Exploration of Regional Variations in Attitude towards Guanxi Dissertation

Exploration of Regional Variations in Attitude towards Guanxi - Dissertation Example Political forces and economic policies also influence the thinking and conduct of Chinese people. A subsection talks about the developments of people’s behavior under the Chinese Communist Party and Socialism. As China opens its doors towards the world economy, the country as well as its people adapts to a new state of affairs. New practices and new ways of thinking are introduced to the people. A subsection takes note of the developments in regional economic reforms that greatly affect regional values. The effect of regional variation in management is explored through different literatures in a separate section. Cities of Shanghai, Dongguan and Chongqing represent the eastern, southern and southwestern regions of China, respectively. The three cities are the focus of the research since they are close representatives of regional diversity in China. Subsections on relevant information about the cities are written in order to give background data and facts. The second section will unpeel the meso factors specific to China on a national and regional level analysis. Values and beliefs are elements of a person’s behavior towards guanxi management. A subsection discusses Confucianism as the source of Chinese traditional values. Under the open economy, Western practices influenced the traditional style of Chinese manager’s behaviors and attitudes. A subsection is focused on western influences. The inner core of Chinese managers’ attitudes lies in the regional and ethnic diversity of the country. Each region has different business styles and characteristics. Separate subsections describe the varying subcultures dominant in cities of Shanghai, Dongguan and Chongqing. The next section of the chapter skins the different micro layers wrapping an individual Chinese manager. It is in this section that contemporary theories about guanxi and its relevance in the business environment are introduced and reviewed. The components that constitute guanxi are identified and defined using different contemporary literatures. As behavior is directed by social standards, a subsection appraises the sources of social expectations of managers. Another

The Efficacy of non-invasive ventilation in the acute exacerbation of Research Paper

The Efficacy of non-invasive ventilation in the acute exacerbation of COPD Patient - Research Paper Example Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease best known as COPD, is actually a group of lung diseases that together block airflow to the lungs making it hard to breathe. The two most common diseases that constitute this disease are chronic bronchitis, inflammation of the bronchial tract mucosal lining, and emphysema, gradual destruction of the alveoli at the end of the bronchioles (Huang and Ghio et al., 2012). These may also be accompanied by asthma. Chronic bronchitis causes coughing and sputum production, which may scar and damage the airways. Alveoli damage by emphysema reduce oxygen uptake thus causing breathing problems for the patient. The combination of the destruction these two diseases cause irreversible damage to the pulmonary system, but the good thing is that there is treatment available that can help reduce the symptoms of the disease. One of them is through non invasive ventilation, otherwise known as NIV in short. This paper will be looking at this form of therapy and its ef ficiency in the treatment of COPD. It will discuss its use and advantages it the clinical setting. Being a pulmonary disease, its symptoms are generally ignored or just taken in passing for something else. COPD can cause breathlessness/dyspnea, coughing, excessive production of mucus/phlegm and fatigue. Some of these symptoms, breathlessness and fatigue, are hard to point out or see because they are sensations that are experienced by the patient and do not manifest physically (Barnes, 2009). Only the person experiencing the symptom can describe them and talk about how badly they make them feel as opposed to the production of sputum and coughing which manifest physically. Unfortunately, once these symptoms, among others begin to manifest the patient may discard them as simply smoker’s cough or fatigue from being unfit. These are to be considered as signs

Values And Ethics Essay Example for Free

Values And Ethics Essay Values and ethics are two different things that go hand in hand. Values simply refer to our view points, beliefs and thoughts that we hold in regard to important aspects of our lives. They are the cultures and beliefs that we hold close to our hearts in regard to what is important to us. Ethics on the other hand is our personal code of conduct as stipulated and acceptable to the society. The personal values that we hold impact greatly on our ethics, they can also be in conflict. I have a number of personal values that I hold close to my Herat. Core to this is work, people and family. These remain a guiding point and an inspiration to my life. They are a source of strength and consolation. It is popularly said that charity begins at home and in this I have come to believe. Michael Rosenberg notes that â€Å"the family is probably the most important agent of socialization†. He goes on to expound on this adding that from the first days a child’s life, the individual is molded; significant others impact a wide range of meanings about norms and values that are related to the kinds of behavior which that individual will experience during the counts of his or her life. (1983, p. 163). Indeed most of what we know and put into practice emanates from our initial socialization. I feel I owe a lot to my family for the way it has molded me. A look at my childhood reveals a series of ups and down; struggles to remain in the right even when temptation to do wrong is overwhelming. Whether or not I was able to do right and sometimes falter in my steps, one thing remained constant; the support I received from my family. Family is an important institution not only for love and constant care, but also for the unconditional support no matter the challenges ahead. Taking a look back in my life, I can see the important hurdles I have been able to overcome in life due to the support that I have secured from my parents, support that has shaped and imparted important values in my life. Work is another core personal value that continues to inspire me in my current life. A glance at the world today reveals that work remains a central value to majority of people, a centrality almost equaling that of the family. Work is not only an occupation and a source of livelihood but it is also a way of continually molding individuals when they are not within the precincts of the family. Work has continued to imbue a sense of discipline and is an avenue through which to put into practice values instilled in me by the family. It is in the working environment that values such as punctuality, accuracy and professionalism are fully put into practice. Work has become a core value not only in the financial aspect but also the opportunity it has given me to pursue an interest that is close to my heart. It gives me a chance to interact with others and contribute positively towards the alleviation of their sufferings. Although charity begins at home, it is important to note that values instilled at this stage are meant to act as guidelines to future interaction with the rest of the society. It is how effectively