Primary research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Primary research - Essay Example Though de Vaus (2002) distinguishes between a survey and questionnaire, but at the same time it is also emphasized by him that quite often questionnaire happens to be a part of the survey. Direction of the research is set depending upon how the data is analysed. To facilitate the results of this survey and ensure its usefulness to the researchers, the study aims at producing valid and reliable data. To this end, all answers will be listed; this includes those answers that were duplicated by multiple respondents. The tables will be formatted and designed to be read easily--ensuring that the information will be interpreted accurately. Vague answers with multiple possible interpretations will be further clarified to reduce the chances of misinterpretation. Simple frequency tables will be used to help draw out and sort the information gathered from the returned questionnaires. The number of responses reflecting each possible answer and the number of unique responses will be indicated on the accompanying tables. These findings will then be pulled together into a report format with preliminary notes and comments used to explain the presented information in detail. The research questionnaire is prepared to gain knowledge of the current HR scenario, acceptance level of such policies, working attitudes as well as practices that came in close relation with the effective management of companies. To this end, primary data will be collected through the responses of participants during the process. Similarly, an account will also be maintained of the people who do not wish to participate in the survey, when we approach them, for various reasons. This will be done purely for academic reasons, as it will also help in throwing some light on how the workers feel safe and secure enough while talking about the HR policies. To gain the responses of about 100 people we might have to approach more people (say about 125-140 professionals because 25-40 people might decline to participate in the survey. We need to prepare a table to keep the record of respondents. Table can be prepared as follows. Table-1 Number of Respondents Age groups Prompt in responses Declined to respond Upto 30 yrs 31-40 yrs 40+ Total Subsequently we can also enlist the reasons for saying 'no' to the survey. Some of the responses could be as written in the table below (but we will be tabulating different types of other responses as well). Table-2; Reasons for saying 'No' to respond Reason for not Responding Age

Non-Oil Sector Stocks in Saudi Arabia Research Paper

Non-Oil Sector Stocks in Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Example Saudi Arabia has proven oil reserves of 264.52 billion barrels of oil (OPEC, 2011) and recently surpassed by Venezuela who claimed their oil reserves had risen to 269.5 billion barrels of oil. In terms of oil production, Saudi Arabia has a quota allocation of just over 30% of production among Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) countries. The Saudi Arabian oil production in 2010 was 9.1 million barrels per day which accounted for 13% of world’s total oil production. Oil is the major driver of economic activity in Saudi Arabia. Oil-related activities accounted for 47% of the GDP in 2010 (MoF, 2011), and petroleum products exports amounted to $193 billion and accounted for 84% (by value) of total exports in Saudi Arabia (OPEC, 2011). Therefore, oil prices play a vital role in the Saudi Arabian economy. However, from the perspective of an investor or an enterprise in Saudi Arabian market, it is also important to know whether oil prices have a major role to pl ay in stock prices of non-oil sector companies too. If there is a high positive correlation between oil prices and non-oil sector stocks, an investor can use these stocks to hedge on their investments in oil. The outcome of this study could, therefore, be very useful for foreign investors and enterprises already present or planning to enter the Saudi Arabian market. Clarification of Terms and Concepts Aggregate Demand: The total demand for goods and services in an economy for a specified time period and at specific price levels is called aggregate demand. It is made up of 4 major components – consumption or consumer spending, investment, government spending and net exports. Correlation: A statistical measure that describes how two variables move together with each other. The coefficient of correlation has the value between -1 and 1. A positive value means the two variables move in the same direction simultaneously. The closer the value is to 0, the lesser relative movement th ey have. Disposable Income: The amount of money that the households in an economy have for spending and saving after taxes have been deducted from their total income. It indirectly measures the potential for consumer spending in the economy. Downstream (oil industry): The downstream activities in oil industry refer to refining and distribution of natural gas and products refined from crude oil. Exchange rates: The rate at which two currencies can be exchanged for each other. Essentially, it is the price at which one country’s currency can be exchanged for another country’s currency. Granger-Causality test: A statistical test used to measure whether the change in one variable causes a change in another variable. Granger-Causality tests relationship between two variables. This methodology is employed to test the causality of each variable for the other and establish which variable causes the change in which variable. The key principle used is that the independent variabl e is better able to predict the dependent variable than when taking only the lagged values of the dependent variable to predict it.

