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Understating pollinator-plan networks

Ecology Experiment

Name

Institution Affiliation

Understating pollinator-plan networks

The hummingbird is one of the smallest birds in the world and is mostly found in the Americas. Interestingly, it is the only bird that can fly backward. The name humming is derived from the humming sound it makes with its wings as they flap at very high speed sometimes between 12 to 90 times per second. However, this is dependent on the species and the size of an individual bird. These birds have a very short lifespan, with most of them not able to survive a year after they are born with many dying after three to four years.

Hummingbirds feed on nectar from plants and usually live in the western hemisphere. They are specifically found in Canada and Alaska to Terra del Fuego. They live in families made up of about 340 species and have an extraordinarily diverse morphology, behavior, and ecology (Biddick & Burns, 2018). Almost all their diet is based on nectar, which is a dilute solution found in plant flowers containing various types of sugars. These sugars are easily converted into energy through the process of digestion and fulfill the carbohydrate requirements of the hummingbird (Carvalheiro et al. 2013). The other 10 percent of the hummingbird diet includes arthropods that act like protein, vitamin, and fat supplements.

Plants that are visited by hummingbirds are mostly herbaceous undergrowth plants, which are founding in numerous similar species and variably distributed. A good example is those of the genus Helicon and Costus. These plants produce flowers that only last day and release most of their nectar before opening at sunrise to reduce the damage by nectar feeders.

Hummingbirds have shared a complex ecological network with plants, which is most beneficial for both organisms. These mutual interactions can be credited for the generation of the earth’s diversity. It is important to create an understanding of the patterns in hummingbird grouping and an extensive analysis of the main factors leading to patterns of interactions in this humming bird-plant network. The most central concept, however, is whether specific morphological traits have any influence on the patterns of interactions in this mutual interdependences.

The experiment applies several methods to assess the importance of morphological traits for configuring the interaction between plants and hummingbirds. The first approach is the analysis of the effect of avian morphological features and plenty on the ecological specialization of humming-birds. The second approach is considering if the plants and the hummingbird have matching traits that suggested the interaction strength in these mutual co-dependences. The third systematic approach is evaluating where matching traits were connected to feeding times by hummingbird species. MacArthur and Pianka (1996), in their foraging theory, believe that hummingbirds tend to feed more on those flowers that match well with their bill morphology because this association is connected to an increased proficiency of resource use.

Methods

Fieldwork conducted in the local woods because a tropical forest is far and cannot be easily accessed. The chosen areas must first be scouted for samples. The area should be considerably diverse in terms of species with at least 1000 different species of plants, at least 300 species of trees and more than 350 species of birds.

Sampling will include the collection of data on profusions and functional features of nectar, which is the resources and hummingbirds. Pollen loads carried by hummingbirds will also be sampled to know how the hummingbirds interact with the plants at individual levels as well as species level. To understand the kind of forage preferred by certain hummingbird species, an experiment will be conducted using artificial feeders and flowers.

Analysis

Experimental and observational data will be used to evaluate the feeding preferences of hummingbird species on the artificial as well as the natural flowers while looking at morphology. The visits made by the birds to artificial feeders and those visiting the artificial flowers will show what kind of flowers they prefer. The results collected will suggest the different processes and mechanisms fundamental to the functionality of the plant-humming bird mutualistic coexistence.

The use of analyses that are based on traits alongside experimental and observational methods as crucial for a wide-ranging understanding of the evolutionary and ecological dictating of how plants and pollinator networks operate. These bases are important for and provide huge value for the understanding of the systematic bases of community muster and system structure in other types of collaboration networks.

Conclusion

Looking at the feeding preferences of nectar feeders or pollinators, in general, helps with the comprehension of factors that define the interactions of these species and the factors that influence the split among nectar feeders and pollinators. A better understanding of what traits hinders some species from nectar resources and whether birds have to get these resources for flowers that match their morphology. The experiment will check what other factors beyond this would influence how hummingbirds or pollinators interact with plans.

References

Biddick, M., & Burns, K. C. (2018). Phenotypic trait matching predicts the topology of an insular plant–bird pollination network. Integrative zoology, 13(3), 339-347.

Carvalheiro, L. G., Kunin, W. E., Keil, P., Aguirre‐Gutiérrez, J., Ellis, W. N., Fox, R., … & Van de Meutter, F. (2013). Species richness declines and biotic homogenisation have slowed down for NW‐European pollinators and plants. Ecology letters, 16(7), 870-878.

JJJ_economics

Economics

Student’s name

Affiliation

Course

Date

 What are the differences between accounting and economic definition of profit? 

An accounting profit is the business income surplus more than the business expenses. A business makes money after it sells its goods or services. When the money made is more than the money they spend when making the goods and services, then it is said that that business has made an accounting profit. When the total cost is deducted from the total income made by a business, in case the remaining amount is positive then it is regarded as accounting profit. An accounting profit is therefore the excess of accounting income over accounting expenses.Accounting Profit = Total Income – Total Expenses

Economic profit includes opportunity cost of the firm that is used for production. The opportunity costs are the implicit costs. whenever a firm’s total revenue surpass all its economic costs both implicit and explicit the remaining goes to the entrepreneur is known as economic or pure profit. Economic profit is calculated as total revenue less all opportunity lost costs (explicit & implicit) (Copeland& Shastri, 2004).

Economic Profit = Total Income – Total Expenses – Opportunity Lost Cost

 When one compares accounting profit and economic profit of an investment, it is clear that an economic profit in the at the end will quite often be less than the accounting profit, since the additional deliberation of opportunity lost cost. However, the other investment makes a loss.

From an economic perspective which capital budgeting technique is the only one that is consistent with maximizing shareholders wealth? 

In an economic view, the appropriate capital budgeting technique that is responsible for maximizing a shareholders wealth is the net present value. When one deducts today’s cash outflow so as to make an investment, the remaining difference can be an increase or decrease in one’s wealth and it is known as net present value (Copeland& Shastri, 2004).

The net present value (NPV) is the current cost of all anticipated cash flows.  Therefore one can refer to the net present value as the differentiation between present value of cash inflows and present value of cash outflows.

The NPV method is reliable when it comes to owners’ wealth maximization regardless of capital rationing or mutually exclusive projects.

How do capital markets benefit society?

Capital markets are vital for a society since it allow individuals to borrow funds against their expected future income (endowments). This helps the individuals to yield higher productivity growth in their businesses. The individuals borrow from others who lend surplus current income (endowments) and issue positive interest rates. This creates employment opportunities since there is growth in businesses. Capital markets guides to a competent allocation of resources to investment projects within the society.

What are the differences between CAPM and APT?

The Capital Asset Pricing Model is a unique case of the Arbitrage Pricing Model (APT) such that CAPM uses a single factor known beta as sensitivity to market price changes while the APT has various factors that does not consist of the CAPM beta. CAPM applies on the demand side’ in that it is usually based on the market’s aggregation of individual investors’ effectiveness maximization curves. APT applies on the supply side in that it normally takes account of macroeconomic factors. CAPM regard s only in a single factor while APT regards multi-factors; CAPM depends on the historical data while APT is futuristic; CAPM is more consistent as the probability may fail; CAPM is very simple to calculate while APT is difficult to calculate.