that an individual interacts with the society that determines ones destiny and success in life. This brings another core value; people. Right from my childhood, I was taught the essence of being able to interact effectively with people from various backgrounds; I was taught the importance of possessing excellent communication skills to foster effective interaction with the rest of the society. In today’s age, although academic qualifications are key to an upward career progression, social networking is a key ingredient. As a social worker, my work revolves around assisting people; they are the source of my livelihood as well as fulfillment. A positive interaction with people is a must if I am to advance in career and earn my livelihood. According to Kim Strong Gottfried et al, NASW Code of Ethics refers to a set of values, principles and standards to guide decision making and conduct when ethical issues arise. A look at these values and ethics reveals a number of differences and similarities to my core personal values. One of these values according to NASW is the â€Å"importance of human relationships† (2002, p28) Social workers have been molded to appreciate the importance of maintaining positive interactions with the people. According to the code of ethics, they are supposed to â€Å"strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful effort to promote, restore, maintain and enhance the well being of individuals, families, social groups, organizations and communities (Kim Strong G. et al ,2002) As afore mentioned, one or my core is the people. As social workers recognize the importance of human relationships, I have also appreciated the benefits to be reaped by a close interaction with people and the need to help where necessary. The NASW code of ethics propagates for the dignity and worth of every individual. I have with time discovered the importance of working with people from various backgrounds and learnt to address their problems no matter their culture, ethnicity, color or creed. This emanates from the need to uphold the dignity and worth of every individual. A social worker serves others and helps them cope with the challenges in life. As mentioned, another core personal value is work. My work provides fulfillment when I aptly mobilize all the resources at my disposal to assist others. I believe in the need and the ability to help others as the greatest gift in life. NASW code of ethics also espouses this emphasizing on the need to overcome personal interests to better the lives of others. One major difference that exists between my core personal values and the NASW code of ethics is the role of the family. My family has played a big role towards molding me and its still plays influential role. Family interests in social work may bring a conflict of interest. Though it may go a long way in helping me to understand the society, it may be detrimental where the first duty is to the family other than to the clients as professionalism insists. Vignette #3 Vignette number three is about a 68 year old lady contemplating death to ease the immense pain she is undergoing as a cancer patient. The main reason why I have chosen this vignette is because it brings into a sharp focus a topic that has been dominating the public debate for long and continues to evoke emotions each moment it is mentioned. The issue of whether it is ethically wrong for a terminally ill patent to undergo euthanasia is still controversial in the medical profession circles. As I go through the vignette, I have strong feeling against what the client is proposing. Despite the immense pain that she is in, I am convinced that taking an overdose is the wrong approach. Due to limited interaction with people of advanced age in the society, I have an ill convinced notion that they have little respect for the set laws and guidelines and will tend to make decisions arbitrarily with little regard of the consequences. I have had a preconceived belief that due to their advanced age, they assume that laws can be bent to accommodate their whims. . My interaction with the client though compounded by the preconceived assumptions about old people was uneasy; it became uneasy the moment she told me of what she had thought of doing. I had made it known to her clearly that my moral and ethical stand could not allow me to empathize with her. Though I shared in her pain, I was getting increasingly uneasy with her and made sure her medicine was kept out of her reach. I was employing each and every effort to make her comfortable but she had other plans with her life. The fact that she made it clear she would end her life as she could not bear the pain gave me an uneasy feeling. I am aware of the debilitating impact that my preconceived assumptions in regard to the old client had on my objectivity and my interaction with the client. I was already convinced that the old lady would try to circumvent the system in order to accomplish her objectives. These perceptions clouded my judgment and the fair view of the client’s situation. To overcome these cases and be able to make a decision that is within the precincts of professionalism, I would request the help of colleagues who have far much experience in dealing with such cases. He would guide me towards gaining objectivity in my judgment. I have also decided to spend more time with the client to be able to understand her better and see how well I can help her. Should this not work, I would consult with my mentor or a higher authority to have the clients allocated to another medical social worker in the knowledge that our first commitment is to the client. Dilemma #4 I have chosen this ethical dilemma for one main reason, I had handled familiar cases during my internship although then mostly I was helping battered men and women cope with their problems. I was also assisting newly divorced individuals overcome their frustrations in life. I am confident that tackling this ethical dilemma will add to my wealth of experience. This ethical dilemma is compounded by the fact that the male client is contemplating killing his wife should she decided to leave him. This is a crime and should be reported to the relevant authorities. On the other hand, as a professional I am bound by work ethics and confidentiality. Whatever the client confides in me is supposed to remain confidential and should not be revealed to a third party. According to the NASW Code of Ethics social workers â€Å"should protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of professional service. † (1999) Following the same NASW Code of Ethics, as a social worker, I should use my intuition and competence to choose the appropriate course of action whenever such a case arises. In this case, I would either choose to report the client to the police of the planned murder or dedicate my time towards assisting the client to manage his anger and outline the inappropriateness and the consequence of his planned actions. Should I opt to report the matter to the police, I should inform the client before hand of the impending disclosure. Both of these courses of action have their pros and Cons. If I decide to report the case to the police, I will have violated the clients trust and confidence, not only in me but also in social workers. The client might refuse to disclose any other information or share his problems with me. If I choose this course of action, I should be prepared, according to the NASW code of ethics, to â€Å"protect the confidentiality of the client during legal proceedings to the