General Motors Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

General Motors - Case Study Example The managers at General Motors failed to cease and take control of the market in African and Asian countries for their products in the sense that the management was ready to manufacture cars that people in these countries could not afford. Survival of the business relies on the Company’s ability to generate profits and cash flow. Therefore, bad quality management of General Motor’s products is affecting the Company’s ability to survive since it is unable to maximize profits and cash flows.GM has faced a decrease in liquidity to $14 billion in the fiscal year 2008 from $27.3 billion in 2007. The increased losses are attributed to decrease in working capital and low sales volumes. In addition, research, development, and interaction or relationships with suppliers are negatively influenced by the decreased or reduced liquidity.There are certain activities for GM business in China and India. In China, the business for new autos is amidst a 14% development rate antici pated to reach over $97 billion in 2008. In the meantime in India, the business for new autos developed by 15.5% in 2008 to a dollar estimation of $28 billion. A sign that India will play a much greater is the anticipated increment to 2.5 million units before the end of 201. Steady development rates are anticipated in the following few years. The market's volume is required to climb to 21.5 million units before the end of 2013. The light business vehicles section was the markets biggest in 2008, creating aggregate volumes of 9.8 million units.

The culture of punishment in America. Deathpenalty Essay

The culture of punishment in America. Deathpenalty - Essay Example It has been observed that since the 1970s, the number of death penalty cases have increased manifold, and America continues to justify the use of cruel methods of punishment for those indicted for all sorts of crimes. â€Å"The use of mass incarceration and the use of torture in prisons including Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay are other shining examples of resurfacing of earlier held mentalities with regards to meting out of punishments.† (Silberman, pg154)But then, in the latter case, one has to take into account the fact that most of the prisoners were terrorists; what was at stake was the security of the citizens of America which had to be safeguarded under all circumstances! In this paper, the primary focus is going to be on the attitudes of the various states of America towards the use of the death penalty. The primary area of concern would be the justificatory statements pertaining towards the use of or abolishment of death penalty though initially the American attitude t owards the use of punishment techniques in general will be touched upon, for that has a strong bearing on present-day attitudes towards death penalty, and the use of numbers and figures would merely be to put the claims under clearer perspective. It would be well to learn about the general attitudes maintained by the federal and state machinery with respect to treatment of prisoners in American jails. The federal and many state prison systems have gradually done away with trying to rehabilitate prisoners, instead opting to keep them in prisons for longer periods of time. And the ones indicted of death penalty are finding it tougher to get their sentencing reduced to life-imprisonment. Throughout the 1970s, religious fundamentalism has played a major part in increasing the use of corporal punishment, long prison terms and death penalty. â€Å"Alongside, there is also evidence to show that America had never fully abandoned extreme forms of punishment before the 1970s, nor had she com pletely rejected the rehabilitative ideal since. The widespread abuse of the mentally retarded in institutions such as Willowbrook and the torture of prisoners in Arkansas and at other places showcases the contradictions in American culture with regards to punishment†. (Silberman, pg 155)Going by these incidents, the reader will have very less cause for wonderment as to the use of more innovative and sophisticated gadgetry to execute death row inmates. The Enlightenment philosophy and the religious traditions that has to do with the Universalist principles of famous political figures like Benjamin Rush have resulted in the â€Å"development of the modern penitentiary, designed to isolate prisoners from the negative influences of other prisoners and encourage them to seek redemption by reading the Bible. The restorative justice movement and its historical antecedents are as much a part of the American story as the moralism of the early Protestant settlers.† (Silberman, p g 155) â€Å"A growing chorus of voices is insisting on the re-examination of the death penalty in Ohio. Among the most powerful voices include Ohio’s Catholic bishops, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer; former attorney general Jim Petro; and former state prison director Terry Collins.†(McCarty pg A9) The only US manufacturer of pentobarbital--the drug Ohio

