Saturday, May 23, 2020

Analyze the implications of globalization and technology on negotiation Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Furthermore, we cannot neglect the importance of rapid technological change as it will increase the international competition between the largest and most developed economies. This will enhance the need for more knowledge-based but skilled workforce to compete at international level for the survival of such economies in years to come. Some people see globalization and technological advancement as a threat for developing and under-developing countries due to their lack of resources and shattered economies. IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION AND TECHNOLOGY ON NEGOTIATIONS: Now the question that rises over here is; how globalization and technology have their impact on negotiations and what changes are brought about by both of them? It is worth mentioning that globalization has given rise to tough international competition and in today’s world of advancement it has become a game of the survival for many growing economies and more specifically economies of the third-world countries are alrea dy considered as under-threat by such tough competition with technology as a second most important element collaborating directly in this game of survival (Stroper, 1992). The implication of globalization and technology on negotiations can be explained by a very simple example that due to globalization and advancement in technology majority of the well-known companies have shifted their manufacturing plants to China due to cheap labor and security. We will write a custom essay sample on Analyze the implications of globalization and technology on negotiation or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now This major shift will effect greatly on the negotiations if any company wants to merge or acquire another one who already has its plants functioning in China. It is important to have a basic understanding of the term â€Å"negotiation† with context to international business. Business negotiations are the roots of developing a strong but successful international business relations with other entities through mutual dialogue and framing a set of policies to be followed mutually by both the parties agreeing on the terms and conditions defined. The nature of such business negotiations can be between the companies, between a company and a government, it could be only be some interpersonal interactions regarding any business affair such as mergers, joint-ventures, acquisitions or licensing (Weiss, 1993). Globalization and technology have grown rapidly due to these mergers, acquisitions and rise of multi-national corporations which have added not on ly a definite meaning to economical growth, created employment opportunities, enhanced competition and increased knowledge-based skill workers but they have also given a new direction for unlimited business opportunities particularly in third world countries where labor is cheap but resources are limited and economic growth is at zero.

Monday, May 18, 2020

Using the Spanish Preposition Durante

The Spanish preposition durante has roughly the same meaning as the English during and is thus used in indicating what happens in durations of time. However, it is not used in exactly the same way as its English equivalent, and it is often better translated by the preposition for rather than by during. Durante is used most similarly to during when it takes a singular object: Durante febrero, las condiciones de sequà ­a empeoraron. During February, drought conditions got worse.El nivel del mar ha subido entre 10 y 20 cm durante el siglo XX. The sea level rose between 10 and 20 centimeters during the 20th century.Se recomienda la utilizacià ³n de gafas del sol durante el tiempo del tratamiento. The use of sunglasses is recommended during the time of treatment. Unlike the English word, durante is freely used with plural periods of time: Durante aà ±os ha ocupado la atencià ³n de nuestros medios de noticias. For years it has had the attention of our news media.Mantenerse en esta posicià ³n durante cuatro segundos. Stay in this position for four seconds.Durante muchos siglos los antisemitas odiaban la religià ³n de los judà ­os. For many centuries, anti-Semites hated the Jewish religion. When speaking of past events, the preterite progressive verb form (the progressive form using the preterite of estar) is used to indicate that something happened during the entire period of time. Thus Estuve estudiando durante los tres meses would be used to say, I studied for the full three months. But Estudià © durante los tres meses would mean only that I studied at some point during the three months.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The Revision Process Allows Me - 855 Words

The objective of this course is to teach students how to produce and write a not only concise, but compelling essays through one main idea. Throughout the semester, this course has taught me to use outlines and drafts that require further revisions to help interpret each essay and establish the structure in a better order. Specifically, the revision process allows me to take a second look back at my essay and see how I could have ultimately created a more exceptional essay. To start, the revision process allows me to review my thesis and create a better one so that I can have a more defined aspect and get the main point across. Also, the concept of revising an essay can lead to a more easily understood paper with more specific details which would lead to a more structured and evidence based argument. The revision process helps to improve papers to become more effective by creating a better overall thesis which could lead to a more conclusive essay that gets directly to the main point of the desired analysis. Most