Psychological Measures in the Multicultural South African Context Essay

South Africa is deeply embedded in the roots of its past and so it inevitable that psychological assessment today would be greatly influenced by the history of our country. Foxcroft (1997) argued that there is a grave importance to understand the impact that South Africa’s past apartheid policies have had on the development and use of psychological testing. In her paper she addresses the impact of Apartheid policies on test development and use as well as linguistic, cultural and norm factors that would pose a threat to the fair, unbiased and ethical use and interpretation of psychological tests. This assignment will follow a similar outline, whereby the past and present of psychological assessment will be discussed in order to understand why the status of psychological assessment has not progressed to the level that was expected of post-apartheid South Africa. Finally, the laws or statutory controls that have been used to regulate measures will be discussed. It is important to firstly understand what psychological testing is and when it can be used. According to Krupenia, Mouton, Beuster and Makwe (2000), a psychological test is an â€Å"objective and standardized measure of a sample of behavior† (Setshedi, 2008). Tests must meet three important criteria; validity, reliability and standardization. According to Gadd and Phipps (as cited in Groth-Marnat, 2009), a standardised test is one which keeps the test items, administration, scoring, and interpretation procedures consistent thus allowing comparisons between scores. The aim of standardising tests can therefore be described as structuring tests so as to compare different persons’ scores (Gadd and Phipps, 2012). However, a problem arises due to the diverse and multicultural contexts of South Africa. It becomes difficult to yield fair and unbiased results without taking into consideration the language, culture and norms of the participants. The Employment Equity Act No. 55 of 1998 (Section 8) refers to psychological tests and assessment specifically and states that: â€Å"Psychological testing and other similar forms or assessments of an employee are prohibited unless the test or assessment that is being used: Has been scientifically shown to be valid and reliable, can be applied fairly to all employees and is not biased against any employee or group† (van de Vijver & Rothmann, 2004). However, this has not been fully achieved and psychological testing in South Africa faces many challenges. These challenges or pitfalls owe themselves to the ideologies of the past, namely, Apartheid. The status of psychological testing in South Africa today cannot be considered without reflecting on the past discriminatory laws and practices of apartheid. These laws discriminated politically and were based on demographics, that being race and social class. The policies and legislation passed during apartheid influenced the way in which test development was approached (Foxcroft, 2004). According to Foxcroft, 2004, the development of new culturally relevant tests has been minimal and the reason for this is that there is a â€Å"dire shortage of test development capacity in South Africa at present. † Joseph & van Lill (2008) state that these large inequalities perpetuated during Apartheid may be embedded in South Africa’s social and economic structures and as a result, variables such as language, race, socio-economic status, the environment and social and educational backgrounds serve as major challenges to the validity, reliability and standardisation of psychological testing. As was mentioned , â€Å"The practice of psychological testing in South Africa needs to be understood in terms of the impact that past apartheid political policies have had on test development and use† (Foxcroft, 1997). To understand this, it is important to reflect on the history of psychological assessment in South Africa. History of psychological assessment There is close relationship between science and politics in South African psychology (Claassen, 1995; Cooper, Nicholas, Seedat, & Statman, 1990; Nell, 1997) and so it is not surprising that the development of psychological tests during the apartheid era was shaped by the politics and ideologies of the time. Under the apartheid regime, there was segregation along racial lines of residential areas and education. Job policies ensured that certain jobs were reserved for certain groups, namely the white population. Claasen (1997) asserts that psychological testing was introduced to South Africa through the British and the development of psychological tests has followed closely to the patterns of tests in the USA. South African tests however, were developed in a context of unequal distribution of resources as a result of apartheid policies and were thus used to exploit black labour and deny black people access to education and economic resources, thereby perpetuating apartheid. It was therefore inevitable that psychological tests would follow the same kind of segregation along racial lines. As a result, assessment became an asset to the Apartheid regime and was reinforced by those scientists who believed in the Western concept of Intelligence (Foxcroft, 1997). Laher (2012) speaks of tests that were standardized for educated white South Africans but were administered to â€Å"illiterate, uneducated or poorly educated black South Africans† without investigating as whether the test was free of bias and suitability for the latter group of individuals. This, once again was done so as to use the results to justify that the white race was superior. Socio-political developments in the latter half of the 1980s led to the start of the abolition of racism advocated by apartheid. It later became apparent that there was a demand from the industrial and educational sectors of society, for common tests that would not be unfair or discriminatory against race or culture (Claassen, 1995). Test developers were then under a great deal of pressure to give consideration to test bias and to also develop unbiased psychometric tests that were not designed to place one group as superior to the other and that would not discriminate along racial lines (Claassen, 1995; Owen, 1991; van Eeden & Visser, 1992). However, it appears the transformation of test development and testing practices has made less progress in the 1990s than was expected and this can be pinned down to the challenges faced due to the â€Å"multicultural and multilingual context of South Africa† (Foxcroft, 2004), thus making the process of transformation more complex. The perception that psychological testing was unjust somewhat changed in the post-apartheid years, however, this transformation of test development and testing practices has made less progress than was expected because of the complexity of developing unbiased and fair testing practices (Foxcroft, 1997, pp. 30). Some of the major pitfalls associated with psychological assessment stems from the â€Å"dire shortage of test ability capacity in the country at the moment† (Foxcroft, 2004). There are very few tests that have been developed in SA, that account for the multicultural, multilingual and socio-economic aspects of the country. South Africa boasts eleven different official languages and an array of different cultures and norms. Although, language and culture are both linked they are completely different and thus pose individual challenges to the assessment process. Culture According to Hall and Maramba (2001), the role of culture in psychology in general, has been of a secondary nature and has acted as a â€Å"moderator or qualifier of theoretical propositions assumed to be universal in scope† (as cited in Gergen, Gulerce, Lock & Misra, 1996). Hall and Maramba (2001:12) further go on to say however, that there is an increasing awareness that European American psychological theories may be of limited relevance in non – European American contexts and thus by considering cultural issues, it can only help in making psychology more comprehensive and relevant. It is therefore important to understand the role that culture plays in the psychological assessment process. The fact that culture has been somewhat ignored in psychological testing becomes a major pitfall as according to Foxcroft (2004), â€Å"the South African society has a diversity of cultures in which appreciation for the culture of origin exists alongside variations in acculturation towards a Western norm† (as cited in Claassen, 1997). Culture-fairness of tests and applicability across different groups of people has emerged as some of the most important themes associated with the fair and ethical use and interpretation of tests (van der Merwe, 2002) and thus it is vital that these objectives are met. With this said, the onus is on the psychological assessment practitioner to use caution when interpreting results especially within the context of South Africa. Without measures with culturally relevant content and appropriate norms, fair testing practice may be compromised thus leading to test bias. The debate around norming The debate around the norming of psychological tests is a complex one. The question practitioners ask themselves is whether norms should be used or not. Some say it is a way of â€Å"addressing the inequities in cross-cultural applications of tests† (Paterson & Uys, 2005), others felt that creating different norms for different groups could be seen as discriminatory and almost comparable to apartheid practices (Paterson &Uys, 2005). A comment from a participant in the study done by Paterson and Uys (2005), put the whole debate into perspective and stated that, â€Å"You should not develop a norm on those people for whom the test does not work. That is a prerequisite: you can only norm on groups where your test is reliable enough to use† (Paterson & Uys, 2005). Foreign tests Psychological tests in South Africa are adaptations of foreign tests and from roughly the 1920s to the 1960s were developed specifically for the white population, not taking into consideration culture and language so as to further differentiate between the white and black population. This has become a major challenge for psychological assessment today as there are very few psychological tests that have been developed in South Africa, that take into account cultural biases, norms and language. The works of Joseph and van Lill (2008) looks at the history of this country and they suggest that there was a recognised demand for tests that were more suitable for the different race and language populations. This need or demand grew during the latter parts of the apartheid era, where there had been a need for change to the discriminatory policies and ideologies of the time. This all occurred during the 1980s to 1994. During this time there had been many studies, which served to prove bias in foreign tests being used in South Africa. The first thorough study of bias was by Owen (1986). He investigated test and item bias using various tests, for example, the Senior Aptitude Test, the Mechanical Insight Test and the Scholastic Proficiency Test (van de Vijver & Rothmann, 2004). He found that there were significant differences between the test scores of black and white participants. His conclusion was that understanding the reasons for these differences and counteracting them would be a major challenge. This proved to be true as even now, psychological test bias in terms of demographics and culture remains a major pitfall of the assessment process. Retief (1992) concluded that â€Å"personality tests seldom retain the level of reliability† and even loses some validity when used across cultures and the validity (Joseph & van Lill, 2008). Abrahams (1996) and Abrahams and Mauer (1999) concluded in another study that some tests such as the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) â€Å"could not be used across different racial groups, as the reliability was not acceptable for the black groups† (Joseph & van Lill, 2008). These results highlighted problems with the construct and item comparability of the test. From the conclusions made by the above psychologists, it is proposed that in order for an imported psychological test to be adopted in South Africa, it must be carefully researched, before it can be used within our South African context (Joseph & van Lill, 2008). Language From looking at the imported tests into South Africa, that being those imported from Europe and the US, it is evident that they have been developed and standardized in English. This poses a major problem in the South African context. Joseph and van Lill (2008) state that taking into account the history of South Africa’s language policies and differences in language proficiencies; it is evident that when a psychological test is administered in English, individuals from a different demographic group find difficulties in understanding the test. South Africa boasts eleven different official languages and not everyone in South Africa can speak fluent English. According to Joseph and van Lill (2008), this may have a negative influence on an individual’s performance on a test (Meiring, Van de Vijver & Rothmann, 2006). Thus, it is of great importance that language be considered when assessing the appropriateness of a psychological test in a multi-lingual context (Van de Vijver & Leung, 1997). There have been some tests that have been translated, for example the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), which has been translated for Setswana-speaking University students in an attempt to standardise the WCST. However, even though translations have been made, there appears to still be some problems as English words with multiple meanings cannot be adequately translated. English idioms cannot be expressed in another language without changing the entire sentence structure along with the underlying logic of the sentence—and when that happens standardization, and the guarantee of fairness it promises, is lost† (Richmond, n. d). The 16PF test used as an example to illustrate the use of foreign tests also serves as a good illustration here. Abrahams (2002) concluded that participants whose home langu age was neither English nor Afrikaans found that the items of the 16PF were more difficult to understand (Joseph & van Lill, 2008). Tests such as the General Scholastic Aptitude Test (GSAT); Ability, Processing of Information and Learning Battery (APIL-B) and Paper and Pencil Games (PPG) are the only psychological tests available today in all eleven official languages. From the cases above, it is clear to see that issues relating to standardization, norm development and cross-cultural relevance to test material are evidence that there are major pitfalls associated with psychological measures used in a multicultural South African context. Statutory Control It is important for certain measures and instruments in psychological assessment to be regulated by law, especially when it involves culture. If there are tests that do not take into account culture and norms, fair testing practices may be compromised (Foxcroft, 1997); thus the need for strict statutory control of psychological assessment. According to Mauer (2000) there are two pieces of legislation that regulate the assessment process. The first piece includes acts and regulations which take the form of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), the Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995), and the Employment Equity Act (55 of 1998), (Mauer, 200). â€Å"These Acts deal with matters of individuals’ rights and with specific substantive issues† (Mauer, 2000). The second piece of legislation is the Health Professions Act (56 of 1974) in which â€Å"the scope of the profession of psychology, and the responsibilities and duties/functions of psychologists are addressed within the context of health care in the country† (Mauer, 2000). According to Mauer (2000), it is also important to note that the law restricts psychological assessment measures to only registered psychological professionals. The Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, Section 8 (Government Gazette, 1998), stipulates that: â€Å"Psychological testing and other similar assessments are prohibited unless the test or assessment being used – (a) has been scientifically shown to be valid and reliable, (b) can be applied fairly to all employees; and (c) is not biased against any employee or group† (Mauer, 2000). Apart from legislation, there are also guidelines which help perpetuate fair and ethical practices. According to the International Test Commissions International Guidelines on Test Use (Version 2000) the following fair and ethical practices must be adhered to: â€Å"1). The appropriate, fair, professional, and ethical use of assessment measures and assessment results taking into account the needs and rights of those involved in the assessment process; 2). Ensuring that the assessment conducted closely matches the purpose to which the assessment result will be put; 3). Taking into account the broader social, cultural, and political context in which assessment is used and the ways in which such factors might affect assessment results, their interpretation, and the use to which they are put the test is valid for the purposes for which it is being used; 5). Appropriate norms are consulted; 6). Lastly, where tests that have been developed in other countries are concerned, appropriate research studies need to be undertaken to investigate whether the test is culturally biased and special care should be taken when interpreting the results of such tests† (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2001). From points three and six, it is evident that culture, norms and language hugely determine if a test will prove to be free of bias and is ethically fair. If these variables are not considered, the test is considered inappropriate and biased. This is a serious pitfall for psychological assessment in South Africa. Concluding remarks Ultimately, there are two questions to ask here. The first question is asked by van de Vijver and Rothmann (2004) and that is whether the profession of psychology in South Africa is prepared for the challenge that is implicit in the Equity Act. According to van de Vijver and Rothmann (2004), â€Å"the law is ahead of the daily practice† of psychological assessment and even now no country can live up to the expectations and demands proposed by the Act. To help achieve the propositions of the act, it has become one of the main goals of the assessment profession in South Africa to bring current practice and harmonize it with legal demands of the Equity Act (van de Vijver & Rothmann, 2004). This can be done by â€Å"developing new instruments and validating existing instruments for use in multicultural groups† (van de Vijver & Rothmann, 2004). The second question that is inherent in the argument around historical and current pitfalls is: can the current status of psychological assessment (which is proving less satisfactory than was expected) be attributed to the past racially discriminatory and unethical policies that made up apartheid? In my opinion, the past always shapes the present and future. Apartheid policies, although abolished have left a great impact on the social and economic structures of the country. According to Claassen (1995); Cooper, Nicholas, Seedat, & Statman (1990); Nell (1997), there is a close relationship between science and the politics of the time and thus it can be concluded that the development of psychological tests during the apartheid era was shaped by the politics and ideologies of the time. Today, without considering the culture, norms and language of the context in which we live, psychological tests may perpetuate the type of bias experienced by minority groups during the apartheid era. It is important for there to be new developments of psychological tests that take into account the multicultural and multilingual nature of South Africa and turn them into positives, instead of test that are rendered inappropriate and unethical.