The Processes Of Conceptualisation And Operationalisation Social Work Essay

The Processes Of Conceptualisation And Operationalisation Social Work Essay This paper will begin by examining what is meant by conceptualisation. Using examples, it will demonstrate how broad theories are narrowed down to mid-range theories showing how this refinement can aid a practical and achievable study, within a realistic timeframe. This essay will then introduce the process of operationalisation and explain how variables and indicators are used as aids in specifying exactly what is being observed. The subject of child abuse will be used throughout the paper where different appropriate examples will be used to clarify meaning. Two reports in particular, The Murphy Report (2009) and The Ryan Report (2009) both child abuse studies will be used. This essay will further clarify the conceptualisation and operationalisation processes by outlining the three main steps involved. These steps will be explained and examples of their use in research studies will be demonstrated. In all research studies great emphasis is placed on the accuracy of information presented. As such, reliability and validity will be briefly discussed at the concluding section on indicators. This paper will then present a summary of the main points of this essay. To conclude, this paper will emphasise the importance of employing the processes of conceptualisation and operationalisation to a research study. Social researchers are concerned with examining the relationship between human interactions of people and the society in which they live in. It is not possible however, to do a broad study on human interactions and society in one research project. Researchers therefore, will concentrate on a specific aspect of some social issue. This process begins with a definition of the chosen topic, for example assuming the topic was based on poverty. There are different elements that need to be considered. Poverty could include income poverty, living conditions, diet or any other element that prohibits people from fully partaking in society (Lister, 2004). Before a study begins, the researcher should ideally determine what aspect of poverty is to be examined. It may be for example, the impact of a reduction in child benefit to families already living below meridian income level. Here a researcher may concentrate his or her study on how even lower income further prohibits families from fully participating in society. In this case the researcher may use the theory of social exclusion. However, social exclusion is a very broad concept and researchers will generally look at other, mid range theories or form their own, for example, reducing benefits to lower income families can have effects on childrens health. Having determined which aspect of poverty to study, the researcher will then decide what it is, and what it is not, they are trying to find out. This process is part of what is termed conceptualisation (Geraghty, 2008). Conceptualisation is the process of narrowing down, confining, defining and explaining, what it is, that is being examined. It is concerned with what is meant by a term (Geraghty, 2008). In undertaking research studies, the researcher has to be clear about what aspect of a social phenomenon is being studied. Just as importantly, the completed study must also demonstrate to the readers, that the study has dealt with and answered the specific starting research question. To demonstrate what has been explained thus far, this essay will take an appropriate example to convey more clearly how conceptualisation works. In Ireland over the last two decades there has been extensive media focus and attention on Child Abuse. Considering child abuse as a research study, it is important to understand the scale and scope of the topic. One of the first things to be considered is the definition of child abuse. As the example is taken from an Irish context, it is appropriate to quote The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act, 2000 which states child abuse as: The wilful, reckless or negligent infliction of physical injury on, or failure to prevent such injury to, the child. The use of the child by a person for sexual arousal or sexual gratification of that person or another person. Failure to care for the child, which results in serious impairment of the physical or mental health or development of the child or serious adverse effects on his or her behaviour or welfare. Any other act or omission towards the child which results in serious impairment of the physical or mental health or development of the child or serious adverse effects on his or her behaviour or welfare. (The Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse Act, 2000 ). From this definition it can be deducted, there are four main types of abuse that constitute the concept of Child Abuse in Ireland. These are physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and emotional abuse. In undertaking research on Child Abuse, the researcher may confine the study to one aspect, such as neglect. This may be further refined by looking at a hypothesis or theory of neglect as a topic such as, the impact of parental drug dependency on Irish children within the family. By narrowing down and focussing on specific research questions related to the topic it is easier to produce a relevant, meaningful and practical research study. Conversely, if a researcher were to ignore this approach and deal with the topic of Child Abuse only as a topic, there are many aspects and questions that would have to be considered. These could include all the different types of abuse at an international level over huge timeframes. To further examine and explain the process of conceptualisation this es say will give another