Case study analysis - Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case study analysis - Report - Essay Example Consequently, the Doctors focused on the reduction of costs and shortening of stays of various patients in the hospitals, after surgery operations as shown in exhibit 1 in the appendix. However, they faced problems with increased cost pressures throughout healthcare industry increasingly affecting prestigious and expensive academic hospitals such as MGH. Additionally, care path did not dictate the medical treatment of patients. Consistent treatment procedures embodied significant philosophical shifts of physicians generated in making independent medical decisions based on cases. Therefore, the implementation of CABG for surgeries by the doctors incorporated several problems that affected costs on medicines, medical treatment, philosophical shifts, and decision-making processes that delayed processes of operations for coronary artery bypass graft. Bohmer, as the care path facilitator, believed in the success of care path through the corporation and accepted assistance of hospital staff to enable the development of pathways since it hastens the ongoing reduction of hospital bed count. Moreover, it leads to loss of jobs because of more efficient practices (Wheelwright and Weber 2). Torchiana, the team leaders, instrument the creation of care path and continued implementation. Moreover, emphasis on the need for controlling costs and care path merits develops from ideas that Torchiana put across at MGH, despite the problems that they face. Moreover, total quality management (TQM) implementation becomes difficult since the cost of implementing and developing CABG becomes difficult to allow for surgery operations. TQM presents a management approach in an organization that focuses on quality and participation of all members of the organization (Chartered Quality Institute 1). The approach applies to the entire organization. The care path developed at MGH did not introduce new treatment technologies. It attempted to

Cellular and Molecular Pathology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cellular and Molecular Pathology - Essay Example In obtaining the right tissue for the examination, there are two distinct methods that can be employed. That is the physical examination technique and the liver biopsy technique. During physical examination, the medical history of the suspected patient is checked and more attention is paid to the patient’s abdomen. Presence of lumps in the liver can be felt as a patient lies flat with the liver being swollen. Other cases present an enlarged spleen and ability to hear a unique sound/noise when a stethoscope is used to listen to the blood vessels. The noise is usually caused by tumor pressure on the vessels. Liver biopsy is the appropriate method that can be used in obtaining materials for the study. In this case, a definite diagnosis is provided. It is appropriate since it deals with the actual tissues and fluids from the liver thus giving appropriate results rather than the suspect results as provided by the physical method of testing. Liver biopsy is done through obtaining a sample of the liver or rather a tissue fluid using a fine needle. The obtained tissue or fluid is prepared and checked under the observation microscope for the presence of cancer cells. In many incidences, about 70% biopsy shows a positive result for cancer (Brown, 2010). However, in fewer situations, there are risks involved whereby about 0.4% of the cases, some patients develop severe blood loss since a number of tumors are supplied with major and numerous blood vessels thus the heavy bleeding. 2. Methods of fixation and processing that are most suitable for the studies to be performed a) Tissue fixation Fixation is the process by which obtained tissue samples are preserved in a life –like state preventing damage and distortions and is always carried out sooner after tissue removal through surgeries and immediately after death in the case of autopsies. There are several fixatives such as alcohols, mercurials, oxidizing agents, picrates and aldehydes. In this case I would pr efer the use of formaldehyde which is also regarded as a combination of formalin and glutaraldehyde. The choice is coherently based on the neutral nature of the formaldehyde solution and the ability to penetrate the tissues cells thus encouraging visibility during the observation time. Formaldehyde has a standard solution hydrogen potential at 10% buffered formalin. The buffer is significant in prevention of acidity that would in turn cause precipitation of the formol-heme tint in the tissues. Formalin has an osmotic pressure that is equal to that of the mammalian cells thus preventing the tissue structure changes due to its reaction. The ratio of the fixative to be used stands at 10:1 to the fixative tissue. The fixative specimen would also boost the fixation process. The process of fixation is also increased by altering the temperature which when increased increases all chemical reactions. In the event where the hematoxylin and esion tissues are to be obtained for a pathology test , formalin is a recommended fixative to be used in the preservation process of the tissues since it is more tolerant and harmless to the tissues (Pathol, 2010). Formalin and alcohol are considered as the best fixatives that penetrate the tissues. Penetration is faster in thin sections compared to thick sections of tissues. However, formalin is only recommended for shirt time fixation and cannot be used in the preservation of skeletal specimens since after a long duration it softens the bones and changes the color of

Report on NatWest Bank’s Creativity and Innovation Essay Example for Free

Report on NatWest Bank’s Creativity and Innovation Essay NatWest Bank is a member of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS Group). In 1968 National Provincial Bank (est.1833) and Westminster Bank (est.1836), fused as National Westminster Bank. Jointly, these banks could outline their history back down the centuries through a ancestry of influential constituents, since the 1650s. The declaration totally astonished the public, but to both banks the benefits were obvious the merger enhanced balance sheet strength, created opportunities to streamline the branch networks and enabled greater investment in new technology. The statutory process of integration was completed in 1969 and National Westminster Bank commenced trading on 1 January 1970, with the three-arrowheads symbol as its Logo of the company with 3,600 branches, established a wide range of new services, including the banks first credit card, Access, in 1972, and computer-linked cash dispensers, Servicetills, in 1976. Deregulation in the 1980s, culminating in Big Bang in 1986, also encouraged National Westminster Bank to enter the securities business. County Bank, the Groups merchant bank, acquired stockbroking and jobbing firms to create NatWest Investment Bank. In the mean time, the International Banking Division appeared to offer international