Advertising and Mass Production Essay

Advertising and mass production both helped shaped American national culture in the 1920’s, this era began an entirely new outlook amongst the citizens of the county, and brought a new and more fast-paced style of life, in which has only grown faster. The 1920’s in itself birthed the nation with brand new culture by shifting small local economics to the large scale mass production by mega corporations and the influence of their advertising campaigns. The 1920’s saw a shift in culture no other era had experienced thus far due to the growth and dominance of advertising. Technological inventions of this century, such as the radio, the billboard, and the magazine, brought ideas and information to people in new ways, impacting the entire social lifestyle of the time. Peoples live were suddenly filled with voices and signs telling them exactly what to buy and what they should. The happy-go-lucky and ‘nothing to lose’ persona encompassing the citizens of the time only fueled their decisions to go ahead and buy these offered products. Items were being offered that had never been on the market before such as refrigerators, telephone sets, cookers, the Model T by Henry Ford, and an endless amount of domestic hardware and commodities. An increase in jobs and a flourishing economic boom allowed people to feel comfortable in buying products at a much higher rate. However, many people did not actually possess the money they thought themselves to enjoy. Margin buying and installment buying became widely used practices and in effect concentrated the focus of American life around consumerism and materialism. The creation of the magazine, such as Time by Henry Luce, encourage people continue in their direction of booming buying, and the people listened. This new American dream caused citizens to want, want, want! The term mass production was defined in a 1926, meaning the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines. Advertising was used to make people want to buy, and mass production was used so everyone could buy what they wanted or what they thought they needed. With the high demand of products, business progressed into large corporations, and more investment opportunities. Standardized Mass production led to more efficient machines, and higher production and wages, hich led to increase demand of consumer goods, which perpetuated more standardized mass production; this cycle created a business boom in the 1920’s. After the war we looked forward to a brighter future for America‘s economy, we established this future by using advertising and mass production which are still used today. America has faced many up’s and down’s, whether we like to admit it or not, everything serves a purpose in this world, advertising a nd mass production has its pros and cons, but whichever we choose to look at, it will always be apart of our national culture.

