The Swot Analysis to Cadbury Essay Example For Students

The Swot Analysis to Cadbury Essay | | |SWOT and PEST analysis on Cadbury PLC | | | | | Miaozhen Group : C Registration NO: 090243079 Module :FC009 Tutor :LIULU 16/07/2010 Word account: 1560 Abstract This report aims to answer the research questions that I have asked with analysis the Cadbury PLC by using the SWOT and PEST method. There are six parts in my report. In the introduction, I introduce the background and history of Cadbury, and raise the research questions. I explain the concept of business environment, SWOT and PEST method in the literature review. Then I give analysis the Cadbury PLC by using the SWOT and PEST. I list both the internal and external environment of Cadbury. We can easily know the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats of Cadbury. We are clear about the political, social, economical, technological impacts of Cadbury. Then there is a discussion which talks about Cadbury’s market share and its productions. In the conclusion, I will answer the research questions, and give some of my opinions to solve these problems. Table of contents 1. Introduction1 2. Literature Review1 2. 1The concept and content of business environment1 2. 2The concept and application of PEST analysis1 2. 3 The concept and application of SWOT analysis1 3. SWOT and PEST analysis on Cadbury PLC2 3. 1SWOT Analysis2 3. PEST Analysis2 4. Production and Market Share Analysis and Discussion3 4. 1Production analysis and discussion3 5. Conclusion4 6. Reference4 1. Introduction Cadbury is a British confectionery company. It is famous for producing very good confectionery and soft drink. Cadbury was founded almost 200 years ago. And it was started by John Cadbury in 1824 with producing tea, coffee and drinking chocolate by himself. It was just a very shop during 1820 to 1860. From 1861 to 1940, Cadbury produced many new kinds of chocolate and soft drink, which were very popular in public. It became more and more famous with the launch of its production. Cadbury go strength to strength these years and became one of the biggest brands in UK. As we all know, although it is one of the biggest confectionery companies in the world, Cadbury also has many weaknesses and threats, which are not helpful to its development. This report aim to analysis three questions: What are the reasons for Cadbury’s weaknesses and threats? How does Cadbury make good use of its strengths and opportunities? What should Cadbury do to solve its problems and become better? I will answer these three questions in the report by using SWOT and PEST analysis. I collected the datum and sources from Cadbury’s official website. Besides, I have read some report and news which are related to the history and development of Cadbury. They provided many useful evidences so that I can get the answers of my research questions. 2. Literature Review 1. The concept and content of business environment Business environment is important for running business. It includes both internal and external impacts. We analysis business environment in such as its nature, location, price of products and so on. And we should also know the socio-cultural aspects, the political framework, the legal aspects and the technological aspects. All of these aspects, we call them business environment. 2. The concept and application of PEST analysis We analysis a company’s external environment in four factors: political factor, economic factor, social factor and technological factor. We call this method PEST analysis. 2. 3 The concept and application of SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats of a company. With SWOT analysis, we can clearly get that what problems does a company has. What should a company do to solve the problems. They can more about its internal environment which may have effect on its business. 3. SWOT and PEST analysis on Cadbury PLC 1. SWOT Analysis |Strengths |Weaknesses | |Cadbury is the largest global confectionery company. Cadbury just produce confectionery and soft drink while its | |Cadbury has more than 9. 9% market share around the |competitor such as Nestle has many kinds of products. (case4)| |world. (case3) |High production cost | |They have a high financial strength. In 1997 its sales turnover|Cadbury is traditional in Europe, but its competitor Nestle | |is ? 7971. 4 million and it was almost 10% of all sales around |has greater international experience. | |the world. | |The confectionery, especial the chocolate that Cadbury produce | | |is very famous in the world. | | |Opportunities |Threats | |Market share in almost every country around the world. |Cadbury’s transportation cost is increasing. | |Cadbury’s soft drink is the leader in the market. The increasing internal taxes are also a big problem. | |They believe that innovation is very important. They produced |Cadbury’s competitor such as Nestle is still striving for | |many new products in the past years. |market leadership. (case4) | 3. 2 PEST Analysis |Political |Economical | |More and more people have awareness of food safety. |Cadbury launched a new chocolate bar when the world economic| |Any changes in laws and regulations may have effect on Cadbury. is relatively good. | |Cadbury should always follow the laws. For example, they cannot |The market share of Cadbury in confectionery is growing. It | |employ children or pay under minimum wage. |often sales well all around the world. | |Social |Technological | |More people prefer to eat healthy and cut down on soft drinks |High technology machines help Cadbury to produce more | |because of they want to keep a good figure. |production. |People like chocolate because of its good taste and famous brand. |Medias also help Cadbury a lot. Such as internet, | | |television. They make the advertisement more cheaper and | | |easier. | Case1. In 2009 Cadbury replaced some of the cocoa butter in their non-UK chocolate products with palm oil. Despite stating this was a response to consumer demand to improve taste and texture, there was no new improved recipe claim placed on New Zealand labels. .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .postImageUrl , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:hover , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:visited , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:active { border:0!important; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:active , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Loyalty To Family In The Short Story barn Burning EssayConsumer backlash was significant from environmentalists and chocolate lovers. Case2. To respond to changes in consumer tastes and preferences – more people prefer food with lower calories. RD and product launches have led to sugar-free and center filled chewing gum varieties and Cadbury premium indulgence treat. Low-fat, organic and natural confectionery demand increases a lot. Case3. BOURN-VITA was launched in the UK in 1932 and subsequently launched in India in 1948. The year Cadbury-Fry (India) was founded as a private limited company. It was then launched in Nigeria in 1960. It has a market share of 17% in India. And it is Cadbury Nigeria’s flagship brand. Case4. Nestle has said that current economic conditions would not affected on them and its share in UK confectionery market rise to 15. 65 with a 0. 5% growth this year. Kit Kat sales are up 18 per cent this year, in a national confectionery market which has grown by three per cent in the year to date. This still leaves Nestle in third position in the UK market behind bestselling Cadbury and Mars. 4. Production and Market Share Analysis and Discussion 1. Production analysis and discussion As we all know, Cadbury just produce confectionery, and it is famous for its chocolate. They just focus on this kind of production. It is helpful to make Cadbury more famous in confectionery market. Many companies just focus on one product when it was not very large. Because in the preliminary stage , the most important thing is to enlarge its market share. Cadbury did very good in it. It successfully enlarged its market share in many countries. But it also has many disadvantages. It is not helpful for Cadbury to be the leader in the market. Various productions may abstract more customers, and the company can get more profit and bring a dramatic growth. 4. 