extent permitted by law. † On the other hand I will have prevented a crime. (1999) If I decide to assist the client cope with his anger without involving a third party there is a risk that the client will go ahead and carry out his threat. In such a case, I will be liable legally for failing to disclose information that turns out to be harmful to a third party. I shall have earned the clients trust and might be able to see him through his problems. The NASW code of ethics is an appropriate resource to guide me on the appropriate decision to make. I would also consult with colleagues or with the supervisors in the field. In such a case though, it is important that I withhold any information that could lead to his identification. Faced with such a dilemma, I would opt to report the matter to the police to avoid any harm coming to third parties . The clients has had a history of violence and would probably go ahead and execute the attacks even with my counseling. To avoid the occurrence of such an incident and to protect the wife and also the client from himself, it would be appropriate that I took up the matter with the police. References NASW code of ethics. 1999 NASW Delegate Assembly. Retrieved on June 20th 2008 from http://ncss. aua. edu/docs/naswcodeofethics. pdf Michael Rosenberg, 1983. Introduction to sociology. Routledge. Phyllis N. Black, Elaine Piller, Kimstrong Gottfried, 2002. Teaching social work values and ethics: A curriculum resource. Council on Social Work education. University of Michigan.

Effectiveness of Student Internship

Effectiveness of Student Internship Introduction. The purpose of this study is to describe an internship program targeted at adolescents and aimed at addressing the competences needed. This study involved three main stakeholders: scholars, educators and employers engaged in the internship program. The intent is to gain a better understanding of how each group works together to equip scholars with the relevant college and career readiness competences and meet employer competences needs. Examining the experiences of scholars, employers and educators engaged in internships will reveal how such programs can enhance college and career readiness among scholars and address employer competences needs. Developing a rich descriptions of the structure and organization of the program establish the context for the internship and provided insights into the challenges and opportunities of those engaged in the program. This proposal will use a qualitative case study method (Creswell, 2013, Yin, 2009, Merriam, 1998) to explore internships and to guide the data collection, analysis and the reporting of the study. Components addressed in this section will be: (a) research design; (b) data collection and analysis; (c) ethical considerations to ensure validity and trustworthiness of the study. Qualitative studies provide richness and holism to the analysis of the phenomenon under study (Miles Huberman, 1994) and since such studies occur in  natural settings, researchers can examine a phenomenon within its context. A qualitative method enables the researcher to understand the meaning and purpose that individuals ascribe to their activities, (Guba Lincoln, 1994) by finding out intangible factors and contextualizing the participants experiences. Also, qualitative research affords the researcher an opportunity to understand an issue or phenomenon that cannot be easily quantified (Creswell, 2013). A qualitative method is suited for exploring the phenomenon of internships within the context of the program which is geared towards equipping adolescents with industry-relevant competences and addressing employer competences needs. Conducting a case study on internships within the context of a local organization and examining this intersection of employers, scholars, and educator s will enabled the researcher gain a holistic understanding of their experiences. It will also allowed the researcher to delve into the complexities and subtleties of the phenomenon and provide an opportunity to explore policy, knowledge and practice as they relate to internship programs. Creswell (2009) defines qualitative research as, a means for exploring and understanding the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem. Qualitative research is further discussed by Merriam (2009), researchers are fascinated in understanding how people interpret their experiences, how they construct their worlds, meaning they attribute to their experiences. A qualitative case study method is determined to be the best method to get the information needed to answer the research question and sub-questions. Qualitative research allows the researcher to study participants in their natural setting in order to make sense of or to interpret a phenomena in terms of the meanings the p eople bring to them, (Denzin Lincoln, 2000). Audience Purposeful sampling will be to select the participants for this study. In purposeful sampling, the researcher selects individuals and a site to study because they can purposefully inform the understanding of the research problem and central phenomenon (Creswell, 2013). This study will be conducted as a single instrumental and embedded case study and focused on a high school internship programs in a local school district in a western part of North Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the United States during the 2016-2017 scholastic year. Several participants will be included in this study. The participants in the study will agree to take part on the condition that their identities would be protected. Thus, pseudonyms will be assigned to each of them to help maintain confidentiality. The following paragraphs will include the three units of analysis (the employer, the scholars and the educators) and provide a summarized biography of each participant. Three units of analysis will be examinded. Unit of Analysis 1: The scholars (teens) internship program within the organization. Unit of Analysis 2: Educators high school setting. Unit Analysis 3: Employers involved in the internship program. Examination of Philosophical Assumptions and Interpretive Frameworks. It is beneficial for consumers of research to understand the philosophical assumptions of the researcher in relation to reality (ontology) and the nature of knowledge (epistemology) and the values that underpin the research process (Merriam, 2009; Creswell, 2013; Glesne, 2010). Beliefs about the world and what reality is (ontology) are influenced by factors such as worldview which determine the kinds of questions why answers are sought. These factors determine what is being reality (Creswell, 2013; Glesne, 2011). My ontological belief is that reality is known through my participation with the  different participants in the internship program as each participant would present  multiple realities based on their views, experiences, worldviews, and contexts. Thus,  when studying individuals, it is considerable to understand that reality is subjective as seen through many views, and my intent as the researcher should be to report the multiple  views of participants as presented. Creswell (2013) explained that epistemological  beliefs help the researcher determine what counts as knowledge. This knowledge is  gained by getting close to the participants to understand their views and experiences. My epistemological stance required that I conduct my research in the participants  environments to gain a holistic understanding of internship and how the  participants contexts and experiences bore upon the phenomenon. By getting close to the participants and listening to them with an open mi nd, I understood their knowledge claims. My choice of research method enabled me to study an internship within the context of an organization to understand the experiences and  perceptions of the participants.   