Comparison of Two Poems

In two of D. H Lawrence’s works Bat and Man and Bat, both poems portray the author’s encounters with bats and his feeling of disgust towards them. In this essay I will compare the two poems in terms of tone, rhythm, diction and style. Both Bat and Man and bat started with a peaceful tone; the author describes the setting in Florence, Italy and gives a calming tone to the readers. However, as the author proceeds with the poem, and starts to introduce a bat, the tone starts to change. In bat, the tone changes gradually, the author wonders why a swallow would fly so late- at this point he describes the swallow’s movement and the tone changes; the readers sense a mysterious feel. When the author does confirm that the bird is in fact a bat, the tone of the poem changes, we sense the disgust the author feels towards the bats, using words such as â€Å"old rag†, giving â€Å"uneasy creeping in one’s scalp† (341-342). This particular tone set by the author greatly defines the hate he has for bats and also due to change in rhythm and diction, helps the readers experience the events within the poem. However, the tone in Man and Bat did not change as gradually, in fact it changes drastically. Soon after the start of the poem, the author introduces the bat and almost immediately words such as â€Å"disgusting† and â€Å"Out! Go Out! † (342) sets the tone of disgust. Throughout the ‘rant’ the tone remains the same, but the author did change the tone twice; when the main character in the poem (supposedly the author) realizes that the bat cannot leave his room because he cannot face the light, a sense of pity clouds the readers, the author feels pit for the bat and changes the mood slightly for a while. The tone of disgust returns though soon after yet it changes again; whilst the author wants to kill the bat and throw it away, he said that he didn’t create the bat therefore he cannot kill it, the tone shifts back to pity for the second time, giving the readers more hints that the author does pity the bat and does not wish to kill it. Man and Bat ends quite gracefully, the last few sentences had a peaceful tone, the author was quite happy that the bat had left and now enjoys the evening leaving the readers at ease. However, in Bat the ending still had the tone of disgust, ending the poem with an exclamation mark really emphasizes on the disgust. Both Bat and Man and Bat also start with similar rhythm; the pace was quite slow with the help of ellipses which helped prolonged the sentences. These prolonged sentences tend to calm the readers, so they could feel how ‘lazy’ the author feels through the poem. In Bat, the author changes the rhythm gradually too; after noticing the birds, the author still narrates with a lazy rhythm but also attentive, and that is how the readers start to feel suspicious of these swallows. As soon as the bats are introduced, exclamation marks are also introduced to readers; these exclamation marks give a heightened sensation to the readers and make them feel rushed (finding themselves reading through the poem with greater speed). This fast rhythm also gives more tension to the readers, giving a ‘thriller’ feel and gives more entertainment value to the poem, as the author describes in great detail the bat’s flights. However, the author still uses ellipses as he describes the bats, but these ellipses have a different effect; instead of prolonging the sentence it adds more mystery and a hint of uncertainty. In Man and Bat, the rhythm doesn’t change as gradually and the rhythm is even faster than that of Bat; as soon as the bat is introduced, the author changes the rhythm immediately, using repetition of the words ‘round and round and round’ (342) to rush and tense the readers more into reading the poem faster. The scene where the author tries to escape the bat is a typical action scene, happening very quickly. The author uses more exclamation marks to tense and fasten the rhythm more and this fast rhythm really helps the readers to understand the situation of the poem and also enhances the tone of disgust the author uses in the poem. Nevertheless, Man and Bat ended in a calming pace, the author reflects on the bat and threw away his grudges towards it- it leaves the readers content with the happy ending. However, Bat did not end as peaceful; the ending came abruptly, the author still hints a disgusted tone and the rhythm did not slow down- it even ended with an exclamation mark. This kind of ending leaves the readers hanging unlike Man and Bat. There were two main dictions in Bat and Man and Bat; diction for movement and diction for disgust. Both poems describe the bat’s movements in the air, going ‘round and round and round’ and in both works the author emphasizes on his revolt towards the ‘disgusting old rags’. In Bat, the author chose words such as ‘swallows with spools of dark thread sewing the shadows together’ when describing the birds movement; the readers feel the mystery of these swallows- yet not disgusted- and somehow the swallow’s flight seemed elegant. However, when realizing that these swallows were in fact bats, the author uses words such as ‘wildly vindictive’ and ‘hanging disgustingly upside down’ (341) even though these are the same birds he saw. The author’s change of words help adding depth towards the tone of disgust he hints, and his choice of words impact how the readers feel towards the bat, mainly revolt. The author’s choice of words also affects the rhythm; the readers think that the bat’s movements are wild, uneasy and frightening instead of the elegance of the swallows. Nevertheless, the author’s choice of words in Man and Bat even emphasizes more on the bat’s crazy movements and his dislike towards them. Within the first page the author already plunges into words such as ‘a twitchy, nervous, intolerable flight’, ‘a neurasthenic lunge’ and ‘impure frenzy’ (342). These words really affect the poem’s pace and adding more depth towards the already obvious hatred; readers feel overwhelmed whilst reading Man and Bat because it contains carefully chosen words which gives great impact. Another obvious technique the author uses is repetition of the word ‘round’ which is used to describe the movement of the bat within the character’s room. In fact, the author uses that word 22 times in Man and Bat. In conclusion, D. H Lawrence used tone, rhythm and diction to his full advantage when writing Bat and Man and Bat to portray his repulse towards bat and its wild and frightening movements.

New Organizational Forms - Innovativeness To Attain Competitive Essay

New Organizational Forms - Innovativeness To Attain Competitive Advantage - Essay Example Clegg, Kornberger, and Pitsis noted that more and more companies are embracing new organizational forms. The new forms, as Clegg et al. explain, are readily replacing reliance on market oriented governance arrangements and embracing stronger centralization and joint decision making approaches. Organizations are rapidly changing their operations towards larger customer oriented units and relying on a rich set of integration mechanisms within these entities. This largely results in different forms of internal hybrids that enhance lateral sharing of individual and organization knowledge, aimed at achieving economies of scale and scope. Similarly, as Green elaborates, companies through the HR have to strategize on setting a single set of metrics to gauge all the manpower, in ensuring effective integration of these business units as businesses reshape into a larger customer oriented units according to the global business environment. Weber’s bureaucracy theory presents the best sce nario of the new organizational forms. Clegg et al. (2012) note that Weber’s bureaucracy theory requires that jurisdictional areas be well specified with activities that are well distributed as personal official duties, whereas the traditional approach requires activities to be delegated by the leader and can be changed at any particular time. In addition, Weber noted that officials in the organization have to be chosen based on technical qualifications, appointed and not elected, and well compensated to motivate them to perform.

Litigation public relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Litigation public relations - Essay Example One should remember that litigations against companies are only brought about when there is a strong suspicion of wrong-doing, and the litigation is raised usually by competing companies or the general public. While lawyers can argue that every company has the right to defend itse is lf, PR managers on the other hand usually act out of loyalty as well as their own investments in the company. In this sense, one can see that ethics are not the primary motivation for LPR exercises. As opposed to publishing and reporting the truth as it exists, LPR efforts attempt to color this truth and make it favorable to the company's cause. This might ultimately prove beneficial to the company by reducing negative publicity and consequently not affecting its bottom line, but the general public and the broader industry might suffer due to the misinformation being generated. To be fair to the defendants, one has to concede that media coverage generally tends to be hostile to them. For example, most la w-suits are covered from the viewpoint of the plaintiff or the prosecutor and their case gets presented in greater detail. There is a slight negative bias toward the defendant, for they are deemed as wrong-doers until proven otherwise.

Small-scale research project Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Small-scale research project - Outline Example However, the researcher discovered that cervical cancer screening has been available in virtually all countries as part of primary care and family planning programs. Uganda was one country that introduced preventative health screening long ago. Nevertheless, after several years, cervical cancer remains the leading cause of death due to cancer among women 15 years of age and older and the mortality rate for this disease has been increasing (WHO/ICO, 2010). Robles (2000) suggested that an explanation for the problem lie in the concept of prevention; and for many women this concept may not be fully understood. It became apparent and alarming to the researcher that the prevalence of cervical cancer in Uganda was high (WHO/ICO, 2010). As a human service professional, the researcher began to inquire about the nature of the problem in an attempt to understand the reasons why women who had accessible healthcare failed to obtain these life saving screening tests. The research studies had not looked at the issue of womens reasoning for not seeking cervical cancer screening with a qualitative eye. The purpose of this study is to provide a qualitative approach to the investigation of cervical cancer in Uganda. The phenomenological approach design will discover a Ugandan womans perspective on health and a disease that is unique to her. Cervical cancer can affect her sexuality, gender identity, fertility, and mortality. Discovering the cultural influences that motivate or deter her from seeking screening will add to the existing work already done and those yet to materialise. The ultimate goal is to broaden the possibilities of discovering methods to eradicate this disease. The main research question is, would using a qualitative study specifically employing ethnographic techniques discover the reasons why Uganda women fail to seek cervical cancer screening? The objectives of this study are: What are the health beliefs of

Forecast of Demand for Sun Chlorella food supplements and delivery in Research Paper

Forecast of Demand for Sun Chlorella food supplements and delivery in Bulgaria, Eastern Europe , supplier company point of view - Research Paper Example This demand forecasting shall be done using the following demand forecast research methods: Jury of executive opinion This aspect of the forecast was done by high-level managers whose services were specially employed by my company. They had to work with top marketing executives of my company. Because the demand forecast adopted the qualitative approach, the jury of executive did not have to use any mathematical or quantitative data. Rather, they used their managerial and professional experience in the area of food supplement industry. The jury pegged the marketability demand for the Sun Chlorella food supplements as very bright and prospective. Their strong points included the following: The increasing education on good health through nutrition has made the demand for food supplements go up over the past five months and it is likely to continue for the next seven months. The target population is Female between the age of 35- 60. Records show that the female population between the age s of 35 and 60 in Eastern Europe and Bulgaria outnumber any population target group. The economy of Eastern Europe and Bulgaria is generally improving and thus any new product introduced unto these markets have higher chances of surviving today than it had six months back. The supplier company will take advantage of the technological factors it has put in place such as the use of websites. This is because accessibility to the internet is becoming increasingly potent in Eastern Europe and Bulgaria via the use of gadgets such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets and the like. Sales force composite The company has designated sales personnel for self-made regions for the sale of the Sun Chlorella Food Supplement. There are ten (10) regions in all across Eastern Europe and Bulgaria for that matter. Each of these ten sales representatives was tasked to make projection of sales. They were to do their projections based on the experienced they have acquired in dealing with other food products that Apricus Limited has had to trade in before. Their projections were also to be guided by the opinion of the jury of executives. With the introduction of the all new Sun Chlorella Food Supplement into the trade criteria of Apricus Limited, the following are the percentage increase in profit that each of the ten (10) sales representatives came up with. Representative Headquarters Percentage Increase in Profit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Belarus Czech Republic Hungary Moldova Poland Romania Bulgaria Russia Slovakia Ukraine 12% 7% 6% 14% 16% 9% 8% 19% 13% 9% Average increase (12 + 7 + 6 + 14 + 16 + 9 + 8 + 19 + 13 + 9) ? 10 = 11.3% From the table, it can be seen that the company can expect as much as 11.3% rise in its net profits. Delphi method The Delphi method was adopted not as a major method for determining the demand forecast. Rather, it was fused to be an evaluative method for the first two methods adopted. This is however not to defeat the fact that the Delphi method can be used as an independent method for demand forecasting because as Whonder (2009) notes, â€Å"Delphi techniques are used to forecast trends and the effects of decisions.†