2 Market share analysis and discussion Cadbury just produced confectionery when it was a shop. It had no or small market share at the very beginning. But several years later, its chocolate and soft drink became famous and popular in public, and many liked its nice taste. Then Cadbury began to enlarge its market share. After launching its new kind of chocolate in 1932 in UK, Cadbury had a very large market. It has focused on confectionery for more than 200 years. But its competitors do something better than Cadbury. They also have very large market share. Nowadays, Cadbury’s market share is still on a level without development. The biggest problem is they don’t have more customers. 5. Conclusion With clear analysis on Cadbury, we know its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats. And we are clear about the political, social, economical, technological impacts of Cadbury. Now we can get the answers of my research questions. Firstly, what are the reasons for Cadbury’s weaknesses and threats? Cadbury‘s single production structure is a big problem. The most important reason is its market share. Absolutely, it makes up great percentage of all market share, but it is not the only leader in confectionery market. They are just satisfied with this market share level. It is not necessary for Cadbury to enlarge its market share or do much competition with other companies. Secondly, how does Cadbury make good use of its strengths and opportunities? Cadbury has produced many kinds of chocolate bars, and most people like them so much. Its confectionery is very popular. So they can produce more traditional taste chocolate with producing new productions. They should enlarge their customer group and make more people be interested in them. At last, in my opinion, they should produce something others except confectionery. It is helpful to get more customers and more profit. They can also try to produce different tastes chocolate in different areas, because it is impossible for different people to have the same taste. 6. Reference 1. http://www. businessteacher. org. uk/business-resources/swot-analysis-database/cadbury-swot-analysis/#_ftn1 2. ttp://www. cadbury. com/ourbrands/otherfavouritebrands/chocolate/Pages/Bournvita2. aspx 3. http://www. foodanddrinkeurope. com/Financial/Nestle-market-share-growing-despite-economic-downturn 4. http://www. cadbury. co. uk/cadburyandchocolate/ourstory/Pages/ourstoryFlash. aspx 5. http://www. cadburyinvestors. com/cadbury_ir/report/ 6. http://www. cadbury. com/pages/kraft. aspx? url=http://www. kraftfoodscompany. com/ about/index. aspx 7. http://www. cadbury. com/ourbrands/Pages/Ourbrand. aspx 1 2 3 4 5

The Swot Analysis to Cadbury Essay Example For Students

The Swot Analysis to Cadbury Essay | | |SWOT and PEST analysis on Cadbury PLC | | | | | Miaozhen Group : C Registration NO: 090243079 Module :FC009 Tutor :LIULU 16/07/2010 Word account: 1560 Abstract This report aims to answer the research questions that I have asked with analysis the Cadbury PLC by using the SWOT and PEST method. There are six parts in my report. In the introduction, I introduce the background and history of Cadbury, and raise the research questions. I explain the concept of business environment, SWOT and PEST method in the literature review. Then I give analysis the Cadbury PLC by using the SWOT and PEST. I list both the internal and external environment of Cadbury. We can easily know the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats of Cadbury. We are clear about the political, social, economical, technological impacts of Cadbury. Then there is a discussion which talks about Cadbury’s market share and its productions. In the conclusion, I will answer the research questions, and give some of my opinions to solve these problems. Table of contents 1. Introduction1 2. Literature Review1 2. 1The concept and content of business environment1 2. 2The concept and application of PEST analysis1 2. 3 The concept and application of SWOT analysis1 3. SWOT and PEST analysis on Cadbury PLC2 3. 1SWOT Analysis2 3. PEST Analysis2 4. Production and Market Share Analysis and Discussion3 4. 1Production analysis and discussion3 5. Conclusion4 6. Reference4 1. Introduction Cadbury is a British confectionery company. It is famous for producing very good confectionery and soft drink. Cadbury was founded almost 200 years ago. And it was started by John Cadbury in 1824 with producing tea, coffee and drinking chocolate by himself. It was just a very shop during 1820 to 1860. From 1861 to 1940, Cadbury produced many new kinds of chocolate and soft drink, which were very popular in public. It became more and more famous with the launch of its production. Cadbury go strength to strength these years and became one of the biggest brands in UK. As we all know, although it is one of the biggest confectionery companies in the world, Cadbury also has many weaknesses and threats, which are not helpful to its development. This report aim to analysis three questions: What are the reasons for Cadbury’s weaknesses and threats? How does Cadbury make good use of its strengths and opportunities? What should Cadbury do to solve its problems and become better? I will answer these three questions in the report by using SWOT and PEST analysis. I collected the datum and sources from Cadbury’s official website. Besides, I have read some report and news which are related to the history and development of Cadbury. They provided many useful evidences so that I can get the answers of my research questions. 2. Literature Review 1. The concept and content of business environment Business environment is important for running business. It includes both internal and external impacts. We analysis business environment in such as its nature, location, price of products and so on. And we should also know the socio-cultural aspects, the political framework, the legal aspects and the technological aspects. All of these aspects, we call them business environment. 2. The concept and application of PEST analysis We analysis a company’s external environment in four factors: political factor, economic factor, social factor and technological factor. We call this method PEST analysis. 2. 3 The concept and application of SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats of a company. With SWOT analysis, we can clearly get that what problems does a company has. What should a company do to solve the problems. They can more about its internal environment which may have effect on its business. 3. SWOT and PEST analysis on Cadbury PLC 1. SWOT Analysis |Strengths |Weaknesses | |Cadbury is the largest global confectionery company. Cadbury just produce confectionery and soft drink while its | |Cadbury has more than 9. 9% market share around the |competitor such as Nestle has many kinds of products. (case4)| |world. (case3) |High production cost | |They have a high financial strength. In 1997 its sales turnover|Cadbury is traditional in Europe, but its competitor Nestle | |is ? 7971. 4 million and it was almost 10% of all sales around |has greater international experience. | |the world. | |The confectionery, especial the chocolate that Cadbury produce | | |is very famous in the world. | | |Opportunities |Threats | |Market share in almost every country around the world. |Cadbury’s transportation cost is increasing. | |Cadbury’s soft drink is the leader in the market. The increasing internal taxes are also a big problem. | |They believe that innovation is very important. They produced |Cadbury’s competitor such as Nestle is still striving for | |many new products in the past years. |market leadership. (case4) | 3. 2 PEST Analysis |Political |Economical | |More and more people have awareness of food safety. |Cadbury launched a new chocolate bar when the world economic| |Any changes in laws and regulations may have effect on Cadbury. is relatively good. | |Cadbury should always follow the laws. For example, they cannot |The market share of Cadbury in confectionery is growing. It | |employ children or pay under minimum wage. |often sales well all around the world. | |Social |Technological | |More people prefer to eat healthy and cut down on soft drinks |High technology machines help Cadbury to produce more | |because of they want to keep a good figure. |production. |People like chocolate because of its good taste and famous brand. |Medias also help Cadbury a lot. Such as internet, | | |television. They make the advertisement more cheaper and | | |easier. | Case1. In 2009 Cadbury replaced some of the cocoa butter in their non-UK chocolate products with palm oil. Despite stating this was a response to consumer demand to improve taste and texture, there was no new improved recipe claim placed on New Zealand labels. .