From an axiological standpoint, qualitative research is value laden as researchers bring their values and biases to bear on a study and how findings are interpreted (Creswell 2013; Glesne, 2011). Dahlberg, Drew and Nystrom (2001) thus encouraged researchers to adopt an open stance and be receptive to information about the phenomenon under study as it is presented as this allows researchers to see things in a new way. In view of that, my duty as a researcher required that I maintain an open stance and make myself available to what I was studying and be willing to listen and understand what I was being told with no judgment on my part. It is considerable that I suspended my assumptions and be open to learning from participants and not make any assumptions about what my participants knew or did. Through my extensive review and my experiences with the concept of internships, I will monitor my assumptions and biases and separate them from the data being presented by my participants. I had to be cognizant of how my previous knowledge about internships could influence my interpretation of the data. To prevent this from happening, I endeavored to jot down my feelings and perceptions about the information I received. Besides, gaining more insights into the phenomenon, adopting an open stance enabled me to identify dissenting views and report such evidence in this study, enriching the study with information that could be beneficial to the different stakeholders fascinated in internships. The social constructivist or interpretivist framework (Creswell 2013) guided the interpretation of the study. Through this viewpoint, I strove to co-construct the meaning of the world where the participants lived and worked. Given the varied factors that influence the success of internships, it is considerable to uncover the complexity of views that each of the participants held as their views would be informed by the context in which they worked, the resources available to them, and the cultural, economic and political environments in which participants found themselves. It is through my interaction with the participants I could explore and describe the role of internships in enhancing college and career readiness competences and to address employer competences needs. As a result, the knowledge I gained and my findings were co-created with my participants. Due to the value-laden nature of research, my  background and values could influence the interpretations I make throughout the   study. Thus, to ensure credibility and trustworthiness in my research, my values  and role as a researcher and what influenced my interest to this topic and research is  discussed in the next subsection. My Role as a Researcher My interest in internship programs for high school scholars stems from my readings and scholarly work as a graduate student that focused on workforce development and the need to address the competences gaps in the labor market. My interest is initially stimulated during my new position as a career development coordinator with Career and Technical Education. The notion of internship is personal as I raised in Parkton, North Carolina. In the educational system, attainment of a college degree is seen as the only path to success. However, the educational system and available resources privilege only a few scholars who are able to achieve a college degree. A large population of the scholars neither has a college degree nor gains any employable competences after high school. Although introducing technical vocational education and training systems allows for internship training in the secondary school system, there are minimal partnerships with core industries that can help scholars and drive the economy. Therefore, there is little realization of the economic that enjoys these programs since most of the training is for low impact industries resulting in low wages and with little interest to scholars. As compared to countries with well-established internship systems where public policy, education, industry and scholar interest are aligned to be nefit all stakeholders, these elements do not integrate well in a place like Parkton, NC. I hope that this research will shed better understanding of how such elements integrate and can be refined and adapted to meet different contexts. Most of the literature I reviewed showed a need to focus on high schools to attract scholars into internships. I realized through scholarly readings and experiences that the concept of internship had been an ongoing initiative in the United States for many years. However, with the push for college and higher education, the focus of training individuals to enter the labor market had shifted to formal schooling over the years. Despite the rise in formal schooling, changes in educational policies aimed towards a better educated workforce to meet the needs of the 21st century labor market do not show how the perpetual competences gap among labor market candidates can be fully addressed. This is evident from the concerns expressed by employers that a large proportion of American scholars graduating from high school enter the labor market with n o knowledge of relevant competences-scholastic, technical or career-related-to succeed (Stone Lewis, 2012). As stakeholders seek to address the problem of competences gaps, internship programs have re-emerged as a possible career pathway, despite their controversial implementations in the past which had resulted in varying degrees of success or failure. The problem with the internship system in the United States is that programs are arbitrary and discrete, with the averaging internship participant age about 27 years when they enter the programs. Also, many young adults stumble into internships to last resort, only to find out that those internships offered a stable and consistent career through the acquisition of industry-relevant competences. This topic is considerable because in the communities where I have lived, many kids were left behind when they failed to pursue the traditional scholastic route. I also believe such programs, when well thought out and coordinated, may offer a possible way out and a means to advancement in peoples lives. On a personal level, I enjoy the scholastic stimulation of engaging and sharing my ideas and research which can impact society. It is my belief that when supported with the right resources and vested stakeholders, internships can offer our young people a sense of purpose and meaning. They also provide several professional and personal benefits to those stakeholders who pursue them such as the organizations that sponsor and hire these Internships. Instruments Data Collection Procedures. In this study, the data will be collected primarily through interviews with participants and supplemented with observations and document review. Interviewing participants is an ideal and considerable tool since it allows the researcher to gain insights into the feelings and thoughts that are not readily observed and are usually the most considerable tool in qualitative research (Merriam, 2009; Patton, 2002). An interview protocol will be developed using semi-structured interviews to aid in organizing ideas and ensuring that vital questions