Evaluating Design Choice and Threats to Validity in a Essay

Evaluating Design Choice and Threats to Validity in a Quasi-Experimental Design - Essay Example The present author selected the choice of quasi experimental design with the rationale of avoiding the need to have two different sample sizes to work with because that would have been time consuming and defeated the overall time frame set for the researcher for the given academic research. With the quasi experimental design however, all that the researcher needed to do was to use a comparison group, without the need to employing the use of an experimental group: a situation that would have brought about the need for a posttest at the end of the given study (Cheng, 2009). The choice of quasi experimental design brought about two major types of validity, which were external validity and internal validity. With reference to external validity, it could be said that because quasi experimental designs deal with real-world scenarios, it is often easier to guarantee external validity because the results of the researcher are often evidently clear for public scrutiny. The absence of random sampling however inhibits the general internal validity of the quasi experimental design (Sanigorski et al., 2008). The author was therefore not in a better position to critically explain the validity that existed because the use of comparison groups defeated the idea of internal validity of the research. Sanigorski, A. M., Bell, A. C., Kremer, P. J., Cuttler, R., & Swinburn, B. A. (2008). Reducing unhealthy weight gain in children through community capacity-building: Results of a quasiexperimental intervention program, Be Active Eat Well. International Journal of Obesity, 32,

UNIT 4 DISCUSSION BOARD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

UNIT 4 DISCUSSION BOARD - Essay Example Though Medicare and Medicaid are federally operated programs, they rely on private providers that are regulated and financed through a variety of different agencies and corporations. In contrast, the VA and military are health care systems that are run directly by the government. This difference has allowed the VA to concentrate on quality rather than quantity of services. In addition, the VA manages the system to hold regional and area managers directly responsible for the performance of the system. The private sector providers have little incentive to invest in quality such as the VAs commitment to, "purchases of health IT to track adherence to clinical guidelines or spending on education and training to improve compliance with safety protocols" (Veterans Administration, 2007, p.14). In addition, the VA has implemented the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation (VERA) system to monitor resources and assure that they are being adequately distributed. This has developed into a highly refined system of patient classification, regional cost analysis, and produces a level of care that the private sector could benefit from to control costs while assuring quality care (National Defense Research Institute, 2005, p.3). The US Department of Defense (DoD) operates the largest health system in the US and provides medical care for active military, retirees, and civilian employees. A key difference between the DoD and the private sector is the ability to enact policies that affect their participants health while saving money. The military is able to vaccinate their members in greater numbers for diseases such as polio, measles, mumps, influenza, and varicella (Kruzel). The military policy views this as a health maintenance (and cost saving) measure, while the private sector sees this as a cost. Because the DoD operates on a fixed budget from year to year, they are forced to control costs, while the private sector is often prompted to accelerate costs to

5 porter forces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

5 porter forces - Essay Example A company offering goods at cheaper prices tends to attract more potential clients than one whose prices are exorbitant (O’Shaughnessy, 2006, p.12). Michels Patisserie as a large industry faces rivalry from other enterprises in Australia which leads to fluctuations in the eventual gains. Competitors who try to drive the industry out of business are major rivals, and this can be achieved through bad rumours and law suits. In the long run, the competition reduces the profits and at times if healthy, causes gain in the industry. However, the firm ensures that strategies to control rivalry are maintained and that it ensures the highest levels where competition is involved by offering the best services. Differentiation of goods is common in the food industry, and this is no different in a cake firm. Substitutes provide an easy outlet to consumers of goods when prices of those that they consume go up. A large cake industry faces low gains when the price of cake goes down, and the clients opt to consume bread instead. Threats of substitutes in the markets will lead to low profits due to high prices that the customers cannot afford. The firm has however dealt with such threats by ensuring that the costs of production are low and that customers can obtain quality and cheap products. Various advertisements have been implemented to create awareness that ensures consumption of cakes even when prices are up. The income of a consumer at any point in time determines what and how much is to be bought. The purchasing power of a person is subject to income. A company should set up products and goods where people are able to get and access them. The products to be offered and the prices set should meet the ability of people to purchase. As a large cake industry based in Australia, Michels Patisserie has to ensure that the goods produced meet such abilities. The firm has ensures that the profits obtained are those projected by availing products to many consumers through branching