Landmark Discoveries in Healthcare: An Overview

Landmark Discoveries in Healthcare: An Overview Cynthia Lane Newborn cured of HIV: A woman from Mississippi gave birth to a child that contacted HIV from its mother. The woman was not aware she had HIV and doctors did not take precautions to test her for it. Just after the infant was born it showed signs of being infected with the virus. At the University of Mississippi Medical Center, a Dr. Hannah Gay and her staff decided to take a big chance by giving the infant a three anti-HIV combination drug cocktail. To their surprise the infant has been HIV free for two years after birth. The infant does not show any signs of the infection in its body even though the child is not on any medications after the fact (Subramanian, Oct. 2013). New Changes on Cholesterol Treatments more People on Statins: The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, feels if people were to take statins, cholesterol-lowering drugs this would prevent the first heart attack or stroke events. The outcome would benefit if the patient does not have heart problem history, with factors on gender, sex, age, smoking history, blood pressure cholesterol levels or is a diabetic (LaRosa, 2001). A Home Pregnancy Test for the first time that Tells How Pregnant You Are Approved by Food and Drug Administration, the Clearblue Advanced Pregnancy Test can tell you in estimate weeks how far you are in your pregnancy (Gallagher, May, 2013; Shoukhrat, 2001-2014). Embryonic stem cells: Advance in medical human cloning A professor Shoukhrat Mitalipov at the Oregon Health Science University, who cloned Dolly the sheep back in 1996. Professor Mitalipov used the same process but this time he used human skin cells he were hollowed out, he successfully stimulated the egg to electrically and chemically the egg divided and produced an embryonic stem cells. The embryonic stem cells would be used to create body tissues and organs that may be used to treat Alzehimer’s, diabetes and heart disease (Gallagher, May, 2013; Shoukhrat, 2001-2014). One Dose instead of Three Doses of Vaccine May be Plenty to Protect Against HPV The HPV-human papillomavirus vaccine is given to girls and boys between 11 and 12 years old to protect them against genital warts and cervical cancer. At first the children would have to have three shots (immunizations) of the vaccine to be effective; half of the children are not returning to their physician or clinic to complete the series. A group of international researchers confirmed that one dose of the vaccine can generate an increase of 24 times of antibodies in the body which would be enough to protect them from HPV and the risk of cancer would be lower (Sifferlin, Nov. 2014). New Hair Growth Research Columbia University, researchers says transplanting hair follicles upside down can produce new hair growth. Patches of foreskin from circumcised babies are used because they do not have hair follicles. The foreskin is inverted and takes root to produce hair (CU Researchers, 2013). Poop Pill Dr. Thomas Louie of the University of Calgary, created a gel capsule that is made of bacteria found in poop. Our bodies have microbes in our gut that help digest our food and fight other disease-causing microbes. The gel capsule is best used to cure Clostridium difficile infection, which is called for short C diff, this is a very contagious intestinal infection which causes diarrhea and deadly inflammation of the colon. Less than 30 patients were tested with this gel capsule and have not experienced any recurrent symptoms of the C diff infection (Marchione, Oct. 2013). Changing Poor Quality Eggs to Healthy Eggs Stanford University researches elaborated a technique for women with poor quality eggs to make healthy, mature eggs from their own eggs. The researchers would remove a piece of ovarian tissue or an ovary and treat it with proteins and other factors in the lab. The tissue would be recharged then re-implanted close to the fallopian tubes. Five out of 27 women produced healthy eggs, one gave birth to a healthy baby, and one woman became pregnant (Sifferlin, Sept. 2013). New Genes Linked to Alzeheimer’s There are 24 genes now known associated with Alzheimer’s, the discovery involves inflammation and the body’s immune responses. They are associated with the brain changes of Alzheimer’s researchers will target drugs that would potentially treat memory loss symptoms and dementia which is a mark of brain disorder (Paddock, Oct. 2013). Parkinson’s Disease Detected Early Scientists feel by detecting Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s as early as possible this would identify their disease and be able to intercept with treatments. Panel of proteins of spinal fluid can help scientists identify the first stage of the disease. By controlling the symptoms in their early stage of the Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, experts hope to launch new studies to make drugs that failed obsolete (SpiritIndia, 2006). References Gallagher, James; Health and science reporter, BBC News (15 May 2013) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22540374 