Types of research strategies

Types of research strategies The research strategy for this dissertation was established by adopting a way which the research objectives can be answered. There are two main types of research strategies: quantitative and qualitative. When deciding upon which research strategy to adopt one would have to identify the purpose of the study and the type and availability of the information that is required (Naoum, 1998). Both research methods are interconnected and have been considered by scholars to complement each other. Quantitative research is generally objective in nature although some may argue that it can be subjective as well. Creswell, (1994) defines quantitative research as an enquiry into social or human problem based on testing a hypothesis or a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers, and analysed with statistical procedures in order to determine whether the hypothesis or the theory holds true. Quantitative data therefore involves measurements of tangible, countable, sensate features of the world. (Bouman Atkinson, 1995). A limitation of this research approach is that it depends on available or readily statistical data that can be analysed; therefore it is not suitable for testing new subjects/concepts with limited available data. Qualitative research on the other hand is subjective in nature and mainly concentrates on opinions and perceptions rather than hard measurable data. Types of qualitative research methods include, but are not limited to, literature review, questionnaires etc. This dissertation was mainly researched using this type of research strategy because of its flexibility in acquiring data for subjects with limited publications. It has been noted to be divisible into two types; Exploratory research which is used where the researcher does not have extensive or has limited knowledge of the research area. The interview technique is often used as the primary method of data collection under this strategy. Attitudinal research is a subjective method that evaluates people` s opinions or views about a subject. Specific questions are formulated along with a set range of answers of varying degrees from which the respondent chooses a response. From a review of both quantitative and qualitative research approaches, it was determined that the quantitative research strategy would be used in conjunction with qualitative research, but not to a larger extent than at first envisaged because of limited access to numerical and statistical data from industrial property agents as they deemed the information confidential. Attitudinal Research: Interviews were utilised to gather data which can be used to determine the attitude of professionals within the industrial property market. From the information gathered within the interviews the results can be analysed to establish how industrial speculative developments play a role in the property market during periods of economic instability. It was decided that the interview questions would be sent to surveyors and industrial property agents and specialists based in areas where warehousing / distribution centres are predominant, particularly the East and West Midlands. Time was the limiting factor which could not allow for face to face interviews. The interview questions were directed to the individual responsible for answering the questions. In addition to emails sent to industrial property agents, telephone interviews were conducted. Admittedly, there is no way of knowing whether the individual or other senior member of staff actually completed the questions. The targeted interviewees were: Industrial property agents and surveyors around Nottingham and Birmingham. Industrial agents and developers ProLogis, who specialise in large industrial portfolios, including the case study for this research, The Golden Triangle. The questions that formed the basis of the interviews can be found in Appendix 1. The answers and comments acquired from the interviews have undoubtedly led to additional questions and a greater level of understanding. Case Study: A case study has been used with a view of providing an in-depth account of events, relationships, experiences or processes occurring in that particular instance (Denscombe, 1998). A case study of The Golden Triangle was carried out with a view that it would provide an in-depth analysis on how speculative developments in the industrial property market impact on the economy of the local area and how subsequently speculative developments impact on the economy in general. When deciding upon the case study which would prove suitable for the purpose of the research, three types of case study designs were considered; Descriptive case study considered to be similar to concept of the descriptive survey (i.e. counting). Analytical case study similar to the concept of the analytical survey (i.e. counting, association and relationship) except its applied on detailed cases). Explanatory case study theoretical approach to the problem. Source: Naoum, 1998. The theoretical way of selection (explanatory) was chosen for this research as it presented three ways of approaching the study: A typical case the findings can be generalised. An extreme case a contrast with the normal situation and least likely case. A particular case as test carried out for theory purposes to ascertain relevance of the case for previous theory. Limitations of Research: nterviews: The population used for the interviews was small and therefore there is a likelihood that the information provided by the respondents is limited to the experiences of the respondents which may not accurately depict the state of the subject matter. Due to time constraints, the assessment focused only on the surveyor and developers side. It would have been ideal to interview industrialists/occupiers as well so as to uncover any issues that are particular to them and may have been missed by the surveyors and developers. Interviews were carried out as they enable face to face interactions which enabled further questions to be raised during the interview session but as already mentioned; interviews were conducted via email except for a few face to face sessions. Telephone interviews were also carried out but it was viewed that this has the potential to lead to some bias developing that may mislead respondents. However, this approach was the most appropriate/practical given the time constraints of the respondent concerned.