What do you believe are the weaknesses in ‘capital market efficiency’ theory what are its strengths?

Capital market efficiency theory states that market efficiency does not mean having no improbability about the future, but it is an overview of the world which might not constantly hold true, and that the market is basically resourceful for investment reasons for most individuals. The theory states it is not possible to challenge market efficiency. The future prices may not be foretold through past price analysis (Drake, 2002).

Define EVA?

Economic Value Added (EVA) is a firm’s estimation of economic profits to be the surplus formed cost of a company’s investor’s essential return. It is calculated as the net profits following taxes deduct capital charge. A company that has a positive EVA is said to have produced wealth while the one with a negative EVA is said to have consumed capital. The key strength of the EVA is that it presents a sign of wealth formation that supports the goals of separation managers to the common business goals. However, its limitations, are viewed when it comes to financial orientation, size differences, short-term orientation and outcome orientation.

How has the role of the CFO changed over the last 25 to 50 years?

The role of the CFO has noticeably changed in the last 25 to 50 years with CFO’s moving from the occupation of reporting outcomes to being active in the operations in order to comprehend the financial impact of decisions. In addition, holistic financial and solid strategy takes into account market conditions and potential risks in the long term. Observance of the highest standards of internal and governance controls has become a critical aspect of a CFO’s role (Drake, 2002).

References

Copeland, T& K. Shastri (2004). FINANCIAL THEORY AND CORPORATE POLICY, FOURTH EDITION (4th Ed.). United States: Paper back

Drake, P., & Fabozzi, F. (2002). Capital budgeting: Theory and practice. New York, NY: Wiley

Thesis Purpose Statement

Effective Behavior Management Strategies to Support Special Needs StudentsDereka L. Holland

Texas A&M Commerce

Abstract

Will be completed by due date.

Thesis/ Purpose Statement

This paper examines the behavior interventions and supports used in the classroom by teachers with special needs students to help manage or change behavior school wide. My aim was to explore different research-based strategies and measure how well they were effective with my students in the classroom and across the school campus. With these effective behavior strategies, I hope that they can support teachers in helping decrease the negative behaviors in the classroom with students of disabilities.

Literature Review

Behavior management is vital to the learning environment and can be a major distraction if it is not controlled or managed. According to Lavay, French and Henderson (2007) behavior management means more than controlling students to make them behave. It can be a little different with students who are disabled. Their misbehavior can be triggered and completely out of their control. The teacher must think effectively about the best way to manage students who face these behavior challenges. The goal of this literature review is to compare how other authors view behavior management and the best way to manage it with students who are disabled. In Building Classroom Management by C.M Charles and Karen Cole, the authors explain the teacher’s role in managing the classroom starting with developing management skills. They discussed how important effective communication in a classroom management system is for teachers and students. While reading I noticed that some of the recommended behavior strategies for the general population were different than students with disabilities. The authors stated that these students have difficulty controlling their own behavior. (Charles and Cole, pg.297) Some suggestions were to remain calm, use pictorial/visual cue cards, use a nonconfrontational and unemotional tone.

Behavior Intervention Plan

In the article, A Practical Plan for Managing the behavior of students with disabilities in General Physical Education by Barry Lavay, Ron French and Hester Henderson stated that behavior management is grouped into three categories described as behavior, psychodynamic and biophysical. Lavay et al stated that, no one specific behavior management approach will work all the time with all students. The authors mentioned this because some educators are comfortable repeating the same approach that they are comfortable with based on their experiences. In this article the authors mentioned the difference between a behavior management plan and a behavior intervention plan which is developed by a team of professionals such as the ARD committee for a student with a disability who has severe behavior problems. The behavior intervention plan is created and implemented in the students IEP. Lavay et al suggested using the behavior management eclectic and ecological model when creating a behavior intervention plan or behavior management plan. The model consists of designing a plan, identifying the behavior, develop and implement the behavior intervention plan, observe, and evaluate. (LaVay et al. 2007)

Time Outs

With experience I noticed that many teachers use time-out corners but now have been given a new name such as cool down spots. According to Costenbader & Reading-Brown (1995) timeouts should only be used when less restrictive interventions have not been successful. The authors stated that many educators make an exception for this rule when the student is extremely acting out and it is a safety concern for others.

Self-Advocacy Strategy

In the article, Behavior Management through Self-Advocacy: A Strategy for Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities by Ronen Sebag (2010) suggests implementing a behavior management model that focuses on self- determination and self-advocacy to improve the students understanding of themselves and their strengths and weaknesses to support their ability to create strategies and goals for behavior improvement. The author believes that no single strategy will solve all situations like the reading of Barry Lavay, Ron French, and Hester Henderson. The author describes the self- advocacy behavior model as a model that is student centered, student directed, and student driven. It is different from models like a behavior management plan or behavior intervention plan because the educators are the creators, and they implement this strategy. The self-advocacy behavior model allows the student to identity the problem behavior, create a strategy to improve this negative behavior, reflect on how well the strategy was effective and make the necessary adjustments if needed.

Using Rewards

Using a reward system to encourage positive behavior has been a go to for many teachers and administrators in the classroom and school wide to motivate and teach students the expectations. The authors Witzel and Mercer (2003) stated that in special education dealing with student behavior is important for minimizing distractions and having students focus. According to Witzel and Mercer, students with learning disabilities have indicated that their feeling competence tie directly into self-esteem. Based on the readings, it is best to infer that self-advocacy, self-esteem and motivation are key factors in behavior for students with disabilities. The authors believe that educators should determine the problem and work to reduce the problem and improve student performance which involves teaching adaptive skills to the student’s environment in and outside the classroom. Then motivate the student to want to behave such as reward. They argue that rewards do not always bring a positive reinforcement. Witzel and Mercer stated, “how the delivery of the reward is received affects the possible long-term motivational effects of the reward. During research the findings appear to be unclear because the researchers had differences against the use of tangible rewards. Instead, research suggest that educators use a proposed motivational model which can help teachers develop positive behavior interventions.

Behavior Analysis Technique

In the book, Solving Discipline and Classroom Management Problems by Charles H. Wolfgang (2009), the author suggests using the behavior analysis technique when dealing with misbehavior. When using this technique, it requires the teacher to collect data and establish a behavioral objective that identifies the learner, the antecedent condition, or the occasion when the behavior occurs and identify the criteria for acceptable performance. Data can be collected by event recording, graphing the total number of disruptive events for each school day or an anecdotal report. In my classroom I collect data on my most problematic behaviors and meet with ARD committee and/or parents to create a behavior plan. Data is the most efficient tool a teacher can have because it supports as evidence. We will never be able to fully control a student’s behavior, but we can manage it to have a successful learning environment and positive climate and culture classroom.

