Human Resourse Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Resourse Management - Essay Example Every organization must ensure that they tell the employees what they are interested in hearing rather than focuses all their energy on telling things that would fall on deaf ears. Communication is undoubtedly a two way process and both the employer and employee must participate in this two way process in order to ensure that the growth of their organization takes place. There are several important communication options available these days ranging from Emails to Faxes to Phone calls and a host of other ways. Several methods of communication have become an integral part in almost all the organizations. The most common way of communication is oral communication; this is carried out by almost every organization in the form of meetings. Conducting meetings is a very integral part of management; usually these meetings throw light upon the position of an organization and the steps required in enhancing the current position of an organization. Meetings provide an ideal platform for the emp loyees to discuss their difficulties with the organization; this promotes the theory of two way conversion within the organization. Telephone calls is another important way of communicating with the employees, both these methods come under oral communication. Planning is a very important factor in communication. It is very important to plan before making a phone call to an employee, a list of points should be made ready in order to put across important messages assertively. Most organizations prefer written communication over oral communication because written communication provides a record and employees tend to act much faster on written communication than oral commutation. There are several ways of written communication; the most popular of them include letters, faxes, emails etc. Letters play an instrumental role in putting across a message assertively. Letters must always be kept short and to the point, they must communicate what is meant to be communicated no less, no more. Th e brevity of a letter is its real strength and the same is often noticed in many cases. Fax is another option should a company choose written communication over oral communication. The use of fax has dwindled over the period of time, most organizations prefer sending emails to their employees than sending them fax messages. Email has perhaps become the most popular form of written communication these days and it I one of the fastest methods of communication and this is exactly why most organizations depend on this very heavily. Group projects can easily be handled under autocratic leadership, the use of technology and communication becomes inevitable when it comes to group work and autocratic leadership ensures that all employees adhere to the rules and regulation and complete their respective tasks. A person with Autocratic leadership ability must take over should an organization decide to make their employees work in a group, the communication process is ought to become complicate d but an autocratic leader is expected to handle the same with minimum fuss. The strategic pay literature is predominantly controlled by two perspectives namely, the best fit and the best practice. The best fit perspective highlights the importance of competitive advantage by bringing in align the firm’

Research Methods for Consumer Buying Behaviour Research

Research Methods for Consumer Buying Behaviour Research Research Method Research methodology Everywhere, our knowledge is incomplete and problems are waiting to be solved. We address the void in our knowledge and those unresolved problems by asking relevant questions and seeking answers to them. The role of research is to provide a method for obtaining those answers by inquiringly studying the evidence within the parameters of the scientific method. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/3238/page3-15.htm Research means finding out things in a systematic way in order to increase knowledge. In any research two phrases are important, first is the ‘systematic research’ that is based on logical relationship and not just beliefs (Ghauri et al., 1995). The second phrase is to ‘find out’ the purpose of the research. It includes describing, understanding, criticizing, analyzing and explaining. (Ghauri et al., 1995) (Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. 2000) (pg 1-2). Therefore in simple words research can be expressed as number of similar and related activities involving together in search of information. It is also found that many times we have a question or a problem to resolve. The main aim of research is to collect sufficient information or data relevant to the research topic to get the clear picture and proper understanding in order to accomplish the research goal. But it is thought that we have the answers to those questions thinking that the answer is obvious, commonsense, but until we have subjected our problem to rigorous scientific scrutiny, our knowledge remains little more than guesswork or at best, intuition. http://www.chssc.salford.ac.uk/healthSci/rem99/resmeth/chap1.htm Though the meaning of research is to find out answers for question but research can also be carried out in particular subjects. As a result research in marketing is the systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis, and dissemination of information for improving decision making related to the identification and solution of problems and opportunities in marketing. There are different approaches to carry out the research. It truly depends upon the researcher which method to choose. It is also necessary to explain why a particular method is being chosen. However the author has focused on the levels of maintaining brand loyalty toward telecom service provider with respect to the competitor’s offers. To carry out this research the author has collected the primary as well as secondary data. Comparison of the primary and the secondary data will help the author for the interpretation leading to the conclusion and recommendation for the research topic. Research Approach Research can be carried out by using two types. One is the Inductive research and the other is Deductive research. Inductive research â€Å"Inductive research is a study in which theory is developed from observation of empirical reality; thus general inferences are induced from particular instances, which is the reverse of deductive method†.( Hussey Hussey, 1997, pg 13). In inductive research the data is collected and after that the theory and the hypothesis are defined and formulated. The inductive approach can also be helpful in coming up with new ideas, theories and hypothesis. It is also possible that the results of inductive research may not be hundred percent true as they are done through empirical observation. Inductive research is also known as theory generating as it done through specific observations to broader generalizations. Deductive approach According to Hussey Hussey, 1997, pg 13, deductive research is â€Å"Deductive research is a study in which conceptual and theoretical structure is developed and then tested by empirical observation; thus particular instances are deduced from general inferences. The deductive method is referred to as moving from the general to the particular†. In deductive approach the theory or hypothesis are drawn and the research is carried out to support or test the hypothesis. The deductive research draws conclusion through logical reasoning. Robson (1993:19) lists five sequential stages through which deductive research will progress: Deducing a hypothesis from the theory: In this stage the relationship between the two variables can be defined and later tested. Expressing the hypothesis in operational terms, which propose a relationship between two specific variables: In this stage the two variables can be defined to be measured. How the two variables relate to each other and how they would affect each other if any changes are made. Testing this operational hypothesis: In this stage one can involve experiment or some other form research method to test the relationship between two variables. Examining the specific outcome of the inquiry: In this stage the result of the research would be verified according to the hypothesis so that to see whether the result support the hypothesis or not. If necessary, modifying the theory in the light of the findings: In this stage, if the results suggest that there should be justified then the theory needs to be modified or altered. (Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A., 2000) (pg 85 87) The author has decided to carry out the mixed approach that is the inductive and deductive method in order to carry out the research on whether customer are able to maintain band loyalty towards their mobile service provider and originate and analyze the essential facts required to fulfil the research objective The research design builds on clear and concise understanding of research topic. A clear and concise statement of research purposes is absolutely essential for doing good quality research. The important idea of a research design is that all of its components must ‘fit’ with each other or ‘go together’ with each other in a logical manner. There are various methods to collect data. But which method the researcher should adopt will depend upon the nature of the research and various other factors. The method chosen should able to derive sufficient information to answer the research question. It should also be reliable, accurate. Data