banking services to large companies and to focus on expansion in the USA, the Far East and Europe. In the 1980s new services were developed such as telephone banking and touch- screen share dealing to assist the governments privatisation programme. The 1980s also saw the National Westminster Home Loans established in 1980 and the Small Business Unit in 1982. The Switch debit card extended the electronic transfer of money to point of sale in 1988. In the 1990s financial services markets world-wide underwent huge variations and in response the bank refocused its activities, exiting from a number of markets and adopting the title of NatWest. In March 2000, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group completed the acquisition of NatWest in a  £21 billion deal that was the largest take-over in British banking history. NatWest ranks fifth in the world and is now part of a financial services group which is the second largest bank by market capitalisation in the UK and in Europe. (NatWest 2006) Read more: Essay About National Westminster Bank Creativity and Innovation of the Bank: With granting a muscular competitive encourage to innovation, creativity and efficiency, it always attains lead on rival firms. Innovation is a driver of productivity growth. Novel products, processes and methods of working can relent efficiency gains and quality improvements not only within the innovating firm, but also within other firms that recap or institute on the innovation within their own firms. There are a number of reasons why the rate of innovation is likely to fall below socially optimal levels, and smaller innovating firms may face particularly severe barriers to innovation. The key constraints are: †¢ Limited access to risk capital: The informational impediments to free- functioning markets for SME finance were discussed earlier in this chapter, but it is particularly difficult for potential lenders or investors to assess likely risk and returns accruing to future research or to the implementation of unproven innovations. Newly-established innovating firms often m ake a loss and face severe cash-flow constraints in their early years. †¢Difficulties appropriating the full benefits of innovation: Whilst a competitive environment will provide the best general incentive for firms to innovate, firms need to be confident that they can reap the rewards of their innovation. This is why the intellectual property regime allows firms to prevent, for a limited period, their competitors from copying their innovations. This is a necessary reward for the costs of RD, and helps to encourage innovation. Nevertheless, the internal return to innovation may still be modest relative to the industry-wide benefits that arise once the innovation can be replicated by other firms. †¢ Inability to diversify risk: While larger companies may have a large portfolio of innovative activity, innovation in smaller firms may be concentrated on a single product or process, and the cost of undertaking the necessary RD may be very large relative to the overall financial assets of the company. Accordingly, where SMEs are risk-averse, they will be discouraged from investing in innovative activities with uncertain returns. Assembling the enterprise confront will rely on the innovation and creativity of entrepreneurs themselves, but the Government must also provide the right condit ions and the necessary support for successful enterprise. (Cosh and Hughes 2000) The NatWest Group has a total of 6 UK banking licences and licences from several other authorities. There are two principal costs linked with getting to the position where a bank is in a position to obtain and maintain its banking licence: 1) Implementing a reporting system that satisfies the requirements of the regulators. In addition to standard financial reports these would include implementing the systems to monitor and report capital adequacy, liquidity, credit risk, and interest rate risk etc. 2) Ensuring that there is the necessary infrastructure in place to satisfy individual regulatory requirements on operational areas such as money laundering, advertising and sales of financial products. There are also noteworthy sunk costs in coping with the provision of creativity infrastructure. To replace the existing branch and service centre network and administrative buildings is a major project in its own right and in addition to the costs of such physical assets, which are on the balance sheet it would be necessary to handle the stipulation of such facilities. Costs would also be involved in the provision of such items as HR policies, for example the sunk costs associated with setting up employee benefit programmes, such as pension plans, stock options, bonus schemes, car schemes, health care etc. The same tactic has been adopted and this turns up at an total expenditure of  £ [255] m. This is probably a conservative estimate. Over the period 1996 to 2000 NatWest incurred expenses of around  £ [13] bn in respect of its Retail Transformation programme, which was only a modification of part of its existing infrastructure rather than creation of a totally innovative one. (RBSG, 2002) NatWest depends entirely upon the qualities of innovation, and suffer more acutely from the rapidity of transform. Whether in presentation, writing, the visual arts or advertising, the progress of new ‘product’ is at the heart of all doings. Without this self- generated action, there is not anything to put up for sale. The sector therefore has a specific and challenging manufacturing process or value chain which, at each stage, demands different talents. At the raw development end of production (ideas generation, creating, training) there is a need for concepts, leading edge ideas and formulations, creativity, innovation and initiative customer orientation. Problem solving is paramount. At the moment of production (turning ideas into products, locations for production) – this first set of aptitudes is still important but must be supplemented by: _ï€  Intelligence, understanding of the market, industry foresight and strategic view; _ï€  Effective management o f resources; _ï€  Ability to develop and manage relationships with partners, explore new connections and collaborations with suppliers. The merger of the Royal Bank of Scotland (BoS) and Halifax to form HBOS resulted from increasing competitive pressures in the financial sector. Since about 1980, with the decline of heavy industries and growth of a service economy, like other clearing banks, BoS was obliged to expand further into small business lending and new retail products (e.g. residential mortgages, financial services, credit cards, etc.). Competition was exaggerated by banking deregulation, which led to the growth of a secondary banking sector, the transformation of many building societies (including Halifax) into banks, and new amalgamations into ever-larger banks (as cited in Leyshon and Thrift 1993). During this period there was increasing concern in the Scottish banking community about the potential for takeovers