...National and International Approaches in Social Reporting Author(s): Franz Rothenbacher Reviewed work(s): Source: Social Indicators Research, Vol. 29, No. 1 (May, 1993), pp. 1-62 Published by: Springer Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27522680 . Accessed: 25/11/2011 03:27 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. Springer is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Social Indicators Research. http://www.jstor.org FRANZ ROTHENBACHER NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL APPROACHES IN SOCIAL REPORTING* (Accepted 27 October, 1992) ABSTRACT. National and international in social in western approaches reporting are described. starts with The the outline of current in activities paper Europe are discussed. international The national Further organizations. competing approaches and products of social reporting; the plurality of actors in social topics are the sources and different The only diffusion of ways of its institutionalization. reporting, incomplete inWestern social are offered...
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...COMPARING PERCEPTIONS OF THE SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN COURSE BRANDI N. GUIDRY University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA 70504 DAVID P. STEVENS University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA 70504 ABSTRACT Information Systems (IS) practitioners and educators have equal interest in the content of the Systems Analysis and Design Course (“SAD”). Previous research has examined instructors’ perceptions regarding the skills and topics that are most important in the teaching of the SAD course and the class time devoted to each. A similar assessment evaluated SAD course content from a practitioner perspective. Both studies used entropy calculations. A comparison of these studies is presented in this paper. For traditional topics, the group (either faculty or practitioner) with greater agreement believes the topic to be deserving of less class time. For structured and object-oriented topics, the group with the greater agreement also believes the topic to be of greater importance. This analysis demonstrates that practitioners and academics agree on approximately 40% of the SAD skills and knowledge areas. Keywords: Systems analysis and design, Structured analysis, Object-oriented analysis, Management Information Systems curricula, Entropy INTRODUCTION It is important that an education in Management Information Systems (MIS) is reflective of practices and techniques that are currently used in industry. Given the pace of technological innovation, there are ever-changing...
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...2007 Post-spill environmental impact assessment: approaches & needs Ivan Calvez & Loïc Kerambrun Cedre, France ntre for ocumentation, esearch and xperimentations on accidental water pollutions • Non profit organisation in charge of : – Documentation – Training – Research & Development – Contingency planning – Advice and expertise More info at www.cedre.fr Post-spill environmental impact assessment: approaches & needs. INTRODUCTION • Each major oil spill → ecological impact assessment (EIA) • Studies may differ (targets, methods, duration…) from one accident to another: - Pollution features (e.g. meteo oceanic conditions…); - Ecological concerns (sensitivity, special interest…); - Type of oil (crude vs. fuel); - Research team availability; - Fundings; - Socio-economic concerns; - ... • different context priorities... different motivations, different Post-spill environmental impact assessment: approaches & needs. INTRODUCTION What is required to assess accurately the environmental impact of oil spill: No loss of time, no loss of information • set-up the framework defining initial measures and research that can be implemented as realistically as possible in terms of human, technical and financial resources quickly decide and implement the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) programme What should be surveyed, how and to what end? • Post-spill environmental impact assessment: approaches & needs. INTRODUCTION What can we learn from...
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...Module 1 Several Key Points BUSN 7278 Data Analysis Professor Bassell Page |1 The process for data preparation and analysis. The value of marketing research is its ability to provide accurate decision-making information to the user. To accomplish this, the data must be converted into usable information or knowledge. After collecting data through the appropriate method, the task becomes one of ensuring that the data provides meaning and value. Data preparation is the first part of the process of transforming data into useful knowledge. This process involves several steps: (1) data validation, (2) editing and coding, (3) data entry, (4) error detection, and (5) data tabulation. Data analysis follows data preparation and facilitates proper interpretation of the findings. Validation, editing, and coding of survey data. Data validation attempts to determine whether surveys, interviews, or observations were conducted correctly and are free from fraud. In recontacting selected respondents, the researcher asks whether the interview (1) was falsified, (2) was conducted with a qualified respondent, (3) took place in the proper procedural setting, (4) was completed correctly and accurately, and (5) was accomplished in a courteous manner. The editing process involves scanning of interviews or questionnaire responses to determine whether the proper questions were asked, the answers were recorded according to the instructions given, and the screening questions...
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...helps with building lean muscle, just in different ways. This boils down to the amount of protein in the servings and how it is absorbed in the body. My reasoning for doing this research is so I can not only find out what works best for me but also to be able to explain the differences between the two to friends and others who may have questions about it. Research will have different approaches, views and ideas involved that researchers can use to come to a conclusion about a problem. Philosophical worldviews can be defined as “a basic set of beliefs that guide action” (Creswell, 2013). These views arise from discipline orientations, student advisor/mentor inclinations, and past research experiences which lead to a qualitative, quantitative or mixed method approach in research. The four types of worldviews widely known are postpositivism, constructivism, transformative and pragmatism. The worldview I will be bringing to the study will be of pragmatism. With pragmatism instead of the researcher focusing on methods, there is an emphasis on the research problem and use all approaches available to understand the problem (Creswell, p. 10). With the study that will be done on the differences in types of protein there will be a need for quantitative methods...