collection There are various methods that can be used for collection of data. In research data collection methods may vary greatly in the amount of time and money required and in complexity. The best method is one that provide the relevant and sufficient information that is needed and not necessarily the one which is fastest, cheapest and easiest. In many cases it is also possible to use more then one type of data collection method to obtain data on the same research topic. Sources of data can be put into the two general categories of being either primary or secondary. Research methods can be classified in various ways. However one of the most common methods are qualitative and quantitative research methods. Quantitative research The quantitative research is more easily defined as the collection of numerical and statistical data. â€Å"a quantitative approach involves collecting and analyzing numerical data and applying statistical tests†¦a qualitative approach, which is more subjective in nature and involves examining and reflecting on perceptions in order to gain an understanding of social and human activities†. (Hussey Hussey, 1997, pg 12). The aim of quantitative methods is to determine whether the predictive overview of a theory hold true. Quantitative designs of research tend to produce results that can be generalised. The important features that are associated with quantitative research are Objectivity, deductive ness, generalisability and numbers. It can also be said that quantitative research is concerned with numbers and measurement, rather than words, in the collection and analysis of data. Charts and graphs demonstrates the results of the research, the researchers commonly employ words such as ‘variables’, ‘populations’ and ‘result’ as part of their expressions Quantitative research usually seeks to establish causal relationships between two or more variables, using statistical methods to test the strength and significance of the relationship. Quantitative methods include experiment, surveys, and questionnaire for data collection. Qualitative research Preissle (2002) confirms that ‘qualitative research is a loosely defined category of research designs or models, all of which elicit verbal, visual, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory data in the form of descriptive narratives like field notes, recordings, or other transcriptions from audio and videotapes and other written records and pictures or films’.(Web 14) http://www.roboneill.co.uk/papers/research_methods.pdf Qualitative research is conducted in a natural setting and involves a process of building a complex and holistic picture of the phenomenon of interest. Qualitative research is concerned with no statistical methods of inquiry and analysis of social phenomena. Qualitative Research is collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say. Qualitative research is more subjective and deals in words, images. Qualitative research methods are observation, in-depth interviews or the case study. Therefore in some cases the researcher can also take an active part while interacting with participants. This helps the researcher to get in-depth views and knowledge from participants. Research is carried out with some or the other aim. Thus research is important to answer the questions and draw conclusion. Therefore to achieve the aim of the research it is crucial to choose the correct research approach and correct research method. As a result the author has made an effort to collect the primary as well as secondary data from the reliable and relevant sources in order to achieve the final results of the study. Collecting and using primary data Primary data is collected with a specific purpose or some reason. It is collected especially when the researcher cannot find the relevant data or enough data in the secondary sources. â€Å"Primary data is also known as grey literature; they are the first occurrence of piece of work. They include published sources such as reports and some central and local publications such as white papers and planning documents. They also include unpublished manuscripts sources such as letters, memos and committee minutes that may be analyzed as data in their own right†. (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill, 2003, p52). In many cases primary data is the first hand data that is directly collected from the field survey and thus it is really important for the respondent to understand the aim of the research. This helps the respondent to answer the questions the from the researcher’s view and not from their personal thinking. There are various types to collect primary data. Every type is advantageous and disadvantageous in its own way. The choice is also highly influenced by the availability of time and money. The basic methods are observations, interview, questionnaire survey, focus group interview, and case study. After the proper and complete understanding of each and every method the author had decided to obtain the primary data by using questionnaire survey and interviews to carry out the research. The method selected by the author is the mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative method. The main reason to use mixed approach is that qualitative method of approach is process-oriented, real, subjective and descriptive where as quantitative method of approach is objective and mainly outcome oriented. The use of multi methods or triangulation is adopted so that the weakness of one method is offset by the other and to ascertain whether the findings of each method achieve the same results or conclusions which will greater validity and reliability. The questionnaire survey Questionnaire is one of the simple and widely used methods for collecting primary data. â€Å"In questionnaire technique each respondent is asked same set of questions and thus it provides an efficient way of collecting response from a large sample prior to quantitative analysis†. (Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A., 1997)(pg 244). Thus it can be understood that questionnaire is a set of the question given to the respondent. The questions are in preset format and the respondents are asked to fill in the answers. There are various advantages in using the questionnaire technique as it is cost effective, less time consuming and efficient. Questionnaire is one the most familiar method for data collection so the researcher doesn’t have to sit and spend time in explaining how to fill them. It also won’t make the respondent nervous. The clear and simple questionnaire can also be filled in by the respondent without the presence of the researcher. Therefore the respondent will be honest and researcher’s own opinions will not influence the respondent to answer questions in a certain way. There are also certain disadvantages of using questionnaire method. It is very difficult to design the questionnaire. In many cases the researcher is not present while filling in the questionnaire thus it is not possible to give any assistance. The questions in the questionnaire have to be very simple. The response rate is also low many times. Many times it is difficult to find a consumer group who are co operative to answer the question. The main purpose of using the questionnaire survey was to obtain as much as information possible on customers brand loyalty towards their mobile service provider. The questionnaire survey was intended to acquire the information from the customers using the mobile service. In terms of design and layout of the questionnaire was kept very simple. The questions framed were very clear, simple and easy to understand by the respondent. The length of the questionnaire was also kept short keeping in mind that the respondent may not be bored or tired. This may hinder the final results of the research. The questionnaire was the combination of open ended and close ended questions, which will use the rating scale technique from 1 to 5. In which 1 represented the highly satisfied customer, 2 represented the satisfied customer, three represented the moderate customer. 4 represented dissatisfied customer, 5 represented highly dissatisfied customer. The questionnaire was self administered and researcher administered. The author had chosen the option of delivering and collecting the questionnaire. With the help of the supportive consumer group the author had achieved 90% of the response rate from the customer and tried to maintain the privacy of the data collected. Pilot testing Before using the questionnaire on the main sample the pilot testing of the questionnaire was carried out. It is important to obtain information by pilot testing the questionnaire on individual similar to those who will be asked to complete the questionnaire. The purpose of pilot testing is to refine t questionnaire so that the respondent will have no problem in answering the questions and there will be no problems in recording the data. (Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A., 2003)(pg 308). This will help the researcher to perform the necessary changes in the questionnaire before giving it to the actual sample. Pilot testing helps to assess the questions, validity and reliability of the data collected. After the completion of designing and drafting of questionnaire it was circulated between the MBA students at UWIC. Some of these students were currently working in a company. As a result the author received a response on the clarity, sequencing and inter relation of the questions. This response facilitated the author to make the necessary alteration in the questionnaire. Interviews An