to erode a distinctive Scottish banking sector (as cited in Saville 1996: 717-40), which had been partly maintained by an historical ‘gentleman’s agreement’ between the English and Scottish banks to limit their presences in each other’s markets. In September 1999, BoS surprised The City of London by making a  £20.85 billion bid to take over NatWest Bank, in effect striking first in an environment where further bank mergers seemed inevitable. Many in the financial press were quick to point out that under these new terms, BoS and other Scottish banks could not expect to have the ir future ‘independence’ protected. In late November the Royal Bank of Scotland, BoS’s main competitor in Scotland, made a successful counter bid of  £25.1 billion. The City now anticipated a takeover of BoS, compelling BoS to keep pace with the Royal Bank. BoS and Halifax began merger negotiations in April 2001, and the new banking group, HBOS, began trading on the stock market on 10 September, 2001. The Halifax was the dominant partner in the merger, being about twice the size of BoS in terms of number of employees and market value at the time of merger, and supplying key organizational leadership, including the CEO. The core rationale of the merger was that it brought together Halifax’s substantial mortgage lending income and BoS’s expertise and placement in the corporate banking world to create new business opportunities for the merged organisation. It also saw the dislocation of BoS’s rather conventional, cautious and habitual banking ethos by the more modern, competitive and market driven ethos of the Halifax organisation. Thus the merger was experienced by staff as an encounter between two different corporate cultures, and two different national cultures, at the same time. By ‘the ideology of change’ it specifies an ideological condition that corresponds closely with Therborn’s conception of modernity. With this phrase I want to dire ct attention not so much to a set of ideas and beliefs about change, but more to a disposition, or attitude toward change. I mean to suggest a normatively charged attitude in which established ways of doing things are devalued and innovation and change is positively valued in principle, regardless of the particulars of any given situation. It is, in a sense, a ‘presumption of guilt’ in regard to the old, and ‘presumption of innocence’ in regard to the new. This attitude is deeply naturalised, so that the imperative and positive value of change is widely regarded as self-evident, and not easily questioned. Thus rather than the great social critiques and political programmes associated with the formation of modernity, I mean to invoke a routinized and normalized aspect of established modernity—seen in the way political parties and governments promote themselves through promises of reform, in the way corporations and public institutions are constantly restructuring in order to ‘modernize’ and keep pace with their competitors, and in the way consumer-citizens in capitalist society come to expect scientific and technological advances that will increase knowledge and improve commodities and services, while fashions in popular culture rapidly replaces one another. The ideology of change is mundane, relentless common sense. Some problems of ‘innovation and creativity’ lay with the organization and its leadershi p, rather than personnel, the exhortation to embrace change was ultimately being translated into a message of personal moral reform. In this way the ideology of change, while meeting resistance, percolated down to beleaguered selves seeking some greater purchase on their state of affiars. (Hearn 2006) HRM Strategic Milestones in NatWest: During 1990–91 County NatWest, an investment bank, asked all its business units, including its personnel department, to set up strategic milestones for a five-year period. Their performance was to be measured against those milestones at specified target dates. The requirement to produce strategic milestones as an input to the bank’s five-year marked an important watershed in defining the contribution of personnel to the business at a strategic level. It forced the department to reflect on the nature of that contribution. Senior management of the bank duly authorised 18 separate strategic milestones. The milestones were consistent one with the other, and overall addressed issues that consultation within business units and across the three personnel teams had shown to be critical to business success. Each milestone was assigned to a designated individual and was incorporated into his or her own targets of performance. Quarterly reviews on progress, involving the whole department, were subsequently held to ensure that the milestones were on target. The operational tasks that a centralised TD planning process involves seek to ensure that: TD considerations are taken fully into account when business strategy is formulated. They form part of a human resource plan within the wider business plan. At business unit/divisional level there are policies to ensure people are trained and developed in line with the needs of the business. At the individual level TD is an integrated part of daily routine and procedures, helping people to achieve performance standards and behavioral objectives and building up the kind of workforce needed in terms of productivity, quality and flexibility. TD staff operates a collaborative approach to planning at every stage in order to ensure a high level of buy-in from line management and other stakeholders. (Harrison 2001) Conclusion: NatWest Bank had recently a remarkable triumph over the competitors on November 15 2006 in the 12th Annual Convention- CCA Excellence Awards categorized for â€Å"Best Customer Focus: Financial Services† (details available on http://www.ccai.org.uk/events). The Bank is the second giant bank in the entire Europe (after Deutsche Bank) and incredibly progressed in a very short span of time (as discussed in the historical background). NatWest’s creativity and innovation â€Å"line of attack† led the bank to the stature of success. Chinua Achebe (1930 ), Nigerian novelist, poet, and essayist rightly says: â€Å"Contradictions if well understood and managed can spark off the fires of invention. Orthodoxy whether of the right or of the left is the graveyard of creativity†. (Anthills of the Savannah) References NatWest; A History, (2006), NatWest Bank, available on http://www.natwest.co.uk/aboutus.htm/ accessed April 29 2007. Cosh and Hughes, (2000), Tackling Market Failures, British Bankers Association. Jonathan Hearn, (2006), National Identity, Organisational Culture, and the Ideology of Change in Scotland, BSA Annual Conference, Scottish Study Group. Rosemary Harrison, (2005), Producing and Implementing LD Strategy, CIPD Publications. Appendix A: NatWest Glossary AER Annual Equivalent Rate. This shows what the interest rate would be if interest were paid and added to your account each year. APR Annual Percentage Rate. The interest payable on what youve borrowed is added up along with other charges (e.g. arrangement fees) and then expressed as an annual rate of charge. The APR helps you compare the true cost of borrowing, for example for a mortgage. The APR takes into account all fees and charges applied to the mortgage as well as the monthly payments over the life of the loan. arrangem ent fee a fee to cover administration. arrears money that was due to be paid but has not been paid. When you are behind in payments, you are in arrears. assets your money, property, goods and so on that have a financial value. assurance a policy that you pay for, and that pays money to your next of kin when you die. bankers draft a cheque drawn on the bank (or building society) itself against either a cash deposit or money taken directly from your own bank account. A bankers draft is a secure way of receiving money from someone you dont know and where a cash is inconvenient. Bankers drafts are commonly used for large purchases such as homes and cars. base rate the interest rate from which lenders set their rates for lending and savings products. Its usually based on the base rate set by the Bank of England. capital money that youve invested or borrowed (e.g. to buy a home). It doesnt include the income or profit you get from an investment, or the interest you have to pay on a loan or mortgage. CHAPS Clearing House Automated Payment System. This is a system that enables money to be transferred from one bank account to another on the same day. chip and PIN a system to reduce card fraud. A chip and PIN card has a smart chip that holds your four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN). When you pay in a shop with a chip and PIN card, youll be asked to enter your PIN into a keypad instead of signing a receipt. This PIN is the same number that you use to withdraw money at a cash machine. cleared balance/cleared funds includes credits (cheques and cash) that have completed the clearing cycle. You can only withdraw or transfer money to another account with money from your cleared balance. The cleared balance is updated during the day as you make payments into and out of your account. clearing cycle the process that your cheque goes through when you pay it into your account. A cheque wont be cleared if, for example, the person who gave it to you doesnt have enough money in their account. credit card allows you to borrow money to pay for goods and services without using cash or cheques. credit balance the amount of money in your account. credit limit the maximum amount of money that you may borrow. debit card allows you to pay for goods and services without writing cheques or using cash. The money is taken directly from your current account (you dont borrow the money as with a credit card). Some debit cards can also be used to guarantee cheques. debt an amount of money that you owe to a person or company. Direct Debit an instruction from you to your bank or building society allowing someone to take money from your account. The amount of money taken can vary, but you must be told the amounts and dates beforehand. Direct Debits allow you to pay bills automatically from your account on a regular basis. discounted rate a variable rate that is set at a fixed percentage amount below the lenders standard variable rate for a period of time. At the end of the period, the mortgage goes back to the lenders variable rate. EAR Effective Annual Rate. This is the amount of interest charged on an overdraft and is stated as an annual rate. Unlike the APR, the figure does not include any fees or charges. Equity (in property) the difference between how much your property is worth the balance of your outstanding mortgage and any other debts secured on the property. Equity release a way of releasing extra money by borrowing against the equity in your home. ERTF Exchange Rate Transaction Fee. This is a fee that you pay when withdrawing foreign currency from a cash machine or when paying for something in another currency (e.g. when youre on holiday abroad). The foreign currency is converted into pounds sterling (using the banks exchange rate) and a fee for doing this is added. fixed-rate interest an interest rate that stays the same throughout an agreed period. flexible mortgage a mortgage that allows you to make overpayments and underpayments on the mortgage without penalty, and, in some cases, to take payment holidays. gross the whole amount before any deductions (such as tax or fees) are made. gross interest rate interest before income tax is deducted. Insurance policy a policy that you pay for, and that pays money to you to cover possibilities such as theft, damage to property, loss and so on. interest the amount that you pay when you borrow money. Its expressed as a percentage rate over a period of time. interest-free no interest is charged on money that you borrow. interest-only mortgages a loan on which you only pay the interest element. The amount of capital you owe remains the same throughout the term of the mortgage and is due to be repaid at the end of the term. interest rate the rate at which you pay back interest, expressed as a percentage of the amount you borrow. investment something you put money into that will provide income in the future (such as savings) or gain in value so that you can sell it at a higher price later (such as a house). loan money that you borrow (e.g. to buy a new car) on condition that you pay it back. lifetime mortgage a type of equity release product for the over 60s, which allows you to release money by borrowing against the value of your home. There are no monthly repayments, instead the interest is added to the loan and the whole amount is repaid when you die or move into long-term care, usually from the sale of the house. This means more interest will build up than with a conventional mortgage. mortgage a loan to help you buy property on condition that the company giving you the loan has certain rights, including the right to sell the property if you dont pay back the loan. net the amount after deductions (such as tax or fees) are made. net interest rate the rate payable after the lower rate of income tax is deducted. (NB the rate of tax may vary, so a net rate is usually only given as an example.) nominal annual rate the rate of interest that would apply if the interest were not added each year and if there were no inflation. overdraft borrowings from your current account. overpayment higher or extra mortgage payments that you make (usually to pay off your loan or mortgage early). p.a. per annum, which means each year. payment holiday a period of one or more months when you dont make repayments on your loan or mortgage, although interest continues to accrue during that time. PIN Personal Identification Number. This is the four-digit number that you enter into a cash machine when you want to take out cash, and that you use when you pay with your chip and PIN card. Never give this number to anyone, or write it down. rate the percentage interest rate charged by a lender. remortgage replacing a mortgage with a new one (from your existing or a different