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .postImageUrl , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:hover , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:visited , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:active { border:0!important; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:active , .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2 .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9437fe3336c8cd6dcc60791fdcd76ef2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Loyalty To Family In The Short Story barn Burning EssayConsumer backlash was significant from environmentalists and chocolate lovers. Case2. To respond to changes in consumer tastes and preferences – more people prefer food with lower calories. RD and product launches have led to sugar-free and center filled chewing gum varieties and Cadbury premium indulgence treat. Low-fat, organic and natural confectionery demand increases a lot. Case3. BOURN-VITA was launched in the UK in 1932 and subsequently launched in India in 1948. The year Cadbury-Fry (India) was founded as a private limited company. It was then launched in Nigeria in 1960. It has a market share of 17% in India. And it is Cadbury Nigeria’s flagship brand. Case4. Nestle has said that current economic conditions would not affected on them and its share in UK confectionery market rise to 15. 65 with a 0. 5% growth this year. Kit Kat sales are up 18 per cent this year, in a national confectionery market which has grown by three per cent in the year to date. This still leaves Nestle in third position in the UK market behind bestselling Cadbury and Mars. 4. Production and Market Share Analysis and Discussion 1. Production analysis and discussion As we all know, Cadbury just produce confectionery, and it is famous for its chocolate. They just focus on this kind of production. It is helpful to make Cadbury more famous in confectionery market. Many companies just focus on one product when it was not very large. Because in the preliminary stage , the most important thing is to enlarge its market share. Cadbury did very good in it. It successfully enlarged its market share in many countries. But it also has many disadvantages. It is not helpful for Cadbury to be the leader in the market. Various productions may abstract more customers, and the company can get more profit and bring a dramatic growth. 4. 2 Market share analysis and discussion Cadbury just produced confectionery when it was a shop. It had no or small market share at the very beginning. But several years later, its chocolate and soft drink became famous and popular in public, and many liked its nice taste. Then Cadbury began to enlarge its market share. After launching its new kind of chocolate in 1932 in UK, Cadbury had a very large market. It has focused on confectionery for more than 200 years. But its competitors do something better than Cadbury. They also have very large market share. Nowadays, Cadbury’s market share is still on a level without development. The biggest problem is they don’t have more customers. 5. Conclusion With clear analysis on Cadbury, we know its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats. And we are clear about the political, social, economical, technological impacts of Cadbury. Now we can get the answers of my research questions. Firstly, what are the reasons for Cadbury’s weaknesses and threats? Cadbury‘s single production structure is a big problem. The most important reason is its market share. Absolutely, it makes up great percentage of all market share, but it is not the only leader in confectionery market. They are just satisfied with this market share level. It is not necessary for Cadbury to enlarge its market share or do much competition with other companies. Secondly, how does Cadbury make good use of its strengths and opportunities? Cadbury has produced many kinds of chocolate bars, and most people like them so much. Its confectionery is very popular. So they can produce more traditional taste chocolate with producing new productions. They should enlarge their customer group and make more people be interested in them. At last, in my opinion, they should produce something others except confectionery. It is helpful to get more customers and more profit. They can also try to produce different tastes chocolate in different areas, because it is impossible for different people to have the same taste. 6. Reference 1. http://www. businessteacher. org. uk/business-resources/swot-analysis-database/cadbury-swot-analysis/#_ftn1 2. ttp://www. cadbury. com/ourbrands/otherfavouritebrands/chocolate/Pages/Bournvita2. aspx 3. http://www. foodanddrinkeurope. com/Financial/Nestle-market-share-growing-despite-economic-downturn 4. http://www. cadbury. co. uk/cadburyandchocolate/ourstory/Pages/ourstoryFlash. aspx 5. http://www. cadburyinvestors. com/cadbury_ir/report/ 6. http://www. cadbury. com/pages/kraft. aspx? url=http://www. kraftfoodscompany. com/ about/index. aspx 7. http://www. cadbury. com/ourbrands/Pages/Ourbrand. aspx 1 2 3 4 5

Responding to the Challenges Experienced by Working Adult Students free essay sample

This pilot study explores the challenges faced by working adult graduate students at the premier private university in Cambodia. It utilizes survey research methods to elicit student opinions about the challenges they face as working adults and what they believe the university, their instructors, their peers, and they themselves can do to address these challenges and achieve a better work-life balance. The conceptual context for the research reviews literature pertaining to higher education in developing countries, the needs of adult learners, and the work-life balance challenges experienced by adult learners. Because this literature is based on western research, this study seeks to understand the challenges faced by adult learners in the particular cultural context of Cambodia. It concludes that, based on the data collected from a limited sample, Cambodian working adult students face many of the same challenges as working adult students in other cultural contexts. It recommends that a broader study on the topic be conducted and offers preliminary recommendations for how the university, instructors, student peers, and individual students can address challenges faced by working students in Cambodia. We will write a custom essay sample on Responding to the Challenges Experienced by Working Adult Students or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page INTRODUCTION Having emerged in the late 1990s from three decades of armed conflict and political instability, Cambodia is one of the poorest nations in the world. With 36% of its population living below the official poverty line, Cambodia ranks 87 out of 135 countries measured by the UN Human Poverty Index (UNDP, 2009), placing it between Djibouti and India. The UN Human Development Index (UNDP, 2009), which assesses a broader range of factors including life expectancy; adult literacy and educational enrollment; and the ability to have a decent standard of living, ranks Cambodia 137 out of 182 countries studied, placing it between Congo and Myanmar. Prolonged civil conflict destroyed Cambodia’s educational institutions. During the Khmer Rouge era of 1975-1979, teachers and intellectuals were targeted for execution, schools were converted to political prisons, and books were systematically destroyed (Hagadorn, 2004. ) The political instability that continued through the late 1990s delayed the country’s ability to move into a period of economic and human development. The Royal Government of Cambodia’s Rectangular Strategy, which forms the basis for its National Strategic Development Plan (Ministry of Planning, 2006), cites capacity building and human resource development as one of five pillars together with improvements in agriculture, development of the private sector and employment, rehabilitation of infrastructure, and good governance that are essential for national development. The Education Strategic Plan: 2006-2010 (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, 2006) calls for improvements in access to and quality of education at all levels from preschool through higher education. On one hand, a mid-term review of the strategy (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, 2008) indicates that 6% of the government’s education budget focused on higher education and that acceptable progress has been made on most higher education targets, with the exception of increasing enrollments in science, technology, and math. On the other hand, the World Economic Forum Competitiveness Report: 2008-2009, cited by Green (2003), ranked the quality of Cambodia’s higher education system as the lowest in