Mitalipov, Shoukhrat (2001-2014 Oregon Health Science University) Oregon National Primate Research Center Oregon Stem Cell Center Departments of Obstetrics Gynecology and Molecular Medical Genetics Oregon Health Science University http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/stem-cell-center/mitalipov-lab/ LaRosa, MD, John C; From the State University of New York-Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York (Circulation. (2001);104:1688-1692doi: 10.1161/à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹hc3901.096665). Prevention and Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease: Who Benefits? Circulation is published by the American Heart Association http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/104/14/1688 Marchione, Marilynn —Oct. 3, 2013; PILLS MADE FROM POOP CURE SERIOUS GUT INFECTIONS AP News: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/pills-made-poop-cure-serious-gut-infections Laird Harrison (October03,2013) Fecal Transplant Pills Effective for C difficile.Medscape.Oct03,2013. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/812079 One Dose of HPV Vaccine May Protect Against Cervical Cancer | TIME.comhttp://healthland.time.com/2013/11/04/less-is-more-one-instead-of-three-doses-of-hpv-vaccine-may-protect-against-cervical-cancer/#ixzz2r9isNIYr Paddock PhD, Catherine; Monday 28 October 2013- Scientists discover 11 new Alzheimers risk genes; http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267998.php Researchers transplant human hair onto mice using infant foreskins PUBLISHED: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013, 5:28 AM UPDATED: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2013, 10:29 AM http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/researchers-transplant-human-hair-mice-article-1.1492475#ixzz2r9kVxUHl Sifferlin, Alexandra(Nov. 04, 2013) http://healthland.time.com/2013/11/04/less-is-more-one-instead-of-three-doses-of-hpv-vaccine-may-protect-against-cervical-cancer/ Sifferlin, Alexandra (Sept. 30, 2013- New Hope for Infertile Women: Healthy Eggs http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/30/new-hope-for-infertile-women-healthy-eggs/ New Procedure to Induce Egg Growth Gives Fresh Hope to Infertile Women | TIME.comhttp://healthland.time.com/2013/09/30/new-hope-for-infertile-women-healthy-eggs/#ixzz2r9o9nOPw Subramanian, Courtney; Oct. 23, 2013; Newborn ‘Functionally Cured’ of HIV Remains in Remission. The revelation comes 18 months after all treatment ceased Newborn ‘Functionally Cured’ of HIV Remains in Remission | TIME.comhttp://healthland.time.com/2013/10/23/newborn-functionally-cured-of-hiv-remains-in-remission/#ixzz2r9RG4A7W

Lessons about Writing in the Works of Various Artists Essay -- essays

Most recently, I have read several powerful essays in Exploring Language, by Gary Goshgarian, which give straightforward advice about becoming a better writer. One such essay is ?Writing for an Audience,? by Linda Flower. She believes that a good piece of writing closes the gap between the reader and the writer. Another essay that I will be looking at is Getting Started,? by Anne Lamott. She believes that good writing is about telling the truth. Patricia T. O?Conner wrote an interesting essay titled ?Saying is Believing.? In it, she tells us that a good writer is one that you can read without breaking a sweat. Which leads me to the final essay that has helped influence my writing style, ?How to Write with Style,? by Kurt Vonnegut. He contends that your own winning style must begin with ideas in your mind. The essays written by Flower, Lamott, O?Conner and Vonnegut have supplied me with a multitude of lessons and advice, so that I may improve my writing skills and engage my reader better. The first thing that struck me as important is that the writing style must change to meet the different needs and demands of the individual reader. Linda Flower states in her essay, ?Writing for an Audience,? that ?a good piece of writing closes the gap between you and the reader? (156). Before I knew this, I tended to write for an audience of robots, while I now understand that my reader?s have unique faces and personalities of their own. In her essay, Ms. Flower gives concise explanations of my audience?s needs. What does my reader?s need to know? Can they easily digest what I am writing about? What is my audience?s attitude towards my subject matter? For example, I?m going to write an essay about my dog. First, I need to d... ...l quickly loose interest and almost immediately toss my work aside for something more thought provoking. My goal is to continue learning how to improve my writing. Each essay brought valuable information that I will continue to use throughout my college years and beyond. I found it intriguing that some of the essays conveyed the same lesson, an example, ?Writing With Style,? Mr. Vonnegut stresses that language is very important within an essay, Ms Flower concurs with this advice in ?Writing for an Audience.? The essays written by Flower, Lamott, O?Conner and Vonnegut have supplied me with a multitude of lessons and advice so that I may improve my writing skills and engage my reader better. In conclusion, I would like to say with Patricia O?Conner that, ?[a] good writer can express an extremely complicated idea clearly and make the job look effortless? (180).

