Grounded Theory Project - Respectful Interaction Essay

Grounded Theory Project - Respectful Interaction - Essay Example These ideas were investigated using qualitative analysis as well as the construct of ethnography. The general, overall theme is self-consciousness of interaction which is respectful in various situations which denote three dominant themes and one emerging theme that was taken directly from data utilizing the Ground Theory Method: (1) transformative behaviors; (2) self-consciousness of one’s self and others; (3) maintaining and developing situational awareness; and (4) alteration of attitudes for the purposes of social contracts and societal approval. Methods: Data Collection and Analysis of Interview Results The coding that was done was completed due to having analyzed a total of 37 narratives as well as select interviews, most of which dealt with the idea of respective interaction. Four personal interviews were used in order to look at the unique categories which emerged that also consequently had similar elements. After starting to code in the beginning, Axial coding was use d. This was how categories were realized. The importance was in looking for relationships that would form a categorization, then connecting the four categories that were identified. The coding helped one comprehend various happenings that had effects on the element of respectful interaction. At the same time, discourse explaining the similarities was looked at in-depth. In addition, codes which were most prevalent among the 37 participants in the study were found, in addition to those which were utilized less frequently. As such, starting off with minimal knowledge, the participants knew about various reactions they had had in various situations, finding out that theme kept reoccurring within the scope of the study. The difficulty in managing all the various themes was what inspired the entire coding process. At that stage, categories were reworked in order to collude the findings with the theory. Looking at why the coding was done, one begins to realize the logic behind the code. T he grounded theory method informed data analysis. Various techniques were used in order to figure out categories, as well as analyze elements that came directly from the copy of the interviews that were listened to or read aloud. These elements were connected together to established, legitimate theories. Reading through various notes taken on the subject, several themes developed. As the categories themselves came to fruition, data was compared amongst categories. The categories seemed to be like pieces of a puzzle which each had different parts. In analysis of the interview results, what was summarily done was coding. Coding was utilized in order to find the various elements that would illuminate the various types of groups. As the coding was occurring, it was observed that although these elements vary in nature, they happened to show actions that circled around a familiar entity which was comprised of consciousness of oneself as well as other people. This entity could be categoriz ed under a more vague concept, which was a category entitled detachment. The three common themes show the prevalent necessity of respectful interaction, especially in the context of networking and making friendships adn acquaintances

Argue that federal financial aid should not be based on parents' Essay

Argue that federal financial aid should not be based on parents' income when students are under age 24 - Essay Example In other words, only the students under the age of 24 will get the financial aid from the federal government and that also if and only if their parents have a low income. In my opinion, the financial aid should not be based on parents income when students are under the age of 24. Government has a moral responsibility in the education of all the students irrespective of the financial capacities of the parents since the contributions to the students are vital in nation building process. All the students are contribution in one way or other for the development of the nation when enters their professional life. Under such circumstances, it is the duty of the government to give their share in the form of financial aid while the students are studying. Since all the students; rich or poor are working for the nation after the completion of their studies, giving ample assistance to the students is the responsibility of the government. In schools and colleges, the education system is trying to avoid all forms of discrimination and that is why in schools uniforms were made compulsory. Under such circumstances, limiting the financial aids to a particular segment alone may create dissatisfaction among the students who failed to get the financial aid. â€Å"Some Republicans say eliminating the subsidy could save the government more than $9 billion in five years, but the democrats say that would burden students with too much debt†(Sanchez). It is a fact that the American government is currently facing severe financial crisis because of the recession problems. At the same time nobody will say that the current crisis was caused because of the financial aids given to the students. Many people believe that the current financial crisis was the bi-product of the huge expenditure made on war on terror, Iraq war etc. If the government has so much money for these kinds of wars, there is no point in limiting the financial aids to the students, when