were not missed. Individual, face- to- face interviews will be attempted and additional information will be gathered through emails and phone conversations. The participants will be interviewed at different times and in different locations. Data collection will involve a series of interrelated activities that adds depth and breadth to a study by producing the best answers needed to answer a research question (Creswell, 2013; Yin, 2009). In this study, the data will be collected primarily through interviews with participants and supplemented with observations and documents review. The interviews with the scholars will occur in their school instead of the worksite. With the consent of the principal and the scholars, the interviews with the interns will be scheduled during school period when they had elective classes such as aiding or study competences to not interfere with their core courses. The interview questions to the scholars will focus on their experiences as interns, lessons learned and their plans in relation to the program. The internships will provide insight into their perceptions of the program and the benefits and challenges involved. Interviews with the educators will be conduct at their respective schools and in the district coordinators office. The interview questions that will be posed to the educators will provide insights into the challenges and opportunities of the partnership program with the employer organization. Interviews with participants from the employer group will be conducted within the organization. Interview questions will focus on the reasons for starting the program, their experiences, challenges and opportunities in developing and implementing the program and overall goals of the program. At the beginning of each interview, I will explain the purpose of the study and the interview, reiterated how long the interviews will take and explained to participants their rights. The interviews will be structured to last only one hour. Creswell, 2013 suggested that a researcher use open ended, general and focused questions that are aimed at understanding the central phenomenon of a study. Most of the interview questions will be open-ended to generate rich information from participants. Probing statements and questions such as Tell me more, Can you explain further? or You had mentioned that and Can you elaborate on that? will be used elicit further information or clarify points made by participants. Each of the interviews will be recorded, transcribed and stored on a password-protected computer and an external hard drive. Creswell (2013) noted that the use of multiple sources of data is helpful in providing corroborative evidence for validating the accuracy of a study. Additional data will be collected through observations that I will conduct at the organization while the interns are at work. Data from observations typically include activities, actions and behaviors, while data from documents can include records, correspondence and official publications, photographs and other physical artifacts (Patton, 2002). During this time, I will observe activities, behavior and other observable experiences among the participants as they performed their daily routines. In addition, documents such as training manuals, internships handbooks and other materials will be analyzed to uncover more insights that would supplement interview data. I will also use field notes and journals to record insights and feelings useful in helping me understand and interpret my findings. An considerable part of the data collection process will involve developing a timeline so that the process would run smoothly. Due to the participants schedules, data will be collected over a three-month period. After identifying gatekeepers at the research site, I will meet with each of them to explain the purpose of the study and sought their approval to use their organizations as study sites. Once approval from the local school district has been received, letters of consent will be sent to each of the participants. Parental consent will be sought from parents of the scholars who are under 18 years of age. The signed letters of consent will be collected prior to the interviews. Due to the emergent design of a qualitative study, I will to remain flexible and adaptable to changing the method. Sales and Folkman (2000) explained that flexibility and tolerance are considerable attributes at the planning stage; therefore, when researchers are inflexibly wedded to a particular design that can hinder them from designing a plan that is scientifically and ethically sound, it can cause major ethical violations as researchers. This principle of flexibility was applied when adjustments were needed to accommodate the schedules of participants and when the inclusion of other participants was suggested. Once the interviews are completed, the data will be transcribed and folders will be created for each of the participants and labelled. A contact summary form will reflect on each interview and summarize the key points and trends identified in a particular interview. The next step in the analysis process will involve a review of the data to get a sense of it. This will enable the researcher to review pertinent information and to understand how each participants answers provided information to the research question. The data will then describe and be interpreted by forming categories that best represented the data. Creswell (2013) noted that this critical phase involves building detailed descriptions by describing what is seen and interpreting the data in light of the views or the perspectives in the literature. The next step involved coding the data by condensing the text and providing codes based on evidence from the database, a process that required appropriately describing the information collected. After identifying the themes in the data, the next step involved interpreting the data by abstracting the codes and themes to the larger meaning of the data (Creswell, 2013). Throughout the interpretation process, meanings will be attributed to the themes by grouping the information and relating those groups to the study questions and linking them to literature. Research Design. Case studies are appropriate when one is studying a contemporary, real life situation bounded in time and location (Creswell, 2013; Yin 2009). Yin (2009) noted that a case study design permits the researcher to interview the participants of the phenomenon under study (in this case, the internship programs) and observe first-hand the participants as involved in the study. Case studies involve rich, contextual descriptions that allow the researchers to study internal and external factors that influence a phenomenon. Although case studies are typically not generalizable, the value of case studies is that they provide a deeper and richer understanding of a phenomenon, suggest complexities for further investigations or refine theory, and help to establish the limits of generalizability (Yin, 2009). When done well, the case study can provide a vicarious experience that can support and action for a phenomenon (Creswell, 2013; Yin, 2009). By using a case study method, the ho pe is that this study will provide detailed information on how internships can be developed and advanced as a pedagogical method that enhance the competences needed by adolescents as they transition into adulthood and meet employer competences needs. Single Case Study. Multiple case studies are deemed preferable to single case studies because