lender), without moving home. You use the money you borrow for the new mortgage to repay the old one. repayment method the means by which a mortgage is repaid. The two main repayment methods are interest only and repayment. repayment mortgage a loan where you pay back some of the capital as well as interest each month. The amount you owe is gradually reduced. return the profit you get, for example, when you invest money. share a unit of ownership in a company. share certificate shows the amount of ownership. share dealing the process of buying and selling shares. standing order a method of making regular payments directly from your bank account. Its a fixed sum and you tell your bank when to start and stop paying it. stock another term for share. transaction each time you pay money into or take money out of your account, its called a transaction. unarranged borrowing an overdraft that is higher than your bank or building society has agreed to. uncleared balance the amount of money in your account including all the uncleared items in your account and any items paid in during the day. underpayment a loan or mortgage payment that is less than the amount that you should normally pay for that month. variable-rate interest the interest rate that you pay on your loan or mortgage and that rises and falls roughly in line with a stated index, such as the base rate set by the Bank of England. (NatWest , 2006, available on http://www.natwest.co.uk/glossary.htm/)

A Data Collection Methods Psychology Essay

A Data Collection Methods Psychology Essay 3.0 Introduction In chapter three, all the data previously collected will be analysed to test against the hypotheses. The result generated will show the relationship between the 4 independent variables and stress. Research design, data collection methods, sample design, research instrument, construct measurement, data processing and data analysis of the study are also discussed in this chapter. 3.1 Research Design In this research, the researchers analyse the unit of undergraduates in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. They are analyzed using cross-sectional studies based on the relationship between stress and undergraduates stress factors. Survey is conducted to collect data because this research covers a large numbers of target respondents in different geographical areas (Sekaran, 2003). Besides that, research design can be altered during data collection stage of the survey (Groves, 1989). Moreover, survey is cost efficient and quick (Zikmund, 2003). Self-administered questionnaires will be distributed to the undergraduates in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor and collected immediately upon completion. 3.2 Data Collection Methods Primary and secondary data firm the basis of this research which provides helpful and appropriate information in this study. Primary data is gathered from the respondents through questionnaires. On the other hand, researchers collected information from online information databases as the sources of secondary data. 3.2.1 Primary Data Malhotra (2007) defined primary data as the information collected for the first time specifically for a research project. These data collected originates from first-hand experience called as primary data (Zikmund, 2003). Questionnaire is one of the standardized and familiar methods of most of the researchers where data are obtained without bias. As mentioned in Zikmund (2003), questionnaire is the main tool to gather opinions, perception, direct expression and descriptions from respondents and make the data more comparable and amenable for analysis. Hence, self-administered questionnaire is researchers choice to collect primary data in order to increase the dependability and simplicity of data in this research. According to Ministry of Higher Education (2010), most universities and colleges are located in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (Appendix A). Hence, primary data was collected from respondents through 250 sets of questionnaires which were distributed randomly by hand in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. According to Ministry of Higher Education (2010), most of the undergraduates are located in selected target universities. The targeted universities included public universities such as Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM), Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), and private universities such as Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Unisel Universiti Selangor (UNISEL) and Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNITAR). Around 10 minutes are spent by each target respondent to complete the questionnaires which are immediately collected under the supervision of researchers. 3.2.2 Secondary Data According to Sekaran (2003), secondary data is the information from previously published or compiled sources by researchers for certain purposes which are related to historical data to support our research study. Secondary data included scholarly books, articles in journals, textbooks, government and private sources and online information database. Furthermore, obtaining secondary data is easier, cost and time effective but such data may be obsolete and inaccurate to fulfil researchers requirements in of present investigation compared to primary data (Zikmund, 2003). From the beginning of research, secondary data is used to review the similar literature study from online information databases such as EBSCOhost, JSTOR and ProQuest and other databases provided by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)s website. In addition, Internet search engine such as Google Scholar is also used by researchers to develop other related material in this research. 3.3 Sampling Design 3.3.1 Target Population This research focuses on the study of stress factors among undergraduates in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Therefore, the target population will be the undergraduates in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. 3.3.2 Sampling Frame and Sampling Location There is no sampling frame in this research and the questionnaires will be distributed at universities in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Since most of the universities (Ministry of Higher Education, 2010) are located in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor respectively, the researchers have chosen these two areas to conduct their study. The location of Malaysian universities will be showed in Appendix A. 3.3.3 Sampling Elements The sampling elements are the undergraduates studying in universities in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. They will be randomly selected for questionnaires survey as suicide cases for undergraduates in Malaysia are getting serious (Kok et al., 2011). 3.3.4 Sampling Techniques Besides that, quota sampling will be targeted at public and private universities and at 64% (160 questionnaires) and 36% (90 questionnaires) respectively since the figures provided by the Ministry of Higher Education (2008) indicated that the numbers of undergraduates in public and private universities are 247,881 and 140,669 students respectively in 2007. 