Declining Trade And Investment Barriers Economics Essay

Declining Trade And Investment Barriers Economics Essay The environment in which international business operates has become subject to the forces of globalisation and increasing world integration. One might even say that globalisation is the buzzword of economics today. There are many varying definitions of globalisation, some including cultural and political aspects but for the purpose of this manual, it is best to focus on the economic aspects of it. Globalisation, it is argued, is a shift towards a more integrated and interdependent world economy. Furthermore, at a very simple level, one may distinguish between two broad aspects of globalisation. 1.2.1 Globalisation of Markets It could have been argued that in the past, one could distinguish between many different national markets. However, globalisation of markets has caused moves towards a single homogeneous global market whereby consumer preferences are converging towards a global norm. One of the strong proponents of such an argument was Levitt (1983) who argued that companies needed to view the world as a single homogeneous, global market for products and services. A global firm should therefore view the world as a single unit and must strive to produce and market standardized product worldwide. Nevertheless, the firm is also expected to adjust its product offerings for local differentiation. The benefits from global standardization have enormous potential since firms are able to achieve economies of scale in many value-chain activities including production, distribution and management  [1]  . However, whilst there are indeed many common market needs, demands and acceptance of certain global products, there are also many deep divisions, cultural and other national differences between countries and markets. At the simplest level, these differences relate to differences in product use. For example, in some countries like for instance in Continental Europe, people drive on the right hand side whilst in South Africa or Mauritius for example, people drive on the left hand side. Hence, vehicle specifications to that end will be different  [2]  . 1.2.2 Globalisation of Production This refers to the sources of goods and services from locations around the world to take advantage of national differences in the cost and quality of factors of production. Globalisation of production is characterized by increased dispersion of value chain activities to different world locations. Instead of all business activities being singly concentrated, firms may choose to disperse some of their business activities to other locations. For example, production may be undertaken in certain developing countries where labour is cheap; research and development in another location where high-level specialized skills are in abundance; and assembly may be performed at yet another location for ease of transport to world markets. As such, firms may exploit national differences in factor conditions such as land, labour, capital and skills, as well as demand conditions, infrastructure and government regulations. 1.3 DRIVERS OF GLOBALISATION Hill (2005) identifies the following factors that underlie the trend towards greater globalisation: 1. Declining Trade and Investment Barriers After the Great Depression and the Second World War, developed countries have opted to remove barriers to international trade and foreign direct investment. This resulted in the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade). There were a number of rounds of negotiations between countries which ensued and these led to further reductions and also extended GATT to cover services, intellectual property rights and eventually to the establishment of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) following the Uruguay Round in 1994. The WTO is a permanent body that is responsible for establishing and further entrenching rule based trade and for managing the rule based world-trading system (Hill, 2003). These developments have contributed to the reduction of trade and investment barriers and lower restrictions on capital flow. These have in turn facilitated the globalisation of markets and production. In addition to reducing trade barriers, many countries have also been progressively removing restrictions to foreign direct investment that has further boosted world trade growth. However, whether the removal of those barriers to trade is a good thing is a debatable issue. Many developing countries would argue that given their intrinsically different economic underpinnings, it will be almost impossible for them to compete on a level playing field as is propounded by globalisation. They have further advanced that these barriers or protectionist measures are extremely important in that they provide in most cases a market for the developing countries exports. 2. Technology Over the last decades there has been significant technological advancement. The microprocessor revolution is perhaps the one that has had the most significant impact. Microprocessors are the underlying components that have fuelled the advancement in global communications. These include satellite, optic fibre and wireless communications as well as the computing revolution that has borne the Internet, the worldwide web and provided the possibilities of e-commerce. These technological developments have contributed to the globalisation of markets and production, through better communication, and integration of worldwide activities. It has also facilitated the speedy global transfer of funds and capital, which further fuels globalisation. Other technological advancements that have contributed to globalisation include that of jet travel and containerization. Jet travel has enabled the rapid and widespread movement of people and goods across national borders (Hill, 2003). This has facilitated the setting up of new businesses, partnerships and negotiations across borders and has also helped in the co-ordination and integration of worldwide business activities. 3. Changing World Order The fall of communism in the late 1980s has led to moves away towards democratization of countries in Eastern Europe and the former Central Asian Republics. Many of the former Iron Curtain Countries are more amenable to free market policies which are in turn conducive to globalisation. Thus, it can be argued that a shift in political ideology towards capitalism has been an important determinant of globalisation. 