Critically Assess the UN Response to the Crisis in Darfur Essay

Critically Assess the UN Response to the Crisis in Darfur - Essay Example However, there was an observation that the Sudan government failed to defuse and prosecute the Arab mercenaries. According to De Waal (2005), the UN considered engaging in the crisis by observing that the condition presented violated Article VII of the U.N Charter. Therefore, in the year 2004, the UN resolved to address the Darfur crisis. The UN designed a multifaceted response to the crisis with the sole aim of curbing the situation. Therefore, this paper critically examines the UN response on the Darfur crisis. The State of the Darfur Conflict Sudan has constantly struggled with the civil wars presented by the Arab-Christians conflicts. The Arabs who comprise the overriding group have exploited the southerners. These conflicts became grave in the year 2003 with emergence of â€Å"Sudan Liberation Army† (SLA) and â€Å"Justice Equality Movement† (JEM). These two groups attacked the government since the Arabs who promoted oppression of the blacks (De Waal 2005) dominate d the governance process. The Sudan government retaliated by executing attacks against the civilians in the South. Subsequently, there emerged an Arabic based group called Janjaweed, which furthered the attacks. Investigations provide that the Sudan government financed Janjaweed activities; however, administrators have maintained that the group is illegal (Moore & Pubantz 2008). Initially, UN ventured in the Darfur crisis by chairing a peace agreement between the Sudan government and SLA in the year 2003. However, the partisans to the peace agreement installed by the UN challenged the process and failed to follow it comprehensively. Consequently, conflicts progressed as characterized by deaths and destruction of property. Hopper (2010), observes that Janjaweed’s activities led to death of about 30 000 blacks in Sudan. Importantly, the conflict has led to eviction of over a million Africans from their lands. The UN observed that the crises had presented a pathetic condition in the ground with its policy makers claiming that more than two million Sudanese need care. According to Mamdani (2009), the UN policy makers observed that the Darfur case clustered among the worst global humanitarian crises hence the body observed that there was need of executing the necessary response. The UN initiated instituted investigative bodies that found stern violation of the human rights (Hopper 2010). This was against the policies of the â€Å"International Covenant on Civil and Political Right† (ICCPR) and â€Å"International Criminal Court† (ICC) to which the Sudan government holds the membership. Therefore, the UN could successfully challenge the government’s activities legally (Steidle & Wallace 2007). Consequently, the UN subscribed actively to the Darfur activities. There is a concern among some UN policy makers that the Darfur situation demands a declaration that quantifies as a genocide case; however, this continues to elicit debates (Totten a nd Markusen 2006). The UN and Darfur Situation The UN engaged in the Darfur conflicts initially due to the disinclination of Sudan government in countering the crisis. Humanitarian advocates who observed that the concern needed critical attention raised the matter to the UN panel in the year 2003. The UN’s humanitarian docket claimed that situation poses a serious humanity concern since by then the crisis had displaced about 600, 000 people (Hagan & Rymond-Richmond

Minow's dilemma critical evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Minow's dilemma critical evaluation - Essay Example While forgetting may seem an alluring option for some, unwilling as they are to face the disquietude brought about by rousing old skeletons, there is a greater ethical and moral imperative to exhume the past if only to serve as lessons for the future. In her important book entitled â€Å"Between Vengeance and Forgiveness: Facing History After Genocide and Mass Violence†, Martha Minow looks at the range of institutional responses that have been crafted with the end in view of seeking justice for the victims of mass atrocities and demanding accountability from the perpetrators. The ethical imperative of incorporating justice into efforts towards peace in a post-conflict context is at the heart of the transitional justice project. Its premise is that war and conflict have brought about a slew of human rights and international humanitarian law violations which demand accountability from its perpetrators and reparation for its victims. Minow uses this framework in her book as she p roblematizes the difficulties of navigating the complex road to justice, in the complex terrain and conditions of a post-conflict situation. Minow, however, presented a crucial dilemma when she stated that "The central premise of individual responsibility portrays defendants as separate people capable of autonomous choice- when the phenomena of mass atrocities render that assumption at best problematic" (1998: 46). This is a dilemma because it articulates a conflict between the desire to prosecute individual perpetrators for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and the realization that the mass atrocities were taking place amid extraordinary conditions and assigning individual criminal responsibility to the perpetrators – even if they were the leaders or the heads of the military – does not capture the depth and breadth and magnitude of the phenomenon at hand. This paper will explore this dilemma even further, and will demonstrate that while there is persuasive valu e to individual criminal responsibility, it is an injustice to constrain or limit oneself to the institutional and legal mechanisms that seek accountability for individual criminal behavior without looking at the conditions that gave rise to the atrocity. To quote Franke (2001: 1), â€Å"Justice is, of course, a very complex ethical, legal, institutional and emotional problem, and its aspirations are rendered all the more difficult in transitional societies that are struggling with unstable governance, security and economic institutions.