Methodology

The research was conducted at a public school, Dr. Billy E. Dade Middle School which is in a high-poverty area. The population of students is about 800. Of the 800 students, 150 of them are identified as special needs and/or 504 students. These students’ disabilities consist of a learning disability (LD), emotional disturbance (ED), autism spectrum disorder (AUT), intellectual disability (ID), other health impairment (OHI) such as ADHD, speech or language impairment, visual impairment, and deafness. The research was particularly based on my seventh-grade special education unit class that consists of ten students who have one or more of the disabilities mentioned. The class consist of three girls and seven boys. These students may receive special services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, or adaptive physical education in the classroom. The students receive 70% of their instruction inside the classroom and 30% in the school cafeteria and elective classes. Each student has an individualized education plan that is put in place with individualized goals and objectives pertaining to that student. Inside the classroom, I am the teacher of record and I also have one teacher assistant inside the classroom. For this action research paper, I chose to focus on the behavior problems that are severe in my classroom so that I can improve and help other special education teachers.

Data Collection

My data collection consisted of observing three other special education teachers besides my class to observe behavior problems and the interventions teachers used when a negative behavior occurred. This allowed me to observe the behavior management methods that teachers are using. While observing the other teachers, I conducted a short interview with them about the behaviors that I saw. The teachers were given a quick survey towards the end of my study. In one class, the teacher was able to recognize a student getting ready to misbehave before he did it, based on his body language. After observing and noting some behaviors in other classes, I started collecting data on my own class. I created an anecdotal note form that included the date/time, location, what happened before and what happened after. Data was collected for two to three weeks. I reviewed each students red folder which has all confidential information such as medical records and individualized education plan pertaining to the student. My data collection would begin after 8:20 which is when the instructional day begins. I interviewed my teacher assistant to receive her viewpoint on the strategies being used in the classroom and how we can improve the behavior management strategies that are in place. To help promote positive behavior, I use ClassDojo as a communication tool with parents and as a point system for behavior. Students and parents can see the point system and the notes about their behavior each day.

Data Findings

The findings from the teacher observations showed that we were all using the same behavior intervention strategies. With the behavior strategies that I recommended to those teachers, some students responded positively to them, and a few didn’t. In my class, I found that it was easier to intervene and implement the behavior strategies with the girls quicker than the boys. Before the beginning of class every day, we reviewed the classroom expectations and consequences verbally and using visual/pictorial cues. I noticed when I start the class with setting the expectation that reduced the negative behaviors in the morning. I know that repetition is important for special education students, so it’s important that I continue repeating the behavior expectation. When a negative behavior occurred, I resulted to using positive reinforcement, time-out or thirty minutes of the cool down spot, and student-teacher conference to review the behavior, why it happened and what can be done differently. I found that using time-outs does not guarantee the behavior will be corrected, the student improved for the moment just to return to his desk. After learning and using the ClassDojo system, it helped to improve behavior. Students were able to recognize when they received points for negative or positive behavior. Parents began to establish effective communication with me in how I can support their child and provided techniques that were used at home to manage behavior issues. By the end of the two weeks, my behavior problems decreased from the whole class having a bad day to about two or three students a day. At the end of my study, I reviewed the surveys that were given to the three special education teachers. All three of the teachers agreed that classroom behavior is the main challenge that they have and that more training is needed campus-wide on how to manage behavior issues of students with disabilities. Two of the three believed that the time-out method was an effective behavior management strategy to help promote positive behavior. All three teachers agreed that it was important to for the teacher to model and set the expectation of classroom behavior. One teacher stated that providing the students with immediate feedback can relive some of negative behaviors and can help correct it. As a result of my findings from the survey, all three teachers commented it’s important for special education teachers to continue to take training and educate themselves on ways to improve behavior management with special education students.

Survey given to teachers.

Introduction

Will be completed by due date.

References

Charles, C. M., & Cole, K. M. (2018). Building Classroom Management: Methods and Models. Pearson.

Costenbader, V., & Reading-Brown, M. (1995). Isolation timeout used with students with emotional disturbance. Exceptional Children, 61(4), 353–363. https://doi.org/10.1177/001440299506100404

Lavay, B., French, R., & Henderson, H. (2007). A practical plan for managing the behavior of students with disabilities in general physical education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 78(2), 42–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2007.10597973

Sebag, R. (2010). Behavior Management through Self-Advocacy: A Strategy for Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities.

Shagoury, R., & Power, B. M. (2012). Living the questions: A guide for teacher-researchers. Stenhouse Publishers.

 Witzel, B. S., & Mercer, C. D. (2003). Using rewards to teach students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 24(2), 88–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325030240020401

Wolfgang, C. H. (2009). Solving discipline and classroom management problems: Methods and models for today’s teachers. Wiley.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Effective management of call centre

EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF CALL CENTRES LOOKING AT ISSUES OF WORK DESIGN, STAFF MOTIVATION, RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING, PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT:

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Name

Class

Date

Research MethodologyMethodologyThe methodology chapter presents a depiction as well as a discussion of the methodology employed in research. This entails the compilation of information and data analysis to examine the hypotheses. The research philosophy, express the research rationale as well as the approach. It also describes the research strategy and finalizes with the delineation of data compilation and sample selection. Research StrategyThe research strategy signifies the most remarkable aspect in the entire research as well as the survey process is the research methodology. This is universally a method of acquiring data from preceding researches, magazines, articles, and journals. This gathering of information mainly facilitates the researcher in the short-term as well as in the long-term. Consequently, the researcher may implement diverse inferences through the research study. The research strategy chapter focuses mainly on the rudimentary aspects of the research study, which bear significance to the researcher. These critical qualities may encompass the research procedures, compilation of information, and utilization of diverse types of information. The chapter entails several merits as well as demerits of varied types of information, which enable the reader to straightforwardly comprehend the merits and de-merits associated to a specific method. The key aspect of contemplating a research process is to generate an insightful school of thought so that the researcher may achieve a credible conclusion.

Research PhilosophyThis chapter concerns assumptions on the perspectives pertinent to life, which underpin the research strategy as well as the chosen methods. The most universally known research philosophies, also referred to as epistemology are realism, interpretive, and positivism.

Research PurposeThree dissimilar research purposes include descriptive, explanatory, and exploratory. The descriptive research studies endeavor to depict situations as precisely as possible. In contrast, exploratory research studies are carried out when new insights ought to be attained in a specific focus of interest. This occurs when principally a familiar research subject matter is being scrutinized from a special angle. With the execution of explanatory research studies, elementary relationships between diverse variables are appraised and elucidated. This research will assume an exploratory study approach in investigating the linkages between how work design, staff motivation and training affects performance in call centers. Statistical analyses like correlation tests are usually executed in this type of research in order to achieve diverse insights into diverse relationships.

Research ApproachA research project design may assume two dissimilar approaches namely deductive or inductive. With a deductive approach, pertinent theories are verified and underlying relationships are explained. With the inductive approach, empirical data is initially ascertained, from which the hypotheses of the study is derived. This approach is also referred to as the qualitative approach. For this reason, the objectives of the research are founded, which are subsequently validated by means of quantitative methods.