Enlightened by Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye :: Bluest Eye Essays

Enlightened by Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye Over the course of our study of the American novel, we have experienced a kaleidoscope of components that help define it. We traveled back in time to learn what kinds of novels were being written and how they were being written. We were introduced to the likes of Harold Frederic's Theron Ware, Henry James's Dr. Sloper and Catherine, and Nathaniel Hawthorne's Blithedale Romance. We saw, through these novels and characters, how literature of the past affects literature of today. We also read novels from various regions of North America. We had a glimpse of northern writers and their culture such as Alice Munro, and her stories of Canada. We sampled Willa Cather who gave us a taste of the early southwest through Father's Latour and Vaillant. We read about different religious ideals, from Theron's Methodism to Father Latour's Catholicism, to Hazel Mote's The Church of Christ without Christ, to Jonah's (futuristic) Bokononism; each religion, in its own way, reflecting a different aspect of American religious zeal. And we have heard from a number of southern writers like O'Connor, Faulkner, and Porter. We begin, through characters like Miranda and Anse, to glimpse a southern language and way of living. It seems only fitting now, that we be introduced to another element of the American novel: ethnic culture. The addition of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye is the perfect choice. Through the voices of her black characters, she reveals a broad spectrum of black culture during the 1930's and 1940's. We get a glimpse of the middle class through Claudia and her family, who maintain a sense of dignity and pride. In the first chapter, she tells us, "Being a minority in both caste and class, we moved about anyway on the hem of life, struggling to consolidate our weaknesses and hang on, or to creep singly up into the major folds of the garment" (17). We encounter the desperately poor through the Breedlove family, Cholly, Pauline, and Pecola, each choosing a different means to escape the harsh reality of their lives. For example, Pecola dreams of having blue eyes, then she would be accepted, loved, respected, and beautiful.