comparison from other examples provides valuable knowledge to the audience and are perceived to be more rigorous. However, Yin (2009) affirmed that a single case study is an appropriate design when the aim of the researcher is to describe an unusual case that deviates from everyday occurrences as the findings may reveal insights about a process or a program and provide value for large number of people beyond those impacted by the particular case. Yin (2009) explained that focusing on a single case offers readers and the researcher the opportunity to draw out the uniqueness of the case by providing a comprehensive understanding of all stakeholders impacted by the phenomenon. Regarding the current study, the study of a single internship program enabled the researcher to uncover the complexities of the program and understand how each of the stakeholders contributed to the goals of the study. In a similar vein, Stake (2000) alleged that when researchers focus on comparisons of multiple cases, uniqueness and complexities can be glossed over, because when readers are presented with other cases to compare with, they often focus on one case as readers and rarely learn much from other compared cases Yin (2009) suggested that subunits can be incorporated into the unit of analysis to create an embedded single case study design or to enhance the rigor of a single case study design. Thus, in the current study, the internship program within the using organization was identified as the unit of analysis. Embedded within the case was the taking part high school scholars and the district educational personnel. Although an embedded design adds richness and rigor, it is no t without pitfalls. Yin (2009) noted that to ensure an embedded designs trustworthiness, the researcher will need to tie the results of each of the subunits to the larger unit of analysis so the original phenomenon of interest (in this case, the internship program) remains the target of the study. Data Analysis. Qualitative studies produce volumes of data and to avoid getting lost in a sea of data, the data collection and data analysis process should be interwoven. This helps the researchers in managing the data and provides opportunities to identify gaps in their data collection (Creswell, 2012; Merriam, 2009). Once the interviews are completed, the data will be transcribed and folders for each of the participants created and labeled. A contact summary form will be used to reflect and summarize the key points and trends identified in a particular interview. The next step in the analysis process will involve a review of the data to get a sense of them. Yin (2009) referred to this process as playing with your data. The goal here is to immerse myself in the data to understand what was going on before proceeding to the next steps. This will enabled me to review pertinent information and to understand how each participants answers provided information to the research question. Aft er exploring the database to get a grasp on the data, I will inscribe and interprete the data by forming categories that best represented the data. Creswell (2013) noted that this critical phase involves building detailed descriptions by describing what is seen and interpreting the data in light of the views or the perspectives in the literature. The next step will involve coding the data by condensing the text and providing codes based on evidence from the data. Coding is an essential step in the analysis as it helps the researcher identify the major themes in the data and allows the emergent nature of qualitative research to evolve (Creswell, 2013; Yin, 2009). During this process, I will choose codes that appropriately described the information gleaned. After identifying the themes in the data, the next step involved interpreting the data by abstracting the codes and themes to the larger meaning of the data (Creswell, 2013). Throughout the interpretation process, I will attribute meanings to the themes by grouping the information and relating those groups to the study questions and linking them to literature. The tentative findings will be discussed with chair. The findings will then be further refined, and a draft report will be sent to the chair for their review and feedback. The data will then be presented in a table format to illustrate the different levels of abstraction (Creswell, 2013) and to outline how I arrived at the conclusion and results of the interpretation. The final report of the case study will then be included in a detailed description of the internship program and its context. Providing a history of the program will help to organize the data and provide the reader with a context within which the research study was conducted. It concluded with a description of the experiences of the stakeholders (employer, scholars and educators) and how those experiences influenced the implementation and operation of the program. Miles and Huberman (1994) noted that using interpretive and material sources in qualitative research makes the world visible to readers by turning the world i nto a series of representations including field notes, interviews and memorandums to self. Interviewed participants will tell their personal stories and will be encouraged to explain the actions and activities that occurred as the program evolved. Many of the findings will be told through the voices of the participants. Thus, direct quotes from the participants will be incorporated into the final report to reflect their voices. Methods for Verifications (Ethical Considerations). This section outlines steps that will be taken to ensure the trustworthiness and credibility of the study. Once the case was identified, I will connect with gatekeepers of the organizations involved to explain the purpose of the study and to gain access to the participants for the study. Prior to collecting data, approval was sought from Gardner Webb University. Approval will also be sought from the educational district office since the study included scholars from the district who are considered a protected group. To gain approval to begin the study, I will develope a consent form for participants and an assent form for the parents of internships under the age of 18. The form will describe the purpose of the study, its benefits to the participants, how much time would be spent collecting data and how the findings would be used. Participants will be notified of their rights to end their involvement in the study and measures that wou ld be taken to ensure confidentiality and anonymity. Due to my obligation as a researcher to protect the anonymity of participants, pseudonyms will be used. To gain an in-depth understanding of internships, their structure and organizations and the experiences of those living the phenomenon, it is considerable to spend a substantial amount of time in the field interviewing and observing the participants. While this is a necessary step, I have to be respectful of the participants time and make sure our meetings or interactions are completed at their convenience so as not to disrupt their lives. The prolonged engagement in the field was necessary to build trust with the study participants and to understand the nuances of the phenomenon. It helped me to identify issues salient to the study. To corroborate the findings and to ensure that researchers gains comprehensive  information, Yin (2009) advised that researchers use diverse data gathering tools such as interview, observations, archival records and physical evidence where available. The process of triangulation is an ethical expectation that enables the researcher to illuminate a theme or perspective while ensuring the rigor and validity of the study (Creswell, 2013). Since the dissertation process is a solo process, it is considerable that I have debriefings and review sessions with my dissertation chair and peers who  could provide an aim perspective and reveal any blind spots by asking me questions  about my conclusions and assumptions. I will schedule meetings with my chair to provide him progress updates and to seek feedback from him.   