interview is a purposeful discussion between two or more people. In this one the person is the researcher. Making use of the interview method can be helpful help to gather valid and reliable data that are relevant to the research question and objective. There are three categories of interview each category has its own advantages and disadvantages. Structured interview Unstructed interview Semi structured interview The first is the structured interview in which the researcher has a list of question in a predetermined manner. They are focused and prà ©cised there fore more data can be collected. These are informal interview. The second is the unstructured interview in such type of interview there are no predetermined questions. The conversation between the respondent and researcher is quite general but the researcher needs to have a clear idea about the aspects that he has to explore. The interviewee is given an opportunity to speak on the research topic this type of interview is called as non directive. As there are no set of questions that are prepared it takes lot of time to gather sufficient information. But in such interview the interviewee feels at ease and does not realise that he is being interviewed. There are also some ethical issues that may prevent to make use of such interview especially for research projects. The third category is the semi structured interview. In such interview there are the list of topics and question to be covered by the researcher. The researcher may also vary the order of the question as per the situation and flow of the conversation. Additional question can also be asked related to the research topic in order to gain the in depth knowledge. It is more flexible. The response rate is also higher. It is a time-consuming method and also requires more time to analyse them. Therefore the author has decided to make use of the semi structured interview in order to gain the in depth knowledge and achieve the research objective. Secondary data Secondary data is the data that readily available. Secondary data is data that is neither collected directly by the user nor specifically for the user, often under conditions not known to the user. â€Å"Secondary data is a source such as books and journals are designed either to help to locate primary literature. These publications are aimed at wider audiences. They are easier to locate than primary data†. (Saunders, Lewis, Thornhill, 2003, p52). It is the information that has already been collected for some other purposes by some one else. It may be available from internal sources, or may have been collected and published by another organization. It is basically gathered before the primary data as to find out what is already known about the subject matter before starting the own research. In many cases the researcher prefers using the secondary data instead of carrying out the primary research. There are advantages as well as disadvantages of using secondary data. Secondary data is available quickly, easily and cheaply. It provides the researcher in determining the direction for primary data collection. It is flexible and provides great variety to the researcher. The disadvantages of secondary data are as follows. It is difficult to rely on secondary data in terms of quality and accuracy of the data. As the gathered may be long time back hence it may not be valid in current situation. The data readily available may not be related to the research question or may not available in sufficient quantity. There are three types of secondary data: 1. Documentary. Organizational records, communications and web sites; reports of committees; media accounts (newspaper articles); TV and video recordings; Internet sources 2. Multiple sources. (different data sets combined) Country or sector reports; industry statistics 3. Survey data. Government surveys and censuses (continuous); surveys by international bodies. (Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A., 1997) (pg 190) There are other types of secondary data available such as books, journals, newspaper, articles, and internet. In order to make the research more effective the author has gone through various books, journals, articles, and internet. The combination of primary and secondary data has been collected to obtain answer to the research question more efficiently. Reliability and Validity In order to reduce the possibilities of getting the answer wrong attention has to be paid on two important factors in research design: reliability and validity. These two factors are dependent on one another. Reliability is required to make statements about validity. Reliability of the research means the extent to which the instrument would yield the same result if used in the other occasion. Validity applies to both the design and the methods of research it is an indication of how sound the research is. Validity is concerned with whether the findings are really about what they appear to be about (Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A., 2003) (pg 101). Validity in data collection means that the findings truly represent the phenomenon that the researcher is claiming to measure. Research can be affected by different kinds of factors that irrelevant to the concern of the research, can invalidate the findings (Seliger Shohamy 1989, 95). Findings can be said to be internally invalid because they may have been affected by factors other than those thought to have caused them, or because the interpretation of the data by the researcher is not clearly supportable (Seliger Shohamy 1989, 95). Findings can be externally invalid because they cannot be extended or applied to contexts outside those in which the research took place. (Seliger Shohamy 1989, 95). Therefore the author has taken proper care while making the selection of the sample as well as the research planning. The information acquired is also from the reliable and valid sources. The incomplete questionnaires were also discarded to avoid the effects on final results. Ethical issues There were certain ethical issues that the author had to face throughout the research. Ethics in research is mainly the appropriateness of your behaviour in relation to the right of those who become the subject of your work, or are affected by it (Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A., 2003)(pg 129). Therefore the ethical issue has to be taken the special care as they remain sensitive and had a impact on the research work as well as the respondent. While carrying out the survey the companies were assured that this research work is truly for educational purpose and wouldn’t be revealed any where else. Therefore special care was taken by the author to maintain the privacy for the data collected so that it is not been misused by anyone else for any other purpose. For primary data http://members.tripod.com/~mccurtain_2/genietips/tip15.html http://misnt.indstate.edu/wilhelm/ASBE%20336/336%20Primary%20Data.ppt http://www.jica.go.jp/english/evaluation/guides/pdf/ref_ma_005.pdf Consumer buying behaviour A buyers decision are also influenced by personal characteristic such as the buyer age and life cycle stage, occupation, economic situation, lifestyle, and personality and self concept. There are various internal factors, external factors and marketing factors which motivates the customers in their decision making process. Some of the important factors are mentioned below: Competitive price: a product with a competitive price often attracts customers. Customers are willing to pay a certain amount for a specific product. If the price ranges of that product falls within their purchasing power, customers are tend to be happy. Good Customer service: customers are satisfied if the are given good customer services for the product that they have purchased. Customer should be provided with good service not only at the time of buying a product but also after sales service should be provided as this influences the buyers buying behaviour. Efficiently handling the customers’ problem. How convenient the buyer is in buying and using the product also influences the buying behaviour of the customer. Availability of the product also acts as an influencing factor for the customers buying behaviour. In some cases, if a particular product that the customers buy regularly is not available in the market then the customer may intend to buy the substitute of that product. Attitude of customers toward a particular product and company also influences their buying behaviour. A good attitude will always have a positive effect and a bad attitude will have a negative effect. Individual learns attitude through their personal experience and interaction with other people. Therefore it becomes important for the companies to develop a positive attitude in the minds of the customers by providing excellent quality of service. If the negative attitude is developed within the customers it is difficult to change it. Life style of a customer is also becoming an influential factor in their buying behaviour. This influencing factor relates to the way we live through the activities we engage in and interests we express.  Lifestyle is often determined by how we spend our time and money. A person having a high standard of life will always prefer using a high quality of product specially a brand. Many people respond to what they perceive to be fun, exciting, and hip, and they want to feel valued and recognized Consumer purchasing decisions are often affected by factors that are outside of their control but have direct or indirect impact on how we live and what we consume.