Southeast Asia, although data for Lao PDR and Myanmar were not available. It is understandable that the current priority of the Ministry is to ensure basic education for all; however, in the long term, quality higher education will be a key to economic development. Lack of quality in higher education is reflected in the reality that while the number of higher education institutions in Cambodia rose from ten to more than seventy during the period from 2000-2008, only one in ten graduates is able to find employment in their area of study because of a gap between what they learn and the skills employers need (AsiaOne, 2008. ) Students currently pursuing higher education in Cambodia often experienced deficient education at the primary, secondary and high school levels where didactic methods are used almost exclusively, due to teacher training and classroom overcrowding. As a result, students may enter higher education with poor basic skills and study habits, and difficulties with critical and analytical thinking (personal observation). In addition, according to one expert, â€Å"Some students are scared of studying hard and think what they need is any degree, not quality. † (AsiaOne, 2008. ) To complicate matters further, many students, particularly those studying at the graduate level, must balance their academic studies with full time jobs and family obligations. This suggests that innovative strategies are needed to provide appropriate support to working students to ensure that their efforts result not only in a certificate, but in quality learning and workforce preparedness. This study’s research purpose is to learn about the challenges experienced by working adult students at the graduate level at one of Cambodia’s premiere educational institutions. In addition, it seeks to understand students’ opinions about what the university, their teachers, their fellow students and they themselves can do to help them achieve better work-life balance, which in turn, may have a positive influence on learning outcomes. In addition to these research purposes, there are two additional purposes that motivate this study. First, on a personal level, as a teacher of working adult students in a graduate research methods course, I have observed first hand the difficulties students experience in balancing school with other obligations and their difficulties in completing their coursework at a high level of quality. Most are able to pass the class, but few master the course material. As a result, the course is taught on a pass/not pass basis, to avoid damaging the students’ grade point averages. Therefore, this study also seeks to understand what these students need, as working adults, to be successful in their studies. Second, at a practical level, this research aims (1) to generate preliminary data and conclusions that suggest actions that the university, teachers and students can take to enrich the learning experience and (2) to recommend areas for further study. The subjects for this research are students attending an Introduction to Research Methods course on Sunday mornings during the Summer 2010 term. Twenty-four students who attended the first day of class were asked to complete a questionnaire that included 13 items related to the research. A contingency question, â€Å"Do you work? † was used to identify any students who did not fit the category of â€Å"adult working student. † Only one questionnaire was eliminated because the student does not work. Therefore, a total of 23 students are included in the pilot study. The questionnaire included questions about students’ major field of study, type of employment, number of hours worked and amount of travel required by their employer. It then asks about major challenges experienced by the student and solicits opinions regarding what the university, instructors and peers, and the students themselves can do to help the students achieve better work-life balance. Responses to closed-ended questions were tabulated and responses to open-ended questions were coded and organized into themes. CONCEPTUAL CONTEXT FOR THE RESEARCH Personal Observations Having completed master’s and doctoral degrees as a full time working adult, I have first-hand experience with the challenges experienced by adult learners. Juggling the competing demands of work, studies, family and social obligations, and household chores requires careful time management, negotiation with those who present demands to the working student, and often leaves the working student exhausted. In my experience, I was able to meet these challenges by organizing my time carefully, receiving positive support from family and friends, negotiating with my employer to reduce travel assignments, taking earned leave when facing major course deadlines, and making personal sacrifices. In my teaching, I observe that my students often arrive at class tired, regularly state that they are â€Å"too busy† to complete school work and frequently ask permission to be absent due to work-related travel, assigned meetings, family emergencies, obligations to care for older and younger family members, and important social functions, such as weddings and religious ceremonies. Having worked in Cambodia for more than five years, I believe my students do not have the same freedom I enjoyed in the U. S. to negotiate with employers, family members, and friends to make their studies a high priority. When I asked my students, â€Å"Are you able to negotiate with your family regarding family obligations? † and â€Å"Are you able to negotiate with your employer regarding work obligations? † as a group they emphatically responded â€Å"no. † In addition, having been raised in primary, secondary and high schools that may not have rewarded students based on merit, Cambodian students may not enter the university with the same levels of discipline and time management skills that college-bound students in the West typically develop. In the case of female students, some of their families may not place a high value on female education, and therefore, may not encourage them in their studies. As a result, female students may be under greater pressure to sacrifice their academic pursuits to respond to family obligations. Literature Review After conducting an internet-based search for literature, three areas appear especially relevant to understanding the context for this research study: (1) Higher education in developing countries; (2) The special needs of adult learners; (3) Challenges in maintaining work-life balance among adult learners. Higher Education in Developing Countries The World Conference on Higher Education (UNESCO, 1998) created a vision statement and action framework for higher education in the 21st century. The report notes that higher education is essential for socio-cultural and economic development. While the availability of higher education increased six-fold during the second half of the 20th century, unequal access to higher education also increased between industrial and non-industrial countries and between socio-economic groups within countries. Of particular concern to the members of the conference is the continuing gender gap in access to higher education. The report states that, because the rate of social and technological change is at an historical high, emphasis must be given to lifelong learning to continually update skills to address evolving social and market needs. As a result, higher education must address not only the needs of young students, but also the needs of students who are re-entering the university mid-way or late in their careers. The key challenge for education systems is â€Å"creating opportunities for adult learning in flexible, open and creative ways. † (pg. 14. ) Donor organizations, such as the World Bank, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and the United Nations often view education as a means to produce human capital to drive economic growth and, therefore, focus on producing workers with specific technical skills (Spring, 1998. ) This approach does not give sufficient emphasis to building productive citizens and future leaders who are able to think critically about society and find creative solutions to emerging problems (UNESCO, 1998. ) Nor does it take into account that, as the world economy changes, â€Å"knowledge supplants physical capital as the source of present (and future) wealth† (Task Force on Higher Education and Society, 2000. ) Bloom and Rosovsky (2003) assert that higher education ought to focus on â€Å"teaching students how to think rather than what to think, and how to learn rather than what to learn† (pg. 