Why Sex Education Should Be Taught In Schools Essay

Why Sex Education Should Be Taught In Schools - Essay Example The research will be that of a case study analyzing, in detailed and succinct manner, teenage pregnancies as the most effective factor in sex education. Recent research reveals that there have been high increases in the cases of teenage pregnancies. Studies conducted over the last five years state that for every 100 school going/teenage girls, two of them are dropouts due to pregnancies. The statistics or findings have been backed up by the increased abortion cases in the state. The major cause of abortion has been discovered to be teenage pregnancies. This discussion stresses that several questionnaires were distributed to several respondents in Chicago with an aim of investigating the people’s reactions, views, or attitudes towards sex education in schools. The questionnaires were distributed in three different areas; Oak Park, Cicero, and Illinois. Six hundred questionnaires were distributed in each location. The questionnaires were of two types, the different being the ages of correspondents. The first types targeted the old age, most of whom were married people with their kids at school. These questionnaires constituted to a third of the total number of questionnaires distributed in each region. The remaining two thirds were distributed to school going students, both in college, university, and high school.  Interviews were conducted on 100 people from different places in the state and results were recorded, and analyzed.

Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managment - Essay Example On the other hand, Telstra have to establish administrative set up in Brazil to get the government’s permission to start its telecommunication service. Telstra have been successful in Australia capturing optimum market share. So, Telstra can replicate this success in other markets also, and in that direction Brazil can be the perfect market for its expansion plans. 2.0 Political Environment 2.1 Government stability Although remnants of instability were there, there was progress when Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was reelected as the country’s president for the second term in 2006, and then the election of his protege Dilma Rousseff in 2011. He actualized a stable form of government and also launched many pro-business measures, with Rousseff vouching to follow it. 2.2 Government and contribution Immediately after assuming office as part of his second term in 2006, the Silva government launched a new Growth Acceleration Program called the Programa de Aceleracao de Crescimento , or PAC. Under this program, the Brazilian government is investing sizable funds to establish infrastructures for the entry and development of businesses. Infrastructures for better transportation, telecom and for power energy are the key parts of PAC. 2.3 Analysis When the political climate of Brazil is viewed from the perspective of Telstra’s expansion plans, it augurs well. ... mework and the resultant powers regarding foreign investment are the exclusive competence of the Brazilian Federal government; and states do not have regulatory powers in this matter. (OECD 1998). Thus, with investor friendly environment prevailing under Rousseff’s regime, the regulatory framework also has been made business friendly. 3.2 Business laws A telecommunication service licence can only be granted to companies existing under Brazilian law, with their principal place of business and administration in Brazil. (Campbell 2007). This law clearly makes it mandatory for the companies like Telstra to establish a local set up or even a subsidiary. 3.3 Labour laws In Brazil labor laws; there are impediments to hiring workers and even more to firing them. (Thomas 2006). The labor code encourages litigation to resolve disputes between the employees and the employers. Use of part-time labor is severely constrained. (Thomas 2006). 3.4 Taxation laws As part of PAC, tax system for b usiness as been further simplified and reduced. â€Å"The measures include investment in the creation and repair of roads and railways, simplification and reduction of taxation.† (The President 2011) 3.5 Analysis From the above discussion of the Brazil’s legal environment, it is clear that Brazil has some tough laws. Although, these laws are not disadvantageous, they have to be given a lot more care, for any cell phone company including Telstra to have successful operations. 4.0 Economic Environment (Heading) 4.1 Interest rates (%) The Brazilian Government set the subsidized interested rates at 6.75 percent, with interest rates offered to middle-class producers set still lower at 6.25 percent. (Hrapsky and Ming 2010). These high interest rates and the economic boom are the key reasons for

Council Reforms on Basement Apartments Assignment

Council Reforms on Basement Apartments - Assignment Example The fiscal crisis had hit the city forcing the government to forge creative ways to house its people. In the 1980 and 1990s, the city’s housing expenditures amounted to more than three times the housing expenditures for the next 32 years (Tauranac, 1979). This was facilitated by former Mayor Ed Koch’s ten-year plan on housing. Initially, Koch intended the plan to be actualized in five years. However, due to the increase in illegal housing units, and the inability of the state to provide housing the plan was stretched (Navarro, 2013). The graph below shows the increase in illegal apartments in New York between 1983 and 2013.   Challenges, however, have rocked the housing sector forcing people to take up alternative housing for example cellars and basement apartments. The government, however, does not support this action, as these housing units are not fit for human occupancy due to health and safety risks as specified by The New York City Building or Housing Maintenance code, Article 5- Occupancy of cellars and basements.   The policy targeted for reforms is the Housing Maintenance Code, (ARTICLE 5- Occupancy of Cellars and Basements). It states that basements, cellars, and â€Å"granny flats,† should not be rented or occupied due to health and safety measures. This policy can be found on the website.   As you are aware, Statistics from The housing experts estimate that there are 100,000 illegal apartments in New York City. Last year, Buildings Department officials acknowledged 18,126 complaints concerning illegal units (Belsha, n.d.). The City’s Department of Buildings’- DOB issues annually more than 4,440 violations for illegal conversion of basements, cellars, and attics: - which are not fit for human occupancy due to health and safety risks.

Human Resource Management in Mercedes-Benz USA Research Paper

Human Resource Management in Mercedes-Benz USA - Research Paper Example The company also provides valuable services as well as depicts professionalism along with fulfilling the needs of the customers. Mercedes-Benz is considered as one of the top companies for the effective management of human resources. There are varied functions which are performed by the HRM of the company. The HRM is entitled with the tasks of ensuring the number of employees or staffs required for the effective performance towards the attainment of the goals of the company. The HRM ensures that the employees who are recruited are provided with proper training facilities for their enhanced performance. The activities are to be performed in accordance with the objectives. The HR department had sorted out the issues for better performance of the employees as well as managing the workforces. The HR department follows personnel as well as management practices as per the regulations and standards of the company. The HRM of the company plays an important part for retaining the brand image with regards to the quality as well as safety along with technological advancement. The HR department recruited outstanding workers for the effective performance of the company towards the attainment of the goals. Therefore, HRM is an important element for leading the company to be considered as one of the top and preferred companies. Mercedes-Benz possesses skilled employees which enable to maintain the competitiveness as along with producing innovative and superior products or services (Daimler AG, 2012). The HRM of the company have to formulate plans for developing competitiveness. The company is competitive with regards to the strategies which will help in having enhanced cost leadership as well as...This paper will discuss the factors had helped the company in maintaining its motive of proving quality as well as differentiated products. Mercedes-Benz US is a corporation entitled with the task of distributing as well as marketing of vehicles. In accordance with the Fortune Magaz ine the company is ranked in the twelfth position among the â€Å"100 best companies to work for in America†. One of the important reasons for acquiring such position by the company is its HRM. The HRM has taken initiatives for providing the employees an environment which will enhance the performance of the employees. There are five dimensions which are â€Å"credibility, respect, fairness, pride as well as camaraderie† that play significant roles for determining the performance of the company. The employees are appropriately trained as well as organized for efficient performance and to attain the goals or objective of the company. The HRM is required to formulate plans and policies which will encourage the employees to perform their tasks in an efficient manner. The HR policies of the company should include all these five dimensions for enhanced performance towards the goal.