people would assume that the thesis is considered to be the most critical part of the essay. It investigates what the main idea of the paper will encompass. Usually, the first draft of the thesis for most people is never the thesis that will stay throughout the paper. As one starts to write, they realize how it could be changed to be a more precise and easily understood perception. As I was working on the revision, I realized that the first thesis that I wrote inShow MoreRelatedNarrative Writing : High School917 Words   |  4 Pagesability as my high school featured a grueling English department and having received high grades on my history and sociology essays in first semester classes, I presumed that I wouldn’t learn anything in FWS. Though I struggled with the drafting process, as my preferred method of essay writing involved writing the entire piece to perfection in one sitting and then turning it in, I figured that since I received good grades on papers, my writing did not need and would not undergo any improvements.Read MoreThe Importance Of A Successful Writers On The Writing Process Essay1039 Words   |  5 Pagessteps in the writing process that enable individuals to become successful writers. The steps addressed throughout the writing process are prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing (p. 365). Individuals use these steps to help create, manage, and bring to life their piece of work. However, research suggests that these steps are demonstrated in a particular order during the writing process; many writers tend to â€Å"move across and back and forth† during the writing process (p. 365). The firstRead MoreThe Five Paragraph Essay and My Own Writing Style826 Words   |  4 PagesThe five paragraph essay is tremendously valuable to me as a student. I have realized throughout my research that this format is seldom used by professionals; it is mostly used by students like me. I believe I now understand why that is; it seems to be a very clear way of composing a paper. It has a great deal of structure to it, and allows for more consistency and a better flow. Without having such structure, it is easy to go off on tangents, and at the same time, confuse the reader. The five-paragraphRead MoreI Am A Better Writer998 Words   |  4 Pagesmy ACT score was the reason that I was in ENG 100E last semester I am really thankful that I had to take that class, because it actually helped me this semester with ENG 101. This semester I was more involved and actually participated versus last year where I rarely opened up to answer any questions in class. I as well feel as if taki ng 100E has helped me this semester to become a better writer with adding more description to my essays to make the reader actually visualize what they are reading orRead MoreMy Style Of Writing, One Needs For First Think About A Lab Dissection886 Words   |  4 Pageshow I got progressively more particular with my writing. Theses documents are good evidence of how my writing grew to become more in-depth and challenging. I tend to take a literary work that I have either read or watched. I focus my writing on the process of scrutinizing the main character. More specifically, I center on their importance to the author and his ability to effectively represent his message. The first step in a dissection is to examine the species. This is where one gets familiar withRead MoreDr. Jenny Crisp s English 98 Class920 Words   |  4 PagesDr. Crisp guided the class in a discussion on the topic of revision in regards to the first paper that the class had submitted. The stages of revision were discussed and the students were shown where additional help could be found within the book. Dr. Crisp told the students that the reason that their grades on the essays were significantly lower was because the essays were lacking in detail and had Type One errors. She stated that revision is important and that could help bring up the grades on theRead MoreMetaphors And Material, Tying And Training Texts : Metaphors For Revision, By Barbara Tomlinson1210 Words   |  5 Pagesused to compare and analyze numerous things like expressions, objects, activities, and how we think. In the book, Tuning, Tying and Training Texts: Metaphors for Revision, Barbara Tomlinson, the auth or, discusses her viewpoints on metaphors and how they relate to the process of revision. She talks about how we come to adopt our writing process which is through, â€Å"†¦metacognitive expressions and culturally shared information† (Tomlinson 59). Metacognitive expressions are thought to be moments in life whenRead MorePersonal Narrative : A Challenging Course885 Words   |  4 Pagesinfluential to my growth as a critical reader or college student. Rather, it was my own analysis of the texts that allowed me to consider other perspectives on technology use in the classroom and the importance of revision when it comes to school work. Writing an essay on the impossibility of multitasking and the learning setbacks caused by technology use in the classroom caused me to reduce my technology use while doing homework. Deak says, â€Å"If you are listening to Mozart while you are going mathsRead MoreLanguage And Literature Courses And Ap U.s. History1281 Words   |  6 Pagesliterature and write analytically about it. In this course I’ve grown to change my reading process completely. I had a tendency to read in search of a universal theme while ignoring the physical details. However, the explication process is more meticulous as you analyze the poem’s features including stanza lengths, indentions, and end stops. My poetry explication included in this portfolio, displays my process of close reading as I interpreted William Stafford’s â€Å"Traveling through the Dark†. For exampleRead MoreA Writers Reflection Essay1100 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish is a hard language to learn, for there are numerous elements of effective usage and writing. Many people, including me, struggle in writing because of a lack of knowledge. Since middle school, English was not a strong suit of mine. I struggled with the simplest of tasks often taking a considerably longer time to complete a task than the other students. Unmotivated teachers and a lack of interest resulted in remedial writing skills. To put it simply, I had little confidence in my writing and