4. Convergence of Industrialisation Strategy Towards An Export Oriented Platform To the classical economists, trade was seen as an engine of growth as it facilitated the exploitation of comparative advantage. But, by the 1950s, it was obvious trade was not having the expected propulsive effects because of imperfections in international trading systems, such as oligopolistic competition, discriminatory pricing, product differentiation and high tariff barriers. As a result, many nations adopted an import-substitution  [3]  strategy in a bid to reduce their import dependency. Import-substitution strategy entailed a high level of protection, via tariffs, import restriction measures and quotas, which discriminated against exports via explicit and implicit tax of export activities and an overvalued foreign exchange rate. Also, the government used investment license, differential taxes, tax holidays, exemptions and remissions to influence resource allocation between industries and sectors. The proponents of IS strategy firmly believed that they would be able to meet the domestic demand for manufacturing products; provide employment opportunities for skilled labour; ease pressure on the balance of payment and strengthen the long term productive capacity of the economy by importing the production technology via foreign firms  [4]  and by using the infant industry argument. However, the overwhelming consensus is that IS was a failure  [5]  . IS strategy has turned out to be self-defeating since it has resulted in huge increases in imports of equipment and inputs while transfer pricing constituted a severe drain on foreign exchange. Also, IS granted excessive protection to industries producing inefficiently non-essential goods for high-income elite. Furthermore, fiscal credit and exchange rate policies, coupled with subsidies on imports of capital goods, made it possible and advantageous to entrepreneurs to rely on high capital intensive equipment produced abroad and technology unsuited to the factor proportions prevailing in less developed countries. As a result, a new orthodoxy emerged in the late 60s and early 70s which stressed the role of exports of labour intensive manufactures as an engine of growth. This represented a return to the static theory of comparative advantage with trade based upon different factor proportions prevailing in various countries which meant that the pendulum turned full swing for development policy in LDCs from import substitution to manufactured exports. Export oriented strategy not only encourages free trade  [6]  , but also the free movement of capital, labour, enterprises and an open system of communication. It also entailed more efficient allocation of resources with firms competing internationally  [7]  based on their relative comparative advantages. These considerations, coupled with the emergence of trade blocks, were factors motivating changes in the strategic orientation of MNEs. MNEs underwent a complete restructuring of their global and regional supply profiles. This entailed locating  [8]  manufacturing operations in only a few countries but exporting for a wider market. Each subsidiary were opened to a fully competitive market situation which permitted the realisation of economies of scale and the attainment of optimal efficiency in production (Pearce, 1999). The where to produce clearly gained in prominence during such an era which led to MNEs redistributing their unchanged ownership advantages in order to create an international network of subsidiaries  [9]  which optimised their supply of established range of products. Thus, investments undertaken by MNEs were mainly of an efficiency-seeking nature. 5. Emergence of Regional Trade Blocks Members to a regional initiative have to work towards a reduction or complete harmonization of their tariffs. Such a step taken by these members (most of which are signatories to the WTO) is seen as a partial liberalization initiative and is the first step towards complete liberalization which is propounded by the WTO. 1.4 ADVANTAGES OF GLOBALISATION Faster Growth Economies that have in the past been open to foreign direct investment have developed at a much quicker pace than those economies closed to such investment. E.g. China as opposed to Russia. Cheaper Imports This is simply because the reduction of barriers to entry such as tariffs on imports will lead to a fall in price. New Technologies Developing countries, more receptive to FDI, have a greater chance of acquiring new and better technologies through diffusion and spillover effects. Spur of Foreign Competition Foreign competition will encourage domestic producers to increase efficiency. Increased Investment Opportunities Companies can move capital to countries that offer the most attractive investment opportunities. This prevents capital being trapped in domestic economies and earning poor returns. 1.5 DISADVANTAGES OF GLOBALISATION Culture The protection of its own culture through subsidies and grants may be a major hold back of globalisation. Local focus or Localisation Douthwaite (1996) believes that globalisation can and should be reversed. He argues that localization is the way to do this. He calls for a balance between local, regional, national and international markets since this would curb the control given to multinationals. He also argues that governments should work together to reduce the power of multinationals by negotiating new trade and treaties that would remove the subsidies powering globalisation and give local production a chance. Loss of jobs in developed economies Because of increased competition as a result of globalisation, firms are increasingly shifting their production plants to cheaper locations to reduce costs. This has led to an increase in the level of unskilled unemployment. Loss of Sovereignty Many anti-globalisation campaigners argue that countries are increasingly losing their sovereignty and powers to implement local decisions because of the powers provided to the WTO. Technology Although it is one of the most important drivers of globalisation, technology has nevertheless widened the poverty gap. Developing and less developing countries inability to adopt new technologies entails that they are unable to compete against their developed countries counterparts. EXERCISE Please insert case study entitled Globalisation: Boon or Bane 1.7 SUMMARY Globalisation of markets has caused moves towards a single homogeneous global market whereby consumer preferences are converging towards a global norm. One of the strong proponents of such an argument was Levitt (1983) who argued that companies needed to view the world as a single homogeneous, global market for products and services. It could be argued that the following factors could be considered as the main drivers of globalisation: technology, changing world order and the dismantling of barriers to trade, convergence of industrialization strategy and the emergence of RTAs. Some of the main advantages of globalisation are namely faster growth, cheaper imports, new technologies, spur of foreign competition and increased investment opportunities. Some of the negative consequences of globalisation are loss of sovereignty, loss of jobs in developed countries and a widening poverty gap. SUGGESTED READINGS Hill, C.W.L. (2005) International Business. Competing in the Global Marketplace, 5th Edition, New York, NY: Irwin-McGraw-Hill Inc. Hill, C.W.L. (2003) International Business. Competing in the Global Marketplace, 4th Edition, New York, NY: Irwin-McGraw-Hill Inc.