Analysis on Causes and Symptoms of Job Stress in the Workplace

Job stress poses a significant threat to employee health and consequently to the health of an organization. This report will provide information on the causes of stress, the resulting symptoms, the consequences to employers, and the programs employers can implement to reduce the adverse effects of stress in the workplace. It is important for both employees and employers to recognize and understand stress and its causes. Often times employers confuse job challenges and job stressors. Most employees view a job challenge as a motivating factor, which enables them to grow within their positions. This motivation has the potential to produce positive results for both employees and employers. However, when challenges become demands, employees often resort to the fight or flight response of our primal ancestors. At the sight of a dangerous encounter, the hypothalamus sends a message to the adrenal glands and within seconds the heart is pumping at two or three times the normal speed, sending blood to the major muscle groups with soaring blood pressure. In most cases, the employee does not have the opportunity to fight or flee, and as a result the increased energy is internalized and over time manifests itself as stress. Stress is not an illness, however prolonged exposure to stressful conditions can increase the risk of injury or disease. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ( ¡Ã‚ §NIOSH ¡), job stress can be defined as â€Å"the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the employee†. For instance, management style, interpersonal relationships, work roles, career concerns, work-life issues, sociocultural atmosphere, and environmental conditions may all be considered stressors. The following illustrations represent extreme cases, but a common thread between all of the examples is lack of communication, lack of resources, and lack of control. Typically, people are affected by an assortment of these stressors and at a variety of levels. Many employees suffer from stress caused by managers who expect results without establishing clear goals. An example would be an office head that is responsible for increasing profitability and decreasing overhead, without receiving a budget from the home office. At the end of the year, the office head's performance cannot be considered objectively. Consequently, his or her incentive compensation becomes subjective. Interpersonal Relationships In many organizations, workers have little decision-making power. For example, a customer service representative is responsible for fielding incoming calls. Inevitably, the calls are primarily from angry customers concerned about a late shipment. The representative has no control over the shipping department and in fact has virtually no communication with that department. After listening to the customer's complaints over a period of time, the representative has several suggestions which management could implement in the shipping department that may improve customer satisfaction. Unfortunately, management is not interested in the ideas of a customer service representative. And as a result, the representative is attacked daily by angry customers whose concerns could have been prevented. Work Roles Some employees suffer from stress caused by excess responsibility and a shortage of time. An example of which might be a salesperson who has a broad scope of responsibilities with little support and a full travel schedule. In many instances, the salesperson is unable to meet unrealistic reporting deadlines because of excessive travel. Career Concerns Other employees may stress about an impending reorganization and its potential consequences. For example, management hires a consulting firm to evaluate departmental effectiveness and profitability. The employees may feel that management views their work as substandard and is formulating a reduction in forces plan which could ultimately affect their jobs. Work-Life Issues Often workplace stress is caused by balancing personal and professional responsibilities. For example, a nurse who also has to care for an aging, dependant parent. Sociocultural Atmosphere Some employees are subjected to an atmosphere of gender bias and/or sexual harassment. For example, a woman works as a real estate broker, which is a male-dominated field. She is constantly subjected to sexual innuendo. She is even made to look incompetent in client meetings by her male counterparts who ask ridiculous and irrelevant questions. Environmental Conditions Employees are required to perform in adverse working conditions which often cause signs of stress. For instance, a mill worker is subjected to the constant humming of machines. Repeated exposure to stressful situations such as those mentioned above often cause symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, irritability, and