†. Certainly, there are cases where individual criminal responsibility may be very clearly gleaned. Historical accounts have it that on April 25, 1987, Slobodan Milosevic, the fallen President of Serbia, went to Kosovo Polje and was met with a crowd of fifteen thousand Serbs, including an old man who suddenly shouted to Milosevic that the ethnic Albanians were beating them. Milosevic responded by calling out to the man, â€Å"No one shall dar e beat you again.† As if these remarks were not incendiary enough, he proceeded to say, â€Å"This is your land, your fields, your gardens; your memories are here†. A decade later, under Milosevic’s watch, in defense of fields, gardens and memories, Serbian forces unleashed ethnic

The historical pedigree of globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The historical pedigree of globalisation - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that for many, globalization has been a defining characteristic, or even the defining characteristic, of the post-war period. However, as we will see, it is not so easy to rope off globalization as an exclusively post-war, or even exclusively modern phenomenon. Furthermore, it has been a Eurocentric phenomenon, as reinforced by Marxist and Classical Liberal theories, with the Eastern peoples merely the passive objects in the story. For many scholars in recent centuries, the global narrative since Columbus reached the Americas in 1492 has been one of the steady growth of Western power and influence across the world, culminating in a Western dominance of a globalized economy after the Second World War. Such theories have also worked on the assumption that Europe, uniquely, always had the potential to take the lead on the global stage, and to develop further and faster than other regions, largely because of its native urge towards a Capitalist economy, and liberal institutions. We shall see that this is not only not the full picture, but that it is a deeply flawed and misleading picture. Globalisation is not new, but Western dominance in globalizing processes is new. While Eurocentric theories were once the norm in academic discourse, they have undergone serious challenges in recent decades. Edward Said’s â€Å"Orientalism† shook historians’ complacency about the European boundaries of their work.... Notably, Abu-Lughod (1989) argued for the centrality of the Middle East in world history and global exchange, while Gunder Frank (1998) posited the importance of East and Southeast Asia in truly global trading networks. Notions of globalisation which played up the importance of the Western world were generally focused on the post-1945 era, but much of the above literature has rethought globalisation as a much longer-term phenomenon, as well as one which started in the East. A key reason why Western scholars were long unable to recognise that globalisation predated the 20th century was that they have long viewed it in terms of the rise of Western Capitalism. As Hobson (2007) points out, none of the leading economies between 500 and 1800 CE were Western. Globalisation in past centuries was largely fuelled by the wealth and communications of industries and markets that stretched across Asia, and China and India stand out as particularly important global players for much of recorded hist ory. In the 18th century, China accounted for an astonishing 25% of the world’s population, compared to 20% today (Flynn and Giraldez 2006, p. 239), and when European merchants first moved East in search of new opportunities, they should not be regarded as the first signs of an emerging European dominance, but rather as an attempt by a less economically productive region to gain footholds in the trade with the world’s economic powerhouse. Hobson (2007) maintains that China maintained a dominant role in the global economy even later than suggested by Gunder Frank. He states that it continued to outstrip Britain in its share of world manufacturing input

Comparing Two Perspectives of Management Essay Example for Free

