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Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi 2010

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1. HR Analysis
a) As Coke and Pepsi move forward from this point, are there any important human resource issues that should be considered as part of their corporate and business strategies?

SAMPLE ANSWERS

Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi 2010

Introduction

Pepsi and Coke have dominated the carbonated soft drinks (CSD) market since the founding of the companies in 1889 (Coke) and 1898 (Pepsi-Cola) with stiff competition between them as they tried to become market leaders in the beverages market. However, the competition between the two companies is taking a new direction as they realize that the future lies not only in selling more products, but more so in having the right people on their team. The two companies are looking for new ways to boost their HR so that they can secure their present and future prospects.

Future HR practices

Crucial HR issues

The future of HR will be greatly impacted by some current issues such as finding the right talent for the complex tasks related to international beverage marketing and production given the stiff competition within the industry. Once the companies have found and selected the people with the right skills and capabilities, the next step is to ensure that they stay committed to their roles within the global corporations, which can be best achieved through giving meaning to their contribution within the organization. Companies are also struggling to reshape their identities through their people and not just their products as it was in the past, which means that they are investing more resources in their people now than ever before (Accenture, 2014). It is also crucial that companies have the right leaders who understand and believe in the values of the company and are focused on doing the right things that move the company closer to achieving its mission. HR professionals are crucial in this process as they work with line managers in efforts to ensure that they deliver on their mandate through nurturing talent, promoting the right culture and through delivery of transformational leadership.

Dealing with generational diversity

The current marketplace is composed of about three to four generations of workers with baby-boomers being the oldest group and generation Y being the youngest of the working generations, which poses a difficult challenge for HR professionals as all these groups of workers have different needs (Boudreau, Gibson & Ziskin, 2014). This challenge will still be present even in the future as the millennials start joining the workforce and as such, HR should come up with proper strategies to accommodate both the younger workers and the older workers as well. What is becoming clearer is that the younger generations are more adventurous than the older generations and as such, they do not want to be restricted by the old workplace rules. This trend has forced HR professionals to rethink how best they can accommodate them, yet at the same time increase the efficiency of operation and not lose out on productivity. Technology is also an important aspect of the lives of the younger generation as they are constantly on social media where they network and chat with friends, which might be quite detrimental to their productivity at work. HR professionals in coordination with line managers should work hand in hand to ensure that workers do not spend time on social media while on company time.

The workforce of one

This trend is gaining popularity among HR practitioners as they grapple with the diverse needs of their employees having realized that each employee has unique needs and it is no longer viable to treat the workforce as a single homogenous unit, but focus should be on individuals and their needs. This means that each employee is treated as a workforce in himself and his needs are addressed individually, but in accordance with the organizations culture. This trend has emerged out of the need to retain their talent for as long as possible given the prohibitive costs incurred in training such talent, especially those in top positions or those highly skilled professionals. Companies are finding it harder to keep replacing their talented employees who are being poached by other companies whether they are competitors or even companies from different industries. In the global marketplace where both Pepsi and Coke operate, there is stiff competition between international corporations and the number of professionals who understand the global marketplace and how to achieve the best results for companies is limited, which is driving the move towards talent retention and training.

The extended workforce

As both Pepsi and Coke operate globally, the need to use an extended workforce is increasing and will keep rising as more franchises are created where it is more efficient to use contractors instead of full-time employees of the company. The use of contractors is usually a good move for the company as it narrows down on employee administration tasks as the company only has to deal with the contractor and not his entire workforce, which saves time for the company, but may be detrimental in the long run. Most of the contracted workers are usually manual laborers who are employed in the bottling plants and manufacturing facilities of the company, without close supervision of the contractors activities most contractors have been known to underpay their workers. Therefore, it is vital that both companies set HR standards for their outside contractors and have an oversight team, which monitors the activities of contractors and ensures that the working conditions of manual laborers and their wages are commensurate with those stipulated by the companies. The companies should not forget to monitor the skilled professional who they contract in order to ensure that their work meets the set standards.

Integrating talent management activities

For global corporations such as Coke and Pepsi there is nothing more important than managing the careers of talented professionals who contribute greatly to the key strategies that move the company forward in the highly competitive global food and beverage industry. One of the key talent management strategies is through training of employees on the key skills required to work in the corporation and also providing guidance on how these individuals could move up the ladder within the organization. This need for talent retention has seen both companies launch management trainee program that prepare young graduates for top management positions within the company through training them on all aspects of the companies’ operations so that they understand exactly how the company operates. This means that the trainees get to spend significant amounts of time within the various departments in the organization and they are in daily contact with line managers to get a deeper understanding of not only how the department operates, but also to understand the key managerial challenges in each department. These programs are working extremely well, but more needs to be done in refining the programs for future challenges.

Conclusion

The above HR issues and trends are crucial to both Pepsi and Coke as they strive to continue being market leaders in the food and beverages industry against a backdrop of stiff competition from new entrants and the rapidly changing technological environment. HR practitioners within these two companies have to implement all the strategies analyzed above in order to stay competitive and ensure that they retain the right talent within their organization, as this is the key to a profitable future for both companies. Finally, as the HR function transforms in the global environment, HR practitioners will also need to invest time in learning new skill that will increase their effectiveness in future.