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...QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS: DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS Introduction Suppose that we have carried out a survey on the effect of carrying out a management audit with three groups of nine participant institutions each i.e. small medium and large. Each group was given the same survey questions in questionnaire format and the answers from the scores were tagged between 0 and 20. What is to be done with the raw scores? There are two key types of measures that can be taken whenever we have a set of scores from participants in a given condition. First, there are measures of central tendency, which provide some indication of the size of average or typical scores. Second, there are measures of dispersion, which indicate the extent to which the scores cluster around the average or are spread out. Various measures of central tendency and of dispersion are considered next. For this assignment, a survey is the type of data collection method in consideration and how the results of that survey would be analysed. SURVEYS Surveys are a very popular form of data collection, especially when gathering information from large groups, where standardization is important. Surveys can be constructed in many ways, but they always consist of two components: questions and responses. While sometimes evaluators choose to keep responses “open ended,” i.e., allow respondents to answer in a free flowing narrative form, most often the “close-ended” approach in which respondents are asked to select from a range of...
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...and Anthropology: Approaches to research and their justification WGU Research methods in Sociology and Anthropology: Approaches to research and their justification The Behavioral Sciences are comprised of Sociology, Anthropology, and Psychology. All three sciences study human behaviors, but the goals and focus of each specialty differ from the others. In this paper I will discuss research methods employed by Sociologists and Cultural Anthropologists, and the justifications for the use of these methods. The paper will conclude with comparing and contrasting the described approaches to research. A. Sociologists study social behavior of groups and focus on the interactions among different social groups. They look for repeating patterns in society. Two tools used by Sociologists to conduct their research are Surveys and Secondary Analysis. Surveys are usually utilized to collect data from a large population. Sometimes a representative sample of the target population is surveyed. The study subjects are asked a set of questions, which the researchers then use to compare answers from different groups, or to draw conclusions about similarities or differences. The questions are often carefully designed to illicit a specific response. Sometimes the subjects have to choose from a given set of answers. These methods of questioning are geared towards producing uniform data, which can be statistically analyzed. One advantage of conducting surveys is that data of large populations...
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...Preparing to Conduct Business Research: Part Two The following will discuss the appropriate research design for determining our hypothesis, research question, why we are taking these research approaches, what data collection approach is to be used, and why we are taking this data collection approach. Determining the proper techniques, data collection measurements, questioning, and mining tools are critical for the success of determining the high turnover within Medical Surpluses Sales Department. Proper preparation in determining your business research will have a large impact on the overall success of the research itself. We chose to use the exploratory research approach because we needed to answer just exactly what was causing a large increase in turnover for Medical Surplus sales. In order to do so, an investigation needed to be done to help us identify the problem and figure out what caused this particular problem. The investigation would help by giving us the researchers, an insight to the whole situation. Exploratory research may include trial studies, interviews, group discussions, experiments, or other tactics for the purpose of gaining information (Richard, 2010). This method of research also helps to generate a hypothesis (Bindzer, 2009). We believe the other approaches of research, both casual and descriptive, were not suitable for what we were trying to accomplish. Casual research techniques would not be a good form of research because they are used to help figure...
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...RESEARCH DESIGN Qualitative, Quantitative. and Mixed Methods Approaches SECOND EDITION John W. Creswell University of Nebraska, Lincoln SAGE Publications International Educational and Professional Publisher Thousand Oaks London New Delhi ~ 6 7 6 3Copyright O 2003 by Sage Publications, Inc. -3 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Cover image copyright O Sheldan CollinsICorbis; used by permission. For information: Sage Publications, Inc. 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, California 91320 E-mail: order@sagepub.com Sage Publications Ltd. 6 Bonhill Street London EC2A 4PU United Kingdom Sage Publications India Pvt. Ltd. M-32 Market Greater Kailash I New Delhi 110 048 India Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Creswell, John W. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches I by John W. Creswel1.- 2nd ed. p. cm Includes bibliographical references and indexes. ISBN 0-7619-2441-8 (c) - ISBN 0-7619-2442-6 (pbk.) 1. Social sciences-Research-Methodology. 2. Social sciences-Statistical methods. I. Title. H62 .C6963 2002 30W.7'2-dc21 Acquiring Editor: Editorial Assistant: Production Editor: Copy Editor: Typesetter: Cover Designer: ...
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...Reliability In the field of Human Services, especially in the creation of programs, projects and approach strategies, it is important to measure the reliability of approaches and results. The following approaches are more often than not used to test reliability and are therefore the embodiment 'types' of how reliable an approach or strategy tested with them is: 1. Test-retest reliability - The test-retest method estimates the reliability of the test and the results gathered from it by administering the test to the same group of people at least twice over a set period. The results are then correlated and with a high reliability mark, the tests are seen as reliable. 2. Alternate Forms - Two groups are given the test and their scores are correlated. They do not necessarily have to come from the same population (i.e. test in India & test in Bangladesh) as long as there is a certain relationship. The score correlation becomes the reliability guide. 3. Split Half reliability - In terms of tests, half the items relate to the other half and it is the correlation between them in the test results that matter (i.e. half of the test or interview is about health and welfare issues and the other is about the economic state of the interviewee). 4. Inter-rater Reliability - As in contests where there are multiple judges, tests, contests, experiments and research are tested and marked by a set of qualified people. Their average assessment is then seen as reliable...