boredom. Other warning signs may include upset stomach, job dissatisfaction, muscle tension, and low morale. Studies have shown that stress in the workplace has been linked to some of the leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, workplace accidents, cirrhosis, and suicide. According to the Encyclopedia of Occupational Safety and Health, studies suggest that psychologically demanding jobs which allow employees little control over work process increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is also widely believed that job stress produces an increased risk of back and upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders. Furthermore, several studies suggest that a variety of mental health problems, from burnout to depression, have been linked to job stress. Although more studies are needed, it has become a mounting concern that on-the-job injuries are on the rise due to job related stress. According to the Journal of Occupations and Environmental Medicine, healthcare expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress. Furthermore, the American Institute of Stress estimates that more than 75% of all doctor visits are for stress-related complaints or disorders. People also spent nearly $11 billion last year on stress management programs, products and services. Although stress poses a variety of health concerns to individuals, organizations also suffer its consequences. According to the National Safety Council, it is estimated that one million workers are absent on an average workday because of stress related complaints. Furthermore, to the American Institute of Stress reports that 40 percent of employee turnover is related to job tension. A study published in the Journal of Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, found that when workers are under stress, they tend to lose their group perspective and focus on their own personal goals to the detriment of their colleagues. In a study of 100 naval personnel, each three-member group was subjected to a decision-making task simulation under varying stressful conditions. As expected, those operating under the highest level of stress performed worse than those operating under normal circumstances. Furthermore, the study indicated that the higher the stress level, the subject acted from a more individual perspective, which ultimately deteriorated team performance. In addition, the 1995 Workers Compensation Yearbook reports: In 1960, a Michigan court upheld a compensation claim by an automotive assembly-line worker who had difficulty keeping up with the pressures of the production line. To avoid falling behind, he tried to work on several assemblies at the same time and often got parts mixed up. As a result, he was subjected to repeated criticism from the foreman. Eventually, he suffered psychological breakdown. By 1995, nearly one-half of the States allowed worker compensation claims for emotional disorders and disability due to stress on the job [note, however, that courts are reluctant to uphold claims for what can be considered ordinary working conditions or just hard work] (NIOSH). Given that job stress is estimated to cost U. S. industry $300 billion annually as assessed by absenteeism, diminished productivity, employee turnover, and consequently legal fees and insurance premiums, it is important for employers to implement programs that promote a low stress atmosphere in the workplace. The American Psychologists Association recommends the following organizational changes to help prevent job stress:    Other elements of a healthy company include open communication, employee involvement, health-enhancing work environments, community responsibility, and institutional fairness. Many companies have taken a variety steps to promote this type of atmosphere. For example, Harley-Davidson, the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer, implemented the use of work groups in its Capital Drive plant in 1995. Since then, there has been a â€Å"steady decline in worker's compensation claims† which resulted in higher profits for the company. According to John Gillard, president of PACE Local 7-0209, workers feel they have more control over their jobs because they have a voice in day-to-day operations. Honeywell offers employee assistance counselors and stress management classes. The Leo Burnett advertising agency in Chicago, has a on-site massage therapist once a week, while National Semiconductor of Santa Clara, California provides an on-site fitness center that offers yoga and karate among other things. While some companies suffer the consequences of stress in the workplace, others like Massachusetts based WFD, Inc. (â€Å"WFD†), profit from it. WFD offers innovative services that assist employers in facilitating the needs of their employees thereby producing measurable business results such as customer loyalty and satisfaction, revenues and profits and shareholder value. WFD's services include employee commitment audits, work-life strategy consulting, community investment and dependent care strategy consulting, and workplace flexibility consulting.