2. ) The Task Force on Higher Education and Society (2000) suggests that if markets alone drive educational choices, many disciplines that are critical to social development and citizen empowerment, for example basic sciences and the humanities, will be under-provided. The task force calls on leaders in the field of education to advocate for their inclusion in curricula. Special Needs of Adult Learners Statistics are not readily available as to what percentage of university students in Cambodia can be classified as ‘adult students,’ which is typically defined as students who are 25 years or older (Peck and Varney, 2009. ) According to a study by Noel-Levitz (2008), in the U. S. , 50% of university students are adults. Seventy percent of female university students are adults (Bash, 2003. ) A variety of factors lead people to become adult students, including the desire for a job promotion, following the example of friends or co-workers, or internal motivation to achieve (Norman Davies Group, 2005. ) Others may seek education as a means to cope with a life-changing experience, such as marriage, divorce, being fired from a job, or moving to a new city (Zemke and Zemke, 1984. ) Adult students differ from younger students in many ways (Zemke and Zemke, 1984. ) They bring a significant amount of practical knowledge with them to the classroom. They are less interested in theory and more interested in applying new knowledge. They find it difficult to integrate information that conflicts with what they already know. They prefer practice to lectures. And they have many other responsibilities in their lives. Knowles, Holton, and Swanson (1998) add that adults need to understand why they need to learn something. In addition, they are responsible, and therefore accountable, for their own decisions regarding what and how they learn. Because adults bring different needs and preferences to the classroom, instructors must use a variety of teaching methods, including discussion, debate, and in-class exercises. The key role of the educator is not so much to teach the adult, but to facilitate the adult’s own learning process (Zemke and Zemke, 1984. ) Challenges in Maintaining Work-Life Balance among Adult Learners Many adult students work full time and also provide care to children and older relatives. They may be involved in community and volunteer activities. When they decide to add higher education to the mix of activities, they risk under-achieving in some aspect of their lives because they are not able to balance all of the demands on their time (Fairchild, 2003. ) Mercer (1993) describes three types of barriers that can serve as threats to the adult student’s ability to succeed: situational barriers, dispositional barriers, and institutional barriers. Situational barriers include the need to care for children and older relatives, finances, and job responsibilities. Many working adults must make temporary career sacrifices in order to manage family and school responsibilities. Dispositional barriers include experiencing conflicts among competing demands; having insufficient time to meet demands, resulting in overload; and worrying about one role while performing another. Increased demands can lead to stress, anxiety and depression, especially for female students who are low income or have young children. Institutional barriers result when class work does not integrate work experience, when classes are not offered during appropriate days and hours, and when students are unable to develop a social network within the university. According to the Mayo Clinic (accessed July 2010 from www. mayoclinic. com), the fatigue caused by managing multiple priorities can lead to poor productivity and even costly mistakes due to unclear thinking. Relationships also can suffer, leading to a sense of isolation. Fairchild (2003) notes that multiple roles can be helpful to adult students because learning can be applied immediately to work; adult students have more life experience to draw upon; and adult students make the most of class time. Acknowledging that all working students have to make sacrifices to succeed, Hoak (2007), suggests several methods for improving work-life balance, or at least keeping stress at a manageable level. First, she recommends having a specific, long-term goal in mind and keeping sight of it. Students who are seeking specific benefits, rather than general knowledge, are better able to keep sacrifices in perspective. Second, she suggests taking a step by step approach to re-entering the academic world by enrolling at first in one or two courses before committing to full time studies. Third, she notes that the families and friends of working adult students also make sacrifices when they do not have access to the student’s time and that the student should remind others that their life is going to be different for a period of time and request their active support. Finally, she encourages adult students to maintain good performance on the job and, if possible, to solicit their supervisors’ support. RESEARCH QUESTIONS A significant amount of research has been done on the topics of the special needs of adult learners and the challenges they face in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The literature specifically cites the demands on the adult learner to manage work responsibilities, school responsibilities and family and social obligations and the stress, anxiety and exhaustion that can result from these efforts. My own experience as a working adult learner reinforces these research conclusions. In my efforts to complete master’s and doctoral level degrees as a working adult, it was necessary to make sacrifices in social and family relationships and even in meeting basic health needs. For example, it was difficult to keep up a regular program of exercise, I seldom was able to enjoy a full night’s sleep, and leisure time became a distant memory. While there is a significant body of research on the topics of working adult learners and work-life balance, most of the available studies were conducted in the United States. Therefore, a gap in knowledge that this research seeks to address is to learn more about the dynamics of being a working adult student in the cultural context of Cambodia. Based on my observations, I believe working adult students in Cambodia have less ability to negotiate with employers and families to reduce obligations or to manage them in a flexible manner. Therefore, the research questions that guide this study are: (1) What are the key challenges faced by working adults studying at the master’s level at a private university in Cambodia? (2) What actions do the students believe the university, their instructors, their peers and they themselves can take to help them address these challenges? RESEARCH METHODS This research is a quantitative, pilot study utilizing survey research methods, specifically, a questionnaire. Because little is known about the challenges faced by working adult students in Cambodia, a pilot study was selected to test a questionnaire instrument and determine whether it produces the data needed to understand the research topic. The research has both descriptive and exploratory components. It is descriptive because it describes the current situation and opinions of a group of adult students studying at the master’s level at a private university in Cambodia. It is exploratory because, although there is a large body of literature and research available about adult learners and work-life balance issues in general, these topics have not been studied in the particular cultural context of Cambodia. It does not attempt to draw conclusions regarding causes and effects, and therefore, is not an explanatory research study. The study population consists of master’s level students who attended the first day of my course, Introduction to Research Methods. Twenty-four students attended this first class, out of which 23 are working students; therefore, the study population consists of 23 students. This group was selected because, as their instructor, I have easy access to them. In addition, because this is a course in research methods, using class time to give the students first-hand experience completing a research questionnaire, and modeling how a questionnaire should be administered, is justified as a learning experience. After the questionnaire was distributed, I reviewed it with the students and explained key concepts in questionnaire design contained in the instrument. These students study on the weekend and, therefore, may not represent students who study on weeknights or during the day. In