Comparing Two Perspectives of Management Essay Management is the attainment of organisational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organising, leading and controlling organisational resources (Samson Daft, 2009, p. 12). In essence, the final outcome of management is to achieve organisation goals and managers in various levels should achieve goals effectively and efficiently by intelligently utilizing financial, human and other resources in hand. The four skills which may assist managers to achieve these organisational goals are planning, organising, leading and controlling. Traditional vs. Modern Perspectives The practice of management can go back as far as 3000 BC. It developed over thousands of years from Traditional style of management to Modern today. Traditional Perspectives Traditional Perspectives includes (Samson Daft, 2009): 1.Classical Perspectives – concentrates on making the organisations an efficient operating machine. 2.Humanistic Perspectives – emphases understanding human behaviour, needs and attitudes in the workplace. It has taken more consideration of behaviors, needs and attitudes as well as social interactions and group processes. *For the purpose of the report, I will not elaborate on each item mentioned above. Use Human Resources Perspective as an example. It suggests that Jobs should be designed to meet higher-level needs by allowing workers to use their full potential (Samson Daft, 2009). This theory was initially supported by a ‘dairy farm’ view and further illustrated by the Maslows hierarchy of needs and McGregor Theory X Theory Y. It is my understanding that the theory suggests people generally perform better if they are given full rein to their imagination and creativity. This, in details, means: 1.People are given freedom to fulfill their desired physiological, safety, love/belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization (Maslow’s Hierarchy) needs and wants. They may not be satisfied with all five of them, but fulfillment in any of the above may somewhat increase productivity; 2.Management assumes that employees enjoy working and will seek responsibilities under working/learning process and does not believe in punishment to keep the employees in line. Instead, it believes that employees will exercise self-control if they’re committed (McGregor’s Theory Y). Toyota Motor Corporation is one of the world leading automobile producers and its philosophy is the famous ‘Toyota Way’. The two pillars are ‘Wisdom and Kaizen (improvement)’ and ‘respect for human nature’ (Saruta 2006). Without going into the full description of ‘Toyota Way’ philosophy, we will mainly discuss one component as an example: Improvement. The company motivates employees through a series of incentives, such as wage, on-job education, and progressive promotion. Hence it presents work as something interesting and worthwhile for worker’s self-motivation. In the Japanese operation, this philosophy helped the company achieved long working hours and concentrated labour. Unfortunately it hasn’t been working as successful in other countries. Does this mean the employees in other countries haven’t fulfilled any of their interests? Managers must understand that employees will be motivated by unmet needs; and that once a need is satisfied, it is no longer a motivator (Fisher 2009). There may be environmental factors the management did not consider. Cultural difference for instance may affect the effectiveness of this philosophy. Being in a country with a generous welfare system like Australia, people’s desire for a balanced work/social life style is much stronger than financial achievement. In this instance, Toyota management in other counties should realise the differences in worker’s needs and present other incentives accordingly. Modern Perspectives Modern Management Trend is developed to collaborate with the more complicated technologies, organisational environment and unforeseeable uncertainties in today’s world. Modern Management Theories are focused on how individuals contribute to organisation and corporate performance while the performance of the chief executive is dictated by the organisation’s financial returns and shareholders’ expectations (Weymes 2004). The three major contemporary extensions of the perspectives (Samson Daft, 2009): 1.System Theory; 2.Contingency View; 3.Total Quality Management. *For the purpose of the report, I will not elaborate on each item mentioned above. Use Contingency View as an example. This theory is an extension of the humanistic perspective in which the successful resolution of organisational problems is thought to depend on management’s identification of key variables in the situation at hand (Samson Daft, 2009). It believes there is no universal approach that works consistently in every situation. Management should always consider aspects within and outside the organisation and utilise various concepts and techniques appropriately. Looking at this theory from a horizontal angle, Knootz (1981) has simplified it into ordinary words, ‘there is science and there is art, there is knowledge and there is practice. One does not need much experience to understand that a corner grocery store could hardly be organised like General Motors, or that the technical realities of petroleum exploration, production, and refining make impracticable autonomously organised product divisions for gasoline, jet fuel, or lubricating oils’. Different organisations have different variables which determine the size of the company, the management hierarchy, the service procedure and so forth. Looking at it from a vertical angle, an organisation may have diversified subsystems and external affiliates. Today’s managers cannot afford to ignore the uncertainties evolved around these elements. Grandori (1984) noted a decision maker needs to classify the state of uncertainty that characterises a decision situation, eliminate the strategies that are not feasible in that situation, and select a