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Mayan Culture and Mathematics - 526 Words

Mayan Base 20, is an example in which most cultures should have followed but decided not to, in many cases, based on the mathematics that were used in the Mayan culture they were far more advanced than any other culture seen. Their functions and ability to create a calendar that is far more accurate than the one we currently use today, are often looked upon. Based on recorded data, the Roman Numeral Arithmetic might be hard to use for addition, division, subtraction and multiplication; but it is not a positional system. They have very few subtractive rules, adding and multiplying is possible, and division includes only with remainders. There is no symbol to represent zero. It was used in Europe until the 18th century, but up to that point, people still used it even till this day, a bar over the symbol indicated that the number was â€Å"1000† times greater. The Romans There are basic principles for reading and writing Roman Numerals, but when compared to the Mayan principle, the symbols are easier to comprehend and understand rather than those of the Romans. Roman’s simplicity was only used to represent years, days or even to keep count. It wasn’t meant for extensive addition or mathematics. Conversions from/to Roman Numerals from/to ordinary numbers are simple, but they take a while to convert, mostly because of th e way the symbols are lined up to be. Mayan numerals on the other hand differ from those of the Romans, simply because unlike no other numerical system, they used upShow MoreRelatedEssay The Maya Civilization904 Words   |  4 Pagesawe-inspiring temples and pyramids, highly accurate calendars, mathematics and hieroglyphics, and a complex social and political order (Collapse... 1). Urban centers were important to the Maya during the Classic period; they offered the Mayans a central place to practice religion. The Mayan culture can be traced back to 1500 BC, entering the Classic period about 300 AD and flourishing between 600 and 900 AD. The basis of the culture was farming. They cultivated food crops such as maize (corn)Read MoreThe History of Zero: Indian and Mayan Cultures726 Words   |  3 PagesZero is usually recognized today as being originated in two geographically separated cultures: the Maya and Indian. If zero was a place-holder symbol, then such a zero was present in the Babylonian positional number system before the first recorded occurrence of the Indian zero. If zero was represented by an empty space within a well-defined positional number system, such a zero was present in Chinese mathematics a few centuries before the beginning of the Common Era. The absence of a symbol for zeroRead MoreThe History of Zero1561 Words   |  6 Pagesthat has aroused the imagination of great minds across the globe† (Downey 1, The history of zero). Understanding zero and what it is today, we have to look back at the history of zeros origins and how it traveled through time. In ancient Egyptian mathematics, it was used to measure time, counting money, calculating areas of land even cooking. The ancient Egyptians used math in mythology to figure out the numbers of days in their calendar. The Egyptian calendar was a twelve months with each month containingRead MoreThe Mayan Civilization1023 Words   |  5 PagesThe Preclassic Maya The founding years of the Mayan civilisation are known as the Preclassic era, stretching from 2000 B.C.E to roughly 250 C.E lasting about 2250 years. The Preclassic era is subdivided into three subperiods, each focused on one or two necessities required for the empire s growth. The Early period consisted of mainly refining agricultural methods and building foundations, the middle period was a time of rapid population growth as well as the later period, a time for social and religiousRead MoreRoom 1 - The Magnificent Mayans1213 Words   |  5 PagesMagnificent Mayans Culture Artifact 1: Ceramic Bowl Picture/Source: Ceramic Bowl (Britannica 1) Description/Source: This artifact shows a ceramic bowl that was used by the Mayans in everyday life for pottery making and used in everyday art. Artifact 2: Ruins from a Mayan Temple Picture/Source: Ruins from a Mayan Temple (Britannica 1) Description/Source: The ruins from the temple show religion in Mayan culture because this is where the Mayans went as a place of worship. Artifact 3: Mayan SculptureRead MoreThe Rise And Fall Of The Mayan Civilization1018 Words   |  5 PagesMany decades ago, northern Central America and southern Mexico cultures developed complex political and social ranks. Researchers today know this region as Mesoamerica, known for its rich soil, abundant amount of rainfall, and agriculture. (Judge Langdon, 2012) The Mesoamericans, Aztec and Mayan tribes, developed into complex civilizations for multiple reasons. These societies were advanced and complex for their time in areas, such as architecture, agriculture, militarism, and education. Each hadRead MoreSimilarities Between Civilizations And Civilizations958 Words   |  4 Pagesfact that these cultures were not only hundreds of miles apart but also were separated by hundreds of years. The ancient Egyptian civilization located in northern Africa around 3,100 B.C. is considered to be one of the cradles of civilization and also a major contributor to the technology we have