Is Political Analysis a Scientific Enterprise Should It Be

Table of Contents Literature review Quantification Falsifiability Epistemology Conclusion Bibliography Footnotes According to Fay (1996)1, the study of political science involves a close analysis of dates, governments and politics. This discipline concerns with the study of human behavior and all issues related to politics as observed in controlled environments. This means that it would be very difficult to reproduce results through experimental methods.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is Political Analysis a ‘Scientific’ Enterprise? Should It Be? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Many scholars have argued that the study should be based on observations rather than experiments. Historically, most advances and conclusions in political science are derived from observations of the general trends of nation’s politics and government. The fact that the results from studying a variety of government s of a given number of nations limits the probability of obtaining reproducible results and thus limits the study of political science to be classified as a scientific enterprise. Political analysts utilize a variety of means to obtain their research data. Most primary data is obtained through historic records and official documents. The secondary materials have been traditionally derived from results of surveys, case studies, statistical analyses and experimental models and research buildings. Political science builds its theories on critical observations of political elites, individuals and groups, as well as institutions. These patterns are drawn, generalized before the theories are being created. The correlation between the study of political science and science is a subject to debate due to some specifications that scientific studies and models stipulate as mandatory in all scientific models. This paper analyzes some of the scientific requirements in a scientific enterprise and then correlates them to the model and research methods used by political analysts to draw its conclusions Literature review The definition of political science has changed over the years since the 1950s. Initially, the discipline had been comprehensively descriptive in nature, but has since relied on statistical methods. Political analysts have over the years rejected political science as a science based on two approaches: practical and philosophical objections. In the first one believes that political behaviors are very complex and therefore mislead researchers having made the data collection quite hard. Philosophical objections, on the other hand, base their arguments on the fact that human reasoning cannot be objectively quantified. This leaves observations and perceptions by the researchers as the only alternative (Rosenberg, 2012)2.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Polit ical analysis lacks a standard methodology for quantifying the validity of its measurements and therefore makes it hard for obtaining testable results. The complexity and uniqueness of the political analysis make the results of the study unreliable. According to Cherry (2010)3, reliability is a measure of consistency of a given measurement. For a test to be reliable, it must deliver similar results on a regular basis. The results are independent of the reason for administering the test, but should be approximately similar every time the test is done (Cherry, 2010)4. Unfortunately, mathematical quantification is not possible in political analysis when making approximations about the reliability of a given test. Two aspects are normally considered in science: inter-later and internal reliability. In order to assess the first one, a minimum two independent judges should score the test. The scores are then analyzed to establish the consistency of the rater’s approximations. †Å"The best way to test inter-rater reliability is to assign each rater to test a score† (Silva, 2010)5. Then, the test administrator computes the correlation between two ratings to establish the degree of inter-rater reliability. On the other hand, internal reliability is a measure of consistency of test results conducted on the same test. The researches compare test variables, which measure the same construct to establish the tests internal consistency(Cherry, 2010)6. On many occasions, these tests involve very similar or repetitive questions that are utilized to assess the reliability. Since the questions are identical and are structured to answer the same phenomena, the researcher must provide answers to the question in a similar fashion meaning that the test has internal consistency (Cherry, 2010)7. Political analysis lacks a standard methodology for quantifying the validity of its measurements and therefore makes it hard to obtain testable results. Additionally, science c apitalizes on knowledge to explain how phenomena is the way it is. As a result, theories and testable predictions based on empirical reliability are created. The more similar observations are observed, the more the theory is deemed to be testable and therefore correct. Poor consistency of the human behavior thus reduces the rate of testability of the theories and consequently reduces the reliability of the results (Silva, 2010)8.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is Political Analysis a ‘Scientific’ Enterprise? Should It Be? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Political analysis is a social study and involves numerous examples of complex human behaviors. Human beings are neither identical nor interchangeable. Their complex nature makes them lack a general conclusion based on the results of the methodology used. In science, generalization is a must concept and relies on the building relationships between two or more facts and utilizes empirical generalization to reach a credible conclusion (Buttolph Reynolds, 2012)9. Since humans cannot be put in a Petri dish in an effort to control their behaviors to study certain variables, the validity of the results obtained is thus questionable. It would be important to look at the definition of variability as an important factor in quantifying scientific studies (Silva, 2010)10. Validity is defined as the ability of an instrument to achieve its goals. Tests should be valid in order to ease interpretation, and provide accurate application of the results. Validity is a measure that uses research methods that can demonstrate the existence of a predefined relationship between the test and the behavior it is supposed to measure. There are two types of validity measures: content and face validity. In case the elements of the test represent the whole range of possible results the test should cover, then the test have content validity (Silva, 2010)11 . Content validity draws the test questions from a wide pool of items covering a wide range of topics. Face validity, on the other hand, is a component of content validity that is determined when the person assessing the instrument makes a conclusion that measures the desired element or trait in the test (Cherry, 2010). Quantification While scientists insist on quantifiable tests, Political analysis, being a social science, relies on behaviors, values, beliefs and so on to make conclusions. This implies that their results cannot be measured accurately. Measurement is a fundamental element of science and although generalizations and assumptions are common, the quantification process must be illustrated clearly.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some political scientists vehemently criticize this approach by citing the scientific methodologies that have been employed historically in science. Galileo, for instance, used a crude telescope to view the moon and other planets. Scientific developments in astronomy were developed from the foundations he discovered through more and more precise observation instruments. Another fundamental element of science is the ability to offer transmissible knowledge. Scientists insist that scientific knowledge must be transmissible or, in other words, they must be explicit enough to allow other scholars to analyze them and replicate their results. Unfortunately, the methodologies used in social sciences are basically based on objective and systematic observations. This means that a fundamental goal of science is left out since the results obtained cannot be verified. The theories constructed from these verifications of public inspection and results are not in a credible position to explain why phenomena behave the way it does (Fay, 1996). In the scientific world, the knowledge is used to describe things and facts, for example, how things are created and why they are what they are. On the other hand, political analysis depends on causal relationships which derive their results from correlations in order to establish useful and important information. These however fail to explain issues related to why and how (Fay, 1996)12. Falsifiability During the development of theories, it must be quite clear whether the theory is falsifiable or not. Science insists that an empirical theory fails to satisfy the fundamental of science if it cannot be proved to be either right or wrong through various tests. When a theory is found to be wrong, it gives the researchers the motivation to look for alternative theories through elimination of the previous theory. The truth is that no political setting is interchangeable. If we argue from this point, it means therefore that the results we will obtain from analysis of a political setting will be subjected to alterations once an identical study is carried out. This would consequently lead to situation where theories will be formulated today and dismissed the following day. Political analysts use case studies to come up with comprehensive theories but fail to generalize them being afraid of criticism from independent similar theories. ‘The Organization of the American Political Science Association’ (2006)13 reported new developments in the scientification of political analysis. In the early 1960s, most political analysts used scientific means to build on the behaviorism during the early foundations of political science as a discipline. However, over the years, these theories have been challenged by different authors owing to their nature of lack of reliability and generalization. The line between facts and values has been a nightmare to most political scientists and other social scientists for a long time. Some held on the argument that values are facts, but in the real scientific world, a clear distinction between the two must be established. Epistemology As one of the key pillars of philosophy, epistemology concentrates on propositional knowledge. The political analysts utilize this approach by classifying certain elements of beliefs and values to be true or false. The results produce normative knowledge which deals with the evaluation and recommendation of what should be rather than what it is, or how it came to be. On the other hand, real science aims at creating a non-normative kind of knowledge which is based on facts or, in other words, the objective determination of what things are. While the real scientific world insists on knowledge being cumulative, the research methods used by previous experiments and results should be used as foundations of new work. Political analysts deal with variation in the settings of political arenas, governments and institutions in such a way that the conclusions from different studies yield different results. In their words, the repeatability, reliability and validity of the data obtained cannot be used to make a general observation. By presenting a systematic a systematic and well reasoned anticipation, science is able to make accurate predictions for future occurrence of events. Thus, science is in a position to generate predictions for the future. Social analysis fails in generalization of its theories and therefore most of its conclusions cannot be used to predict the occurrence of future events (Fay, 1996)14. Science relies on parsimony in an effort to give other researchers a chance to choose between alternatives. Scientists therefore prefer methodologies that give a vivid explanation of phenomena while maintaining few parameters. In real scientific research, deductive arguments must not necessarily be reached. These relate to arguments that are proved to be true â€Å"through the use of a series