feasible strategy. To realise the contingency approach its potential as an effective construct for maintaining and improving managerial effectiveness in a hyper dynamic environment, its development must proceed in a systematic unified and directed manner (Luthans Stewart, 1977). IKEA, as an example, is the world’s most successful mass-market retailer, reaching 33 countries and hosting 410 million shoppers a year; the furniture is made by about 1,500 suppliers in more than 50 countries. Its signature feature is the flat packed product that customers assemble at home. To target the dramatic technology development in 21st century, the company introduced online shopping to address convenience and traceability. The company designs its own, and also broadens the product mix into food and general living supplies (â€Å"IKEA Company Profile†, n.d.). Investment risks can be sufficiently minimised, and it is best described by the old adage â€Å"never put all your eggs in one basket†. Traditionally, a showroom with a team of salesmen and delivery truck drivers is the focal point of a typical furniture retailer. Globalisation and widely spread use of internet will eventually force them out of the market. IKEA tackled these issues from supply-chain, customer satisfaction and diversification of investment risks. It further demonstrates the contingency approach is used to sustain IKEA’s completive edge in all time. Although these strategies may not be suitable in 10 years time, contingency view will always exert management to evaluation situation at hand and make decision accordingly to sustain performance. Conclusion Generally speaking, the traditional perspectives of management tend to standardise a managerial approach across the board by analysing one particular scenario with a number of assumptions. However, the modern perspectives recognise the uncertainties in reality and take many aspects into consideration of their decision making process. Contingency view is not a brand new theory that is completely different from the traditional perspectives. Whilst we are not suggesting the traditional perspectives are untrue, managers should be selective according to the situation at hand and use a combination of approaches to tackle from all angles. Management in the modern world is no longer a unitary practice; it is an art. Continuous education and professional development can only offer the mandatory knowledge. Real life experience and rational conduct at time is the key to successful management.

Research Study Quantitative

Research Study Quantitative Question # 1 Purposes and benefits of sections of Independent study My independent study is related to quantitative research model. Purpose of the quantitative research is to do numerical summaries, generalizations across populations and comparisons between populations. It includes few variables (Delay time, work order, number of different products) and many cases (Five sets of data with each set consisting of 500 products). These quantitative research methods use experimental designs. The various experimental methodologies are: Quasi Experimental Designs RCT: Randomized Controlled Trials Baseline Data Posttest Only Design Longitudinal Design Out of these experimental methodologies, my study falls under randomized controlled trails, where I generate a random data of five sets each set consisting of 500 different kinds of products. Introduction Purpose: The purpose of my study introduction is to provide background information for the readers for the research reported in the study. It establishes a framework for the research, so that readers can understand how it is related to other research (Creswell, 2003 p.73). It also establishes the issue or concern leading to the research by conveying information about a research problem (Creswell, 2003 p.74). In this, the problem is best addressed by understanding the factors or variables which are the process time, product order that influence an outcome delay time (Creswell, 2003 p.75). It provides the understanding of the problem that explains or relates to an outcome delay time and helps the researcher best understand and explain the problem why the delay time is to be minimized (Creswell, 2003 p. 76). The research problem in the study Guiding research questions Reviewed studies addressing the problem Deficiencies in past literature and limitations Importance of a study for an audience Benefits: By writing an effective introduction chapter, a reader can figure out the problem leading to the study i.e., how the delay time is optimized by arranging the production work order, reviewing the literature about the problem to find whether there are any related theories that is done by other investigators, identifying deficiencies in the literature about the problem, targeting audiences and notifying the significance of the problem for this audience (Creswell, 2003 p.73). Literature Review Purpose: The purpose of the literature review is to share with the reader the results of other studies that are closely related to the study being reported (Creswell, 2003 p.29). It relates a study to the larger ongoing dialogue in the literature about a topic, filling in gaps and extending prior studies (Cooper, 1984; Marshall Rossman, 1999). It provides a framework for establishing the importance of the study as well as a benchmark for comparing the results of a study with other