Modern Management Essay

Today, individuals are sometimes naà ¯ve to believe that modern management is a result of recent practices, theories, and ideas. Some believe the general structure of management and how human resources are carefully planned is the direct result of today’s contributors. They are erroneous to believe such. This commentary will explore the histories of management while cultivating the reader concerning the development of modern management and supervision as it is the result of the evolution of management that began in the nineteenth century involving slavery, railroads, and legal issues. Assignment 1.2 – Development of Modern Management Modern management has a distinctive composition consisting of managers, administrative practices, personnel, and capital. Many individuals are naà ¯ve in their perception of today’s management believing it is a direct result of recent practices, theories, and concepts; however, historians argue differently. Historians have taken readers on a journey through the history of management, while educating people concerning the management of slaves, railroads, and legal issues – the pillars of modern-day management. Slavery â€Å"American slavery has been wrongfully excluded from histories of management. By 1860, when the historical orthodoxy has modern management emerging on the railroads, 38,000 managers were managing the 4 million slaves working in the US economy.† (Cooke, 2003) Slave trade greatly influenced the management era. Slaves were responsible for farming, construction, irrigation, housekeeping, child-care, cooking, and much more. This surplus of human resources and capital required managers which eventually led divisions of management. Slave owners hired managers to supervise the slaves while wives oftentimes supervised slaves who worked as housekeepers and cooks. Managers were responsible for setting the expectations of the slaves and theirrespective daily duties. Slave owners oftentimes delegated authority and responsibilities to the manager who in-turn commanded the workers. Although slave management contributed to modern management practices, it has not been viewed by many histor ians to be a form of management. â€Å"Throughout the era of slavery the Negro was treated in a very inhuman fashion. He was considered a thing to be used, not a person to be respected. He was merely a depersonalized cog in a vast plantation machine.† (Cooke, 2003) The treatment of slaves and the criticism of such behavior as seen today have led many individuals to overlook slave management as a contribution to modern principles and ideas. Many historians prefer to give more credit to the railroads. â€Å"Of course, such a history would equally challenge any version of the history of management which explicitly or otherwise excludes slavery.† (Cooke, 2003) Slavery brought about new and innovative ideas regarding human resources. Slaves worked the plantations, which sometimes were hundreds of acres, and they were managed by individuals designated by the owner. Managing slaves required a great deal of time management, conflict resolution, capital expenditures, and even slave trading. â€Å"The chain of command went upwards from drivers to overseers to masters. Always there was obedience. † (Cooke, 2003) The management of slaves required a chain of command to be operational. Slaves answered to their overseer and overseers answered to their masters. This form of organizational structure allowed for delegation, communication, and duties to flow smoothly. In comparison, modern management structure is quite similar in nature. For example, McDonalds franchise has such a structure. For example, crew members are tasked with the job of handling customer orders, cooking, and cleaning and they answer to a shift leader. The shift leader is responsible for ensuring the crew works diligently and effectively. The shift leader answers to the assistant manager or store manager who is responsible for the overall mission of the store. The store manager would report to the owner or in the case of slavery – master. â€Å"The slaveowner urges the slave to ‘be a man’ and commands the slaves to put things to rights. They gathered around him in their helplessness, trusting implicitly in his judgment, receiving his rapid comprehensive orders† (Cooke, 2003). Likewise, modern management structure delegate managers to encourage and motivate employees to work more effectively and sometimes harder. Although there are compelling reason s whyhistorians choose not to regard the management of slaves as a contribution to modern management, the fact remains that slave owners contributed to the body of knowledge concerning management. Yes, many would agree that slavery was cruel and involved unusual punishment and treatment, but it helped shaped today’s management. †¦it is shown slavery is included within capitalism by many historians; we also see plantations as a site of the emergence of industrial discipline. Second, ante-bellum slavery is demonstrated to have been managed according to classical management and Taylorian principles. Third, those doing the managing are shown to have been employed at the time as ‘managers’. In the idea of the manger, and of scientific and classical management slavery has therefore left an ongoing imprint in management practice and thought. A strong argument is made for not just for postcolonisalist accounts of management, but for management histories in which anti-African-American racism is a continuing strand. The fundamental significance of the article however is its identification of slavery as of intrinsic, but hitherto denied, relevance to management s tudies. (Cooke, 2003) There are many compelling reasons why historians choose to ignore the management of slaves as a contribution to the evolution of management. Some think it will stir up some sort of controversy. Slavery was not the only major contributor to the evolution of management. Railroads  Like slavery, the railroads played a significant role in the evolution of management. â€Å"The railroads had to be innovators in many of the ways of modern corporate management†¦railroad managers were forced to work out the basic methods of communication and control essential to the operations of the modern business corporation.