today . They exceeded in not only innovative technological advances, but also in mathematics, architecture, and in astronomy. Like the Egyptians, the Mesoamerican civilization of the Mayans originating inRead MoreThe Origins Of The Ancient Civilization1308 Words   |  6 PagesStates just disappearing? That is what happened to the Mayans. In a time span of only one hundred years, the whole Maya population was wiped out. There are several theories about the cause of their decline. Due to their disappearance the great Mayan inventions were lost in time until modern day anthropologists discovered that they made their own calendar and language along with many other things. What anthropologists do know for sure is that the Mayans were an ancient Mesoamerican civilization dating backRead MoreAnalysis Of Laura Gilpin s Life1617 Words   |  7 PagesHer photographs depicted this period in American history in a compelling light, and later gave rise to a series of photo-books on the landscape and lifestyle of the Native Americans. Gilpin understood how important it was to describe a disappearing culture, followed by adaptations to modern life of the American Indians. Although her next project, developing a literary photo-book was originally intended to be quick due to the already gathered images, it ended up spanning eighteen years. Her time frameRead MoreMayan, Aztec, Incan Dbq768 Words   |  4 PagesThe Mayan, Aztec, and Inca civilizations brought major accomplishments to the world today. These accomplishments established them as advanced societies during their time without the influence of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Some of these accomplishmen ts ranged from agriculture to architecture and on to writing and trade. Such as, the Mayans with their agriculture system of chinampas and there monumental temple/pyramids, the Aztecs with their trading in the city of Tenochtitlan, and the Incas

Comparator Free Essays

COMPARATOR a device which compares two  voltages  or  currents  and switches its output to indicate which is larger. COMPARATOR WITH HYSTERESIS Hysteresis is achieved by positive feedback and makes the comparator less sensitive to noise on the input. [pic] VHYS = V2 – V’2 V2 = R2 R2 + R1 V2 = R2 R2 + R1 Jonathan Archer captain of the first starship Enterprise The most difficult task facing any captain, any crew, is the loss of a shipmate. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparator or any similar topic only for you Order Now We’ve come here to honor one of our own. In the time we knew him, he showed us just how much one life can truly matter. We will never forget what he did for us, and for the ship he loved so much. We will go forward with renewed determination to complete this mission, so that his sacrifice won’t just have been for the people on this ship, but for all the citizens of Earth. Samuel J. Palmisano Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer IBM Corporation There are, however, certain kinds of aspirations that can’t be achieved through organizational capabilities, global reach or technology—or by applying the lessons of the past. To capture the biggest economic opportunities or to tackle society’s most daunting problems—to imagine what the world might be, and actually to build it—people have sought something more fundamental: a unique ability to conceptualize opportunities, to analyze developments, to tackle and overcome grand challenges. SHINICHI SASAKI EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATIO Fully aware that support from customers is essential to its continued success, Toyota is striving to provide its customers with the highest-quality products and services under its â€Å"Customer First† policy. Based on the â€Å"kaizen (continuous improvement)† philosophy at the heart of its manufacturing activities, Toyota is working hard to continuously improve customer satisfaction through initiatives in all areas of its business activities, including development, purchasing, production, sales and after-sales services, throughout the entire Toyota Group. How to cite Comparator, Papers

System Analysis PG for Healthcare Industry - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theSystem Analysis PG for Healthcare Industry. Answer: Introduction In general, the healthcare industry has rapidly moved towards the digital platform over the past few years due to the amount of data it collects. In most cases, this data stems from patients records which include extended descriptions of the diagnostics and treatment procedures. Now, most of this data must be analyzed to yield conclusive results which necessitate the need for cloud storage facilities which collect, process and distribute meaningful information. Moreover, the same facilities enable the healthcare institutions to store their extensive records which are then readily accessed from any location and using any digital platform. Similarly, the Headspace project aims to promote the functionalities cloud computing into its existing IT infrastructure by linking its proposed information system to a cloud service provider(Reddy Reddy, 2013). This report analyses the different system design parameters that will facilitate this collaboration including the non-functional requiremen ts of the system itself. Moreover, the attributes of cloud solutions are given and so are the development methods. The non-functional requirements These are attributes or characteristics and that define the system design thus constrain it from different functionalities across a wide range of operating platforms. Now, this definition is different as compared to that of functional requirements which outline the functionalities and operations of the system(Hassan, 2010). Therefore, these requirements define the systems interaction with the end user which promotes the usability outcomes. System