Quantitative Approach to ResearchThe quantitative research methodology is considered as the most ordinary technique utilized in scientific researches. This approach utilizes data mined from diverse numerical based facets, and measurements. It appraises numerical data which are accordingly utilized to interpret the outcomes. The core philosophy of this study is dealt with statistical and numerical methods. While utilizing the quantitative research approach, it is essential that the researcher utilizes statistical data correlated to research areas and subjects.

Any discrepancies faced between numerical data and statistical data that are gathered from dissimilar sources in a sample population may be e illustrated by the quantitative based approach. The universal method of acquiring data in this case is via questionnaires or interviews. In order to authenticate or examine the hypothesis a number of mathematical or statistical techniques would be subsequently utilized. The researcher is not permitted to influence or corrupt the research as well as its components. The quantitative approach applies analysis of accrued information through statistical techniques whereby measures or the averages of central tendency are used on the sampled population.

Limitations and Advantages of Quantitative ResearchUtilization of quantitative measures, like quantitative data, is uncomplicated in gathering, translating, and storage, than a range of other forms of information collection methods. It also saves a lot of time in comparison to other forms of information collection methods. Any disparities in variables are easily found out and regularly measured. It is usually easy to compare the dissimilar variables in the sample data with the historical data through this approach.

The dominant limitation to this approach is the over generalization engaged, which may not produce the requisite information. Another drawback is the implicit generalised situation of the factual world. The utilized data would be objective and consequently, the data which is not capable of assessment numerically or statistically would by and large not generate any useful results. Another negative aspect of employing this approach is that, the whole research is executed in a controlled environment. Consequently, the numerical or statistical outcomes would subsequently be specific to the research. Such research outcomes would not be adequately flexible to be applied to generalised environments. Consequently, the statistical measures acquired cannot be appropriate in similar environments in the factual world. The quantitative approach thus, limits the scope of the research to some specific variables in specific situations whereby other essential variables may be neglected.

The deductive approach was considered as being the appropriate approach in this study. General theories were considered, which led to the formulation of the aims of the study. The questionnaire that would facilitate the data collection process was set up. The purpose is to test the existing literature to either reject or confirm the original theories towards the conclusion of the study. In this study, the research design will employ interviews whereby quantitative research techniques will be employed.

Research StrategyThe research strategy may be established on the basis of the research approach, as well as philosophy. It is essential to select the appropriate research strategy that will help in answering the research question (s) and meeting the research objectives. This dissertation pursues the deductive approach. The research strategy of choice in this dissertation is a survey, which is a usually pursued strategy in business research. This is because it permits the gathering of huge quantities of data from a considerable population in the most efficient way.

The rationale for employing questionnaires and surveys was that, they provide an unsophisticated access to the study of principles, and intent of the person who completed the questionnaire. Questionnaires or surveys may be customized to accumulate general data from roughly every human population. The data compiled from questionnaires or surveys is in essence quantitative in nature. In the course of the interview, the interviewer’s presence may encourage participation, and the interviewer may be able to judge the scope to which the exercise is treated sincerely.

Research Ethics

Respondents will grant informed consent prior to their contribution in the survey. The researcher will guarantee this by informing the relevant respondents concerning the purpose of this study. This will include, the contents, time limit of the survey, as well as the potential risks and benefits pertinent to the study. The respondents will be updated in regard to their freedom to withdraw from or participate in the study. The respondents will as well be informed regarding the privacy of their identities. The researcher will guarantee this by not connecting the respondents to their answers in the survey.

Primary Study Sampling and Data Collection In order to realize the dissertation aims and also compile data for hypothesis testing, a questionnaire was carried out. Sampling was constructive in restricting collection of data to a explicit subgroup which is of significance according to the dissertation aims. It is therefore imperative to delineate the pulled sample population.

Methods of Data Collection This dissertation design employs the utilization of interviews in the event that quantitative research techniques will be employed. Secondary as well as primary data will be coalesced in this research in pursuit of the study aims.Qualitative Approach to ResearchThe quantitative approach is a method to examine an established hypothesis based on statistical and mathematical techniques. In comparison, the qualitative approach creates an original theory by itself. Qualitative approach facilitates in giving significance to real-time experiences. It also grants meaning to the experiences in order to improve the reach to a variety of concerns. This approach is applied in research in order to investigate the richness, saturation, as well as the degree of complexities. The qualitative based approach is based on different viewpoints, such as the absence of real experiences. This is usually referred to as realism. Realism contrasts for different people and differs with the passage of time. Realism also posits that knowledge has significance only in the event of a specific situation or only in a precise context. This forms the rationale as to why the researcher’s own perception plays a critical role in this approach. The researcher’s role in this regard would be to research and utilize effectively his aptitude towards creating innovative ideas and creative thinking.

Limitations and Advantages of Qualitative ResearchThe qualitative approach is adequately flexible to adopt change in accordance with the prevailing situation. This approach presents the researcher with the opportunity to focus primarily on the research process. The interactive questionnaire proposed for the qualitative approach facilitates the survey participants to communicate their ideas and explanations, thus resulting in detailed knowledge and creativity. This approach does not review the samples only, but also makes an allowance for the knowledge utilized by the researcher as well as the participants. The participants are relatively more involved and motivated in the research process since the questionnaire in this study is descriptive based.

A disadvantage of utilizing this approach would include the prejudiced nature of the researcher and particularly the research participants in connection with any of the issues in the questionnaire or the research hypothesis. Another prominent shortcoming of the qualitative based approach is the subjectivity and restricted capacity of the present research. This intends that in the event that, the research is conducted by use of similar samples, it may produce outcomes that would be varying. Qualitative based approach requires s greater time in comparison to the quantitative approach. Data will be gathered through holding interviews with the employees in identified call centres. A structured semi-interview procedure will be developed. This will entail closed as well as open ended questions in order to facilitate the researcher in quantifying the compiled data.

Data Collection Method

Randomly selected participants will be provided with a questionnaire or involved in the survey. Survey responses will be achieved by means of closed-ended questions. In the research, collection of secondary data will be engaged in order to supplement the techniques of primary data collection. This is because the researcher will conduct a descriptive survey. The researcher is principally interested in understanding the relevance of linkages between how work design, staff motivation and training affects performance in call centres. The primary objective of the researcher in utilizing survey is to grant him with constructive hints for theory building as well as refinement. The secondary research will comprise document reviews whereby a bulky quantity of publications as well as pertinent materials are analyzed and examined. A broad variety of journals, books, as well as articles will be utilized in order to compile pertinent information in regard to the subject matter.

A limitation in regard to convenience sampling occurs since there is no verification that the sample is representative of the entire population. Nevertheless convenience sampling is extensively employed in business research. In regard to time and finance restrictions, convenience sampling facilitates the researcher in obtaining an enormous quantity of data in an uncomplicated, time-saving as well as economic manner. Random sampling is considered to be the most appropriate instrument in conducting a representative survey in the event of a known population. Consequently the population, with its characteristics must be identified and must participate in the survey. These requirements are impractical for this research subject and consequently irrelevant.