example from an actual Irish research on Child Sexual Abuse. The Murphy report (2009) was commissioned to examine the allegations and suspicions of child sexual abuse against clerics in the Archdiocese of Dublin over the period 1975 to 2004. The author takes this report as a further example of conceptualisation as it specifically details exactly what it was set up to find out. It examines allegations of child abuse against clerics; here it is not concerned with lay people or other children. The study was confined to the Archdiocese of Dublin, not Ireland as a whole. Finally, the report was focussed only on the period spanning 1975 through to 2005. This conceptualisation made it very clear what exactly the research was to encapsulate. The previous paragraphs discussed specification of meaning of terms whilst this example demonstrates evidence of clarification of concepts. The Operationalisation process is also concerned with specification but on a different more detailed scale. Operationalisation is a process where certain variables are employed as aids in specifying what exactly is being observed and just as importantly, specifying and demonstrating, how exactly observation will be carried out. It is important to understand what is meant by the term variable. In defining the term Giddens explains it as: A dimension along which an object, individual or group may be categorised, such as income or height, allowing specific comparisons with others or over time (Giddens, 2001,p.701). Other concepts such as class or satisfaction can not be observed (Bell, 2005). Ways of measurement must therefore be determined. Rose and Sullivan (1996) are cited by Bell (2005:p.139) to show how the concept of class might be measurable. They write that: If we wish to understand something about class (a concept and therefore†¦not observable), what can we observe in the world which manifests class? That is, what indicators can be used for class so that we can obtain data about class? This is the essence of the measurement problem and when we link an unobservable concept with an observable indicator we are producing operationalisations. (Rose and Sullivan 1996:12-13). The authors do not expand on this quote but indicators of class for example may be based on salary, housing or education. These are elements of the concept of class and are measurable. In the previous example of The Murphy Report the term Child Abuse was seen to be defined under four main headings. These could also be taken as the variables, a specification of what aspects of child abuse will be researched. Continuing with the operationalisation process, having identified variables the researcher will then need to devise indicators to measure the concept (Bryman,2004). Thus far this paper has attempted to portray an understanding of conceptualisation and operationalisation. In doing so, it was also necessary to include references to variables and indicators. The next section of this paper necessitates further explanations of these terms. The three main steps in these processes are defining concepts, identifying variables and developing measurement indicators (Geraghty, 2008). This paper will outline each of these and provide appropriate examples that are continuing on the subject of child abuse. In examining what is meant by conceptualisation this paper explained the complexity of undertaking a broad research and detailed ways in which a subject or topic could be narrowed down and refined. Geraghty (2008) explains it as using a theory to identify concepts at the core of a research study. An example of poverty was given at the start of this paper demonstrating different elements of the topic that could merit a research study on their own, for example income poverty. Defining concepts also involves researching current and previous definitions on the subject. Previously in this paper a definition of child abuse was taken from The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act, 2000. A definition from an American study over twenty years earlier gives a legal definition as: The physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child under the age of 18 by a person who is responsible for the childs welfare under circumstances which indicate the childs health or welfare is harmed or threatened thereby.'( Bradbard and Watkins, 1982). Although these definitions are similar to a degree there are some differences that may be important in specifying elements of a concept. The Irish definition for example does not specify an age level whereas the American definition specifies under the age of eighteen. The Irish example does not specify that the abuse is by a person who is responsible for the childs health or welfare. There are many other definitions of abuse that may also include exploitation or other elements as a variable. What is seen as abuse in one culture may be accepted as normal practice in another, such as child marriages. Researching such definitions helps to give a clearer aspect of a concept and may be useful in identifying other relevant elements for consideration. Having looked at defining a concept the next step is to identify variables. Identifying variables is an important part of the conceptualisation and operationalisation process. It involves examining different dimensions of a topic that need to be considered to capture exactly what is being observed (Geraghty, 2008). As with defining concepts it is important to research previous studies to capture what variables other researchers used and how they applied them (Geraghty, 2008). Previously this paper referred to the Murphy Report (2009), which was primarily concerned with child sexual abuse and clerical involvement. In this case only the sexual element of abuse was researched. Taking sexual abuse as the