Dells Direct Business Model Essay -- essays research papers

Subject: Dell’s Direct Business Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Will Dell’s direct business model continue to provide a competitive advantage as fellow competitors Compaq, IBM, and HP emulate Dell’s direct model? Dell’s direct business model bypasses the dealer in the supply chain and sells computers directly to customers, building each to order. Dell does not manufacture the computer components; they merely assemble computers based on components that are available in the market. Dell’s use of technology and information to blur the traditional boundaries between suppliers, manufactures, and users is named virtual integration. To achieve the advantages of an integrated company, Dell treats suppliers and service providers as if they were inside the company. Their systems are linked in real time to Dell’s system and their employees participate in design teams and product launches. Dell measures inventory velocity which is defined as the reciprocal of the average amount of time a product spends in inventory. Accumulating inventory is the fast moving PC computer industry is very risky due to the fact that many components quickly become outdated. In 1998 Compaq, IBM, and Hewlett-Packard all announced plans to mimic portions of Dell’s direct business model, with various build to order plans. All have had difficulty in making the transition. These companies are moving towards a target inventory level of four weeks, conversely, Dell maintains just eight days of invento...

Through the Tunnel

Through The Tunnel In this story, Through The Tunnel, there are three settings that all symbolize something different. The safe beach symbolized him still being a child. On the safe beach, his mother was there to protect and be there for him. The wild beach was where Jerry wanted to go. It was taking a step out into the world to him. He wanted to be free and become a man. The journey through the tunnel symbolized Jerry going from a child to an adult.He challenged himself to go through the tunnel so he would feel accomplished and finally be a man, something his mother would never understand. Other than the settings, there are many different symbols in the story that help readers figure out the meaning of the whole story. One symbol from this story would be darkness. When Lessing writes, â€Å"He struggled on in the darkness,† the darkness symbolizes Jerry's lack of knowledge or the fear of the unknown.He doesn't actually know how far the tunnel will go or if it will become narr ow. Another symbol from this story would be light. While Jerry was swimming through the tunnel he saw light coming in through a crack. That symbolizes that he is really close to becoming a man. The big meaning of Jerry making it through the tunnel is the journey from boyhood to manhood. When Jerry first discovers the tunnel he can swim through it like the other boys, therefore, becoming a man. Jerry practices holding his breath over and over.Even though holding his breath for a long time caused him physical pain, Jerry still tells himself that he will overcome it and accomplish his goal. During the time it took him to go through the tunnel, Lessing writes that Jerry is panicking because he thinks he might not make it out of the tunnel. This shows that Jerry was somewhat scared to become a man. When Jerry finally comes out of the tunnel on the other side, he feels like he has become independent and mature. He finally has become the man that he wanted to be. The tunnel is a powerful s ymbol because it shows rebirth.