Data analysisThe research will employ qualitative as well as quantitative techniques in analyzing the compiled data. This will mainly be realized through the use of SPSS in data analysis. This is because, SPSS offers a user-friendly interface. While using SPSS, it is uncomplicated to load data sets following compilation. It is also feasible to create new variables from the existent variables and subsequently analyze as well as present the data in an assortment of formats such as tables and graphs. SPSS is also unproblematic to use in computing robust quantities of data. Nevertheless, SPSS will necessitate that the researcher uses limited data.

In data analysis, qualitative methods will also be employed since the method provides better information in regard to strategy assessment data. The qualitative methods will embrace the utilization of individual accounts through interviews as well as narrative responses to the survey. The qualitative data compiled will be analyzed through a strategy of constant comparative data reduction. Data reduction refers to a concept employed in the analysis of inconsistent data in social sciences. The key advantage of employing data reduction is the consistency and simplicity of analysis whereby data are broken up and the completed data found.

The majority of these data will be supplied by the call centres’ employees. The questionnaires to be utilized will be Likert structured questionnaire. This will be in a scale of one to five to facilitate simplicity of entry, tabulation, and analysis of data. For precision of the data, the research will utilize primary data. On the other hand, the key inadequacy of this method is that it is expensive to the data collector and also time consuming. There may also be some aspect of partiality which may be linked with this study. Validity and Reliability of OutcomesIn this study, the reliability as well as the validity of the compiled data will be depending on the design of the real questionnaire utilized. However, in optimizing the latter, cautious planning of questions, the layout as well as distinct elucidation of the rationale as well as pilot testing will be considered. The validity, reliability, and generalizations will be addressed by employing data verification as well as construct validity checks. The researcher will be cautious in regard to reflexivity issues. Sources of information including books as well as journals should be considered in order to achieve reliable as well as valid data by means of triangulation.

Ethical Considerations Associated With Research

Ethics will be attended to by effecting a human subject’s application. It is in line with standard good practice in regard to research that concerns individual volunteers as research subjects. All pertinent ethical conditions will be considered through the requisite best practice standards. Permission will be solicited prior to engaging the individuals in interviews as well as the questionnaire. An approval to execute this research will be acquired from the call centres, management through the use of letters. Opinions will be documented in the questionnaires and confidentially will be maintained. Upon completion of the analysis of data, these questionnaires will be destroyed. All realized research findings will be considered extremely confidential in regard to the information offered by the respondents’. As an ethical obligation, comments will not be linked with the source devoid of the respondent’s express permission.

Bibliography

Burney S. Inductive & Deductive Research Approach, Karachi: University Of Karachi Press. 2008.

Chase and Aquilano. Production and Operations Management: A Life Cycle Approach, New York: Homewood Press. 2000.

Cooper & Schindler, Business Research Methods, New York: McGraw-Hill. 2003

Creswell, J. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, Beverly Hills: Sage. 2002.

Easterby, Smith. Management Research, London: Sage. 2005.

Forza, Cipriano. “Survey research in operations management, a process based perspective.” International Journal of Operations and Production management, 2002.

Jørgen Carling. Using SPSS in research projects, Berlin: Hovedfag. 2001.

Murat, Kristal. “The Effect of Quality Management on Mass Customization Capability.” International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 2010.

Phelps T. Organizing and managing your Research: A practical guide for Postgraduates, London: Sage. 2007.

Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill. Research Methods for Business Students, Harlow: Prentice Hall. 2003.

Name of College’s Designated Representative

Date

Your Name

Address

Email Address

Name of College’s Designated Representative

Title of College’s Designated Representative

Address

Email Address

Dear Mr. Mrs/

I recently received a failing grade in my English class. I take full responsibility for the overall grade at the end of the semester because I am fully aware that my scores during the class were very low. I write this letter of appeal to explain my case and hopefully be given a second chance at starting over the class. Several reasons triggered my low grades and I am taking this opportunity to explain the causes.

During the duration of the class, a family member got sick and passed away and this affected me in several ways. For instance, my emotional well-being was affected because for the most part of that semester, I was in shock and in the grieving stage. Therefore, I could not fully concentrate on my classes and this led to negligence on my part. Secondly, the family member was an integral part of my family because he was responsible for paying a significant amount of bills. After losing him I had to fill in the gap by taking up a part-time job. It quickly made the situation worse because I was grieving and at the same time trying to adjust to a new routine. It is during this process that I scored low grades and ended up failing the class.

A substantial amount of time has passed since the loss and therefore, I have managed to go through the grieving process. As of now, I am certain I have the right frame of mind to take part in the class again. Additionally, I have since adjusted to the new schedule and I can comfortably handle a part-time job and an online class. Nothing is more important to me than graduating and I plan to make my schoolwork a priority.

I hereby request a chance to redo the class this semester. If given a second chance, I am certain I would do a great job and eventually pass the English class. I look forward to a response and I hope that you will consider my request.

Sincerely,

Your Name

thank you Letter to Professor

Dear Professor,

I’m writing this letter to thank you and also with the hope to get a recommendation letter from you.

My name is Sharonda Alexander, and I am currently Junior at University of Houston pursuing my Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resources Development.

You have been a part of several successful studies and I would be very much interested to be a part of a team working on something very important. From the classes and sessions we have had together, I believe that you are the one who knows me better on scholarly level. You were very strict on me from my occasional late papers to my awkward reporting as a young, irresponsible sophomore. You pushed me to the better in both life and education. Your refusal to discount me as a slacker modeled me into a real Human Resources Specialist and a responsible person. Throughout the course, you watched me grow and all my success is credited from your uncompromising standards and very high expectations. My concise, professionalism in Human Resources and integrity you installed in me will make for some entertaining and informative future.

For the years I spent at the University, the time was so invaluable. I considered you my homeroom teacher, from my first year in college and now. I consider you not only a teacher but a mentor, and a friend. I so much thank you for pushing me beyond the expectations of me and also for helping me succeed academically.

Best Regards,Name of student

Thank you for the feedback provided. I have gone through it and the following is my explanation

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for the feedback provided. I have gone through it and the following is my explanation. The paper instructions demanded that I pick an article, provide a summary and critique, and then prepare a presentation for the second part. The instructions then provided key required steps in a very succinct report format.

I chose to focus on the article by Denault and Jupe (2018), Justice At Risk. I was very careful to follow the format provided in the instructions. I introduced the article and offered my view of the book. My thesis statement was that the article was very well written and defined non-verbal communication in the confines of law and justice as an important element, one that requires more research and scholarly attention.

In the body paragraphs, I proceeded to offer an opinion and critique based on the sections provided in the instructions. I arranged the paper as follows:

An Analysis within Academic Literature and Importance of the Article in Nonverbal Communication

A Definition of Basic Concepts and Conclusion of the Article

A Critique of the Article

Application to Other Situations

I then closed my argument, summary, and critique in the conclusion paragraph. All through, I offered a detailed analysis of the text by Denault and Jupe (2018). I included arguments from extant literature to base my opinion on academic content. The use of these external sources was strictly for purposes of supporting my argument and trying to bring to light what other authors discussed on matters relating to the topic.