subject necessitates determining variables of Child Sexual Abuse. These may include social status, incest and institutional settings. Another report, the Ryan Report (2009) studied Child Abuse in Irish Industrial schools and childrens institutions spanning several decades up to 1974. This report, in dealing with child abuse broke abuse into four variables; physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and emotional abuse. There has been huge media attention on the subject of child sexual abuse in Ireland, so much so that there may be a tendency to automatically assume that the term child abuse is relating to sexual abuse. However, by conceptualising and breaking the term into variables, child abuse captures other aspects which are just as important in their own right. In an editorial from Child Links, Barnardos on the subject of child abuse categories say: Of these, the largest number of cases that come to the attention of the authorities are cases of child neglect. In 2003, of the 4,984 children who were in State care, 24% of these children had been neglected. Yet it is the sexual abuse cases that are highlighted more in the media. (Conroy, p.9). This quote along with the example of the Ryan report demonstrates how the use of variables more readily captures elements of child abuse that might otherwise have been overlooked. Variables are important in identifying aspects of a concept to be studied. There is also a need to measure the information and data accumulated under each variable or show what was used to determine the data. At this juncture the third and final step of the conceptualisation and operationalisation process will be explained. Indicators are measures that should link to the variable. There can be numerous indicators for each variable depending on the research subject. In taking the variable of neglect for example, it could be measured using a number of indicators that may themselves be broken down to further indicators. One indicator may be a physical indicator from which other indicators may be taken, such as loss of weight, poor or inadequate shelter or poor health. Another indicator such as behavioural could be broken down to further indicators such as leaving school early, alcohol abuse or crime. The Disabled Persons Protection Commission in Massachusetts USA (2010) lists twenty-three separate indicators for physical abuse including burns, scalds, bites, cuts and more. Indicators can be used to determine the presence or absence of what is being researched (Geraghty, 2008). However, not all researches may require so many, Bryman (2004) argues that in much quantitative research there may be only one indicator of a concept used. Although indicators are extremely useful in research, care must be taken, especially in areas like child abuse, as even with indicators, signs are not always readily visible. In its national guidelines for the protection and welfare of children (2004) the Department of Health and Children expressed caution on this when issuing their own guidelines. To conclude this section on indicators it is important to understand that the indicator used should stand up to accurate measurement. In social research, validating examines the accuracy of measurement and is considered the most important criterion in social research (Geraghty, 2008). Another important criterion in social research is reliability. Reliability estimates the consistency of procedures used for collecting data even at different times with different subjects (Geraghty, 2008). Validity and Reliability as discussed are key criteria in research and merit a separate paper to fully explain their importance in research studies. The author has introduced them at this point to show that not only are indicators useful in breaking research studies down into manageable portions they are critical components necessary for the validation of a study. This essay commenced by referring to the complexity of undertaking a broad research study. An example of the term poverty was presented as a broad theory that encapsulates many dimensions, such as income poverty and childrens health. The author explained how broad based theories can be broken down into mid range theories through the use of an appropriate research question. The example proffered being, how the reduction of benefits could affect childrens health. This demonstrated that in breaking down the theory of poverty it is easier to determine what exactly the researcher is trying to find out. The author identified this process as conceptualisation. The operationalisation process was then outlined, specifying the importance of understanding how exactly, observation should be conducted. The three main steps of the process of conceptualisation and operationalisation , defining concepts, identifying variables and development indicators were outlined. In doing this, examples of the Murphy and Ryan reports were used to demonstrate all three of these steps. The essay concluded with measurement indicators and stressed their importance not only as tools in observation through measurement but also as vital components of validity and reliability criteria. Although it is possible to undertake a research study without the employment of detailed methodologies, a research can be more focussed with an investigative plan. Whilst this paper did not look at the many and varied tools of research methodology, it did however concentrate on useful and important processes that help ensure that correct and relevant information is gathered. The purpose of any research is to gather information on a subject or social issue. Employing methods that ensure the correct, measurable data is gathered in relation to the subject is well served using the processes of conceptualisation and operationalistion.