Bornstein :: essays research papers

Although Bornstein argues that gender is entirely socially constructed I find it hard to believe that he is completely correct. I do agree that gender is influenced by the world we are born into. I understand that from birth we are partially programmed by our society to become something, but I do not agree that this is the determining factor in what we become as people. I feel that it's only a small part of our modern society (known as traditions) that are fighting to fit us in a certain category. Furthermore, I'd like to believe that most of today's society is helping us express our own individuality. I am not a stranger to social construction. I was born to a very strict Roman Catholic Italian family. My grandfather worked construction 50 hours a week while my grandmother tended seven children. My own mother was not even allowed to attend college because they believed that "girls weren't supposed to go to college". Inequality and gender difference was very visible. Do to social construction, my mother grew up believing that there were certain jobs for men and certain jobs for women. Ironically it was the changing society of the late 60's and early 70's that gave my mother the motivation to question tradition. I feel that in this situation it's not society in general that constructs gender but simply ignorance through tradition. In my mothers case it wasn't society at all but merely her families strict traditional values that tried construct her into the "traditional women" figure. Even though many years have past since my mother has grown up and much has changed traditional values still play a part in how gender difference is created in society. In my own life my family has influenced my views on gender dramatically. When I was young I would listen to my grandfather ramble (in that myopic traditionally old fashioned tone so common of an older generation) about the inadequacy of women drivers and the annoyances of having women in the workplace. As a young person his views were very impressionable and if I hadn't been corrected by my mother I may of easily carried these beliefs into adulthood. In another situation, if there was ever any mention of eating a microwave meal in front of my grandmother she would immediately begin a rant about how she used to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner for seven children, herself, and my grandfather everyday of the week with no exceptions.

The Justice Game – Truth Essay

†¢How does the prosecution and defense each represent the truth? †¢Values and attitudes of the participants? †¢Robertson’s values and representation of the truth? Truth can be represented in differing ways according to the values and attitudes of the persona whose representation of truth is being expressed. Throughout Geoffrey Robertson’s The Justice Game the responder is convinced to accept the composer’s representation of truth through the use of composing techniques such as the short story structure, Robertson’s social status, various language techniques, symbolism and the use of examples and quotations to back up Robertson’s statements. The perspective on truth held by the other participants in each trial is however also included. The term ‘truth’ refers to accurately placing information in accordance with fact or reality. The ‘truth’ in The Justice Game is essentially about revealing to its readers â€Å"What is kept from the public, and what the public wish to be kept from†. Each case was chosen by Robertson to provide different representations of the ‘truth’ based on different values and attitudes. The short story structure allows many themes relevant to society to be coherently included in one text. Through the eyes of Robertson people have the opportunity to see the ‘truth’ in these highly publicised cases from the perspective of a learned and involved man. Robertson is assumed to be a reliable source of truth by the average reader, because he is a celebrated lawyer and has been chosen to represent people as high profiled as the â€Å"Princess of Wales†. The genre and format of the text represent certain qualities to the reader, along with the social status of Robertson which in turn, act to convince them that what is written is true. The Trials of Oz† is a case that took place in 1971 against Richard Neville, Jim Anderson, and Felix Dennis, editors of the infamous underground Oz magazine. The controversy arose from the prosecution’s perspective that the material in the magazine was detrimental and corruptive to society of that time. In particular the comic strip satirizing Rupert the Bear elaborately renamed Rupert the Bare, and a small adverti sement titled Suck. The prosecution represents the truth through a traditional method of attack that shows Leary’s Victorian image. Brian Leary representing the prosecution draws on the jury’s traditional background to make them empathize with his perspective of the truth that the Oz magazine was an indecent article. Leary discredits witnesses with his â€Å"insinuatingly effective† cross- examinations. The defense and Oz magazine were branded as the ‘alternative society’ in order to alienate them in the jury’s mind, and to make the jury feel unwilling to belong to the defence and therefor the ‘alternative society’. The prosecution feels that the ‘alternative society’ has no respect for the accepted values and attitudes of ‘normal society’. The ‘alternative society’ is described to worship sex until it reaches the ultimate stage of â€Å"fucking on the streets†. This is an example of the generalisations made which portray the ‘alternative society’ as unattractive and distasteful to be a part of. The Defence on the other hand, use high profiled witnesses and statistics, such as the pornography survey conducted on married couples, to highlight the harmless nature of the Oz magazine. John Mortimer representing the defence, undermines the seriousness of the trial through his permissive attitude towards life. The defence lightens the atmosphere with comical jokes such as when Leary asked Dixon how old he thought Rupert the Bare was, he replied â€Å"I’m not an expert in determining Bears’ ages†¦ maybe you are more familiar in the field? † This aids in reducing the seriousness of the accusations. He trivialises the magazine by referring to it as a â€Å"schoolboy prank† or â€Å"cheeky criticism†, and thus considerably plays down the charges. The language technique of using humour makes the whole trial appear as a joke. The composer states that â€Å"Perhaps the best thing about Oz is that they just don’t have trials like that anymore. † Robertson’s representation of the truth toward the Oz magazine is that he sees it as cheeky but not harmful. Experts are used as witnesses to portray the defendants as essentially guiltless, and to make the prosecution’s arguments appear groundless, based on confusion tactics and unreality. Robertson constantly undermines and discredits most people who hold power in the establishment. This is represented in his ridicule of Judge Argyle as he points out the mistakes he made when sentencing, and how he portrays judge Argyle as narrow minded and unreasonable. The composer shows himself as an advocate of new society through his belief that the trial is merely a â€Å"collision of cultural incomprehension†, with the older generation symbolised by Judge Argyle, being unable to understand the revolutionary notions held by the younger generation. This is shown by his constant criticism of the judge, whose inability to comprehend contemporary vernacular and general knowledge is stressed repeatedly, effectively conveyed through the misunderstanding of the phrase â€Å"right on† and the sexual act of â€Å"cunnilingus†. Robertson aligns himself with the values of his target audience, the working class and lower middle classes, allowing the reader to identify with him. Consequently the reader is content to allow Robertson to represent their opinions