In part 2 of the assignment, my presentation was written strictly as per the presentation instructions. I checked the instructions again and again to ensure I did not miss any points.

Truthfully, I have spent a lot of time to search materials relevant to the article I chose to analyze. I prepared well ahead of the deadline because I hoped to score very well in this paper. From my presentation, I am sure you can tell just how much effort I have put into the task.

Fully cognizant of the feedback you provided, I would really appreciate if you can reconsider the score awarded. I really hoped to pass the work. I promise that I will continue to improve and work harder based on what you provided as feedback. Looking forward to more growth.

 

Kind Regards

Since time immemorial the debate on whether death penalty is right or not has always existed

Death Penalty Literature Review

Name

Institution

Date

Since time immemorial the debate on whether death penalty is right or not has always existed. Various scholars have often tried taking a stand on why or why not capital punishment is wrong. Pro death penalty scholars have often argued that death [penalty is needed in a society so that law and order may exist. According to Mona Lynch (2002), she looks into the topic and as to why capital punishment should not be banned. According to Lynch, capital punishment despite the cost it bears serves a role of punishing offenders. In examining the effectiveness of this punishment Lynch look at innocent victims as well as the evil (capital murderers). Often murders are likely to be put on death row and according to Lynch there is nothing wrong about punishing someone who killed another ruthlessly using the capital punishment. Most victims who have experienced the evil of crime such as their family member being killed are likely to support death penalty as compared to people who may not really understand what it feels.

According to Sethuraju R. and Sole J. in their journal titled “Understanding Death Penalty Support” they look at the debates taken by both sides. From the journal, death penalty is the most intense form of sentence one can get. With a death penalty then one is likely to have committed a very heinous crime. Those in support of the punishment have argued that death penalty helps in deterring certain crimes from happening. When a person knows the risk of committing a certain crime then they are likely to avoid it. For the abolitionist, most have argued that death penalty does not serve the role of prisons which is helping people become better. The chances of also putting an innocent man on death row are also high and once this is done, nothing much can be done. The research closely looks at the arguments that seems to arise on both sides including the fact that death penalty is an expensive mode of punishment and that money being used to punish these offenders may be channeled into something else (Sethuraju, 2016).

According to Gross et al (20014) the Death penalty was introduced in the United States as a legal practice used a tool of delivering justice to those who have committed crimes.it is regarded as necessary to those who have committed a crime in the united states. Thus, the judicial systems developed such as the death penalty that is in contemporary society referred to as capital punishment. Although on the decline death penalty continues to arouse controversy in the justice department especially on how it is being used, its legality and how it is effective in reducing recidivism and prevent people from committing capital offenses (Gross et al 2014). The development of this review in order to be complete highlights the history of the death penalty, the reduced number of deaths penalties and the likelihood of its reducing further and further. It shows the minimal contribution of the death penalty to their main aim that is reducing the committing of capital offenses. It shows the effectiveness of the death penalty as a way to reduce the chances of one recommitting an offense. And showing how the Americans are against the constitutional provision of the death penalty as the majority of these people call for its abolishment’s. The death penalty is regarded as a practice that has come of age and that it should be banned by the federal government. The review develops a gap in the review of the death penalty as there is an impact on the families of the victims who are executed convicts, thus the need to asses psychological and mental effects.

There have been arguments that have been presented on how effective death penalty is especially in deterring crimes. According to a research conducted by John Lamperti (1994), he examines the role of Capital punishment in deterring murder. In his research he concluded that capital punishment had a little deterrence to homicides and murder. He gives example of people who have killed in order to invite execution as a form of execution. A good example is where he cites how Clinton Duffy who was a warden in San Quentin prison stated that several homicide cases were as a result of the death penalty and the punishment did not deter the crime.

Since the first use of the death penalty in 1608, there has been a number of documentaries developed to focus, analyses and discuss the practice. The first execution was experienced in the British North American colonies where they executed Captain George Kendall at Jamestown colony through the firing squad. Captain George was convicted for trying to spy on the Spanish government. The execution was shown often carried out by either the firing at the convict or hanging of the convict (Shirley & Gelman,2015). By the year 1991, in the view of Gross et al (2014), there had been over 15,200 cases of people executed after being sentenced to death. Cruel and unusual punishment was prohibited by the American constitution upon the 8th amendments of the bill of rights adopted in 1789, (Shirley & Gelman,2015). It is from the historical period in which death sentences attracted controversies with Barkan and Cohan (1994) extensively studying resistance movements against the implementation and use of the death penalty. According to Barkan and Cohan (1994), death sentences and resistance to these practices begun as early as 1846 in the United States. The case of Gregg vs Georgia saw the height of abolition of the death penalty although the authors through a number of states had abolished the practice before this case (Barkan & Cohan,1994).

The judiciary took a proactive approach in reduction of the number of death penalty cases reducing the death conviction cases drastically. A study by Shirley and Gelman in 2015 showed how differently the citizens of the United States perceived the legality of the death penalty. Majority of the Americans thought perceived the death penalty as a cruel and unusual punishment that the state and the federal government should abolish. These were developed as finding from the study whose focus was on the effectiveness of the death penalty practice. Although these findings suggested otherwise, the federal government and other state governments widely use the death penalty and are still recommended for federal cases (Shirley & Gelman,2015).

There was a major development in the death penalty practice in 1972 when the supreme court suspended the use of the death penalty against crimes of a capital offense. Although the suspension did not last for long, Welsh and Pfeffer (2013), viewed that this suspension came as a huge relief to the public who had mixed reactions. According to the authors, the use of the death penalty is was a violation of the fourth and eight amendments of the American constitution thus being unconstitutional (Welsh and Pfeffer,2013). This suspension did not remove the death penalty from the constitution as it was only the opinion of judges without a rationale. In a legal bombshell, the writers show how the death sentences were reduced from the pending death conviction to life imprisonment. Welsh and Pfeffer (2013) noted that the suspension was developed as a result of inconsistencies before the law thus it did not guarantee equality.

Although death sentences have been in effect since 1608, capital offences are still being reported every day showing the inefficiency of the death penalty. A study by Canes-Wrone, Clark and Kelly (2014), the finding showed that Americans thought of the death penalty as an ineffective measure to reducing or stopping people from committing capital offenses. The study shows that the united nations tend to enforce the death penalty not as a measure of deterring but as a way of showing those with intent to commit an offense to often think before committing. The study proves that Americans do not think twice before committing a capital offense as there are a number of murder cases being reported on a daily basis. Use of death sentence to deter capital offences is no longer an effective way (Cane-Wrone, Clark and Kelly, 2014). The study is supported findings from a study by Acker (2017) that recorded a 59% of Americans who acknowledged and viewed the death penalty as a cruel unusual punishment thus unconstitutional. Every person has a right to live hence as a democratic nation, the United States should lead in protecting the rights of its citizens (Acker,2017). The findings from Acker’s study show that the black community view the death sentence as a scheme to infringe on their rights by the dominant race (Barkan & Cohan,1994).