3.3.5 Sampling Size To determine the regression of sample size, Green (1991) indicated that N>50+8m were N is the sample size and m is the number of independent variables. Since, there are 4 independent variables in this study, therefore m is equal to 4. Hence, n=50+8(4)=82, which means that the sampling size required should be more than 82 target respondents. However, according to Denscome (2007), usually the research sampling should involve between 30 to 250 cases. Therefore, researchers will distribute 250 questionnaires to the target respondents for more accuracy in results. 3.4 Research Instrument Questionnaires method is an efficient technique for collecting data in which the respondents need to answer a set of questions presented by the researcher in order to obtain information (Zikmund, Babin Griffin, 2010). In addition, Sekaran (2003) defined that questionnaire is a pre-planned set of questions for respondents to answer which enables the researches to know exactly what is needed and how to evaluate the variables of interest. Normally, the self-administered questionnaires can be personally distributed to the target respondents by hand. Besides, in order to ensure that the questionnaires components and measurement scales are properly designed and are easily understood by respondents, a pilot test had to be conducted. 3.4.1 Questionnaires Design Self-administered questionnaires are chosen to conduct the study in this research. Researchers distribute questionnaires to respondents and collect them after the response. This method is used because the direct contact with respondents. The whole process is done fast, efficiently, ensuring richness of data and involving a large numbers of respondents (Rattray Jones, 2005). Questionnaires method is a better way to make comparison and judgment then interviewing respondents (Field, 2003). Besides, closed-ended questions are used to construct standardised questionnaires in order to reduce bias and assist researchers in coding the information and simplify the data compilation process. English is international language and widely used in Malaysia, hence it is used in designing the questionnaires. 3.4.2 Pilot Test According to Zikmund (2003), pilot test is a small assessment designed to investigate the logistics and obtain information prior to a larger study in order to improve the questionnaires quality and efficiency. The pilot test can disclose the deficiencies of the questionnaires before proceeding to large scale studies. Researchers have distributed 30 questionnaires to the target respondents from UTAR to test the reliability and internal consistency of the questionnaires in order to ensure whether it is comprehensive and able to implement the real survey. 3.5 Constructs Measurement 3.5.1 Scale Measurement In order to enrich the description in research, the most common way is to perform measurement which is a process of assigning numbers to the research objects (Brown, 2011). There are four types of measurement scale which includes nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio scale. Each of these scales has its own functions and helps to differentiate the variables. There are three types of measurement scales used in this research which are nominal, ordinal and interval. Nominal scale is categorizing by assigning number labelling to objects based on its nature, for example measurement on genders. Subsequently, ordinal scale is categorizing data by ranking or order, where datum are expressed orderly such as firstly and followed by. Interval scale is to show order of things, however the equal intervals between objects represents equal differences. Likert scale is a form of interval scale where it is the most suitable to describe opinion measurement (Brown, 2011). In this research, a five points Likert scale is used by dividing the interval scale into five points to distinguish the degree of agreement and disagreement in each statement. The pointer starts from number 1 to number 5 which represent strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree and strongly agree. Moreover, the questionnaires are divided into Section A, Section B and Section C. Section A consists of demographic profile of the target respondents, the questions of which are designed to collect their demographic information such as gender, age, race, and so on. Section B investigates the factors of stress of the undergraduates using the 5 point Likert scale. The scale is used to examine the agreement of the four independent variables that influence students perceptions about their selection of stress factors of stress that contributes to stress. In Section C, questions on current level of overall stress of undergraduates are being used to examine how significant the factors of stress will influence their stress by using the 5 point Likert scale. 3.6 Data Processing The raw data collected from survey questionnaire need to be analysed in order to provide useful information in resolving the research questions. All data collected are needed to undergo a series process before it can serve the purpose of being analyse. This data processing is a process that includes questionnaire checking, data editing, coding, transcribing and cleaning before the analysis made (Zikmund, 2003). 3.6.1 Questionnaire Checking Questionnaire checking is a process that identifies, corrects, and resolves any errors or problems which may occur in the questionnaires. The questionnaires are being checked and amended numerously to ensure error free, followed by an approval from the supervisor to ensure the questions asked are of highest quality, appropriate and comprehensible by respondents. 3.6.2 Data Editing Data editing is performed to ensure high accuracy of the data. Missing data is being discarded while extremely contrasting data is being removed to ensure consistency and to prevent any undesirable results outcome. 3.6.3 Data Coding Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) program requires all data to be in code form, so the data are being coded before being keyed into. Therefore, prior to the questionnaire distribution, data coding are being done by assigning code to each option of answers in the questionnaire. In the research questionnaire, respondents are required to fill up their demographic profiles. Coding was being made on each question with the first answer on each question coded as 1 while the second answer is coded as 2 and so on. For example, in Section A the first question is on genders and the answer is either male or female. The code for male is 1 while female is 2. Subsequently, Section B requires respondents opinion regarding five different stress factors in their daily life. The five different stress factors also known as independent variables include financial issues, academic issues, social support issues and time management issues. As for Section C, the questionnaire focuses questions regarding stress level for the past four weeks of respondents life which are the dependent variables in the research. Both sections require respondents to respond to their level of agreement and disagreement by using the 5 Likert scale. The 5 levels of agreement are: strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree. The code for strongly agree is 5, agree is coded as 4, neutral is coded as 3, disagree coded as 2 and lastly strongly disagree is coded as 1. 