† (Chandler, 1965) Unlike many other industries during 1850’s, the railroads were faced with new challenges that required innovative management and administrative ideas. In an effort to sustain business, the railroads had to devise ways to resolve issues efficiently and effectively. â€Å"The railroaders were innovators not because they were necessarily more perceptive, energetic, or imaginative than other contemporary businessmen, but rather because they were the first to face the challenge of handling efficiently large amounts of men, money, and materials within a single business unit.† (Chandler, 1965) The size and co mplexity of the railroads forced the managers of railroads to be pioneers of management. The railroads required more operating expenses and start-up costs than any other industry during that time. Size was only one dimension of the unique challenges facing managers of the new, large railroads in the 1850’s. Their day-to-day operations called for far many more and far more complex decisions than did the working of a mill, canal, or a steamship line. Unlike a textile company, whose group of mills could be viewed within half an hour, a railroad was spread over hundreds of miles and included a wide variety of activities and facilities such as shops, terminals, stations, warehouses, office buildings†¦and so forth†¦So every day railroad managers had to make decisions controlling the activities of many men to whom they rarely talked or even ever saw. (Chandler, 1965) The railroad managers pioneered corporate management through their skillful use of time, communication, transportation, capital, and human resources. Many new positions within the organization were created to aid management. For example, chief clerks, senior financial officers, and secretaries were just a few positions crafted to help sustain the organization. The chief clerks and financial officers helped the organization use time and finances effectively. In comparison to slavery, the railroads had an unparallel influence on modern management through the use of innovation. Legal Construction Similar to the contributions of slavery and railroad management, legal construction played a role in the evolution of management. During the 1830’s, many industrial plants were ‘on the rise’, which led to the creation of many new employment opportunities. The industrial revolution offered jobs to the working-class, while also offering dangerous work environments. Many individuals were employed in factories with large mechanical machines. Although these machines helped the company with productivity and efficiency, they posed a tremendous amount of safety and health risks. Many companies were faced with unprecedented lawsuits as a result of employee injuries. The suit mounted by Gilham Banes was the first of a flood of suits alleging that employers were legally obliged to compensate employees for injuries arising in the course of their employment that came before American courts in the quarter century prior to the Civil War. This new phenomenon of employer liability suits marked a decisive moment in American labor and legal history, for it confronted courts with a demand that they impose on employers a clear legal obligation to safeguard their employees’ present and future earning capacity commensurate with the employer’s claim to the employees’ obedience on the job. (Tomlins, 1988) Conclusion Although many historians disagree, the management of slavery made many important contributions to modern management. Through the use of many positions such as overseers and masters, slave owners were able to manage thousands of slaves in different capacities. Many individuals choose to disregard the management of slavery on the basis of racism and the bad criticism surround it; however, the management of slavery has shaped management as many know it today. The railroads also made huge contributions to modern management. Positions such as clerks and financial officers are still widely used today to sustain business operations. The managers of railroads were able to communicate over long distances and keep business operational. Legal construction, like railroads and slavery, helped shaped the management structure. Employers now abide by laws that protect workers against harm on the job. Many historians rate different industries as contributing the most to modern management, but slavery , railroads, and legal construction has shaped management in an unparallel way. References Chandler, A. D. (1965). The railroads: Pioneers in modern corporate management. The Business History Review, 39(1), 16-40. Cooke, B. (2003). The denial of slavery in management studies. Journal of Management Studies, 40(8), 1895-1918. Tomlins, C. L. (1988). The mysterious power: Industrial accidents and the legal construction of employment relations in Massachusetts, 1800-1850. Law and History Review, 6(2), 375-438.

Developing Independent Leader Skills - 1338 Words

Life circumstances are not always what you may wish them to be, however, your life pattern may take a turn for the worse, rather than wondering which direction your life will turn and accepting the fact that your path is right in front for you, by making a executive decision to enhance your strength and retaining your social and interpersonal skills are required skills to become successful. After reviewing this essay it will give you a clear understanding how to become an independent leader, when your worse circumstance could strongly empower every individual seeking an empowering voice by enhancing their people skills to excel into an extraordinary entrepreneur. The ability to create the â€Å"Voice†; to enhance your people skills when dealing with the outside world professionals, staying motivated when times are not going as planned undecided which direction to turn, however, having huge dreams and creating a successful life as an entrepreneur; but, need the extra push to stir you in the right direction. When the time come and you have critically thought about the ideas as to where you would like to go in life and at some point stop and take the responsibility to train yourself to become well knowledgeable of your framework and integrating these insights will help in ways that address the uniqueness that exist the context in social entrepreneurship. (J.Roberts, Baum,). 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