The Key Elements of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Essay

The Key Elements of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man provides an introspective exploration of an Irish Catholic upbringing. To provide the reader with a proper interpretation, Joyce permeates the story with vivid imagery and a variety of linguistic devices. This paper will provide an in-depth of analysis of the work by examining its key elements. The central theme of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is Stephen Dedalus' alienation and separation from his trinity of family, country and religion. Stephen's separation from his family is evident when he literally flees from his father by "walking rapidly lest his father's shrill whistle might call him back." Stephen's separation from his clique is demonstrated by his adoration of the poet Byron, who his schoolmates (Boland & Heron) deem as a "heretic and immoral." Boland and Heron then proceed to attack Stephen with "a fury of plunges" that leaves Stephen "half blinded with tears." Other violent disagreements with his peers can be found when while attending Clongowes Wood College he is pushed into a ditch by Wells (a class bully) and catches a fever. The illness results in Stephen's desire to "go home" The theme of Stephen Dedalus' alienation with his religion is evident in his connection with the church. The Dedalus family live a resolute Catholic life and expect Stephen t o share their beliefs. Stephen directly questions the authority of the church when he asks.    "Is baptism with a mineral water valid? How comes it that while the first beatitude promises the kingdom of heaven to the poor of heart the second beatitude also promises to the meek that they shall possess the land? Why was the sacram... ...foreshadowing's importance, can be found in the fact that the story begins with a flashback to when Stephen was a very young child. As the narrative of his life continues, flashbacks are implanted.    A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce is a well written exhibition of the Irish Catholic life of an artist. Stephen Dedalus, infamously connected to the mythical Deadalus, becomes independent of his family, religion, and nation. To adequately illustrate his life, actual Irish dialect is used and intense images are presented. Thereby creating an introspective analysis of an artist. Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Modern Critical Interpretations: James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. New York:Chelsea House Publishers, 1988. Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. New York: New American Library, 1991

Adolescence Is the Unhappiest Time in Most People?S Lives

Adolescence is the unhappiest time in most people? s lives Most people agrees that adolesece may be the hardest time in most people's life  . Just like every period of life, being adolescent can be a pretty rough time. Some people says it is the unhappiestime, while other says it is the most happiest time in our life. but not everyone agrees that is the unhappiest time. So is the adolecense the unhappiest time in most people's lives? , I'm going to talk about the arguments for and against this statement and give my own opinion.It is true that adolesence is a very hard age, may be the hardest. Firstly because, is the time in wich the person is growing up, and has to get used to have more responsabilities. Also, there are some people that think this is because the adolecent are more sensitive than older or younger people and this is a reazon why to get upset for very silly razons. And, finally, some people thinks this is because, the adolecents aren't as free as they wished to be, an d this make them want to pass this part of their lives quicker.However, there are some people that desagree with this statement, and one of the mainly arguments is that is a very happy time for people because they don't have to worry about the resoult of their actions because they don't have as many responsabilities as they will have later when they get older. Another argument against this is that they, normaly, have more free time, and less stress. a time when they begin to discover who they are, they are becoming more independent, they are establishing friendships, and their bodies start developing. For many, entering into puberty can be a very emotional, stressful, confusing, and frightening time.Some make the change from childhood into adolescence with only a few minor problems, others however, may have a more difficult time handling the pressures and some may develop eating disorders as a way to cope. Some may enter into puberty early and be subjected to teasing by their peers. Many fear the weight that is gained during this time is permanent, will panic, and desperately try to take the weight off. They are not aware that once the physical changes during this time cease, their weight will usually stable off and go to their bodies natural set point, without the need for dieting. Adolescence Is the Unhappiest Time in Most People’s Lives Adolescence is the unhappiest time in most people’s lives. It seems to me adolescence is a very important period for everyone as it forms their views on life. When you are young, parents bring up and teach you, you learn something by your own and become some life experience. Then you go to school where you get basic knowledge, find new friends, communicate and share your opinions with them. This time could be divided into three periods: person’s childhood, school time and the last is an university or college time. Each of them is extremely important as it influences on the further life of an individual.Some people state that adolescence is the unhappiest time for most people. It brings many accidents, bad experiences and, as a result, person can go, for example, in a crime world or drug addiction. These facts are followed after the bad upbringing and some problem families. That’s why these people state thar the adolescence is a very important time for a person an d during this time person is touchy so they(person is thouchy so they(he or she, leave it open)) could have a bad experience and it would influence a lot to his future. However, others are assured that adolescence is the happiest time in everybody’s life.When you are young, you are not responsible for anything and you don’t have serious problems that should be solved. You don’t care about anything bad and enjoy spending your time with friends. Person goes to school where he gains some experience and finds new friends. They say, in most cases children have a good upbringing and only enjoy their life. It goes without saying, that the world of today is dangerous, however it mostly doesn’t influence on the person. If you ask me, I think adolescence is the most enjoyable time for everyone as it gives many opportunities for relaxation, education and entertainment.