3.6.4 Data Transcribing After all questionnaires are retrieved, the answers to the questionnaires are converted into code data which are subsequently being keyed manually into Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for further analysis. 3.6.5 Data Cleaning With the help of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), the checking process is enhanced ensuring consistent data. Any extreme data is easily identified and replaced with a more consistent data. Furthermore, missing data can to be detected thus ensuring no data is missed out during transcribing process. 3.7 Data Analysis The Computer program that is being used to analyze questionnaire data is Statistical Package for the Social Science program (SPSS) which includes descriptive analysis and inferential analysis. To ensure that target respondents have a clear understanding of the questionnaires, a pilot test will be conducted before distributing them to respondents. 3.7.1 Descriptive Analysis Descriptive analysis consist of measurement of mode, mean, frequency, range, standard deviation and variance. The researchers use it to analyses the demographic data in the questionnaires (Han, 2010).The research data will be summarized by calculating the average, frequency, range and standard deviation. Consequently, mode, mean, frequency, range, standard deviation and variance are calculated based on the interval scale of 4 independent variables and dependent variable. 3.7.2 Reliability Test A reliability test will be conducted to make sure the measures are free from error. Cronbachs Alpha reliability test model is selected to measure the reliability of the questionnaires and 0 to 1 is used to assess the reliability of data collected. According to Nunnally and Bernstein (1994)s study (as cited in Krishnan Ramasamy, 2011), an alpha of 0.7 is an acceptable reliability coefficient level and acts as the minimum requirement for validity. 3.7.3 Normality Test Normality test is used for the purpose of checking the normality of the data set (Archila, 2010). When the sampling size is more than 100, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test is used to test the normality of the sample data. The p-value will indicate whether the data is significantly different. When the p-value is more than 0.05 the data set could be assumed as normal (Islam, 2011). 3.7.4 Inferential Analysis Inferential analysis using Pearsons correlation and multiple is used to test whether the hypothesis is substantial. 3.7.4.1 Pearson Correlation Pearsons correlation measure the degree of interrelation between the dependent and independent variables (Mudelsee, 2003). Doss and Kamery (2006) mentioned that Pearsons correlation is used to test whether the relationship between variables exists. Hence, it is being used to determine whether the relationship between the financial issues, academic issues, social support issues, time management issues and stress faced by undergraduates exist. The relationship depends on Pearsons correlation outcome. The range of outcome is between -1 to 1. Positive outcome indicates a positive relationship between variables and vice versa. 0 outcome indicates no relationship between both variables (Doss et al., 2006). 3.7.4.2 Multiple Regressions Multiple regression analysis will be used for identifying which independent variable influences dependent variable the most (Hair, Babin, Money Samuel, 2003). Multiple regressions are able to examine the relationship between dependent and independent variables (Orme Buehler, 2001). Hence, it is used to evaluate the relationship between financial issues, academic issues, social support issues, time management issues and stress faced by undergraduates. Since the researcher used interval data measurement scale on dependent and independent variables where both variables are parametric, the general equation for the multiple regressions is (Yount, 2006). Therefore, the multiple regressions equation in this research is developed as 3.8 Conclusion This chapter consists of research design, data collection methods, sampling design, research instrument, constructs measurement, data processing and data analysis which are used to collect data for analysis. In chapter four, the researchers will examine the pattern of and analysis of the result which are collected from relevant target respondents.

Business Analysis of Peak Garage Doors Inc Essay example -- Business

Business Analysis of Peak Garage Doors Inc INTRODUCTION Peak Garage Door Inc. has set a goal to increase their sales for 2004. Garage door industry is expecting a growth of 2.4% while the management of Peak is looking to increase company’s sales 26.4%. The company currently has 50 exclusive dealers and 300 non-exclusive dealers. Management has three proposals in front of them. The first suggestion is to increase the number dealers in their existing markets. The second recommendation is to develop an exclusive franchise agreement with existing non-exclusive dealers. The third recommendation is to decrease the number of dealers and focus company’s resources on increasing support for the existing dealers. Of course there is an option for them to leave everything as it is. My suggestion is to go with the second recommendation due to the fact that exclusive dealers produced 70% of company’s sales and non-exclusive dealers contributed only 30%. In order for Peak Garage Doors Inc. to reach their sales goal for ‘04 th ey will have to gain more exclusive dealers since they contribute much more profit to the company. THE INDUSTRY The residential garage door industry sales for 2003 were $2 billion; 90% ($1.8 billion) of these sales were steel doors, the type of door the Peak specializes in. Projected industry sales for ’04 were $2.05 billion, representing 2... ... Net Sales $8,452,518.40 Cost of Goods Sold $6,900,000.00 Gross Profit $1,552,518.40 Selling, General and Admin Expense $1,600,000.00 Net Profits Before Taxes -$47,481.60 Choosing option 3 would lead to a loss. Option four is to do nothing. This would mean that everything would stay the same, and Peak could expect a 2.4% increase in sales. INCOME STATEMENT 2004 Net Sales $9,420,800.00 Cost of Goods Sold $6,900,000.00 Gross Profit $2,520,800.00 Selling, General and Admin Expense $1,840,000.00 Net Profits Before Taxes $680,800.00 CONCLUSION According to the calculations, it will be impossible for the company to reach the sales goal of 12.5 million regardless of which option they choose. However the best outcome is with the option number two which is to develop an exclusive franchise agreement with existing non-exclusive dealers.