qualities These elements facilitate and maintain the efficiency of the system thus ensuring that the overall user structure is satisfied. Furthermore, if they are not met, the system may fail to meet certain regulatory measures or standards set by the governing authority(Losavio Chirinos, 2003). Now, they are: Performance the overall utilization of the system which is measured using the response time, static volumetric and throughput among many other factors. Reliability and recoverability consistency in operations and functionalities despite the changes in operation platform or occurrence of hardships. Security the property, more so the data must be protected against illegal access or exposure. Usability the most critical component that determines the overall systems satisfaction levels. It is the systems ability to facilitate operations through different practical functionalities(Microsoft, 2017). System interface and user interface (UI) These elements represent the overall structure that interacts with the end user i.e. the outline that delivers the results and allows users to give the system input. Its design generally dictates the systems performance as the users appeal will determine its usability. Therefore, the developer must balance the technical prowess of the background structures with the overall system interface i.e. items such as colour, icons and images(E-cartouche, 2017). To this end, the following attributes are necessary: Maintainability the interface should live up to the time through update features i.e. patches that constantly engage the users. Interoperability especially with all platforms i.e. operating systems and deployment languages. Accessibility and availability despite the multiple functionalities, the interfaces must be size convenient for fast access regardless of the internet connection(Rahman, Safadi, Basaula, 2015). System constraints First, the major constraints, in this case, are the non-functional requirements themselves as they will restrict the development of the system itself. Furthermore, they will limit the deployment platforms which will include programming languages and operating systems. Moreover, they will affect the overall budget and time provision which will limit the systems functionalities. Cloud-based solutions These are services that are offered to customers (subscribers) through internet connections or any other forms of public networks. Now, these services usually include IT resources such as networks, processing power and storage facilities among many others. A service providers (better known as CSP) will host these resources in foreign environments and lease them to willing subscribers. In the end, the subscriber will use a pay-as-you-use model to host their resources online under the CSP infrastructure(Council, 2017). Similarly, if adopted by the Headspace project, the proposed system will be hosted online, an outcome that will boost its availability and accessibility. Furthermore, due to its attributes, the cloud resources will have the following benefits and weaknesses. Strengths of cloud computing Cost saving a crucial component of any organization as it determines the overall expenditures and income returns. In this case, cloud computing eliminates the implementation and maintenance cost of IT resources. Resource availability and accessibility healthcare stakeholders would be able to access all resources hosted online so long as they have an internet connection. Flexibility and redundancy adaptability CSPs will host the same resource in multiple locations which improve the backup options available(Viswanathan, 2017). Weaknesses Security and privacy the CSP will operate in public platforms which raises the concerns of resource security and privacy. Moreover, since the resource occurs in an international platform (internet) the local Australian laws may not govern it. Therefore, the solution, in this case, will fall on the security measures implemented including data encryption and authentication where verification of the users will be done. Loss of system control cloud solutions lack the physical control of resources experienced by users when using the on-premise equipment. Furthermore, the end users (subscribers) cannot track or tag their resources as they are ferried online(Ward, 2017). System development life cycle (SDLC) SDLC is a process that facilitates users to transform systems theoretical ideas into practical operational systems. In essence, SDLC will involve an array of procedures and stages that will implement a software solution using methodological stages. Furthermore, since different systems have varying functionalities and characteristics, the process will change from time to time which outlines the different approaches associated with SDLC(Isaias Issa, 2010). In all, some approaches will emphasize on some requirements and functionalities as compared to others. Therefore, the SDLC approach will generally determine the final solution depending on the deployment procedure used. Predictive SDLC To understand this methodology, we highlight the approach using a common example of the predictive SDLC method i.e. the waterfall model. Now, the waterfall model falls a sequential procedure during its implementation of system projects. The same model is followed by the overall predictive approach where design stages of system development are critically outlined before implementation and are then followed sequentially without any deviation(MIS, 2015). Therefore, the first step is always to identify the stages of development including their specific requirements and assumptions. From this step, the stages themselves are highlighted and documented for instance; requirements capture, system design, construction, requirement integration, testing and deployment. This outline follows a logical flow with each