The Social Science Theory of Feminism Essay Example for Free

The Social Science Theory of Feminism Essay The social science theory of feminism is one of the core theories that can help us understand the social issue of people trafficking. Feminism is a collection of movements which work towards equality between men and women in all aspects of life. There are three strands of feminism which are consisted of, Liberal feminism, Marxist feminism and Radical feminism. Marxist feminism is comprised from the idea that capitalism is the root of women’s oppression, and thus feminist move towards dismantling capitalism in order to liberate women. Radical feminism focuses on the theory that patriarchy is a system of power which shapes society into a complex of relationships, based on the hypothesis that ‘male power’ oppresses women (Turner, 2006). Finally, Liberal feminism emphasises equality between men and women through political and legal reform, which is the most relevant strand of feminism in helping us understanding the social issue of people trafficking, as there are many debates about the political and moral plans in supporting our understanding of such an issue, and also our approach towards it. Furthermore, feminism plays a very important part in understanding and solving human trafficking as feminists bring this social issue on the international agenda. The definition of human trafficking can be best described in the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children article three, â€Å"The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability, or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. (Schloenhardt, Beirne Corsbie, 2009, pp. 28 – 29). One of the main differences between human trafficking and human smuggling is mainly the fact of exploitation, people being trafficked usually have had no free will in their decisions. Although the Protocol may have a definition for human trafficking, there is no set answer to the definition of this issue, as there is no universal nature. There are many factors that lead to this exploitation, a few of the main ones includes, economic instability, vulnerability, lack of education from family and birth order (Blackburn, Taylor Davis, 2010, p. 08). Furthermore human trafficking is linked very closely with sex trafficking as women and sometimes men are trafficked into the country for the sole purpose of sexual exploitation. One of the big issues faced with the social issue of human trafficking is the lack of statistics and data that can be gathered about this issue, mainly based on the fact that many cases go undetected and thus there isn’t sufficient evidence for further investigations (Schloenhardt, Beirne Corsbie, 2009, p. 30). Moreover, difference sources of information have wide differences in the estimates of people trafficked in Australia, for example the government would state several hundred persons are trafficked into Australia each year, however advocacy groups and non government organisations state several thousand (Schloenhardt, Beirne Corsbie, 2009, p. 224). As stated before, feminism is a theory that is strongly used in understanding the issue of human trafficking, however within the feminism movements, there are activists who have different perspectives about sex work, which to an extend broadens our views of human trafficking. This includes the Neo-abolitionists, organisations like the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) who believe that sex work is gender based violence, and women are forced to be sex workers, not by choice. However on the other side there are the pro sex workers and alliances such as Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) who believe that women have a choice to be sex workers, as sex work is a legitimate form of labour. Although there are some differences, many similarities still appear that highlights the main beliefs of feminists. Such as within the anti-trafficking strategy, pushing for decriminalization of prostitution, as this can cause many issues, discussed further on in the essay (Lecture, SLSP1000: Problems and issues in social science: Sex trafficking, presented on 2nd May 2011 at The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Dr Sanja Milivojevic). When dealing with a social issue such as human trafficking, complexities within approaches to solving the issue is always present. The political approaches to the issue are implemented by the government, and also appear to be a positive outcome for trafficked people, but there are always possible hidden agendas. Furthermore during times the government implements laws and legislations without the personal interest of the trafficked in thought. However theories such as feminism allow us to also approach the issue in a moral aspect, and understand a broader perspective. In the United States of America, in 2000 the Palermo Protocol was adopted in hopes of addressing the issue of human trafficking, and soon after many other international and regional strategies were created to fight trafficking (Lecture, SLSP1000: Problems and issues in social science: Sex trafficking, presented on 2nd May 2011 at The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Dr Sanja Milivojevic). Furthermore the United States and other countries of the world adopted the 3P paradigm, which is a framework to combat contemporary forms of slave labor. The P’s stand for, prevention, usually the methods revolved around raising public awareness for the source and destination countries, in order to inform and educate them about human trafficking. Protection, this revolved around protecting the victims of trafficking, also in the United States under the Trafficking Victims Protections Act 2000, governments have a responsibility to provide identified victims of trafficking to remain in the country, work and obtain service. Finally, prosecution involves the prosecution of the traffickers. Except, how accurate could the government be in preventing trafficking, if there is not much solid evidence to help improve the flaws within the anti trafficking strategies? Furthermore a lot of victims of sex trafficking have to be sought out, as they will not come forward of this injustice on their own (Maltzahn, 2001), thus locating these women in order to solve the social issue is proved to be more difficult. Furthermore studies in Britain have shown that when detained, only a few women testify, and the rest usually are asked to be deported back, fearful that their exploiters would believe evidence was given against them, and thus could proceed with threats made to the victims and their families (Maltzahn, 2001). Unlike the United States, Australia uses the 3D framework, detention, deportation and disempowerment, which has be ridiculed for governments acting out of self interest, and ridding of the burden of illegal workers in all forms. Also, in Australia some women who are detained for entering Australia illegally, are victims of sex trafficking, however the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) do not ask the detainees if they were trafficked instead of smuggled (Malzahn, 2001). In relation to the problem, even if the women were asked, a few would admit to being trafficked, not knowing that they are victims of a serious social issue. Based on the idea that a lack of education leaves women and children not knowing what they have gotten themselves into, as a lot of women are either tricked into the exploitation, believing they were going to work in retail industries and such. In addition, the government’s system of sending the women back to their home country is a very large flaw, as sending them back without knowing if they were the subject of a crime, simply subjects them to being trafficked again, if not to be a social outcast (Malzahn, 2001). In contrast to the government’s solution of ridding of the detainees, and preventing future traffickers, the social theory of feminism allows for this issue to be seen from a more non positivist point of view. As feminists obviously do not view prosecution as their main priority but instead focuses on offering support for the women who had suffered violence, this broadens our understanding of the issue as we view it from a non political view (Malzahn, 2001). Adding to the role feminism plays in this social issue, although human trafficking usually victimises women, it shows the ability of women to take a lead in the struggles of the inequality of the world, and even put gender issues to the top of government agendas. Furthermore, feminists have raised much awareness of this social injustice, and pushed governments to enforce legalisation (Heredia, 2007, p. 311). For example, it was feminists like Josephine Burtlet that pushed for the first international instrument again the ‘white slave trade’ (Heredia, 2007, p. 12). In addition, there are many complexities that occur when researching the subject of human trafficking. One of the main factors is the strong focus on sex trafficking, and the lack of focus in the other forms. Also, there is a limited focus on the men who are effect by sex trafficking and other forms of exploitation. However, adapting the feminist view towards this issue, feminism primarily believes in the equality between men and women, and thus expands our thinking perspective on that fact that not only women are exploited but also men. The main complexity of researching human trafficking is the access to victims, proper research cannot be accomplished if victims are not willing to share their story of how they were exploited, thus making it difficult to prevent future trafficking from happening (Lecture, SLSP1000: Problems and issues in social science: Sex trafficking, presented on 2nd May 2011 at The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Dr Sanja Milivojevic). In an attempt to combat human trafficking, there are certain patterns in Australia that can be noticed, for example the profiles of victims are usually, women, and the majority of women are usually from South East Asian countries. Based on research, most victims are promised employment in Australia, however whether or not victims knew they were surrendering themselves to sex work is not clear. Furthermore it has been research that upon arrival to Australia women are usually expected to work off the debt they have accumulated in coming to Australia, having to work a certain amount of jobs (Schloenhardt, Beirne Corsbie, 2009, p. 2). It has also been stated that offenders are usually organised criminals, and ethnically based, however these stereotypes can lead to more harm than good, as they provide an inaccurate understanding of what governments should be looking out for. Referring back to the impact that feminism has on the understanding of this social issue, it is evident that the approach of feminism impacts strongly on the possible improvement research methods of people trafficking. The feminist empiricist approach to researching social issues violates empiricism in a way as androcentrism seeps into the social research (Smith, 2010, p. 313), and thus a more effective form of research would be in a non positivist view (Choo, Jang Choi, 2010). Using methods of research such as ethnography, will allow for social scientists to understand the whole story of victims to people trafficking, and thus have a deeper understanding of the issue. Furthermore, if legal sex workers were to be present while talking to victims of sex trafficking, it could prove to be a source of comfort for the victims, as they can relate to a certain extent (Maltzahn, 2001). Moreover, interviewing can be used as a research method to gain a greater insight into the issue; also interviews can be conducted two ways, either formally or informally, based upon the victim. Thus, the theory of feminism can help us understand the social issue better, as it gives us a broader view of ways we can approach solving this issue and understanding it to the best we can as outsiders. In conclusion, the core theory of feminism has proven effective in aiding to understand the social issue of people trafficking. As the majority of people being trafficked are women, and thus, the support behind solving and understanding this issue is much related. Furthermore, feminism broadens the perspective on ways to view the victims and forms of research, such as ethnography and interviews, approaching from a non-positivist perspective, allowing for a greater comprehension of the issue.