Although the application of the death sentence across 30 states and its recommendation by the federal government, the review findings show that it is on the decline. The review shows the development of the death penalty as a punishment of capital offences dating back to 1608. From the studies reviews, they confirm that the 30 counties still apply the death penalty as a punishment for capital offenders. The review findings indicate that the United States view the use of death sentence although not that effective as a way to deter people from committing capital crimes (Shirley & Gelman,2015). It shows various resistance for the application of the death sentence and how it is unconstitutional based on the American constitutional amendments that abolished the use of cruel and unusual punishments in its 8th amendment. It is believed that with the landmark ruling that suspended the use of death sentence by the supreme court in 1972, the cases of death sentences convictions are drastically reducing.

References

Acker, J. R. (2017). Scrutinizing the death penalty: State death penalty study commissions and their recommendations. The death penalty today (pp. 45-76). CRC Press.

Barkan, S. E., & Cohn, S. F. (1994). Racial prejudice and support for the death penalty by whites. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 31(2), 202-209.

Canes-Wrone, B., & Clark, T. S. Kelly., Jason P. 2014.“. Judicial Selection and Death Penalty Decisions.” American Political Science Review, 108(1), 23-39.

Lamperti, J., Marshall, J., & Nixon, R. M. (1994). Does Capital Punishment Deter Murder?. URL (consulted 17 May 2004) http://www. dartmouth. edu/~ chance/teaching_aids/books_articles/JLpaper. pdf.

Lynch, M. (2002). Capital punishment as moral imperative: Pro-death-penalty discourse on the Internet. Punishment & Society, 4(2), 213-236.

Sethuraju, R., Sole, J., & Oliver, B. E. (2016). Understanding death penalty support and opposition among criminal justice and law enforcement students. SAGE Open, 6(1), 2158244015624952.

Shirley, K. E., & Gelman, A. (2015). Hierarchical models for estimating state and demographic trends in US death penalty public opinion. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society), 178(1), 1-28.

Vito, A. G., & Vito, G. F. (2014). Capital punishment. The Encyclopedia of Theoretical Criminology, 1-4.

Welsh, B. C., & Pfeffer, R. D. (2013). Reclaiming crime prevention in an age of punishment: An American history. Punishment & Society, 15(5), 534-553.

Introduction of the Scenario (2)

Deliberating Stratification

Student’s name

Institutional affiliation

Introduction of the Scenario

There is a small yacht that is carrying 12 passengers and the captain. The demographics of the individuals include a teenage girl, a police officer, a 65-year old man college president, a 55-year old female nurse, a pregnant woman, her husband, a Black Lives Matter activist, a gay man, a ballet dancer, a botanist, a professional athlete, and a famous playwright. Suddenly, the yacht begins to sink while still far from the share of an island that has not been inhibited. The captain discovers that the radio is not functional so he opts to use the lifeboat to ferry people to the distant island. However, the dilemma is that the lifeboat can only hold eight (8) people otherwise it will sink. Additionally, the lifeboat only has enough gas to make one trip to the island. Because the boat has a total number of 13 people (captain included), you agree that four people and the captain will remain behind for the sake of everybody’s survival while 8 proceed to go to the island. This text is an attempt to make a decision about which four individuals will remain behind and who will be rescued. It makes a case for each member left behind and each member who is rescued. This is a tough call to make seeing that the chances of being rescued are rather minimal.

Members to Take and Why

In this scenario, I would make the hard decision of saving the teenage girl, the 55-year old female nurse, the pregnant woman, her husband, a gay man, a Black Lives Matter (BLM) activist, the professional athlete, and the famous playwright while the rest of the individuals remain behind. Although the decision is a difficult one to make, I would endeavor to save the lives of the most vulnerable people and those that would be most helpful, given the situation at hand. This is not to say that some lives are important than others. To begin with, I would make the decision to have all women present board the lifeboat and proceed to the island. This is because I believe women and children are most vulnerable in times and suffer the most in times of crisis. As such, I would first rescue the teenage girl, the 55-year old girl, and the pregnant woman. The pregnant woman should be a priority because she is carrying another life and having her go to the uninhabited island protects the life of not one but two people. Moreover, I would proceed to rescue the husband of the pregnant child for two main reasons. I would like to keep them together since they are a family and leaving the man behind leaves the woman without a person to help her in case of an emergency. I would not deny a child a chance to grow up with his father. The man can also be of help in navigating the lifeboat. I would also make the decision to save the gay man seeing that he belongs to a minority group. I would also save the Black Lives Matter Activist by virtue of the work they do and the impact they are making in society. The professional athlete would board the boat on the premise that he is physically fit which makes him the most suitable person to navigate the lifeboat. With the assistance of the pregnant woman’s husband and the gay man, the athlete will ensure the boat gets to the island. I would also rescue the famous playwright on the premise that they are in the creative field which does not have many people in the profession.

Members to Leave Behind and Why

In addition to the captain, I would leave the police officer, the 65-year old male college president, the ballet dancer, and the botanist behind. My reason for leaving the police officer behind would that compared to the other men who I rescued, the police officer is used to crisis by the nature of his profession. He has gone through training to help him get through tough situations. As such, he is better placed to fight for his life even after the boat capsizes. I am assuming that the police go through swimming training. I would leave the 65-year-old man who is a president at a nearby college because he is more expendable than the women and the men who were rescued. It would be better to give a younger person a chance of survival. Additionally, I would settle on leaving the botanist behind because compared to the women, the gay man, the husband, and the activist that were rescued, the botanist is more expendable. Even if I rescue the botanist, he is less likely to make any impact particularly because of the work he is involved in. The Ballet dancer would also remain behind because unfortunately, their demographic is more expendable than the others. A ballet dancer is creative but given the situation, I would only save one creative at the expense of the others. This is why I had the famous playwright board the lifeboat.

Reflections on My Beliefs

My choices say a lot about my personal beliefs. I believe that in times of crisis and uncertainty, women and children are the ones that suffer most, and for this reason, they should always be prioritized. I also believe that from a sociological perspective women are more important than men because of the role of childbearing which they carry. What I mean is that women should be protected because, without them, society would not grow its population. While one man can make many women pregnant at once, a woman can only give birth to one child at once. This shows that as long as women are present, society will continue growing in size. Additionally, from the analysis, I feel that minority groups such as LBGTI individuals should be protected at all cost and that aged people are more expendable than the younger population. I also believe that a person’s career influenced my decisions largely, for instance, I rescued the athlete because he is physically fit meaning that he will help navigate the lifeboat bringing everyone to safety.