subsequent stage occurring after the successful completion of the previous one. Pros of this method A very simple process the developers will always have the logical steps to follow having identified the requirements and stages of system development. Cost effective its simple design facilitates a short implementation procedure that requires minimal resources. Accountability and good documentation because the process is predictable, the users can account for each step and the resources having established a development plan. Cons Time intensive predictive SDLC does not allow the simultaneous execution of the development stages which increases the overall time of system implementation. Inflexible approach any changes experienced cannot be accommodated into the system design. Adaptive approach Again, following the same definition procedure, a common example of the approach is the Scrum model where agility and performance flexibility are usually met. Now, unlike the predictive approach, the adaptive approach will have a greater emphasis on user interactions as compared to system processes or tools. Moreover, the approach will also easily respond to changes which increase its adaptability functions(MIS, 2015). Nevertheless, the approach will also start by defining the systems requirements and processes which are then split into logical implementation stages. These stages are then executed simultaneously which yields many initial and subsidiary solutions. From here, these subsidiary solutions are integrated to form the final solution using iterative techniques that maximize the system performance. Pros of the approach Time efficient the approach maximizes the time available for performing all its role at the same time without a sequential flow of events. Flexible and adaptable any changes to the systems performance or requirements are incorporated into the system design. Enhanced system qualities the adaptive approach is user centred which improves the attributes of the final system(Warner, 2017). Cons Expertise - a lot of expertise is needed to implement the overall system as it split into different logical stages. Resource intensive finally, the approach uses a lot of resources due to its specialization requirements. Recommendation The adaptive approach seems to hold many benefits that the predictive approach cannot match. For one, the adaptive approach can adapt to changes which are inevitable in any modern system due to the advancements of technology. Secondly, the adaptive approach will optimize the resources including time, unlike the predictive approach which will require long timeline to implement the final solution(Isaias Issa, 2010). Finally, the integration with cloud resources requires an agile method that will match any variations imposed by the technology, a functionality that can only be met by an agile approach. Conclusion Cloud computing is without a doubt the best solution for the problems facing the Headspace project which requires endless storage facilities to support its medical services. Moreover, with cloud-based solutions, the availability and accessibility of the projects resources will be increased which will enhance the overall systems performance. However, at the same time, the project must consider the security concerns of cloud computing where the control of the data is not guaranteed. For this concern, the project must implement proper security measures including data encryption and authentication. References Council, C. S. (2017). Impact of Cloud Computing on Healthcare. Version 2.0, Retrieved 02 October, 2017, from: https://www.cloud-council.org/deliverables/CSCC-Impact-of-Cloud-Computing-on-Healthcare.pdf. E-cartouche. (2017). Types of User Interfaces. Cartography for Swiss Higher Education, Retrieved 02 October, 2017, from: https://www.e-cartouche.ch/content_reg/cartouche/ui_access/en/html/UnitGUI_UI.html. Hassan, A. (2010). Software Architecture. CISC 322, Retrieved 02 October, 2017, from: https://research.cs.queensu.ca/~ahmed/home/teaching/CISC322/F09/slides/CISC322_02_Requirements.pdf. Isaias, P., Issa, T. (2010). Information System Development Life Cycle Models. Retrieved 28 September, 2017, from: https://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/cda_downloaddocument/9781461492535-c2.pdf?SGWID=0-0-45-1479416-p175478101. Losavio, F., Chirinos, L. (2003). Quality Characteristics for Software Architecture. JOURNAL OF OBJECT TECHNOLOGY, Retrieved 02 October, 2017, from: https://www.jot.fm/issues/issue_2003_03/article2.pdf. Microsoft. (2017). Chapter 16: Quality Attributes. Design Fundamentals, Retrieved 02 October, 2017, from: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee658094.aspx. MIS. (2015). The System Development Life Cycle. Retrieved 02 October, 2017, from: https://utexas.instructure.com/courses/1166782/files/38198507/download. Rahman, R., Safadi, W., Basaula, A. (2015). Functional And Non-Functional Requirements. Retrieved 28 September, 2017, from: https://ami-2015.github.io/MyGuide/d2-final.pdf. Reddy, G., Reddy, U. (2013). Study of Cloud Computing in HealthCare Industry. International Journal of Scientific Engineering Research, Retrieved 02 October, 2017, from: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.404.1483rep=rep1type=pdf. Viswanathan, P. (2017). Cloud Computing and Is it Really All That Beneficial? Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Computing, Retrieved 02 October, 2017, from: https://www.lifewire.com/cloud-computing-explained-2373125. Ward, S. (2017). 5 Disadvantages of Cloud Computing. The balance, Retrieved 02 October, 2017, from: https://www.thebalance.com/disadvantages-of-cloud-computing-4067218. Warner, E. (2017). Adaptive vs. Predictive: Is the end clear? Idea, Retrieved 02 October, 2017, from: https://www.idea.org/blog/2005/12/02/adaptive-vs-predictive-is-the-end-clear/.