Comparative Study Of Politeness Strategies English Language Essay

Comparative Study Of Politeness Strategies English Language Essay Introduction Over the last three decades, politeness strategies have become one of the most active area of research in spoken and written discourse. This phenomenon began when Goffman published On face work in 1955 and other classical studies such as Lakoff (1973, 1977), Leech (1983) and Brown Levinsons (1987), who conducted extensive studies on politeness. These studies indicate that linguistic politeness is generally associated with social behaviour to avoid conflicts. The past few years the application of politeness studies has been extended beyond the verbal communication to include written material to engage conflict-free communication between writers-audience, started in 1989 when Myers published his article the pragmatics of politeness in scientific articles since then many scholars extended the concept of politeness strategies onto written context such as; current research issues (Kasper: 1990) business letter (Maier: 1992), written business discourse (Pilegaard: 1997), scientific text (Kwok: 1997), written persuasion (Cherry: 1988), thesis writing (Faridah Noor: 2000), and research article (Dahl :2009). Myers (1989) in his study found that the model proposed by Brown Levinson (1987) was applicable in how to interpret scientific culture found in scientific writing. Brown and Levinson (1987) found in their study four (4) categories of politeness strategies. These are proposed as universal as the striking parallels in politeness devices between three unrelated languages (Tzeltal, Tamil and English) were found. While politeness may be expressed differently in one culture to another, the basic hierarchy of politeness strategies is not a culture specific. (Brown Levinsons : 1987) Even though the majority study of the past studies in politeness strategies are closely related with verbal communication context. Many studies recently showed that it could also be extended onto written context, and somehow the politeness strategies in written discourse in line with the demands of the academic community that expects scientific language to be objective and formal. This present study is interested to study the kinds of politeness strategies find in economic journal writing as another field in written discourse. What makes economics special is that economics is consisted of the combination of soft science research issues related to human behaviour and the hard science mathematics economic models. The model represents the interaction between human being and market under specific conditions. Dahl (2009: 2). The other reason is how economist presents their thought in the research paper they write. Moreover, by using Myerss (1989) study that in line to what Brown and Levinson had proposed in their study. This present study tries to focus on the politeness strategies employed in economic journal articles. Concerning none of the past studies deeply focused to study the academic journals especially in economic field and comparing between local and international economic journals. By viewing that chances the researcher hopes that this present study able to contribute to the existing pool of knowledge on politeness strategies used in academic writing, particularly which in the writing of economic journal articles of two identified economic journals. Statement of the Problem Brown and Levinson (1987) construct a system to explain the nature of politeness phenomena in language. The major concept of politeness theory is an arrangement of politeness strategies along a continuum from least polite to most polite. Previous studies had shown that politeness strategies not only applied by many people via verbal communication but also through the medium of written material. Although, Politeness in both social and linguistic studies has shown a phenomenon of interest in the past decades, many past studies choose to draw on conversational data. Many scholars do not realize that politeness model can be extended beyond the verbal communication to include written materials. The extension of politeness models to some genres of scientific written texts such as economic journal could contribute to explain the application of politeness strategies. To identify sort of politeness strategies employed in economic journal somehow could be an interesting also a complex field to study as Holmes (2001) says that Economic field is a prototypical of the social sciences. To engage in this discourse in a meaningful and effective manner requires skilful handling of textual strategies. Moreover, the use of politeness strategies in economic journals by particular people from different culture background, age and economic expertise when making a claim, maintain face or employed other kinds of politeness strategies in their paper is an interesting matter to study. Based on that statement above the main purposes of this study beyond the limits of this paper, to give an exhaustive overview of politeness-related research are to identify sort of politeness strategies that employed and analyze the politeness strategies in economic journal articles of one local and one international economic journals selected for this study. Objectives of the Study In recent years there has been a steady increase in interest and research into economics discourse by both economists and linguists which has spawned an expanding body of work. the present study undertakes the task of looking at the use of the politeness strategies employed in economic journal and compare between one local and one international economic journals by proposing the objectives below; To investigate the use of politeness strategies in economics text To compare the use of politeness strategies in a local and international economic journals Research Questions The present study aims to answer the following questions: What kinds of politeness strategies are employed in economic text? In what ways are the politeness strategies found to be similar or different in local or international economic journals? The present study also proposes that it would be beneficial for the journal writers to know where they stand in the academic discourse community as this awareness can assists them in planning the strategies used to present their findings as new knowledge claims. Significance of the study Since the early 1980s, the discussion of various controversial issues in the economics discourse community has led to increasing debate among concerned economists about the ways that they communicate with each other, as well as with non-economists. In this exploratory study, the researcher chooses to focus on the existence of politeness strategies in economic journals. Hopefully this present study would contribute towards obtaining a set of politeness strategies in economic journals. The collection of strategies would encompass a sampling of strategies used by journal writer(s) within a span of six (6) years latest from the field of economy. Moreover this present study hopes to enhance the understanding of academic researchers, who are interested in the area of politeness strategies, especially in the use of politeness strategies in economic journals and to show the kinds of politeness strategies employed in both local and international economic journals. Furthermore, understanding the kinds of politeness strategies in written texts, especially in economic journals, could be useful when politeness strategies are employed in other genres in order to fit with the demanding of formality and objectivity of the academic writing. This study also hopes to clarify many ways that the economists use language to express themselves in a polite manner and to help the public to understand the politeness style of writing by the economist in written texts. In addition, the specific aim of this present study is also to show that there is an increasing awareness of the nature of economics discourse by both applied linguists and economists. To achieve the purposes above, this research studies two economic journals, one local and one international, published by Malaysian and American economic associations. Scope and Limitation of The Study This present study will limit its data from selected journals released by local and international economic associations to find out politeness strategies employed by the economists in two identified economic journals, namely Malaysia Journal of Economic Studies and Journal of Economic Growth, released by the Malaysian Economic Association and the American Economic Association respectively. The articles from these journals were chosen from the six years latest issues, starting from 2004 to 2009. This study limits its scope only on the contents of the articles. The areas of mathematical languages, formula, as well as footnotes in the articles will be not included as parts of the analysis. This study also does not attempt to look at the differences in the style of writing choice of politeness strategies based on gender, age or ethnic background, and strategies used by journal writers over a period of time. This research also tries not to focus on particular specific areas where some economists and linguists often argue about, but more on general issues of economic content in these journals, that the researcher feels provide examples of the existence of politeness strategies 1.5 Summary The focus of the present study is to investigate the use of politeness strategies in economic journals. It undertakes the task to identify and analyze politeness strategies employed in the articles and compares two economic journals local and international publication namely Malaysia Journal of Economic Studies and Journal of Economic Growth by using the theory of politeness from Brown Levinson (1978) and Myers (1989).