Imprisonment in Frankenstein

In Mary Shelley's gothic novel Frankenstein and Charlotte Gilman's short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† imprisonment is a reoccurring theme. The main characters in both stories seek to break free of the confinements imposed upon them by hierarchical societies. These strictly stratified societies prosecute the characters;who respond with immediate action in order to achieve that freedom which their societies have purged from them.Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster, and John's wife all suffer the indignities of both literal and metaphorical imprisonment founded on racism, classism, and sexism. In â€Å"Frankenstein,† Victor endures several types of imprisonment. His workshop is much like a prison cell, in that he stays in the room for months at a time and leaves only for brief stretches. Victor admits that, â€Å"My cheek had grown pale with study, and my person had become emaciated with confinement† (Shelly 32). Victor is literally imprisoned by the a uthorities for the murder of his best friend, Henry Clerval.He is metaphorically imprisoned by his inability to protect his loved ones, including his future wife, from his monster. He reveals the dread created by his powerlessness when he says, â€Å"And then I thought again of his words- I will be with you on your wedding-night† (Shelly 117). Victor’s fear of social ostracism, which would be the likely outcome if anyone of his class were to discover that he had created the repulsive monster that had killed so many innocent people, also impairs his actions.It is only after he decides to hunt down the monster and vanquish him in order to ease his conscience that Victor breaks free from the prison that his fears create for him. Although Victor dies before avenging his loved ones, his death is what ultimately releases him from this prison. Frankenstein's monster also suffers both literal and metaphoric imprisonment. Because his hideous appearance prevents him from develop ing relationships with humans, he is a prisoner in his own body. The monster’s accidental killing of a boy in the woods is an example his inability to have even the most basic social experiences.The monster is also sentenced to something like solitary confinement by the De Laceys. Although he spends months learning how to speak and read so that others will think him civilized, the De Laceys chase him away when he finally approaches them. Felix tackles the monster who remorsefully states â€Å"I could have been torn limb from limb† (Shelly 91), this shows how unwilling the De Laceys are to compromise. The monster is wronged in the same way that the victims of racism are wronged: namely, he is rejected for his outwardly appearance.Even though the monster is the only one of it's race, he is prosecuted by a hierarchical society who doesn't judge based on character. Frankenstein's monster tries to win his freedom from isolation by asking his creator, Victor, to construct a female monster for him. The monster pleads, â€Å"You must create a female for me, with whom I can live in the interchange of the sympathies necessary for my being† (Shelly 98). The monster believes that having a companion would give him a reason to live, however Victor denies his monster of this request. We see in Anne K.Mellor's â€Å"Processing Nature: The Female in Frankenstein†, â€Å"By stealing the female's control over reproduction, Frankenstein has eliminated the female's primary biological function and source of cultural power†(Mellor 274). This further more states that Victor has created the perfect patriarchal society, in which the creation of humanity no longer needs the service of women. The woman in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† also experiences several different types of imprisonment. The woman's husband, John, treats her like a prisoner in her own home because of her postpartum depression.She feels that she has very little freedom of though t or action because John dictates the course of her life as though he were a prison guard. She has internalized her husband’s authority to the point she hears John's voice in her head. The narrator states, â€Å"I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus-but John says the very worst thing I can do is think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad. So I will let it alone and talk about the house†(Gilman 2).The narrator starts to keep a secret journal because of this captivity, this writing is the only emotional stimulus the woman can forgo to express herself freely. She says, â€Å"I must not let them find me writing† (Gilman 3). In a metaphorical sense, the woman finds herself trapped by her condition and the patriarchal society in which she lives. Both prevent her from asserting her independence as a women. In a physical sense, she finds herself confined to a room of John’s choosing. All she can do is obsess over the wallpaper. The narrator says, â€Å"I am getting really fond of the room in spite of the wallpaper.Perhaps because of the wallpaper† (Gilman 7). Eventually, when she sees the creeping women in the wallpaper,the narrator gains a measure of freedom when she tears it all down, thus freeing her mind as well as the imprisoned women, fusing into one. The narrator rejoices that, â€Å"I've got out at last† (Gilman 10). She goes insane at the cost of winning her freedom from John and a sexist society. The main characters in both stories undergo a major transformation. They all start as prisoners of sorts, but they all eventually break free when they confront the powers that imprison them.This proves evident with some truths about humanity, about the prisons that we construct for ourselves and the prisons that our societies constructs for us. Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster, and John's wife all suffer from hierarchical societies wh ich reject the characters, who attempt to gain their freedom which have been denied to them.Works Cited Gilman, Charlotte. The Yellow Wallpaper. Boston, Ma: Small & Maynard, 1899. Web. 2 Oct. 2010. . Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York, NY: W. W. Norton &, 1996. Print.