addition, most of the students are enrolled in education or business-related majors and are fairly advanced in their studies. Therefore, the pilot results can only be generalized to advanced master’s degree students in education and business-related majors who study on the weekend. However, it was felt that their responses would be sufficient to test the instrument and develop recommendations for a study focused on a larger population. A questionnaire was selected as the research instrument because it provides an efficient means to gather data. Because I was using class time to gather data, using interviews or focus groups would have presented an unfair time burden to the subjects. The questionnaire was administered on a confidential basis. Students wrote their names and other identifying information on the instrument. I considered whether students would respond more candidly to an anonymous questionnaire. Because past students have regularly spoken openly with me about the challenges they face as working adults, there is reason to believe the responses are honest and, therefore, the data can be considered reliable for this particular population. The questionnaire consists of 13 questions related to the research topic. Seven of these are closed-ended questions related to the student’s major, type of employment, number of hours worked each week, and how often the student must travel for his or her employer. Five open-ended questions asked the students to describe the major challenges they face as working students and asked their opinions about what the university, teachers, classmates and they themselves can do to help them manage these challenges. Students were able to complete the questionnaire within the 20 minutes allotted. A review of responses suggests that both the closed-ended and open-ended questions were easily understood and elicited appropriate responses. This is further evidence that the data is reliable. Initially, simple tabulations were made of the responses to closed-ended questions. Responses to open-ended questions were coded and categorized into themes. Once this initial data management was completed, the data were examined for correlations that deserve further analysis. For example, the researcher believed there may be differences in the types of challenges students report based on gender, major field of study, type of employer, number of hours worked per week and frequency of work-related travel. A review of the data did not point to correlations, which may be a result of the small study population, and therefore, no correlation analysis was performed. There are two potential ethical issues involved in this research. The first is related to the principle of voluntary participation. Because my subjects are my students, and because the questionnaire was administered on the first day of class, it is unlikely that students would feel comfortable refusing to complete the questionnaire. In order to mitigate this potential ethical problem, I focused on questions that I felt would not be sensitive. For example, I believe that family obligations create significant role conflicts for adult working students in Cambodia; however, questions about the students’ personal lives may have created psychological distress and, therefore, I avoided questions of that type. Instead, I limited my questions to ones that were related to work life and student life. In addition, the students were in control of how much information they gave in response to open-ended questions, which gives them the opportunity to decide, on a voluntary basis, how much information they want to reveal. A second potential ethical problem relates to the principle of protecting the subject’s identity. I selected a confidential, rather than anonymous, questionnaire format. As discussed above, because students regularly speak openly with me about the challenges they face as working adults, and because I did not ask questions that relate to personal and family relationships, this does not seem to present a serious ethical problem. The benefit it provides is that, as a teacher, I have an opportunity to better understand the challenges faced by individual students. DATA PRESENTATION This section of the report first presents descriptive data about the characteristics of students and their work commitments gathered from closed-ended survey questions. It then presents student responses to open-ended questions about the challenges they face as working students and their opinions about how the university, teachers, classmates and they can do to help them manage the challenges of being a working student. These responses have been coded and organized into response categories. Of the twenty-three students who work, eighteen (78%) are male and five (22%) are female. Figure 1: Gender of Study Participants The study participants are relatively young, with sixteen (70%) of them in the 20-29 year age range and six (26%) in the 30-39 year age range. Only one (4%) is forty years of age or older. Figure 2: Ages of Study Participants The majority of the study participants are management (48%) or education (36%) majors. Figure 3: Major Areas of Study of Research Participants The largest number of students (28%) work for corporations, followed by 20% who work for a university. Twelve percent of the study population works, respectively, for a family business; primary, secondary or high school; or an international NGO. One student is employed by the government. Figure 4: Type of Employer Type of Employer Number % of Total Self-employed 1 4% Small to medium family business 3 12% Corporation 7 28% Primary, secondary or high school 3 12% University 5 20% Local NGO 1 4% International NGO 3 12% Government 1 4% No response 1 4% Not including their study time, eleven of the respondents (48%) work more than forty hours per week while eight additional students (34%) work from twenty to forty hours per week. Figure 5: Number of hours worked per week Sixty-five percent (15) of the students report they do not travel for work, while 35% (8) report work-related travel. Figure 6: Percentage of students reporting work-related travel Among the eight students who report work-related travel obligations to provinces or other countries, 38% responded that they have weekly travel, 25% reported monthly travel, and 38% reported occasional travel as needed, but less often than monthly. Figure 7: Frequency of Work-Related Travel The following data represents the students’ opinions regarding the major challenges they face as working adults and what the university, their teachers, fellow students, and they themselves can do to help them address these challenges. Students were able to provide multiple responses to the open-ended questions; therefore, percentages are calculated based on the number of responses, rather than the number of students in the study population. Students reported three key challenges they face as working adult students: not having enough time; tired, which was linked with difficulty concentrating on course work; and conflict among competing roles. In addition, students in the â€Å"other† category reported that classes are not relevant to their work; they often hand in assignments late; significant travel to attend classes; financial management; and difficulties maintaining a B average. Figure 8: Key challenges faced by working adult students Number of responses = 38 Sixty percent of students would like the university to adopt a more â€Å"student centered† approach by revising class schedules and improving access to student services, including library and computer labs, on the weekend. Twenty-two percent would like classes to integrate more closely with their work, and 17% want more flexibility around deadlines for dropping and adding classes. Only one student asked the university to require instructors to give fewer assignments. Figure 9: Steps the University can take to address student challenges Number of responses = 23 `Students recommended that instructors take a number of steps to help them address their challenges as working adults. Figure 10: Steps instructors can take to address student challenges Recommendation Frequency % of responses Be available for student consultation through appointments, email and telephone 8 26% Be understanding and flexible about students’ needs 6 19% Make teaching applicable to students’ jobs 6 18% Provide clear guidance and assignments 5 15% Use interactive teaching methods 4 13% Give appropriate amount of reading 2 6% Number of responses = 31 A clear majority of students (63%) believe their peers can help them address their challenges by