Friday, May 1, 2020

Good Practice in Questionnaire Design

Question: Describe about good practice in questionnaire design? Answer: What is a questionnaire? A questionnaire is an instrument for conducting research. The instrument contains a set of questions which prompts a person to collect information from the respondents. The questionnaire is designed for the purpose of generating a statistical analysis of the responses. The questionnaire though can be used to generate other data also (Alexander, Entwisle Dauber, 2003). It was emphasised by Brace (2004) that the importance of the questions is successful for the communication process particularly in conducting a marketing research. The questionnaire should be in tune with the respondents who different in terms of language, age, gender and education. The questions must be so designed such that the there is no negative responses or non-responses from the respondents (Full-Length Donor History Questionnaire, 2015). It should be seen that the respondents do not misinterpret or lie while answering the questions. A good practise method of the questionnaire improves the quality of the questionnaire to a great extent and it helps to avoid the pitfalls. This paper will try to explain the good practices of that can be used to design the questionnaire in a sequential manner (Mymarketresearchmethods.com, 2014). It is to be kept in mind that if the questions are not carefully designed then the best method to gather, and analyse the data later in the research will not be able to compensate the bad design. This can lead to the questions not being useful for the purpose of the survey (Yuen). Question length According to a research undertaken by Holbrook et al (2006) indicated that the questions should be kept as short as possible. This should be done so that the respondents comprehension increases. It was said by Brislin (1986) that the maximum number of words in the question should be 16 while another work by Oppenheim (1992) recommends that the number of words should be 20 per sentence and the question can contain more than one sentence (Jurges, 2015). According to a report by Jabien (1987) it was said that longer questions can generate more accurate report as they try to convey the notion that the task has some importance and that it deserves some serious effort. Grammar The grammatical complexities of the questionnaire should be kept to a minimum so that the respondents are able to answer to the questions appropriately. The questions should be framed in the active voice rather than the passive voice. There are certain guidelines like the use of pronouns should be less and nouns should be used as much as possible. These guidelines should be followed so that the mental capacity of the respondents is freed and they can think about the answers. Simplicity and specificity The cognitive load on the respondents can be reduced by using specific terms instead of general terms. The more complex questions should be broken down into simpler questions illustrates a certain behavioural illustrations. The use of vague words such as maybe, perhaps, probably should be avoided. A study by Foddy (1993) and Belson (1981) says that the use of hypothetical questions in the questionnaire should be avoided. Since it tries to find the complex behaviours of the respondents the researcher should not give any hypothetical questions (Research Consultation Guidelines -Questionnaires, 2015). It is recommended that alternative scenario and vignettes should be used to generate the responses which are external to the realm of the present or the past. Double barrelled question A double barrelled question is that the statements or the questions contain two types of verbs or two different types of concepts. It was said by Brislin (1986) that it is detrimental to obtain a accurate response if the researcher uses a double barrelled questions which uses the use of two concepts in the same question. Examples of double barrelled question do you find time to go through the newspaper every day? here it is seen that the question have two separate statements such as does the person have the time and the second question is that does the person goes through the newspaper everyday (Survey Research, 2015). In this case it is seen that the statement has two separate ideas put in one statement. It can be seen that the researcher is not sure about which area he wants to gather the information on. The researcher may not be aware of the fact that the question is a double barrelled question (Formulating Survey Questions, 2015). Social desirability It should be kept in mind that the questions should not be poorly worded and it poses a threat on the respondents; as said by Foddy (1993). He also adds that by using too many difficult words in the questions or in the instructions can make the respondents feel that they are either uneducated or stupid. This can often lead to respondent not answering to the question. Often it is seen that the respondents feel a social barrier in responding to certain type of questions such as whether they smoke or drink. The respondents often choose to answer the question which is favourable to the society. Foddy (1993) also states that there are certain issues like medical diagnosis related to the mental or genital diagnosis often leads the respondents in giving a false answer (Kaminska, 2015). It is done so as to avoid any embarrassing situation or to avoid being recognised in the society. According to Brace (2004), the researcher should use indirect ways to generate the information from the respondents so that they feel free to answer sensitive issues such as crime, drug use or adultery. A question can be asked like what do you believe other people might think about the use of drugs? in this type of questions, it is assumed that the respondents answer their own views by putting it others mouth (Leitz, 2015). Brace (2004) also points that the respondents propensity to give more desirable answers is by asking them question that will familiarize him with the situation. This can be done by using an introductory question like are you aware of the....? Negatively worded questions The use of the negative words in the questionnaire should be avoided since those type of questions take a longer time to process. The use of negative words often increases the chances of making mistakes for the respondents. Foddy (1993) said that the use of the words like no/not often leads to the confusion for the respondents (Colosi, 2015). For example a question like- what do you think that the conservationist must not be uncooperative with the government? this type of questions should be avoided. In place of such questions it should be given that should the conservationist be more cooperative with the government? this will reduce the chances of the respondents to spend more time assessing the answers of the questions. It was often seen that the respondents have the tendency to indicate to a no option rather than indicating to a yes. Order of the question