findings. All or some of these reasons may be the foundation for writing the scholarly literature into a study (Miller, 1991). Benefits: The literature review helps to substantiate the problem and also suggests possible questions or hypotheses that need to be addressed (Creswell, 2003 p.46). Methodology Purpose: The purpose of methodology chapter is to bring focus on survey and experimental modes of inquiry. You will also explain the methodology you are using, why you chose that methodology and why you chose not to use other methods. The method that was used to collect data is explained in detail like how did I generated random data of five sets with each set consisting of 500 products using Microsoft Excel ad procedure I followed to find the real-time delay time. The reader will exactly know what was done with the collected data, to the point that he or she can replicate the study to get similar results. Benefits: With the help of methodology chapter, audiences can recognize the variation that exists in the qualitative, quantitative and mixed method studies, why I chose a quantitative study for the research problem I defined then it advances general guideline for procedures of the study. These guidelines include a discussion about the general characteristics of the study if the audiences are not familiar with the approach to research. (Source: Classroom material by Dr. Lynda Kenney) Results Purpose: The purpose of results chapter is to make a well-organized and objective presentation of the results by examining the collected data and application of either the descriptive or inferential statistical methods. Then the tables, graphs and figures of the analyzed data are also presented for sufficient support description to permit the reader to interpret them quickly and accurately (Leedy Ormrod, 2005). Benefits: The benefits of the results chapter is for readers to quickly interpret the conclusions and significance with the help of the tables, graphs, charts and figures obtained from the interpretation and analysis of the data. Flow Chart Purpose: The purpose of the flow chart is to explain the process of optimization of the production work order in a step-by-step process that is described in the study. Benefits: It makes the readers understand easily at a glance what has done in the entire study. It also helps the researcher to make and follow the created flow chart while analyzing the data. Discussion Purpose: The purpose of the discussion chapter is to highlight the main theories and conclusion used in the research study so that a reader can easily figure out what theories the researcher used in implementing and analyzing the data. Each major conclusion is clearly explained and compared with the results of the similar work by other investigators. Then, the researcher continually connects her findings with the theoretical frameworks. Any new or unusual results are also explained(Leedy Ormrod, 2005). If the researcher is not sure about the significance of the results or could not understand the phenomenon of the data, it is sometimes worthwhile to present a speculative discussion outlining several possible outcomes by alerting the readers that such a discussion is speculative. Benefits: The benefits of the discussion chapter are to make grand conclusions which support the subsequent paragraphs. Here, the entire conclusions, implications or the effects due to each conclusion including the minor and major effects are presented. The discussion also includes the method of computation or derivation of the study. Such situation arises when one figure is derived from preceding figures. If the application or method is involved, then a complete example with the method is to be explained for complete understanding to the reader. Finally, explained the significance and outcomes of the study. Conclusions Purpose: The purpose of the conclusions chapter is to make a summary of the conclusions that are presented in previous chapter. The researcher also points out both what are found and what are not found. It is also the section examined by the prospective reader with limited available time (Leedy Ormrod, 2005). Benefits: Although the researcher has previously presented each of the conclusions, conclusions chapter tell us the reader the ultimate effect or the benefit of the study. In my study, I have explained how the delay time is minimized or optimized by arranging the production work order so that it is quite helpful to readers, who might easily lose track of some important conclusions as they read earlier portions of a study(Leedy Ormrod, 2005). In addition to this, a prospective reader will able to quickly examine the research in limited time. I explained the benefits of my study that findings of this research will aid industries, retails stores by demonstrating how the algorithm is currently used, and how retail stores can assist customers to implement universal algorithm. Industries may benefit from models of evaluating arrangement of parts of a product on an assembly line. Question # 2 Framework Elements of Research: For every research proposal, a definite framework exists to follow a certain pattern. Creswell (2003) suggested that from lots of different types and terms in the literature, he focused on three approaches: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approach. The first two has been available for decades, and the last is