of logical statements to derive a conclusion based on true premises† (Buttolph Reynolds, 2012)15. Although deductive reasoning is used in political analysis, inductive reasoning prevails in most research work making inferences though observations and propositions (Buttolph Reynolds, 2012)16. This brings the issue of probabilistic explanation. In science, it is required that 100% accuracy be met prior to making any predictions. The use of inductive reasoning therefore forbids this practice of making prediction based on previous findings. In other words, every situation in political analysis requires an independent research and conclusion. For example, if a researcher was to research about the political situation in a country, say Britain, it would be wrong to make inferences about the United States using the results of the study. On the other hand, a scientific experiment could be reproduced to another similar case. For example, the behavior of bacteria inside a Petri dish could be used to make gene ral conclusions about the behavior of all similar bacteria. From the given example, several observations can be made. The situation of political institutions in Britain and America are likely to change with time. By the time the study was taken, several parameters such as the nature of economy and the general perceptions of the respondents will have changed. The scientific study of bacteria in the same environment and conditions will yield similar results day-in-day-out. We therefore concluded that the Petri dish experimental results are reproducible, valid and reliable. Reliability is important in this case in order to assess the practicability and efficiency of the materials used to gather the data (Martin, 1994)17. Conclusion The paper analyzed the scientific approach of research and made equal comparison to the study of political science. The scientific approach look more tangible and reflective results compared to the social science approach. The paper concluded that political analysis therefore cannot be classified as a scientific enterprise. For a long time, the study has based its reflections on descriptions obtained through observations. The fact that these systems are undergoing transformations to include statistical inferences suggests the birth of a new approach to the subject. At the moment, the scientific requirements for a theory to satisfy the discussed expectations of a scientific study do not allow the prevalent method in political analysis to be described as a scientific approach. Deductive reasoning may not be practical in political analysis since every time the research is carried out, the probability of obtaining different data is high. Bibliography Buttolph, J Reynolds, T H, 2012, Political Science Research Methods, 7th edn., sage Publications, http://college.cqpress.com/sites/psrm/Home/chapter2.aspx Cherry, K, 2010, Reliability and Validity, viewed on http://psychology.about.com/od/researchmethods/f/validity.htm Fay, B, 1996, Contempo rary philosophy of social science: a multicultural approach. Blackwell, Oxford. Martin, M, 1994, Readings in the philosophy of social science, MIT Press, Cambridge. Rosenberg, A, 2012, Philosophy of social science, Westview Press, Boulder, CO. Silva, E, 2010, Racism without racists: color-blind racism and the persistence of racial inequality in the United States, Rowman Littlefield Publishers, Lanham. ‘The Organization of the American Political Science Association’, 2006, Proceedings of the American Political Science Association, Vol. 1, pp. 5-15, First Annual Meeting, 1904. Footnotes 1 Fay, B, 1996, Contemporary philosophy of social science: a multicultural approach. Blackwell, Oxford. 2 Rosenberg, A, 2012, Philosophy of social science, Westview Press, Boulder, CO. 3 Cherry, K, 2010, Reliability and Validity, viewed on http://psychology.about.com/od/researchmethods/f/validity.htm 4 Cherry, K, 2010, Reliability and Validity, viewed on http://psychology.about.com/od/re searchmethods/f/validity.htm 5 Silva, E, 2010, Racism without racists: color-blind racism and the persistence of racial inequality in the United States, Rowman Littlefield Publishers, Lanham. 66 Cherry, K, 2010, Reliability and Validity, viewed on http://psychology.about.com/od/researchmethods/f/validity.htm 7 Cherry, K, 2010, Reliability and Validity, viewed on http://psychology.about.com/od/researchmethods/f/validity.htm 8 Silva, E, 2010, Racism without racists: color-blind racism and the persistence of racial inequality in the United States, Rowman Littlefield Publishers, Lanham. 9 Buttolph, J Reynolds, T H, 2012, Political Science Research Methods, 7th edn., sage Publications, http://college.cqpress.com/sites/psrm/Home/chapter2.aspx Cherry, K, 2010, Reliability and Validity, viewed on http://psychology.about.com/od/researchmethods/f/validity.htm 10 Silva, E, 2010, Racism without racists: color-blind racism and the persistence of racial inequality in the United States, Rowman Littlefield Publishers, Lanham. 11 Silva, E, 2010, Racism without racists: color-blind racism and the persistence of racial inequality in the United States, Rowman Littlefield Publishers, Lanham. 12 Fay, B, 1996, Contemporary philosophy of social science: a multicultural approach. Blackwell, Oxford. 13 ‘The Organization of the American Political Science Association’, 2006, Proceedings of the American Political Science Association, Vol. 1, pp. 5-15, First Annual Meeting, 1904. 14 Fay, B, 1996, Contemporary philosophy of social science: a multicultural approach. Blackwell, Oxford. 15 Buttolph, J Reynolds, T H, 2012, Political Science Research Methods, 7th edn., sage Publications, http://college.cqpress.com/sites/psrm/Home/chapter2.aspx Cherry, K, 2010, Reliability and Validity, viewed on http://psychology.about.com/od/researchmethods/f/validity.htm 16 Buttolph, J Reynolds, T H, 2012, Political Science Research Methods, 7th edn., Sage Publications, http://college.cqpre ss.com/sites/psrm/Home/chapter2.aspx 17 Martin, M, 1994, Readings in the philosophy of social science, MIT Press, Cambridge. This essay on Is Political Analysis a ‘Scientific’ Enterprise? Should It Be? was written and submitted by user Madeline Robbins to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