sharing information, knowledge and experiences. This includes sharing lecture notes and information when a student is absent, sharing work experience related to the course, and helping students to understand course material they find confusing. Twenty percent want their peers to participate more actively in group work and 17% want their peers to engage more actively in class discussions. Figure 11: Steps peers can take to address student challenges Number of responses = 30 A majority of student responses (53%) pointed to improved time management as a method to help them address their challenges, with some responses pointing to the need to make sacrifices (less rest and relaxation. ) Thirteen percent of student responses, respectively, suggested the need to improve self-motivation and commitment; to consult more often with the instructor and other students to understand course material; and to focus more in class. Responses in the â€Å"other† category included reading more, attending class regularly and cutting down on spending. Figure 12: Steps students can take to address their own challenges Number of responses = 32 DATA ANALYSIS This section of the report provides conclusions related to the conceptual context for the research and provides recommendations to the university, instructors, classmates, and individual students. Review of Research Purposes and Questions The purposes of this study are to better understand the challenges experienced by working adult students studying at the master’s level at PUC; what students need to be successful in their studies; and to produce recommendations to instructors, the university and students regarding what they can do to address student needs. Therefore, this study focused on two key research questions: (1) What are the key challenges faced by working adults studying at the master’s level at a private university in Cambodia? (2) What actions do the students believe the university, their instructors, their peers and they themselves can take to help them address these challenges? Conclusions Zemke and Zemke (1984) note that adult students are interested in applied knowledge and respond best to a variety of teaching methods that minimize lectures and include discussions and exercises. A significant number of participants in this study note their desire that coursework be relevant to their jobs and cite interactive teaching methods and consultation with instructors and peers as important sources of learning. Knowles, Horton, and Swenson (1998) assert that adults are responsible and accountable for their own learning. The students in this study appear to agree with this opinion as a majority point to time management and peer interaction as methods to support their learning process and address the challenges they face as working adult students. Fairchild (2003) discusses the multiple roles that adult learners must manage and the stress this can create. While this study avoided asking questions about role conflicts related to personal and family commitments, it is somewhat surprising that none of the students cited family obligations in response to open-ended questions.

Global Warming Essays - Climate Change, Greenhouse Gases

Global Warming Essays - Climate Change, Greenhouse Gases Global Warming Meghan McDonald McDonald 1 Mr.Hrkal OAC World Issues December 18th, 2000 Global Warming Now, for the first time in Earth's history, humans may be a decisive factor in future climate change. The actions we make towards the temperature of the earth and the depletion of the ozone layer are irreversible. A warmer future could result from present-day human activities releasing large amounts of heat-trapping gases into the air. These greenhouse gases are part of the reason for the 1F (.5C) rise in global average temperature documented over the past 100 years. If the Earth's temperature continues to rise as predicted, future global warming could happen faster than any climate change of the last 10,000 years. If so, future variations in local climate could be even more disruptive than those of the past. Fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide when burned, are used to generate electricity; heat and light homes and workplaces; power factories and run cars. Unless we reduce population growth and use of fossil fuels, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will double by s ometime in the middle of the next century. The future of Earth's climate may depend partly on the buildup of heat-trapping gases, primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, in the atmosphere. Industrialized nations now release the most carbon dioxide. But how can this world wide disaster be stopped? To fully understand the magnitude of this problem, we must look at the causes McDonald 2 of global warming, what is being done to stop the problem, consequences of this issue, and how we can prevent it. What is Global Warming? The depletion of the ozone layer and global warming are a result of the heat trapping abilities of greenhouse gases. The glass panels of a greenhouse and the Earths atmosphere are both transparent to sunlight, and both trap heat. Energy from the sun drives the earths weather and climate, and heats the earths surface; in turn, the earth radiates energy back into space. Atmospheric greenhouse gases trap some of the outgoing energy, retaining heat somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse. Thus creating the greenhouse effect. At present, the Earth appears to be facing a rapid warming, which most scientists believe results, at least in part, from human activities. The chief cause of this warming is thought to be the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which releases into the atmosphere carbon dioxide and other substances known as greenhouse gases. As the atmosphere becomes richer in these gases, it becomes a better insulator, retaining more of the heat provi ded to the planet by the Sun. Through years of abuse and neglect, the situation continues to worsen. Some may feel that Global warming is inevitable, and that the climate will change no matter what. This is partly true. Climate does change all the time, but it changes slowly. We are doing it at enormous speeds, 60 times faster than normal. McDonald 3 Greenhouse Gases All life on Earth relies on the greenhouse effect, without it, the planet would be colder by about 33-Celsius degrees, and ice would cover Earth from pole to pole. However, a growing excess of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere threatens to head in the other direction, toward continual warming. Carbon dioxide is the most abundant greenhouse gas followed by methane and nitrous oxide. Carbon dioxide flows into the atmosphere from many natural processes, such as volcanic eruptions; the respiration of animals, which breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide; and the burning or decay of organic matter, such as plants. Humans escalate the amount of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere when they burn fossil fuels, solid wastes, and wood products to heat buildings, drive vehicles, and generate electricity. At the same time, the number of trees available to absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis has been greatly reduced by deforestation, the long-term destruction of forests b y indiscriminate cutting of trees for lumber or to clear land for agricultural activities. Methane is an even more effective insulator, trapping over 21 times more heat than does the same amount of carbon dioxide. Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane also comes from rotting organic waste in landfills, and it

Qualitative versus Quantitative Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Qualitative versus Quantitative Research - Essay Example Participant viewpoints. A desire to explore and present the various subjective perspectives of participants is associated with qualitative research. Its privileging of subjectivity is also seen in the way that the interpretation of the data is influenced by the researcher’s own biography together with their involvement with people in the study. Small-scale studies. Qualitative researchers are interested in deep exploration in order to provide rich, detailed, holistic description as well as explanation. Therefore, small samples are the norm. Holistic focus. â€Å"Rather than directing their attention to one or two isolated variables, qualitative researchers tend to be oriented to a wide range of interconnected activities, experiences, beliefs and values of people in terms of the context in which they are situated. This provokes qualitative researchers to account for a multiplicity of dimensions and relationships in the context†. (Daymon, 2002, p. 23) Flexible. Although researchers have a topic and an agenda which fuel their research progress, they are usually committed to exploring new and often surprising avenues that emerge as informants reveal their understandings and interests. Research procedures may be unstructured, adaptable and sometimes spontaneous. At times the research process may even be described as rather ‘messy’ as researchers attempt to unpack the complexities of the social world of public relations and marketing communications. Natural settings. On the whole, qualitative investigations are carried out in people's natural environments such as in their offices or where they shop. This enables researchers to observe how they go about their routine activities and