new and still developing in form and substance. To understand them, we need to consider three framework elements: philosophical assumption about what constitute knowledge claims, general procedures of research called strategies of inquiry, and detailed procedure of data collection, analysis and writing, called methods. For that Creswell (2003) proposed (which was developed by Crotty) three questions to the design of research: What knowledge claims are being made by the researcher? What strategies of inquiry will inform the procedures? What methods of data collection and analysis will be used? Framework Elements of Quantitative Research Knowledge claims: Stating a knowledge claim means that researcher start with a project with certain assumptions about how we will learn and what we will learn during their inquiry. These are called as paradigms. Philosophically, researchers make claims about what is knowledge (ontology), how we know it (epistemology), what values go into it (axiology), how we write about it (rhetoric), and the process for studying it (methodology). There are four schools for knowledge claims as what follow. Those are post positive knowledge claims, socially constructed knowledge claims, advocacy or participatory knowledge claims and finally pragmatic knowledge claims. For quantitative research, the knowledge claims are post positivism which includes determination, reductionism, empirical observation and measurement, and theory verification. Post positivism refers the thinking after positivism; challenging the absolute truth and recognizing that we can not be â€Å"positive† about claims of knowledge when studying the behaviors and action of human. Traditionally, the post positivist assumptions have cited claims about what evidences knowledge. Post positivism reflects in determining the effects or outcomes, examining the causes that reflect the outcomes by doing experiments, reducing the ideas into a small, set of ideas to test such as variables that constitute hypothesis and research questions, developing numeric measures of observations and studying the behavior of individuals. The problem studied by post positivist reflects a need to examine causes that influence outcomes. It is also reductionism; testing selected variables that constitut e hypothesis and research questions, so it is based on careful observation and measurement of the objective reality in the world. Researching is for test or refining the existing laws or theories. Strategies of inquiry: A stage of inquiry in quantitative research includes numerical summaries, generalizations across populations and comparisons between populations. Strategies of inquiry provide specific designs for procedures in the research design. Like knowledge claims, strategies have multiplied over the years as the computer technology has pushed forward data analysis and the ability to analyze complex models. Strategies associated with quantitative research were those that invoked the post positivist perspectives. These include true experiments and less vigorous experiments called quasi-experiments and correlational studies (Campbell Stanley, 1963), and specific single-subject experiments (Cooper, heron, Heward, 1987). But, these days, quantitative research strategies involved complex experiments with many variables and treatments like factorial designs and repeated measure designs. Strategies associated with quantitative approach are: Experiment: It is about random assignment of subject to treatment conditions and includes quasi-experiment with nonrandomized design. My study used experimental strategy for generating the randomized data and analyzing the data with Microsoft office tools. Non-experimental designs, such as Surveys: it is studying by using questionnaires or structured interviews with the intent of generalizing from sample to a population. These include cross-sectional and longitudinal studies using questionnaires or structured interviews for data collection, with the intent of generalizing from a sample to a population (Babbie, 1990) Research methods: The third major element that goes into a research approach is the specific methods of data collection and analysis. For quantitative research, the research methods I used are predetermined instrument based questions such as performance data, attitude data, observational data and census statistical data using Microsoft Excel. I considered full range of possibilities for data collection in the study by organizing these research methods with the use of closed-ended versus pen-ended questions and their focus on numeric versus non-numeric data analysis. Question # 5 Validity and generalizability aspects of quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research: Qualitative research validity The degree to which the interpretations of the data accurately describe the phenomenon under investigation is known as validity. Validity is seen as a strength of the qualitative study which is used in determining whether the findings are accurate from the standpoint of the researcher, the participant, or the readers (Creswell Miller, 2000).In addition to validity, the terms used are trustworthiness, authenticity, and credibility. There are eight primary strategies, organized from most frequently used and easy to implement to those occasionally used to and difficult to implement. Various qualitative procedures should be used to