People of The Setting Sun essays

People of The Setting Sun essays Close inspection of The Setting Sun by Dazai Osamu allows one to see a particular family battle changing times that are affecting a whole nation of people. Paralleled in many ways by the author's own reality, we see how this deep message is more than just a fiction story. As a nation, Japan had just surrendered to the U.S. ending their participation in WWII. With the end of this battle, a new one on the home front began. In a sense, the tradition of Japan died with the war; there is a definite passing of a generation/era of people. The country is now caught in a state of shock as they try to piece together new lives. This is by no means a simple task when tradition is pulling from one side and an influx of modern ways and ideas are pulling from the other. Through the analyzation of Mother, Kazuko, and Naoji, the notion of a nation struggling to grasp a new modern identity while coping with the decline of a social order that has stood strong for so many years is unfolded from b eginning to end creating mixed feelings of hope and depression for the people of the setting sun. Due to WWII, Kazuko and her mother must leave Tokyo and establish residents in nearby village. Kazuko's brother, Naoji, has been fighting in the war and upon its conclusion, comes home to his sister and mother with a terrible drug addiction. Naoji has an artist friend who acts as a mentor/drinking buddy. The death of the mother shows the passing of a generation, and the suicide of Naoji exemplifies the feelings of depression and hopelessness that float over Japan. Kazuko becomes the heroin of the story when she creates a positive experience in the middle of this chaotic time. She bears a child which acts as a symbol for a fresh start and new hope during a time when that is just what is needed. The beginning scene of the novel is a great description for the type of women that Mother was. By explaining how she eats her soup or "wee wee's" in the garde...

American Literacy in the Age of Information Essay Example for Free

American Literacy in the Age of Information Essay The age of information is demonstrated by the development of technology. The American culture has adopted and adapted to a new practice of transmitting and accepting information. Although the age of information presents an outlet for creative expression and exploration, American literacy is in a transitional period because technology is constantly changing and the unlimited amount of capabilities and influence that technology has upon education and communication are significant and since technology is still in the process of development it raises concerns about privacy acts and ethical issues. While this new era enables the opportunity to send and receive information so quickly and efficiently, the new digital age of information requires being educated and knowledgeable about information technology in order to achieve success. Information technology is a term that may be described in many ways but ultimately, information technology (IT) is considered a general term applied to all computer- based technologies of human communications (Information Technology, 2006). Literacy of this time may be simply defined as â€Å"basic competence in reading and writing† (Literacy, 2006). The World Wide Web offers opportunities of unlimited information that could be accessed from anywhere at any time as long as there is internet connection. The freedom to explore and express has two outcomes- to progress society or decline society. Technology has major influences in all trades of the world, but it starts with education. â€Å"Technological education can provide students with a wealth of information and knowledge, which they can then use in the future to pursue related career or simply as a subject of interest and intrigue† (Importance of Technology in Schools, 2009). Creativity and encouragement for young minds to explore all the possibilities produces more productive adults. The introduction of the internet is obviously a worldwide phenomenon. Although this phenomenon provides unlimited access to any genre of information, it may not be true. Educating students on how to productively search for information and how to evaluate credible material makes all of the difference. Furthermore, American literacy is in the process of transition that is constantly improving education and communication. Each individual has different learning capabilities separating themselves from others. The traditional ways of reading and writing with books and pens and paper are updated. It is now made much more convenient, just at a touch! The ability of modern technology provides education for students and adults with special needs that a regular education cannot meet. â€Å"Despite the lack of data showing that technology has a tremendous effect in the classroom; teachers have found that using technology may help address students’ specific learning needs. Charles MacArthur, a special education professor at the University of Delaware, explains that students who have learning disabilities, including dyslexia, typically need help with transcription processes to produce text, spell, and punctuate correctly. However, any students having trouble with writing fluency can benefit from teachers integrating technology into the classroom. And sometimes tried-and-true technology works the best† (Allen, 2008). Addressing students special needs are vital because it encourages and guides them to reach their full potential. The world of technology created an opportunity for special needs students to learn and communicate just as well as independent students. Have you ever wondered what the world would be like without communication? The basic method of communication such as telegraphy advanced to â€Å"snail mail† and it is now at the stage of texting and emailing. Technology is used as a tool in various approaches and may be beneficial or harmful. Finally, the freedom of the new age of information is limitless which raises concerns about privacy laws and ethical issues. With the good, comes the bad. It seems as though there is no way around it. As beneficial as technology is, issues of ethics and privacy concerns Americans who are violated of their personal information. The conveniences of being able to shop, pay bills, create and maintain online accounts online leaves vulnerability to identity thefts and fraud. A USA report suggest that although many Americans acknowledge the potential benefits of being able to interact with government online, similar proportions of the population express concerns about the privacy and security of their personal information submitted through government websites (The New E-Governement equation, 2003). Regulating the internet is going to be a battle. The freedom to explore quality in the truth is a personal right. Criminals and violators will constantly prey on their victims. The resolution lies within the future, but the solution starts with each individual protecting their own identity and prevents fraud and theft. The age of information provides an outlet to send and receive information quickly and efficiently. It is important for students to correctly learn how to utilize the web to enhance their creative expression and information technology comprehension. Education and knowledge is the most powerful took to use when conducting anything. Technology is only progressing and dominating the world. American literacy could not be described as more or less in today’s society but rather enhanced and evolved into normalcy. References: * Education Update:Leveraging Technology to Improve Literacy:Leveraging Technology to Improve Literacy. (2008). Membership, policy, and professional development for educators – ASCD. Retrieved 2012, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education- * Excellence in Government – Home | Online Registration by Cvent. (2003). Retrieved 2012, from http://www.excelgov.org/usermedia/images/uploads/PDFs/egovpoll2003.pdf * Importance of technology in schools | Centre for Education in Science & Technology. (2009).Centre for Education in Science & Technology. Retrieved 2012, from http://www.cest.org.uk/importance-of-technology-in-schools/ * literacy. (2006). In Collins Dictionary of Sociology.