as they are convinced that the authors representation of ‘truth’ is correct, although being subjected to other representations of the ‘truth’ as well. Robertson’s main argument in â€Å"Michael X on Death Row† was that â€Å"the death penalty was, in itself, a cruel and unusual punishment† Robertson’s representation of ‘truth’ in this instance is that prolonged stay on death row amounted to cruelty and was contrary to the Bill of Rights. Robertson, a Civil Libertarian, believes that there is only hope in the courts and not in politics, and that his strong stances on humanity can only be achieved through battling the government to change the law, in court. Robertson states that he is â€Å"passionately in favour of the incorporation into British law, the European Convention on human rights. † This fact and Michael’s ordeal are what brought about the battle to save death row inmates, that Robertson endured for twenty- years. Robertson repeatedly reminds the reader of the longevity of his battle to abolish capital punishment in commonwealth countries, which reflects his slightly egotistical nature but also symbolically reminds the reader of the many years spent by inmates on death row. As a young lawyer when Robertson took up this case, he was highly idealist and his interest in the case was genuine. The prosecution refutes the defences statement that â€Å"prolonged stay on death row is inhumane† arguing that in many cases the reason for long delays before executions are the self- induced delays of last minute desperate appeals on their behalf from their lawyers. The prosecution continues that innocent people were never convicted and â€Å"All murder convictions are approved by the finest judges in the world,† and deserved their sentence. The defence represents the ‘truth’ of capital punishment being â€Å"unbecoming to human dignity. † They evoke emotion and sympathy from the reader and the courts through phrasing death with terms such as â€Å"human sacrifice† and using emotive language. Robertson aids this cause through colourful analogies such as comparing his visit to see Michael X to that of seeing the rarest species of animal at the zoo. The defence believes that although their immediate client Michael X cannot be saved, they are helping countries through the progression of their constitutions. Robertson presents this case in a very biased manor, creating a strong sympathetic feeling in the reader towards the â€Å"solemn, vulnerable member of the living dead† Michael X. Throughout the story Michael X is referred to as simply â€Å"Michael† establishing that the inmate is a changed man. Robertson presents Michael X to be the victim and the state to be the villain, which once again portrays his distain for authority evident in his other stories. A detailed description of the process of execution is given which adds to Robertson’s view that capital punishment goes against the European conventions of humanity. The crime committed by Michael X is only referred to a whole ten pages into the story, after creating a sense of innocence to the character of â€Å"Michael†, and the crime itself is not given any real importance by Robertson. This is a technique used to portray other ‘truths’ as such, whilst convincing the reader to conform to Robertson’s representation of the ‘truth’ and not letting the reader believe the alternate ‘truth’. All the descriptions of death row are negative, prejudiced by Robertson’s opposition to capital punishment. As the subject matter is a serious one dealing with capital punishment, Robertson has chosen the use of an objective and serious tone of voice in contrast to â€Å"The Trials of Oz† which is presented in a more light- hearted tone to emphasise the undermining of the charges. The first person narrative structure allows the ‘truth’ to be told from a different and more reliable source than â€Å"The Trials of Oz† as Robertson is more learned in this case, as he was personally involved. This however, brings about the technique of employing one- sided story telling to build the character of Michael X as a victim of the out dated death row execution system, and emphasises that â€Å"He was a different man; four years on. † Through the technique of careful positioning of facts, Robertson persuades the reader to agree with his representation of the ‘truth’. He appeals to the readers humanity and convinces them to sympathise with Michael X, by showing the inhumanity and immorality of the execution system through illustrations of exaggerated cruelty of the ghoulish rituals performed before and during execution. In Sylvia Plath’s poem The Mirror, the personification of the mirror stands as the objective endorser of truth. The mirror tells the responder that it is â€Å"not cruel, only truthful,† that it has no other purpose but to â€Å"reflect† the physical appearance of the female body, as a lake would do. This is expressed through the metaphorical statement â€Å"Now I am a lake. † Personification allows the â€Å"mirror† to make unbiased and â€Å"exact† observations and through these we come to understand the importance of appearance to the woman. The woman â€Å"searches my (mirror’s) reaches for what she really is†, conveying Plath’s representation of the ‘truth’ that to the woman, her true self is based purely on her external appearance. The â€Å"mirror† describes itself as having no â€Å"preconceptions† allowing it to simply reflect the unbiased reflection of a woman’s physical appearance, unlike candles and the moon, which are said to be â€Å"liars† as they cast mellow lights that can distort the reflection from the truth of daylight. Plath metaphorically likens the mirror to â€Å"The eye of a little god†, emphasising the power that it has over the emotional state of the woman who ironically â€Å"rewards (the mirror) with tears and an agitation of hands† acknowledging the importance of the mirror to her, and its â€Å"faithful† reflecting of her true physical appearance. The poem is a comment on society’s fixation on image. Plath exposes the truth about aging: the resentment and rejection of it, especially through the continuation of the water imagery that the â€Å"mirror† asserts that in it the woman has â€Å"drowned a young girl†, and â€Å"an old woman/ Rises†, to devour the ageing woman â€Å"like a terrible fish. † This simile provides a grotesque image of old age. The use of the mirror in the poem is in fact an extended metaphor with the mirror possessing the power to reflect image. The poem endorses the importance of image that rectifies the truth about oneself as it best sees fit. Unlike â€Å"The Trials of Oz,† The Mirror is not written in a comical and light- hearted tone. It is written in an objective tone of voice as Plath takes on the persona of a mirror to seriously describe its value to the woman. Both texts are however, are relatively unprejudiced in their representations of the ‘truth’. The reflective essay Southpaw by Ken Willis, portrays a representation by a â€Å"side-lined† left- hander that left handed people are discriminated against by contemporary society. The persona sees himself as â€Å"discriminated against† because he is a â€Å"southpaw†. The essay is light- hearted and satirical, but nonetheless the â€Å"left- handers are forced to live in a world designed for right- handers. † A series of humorous anecdotes are included to portray the disadvantages faced by the left- handed â€Å"subordinate group. † The accepted values and attitudes of the right- handed society include the acceptance of the downgrading of the â€Å"subordinate group†, as common phrases used in everyday speech are coined with an underlying prejudice against the left side. Colloquial phrases among Australians such as â€Å"she’ll be right† are used as examples within this reflective essay to support the notion that left- handers are discriminated against by the â€Å"Right handers, as members of the dominant group. † In this phrase however, the literal meaning of the word ‘right’ is to be correct, not the right side as Willis has understood it. This shows that the absolute truth in the Australian phrase has been distorted to reveal Willis’ representation of the ‘truth’. The literal meanings of the word ‘right’ in Latin and French, is however included to reiterate Willis’ perspective that right- handers are able to enjoy the sub- conscious discrimination of left- handers. The word ‘right’ means â€Å"endowed with dexterity† in Latin, and â€Å"adroit and experts in the use of hand and mind† in French. Willis takes his case of accusing society of discriminating against left- handers by bringing in Christian religious connotations. He describes right- handers as â€Å"sit(ting) at the right hand of God† whilst exclaiming that â€Å"those who sit on the left are ‘cursed into the eternal fire. ’† These expressions are once again taken out of the context in which they are used, and are exploited by Willis to aid in his representation of the ‘truth’. The biased qualities seen in this reflective essay is not unlike â€Å"Michael X on Death Row† as both Robertson and Willis attempt to distort the absolute truth into evidence to support their own representations of the ‘truth’. The tone of voice however differs greatly as Southpaw is written in a more comical manor than the serious tone of â€Å"Michael X on Death Row. † Through the study of the above named texts, different representations of the ‘truth’ can be identified with depending on the influence of certain values and attitudes possessed by the participants involved with the text. It is shown that the absolute truth, in terms of information that is accurately placed in accordance with fact or reality, can be manipulated and twisted by the composer in order to portray their representation of the ‘truth’. A certain enlightenment is provided in dealing with prejudiced and biased material, as persuasive techniques employed by the composers are also revealed. As a Civil Libertarian, Robertson passionately believes that the Law can humble the most powerful: governments and wealthy private litigants such as the Princess of Wales. The law permits justice, meaning the side with the best case, to be gained through equal opportunity. Robertson presents his representation of the ‘truth’ about what he elaborately coins â€Å"The Justice Game†.

Journalists Code of Ethics

Journalists' Code of Ethics 1. I shall scrupulously report and interpret the news, taking care not to suppress essential facts nor to distort the truth by omission or improper emphasis. I recognize the duty to air the other side and the duty to correct substantive errors promptly. 1. I shall not violate confidential information on material given me in the exercise of my calling. 1. I shall resort only to fair and honest methods in my effort to obtain news, photographs and/or documents, and shall properly identify myself as a representative of the press when obtaining any personal interview intended for publication. . I shall refrain from writing reports which will adversely affect a private reputation unless the public interests justifies it. At the same time, I shall write vigorously for public access to information, as provided for in the constitution. 3. I shall not let personal motives or interests influence me in the performance of my duties; nor shall I accept or offer any pres ent, gift or other consideration of a nature which may cast doubt on my professional integrity. 4. I shall not commit any act of plagiarism. . I shall not in any manner ridicule, cast aspersions on or degrade any person by reason of sex, creed, religious belief, political conviction, cultural and ethnic origin. 6. I shall presume persons accused of crime of being innocent until proven otherwise. I shall exercise caution in publishing names of minors, and women involved in criminal cases so that they may not unjustly lose their standing in society. 7. I shall not take unfair advantage of a fellow journalist. 8. I shall accept only such tasks as are compatible with the integrity and dignity of my profession, invoking the â€Å"conscience clause† when duties imposed on me conflict with the voice of my conscience. 9. I shall comport myself in public or while performing my duties as journalist in such manner as to maintain the dignity of my profession. When in doubt, decency should be my watchword. Approved by the Philippines Press Institute and the National Press Club in 1988. code of ethics Code of Professional and Ethical Conduct I. Covering elections A. Pay your way. 1. The newspaper must cover the cost of coverage during the election campaign and count, including dining out sources for stories, the airfare, hotel accommodation, per diem and operations expenses of staff members assigned to political parties and candidates. This prohibition excludes transport services and common rooming accommodations arranged by the political parties for all members of the media. 2. Staff members shall clear with their supervising editors invitations from the candidates or political parties to join out-of-town or overseas coverage events, so the newspaper may appropriate the necessary budget, if these are newsworthy events. B. Do not accept cash or gifts in kind from politicians and political parties. 1. All editors, reporters, photographers, columnists, artists and other staff members must resist all attempts of candidates or political parties to bribe the newspaper in cash or in kind. Newspapers are encouraged to expose such attempts, whether consummated or aborted, to identify the culpable parties and to promptly return the bribe or donate it to charity with the appropriate documentation. C. Do not moonlight with political parties. 1. No staff member shall be allowed to work on a part-time, full-time or contractual basis with any political party or candidate. . Staff members shall be discouraged from inviting candidates to stand as godparents in baptisms, weddings and other church rites, or as padrinos in the employment of relatives or friends. D. Beware of surveys. Statistical data derived from polling and surveying is especially susceptible to misunderstanding, misinterpretation and misuse. Newspap ers should clearly distinguish between scientific polls and non-scientific surveys such as readers' call-ins or write-ins and person-in-the-street interviews that are reported in statistical terms. This must be done in a way that is likely to be understood by the average reader, including the headlines and graphics. * In using scientific polls, the sample size and the margin of error should be disclosed. * In using non-scientific surveys, the manner in which they were taken and their limitations should be clearly explained in print. Merely labeling a survey as â€Å"non-scientific† is not sufficient. * Surveys that do not meet minimal scientific standards of validity and reliability should not be identified as polls, nor should they be portrayed in language suitable to scientific polls. Great caution should be used in employing non-scientific polls to address substantial questions of public policy or to describe the popularity or approval rating of public officials or public actions. II. Conflicts of interest Individual journalists (publishers, editors, desk persons, reporters, photographers, artists, columnists) must weigh their obligations against the impact of: * Invo lvement in particular activities * Affiliation with causes or organizations * Acceptance of favors or preferential treatment * Financial investments * Outside employment Friendships In the end, individual journalists might do well to ask themselves: * Am I being independent? * Could my action harm my integrity or my organization's integrity? * Is the mere appearance of conflict enough to diminish my credibility? Am I willing to publicly disclose any potential conflicts? A. Be careful with secondary jobs you take. 1. â€Å"Outside work,† secondary jobs or moonlighting presents per se a potential conflict of interest, especially with individuals, firms or entities: * that are the subject of news, past or future; that are competitors of the primary source of income of the journalist (another broadsheet or magazine circulating in the same market); * that requires the journalist to render more than just editorial services (writing, editing, art design), additional services that wo uld compromise the integrity of his/her profession and news agency (pushing press releases, organizing press conferences, acting as press agent, etc. ) 1. Individual journalists who do outside work or acquire secondary jobs must properly inform their immediate superiors. A secondary job is one which gives the journalist income less than what he/she gets from his/her newspaper. ) 2. Professional work as stringers or free-lance writers for newspapers, magazines, book publishers, news services, photo agencies and similar organizations headquartered outside their circulation area is usually acceptable. So is part-time teaching in local colleges and other professional or para-newspaper duties. All arrangements of this kind are discussed in advance with management. 