Assess the view that factors and processes within the school are the main cause Essay

Many sociologists argue that â€Å"factors and processes within school are the main cause of difference† These factors include gender, class and ethnicity. All of these things can lead to certain stereotypes and labels being forced upon pupils. The idea that Teachers have certain expectations of different social and ethnic groups means that self-fulfilling prophecy can lead to pupils living out positive and negative labels. The role of gender in educational achievement is that in past times it has been that boys have achieved less than girls in school, this could be that boys have a history of ‘laddish’ behaviour and have had a negative attitude to learning. This had also led to teachers expectations of ‘lads’ to be low which has caused negative stereotypes and labels. All of these things have in turn caused many anti-school subcultures. Jackson did a study about how this ‘laddish’ behaviour is now being seen in some girls which could in fact mean that it is not only boys that have these negative labels but also girls. Another factor that may influence the achievement of girls is that girls now have a lot of higher role models and more opportunities in the future; this can lead to them working harder because they can see themselves being successful in the future. Another In-school factor would be ethnicity, different ethnic groups achieve better than others in education, for example the highest achieving ethnic group is British Chinese and the lowest would be black African Caribbean boys. The reasons for these differences in achievement could be linked to family morals and attitudes to school. Teachers also have expectations of different ethnic groups which again, like gender can lead to positive and negative labels and stereotypes. The curriculum in schools could also lead to this due to it being ethnocentric. Differences in class an play a crucial role in the achievement between different classes, for example working class children do not have as much cultural capital as middle class children and this can play a vital part in how they achieve at school, due to teachers expectations of how they behave and achieve. The idea of the hidden curriculum means that schools are preparing students for middle class jobs with middle class ideas. Also the idea that middle class teachers get on better with idle class students also reinforces the idea of teacher’s expectations which can lead to self-fulfilling prophecy and students either over or under achieving. One more in-school factor would be pupil subcultures and how streaming and setting can lead to both anti and pro school subcultures, This again links to the idea of self-fulfilling prophecy and that students may either reject their labels or follow them. The organisation of the school can also be closely linked to class and how students may be put into lower streams or sets due to their social background and how teachers perceive them. Home backgrounds of students also contribute to a large part of their achievement. The differences in class can lead to many home disadvantages such as material deprivation which means that students do not have enough money for resources such as private tutors, laptops, trips or uniforms; this will give them a disadvantage compared to middle class students. Working class students may also have other responsibilities to attend to such as looking after siblings or even disabled parents; this means that they do not have as much time to spend on studying. Parent’s attitudes towards school and education can also prove to be an impact, if a parent has a negative attitude to school and learning then the child will not have as much pressure or ambition to do as well. This idea of parent expectations links closely with ethnicity and how different ethnic groups view educarion. In conclusion there are many in school processes that can influence the achievement of children such as gender and how girls and boys are perceived and what teachers expect of them. Another would be Class and how working and middle class students achieve differently due to aspects of school life like the hidden curriculum. Also ethnicity and the expectations and ideas about certain groups like the British Chinese. There are also a lot of out of school factors such as home background, material deprivation and parents’ expectations. Overall I believe that the both in school factors and out of school factors contribute to the differences in educational achievement of different social groups.