Factors Affecting Brand Choice

Factors Affecting Brand Choice Consumer buying decision eventually is influenced by the number of factors or reasons; this concept of decision making is rooted historically in personal, psychological, demographic, and social concerns of the consumer. There are numerous reasons to buy a brand in a given situation, but our objective is only to study the behavior of the consumer regarding his/her purchasing attitude by examining the significant /dominant reasons of buying a particular product in a given situation. As theory suggests that the consumers are usually choosing a brand they recognize. If the consumers do not choose the brand according to traditional theories, then what are the dominant factors that have a greater effect on the buying behavior of a consumer? A lot of controversies are arising while looking into the literature regarding the consumer choice decision, whether the decisions are based on some attributes of the product like quality, price, brand credibility, or on the basis of consumer attitude and intention, advertising, group influences, innovations, and brand loyalty, or the decisions are made on the ground of brand awareness. So many important elements might have strong influence on buying decisions which need to be considered to understand the consumers buying decision making particularly in low involvement category of the products in an un-awareness situation. Further, it seems highly essential to differentiate between buyers behavior toward a choice among various brands within the product category and the dimensions referring to reasons affecting choice of a buyer. The most situations facing every business are to identify the factors determining preferences for the brands with supporting reasons which affect consumer choice. (Itamar and Nowlis, 2000), further, Wilson and Schooler (1991) found that subjects who had analyzed their reasons for liking different brands of jams subsequently expressed preferences that corresponded less well to those of experts than the preferences of subjects who did not analyze the reasons for their attitudes. In many studies the marketers and researchers has recognized the effectiveness of the factors those affecting brand choice, moreover Brown (1950) in his study identified that, physical characteristics of the brand, users experience with the brand, packaging, price, premiums, guarantees, habit, recommendation by friends, recommendation by experts, convenience of dealers location, personal salesmanship, dealer services, dealer prestige, advertising and display, special characteristics of the manufacturer, e.g., labor policy, location, etc., novelty, chance, availability, brand prestige or social acceptance. Many choice situations occur outside of conscious awareness and with limited information search, (Kivetz and Simonson, 2000). Further, there are evidences when some times non-conscious influences affect choice much more than are traditional concept. Whenever the unawareness on the part of consumer about the brands and the consumer is supposed to make a choice in that condition, then what factors or reasons are there which persuade a consumer to choose any brand among from available brands? The controversies about the concept of Consumer buying Decision help in knowing and testing the impact of the dominant factors/reasons on the consumer buying decision in a no-awareness situation, where a consumer is lacking any kind of information regarding the product category or/and about the available brands in that category of low involvement products. The scope of study was to focus on consumer perception on brand choice based on some factors or reasons. The study specifically was designed to explore the phenomenon in which only frequently bought products are tested in an unawareness situation, where the consumer does not have any prior information and knows nothing about the available set of brands within the product category in a given situation. The extent of the research was accelerated to compare the consumer responses of large city and a small town of rural area (i.e.; Karachi and Khairpur). The objective was to understand the consumer perception in different cultures and market segments that may help in developing an appropriate strategy to satisfy the needs of different customers accordingly. 1.2 Problem statement The goal of this experiment was to empirically examine the buying behavior and decision making attitude of the consumer in a no-brand awareness condition of low involvement product categories as a general phenomena and find out any differences with respect to rural and urban consumer choices. Research Questions: 1. How unawareness does differ from awareness of the brands? 2. How do consumers perceive on the products of low involvement? 3. What factors or reasons are there which persuade a consumer to choose any brand among from available brands? 4. How do consumers make the decision to buy the brand and what are the determinants dominating consumers purchasing decision making? 5. How rural and urban consumers differ on determinants dominating purchasing decision making? The study may contribute and assist local marketers and managers to develop effective strategies regarding production, managing, and marketing of the products in a given marketplace, further; To study the consumer response in unawareness situation. To understand the consumer perception toward low involvement products. To understand the differences in choice decision of rural and urban areas. To evaluate the factors affecting consumer choice. To help managers in developing appropriate and effective marketing strategies. 1.3 Hypotheses: H1: Uniqueness/Innovation is the dominant reason for choice of a brand. H2: Quality is the dominant reason for choice of a brand. H3: Price is the dominant reason for choice of a brand. H4: Packaging/Attribute is the dominant reason for choice of a brand. H5: Group Influences is the dominant reason for choice of a brand. H6: Company Credibility is the dominant reason for choice of a brand. H7: There is no difference in dominant reason for choice of a brand in rural and urban area consumer. 1.4 Outline of the study The basic purpose of the research was to explore and recognize the effects of important elements affecting the consumers preferences and relative actions to purchase and to identify major reason(s) to purchase in a given situation where the consumer has no prior knowledge about the brands under consideration set. Expected Benefits of the study; To have a better understanding of unawareness on the part of consumer where he/she is going to make purchase decision. To realize how the consumer perceive on the low involvement product category, where little efforts are needed to make a purchase. To understand the factors influencing purchasing decision in a given situation. To assist the managers and marketers to know the dominant determinants of consumer decision and to develop the strategies particularly when introducing a new brand in a given market. Definitions The choice has been defined by different researchers in varied aspects, Flemming (1976) viewed the choice with supporting example by saying, that the person walking down a road who hesitates at a fork in the road before choosing which route to take classically illustrates choice. Consumer Buying Behavior was defined by Schiffman, and Kanuk, (1997) as the study of how individuals make decision to spend their available resources on consumption-related item, where they buy it how often they buy it and how often they use it. Low involvement refers to the premise that the consumers while making a purchase decision experiencing with little effort, time , and money to decide for a particular brand to buy, because the consumer has been buying frequently in that product category. Uniqueness refers as to be seen and viewed as different from others. Illustrative of consumers efforts to resist or counter the acceptance of popularized goods that symbolically convey conformity, consumers may dispose of goods that become popular and repeat the cycle in search of new and special products, innovations, and emerging fashion trends (Snyder 1992; and Tepper, 1997). Product quality may be defined as the consumers judgment of the excellence of the product or service (Zeithaml, 1988).Quality (perceived not conformity) is a prime factor that plays very dominant role in selection process. Price may defined in its narrowest sense as the amount of money charged for a product or service, and in broad sense it is the sum of all the values that customers give up in order to gain the benefits of having or using a product or service (Kotler and Amstrong, 2008). Packaging can be defined as to design and produce a wrapper or container for a product (Kotler and Armstrong, 2008). A persons groups consist of all the groups that have a direct (Face-to-face) or indirect influence on his/her attitudes or behaviors. (Kotler and Keller, 2005). Corporate reputation has been defined by Fombrun (1996) as a perceptual representation of a companys actions in past and prospects of future that are an aggregate of many personal judgments about the company. While Keller (1998) has defined company credibility as the degree to which consumers do believe that a company can deliver products and services that satisfy most their needs and wants. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Choice Decision To choose a brand among from available brands of low involvement product category in a situation where consumer does not know about the brands under consideration seems very critical, because the most theories of consumer behavior support the awareness as a dominant factor in consumer choice. On the other hand it was also assumed that excess of every thing is dangerous, likely it can be guessed that more information may confuse the consumer about the brand to be selected. Jacoby, Speller, and Berning (1974) are of the opinion that Consumers actually make poorer purchase decisions with more information. The research was intended to test the assumption that what may happen when the consumer is completely unknown about he brands under consideration in a low involvement product category. The choice is restricted toward the limited brands in different categories of low involvement products. There is no disagreement on that every one is facing with a choice. If, however, the example is changed slightly, it is more doubtful whether we are still talking about a choice. The person walking on a sidewalk, when confronted with a puddle, changes his direction slightly and continues. In this case few people may say that a choice was involved. Attitude of the consumer plays an important role in making decision making in a given situation. A consumers attitude and purchase intention towards a brand is not only a product of their cognitive evaluations of that individual brand but are also determined by their perception of other competing brands within the consideration set. (Ronnie, Anne, and Karinna, 2006). 2.1.1 Decision making Process [Fig. 2.1] Need Recognition Problem Awareness Purchase Decision Evaluation of Alternatives Information Search Post-Purchase Evaluation Need Recognition The buying process starts when the buyer recognizes a problem or need. Need recognition occurs when actual state differs significantly from desired state. It is triggered when a customer is exposed to either an internal or an external stimulus. Hunger and thirst are internal stimuli, the color of a product, the package design, name of a brand mentioned by a friend, or an ad. are considered external stimuli (William, 2002). It is widely accepted that the traditional problem solving approach involving rational decision making to the study of consumer choice may not be suitable for all situations, or is at least incomplete to understand choice behavior. Limited information search and evaluation of alternatives led to a situation in which consumer choice is also driven by hedonic considerations ( Dhar, and Wertenbroch, 2000). In general, a common distinction to be made is that while the utilitarian goods usually are primary instrumental and functional, hedonic goods provide fun, pleasure and excitement. Consumer Information Search Consumer information search should yield a group of brands, sometime called the buyers evoked set (or consideration set), which are consumers most preferred alternatives (Clow, and Baack, 2001). Evaluation of Alternatives In close relation to information search, evaluation of alternatives has also gained a momentum in recent research (Laroche, Kim, and Zhou, 2003). Their study on consumers use of five heuristics (conjunctive, disjunctive, lexicographic, linear additive, and geometric compensatory) in the consideration set formation found that conjunctive heuristics is the most often used decision model in the consideration set formation for two product classes in the study (here,Sun block brands and pens). Conjunctive heuristics means that a consumer selects a brand only if it meets acceptable standards, the so-called cutoff point on each key attribute consumer regards as important (Assael, 1998). In the non-compensatory method of evaluation, a consumer would eliminate a brand that does not fulfill the standards on one or two of the most important attributes, even it is positive on all other attributes. Brands, which will be selected to group purchase options, will also be considered during the alternative evaluation process (Hawkins, Roger, and Kenneth, 1998). Purchase Decision and Post-purchase evaluation To select a specific brand after evaluation the buying and consuming it may consequently result in delighting, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and disappointment about the selected brand. It is essential to distinguish between the attributes per se and consumers perceptions of these attributes, because consumers differ in their perceptions. It is the perception that affects behavior, not the attribute itself. Attribute is often used to mean choice criteria, but this leads to confusion. A vast amount of research has been and is being conducted on many of them (factors) individually. Testing the product, the advertising, and the package, is an old story. But seldom has an adequate overview been taken. Does the consumer pay more attention to the advertising-beyond a certain point, at least-than to the dealers salesmen? Would lower prices or improved quality be more preferred by the buyer? How important are such factors as the recommendations of experts or of friends and to what extent may the individual marketing firm control them? The most effective direction of marketing activities requires accurate answers to all of these questions. The importance of the factors influencing choice has been recognized for many years by the researchers and marketers, as Brown (1950) identified as, Physical characteristics of the brand, Users experience with the brand, Packaging, Price, Premiums, guarantees, Habit, Recommendation by friends, Recommendation by experts, Convenience of dealers location, Personal salesmanship, Dealer services, Dealer prestige, Advertising and display, Special characteristics of the manufacturer, e.g., labor policy, location, etc., Novelty, Chance, Availability, Brand prestige or social acceptance. The weight of (no redundant) reasons in choice and, correspondingly, the degree to which the choice of reasons drives the choice of options vary across decisions and are likely to depend on the task, the context, the choice problem, and individual differences. In particular, when consumers are explicitly told to explain their decisions, it is reasonable to expect that the reasons that can be used to support considered options play a prominent role in the choice process. A question that naturally arises is what factors determine preferences for reasons and how does a need to provide reasons affect choice? (Itamar, and Nowlis, 2000). Wilson and Schooler (1991) found that subjects who had analyzed their reasons for liking different brands of jams subsequently expressed preferences that corresponded less well to those of experts than the preferences of subjects who did not analyze the reasons for their attitudes. Purchase decision Decision making is very complex phenomena where the consumer does not make a decision simply, and but to arrive at a final and concrete decision the consumer experiences sub-decisions (i.e.; What type of goods should be purchased, chased?, How much of an item should be purchased?, When should the purchase be made?, Where should the purchase be made?, How should the purchase be made, i.e., by telephone or in person, by cash or on credit, by husband or wife, and so on? What brand should be purchased? In many cases, the consumer is not conscious of the fact that he arrives at decisions with respect to all of these sub-decisions to purchase (Brown, 1950). 