Strategy in action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategy in action - Essay Example Despite the challenge, interventions have been developed to help in organization of knowledge especially based on new technologies. Knowledge management systems have been embraced by many organizations in an effort to ensure that the dynamics of knowledge are controlled. Researchers have developed divergent views concerning knowledge management. They attribute it to performance, market share, competitive advantage, market positioning, and sustainability of the organization. Despite all these benefits, knowledge management is seen as a thorn in the flesh of large and complex organizations. Large and complex organizations depict complexities and bureaucracy in the management of knowledge. The management of knowledge in large and complex organizations is a tedious process that involves a number of processes, usually involving several people. The involvements of many people in the process create a scenario where knowledge does not reach on time or is corrupted in the process. In order for any knowledge to be approved from the lower cadres to the management of an organization, there is likelihood of conflicts based on the influence of decisions made. According to Franz et al (2002), knowledge ‘islands’ are inevitable in large organizations where there are parities in the knowledge that is embraced by a given group based on common aspects such as being in the same office, department or team. It is noteworthy that the organization has to share common goals; hence, the knowledge at their disposal should ideally be similar. However, complex organizations may serv e different purposes, which may require them to adopt some knowledge that varies from the other teams. The management of knowledge in large organizations is cumbersome based on the view that knowledge can occur in various forms. As well put by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995, p.9) in their model, there are two types of knowledge.

Play review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Play review - Essay Example Every man in the town wanted to ask her for a hand for marriage because of her success and beauty. Similarly, Portia’s father loved her and as though he foresaw the challenges that his daughter would face, he decided to leave behind three strongboxes. Each box had a different message addressed to individuals who would try their lack in marrying Portia. Only one of the box contained Portia’s picture and the individual who chose this box had the right to marry her (Williams 67). Different prominent individuals tried their luck and failed. Bassano finally showed up, handsome and whose business was not performing well. His love for Portia drives him to ask for help from Antonia, who promised to give him the money he required to accomplish the task in wooing Portia. Antonia then talked to shylock who agreed to lend him money interest free under the condition that he must refund the money at the stipulated time, failure to which shylock would chop a piece of his body part. Ba ssanio sets his journey to Portia’s who advices him to wait for sometime before making his choose. Bassanio refused and went ahead in his selection on that faithful day, by the grace of God he managed to take the right strongbox. Later the two married and leaved happily thereafter. I did not like the court ruling on the case between Antonio and Shylock. The two characters had an agreement on the terms and conditions of the loan. Shylock had to lend money interest free on the basis that Antonio agreed to refund on time, failure to that, shylock had to cut part of Antonio’s body. Shylock went to seek for the court intervention where the court decides to make a ruling in favor of Antonio (Williams 123). The reason being that, shylock was not a citizen of that country and everyone in the courtroom including the judges were his enemies. At this point, justice failed to prevail. The play

Role of Youth in Politics Essay Example for Free

Role of Youth in Politics Essay Politics is science to manage the country or state. Youth is young blood of nation and active worker of nation. So, it is very necessary and demand of nation that he must take all the responsibility for managing whole country. Without entering in politics, he can not do any welfare activity at large scale because, after getting fund he can do any thing but who will give to him. But, If youth joins politics and make his own Govt. with help of democratic voting system. He can become prime minister of country after this he can make the India as the dream land of Swami Vivekananda. Where there is no corruption, where there is no violence, where there is no black marketing, where there is no cheating, fraud or scam. But where there is only love, where there is only honesty, where there is only co-operation and co-ordination. So, Youth should join politics for improving it . Because without improving or honesty in politics, there is no possibility of development of India. Some body criticize with giving arguing that youth can create violence with his hot blood , if we allow him to enter in politics but all of this We can not overlooked the role of youth in politics . But , I am against unrational youth who want to earn money by selling the country . These days , I need youth like Shri Ram Chandra and Shri Krishna . They were the king of India means today prime minister and still whole India loves him as God . We need not politician like Ravan and Kans who have no respect for women . In India , I am seeing such youth who can take the burden of all social and economic problems by becoming Young Prime minister . But problem is that who brings them in front . If Indian people want to see young India , then they should think the above role of youth in politics and give them support by their Valuable Votes .

Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

The Life Cycle of Zhou-zhuang Introduction This essay aims at presenting historical information and development background of Zhou-zhuang, judging which stage of development it is at and evaluating its future development trend. We applied Butler ¡Ã‚ ¯s Model of Life Cycle to evaluate Zhou-zhuang ¡Ã‚ ¯s current stage and future development. The essay will be developed into three parts. The first part will talk about Zhou-zhuang ¡Ã‚ ¯s exploration stage, the second part will be devoted to its development stage and the third part will be contributed to an evaluation on Zhou-zhuang ¡Ã‚ ¯s current stage in the life circle and its future development trend. Exploration Thanks to a famous painter Yifei Chen ¡Ã‚ ¯s canvas, The Memory of Hometown, Zhou-zhuang ¡Ã‚ ¯s Double Bridge in Misty Rain has been a famous image of Zhou-zhuang and gradually publicized this quiet village to the outside world since 1984. Zhou-zhuang, at that time, only had a population of 2000, most of which lived a life on planting rice. Their annual incomes seldom exceeded 800 Yuan. However, the development of Zhou-zhuang seems a little bit in the nature of things, because it goes very smoothly as well as speedily. Development In 1983, Wu Guanzhong, who was a very famous painter came to sketch in Zhou-zhuang, and he expressed his emotion: ¡Ã‚ °Huangshan Mountain concentrates the beauty of Chinese mountains and streams, while Zhou-zhuang concentrates the beauty of Chinese watery regions. ¡Ã‚ ± These words put great colors to Zhou Village ¡Ã‚ ¯s fame. In 1988, the first township tourism service company was established in Jiangsu province, and 38 sceneries of humanities in about 0.47 square kilometers have undertaken restoration and reconstruction. ¡Ã‚ °The ancient town trio of Zhou-zhuang ¡Ã‚ ±became one of the 16 hot itineraries which were promoted to international market. In 1989, Shen Hall opened to public, and Zhou-zhuang Tourism Service Company issued entrance tickets for the first time with a price of 0.6RMB. In the year of 1994, Zhou-zhuang developed to a wider extend, for Zhang Hall, Chengxu Taoist Temple, and Mi Building opened respectively. In the same year, the entrance tickets with images of Shen Hall, Zhang Hall, Chengxu Taoist Temple, and Mi Building printed on were published, and the price surged to 10RMB. From the year of 1995, the number of tourists to Zhou-zhuang increased rapidly every year with an annually rate of more than 30%. Meanwhile, the incomes of residents there, which benefit from tourism, also increased at the rate of more than 30% every year. In 1999, Zhou-zhuang received visitors about 1.25million both abroad and home; in 2000, the number was 1.

Chantale and Clinton’s Service Expectations Essay

In general, for their past experience Chantale and Clinton’s service expectations to The Canadian are that they provide very customer-oriented service, that is not only the frontline representatives but also every role within the company and its distributors cares for the customers and always think of the best interests of customers. To be more specific, as what we have seen in this case, Chantale and Clinton coupon expected the following: 1) a quick and courteous response and follow up on their request or phone calls instead of keeps transferring their requests from one party to another; 2) Always stay in touch with the customer and provide recent updates and feedback for important changes (e.g., repair could not come on the day); 3) Reliable service, e.g., if you make a promise then you need to keep your promise 4) On time delivery and repair service as well as timely communication to save customer time; 5) Has department to bridge the gaps or escalation the issue in a timely manner 6) Flexibility, e.g., provide a temporary solution that can help the customer while waiting for the appliance to be fixed (delivery a small fridge for temporary use). 7) Care for the customer needs especially monetary needs, e.g., reimbursement Culture factors that influence the development of these expectations are the couple is middle class and they can afford decent brands of products. Their entire family is well-educated and the couple values achievement and success, environment, material comfort and external comfort. Because of their subculture that they are Canadians, fully bilingual and live in Montreal, they give preferences to products delivered by the Canadian based product supplier â€Å"The Canadian†. Social factors are the reference group, e.g., client service team that the couple kept calling to did provide some courteous and polite response, however they had to repeat the same case over and over again which eventually made the couple feel frustrated and angry. From the family factors perspective, Chantele’s brother failed to enjoy a good meal made her feel even more frustrated with the delay of the repair which she expected it should be done on time. Personal factors are that they are well educated and care about the environment, thus they decided to purchase an energy efficient fridge to save energy. In addition, they prefer fresh foods as well as food that meet the dietary needs of youngest child which can be found when they threw away non-fresh foods and require immediate repair of the fridge. Because they are advisors and accounts who can occasionally work from home, they have the luxury to spend hours of their day time calling and waiting for customer service. From the personality and self-concept perspective, Chantale worked at The Canadian during the past as department manager and he considered himself very customer oriented. Therefore, he would think the others in the firm would be like him or his department. From the lifestyle and value perspective, they are more money constrained than time constrained, therefore, they asked for reimbursement for the loss of foods.