3. Journalists must avoid paid or unpaid work for a politician or political organization, and should not hold public office or accept appointment to any political position for which there is remuneration other than expenses. B. Don't use your paper/job to make money. Draw the line between journalism and your own money ventures. 1. Financial investment by staff members or other outside business interests that could conflict with the newspaper's ability to report the news or that would create the impression of such a conflict should be avoided. . A staff member may not enter into a business relationship with a news source. A staff member may not make investments which could come into conflict with the staff member's duties. A staff member with investments or stockholdings in corporations should avoid making news decisions that involve those corporations. 3. Similarly, staff members' employment by news sources or potential news sources should be avoided, and staffers should refrain from le nding their names to commercial enterprises with no promotional value to their papers. Business interests that could conflict with a staff member's ability to report the news, or that would create the impression of such a conflict, must be avoided. C. You are entitled to advocate causes and join organizations but don't impose this on your readers. Disclose your advocacies and organizational involvements. 1. Staff members should avoid any involvement in any activity which could compromise, or appear to compromise, the staff member's role or the newspaper's capacity, ability or disposition to gather, report, write or edit, faithfully, factually, impartially or fairly. Such activity must be cleared in advance with the editor(s) whenever any possibility of interference or conflict exists. 2. Journalists exercise discretion in all relationships with causes and organizations. Staff members are encouraged to join and to perform voluntary services for local religious, cultural, social and civic organizations. Newspapers have the same community responsibility as other businesses in donating editors' and employees' time to civic undertakings. Staff members should let supervisors know what groups they're involved with. 3. Journalists should avoid political involvement beyond voting. In no circumstances may a staff member seek political office or work, for pay as a volunteer, in a political campaign or organization. D. Don't misuse and abuse your privileges as a journalist. 1. Journalists must take care not to use newspaper property, i. e. its name, its stationery, or press card, for personal gain or advantage. However, we recognize that our involvement as citizens may sometimes compromise or inhibit our professional responsibilities, and we judge each situation with that in mind. We are particularly conscious of the necessity to avoid personal involvement in either side of an issue about which we would be writing or editing stories for the newspaper. 1. Unpublished information gathered by the newspaper may not be used by staff members for investment decisions. Staff members should try to ensure the confidentiality of information gathered by the newspaper by making every effort to keep such information from reaching anyone who might attempt to use it for personal gain before it is published. Staff members should be careful in dealings with news sources-particularly those in the investment community-not to disclose before publication the nature of the story that has the potential to affect the price of any stock. And because the timing of an investment is often crucial, no one outside the newspaper should know in advance the publication date of a story. When there is doubt about the appropriateness of a business investment, or about any possible conflict of interest, the staff member should discuss the situation with the supervising editor. . No staff member should write about, report on, photograph or make a news judgment about any individual related to him or her by blood or marriage or with whom the staff member has a close personal relationship. Writing or editing a story about a friend's business, for example, presents a conflict and should be avoided. A staff member who finds himself or herself in a situation where a conflict of interest (or the perception of such) becomes likely should consult with the supervising editor about the circumstances. 1. Employees shall not use their positions with the newspaper to get any benefit or advantage in commercial transactions or personal business for themselves, their families or acquaintances. For example, they shall not use company connections: * To get information or a photograph for purposes other than those of the newspaper. * To expedite personal business with, or seek special consideration from, public officials or agencies, such as the police. * To seek for personal use information not available to the general public. To get free or at a reduced rate not available to the public, things like tickets, memberships, hotel rooms or transportation. 1. Employees shall not use the company name, reputation, phone number or stationery to imply a threat or retaliation or pressure, to curry favor, or to seek personal gain. III. Writing the story 1. All efforts must be exerted to make stories fair, accurate and balanced. Getting the other side is a must, especially for the most sensitive and cr itical stories. The other side must run on the first take of the story and not any day later. . Single-source stories must be avoided as a rule. There is always the imperative to get a second, third or more sources, the contending parties to an issue, the expert source, the affected party, the prominent and the obscure, in the story. We must strive at all times to ascertain the truth of our sources' assertions. 3. Documents are required, particularly for stories alleging corruption or wrongdoing by public officials or agencies, or private individuals and corporations and groups. 4. As a rule, anonymous sources shall be discouraged, especially if they are coming from the public sector or publicly accountable agencies. But when we have to shield the identity of our source. -because revealing it would put his/her job or life in danger-we must: First ascertain the truth of his/her assertions; Determine if he/she is not a polluted source or an interested or beneficial party; Describe him/her in a manner that would establish his/her expertise or right to speak on the subject. 5. We shall avoid at all times language, photographs, visuals and graphics that are racist, sexist, insensitive and disrespectful of men, women and children; the religious denominations, cultural communities, and gender and political preferences. 