Peer review Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Peer review - Coursework Example why the University of Marion introduced the LessThanUThink campaign in order to sensitize students on the importance to focus on their studies rather than engage in irresponsible activities such as excessive alcohol consumption. The author should include the effects of alcohol on student performance and graduation rate. It is significant to note that as discussed in the proposal, the author gathered evidence from University students that they usually consume very large volumes of alcohol mostly during the weekends to get wasted. According to them, they do this for fun and an individual can end up guzzling up to over ten drinks in a night. However, this heavy drinking results in personal tragedy for college students and their families. Yes, the draft proposal persuades in the way the author has answered the problem of the proposal. The author has stated the reasons why the campaign was launched. The campaign in the University was successful since after the campaign was launched, it has assisted educate students when others engage in irresponsible drinking. There is no need for change or reorganization of the paper but the author should state the research design of the study and the methods they used to gather information about binge drinking in the University of Marion. The author was very keen and specific thus they avoided any form of repetitiveness. The most interesting part is the statistics about the past drinking behavior of students at the University of Marion. The statistics were shocking and needed immediate intervention to avoid further damage to the students and the reputation of the University. For example, I learned that about 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades

The death penalty is not a deterrent Research Paper - 1

The death penalty is not a deterrent - Research Paper Example Pillsbury argued that it is the violence of our crimes that is the problem and not the number of crimes. And in dealing with the American homicide problem, we need to approach it squarely with all the help we can muster from social scientists, lawyers, police officers, community leader and activists, even novelists and movie makers. Each of these people provides a different perspective on what makes people commit crime, and each provides a different solution in dealing with the criminal who committed the crime. (Pillsbury 3) A police officer who apprehended the criminal may want conviction and incarceration. The psychiatrist may ask for psychiatric treatment, while a social reformer may ask that the offender be given family support which he/she lacked when the crime was committed. Each professional or actor in the justice system may want a different approach. But this will hold only for as long as each respects the other. The criminal, after a psychiatric treatment, may find himself a promoter of social reform, but not capital punishment. This paper will provide an answer to the question whether the criminal deserves punishment and not the death penalty. Is capital punishment a deterrent to a convict’s commission of another crime? Or is it a deterrent for others to commit a crime? Literature Review Proponents of the death penalty provide four fundamental rationales in imposing it: ‘deterrence, instrumental perspective, retribution, and incapacitation’ (Lambert and Clarke, qtd. in Elechi, Lambert and Ventura 110). Proponents argue that people can be stopped from committing crimes by imposing severe sanctions and executing criminals deters others who planned to commit crimes from doing so. Proponents also advocate that the death penalty is an ‘effective deterrent than life imprisonment’ (Elechi et al 110). Retribution is vengeance (Mitchell 480). Statistics about homicide rates in conjunction with execution rates Since 1999 the mu rder rate has remained unchanged despite the decline of death sentences, executions, and the size of death row. (â€Å"Death Penalty Information Center† para. 1) In the so-called execution capital of the nation, Texas, executions go up the same thing with homicide. For example in Bexar, San Antonio, with a population of about 1.4 million, the murder rate is 14.91, executions registered at 18 and executions per 1,000 murders are 4.3; in El Paso, a population of .7 million, the murder rate is 6.60, execution 1; in Tarrant (Ft. Worth), population of 1.5, murder rate is 12.78, executions 22, and executions per 1,000 are 6.5; in Dallas, a population of 2.2 million, the murder rate is 19.33, executions 26, and executions per 1000 murders are 3.1. The hiatus in executions during 1972 to 1976 was brought about by the Supreme Court’s ruling in Furman v. Georgia, which states that capital punishment in America was cruel and unusual punishment. (â€Å"Mortal Justice: The Demogra phy of the Death Penalty† 40) Statistics about homicide rates in conjunction with life imprisonment States, which do not have the death penalty and only have life imprisonment, have reported lower murder rates. In 2010, the murder rate in death penalty states was 5.00, while the murder rate in non-death penalty states was 4.01 or a difference of 25%. In other words, death penalty or life imprisonment has no deterrence on violent crimes like murder. The murder rate is calculated by dividing the total