MARY FLANNERY OCONNOR :: essays research papers

MARY FLANNERY O'CONNOR Flannery O'Connor was a Southern writer especially noted for 32 incisive short stories before a tragic death at the age of 39. Mary Flannery O'Connor was born March 25, 1925 in Savannah, Georgia, the only child of Francis and Regina O'Connor. The family lived on Lafayette Square at 207 East Charlton Street in Savannah, adjacent to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, where Mary Flannery was baptized into the Catholic faith on April 12, 1925. She attended school at St. Vincent's grammar school, taught by the Sisters of Mercy from Ireland. She received national media attention at the age of five when she trained a chicken to walk backwards. The summers were often spent visiting her mother's family, the Clines, in Milledgeville, Georgia. Because of financial difficulties with his real estate business, her father, who had developed health problems as well, took a federal job in Atlanta in 1938, when Mary Flannery was 13. However, settling in Atlanta proved difficult for the family, and Mary Flannery and her mother Regina Cline O'Connor moved to the mother's family home in Milledgeville in fall of the same year. Her father's health continued to decline, and it was not until shortly before his death on February 1, 1941 that he was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosis, the same disease that would claim Flannery. Following graduation from Peabody High School and the Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville, she began attending the State University of Iowa, where she began her writing career and introduced herself as Flannery. While in Iowa City, she attended Mass daily at St. Mary's Church; throughout her life, she remained true to her Catholic faith. During graduate school, her short story The Geranium was accepted for publication by Accent in 1946. She submitted her thesis in 1947, entitled The Geranium: a Collection of [Six] Short Stories, and received her Masters of Fine Arts degree on June 1, 1947. Flannery O'Connor's writings offer deep insight on the fallen nature of mankind through original sin, but redemption through the grace of Jesus Christ. Flannery O'Connor's first novel, Wise Blood, published in 1952, achieved only a modest reception. However, she received critical acclaim and popular success with the 1955 publication of A Good Man is Hard to Find, a collection of 10 short stories, the first story bearing the same name. A second novel, The Violent Bear it Away, was published in 1960.

Argument Analysis: America’s Real Dream Team Essay

In â€Å"America’s Real Dream team†, published in the New York Times on March 21, 2010, Thomas went to a big Washington party to attend the 2010 Intel Science Talent Search finals. To his surprise, Most of the finalists who came from American high school hailed from immigrant families, largely from Asia. Thomas declares himself a â€Å"pro-immigration† fanatic. He points out keeping a constant flow of legal immigrants is the key to make our country stronger. He also explained that the most important economic competition is between people and their own imagination. And this new idea can be used to produce commodity at a very low price by all kinds of ways, and can creates great profits for economy. Thomas Friedman used metaphor, special list, specific examples, and a sincere tone to illustrate that it is possible to make more technological and economical improvements through an open immigration policy. Thomas uses metaphors in the title to create boundless associa tion. While using metaphors, it not only attracts reader’s attention but also make a foreshadowing for readers to think about: what is America’s real dream team? After reader thinking about the comparison, it’s more convenient for him to elucidate his own view in the argument. â€Å"Dream team† is a reference to the U.S. basketball team assembled for the 1992 Olympic that contained the best players at that time. Thomas compared the young people who generate new ideas to â€Å"dream team† to imply that these young people will use the new ideas they sparked to create miracles and will become the† real dream team† in the future. Metaphors here can make the abstract easier for readers to understand, additionally, it makes the language more vivid. In addition to metaphors, Thomas made use of a special statistics to make an obvious point: most of the finalists are immigrates. Usually, the writer will use statistics in this way: there are 40 finalists in total and how many percent of them are immigrates, but Thomas listed all the names of the Intel science talent finalist. In that way, while the readers reading the names of the finalists, they can easily found that these are foreigners’ names so that they can easily conclude that most of the finalists are immigrates, It gives the readers enough time to get it before he makes the conclusion. More accurately, he makes the co nclusion with the reader together. It seems that he is communicating with the readers, and this can be more helpful for the readers to accept his argument. He then gave a specific example to  convince his thesis: â€Å"do not shut the door to immigrate† .From the statistics, the readers only know that most of the finalists are immigrates, but they do not know how outstanding exactly these immigrate are. Thomas gave us such an example: Namrata Anand, a 17year-old girl. She is a so smart student who can use spectral analysis proficiently to expose information about chemical history of â€Å"Andromeda Galaxy†. Obviously, Namrata is more outstanding than the peer students. Thomas used this example to imply that if we shut our door to immigrates, we may loss lots of young people like her, which prove the necessity of immigration. And it focuses on the theme again. Specific example here can make it easier to understand at the same time make it more persuasive. Thomas used quotes in various ways to express his view again. First of all, Thomas interviewed a biology teacher, Amanda Alonzo, a star teacher who had taught two of the finalists. Amanda told him â€Å"it was resources provided by her school, extremely â€Å"supportive parents† and a grant from Intel that let her spend part of each day inspiring and preparing students to enter his contest.† Amanda is a successful teacher, what she said is very persuasive to the readers, and Thomas quotes her words to demonstrate immigrate is a kind of good source. In the second place, Thomas quotes what spokeswoman said: â€Å"don’t sweat about the problems our generation will have to deal with. Believe me, our future is in good hand.† As a representative of all finalists, what she said can represent what all finalists said adequately. And most of the finalists are immigrates, it proves that if we open the door to immigrates, we can get more excellent talents to solve the problems together. Besides, Thomas makes additions â€Å"as long as we don’t shut our door.† to make it more persuasive: as long as we keep a constant rate of immigra tes, we’ll be more competitive and we will surely don’t need to worry about what we will be facing tomorrow. In a word, quotes here can provide the evidence for the argument. The author use a sincere tone to argue that we should keep our door open to the immigrates. Sincere tones can make the reader more comfortable. If Thomas write like† we must keep the door open to the immigrates† instead, it will only let the readers feel disgusted. And sincere tone shows that he give an advice sincerely, which can be more easily accepted by others. Thomas used metaphors, special statistics, specific examples, quotes and a sincere tone to announce that we can keep improving technology and the  economy, as long as we don’t shut our door to immigration. Metaphor make the language more vivid and metaphor in title can impress the readers more. Special statistics here can close to the readers and let the reader find the problems themselves. Specific examples here can make it easier for the readers to understand the thesis deeply, quotes can makes the language more concise and a sincere tone can make it easier to accept the view. Thomas use them in combination to get his thesis step by step.