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...measure learning needs of large groups of practitioners, where other forms of measurement cannot be feasibly conducted. Aydin, A.K., & Karadaq, A. (September-October 2010). Assessment of nurses knowledge and practice in prevention and management of deep tissue injury and stage 1 pressure ulcer. Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing, 37(5), 487-494. This is a good overview from a well-known nursing journal that focuses on a descriptive study on how to determine a nurses knowledge and usual practice and prevention of deep tissue injuries. It gives an in depth explanation on the methods and assessment tools used for nursing education and testing of knowledge learned during the study. Billings, J.R., Crowley, S. (2008). Approaches to community needs assessment: a...
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...to the development of generalizations, principles, theories and concepts, resulting in prediction for seeing and possibly ultimate control of events. Clifford woody: Research is a careful enquiry or examination in seeking facts or principles, a diligent investigation to ascertain something. Methodology: is the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a field of study, or the theoretical analysis of the body of methods and principles associated with a branch of knowledge. It, typically, encompasses concepts such as paradigm, theoretical model, phases and quantitative or qualitative techniques. Research methodology: The process used to collect information and data for the purpose of making business decisions. The methodology may include publication research, interviews, surveys and other research techniques, and could include both present and historical information. THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH: The main purpose and role of research is to help plan and gather information on a certain topic before carrying it out. It helps to test and create a theory on a certain thing and with the information given this helps to gather, to generate a topic to find out more on. By carrying out research this helps to gather and explore more into a certain topic which help to back up your opinion with the findings. The purpose of research is also to gather...
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...involved in other health care services have turned to pediatrics. In order to combat this, Akron Children's Hospital has resulted to trying to understand the decision making procedures on institution or physician selection among the parents with seriously sick children. This was in an effort to differentiate itself from the other health care service providers. With the identification of similarities in advertisement approaches within the major contenders for the Industry, more unique differentiation strategies were sought through researches to identify how to best communicate with the customers in a unique way that would give the company a competitive edge over other service providers. Marcus Thomas LLC, the researcher contracted by Akron Children's Hospital, used telephone interviews and focus groups in learning the decision making behaviors. In both research approaches, parents with children between the ages of one month and eighteen years were sampled. The geographical spread of the sample exceeded the Summit County, where the hospital is based. From the survey, it was inferred that the decision makers use their emotions rather than rationality when making decisions on health care provision for their children. Illness, especially that of a child, is a rather traumatic experience, hence the presence o f emotions in the decision making process. The researcher exploited this approach by appealing to the emotive aspect of human beings through availing recordings of daily lives...
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...Business Research Design The design is the backbone of almost any endeavor. It provides direction and systematizes the research. Different types of research designs have different advantages and disadvantages. The method chosen will affect the results as well as how any findings are to be concluded. There are two main approaches to a research problem; quantitative research and qualitative research. Which one a business owner chooses to use is dependent on the aims of the research as well as the nature of the problem. Quantitative Research is defined as the precise count of some behavior, knowledge, opinion, or attitude. Qualitative Research is defined as interpretive techniques that seek to describe, decode, translate, and otherwise come to terms with the meaning not the frequency of certain phenomena (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). Quantitative research tells a manager what happens and how often, it focuses on describing, explaining and predicting. It also studies a large sample size and provides objective and precise information. Qualitative research, on the other hand, studies a small sample size, builds but rarely tests theory, and it is more subjective; it tells a manager how things happen and why. "Qualitative research aims to achieve an in-depth understanding of a situation" (Cooper & Schindler, 2011, Chapter 7). Maybe the business pressure to find quick resolutions to problems forced managers to rely on quantitative research more than qualitative. However; an increasing...
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...simply attempts to predict the level of sales at some particular future date. 7 stages of Demand Estimation 1. Statement of a Theory or Hypothesis : This usually comes from a mixture of economic Theory and previous empherical studies. 2. Model Specification : This means determining what variables should be included in the demand model and what mathematical form or forms such a relationship should take. 3. Data Collection : Gathering necessary information. a. Cross-sectional data : Provide information on a group opf entities at a given time. b. Time-serie data: Provide information on the entity over time. i. Quantitative: Data that are expressed in nominal in either ordinal or cardinal. ii. Qualitative: Expressed in categories. 4. Estimation of Parameters : This means computing the value of the coefficient of the variables in the model. 5. Checking goodness of fit : Once a model or may be several alternatives models have been estimated, it is necessary to determine how well the model fits the data and to determine whicg model fits best. 6. Hypothesis Testing : Having determined the best model, we want to test the hypothesis stated in the first step. 7. Forecasting : This is the...
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