Analysis of “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez”

The plot of â€Å"A very Old Man with Enormous Wings† is fantastic, but such surrealistic approach is usual for Marques. This is a story of an angel, who came into this world, but people refused to recognize him, so the disappointed angel had to leave[1].Marques used a language, which appears to be rather simple: he just tells a story as if he was telling it to children: with simple words and without too much literary sophistication. This makes the story similar to a legend or a parable. The story develops in logical time flow from the beginning to the end.Marques, as an author, takes a neutral position in the text, he provides an overview of that what has happened and leaves a freedom of evaluation for the reader.However, a reader can hardly fail to be moved, at least because even a simply-told story is fantastic: an angel comes to the world.Another aim of Marques’s simple and even boring language is to underline the indifference of most of the characters, whether it i s father Gonzaga, who rejects an angel because the angel does not speak Latin, a language of Roman Catholic Church, or Elisenda, who finds nothing better, than to sell tickets, as if seeing an angel was a show.The idea of Marques is obvious: people are so far from God, that they are unable to recognize His messenger.Time and place of the story are unknown. It can only be suggested, that it is some Spanish-speaking country. Marques speaks of the time as â€Å"in those times† making a story even more similar to a legend.Such style of writing is rendered as ‘magical realism’, because it is divorced from reality by uncertainty of time and place and by skillful blundering of real and fantastic elements[2].Marques has himself called â€Å"A very Old Man with Enormous Wings† a story for children. It has been written in the period between his two landmark novels: ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ and ‘The Autumn of the Patriarch’ in a marke dly easy manner[3].Nevertheless, it includes almost all elements of magical realism, which can be found in his great books: a world, which exists by itself without ties with the surrounding, fantastic creatures which enter the world, and biblical language of story-telling.Is it a story for children? In a way yes, it is a story for children or at least for those who are not yet spiritually adult. It is not Marques’s fault, that most of his audience appears to be â€Å"spiritual children†.As any children they have to be warned about possible poor consequences of their action, and in this sense the story of Marques represents such warning. Actually nothing happens in the story, what can be called obviously evil except for one thing: people in their daily routine have forgotten God.Works cited:1. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, at http://www.geocities.com/cyber_explorer99/garciamarquezoldman.html (last viewed: October 16, 2007)2. Faulkner, Tom.à ‚   â€Å"An Overview of ‘A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.’†Ã‚   Exploring Short Stories.   Detroit: Gale Research, 1998.   Rpt. Gale Database: Literature Resource Center, 1999. Available at: http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/eng104/marquezviews.htm (last viewed: October 16, 2007)3. Nicholas Tornaritis. GradeSaver(tm) ClassicNotes A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings, GradeSaver, LLC, 2006[1] For the story see: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, at http://www.geocities.com/cyber_explorer99/garciamarquezoldman.html (last viewed: October 16, 2007)[2] Faulkner, Tom.   â€Å"An Overview of ‘A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.’†Ã‚   Exploring Short Stories.   Detroit: Gale Research, 1998.   Rpt. Gale Database: Literature Resource Center, 1999. Available at: http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/eng104/marquezviews.htm (last viewed: October 16, 2007)[3] Nicholas Tornaritis. GradeSaver(tm) ClassicNotes A Very O ld Man With Enormous Wings, GradeSaver, LLC, 2006. P.-19