Data collected will be stored on a password-protected computer and on an external hard drive. To maintain confidentiality, I will ensured that the information received from interviews is not shared with others without the consent of the participants. Although this kind of research posed no considerable risk to participants due to my questions and the characteristics of participants, I realized that no research study is void of risks, and thus, it is considerable to respect the research sites. Also, the participants time is respected to not inconvenience stakeholders. Once the major themes were developed in the analysis phase, the information is shared with participants to judge if I had ascribed the correct meanings to the data and if there are any discrepancies in interpreting the data. This member checking process was vital in determining the credibility of the research study (Creswell, 2013). To impact the targeted audience and to allow them to draw conclusions from the study, the final report includes rich descriptions of the participants and the contexts of the study (Stake, 2000) and direct quotes from the participants which provided a rich, vicarious experience to the target audience. Limitations This case study provids an in-depth description of one internship program. The study focused on one program could be perceived as a limitation. Although the findings may apply to other organizations, generalizations of the findings to other contexts such as an established program or another industry may have severe limitations. A comparative case would provide additional insights and boost the findings of the study. Summary The researcher of this study adopted a qualitative method to describe a school-industry partnership that offered internship training to scholars. In the following chapter, the results will be presented using thick, rich descriptions. The findings illuminate practices that enhance internship programs and provide an understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by stakeholders.

Noras Discovery of Self in Ibsens A Dolls House Essays -- Dolls Hou

Nora's Discovery of Self in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House         Ã‚  Ibsen's play, "A Doll House," involves a woman who begins the play as a common housewife and through a series of joyous occurrences and catastrophes becomes a self-liberating woman.   Nora Helmer is transformed and decides to abandon her family and home in search of her true self.   She arrives at this point because of several factors.   Her refusal to submit to her husband and her self-realization is brought on by the way she has been taught to act by her husband and her father, and the contradicting demands the situations that she has had to deal with gave her.   Her true devotion to herself is discovered because of the false devotion she felt towards her husband and her role in her family.   In "A Doll House," Henrik Ibsen uses the character of Nora to show that the way in which a woman is treated and her assumed role in society can actually lead to her discovery of her own true humanity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though it seems contradictory, it is actually Torvald Helmer, Nora's husband, who cause Nora to refuse to submit to him.   Torvald holds a very low opinion of Nora's ability to handle things for herself, and allows her almost no responsibility relating to the family outside of the trivial things in the home.   His incessant use of his pet names, "songbird" and "squirrel" for example, trivialize her place in their home.   However, when Torvald becomes ill, it becomes Nora's responsibility to provide for his recovery.   Of course, Torvald, mustn't know anything about Nora borrowing money for his sake, which the situation demands.   So Nora is thrown into a dilemma.   Here her first decision to disobey her husband's wishes, in point of fact for the sake of her love for hi... ...e would long ago have told him about her troubles."   (294)    Works Cited: Gray, Ronald. "Henrik Ibsen." European Writers:   The Romantic Century.   New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1985. Vol. 7, pp.1428-1430 Hardwick, Elizabeth. "A Doll's House." Drama Criticism.   Detroit:   Gale Research Inc., 1992.   Vol. 2, pp. 294-295 Harris, Laurie Lanzen. "Henrik Ibsen." Characters in 20th Century Literature.   New York: Gale Research Inc., 1990.   p. 183 Huneker, James.   "Ibsen." Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism.   Detroit:   Gale Research Inc., 1979. Vol. 2, pp.222-223 Ibsen, Henrik. "A Doll House." Perrine's Literature.   Forth Worth:   Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1998.   pp. 967-1023    Works Consulted Shaw, Bernard. "A Doll's House Again."   Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism.   Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1979. Vol. 8, p. 143   

emily dickinson :: essays research papers

One of America's greatest poets, Emily Dickinson, wrote more than 1,700 short lyric verses, of which only 7 were published in her lifetime. Dickinson was an obsessively private writer and withdrew herself from social contact at the age of 23 and devoted herself into writing. Dickinson's personal life, writing career, personal beliefs, and personal trials are perceived throughout her poems that shape today's modern poetry. Dickinson's work has had a considerable influence on modern poetry. Today, Dickinson's work has contributed her reputation as one of the most innovative poets of the 19-century American literature. Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was born in Amherst on December 10, 1830, the second child of Edward and Emily Dickinson. The Dickinsons were an important family in Amherst. Her father was an orthodox Calvinist, a lawyer and treasurer of Amherst College, and he also served in Congress. As a parent, her father was known to be short tempered and harsh. "†¦..and Father, too busy with his Briefs to notice what I do-He buys me many Books-but begs me not to read them-because he fears they joggle the Mind"(Eliot 452). However, when her father died in 1874, Emily was deeply distressed. A year later, her mother became diagnosed with paralysis and became sick for the rest of her life. Mrs. Dickinson died in November 1882. Emily attended school at Amherst Academy , studying Latin, French, history, rhetoric, botany, geology, and mental philosophy. She then attended Mount Holyoke Female Seminary at South Hadley where she engaged more in the tangible study of history, chemistry, Latin, physiology, and English grammar. Her official education became deprived because of her constant illness and poor health. Her life was lived entirely in a small New England circle, in which Amherst was the center. Emily did not explore; she saw what could be seen from her window, from her garden, from next door, and sometimes from the church. She chose to live this way and this way took over and became the rest of her life.

