information for use in treating developmental coordination disorder and treating motor skills. Richardson and Montgomery (2005) used a randomised controlled trial of the dietary supplementation which consisted of -3 and -6 fatty acids. The test was compared with Placebo and included 117 children with the developmental coordination disorder, aged between 5 and 12 years. This augurs well with Jadad (1998) who explains that a Randomised Control Trials Research should include the population under study as well as a control group to be used for comparing the outcome of the research. The research which took three months included a parallel observation of the two groups in order to establish any changes in the population. This was followed by a 1-way crossover in which the placebo group was changed to active treatment for another three months. The results of the study indicated that while there was no effect on motor skills treatment, students who received active treatment showed a significant improvement in spelling, reading and behaviour. The same was observed when the placebo group was put under active treatment; while the children continuing with active treatment continued to improve or maintain improvement. I t was thus concluded that the fatty acid supplements could be used in take care of educational and behavioural challenges for children who suffer from developmental coordination disorder. In the third example of the use of CRT in medical practice, the study by Blinkhorn, Gratix, Holloway, Wainwrit-Stringer and Worthington (2003) sought to determine the importance of health educators in enhancing general dental care. The question was on whether dental health educators should be placed to educate parents of at-risk children in order to advance dental care. The study involved 269 mothers who received tooth-brushing advice, sugar control and the use of fluoride toothpaste for 2 years at intervals of 4 months each. 334 pre-school students were included in the study. 138 families and 172 children were included in the test group and 131 families and 162 children were used as a control. Mothers in the test group were required to visit a dental health educator while the rest were used as a control group. After 2 years, 271 children and 248 mothers were remaining in the study. The end result indicated that there was increased general knowledge, tooth-brushing skills and attitud es among parents who had visited a dental educator. Children in the test group however showed little difference in terms of caries experience in relation to the control group. Accordingly, primary care trusts are expected to consider the cost of sending dental health educators in relation to the outcome. According to the study, Â £40 was used in every 2 hour session for counselling 10 parents. Critique of the articles It can be established that the use of randomized control trial research is effective in testing the outcome of various treatments and interventions, mostly through the use of a placebo study group. Similarly, the use of random study groups represents the authenticity of the researches identified above as far as the randomised control trials are concerned. The use of randomised control trials main characteristic is the use of a random sample in testing the efficacy of a certain subject or practice. This is well exhibited in all the three studies where the researchers note that they selected the samples randomly. This most definitely played an imperative role in ensuring that there was no bias in the study and that the results obtained could effectively be used in representing the entire population (Altman, Machin Bagant, 1998). As noted by Jadad (1998), the nature of randomised control trial research ensures that the subjects of the study are not in any way related to the researcher and that results are not manipulated to suit the researchers purpose. The research by Dulin, Hatcher, Sasser and Baringer (2006) represents a well researched paper which is characterised by a well designed methodology. It represents a true picture of how randomized control trial research should be done in order to achieve the most desirable results. Notably, Richardson and Montgomery (2005) make use of an active group study and a placebo group. According to Altman, Machin and Bagant (1998), the use of a control group in RCT is highly imperative as it helps in establishing the authenticity of the research and in comparing the eventual results. The same is witnessed in the study by Richardson and Montgomery (2005) and Blinkhorn, Gratix, Holloway, Wainwrit-Stringer and Worthington (2003) who made use of control groups to establish whether the results obtained in their studies were actually a true representation of the real picture. Richardson and Montgomery (2005) and Dulin, Hatcher, Sasser and Baringer (2006) and Blinkhorn, Gratix, Holloway, Wainwrit-Str inger and Worthington (2003) however fail in that they make use of different sample sizes for the active participants and placebo groups. Richardson and Montgomery (2005) use 117 children indicating that the number was uneven between the control group and the placebo group. The same applies for Dulin, Hatcher, Sasser and Baringer (2006) and Blinkhorn, Gratix, Holloway, Wainwrit-Stringer and Worthington (2003) who used 138 families and 172 children in the test group and 131 families and 162 children as a control. According to Charlton (1995), such differences in the study sample are likely to cause biased outcomes because the population sample in each case does not equal the other, thus defeating the rationality of comparison. The study by Dulin, Hatcher, Sasser and Baringer (2006) consistently defines the variables and shows how the population sample was obtained. This is one of the requirements for ensuring consistency and authenticity as defined by Altman, Machin and Bagant (1998). This is because with the ability to define the population sample and how it was obtained determines the overall outcome of the study. Richardson and Montgomery (2005) also define their population samples thus giving authenticity to the study. It is notable however that in Blinkhorn, Gratix, Holloway, Wainwrit-Stringer and Worthington (2003), only the sample size is given and there is limited information on how the 269 mothers and 334 pre-school children were obtained. Conclusion Randomised control trials research proves to be an effective methodology in enhancing nursing research. This can be evidenced by the use of randomised control trials in various medical and clinical researches, aimed at determining the efficacy of certain interventions in treating various complications. It can be established that through the use of random samples and a control group, the use of randomised control trials is expected to produce highly authentic results which can be used as a basis to introduce the intervention to the rest of the population. Notably however, there are disadvantages associated with randomised control trials research methodology as well as ethical issues related to the methodology. Common limitations include external validity in the research and the justification of the use of randomised control trials in complicated cases. In conclusion however, there is no study methodology without its own limitations and randomised control trials are no exception. This means that the benefits associated with the research methodology should be given more attention as opposed to the cons in conducting effective studies in nursing research.