make a research validate. Some of the procedures are qualitative research paradigm and ethnographic research design. Methods for establishing the validity are: Negative case analysis Presenting the negative or discrepant information that runs counter to the themes Audit trail Clarifying the bias the researcher brings to the study Prolonged field experience Spending prolonged time in the field to develop an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon under study Data triangulation triangulate different data sources of information by examining evidence from the sources and using it to build a coherent justification Member checking to determine the accuracy of the qualitative findings Rich, thick description Quantitative research validity The degree to which the evidence supports that the interpretations of the data are correct and that the manner in which the interpretations are used is appropriate. Threats to validity: There are several threats to the validity that raise the potential issues about the researcher ability to conclude the intervention affects of an outcome. They are internal threats, external threats, statistical conclusion threats, and construct validity threats. Internal validity threats are experimental procedures, treatments, or experiences of the participants that threaten the researchers ability to draw correct inferences from the data in an experiment. These involve due to inadequate procedures like changing the instrument or a tool during an experiment, changing the control group participants under study etc. External validity threats arise when the researcher draws incorrect inferences from the sample data to other persons, other settings, and past or future situations. Statistical conclusion validity arises when experimenters draw inaccurate inferences from the data because of inadequate statistical power or the violation of the assumptions. Construct validity threat arises when investigators use inadequate definitions and measure of variables. Methods of establishing validity Experiment review Data triangulation Participant feedback Regression analysis Statistical analysis Types of validity evidence Content Construct Criterion Consequential Procedure: A researcher need to describe in detain the procedure for conducting the experiments ad the reader should be able to see the design being used, the observation, the treatment, and the timeliness of activities. Typical steps used for the procedure are follows. Administering the measures of the dependent variable or a variable that closely correlated with the dependent variable to the research participants. Assign participants to the matched pairs on the basis of their scores Randomization. Randomly assign one member of each pair to the experimental group and other member to the control group Expose experimental group to experimental treatment and alternative treatment to control group. Administer measures of the dependent variables to the experimental and control groups Compare the performance of the experimental and control groups. Statistical analysis: A reader should be able to identify clearly the statistical analyses that are used in the experiment. Various statistical analyses that can be performed during the study are: Descriptive analysis reporting the means, standard deviations and ranges. Inferential analysis- performing the hypothesis tests using ‘t tests, analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, or multivariate analysis of variance. A researcher can also use the factorial designs, both interaction and main effects of ANOVA. Mixed methods research: Examine potential sources of error and ask: Chance: Random error in sampling from a population. 1. Type I (alpha) error: The probability of falsely saying that there is a difference between two populations. 2. Type II (beta) error: The probability of falsely saying that there is no difference between two populations. How (in what direction) would the threats to validity affect the findings? Bias: Systematic distortion 1. Selection bias Systematic slant in how subjects are assembled or retained for study 2. Information bias Systematic distortion from inaccuracy in measurement or classification of study variables Were potential sources of error adequately controlled in the design and analysis? Confounding: Misattribution of cause and effect How do validity concerns affect your interpretation or application of the data? In the Design Study design appropriate for the question B,C Adequate power A Complete accounting of eligible patients B1 Verification of information and Blinding B2 Multiple control groups B,C Randomization, Restriction and matching C In the Analysis Best case / worst case scenario and Sensitivity analysis B,C Adjustment B1,C Mathematical modeling C A Reduces the role of chance; B1 Reduces selection bias ; B2 Reduces information bias; C Reduces confounding References Creswell, J. W. 2003. Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. SAGE. Thousand Oaks. USA. Leedy, P. D., Ormrod, J. E., (2005). Practical Research: Planning and Design. PEARSON. Columbus. Ohio. Olds, B., Moskal, B. Miller, R. â€Å"Assessment in Engineering Education†, Journal of Engineering Education , to appear Jan. 2005. Moskal, B., Leydens, J. Pavelich, M. Validity, reliability and the assessment of engineering education. Journal of Engineering Education , Vol. 91, No. 3, 351-354, 2002.