ORGANISATION AND BEHAVIOUR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

ORGANISATION AND BEHAVIOUR - Essay Example Out of various strategies, and techniques that are used to enhance greater productivity of human capital, motivation is a valuable psychological tool that promote people to be high performers. The first part of the assignment talks about the motivational theory in practice at Tesco, and explains concepts of change and leadership styles in relation to the motivational theory. Tesco is UK’s leading grocery and general merchandising retailer operating through more than 2000 stores in UK alone (Tescoplc.com, 2012). Motivation and Non-financial motives Schermerhorn, Hunt and Osborn (2005) defined motivation as â€Å"forces within an individual that account for the level, direction and persistence of efforts expended at work† (p. 120). An individual can be motivated by a number of different factors such as pay, reward, appreciation, promotion in the work, better working condition and so on. When an individual is motivated by any such method, he is mostly found to work harder and show sincere gratitude towards his job task and thus to be highly productive and be high performer. A company may use various types of non-financial motives such as 1) promotion, 2) safety at work, 3) reward and recognition, 4) better working condition, 5) health support, 6) education for children, 7) friendly atmosphere within the workplace, 8) organizational learning, 9) cooperation and 10) multicultural workplace. Effects of unmotivated workforce ... A company may use various types of non-financial motives such as 1) promotion, 2) safety at work, 3) reward and recognition, 4) better working condition, 5) health support, 6) education for children, 7) friendly atmosphere within the workplace, 8) organizational learning, 9) cooperation and 10) multicultural workplace. Effects of unmotivated workforce Unmotivated workforce will not work harder and therefore they will not be high performers or high productive in the workplace as compared to those who are motivated. Unmotivated workforce will not help the company create a brand loyalty among the customers as they are very likely to make mistakes and this will adversely impact the business. Unmotivated employees are found to show increased absenteeism and high turnover which in turn affecting the quality of business operation. Tesco benefiting from motivated workforce At Tesco, the management is highly concerned about customers as well as staff. The company supports its staff with its s pecially adjusted work and life balance through rewards and recognition. Flexible working, reduced health expenses, membership in gym, competitive salary, staff discount and company’s share options are some of Tesco’s attractive motivation incentives it offered to its people. From these incentives, Tesco has been benefiting to create trust and respect among its people. At Tesco, the motivated staffs are found to be in a partnership relation with managerial staff and thus they effectively accomplish their expected goals (The Times 100, 2012). Taylor’s motivation theory as not relevant to 21st century According to Taylor’s motivation theory, people are motivated by financial incentives as he argued that people worked purely for money. In early years, Taylor

Electronic and Mobile commerce Slp Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Electronic and Mobile commerce Slp - Assignment Example This paper describes the main types of electronic and mobile commerce applications available in the current market that change everyday consumer-experience. There are a number of dynamics that steering m-commerce. These dynamics include the extensive accessibility and popularity of wireless devices such as smart phones, the decreasing cost of wireless technology, the accessibility of instant connectivity from any location, and bandwidth enhancements that increase the speed of data broadcast. M-commerce has experienced developing admiration in financial services, telecommunications services, retail, and information services. Consumers in the current market, bank online, purchase goods and services, adjust their smart phone schedules, pay bills, obtain direction, navigate through GPS and look up traffic from wireless devices (Canada.ca, 2010). Mobile commerce (m-commerce) education and training is rather harder to find than other fields of commerce, since this field is new and regularly changing. Therefore, continuing education in many fields has been moving online at a faster rate as compared to normal classes’ studies. Companies are still exploring how to monetize their business in this field. The Mobile Commerce segment assists students to easily access learning materials about different fields. M-commerce creates network, systems and consumer behaviors that integrate to make up the m-commerce ecosystem. This means the field is extensive, accessible to consumers with ideas that takes off. Since there are a reasonably extensive percentage of consumers who own smart phones and other electronic devices, most industries are likely to be prosperous in mobile commerce (Canada.ca, 2010). Mobile commerce continues to grow, but will not be fully established until it becomes actual mobile information accessible everywhere, anytime and to consumers globally. Applying mobile commerce to computing fields generates both tremendous marketable