The order of the question is an important thing in a questionnaire. The cause problems and often threatens the truthfulness of the results. The pattern or the order of the question may affect the whole layout of the questionnaire or may often affect the part of the questionnaire. The relevant questions should be put together or serially one after the other. There are a set of general questions and a set of specific questions (Leung, 2001). It is seen that the general question is more suitably placed before the specific question. It is such because the specific question is aimed at finding out the more detailed aspect of the study being undertaken. For example questions like the degree of happiness in general life and the degree of happiness in the marriage. Here the previous question is the general question and the second part of the question is the specific question which is aimed at finding out the specific range of happiness in being married (Leitz, 2015). It must be noted that the demographic questions like the name, age, education qualification, marital status and the income level of the respondents should be given at the end of the questionnaire. According to Gaskell et al. (1994) this should not be given at the beginning of the questionnaire so that the respondents do not feel negative about the disclosure of the personal information which in turn can impact the answering behaviour of the respondents (Colosi, 2015). Responses The responses are the second most important area to be considered. The responses include the answer given by the respondents. The responses generated are based on the various categories or the scales that are being used as part of the research. It is also the work of the researcher to encode the answers given by the respondents (Leitz, 2015). The option of dont know It is the part of the researcher to find out whether the respondents will be able to answer all the questions; or the respondents who have little knowledge should be scanned out and they are not asked the same questions. The problem arises when the interviewer asks the respondents questions in a face to face interview or over a telephonic interview. The interviewer often finds it difficult whether they should include a dont know option in the questionnaire (Ro.uow.edu.au, 2015). In a study conducted by Schumann and Pressser (1996), it was seen that the dont know option has increased from 22% to 25% when the questions were asked explicitly. The questions with which the respondents were less familiar were more prone to answer the dont know option and vice versa. When the questions were not explicitly answered the answers shifted from the dont know to either agree or disagree (McColl, Thomas Jacoby, 2015). Opinion filtering questions Some of the responses of the questions should try to achieve the opinion of the respondents. In questions like what is your opinion about the new policy? would generate a specific opinion of the individual respondent. It can also be seen from these questions that whether the respondent is ignorant about the responses (Krosnick Presser, 2015). Scale options in the questionnaire It was stated by a number of authors that a 5-point or a 7-point scale is used to generate the responses and are most commonly used. It was said by Dawes (2008) that by using those scales it is easier to find the responses as the scales can be rescaled and it facilitates comparison. The 7- point scale is more frequently used than the 5-point scale, as it offers more differentiation of the responses and is more reliable. It was also seen that with the usage of a more scaled responses, the degree of getting a satisfactory answer also increases. It is also used when an abstract response is to be generated from the respondents. Even or odd number of responses in the scale option The researcher has to decide whether he should include an even set of options or an odd set of options while setting the questionnaire. Giving an odd number or responses gives the researcher an option to indicate to the neutral option which lies in the middle of the answer set. The neutral option lets the respondent not to indicate or commit to a favourable option (Wording for rating scales, 2015). Researchers have shown that the middle option attracts 6-23% of the respondents when they are given the chance. It was also seen that the responses shifted to the dont know when the middle option was removed. It was also seen that the options such as somewhat liberal or somewhat conservative drew more attention even though the middle neutral option was not provided (Instructional Assessment Resources, 2015). Options of the response scale labelling The problem that most of the researcher faces is that, whether they should use a unipolar scale or to use a bipolar scale. The unipolar scale uses scale marking from 0 to 10 and the bipolar scale uses +5 to -5 options in the scale. There are other scales such as the verbal scales which includes options like, strongly disagree, disagree, neither disagree nor agree, strongly agree, and agree (Menold Kaczmirek, 2015). It was seen in a research study that the respondents have the tendency of choosing scale of more than 5 in the unipolar scale whereas a positive rating in the bipolar scale. The direction and the order of the responses Foddy (1993) has shown in a study that a number of response options effects arise in the questionnaires responses. Those effects can be recency or primary effects. There are other effects like the effect of the shifting frame of references of the individuals. The primary effects are the assumptions that the individuals will select the earlier options in the questionnaire while the recency effect is that the respondents will select the later responses of the options being provided (Booth, Colomb Williams, 2008). The shifting frame of references refers to the psychology of the individual and depends on whether he has indicated to an option earlier or not (Pasmore, Woodman Shani, 2010). Conclusion Researchers who are responsible for making the questionnaire will find the above considerations to be useful. At first the objectives of the study must be laid out. The questionnaire will need to review the previous researches made in the past (Stone). After the grammar, language, simplicity of the questionnaire is maintained, the task of the researcher is to hold the research process and measure the success of the questionnaire as well as the research. References Alexander, K., Entwisle, D., Dauber, S. (2003).On the success of failure. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Booth, W., Colomb, G., Williams, J. (2008).The craft of research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Colosi, L. (2015).Designing an Effective Questionnaire(1st ed.). Retrieved from https://www.human.cornell.edu/pam/outreach/parenting/research/upload/Designing-20an-20Effective-20Questionnaire.pdf Colosi, R. (2015).Negatively Worded Questions Cause Respondent Confusion(1st ed.). 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