Lord Of The Flies :: essays research papers

Lord of flies Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the “Lord of Flies'; William Golding does tell us a story about a group of English boys stranded on a Pacific Island, in the literal level but in a more allegorical level he tells a story about corruption of innocence, brutality/savagery and victimisation/prejudice through the characters of Ralph, Jack, Piggy and Simon. Interesting stylistic features such as symbolism and omnipotent narrator make this story more than just a simple story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ralph can be seen as a fair head boy, tall, well built and the major character of the novel. In a deeper sense Ralph represents Law, order and authority but not in a tyrannic way, he also represents democracy and justice. It is also through his eyes we see loss of innocence. “…Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart…'; In the above quote Ralph cries after piggy is killed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jack can be seen as a cruel, ugly, skinny, and the leader of choir at first then the leader of hunters. In a deeper sense Jack represents dictatorship and a primitive hunter. His leadership depends on in the ability to threaten and frighten those under him. His victory over piggy represents the triumph of violence over intellect, his knife represents death and destruction. It is through jack we see Brutality and savagery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Piggy is a typical obese young boy with brains, but in more he can be seen as a boy with civilised and scientific mind. His scientific mind can be seen when he talks about the beast: “ I know there isn’t not beast- not with claws and all that…'; It is through Piggy we see victimisation/prejudice. “Shut up fatty!';(Jack) “ You let me speak I got the conch…'; In the above quote we see piggy being the victim because of his low class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Simon is a sensitive, epileptic and religious boy who is wiling to work and is brave in the face of physical danger. He is right about “beast'; but is wrong in underestimating the power of this evil. He discovers in the conversation with lord of flies the even he contains the evil within and it cannot be destroyed physically. Simon the Saint was the only hope for the new society but unfortunately he is mistaken for the beast and killed by the savages including Piggy and Ralph. ‘What I mean is... Maybe it’s only us.’ In this quote Simon shows us his common sense and reasoning.

Power Is Money; Money Is Power :: essays research papers

Power is Money; Money is Power   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Power is money and money is power. There are many more examples of this now than anytime in the past.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most obvious examples is politics. Ross Perot was an unkown multimillionaire and his money is the only reason that he made it into the presidential election. If a man who earned a standard salary wanted to run for president, he would have almost no chance at all unless he was backed by people with money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every four years when the U.S. Presidential election is held, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent. The more money a candidate has, the farther he can get. Although the richest competitor doesn't always win, the president is usually a very wealthy man. Wealth paves the road to a good education. If the presidential candidate is rich, he either inherited it or was educated enough to make it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OJ Simpson's trial is another example of money changing everything. If OJ Simpson had not been a retired professional football player, then the trial would have been completely different. Because OJ was rich, he was able to afford a very good team of lawyers. An average person would have had much less of a chance at being found innocent, especially considering the weight of the evidence. Supported by his money OJ's case became a media event.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When OJ had the trial, there was no way it could be completely fair. It was unlikely that there was not going to be a fan of OJ on the jury. Also, because he was rich, OJ was given better privileges. If OJ had been a poor man with a criminal record, he would have probably been found guilty because of representation by an over-worked public defender.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Power and Money also affects the average person with expenses of college. An average â€Å"B† student is going to have a much harder time getting into a good school than a wealthy kid. With money, all the rich student needs to do is maintain an average grade. When a student has money, he/she does not have to work as hard to succeed in life, usually because he/she is given a higher position to start thanks to references from his university's alumnae or from aquaintances of his wealthy relatives. Money and power do not just apply to college. A child who has a wealthy family is going to have an easier job getting good grades. One of the main reasons is that the parents probably got a good education and know how important education is in life.