2.2 Consumer Buying Behavior Consumer Buying Behavior has been defined by Kotler, and Amstrong, (2001), as Consumers make many buying decisions every day. Most large companies research consumer buying decision in great detail to answer questions about what consumers buy, where they buy, how and how much they buy, when they buy, and why they buy A simple model of the consumer buying behavior deemed as the stimulus-response model. According to this model, marketing stimuli and other major force enter the consumers black box and produce certain responses. One in the black box these inputs produce observable buyer responses, such as product choice, brand choice, purchasing timing, and purchase amount. The consumer decision-making process does not occur in a vacuum. On the contrary, underlying cultural, social, individual, and psychological factors strongly influence (lam, Hair, and McDaniel, 2002). Cultural Factors Culture represents the behavior, beliefs, and in many cases, the way we act learned by interacting or observing other members of society. In this way much of what we do is shared behavior, passed along from one member of society to other. In order to increase customer satisfaction the managers and marketers are trying to understand the real behavior and attitude of consumers in a given situation. The better the marketer understand the factors underlying consumer behavior, the better able they are to develop affective marketing strategies to meet consumer needs (Assael, 1998). 2.3 Low Involvement Hoyer and Brown (1990), examining the heuristic for low-involvement decision making, and found that consumers who are aware of the name of one of the brands in a product category will repeatedly choose that brand, even when it offers objectively determined lower quality. Consumers who are unfamiliar with the brand names often will experiment with and eventually settle on a brand that offers higher quality. Time pressure commonly influences consumers opportunity to engage in effortful decision strategies. Payne, Bettman, and Johnson (1988) demonstrate that consumers who are faced with making a choice under time pressure (lack of opportunity) will accelerate information processing, ignore certain pieces of information, or shift to simpler heuristics. Perhaps the simplest low-involvement decision heuristic involves the retrieval of previously formed affect associated with the product (Peter and Nord, 1982). 2.4 Uniqueness/ Innovation Uniqueness and Innovation play a significant role in making choice of a brand particularly in unawareness condition, as (Tepper, 1997) view it as Conceptual models of social nonconformity recognize that behaviors that render a person different relative to other people may reflect several motivational processes, Although such a choice may at times differentiate the decision maker from others, this outcome is incidental to acting consistent with personal standards. Consumers need for uniqueness is also distinct from independence, a motivation that may inadvertently manifest in social different-ness as a result of adhering to ones personal taste. Decisions shift the focus from the choice of options to the choice of reasons. Buyers who explain their decisions and have high need for uniqueness tend to select unconventional reasons and are more likely to make unconventional choices (Itamar, and Nowlis, 2000). Itamar, and Nowlis (2000) further support their view that the effect of NFU (Need for Uniqueness) on choice emerges when consumers have the opportunity to explain their decisions and do not expect to be individually evaluated. That is, the ability to explain, without concerns about others criticism, may allow greater use of unconventional arguments and unconventional choices that express uniqueness and independence. Further they argue that the need for uniqueness and autonomy is usually dominated by the desire for social approval and other pre ssures for conformity, when consumers are encouraged to explain their decisions and are not concerned about others criticism, expressions of uniqueness come to the surface and affect choices. Consumers need for uniqueness may fit into a broader theory of consumption as an extension of self (Belk, 1988). This supposition is further supported by the work of Tepper (1997) that Consumers need for uniqueness could be examined as a trait influencing processes whereby situations that elicit consumer counter conformity motivation lead to conflict and acts of conflict resolution. In phenomenological interviews, Thompson and Haytko (1997) found that attempts to stay ahead in the realm of fashion trends by discarding fashions that catch on and seeking emerging innovations are interpreted as acts of resisting conformity. The concept is exemplified in the comments of one of Thompson and Haytkos (1997) interview participants: Usually if something is hot, Ill go out of my way to stay away from it. Even if I like it at first, if everyones wearing it, I dont want to be wearing it. The concept of consumers need for uniqueness derives from Snyder and Fromkins (1977) theory of uniqueness. According to this theory, the need to see oneself as being different from other persons is aroused and competes with other motives in situations that threaten the self-perception of uniqueness (i.e., situations in which individuals see them- selves as highly similar to others in their social environment). A unique product may be sought out to restore a persons self-view as one who is different from others, such as when an anonymous art collector bids via the internet or telephone for a rare painting she wants to display in her bedroom. (Tian, Bearden, and Hunte, 2001) McAlister and Pessemier (1982) suggest that a desire for social distinction via unusual products influences new product adoption and variety-seeking behavior. Where (Fisher Price, 1992). Commenting thatBecause consumer choices, particularly creative choices, may establish ones uniqueness, such choices are likely to attract followers who also seek to develop their special-ness or share a common link with early adopter groups. And Initially unpopular consumer choices may later gain social acceptance and thereby positively distinguish the consumer as an innovator or fashion leader (Heckert, 1989). It should be noted that changing from an initially preferred choice to a new one in order to avoid similarity is a criterion for distinguishing counter conformity from other motivations that incidentally result in being different (Nail, 1986). And even initially unpopular choices can gain widespread acceptance over time (Heckert, 1989). On the contrary Thompson and Haytko (1997) in his research concluded and suggested that this could be the time when innovation is less important than heritage, as brands with history can speak to consumers through nostalgia packaging, graphics and advertising messages. As a result of pursuing different-ness through no confrontational venues such as the purchase of unique products, individuals driven by counter conformity motivation should not perceive themselves to be similar to others with respect to their consumer choices (Kilduff, 1992; Snyder and Fromkin, 1977). This concept is further supported by Snyder and Fromkin, (1977) that specifically, uniqueness theory suggests that individual differences in motivation to seek different-ness arise from early childhood socialization that either emphasizes obedience and following norms or emphasizes creativity and individuality. Further, Thompson and Haytko (1997) have suggested that, for those who construct their personal identity through a contrast between their perceived fashion orientation and that of others in their social setting, personal identity does not reflect a stable set of essential features but is negotiated in a dynamic field of social relations. Bloch (1995) in his research concluded and proposes that individual differences in the need for uniqueness influence consumers product selections through its effect on affective and cognitive responses to the exterior design. This indicates that strategically marketers should place the greater emphasis on unique features may be a reasonable heuristic when subjects must choose between two alternatives (Meyer and Eagle, 1982). 2.5 Quality While making a purchase decision it was observed that the quality of the product was affecting intensively on the consumers ability to make a decision, because the consumer always expecting a good quality product at reasonable price. Since the consumer had no previous experience with the brand under consideration, the quality of the brand was being judged through the brand exposure and outlook. Garvin (1987) proposed that product quality can be captured in eight dimensions: performance, features, reliability, conformance, durability, serviceability, aesthetics, and perceived quality (i.e., image). Quality assessment is very critical and personal that may be viewed from different dimensions, particularly the product attributes/features and its out look, its color and shape/design etc. Income of the buyer may determine the degree of quality of a product; a particular brand may be viewed as of good quality by the person having low income and low buying power, while a higher income person may see it as inferior. The price of a brand and company and store prestige may be considered as significant cues for quality. It is encouraging to be able to confirm that such stimuli as price information and the reputation of a store or company are used as cues to the quality of a product (Wheatley and Chiu, 1977). 2.6 Price Price and quality remained very interrelated factors those affect collectively on perception of a consumer and response toward the brand. A better understanding of how customers use price information in choosing among alternative brands within frequently bought product categories helps to evaluate it and knowing the intensity as compare to other factors or reasons. Andrews, I. R., and Valenzi (1971) found that when other cues are present, some researchers have found that price remains the dominant cue. It is also consistent with Shapiros (1973), and (Marketing Science Institute, 1972) suggestion that the use of price as an indicator of quality is a reflection of both its concrete, unambiguous nature and the faith that consumers tend to place in at least some price setters such as prestigious retail stores. Notions of the price customers use as a reference in making purchase decisions, such as fair price (Thaler, 1985), aspiration price, and list price (Klein Oglethorpe, 1987). Mostly the price we consider as the expected price should coincide with the fair price Where the perceived fair price may be lower than the expected price. Customer response depends not only on the retail price, but also on how it compares with the reservation price (Scherer, 1980), perceived price (Della Bitta and Monroe, 1974; Emery, 1970; and Monroe, 1973), or evoked price (Rao and Gautschi, 1982; Thaler, 1985; Winer, 1985) view that customers use the price they expect to pay for a brand on a given purchase occasion as a reference in forming price judgments. Nwokoye (1975) found evidence that some customers use end prices-the lowest and highest prices-as anchors in their price evaluations. A significant role of the expected price in customer brand choice was found by Kalwani, Sugita, and Yim (1986) which have modeled a brands expected price as a function of the last price paid, the deal proneness of the customer, and the frequency of sales promotions of the brand, and Gurumurthy and Little (1986) assume a reference price is formed as adaptive expectations of past prices and allow a latitude of acceptance of the reference price within which customers are insensitive to price gains or losses. Price declines in importance and may become insignificant in its impact on quality perception (Jacob, Olson, and Haddock, 1971; Vithala ,1971). This indicates that it is probable, however, that price effects on quality perceptions are product specific (Gardner, 1970). Price expectations of consumers are not a function of past prices only, but these expectations are influenced also by contextual variables. 2.7 Attributes /Packaging Packaging was considered as the leading indicator of quality and a dominant clue in selecting a brand when the consumer is completely unaware about the brands real quality and performance. According to Slovic (1975) decision makers faced with a need to choose between two equally valued alternatives tend to prefer the one that is superior on the more important attribute. In judging alternatives, consumers may combine evaluations on various attributes. The rules for combining evaluations are thus important aspects of the choice process (Bettman, 1979). Consumers make purchases by image and perception of value, packaging, color and other attributes of a product, and packaging is widely considered as the silent salesman, which helps in developing strategies for better marketing results. Packaging is very important instrument in the marketing mix. Packaging has two functions: (i) to protect and contain the product; and (ii) as an interface to sell the product to the consumer. High-quality packaging involves target market research, environment changes in market, society, and the technology. Product features/attributes have also proved as a significant importance in deciding for a brand to purchase. Research suggests that an important determinant of the extent to which a feature is contrasted or assimilated is the degree of feature overlap between the new feature and the brand to which it is added (Herr, 1989). In the present case, it was expected that when a brand with superior features or brand name adds yet another (positive) feature, the new feature is assimilated into the existing perception of superior performance and, thus, is unlikely to significantly affect the over- all evaluation of the product. Reference Gro