6. The identities and photographs of children and women who figure in the news as victims of sexual abuse (i. e. rape, incest, sexual harassment, prostitution, battering, etc. ) must not be printed, and details about their personal circumstances and identities must be withheld. In the case of incest victims, the identities of the accused and immediate family members must also be protected. Disclosure of the identities of victims of sexual abuse-but not their photographs-may be allowed only in cases when the adult victim (above 18 years old) has decided to file a case in court. 1. Suspects in criminal cases must be properly described as suspects, Photographs of a police lineup of suspects must be avoided, except in cases of large public interest, and when prima facie evidence has been established against suspects who are publicly accountable officials. . Documents that had been leaked by sources, especially those from the government, must be properly described as leaked documents, when used in a story. As much as possible, the source must identified. 3. We shall accord equal prominence to rejoinders, rebuttals and clarification from persons or agencies criticized in our stories. These should run without any delays, or as promptly as possible, and should be e dited only for grammar. 4. When we commit errors of fact or impression, we must acknowledge this on print, and promptly issue a clarification. . Misleading practices such as misrepresentation, trickery, impersonation, and the use of hidden tape recorders in newsgathering can seriously undermine a newspaper's credibility and trustworthiness and should be avoided. An editor confronted with a decision to employ such methods should meet the following conditions: * Public importance. The expected news story should be of such public interest that its news value clearly outweighs the damage to trust and credibility that might result from the use of deception. * Alternatives. The story cannot reasonably be recast to avoid the need to misrepresent. * Last resort. All other means of getting the story must have been exhausted. * Disclosure. The deceptive practices and the reasons why they were used should be disclosed on print at the time the story is published. Advisory: No code of ethics can prejudge every situation. Common sense and good judgment are required in applying ethical principles to newspaper realities. Individual newspapers are encouraged to augment these guidelines with locally produced codes that apply more specifically to their own situations.

A Single Step essays

A Single Step essays A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I have recently learned how true this statement is and started to realize that it applies to just about everything in my life. From college, to getting over the loss of a good friend, to starting new relationships. Ever since I was a little girl I talked about going to college. As I got into high school I started to receive letters and information from different colleges. But the fact that I was actually going to go didnt hit me until I had to start picking out and narrowing down the college I wanted to go to in my junior year. Now that Im entering my second half of my senior year I have to pick out which colleges I apply to and soon will attend. The rest of my life started with the small step of dreaming of going to college. Over the past few years I have lost many close and dear friends. Each time I received the bad news that someone else had passed away the pain I felt was unbearable and like my whole world came crashing down. Time went on and I have learned to accept that no one lives forever and that it was just that persons time to pass on. I have also learned to think of each persons life as a blessing and that the end is not a horrible thing but just makes us appreciate each person around us more. After losing so many people in a short period of time I became very wary of making new friends. For some reason I thought that if I got to know someone new I would lose someone else. I kept pushing people away, trying to protect myself from feeling more pain. Thankfully over the summer I had a chance to realize that I thought wrong. There were so many people around me that wanted to be my friend and I was losing out. By the time I got back to school my whole attitude had changed. People that I had pushed away were still willing to be my friend and I accepte ...

Social Location Essays

Social Location Essays Social Location Paper Social Location Paper To begin I would like to define exactly what social location is, according to Heinlein, Social location is the group memberships that people have because of their location in history and society. Social location has to do with a persons age, race, gender, Job, income, and education. (Heinlein 201 5 peg) Our book says, To find out why people do what they do, we look at social location (Heinlein, 2015 peg). And I believe it also tells who we are so, my next words are in fact who I am. First, I am a mother and a wife, a woman. As of right now I am what society sees as the norm for a mother and wife role. My Husband goes to work and I stay home and take care of our two small children. I cook, clean, and make sure everything is overall always in order at home. While I feel like this is expected because my husband works, I do still think that if I did too, or only, or if he did not, that I would still typically be expected to maintain the household and the children. While some can see this as an advantage, there are also ions. Such as, woman are seen as weaker, and/or easier targets. Also, there are something that are so much easier for men, Like being uneducated and still being able to get and rise statuses within a Job. Next, I am white. I do believe In society It Is easier to be a white woman than any other race. It Is more accepted and I am more privileged. Even though I see this as really unfair, races are not treated equally or fairly. Then, I am a Christian. As a woman In church all may know we are far less powerful than the men. We do Sunday school, BBS, cook, clean, and are a pretty voice In the choir. We do not preach, teach or make any decisions. In church I would be the underdog, or not thought of as highly. I would say we are a middle class family. My husband works hard to make as much money as possible. We do not live a dream life, yet we do not go without. I would say that there are some advantages and disadvantages to being middle class. Advantage being that we have everything that we NEED, and a disadvantage being that we have to work harder and longer for the hinge that we want. My social location Is a network of different statuses. All of which allow me to feel powerful or not so much, It allows me to speak or stay silent, depending on where I am or who I am with. Hansel says The sociological perspective stresses the social contexts In which people live. It examines how these contexts Influence peoples lives. (Hansel 201 5) and In my case Social location establishes who I am. Hansel,J. (2015 peg 3). Sociology: A down-to-earth approach. Core concepts. Boston, MA: Pearson Publishing social Location By differentiation what they do, we look at social location (Heinlein, 201 5 peg). And I believe it also tells something that are so much easier for men, like being uneducated and still being able to get and rise statuses within a Job. Next, I am white. I do believe in society it is easier to be a white woman than any other race. It is more accepted and I am more fairly. Then, I am a Christian. As a woman in church all may know we are far less in the choir. We do not preach, teach or make any decisions. In church I would be the My social location is a network of different statuses. All of which allow me to feel powerful or not so much, it allows me to speak or stay silent, depending on where I am or who I am with. Heinlein says The sociological perspective stresses the social contexts in which people live. It examines how these contexts influence peoples lives. (Heinlein 201 5) and in my case Social location establishes who I am.