Reflections of Assumptions

As I was deciding on who to rescue and who to leave behind, I made various assumptions. I assumed that the professional athlete is a man although their gender is not mentioned. I made this assumption because I wanted him to provide manpower because compared to women, men are stronger than women. Additionally, I assumed that the Black Lives Matter Activist, the police officer, and the captain is a man. I assumed the police officer is a man because men are more likely to join the police service than women. This is not to mean that women are not capable of being police officers. Society associates the field with insecurity and risks which discourage women from joining the police service. I also assumed that the Black Lives Matter Activist does not identify as an LGBTI individual. LGBTI activists do not necessarily mean that the individual has to identify as LGBTI, they simply have to believe in the cause. I also assumed that the police officer can swim because of the comprehensive training they go through before joining the service industry.

Reflections about the Current Periods and Culture

My choices to the fact I am the current time of this occurrence is before the dawn of technology and the internet. The call I made to ensure I save as many lives as possible show that I am part of a new culture that recognizes the different needs of various demographics, For instance, if the situation happened in the current age where there are cell phones, I would have made calls on the mainland or send a text requesting for assistance. I also recognize that women, youth, and children are delicate beings who are disproportionately affected in times of crisis that is why I ensured that they there the first to board the lifeboat.

Conclusion

In the case of a scenario that involves choosing which lives to save and which ones to leave behind, it is rather hard to decide, there is no correct way to approach it. In this scenario, choosing the people to board and the ones to save is just a matter of prioritizing the needs of the most vulnerable. This does not mean that the lives of some people are more important than others. I made the hard decision of saving the teenage girl, the 55-year old female nurse, the pregnant woman, her husband, a gay man, a Black Lives Matter (BLM) activist, the professional athlete, and the famous playwright while the rest of the people remain behind.

Introduction of the Scenario

Deliberating Stratification

Student’s name

Institutional affiliation

Introduction of the Scenario

There is a small yacht that is carrying 12 passengers and the captain. The demographics of the individuals include a teenage girl, a police officer, a 65-year old man college president, a 55-year old female nurse, a pregnant woman, her husband, a Black Lives Matter activist, a gay man, a ballet dancer, a botanist, a professional athlete, and a famous playwright. Suddenly, the yacht begins to sink while still far from the share of an island that has not been inhibited. The captain discovers that the radio is not functional so he opts to use the lifeboat to ferry people to the distant island. However, the dilemma is that the lifeboat can only hold eight (8) people otherwise it will sink. Additionally, the lifeboat only has enough gas to make one trip to the island. Because the boat has a total number of 13 people (captain included), you agree that four people and the captain will remain behind for the sake of everybody’s survival while 8 proceed to go to the island. This text is an attempt to make a decision about which four individuals will remain behind and who will be rescued. It makes a case for each member left behind and each member who is rescued. This is a tough call to make seeing that the chances of being rescued are rather minimal.

Members to Take and Why

In this scenario, I would make the hard decision of saving the teenage girl, the 55-year old female nurse, the pregnant woman, her husband, a gay man, a Black Lives Matter (BLM) activist, the professional athlete, and the famous playwright while the rest of the individuals remain behind. Although the decision is a difficult one to make, I would endeavor to save the lives of the most vulnerable people and those that would be most helpful, given the situation at hand. This is not to say that some lives are important than others. To begin with, I would make the decision to have all women present board the lifeboat and proceed to the island. This is because I believe women and children are most vulnerable in times and suffer the most in times of crisis. As such, I would first rescue the teenage girl, the 55-year old girl, and the pregnant woman. The pregnant woman should be a priority because she is carrying another life and having her go to the uninhabited island protects the life of not one but two people. Moreover, I would proceed to rescue the husband of the pregnant child for two main reasons. I would like to keep them together since they are a family and leaving the man behind leaves the woman without a person to help her in case of an emergency. I would not deny a child a chance to grow up with his father. The man can also be of help in navigating the lifeboat. I would also make the decision to save the gay man seeing that he belongs to a minority group. I would also save the Black Lives Matter Activist by virtue of the work they do and the impact they are making in society. The professional athlete would board the boat on the premise that he is physically fit which makes him the most suitable person to navigate the lifeboat. With the assistance of the pregnant woman’s husband and the gay man, the athlete will ensure the boat gets to the island. I would also rescue the famous playwright on the premise that they are in the creative field which does not have many people in the profession.

Members to Leave Behind and Why

In addition to the captain, I would leave the police officer, the 65-year old male college president, the ballet dancer, and the botanist behind. My reason for leaving the police officer behind would that compared to the other men who I rescued, the police officer is used to crisis by the nature of his profession. He has gone through training to help him get through tough situations. As such, he is better placed to fight for his life even after the boat capsizes. I am assuming that the police go through swimming training. I would leave the 65-year-old man who is a president at a nearby college because he is more expendable than the women and the men who were rescued. It would be better to give a younger person a chance of survival. Additionally, I would settle on leaving the botanist behind because compared to the women, the gay man, the husband, and the activist that were rescued, the botanist is more expendable. Even if I rescue the botanist, he is less likely to make any impact particularly because of the work he is involved in. The Ballet dancer would also remain behind because unfortunately, their demographic is more expendable than the others. A ballet dancer is creative but given the situation, I would only save one creative at the expense of the others. This is why I had the famous playwright board the lifeboat.

Reflections on My Beliefs

My choices say a lot about my personal beliefs. I believe that in times of crisis and uncertainty, women and children are the ones that suffer most, and for this reason, they should always be prioritized. I also believe that from a sociological perspective women are more important than men because of the role of childbearing which they carry. What I mean is that women should be protected because, without them, society would not grow its population. While one man can make many women pregnant at once, a woman can only give birth to one child at once. This shows that as long as women are present, society will continue growing in size. Additionally, from the analysis, I feel that minority groups such as LBGTI individuals should be protected at all cost and that aged people are more expendable than the younger population. I also believe that a person’s career influenced my decisions largely, for instance, I rescued the athlete because he is physically fit meaning that he will help navigate the lifeboat bringing everyone to safety.

Reflections of Assumptions

As I was deciding on who to rescue and who to leave behind, I made various assumptions. I assumed that the professional athlete is a man although their gender is not mentioned. Additionally, I assumed that the Black Lives Matter Activist, the police officer, and the captain is a man. I also assumed that the Black Lives Matter Activist does not identify as an LGBTI individual. I also assumed that the police officer can swim.

Reflections about the Current Periods and Culture

My choices to the fact I am the current time of this occurrence is before the dawn of technology and the internet. The call I made to ensure I save as many lives as possible show that I am part of a new culture that recognizes the different needs of various demographics, For instance, if the situation happened in the current age where there are cell phones, I would have made calls on the mainland or send a text requesting for assistance. I also recognize that women, youth, and children are delicate beings who are disproportionately affected in times of crisis that is why I ensured that they there the first to board the lifeboat.

Conclusion

In the case of a scenario that involves choosing which lives to save and which ones to leave behind, it is rather hard to decide, there is no correct way to approach it. In this scenario, choosing the people to board and the ones to save is just a matter of prioritizing the needs of the most vulnerable. This does not mean that the lives of some people are more important than others. I made the hard decision of saving the teenage girl, the 55-year old female nurse, the pregnant woman, her husband, a gay man, a Black Lives Matter (BLM) activist, the professional athlete, and the famous playwright while the rest of the people remain behind.