The Public Perception of CPAs in Today’s Society

This paper will discuss the public perception of CPAs in today's society, pitfalls that they may encounter, methods to prevent some of these negative behaviors and consequences they may face should they fall short. Most â€Å"Who Do You Trust? † surveys rank politicians, lawyers and used car salesmen at the bottom and certified public accountants at the top. That is because the CPA profession has a squeaky clean image–anal-retentive little wimps who wear thick glasses and cannot get a date. CPAs are known and respected for their honesty. The profession that goes out of its way to project that image, and there is a certain amount of truth to it. Not all accountants are anal-retentive little wimps who cannot get a date. Many of them are quite articulate. Some are quite lovely, in some schools, more than half of the accounting majors are women. Also, not all CPAs are squeaky clean and respected for their honesty. Some are quite dishonest and are putting a black mark on the image of the entire profession. There is one area where the CPA profession has fallen short of protecting the public interest. The general duty that accountants owe to their clients and the other persons who are affected by their actions is to â€Å"exercise the skill and care of the ordinarily prudent accountant† in the same circumstances. Two elements compose the general duty of performance: skill and care. Another element and responsibility is owed to clients and other persons, that is that accountants should observe a standard of ethical or social responsibility. One set of difficulties concerns ethics education's ability to instill the chosen values and to make them stick after the educational process is completed. Instruction in accounting ethics is directed at people whose character-or lack there-of-has largely been formed by the time the instruction occurs. Although such instruction should increase the moral awareness of those who are already predisposed to listen, its effect on the basically self-interested, indifferent, or unethical is questionable. Even those who are positively influenced by ethics instruction, moreover, may still behave irresponsibly if their careers or their livelihoods require them to act in their client's financial interest. Recent pressure to include more ethics instruction in the accounting classroom has placed an emphasis on individuals who have a sense of moral responsibility. An emphasis on codes of conduct may result in students' failure to â€Å"develop discretion and judgment . . . which are more than simply a matter of what acts are forbidden, which are required, and which are permissible† (Whitbeck, 1992, 128). Emphasis on rules may quickly become training in how to get around the rules while remaining technically legal. While students must be acquainted with professional codes of conduct as part of their preparation for a career, most researchers on ethics do not consider such material to be sufficient grounding in ethical training (Fulmer and Cargile 1993:Adams et al. 1995). A few years ago the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts (AICPA), the largest CPA membership organization in the world, decided that starting in the year 2000, new members would have to have 150 semester hour of college credits (5 Years) instead of the present four years to become a member (McGee). On the surface that does not appear to any big deal. No one has to become an AICPA member to practice public accounting or to be a CPA. But, there are several problems with this. The most obvious is that the major group harmed is the students (or parents), who must cough up another $10,000 or $20,000 for a fifth year of education. Then there is the added cost of not having a job for the extra year it will take to complete the fifth year, so there is another $25,000 – $30,000. But that is not all. The segment to the student population most harmed by this insane policy is the segment least likely to be able to pay for a fifth year – blacks, Hispanics, low-income students of whatever persuasion. Poor people and minorities, along with rest of us, will have to face an even higher barrier to entry into the accounting profession. (Metzger 1061) As mentioned earlier is additional education only going to make accountants more proficient at learning techniques to get around laws, perhaps using unethical behaviors? And at the same time force extra barriers on many disadvantaged people hoping to make an honest living? This may be only speculation of the could and could nots of what may happen, but serious food for thought. What are the consequences of these unethical behaviors? Accountants can be held liable for damages to clients and to third parties, he may also be found criminally liable for violation of securities, tax, and other laws. For criminal violations, he may be fined and imprisoned. Wrongful conduct may also result in the issuance of an injunction, which bars him from doing the same acts in the future. In addition, his wrongful conduct may be the subject of administrative proceedings by the Securities and Exchange commission and state licensing boards. An administrative proceeding may result in the revocation of an accountant's license to practice or the suspension from practice. Finally disciplinary proceedings may be brought against an accountant by professional societies such as the AICPA. Most states have statues imposing criminal penalties on accountants who willfully falsify financial statements or other reports in fillings under the state securities laws and who willfully violate the state securities laws or aid and abet criminal violations of these laws by others. Accountants have great responsibilities to their clients and to society. As an accounting major, doing research for this paper has helped to open my eyes to the many aspects of my intended profession. I have realized that it is a very trustworthy profession, held in the highest esteem by the public at large. I know that I must take my job and the trust instilled in me very seriously. I hope that this paper has enlightened you to the pitfalls many certified public accountants face today, both with ethical standards and with impending educational requirements.