Great Gatsby Point of View Analysis Essay

A narrator, by definition, is how an author chooses to portray information to readers in their work. An author’s choice, in how to tell a story is ideal to the effect it has on readers. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless classic The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway tells the entire story as a first-person, peripheral narrator. Fitzgerald purposefully chooses Nick as a partially removed character, with very few emotions and personal opinions. By doing so, readers experience the same ambiguity of other character’s thoughts, are carried smoothly throughout the plot, and Nick’s nonjudgmental character lets readers form opinions of their own. To begin with, because Nick is merely another character in the unfolding tragedy readers can never see into other characters’ minds. Other characters’ thoughts and opinions are completely unknown. Readers are forced to use their imaginations to figure out what characters are thinking. For example, readers are left just as clueless and curious as Nick himself when Gatsby declares: â€Å"I’m going to make a big request of you to-day, so I thought you ought to know something about me. I didn’t want you to think I was just some nobody. You see, I usually find myself among strangers because I drift here and there trying to forget the sad thing that happened to me. You’ll hear about it this afternoon. † (67) This is an effective example of the narrator giving the story depth and suspense because readers are left intrigued by this statement and no hints, given by thoughts of characters, is revealed. Carraway being ignorant to other character’s thoughts is effective in the portrayal of Gatsby’s tale; because half of the intrigue of the story of Gatsby’s downfall is his mysterious manner. If readers were able to understand Daisy’s or Gatsby’s personal thoughts, there would be no suspense in the outcome of the novel. Nick happens to be rather clueless about Daisy, Tom, and Gatsby’s true feelings, which is why he makes such an excellent narrator The fact that Nick is a legitimate character in the story, who is present at all the key events in the novel, helps carry the plot along smoothly and in a timely manner. It also allows readers to better understand how one would feel if placed in these situations. Nick provides an intimate relationship between readers and the setting, because although he rarely provides personal opinions, it is understood that he feels awkward in the majority of the dramatic scenes he is involved in. To continue, all of the action in the book occurs in a few, key scenes, all of which Nick witnesses, it helps Fitzgerald portray action in a straight-forward way; there is no need to go in-depth about emotions, he simply uses dialogue between characters and details about the setting to help readers understand what’s going on, and let them infer how certain characters are feeling. The best example of Nick’s aloof description of a key even is at the Manhattan apartment, when tom hits myrtle, â€Å"Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand. The there were bloody towels upon the bathroom floor, and women’s voices scolding, and high over the confusion a long broken wail of pain. Mr. McKee awoke from his doze and started in a daze toward the door. When he had gone halfway he turned around and stared at the scene—his wife and Catherine scolding and consoling as they stumbled here and there among the crowded furniture with articles of aid, and the despairing figure on the couch, bleeding fluently, and trying to spread a copy of Town Tattle over the tapestry scenes of Versailles. Then Mr. McKee turned and continued on out the door. Taking my hat from the chandelier, I followed. † (37) Clearly, by using Nick as an involved, yet aloof, and purely logical narrator, the author is able to concisely tell the story without confusing or overwhelming readers; and is able to give as much information as necessary while giving readers space for imagination. Besides ignorance to thought, Nick being a practical, peripheral narrator, provides little to no, personal opinion. Although it could be argued that this is a negative quality for a narrator, Fitzgerald made sure he gives nothing away, nor forces any opinions on the readers. He leaves all final opinions in the hands of readers, which makes the novel such an interesting topic because of the variety of interpretations available. Nick never judges any of the characters for their immoral actions and poses as an innocent, reserved bystander. This leaves final judgment open to opinion, which is why The Great Gatsby can appeal to so many different audiences. At the end of the novel, Fitzgerald includes the statement â€Å"one gentleman to whom I telephoned implied that he had got what he deserved† (169) in reference to Gatsby’s death, which leaves readers to choose a side, whether readers should pity Gatsby, or if one has the right to believe that his unlawfulness lead to his own demise. Overall, Fitzgerald obviously put a great amount of thought in choosing Nick Carraway, and innocent, exclusive, yet completely ever-present character as the narrator of the story. Because of Nick’s circumstance and character, the novel is most effective in entertaining readers because the readers are left curious about character’s feelings, are shown the plot in a smooth manner, and are capable of forming individual opinions. In the end, point of view is extremely important in the appeal of a novel and F. Scott Fitzgerald shows his talent by choosing Nick Carraway to tell the traumatic tale of The Great Gatsby.