Arbitration Law UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Arbitration Law UK - Essay Example In addition to this, the decision given by the arbitration is considered final. Any further reaction to the arbitration decision should then consider the stipulated laws, as stated by the arbitration act 1996 (ref 1). To begin with, the parties have various obligation s and duties for a successful arbitration agreement. The parties have to act on their duties promptly for a complete arbitration and resolution of the situation, as stated by the arbitration act 1996 (ref 1). First, the parties have to make an agreement to submit the dispute in question to the arbitration. This is the initial step that is considered before the onset of arbitration. This is factual since the parties have not settled on an agreement in their dispute. Therefore, relieving the dispute to arbitration is a considerable approach that would solve the situation. However, the concerned parties have to insist on the agreement of relieving the case to the arbitration. The mutual consent in this agreement gives the arbitration a legal step that would initiate the proceedings. With such an approach, both parties will be at ease with the solution that will be initiated by the arbitration that is of choice. ... In addition to this, all the parties are required to act appropriately in matters concerning the courts (ref 2). This is in light with any requirements that should be given by the courts to assist in the expedition of the case. This obligation relieves the arbitration of extra time wasted in waiting for legal documents that maybe offered by the courts to assist in conducting the case. In all arbitration cases, the arbitrator has vital roles in execution of the case. To begin with, the arbitrator is the binding party in the dispute. The arbitrator is a considerable binding factor in any case, as he or she is set to solve an existing dispute. Therefore, the arbitrator is mandated to ensure the parties involved in the dispute are in agreement. In this section, the arbitrator has the obligation of ensuring the resolution of the dispute mends the bond between the two parties involved in the dispute. Under this duty, the arbitrator has a mandate of choice for the time and place of hearing (ref 2). The arbitrator has to make a choice of a convenient venue, which is acceptable by both parties, and at an appropriate time. This will give room for an expedition of a fair and a hearing that is considered impartial. In addition tom this, the arbitrator is mandated to ensure the arbitration is conducted in utter order, and does not infringe the rights of the concerned parties. This involves giving a final decision that is acceptable to all the parties. According to the arbitration act 1996, chapter 23, the arbitrator has a mandate to avoid any indulgence of personal and interpersonal interests in the arbitration (ref 1). This duty is to ensure there is formal

The last scene Essay Example for Free

The last scene Essay The monster eventually gets up the courage to introduce himself to the old man (Mr Delacey). The old man is blind, so I think the monster thought that if he met the old man, the man would look below the skin and get to know the monster on who he is, not what he looks like. The old man is welcoming to him; he offers him food, warmth and overall friendship. He speaks in a kind manner at one stage he says there is something in your word which persuades me that you are sincere. In Mr Dalaceys words, he really does come from the heart and it is the greatest and kindest way that anyone had spoke to him so far from his original creation. At the end of this chapter, the monster is found with the old man, by Felix who is the old mans child. Immediately he strikes out and attempts to kill the monster. He beats him with a stick till the monster eventually left. At this point, you begin to start feeling sorry for him, as he has no friends, family or even any dignity. As he leaves the house, you begin to wish that you were the old man, and wishing that someone would actually run after the monster and tell him youll help him, and be friends with him because in this chapter this is all I think he needs, is someone there for him. After he was beaten he treks across the wood-land, until he meets a little boy who comes running up to him. The boy starts to make a fuss and reveals that his brother is Victor Frankenstein. He seeks revenge by killing the boy. At this stage in the novel you seem shocked, from what we thought was a change in character in the last scene, where he seemed so sweet and innocent, he has now just killed a boy in revenge for Victor. At this stage you can tell that his character is defiantly changing. You can hear this in his words, for example he says to the little boy I have sworn eternal revenge; you shall be my first victim. When we read the last chapter you would never have imagined the monster saying this to a little boy. The monster seeks revenge to Victor, as Victor left the monster on his own, with no friends in the world and no clue what-so-ever of how to speak or to seek any kind of help. After the monster seeked revenge, he finally reunited himself with Victor. He tells Victor all about his troubles and his problems that he has faced since Victor abandoned him. But Victor turns around and tells him to go away and leave him alone, but the monster keeps speaking and asks Victor to create another human, for The monsters wife. But Victor responds with; Begone! I do break my promise; never will I create another like yourself. To this comment, the monster becomes furious with him, and threatens to make his life hell until he does. I feel more sympathy for Victor as he has no other choice, the monster has already killed his son and he knows that the monster is willing to go further. The monster does use threatening language in this scene though. At one stage he gets so angry he says; Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. This means that Victor may-be miserable now but the monster is willing to make it a lot worse.  The monster demands that Victor should make him a wife, because the monster has had enough of being a freak and being on his own, he wants someone to be there for him and someone who actually understands what he is going through. The monster decides that if Victor does this one thing, he will leave him in happiness forever. Victor refuses to do this as he doesnt want to create something the same as the monster. As he would be constantly worried. At this stage I do still feel sorry for the monster, he is still all alone, no-one there for him to speak to.  The monster finally decides that if Victor wont create a companion for him, then he wants to be killed. He is fed up of being alone, and all he wants is someone. But no-one will give him that someone. He is also annoyed on how he has turned out, for example him killing the innocent. My quote to this is when the monster says; I am a wretch. I have murdered the lovely and the helpless; He understands what he has done and I still feel sorry for him. At the end of the day, it is true, if someone looked like the monster in our country, people would treat him as an outsider. He would constantly be attacked. Underneath his skin he proved that he was a nice person, but he had a temper, which I believe was the cause of Victor leaving him. The monster was always seeking revenge and he finally got what he wanted.  Mary Shelley must have had a vivid imagination, as well as a scary one. This novel isnt a horror story like people may think it is in-fact a deep down romance. It isnt a love story, but how the monster describes the leaves on the trees and the flower beds, it definitely comes across in a romantic way.