Radio Censorship essays

Radio Censorship essays In 1978 a radio station owned by Pacifica Foundation Broadcasting out of New York City was doing a program on contemporary attitudes toward the use of language. This broadcast occurred on a mid-afternoon weekday. Immediately before the broadcast the station announced a disclaimer telling listeners that the program would include "sensitive language which might be regarded as offensive to some."(Gunther, 1991) As a part of the program the station decided to air a 12 minute monologue called "Filthy Words" by comedian George Carlin. The introduction of Carlin's "routine" consisted of, according to Carlin, "words you couldn't say on the public air waves."(Carlin, 1977) The introduction to Carlin's monologue listed those words and repeated them in a variety of colloquialisms: I was thinking about the curse words and the swear words, the cuss words and the words that you can't say, that you're not supposed to say all the time. I was thinking one night about the words you couldn't say on the public, ah, airwaves, um, the ones you definitely wouldn't say, ever. Bastard you can say, and hell and damn so I have to figure out which ones you couldn't and ever and it came down to seven but the list is open to amendment, and infact, has been changed, uh, by now. The original seven words were shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits. Those are the ones that will curve your spine, grow hair on your hands and maybe, even bring us, God help us, peace without honor, and a bourbon. (Carlin, 1977) A man driving with his young son heard this broadcast and reported it to the Federal Communications Commission [FCC]. This broadcast of Carlin's "Filthy Words" monologue caused one of the greatest and most controversial cases in the history of broadcasting. The case of the FCC v. Pacifica Foundation. The outcome of this case has had a lasting effect on what w...

Miller-Urey Experiment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Miller-Urey Experiment - Essay Example There is no denying the fact that this experiment till date is regarded to be a classic experiment pertaining to the origins of life. This experiment was carried on by Harold C Urey and Stanley L Miller at the University of Chicago in the year 1953. The scientific community was in doubt about the chemical components that constituted the atmosphere of the early earth. Thereby in their experiment, Miller and Urey selected Water, Hydrogen, Ammonia and Methane, considering them to be the salient components constituting the atmosphere of the early earth, when the life was still not there (Willis, 2000). These chemicals were made to circulate in an array of flasks and glass tubes which were completely sterilized. These glass tubes and flasks were connected together in a loop as is shown in the above figure. One of the flasks was half filled with water, while the other flask in this loop was fitted with electrodes. The water in the half filled flask was heated to create water vapors in the loop and the gases so created were circulated through the loop to simulate the atmosphere of early earth. The water vapor so produced represented the water in the lakes and rivers on the early earth which eventually evaporated and consequently precipitated down as rain. The electrodes in the other flask were intermittently fired to create lightening storm like effect, which was believed to be pervasive on early earth (Willis, 2000). After carrying on the experiment for one full week, Miller and Urey found out that that almost 10 to 15 percent of the carbon existent in the system they contrived in their experiment had turned to organic compounds (Willis, 2000). They also discovered that nearly 2 percent of the carbon now constituted 13 of the 22 amino acids that went into the making of proteins in living cells (Willis, 2000). Glycine was found to be the most abundant amino acid in this protein soup (Willis, 2000). No doubt the

Paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

Paper 2 - Essay Example On the other hand, compatibilism or soft determinism does not treat freedom and responsibility in isolation. Our actions are determined by the causes we take, and we could be held morally responsible for them. External events such as culture or genetics come into play, but the choice a person makes determine the actions. Therefore, a person should make choices that are consistent with his or her choices in order to become free. According to Frankfurt we have the inherent ability to use our will that enables us to have certain desires and motives. Having the ultimate will helps us to make choices, and that is where our freedom starts. Our choices are based on preconceived thoughts that differ from one person to another. He proposes the idea of second order of desires in human beings. We do not have the same abilities to pursue freedom with animals because they utilize first order desires where they may choose to engage in an activity or leave it altogether. Our freedom emanates from the reflective self-evaluation sessions inspired by second-order desires. The structure of a person is made by the capability to use of will to do the things he or she wants (Frankfurt 415). We are complete as human beings because if the innate capability to act out of our volitions due to second order desires. Frankfurt explains that there some of us who share the characteristics of first order desires and desires of the second orders. The characteristics render us free though our influence may be restricted to a particular extent. People who assumes or utilizes first and second order desires are called wanton. Wanton entails adults, nonhumans, and young children who do have the volition to do what they want. We get ample chances to act the way we feel without resulting into any form of conflict. We have the ultimate choice of acting rationally and deliberately irrespective of whether we have first or second order desires. However, we tend to ignore our strongest inclinations