References

Accenture. (2013). The future of HR. Retrieved from http://www.accenture.com/us-en/Pages/insight-future-of-hr.aspx

Boudreau, J., Gibson, C. & Ziskin, I. (2014, January 5). What is the future of HR? Retrieved from http://www.workforce.com/articles/20179-what-is-the-future-of-hr

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Survey: Impacts on the Outcome Assignment

Survey: Impacts on the Outcome

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Can you please tell how the types of data collection or instruments used could have influenced the outcomes of the data for Cooperative Agreement for AIDS Community-Based Outreach/Intervention Research Program,? such as self report or survey Also, what were the greatest threats to the validity of this study

SAMPLE ANSWER

Survey: Impacts on the Outcome

Survey is a data gathering instrument that is used in collecting information from a population through the use of same procedures for each and every individual in the entire population. This method may take the form of electronic media, face-to-face or even telephone communication (Creswel & Plano, 2009).

The size of the population is very critical in determining the accuracy of the outcome. This is so because, in case the population is large, there will be need to use a sample to represent the entire group after which the outcome will be generalized; and in case the population is small, all the items in the group may be used, hence, higher accuracy level. However, at the same time, a smaller sample to represent an entire population is more effective since it gives the chance of further follow ups through the use of contacts (Gilbert, 2005). The key factors affecting the survey outcomes include the timing – a proper survey should be in such a way that it may be conducted at all the times; and mode – this implies the approach that is given to the survey, which influences the general outcome and time taken to come up with the outcome.

The designing of the questions used for the survey is a second most important factor in the coming up with satisfactory outcomes. This is so because, the use of simple and uncomplicated questions is very advantageous as the respondents will give very accurate responses. At the same time, the choice of whether to use open ended or closed questionnaires is also a very crucial decision to make (Denscombe, 2010). For the open ended questions, there is a chance of getting more information, though this may also be misleading due to respondents being out of line. On the other hand, the closed ended questionnaires are good for getting accurate data, though, the responses will be limited to the questions asked.

References

Creswel, JW & Plano Clark,V,L (2009). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. London: Sage.

Denscombe, M. (2010). The Good Research Guide for small-scale research projects.3rd ed. Berkshire, Open University Press

Gilbert, N (2005). Researching Social Life. 2nd ed. London: Sage

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Organizational Stress: Positive or Negative?

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Consider the following two scenarios:

Scenario 1:
The atmosphere at a small technology firm in California is always confusing and chaotic. Employees are under constant pressure to meet deadlines, and expectations frequently and suddenly change. Despite the lack of clarity, supervisors frequently reprimand employees for failure to perform. Supervisors often give these reprimands publicly. Employees constantly compete for supervisor attention.

Scenario 2:
Workers at a business-consulting firm in Massachusetts do the same job they have done in the same way they have done it for the past ten years. Employees receive almost no supervision or feedback. Leadership does little to promote change or foster creativity. Employees rarely communicate with those outside of their departments. Employees work quietly in an orderly manner but receive little stimulation.

It is likely easy to identify which of the scenarios is less stressful. But is either environment desirable or indicative of a healthy organization?

Normally, the term organizational stress is a negative concept. The majority of stress researchers have focused on personal distress rather than on examining the positive aspect of stress called eustress (Gibbons, Dempster, & Moutray, 2008). Scholars and practitioners need to give more attention to the question of if and when organizational stress can be beneficial.

To prepare:

•Consider your experiences with stress in organizations and how you as a leader would address organizational stress.
By Day 3 of Week 5, post an evaluation of the impact of organizational stress. Explain whether you think organizational stress can be positive, negative, or both.

Then, given your proposed nature of stress, explain how you as a leader of an organization would assess and manage organizational stress. Identify tools you would use to assess organizational stress. Explain how you would promote or minimize stress within an organization.

To support your position, be sure to include references to personal experience and two scholarly resources.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Organizational Stress: Positive or Negative?

The Impact of Organizational Stress

Given that the employees in scenario 1 were always under stress because of the confusing and chaotic environment that exists at the firm, it is evident that organizational stress had a negative effect on the company. However, just as scenario 1 indicates that organizational stress is negative, scenario 2 indicates that a lack of organizational stress is not entirely positive and that it can also have a negative impact on organizations given the lack of employee motivation. According to my work experience in several high pressure environments with highly skilled employees, I noticed that there was a lot of pressure and stress at these organizations, yet this did not affect employees negatively as they were performing way above the expectations of their employers (O’Sullivan, 2010). Although, these employees were under significant stress when doing their jobs, they did not mind the stress and it actually motivated them to work harder and achieve more success (eustress). Therefore, I conclude that organizational stress cam be both positive and negative depending on the existing conditions at the workplace.

Eustress

As the leader of my organization, I would strive to increase positive organizational stress (eustress), while at the same time limiting negative stress mainly by setting challenging goals for employees and encouraging them to work collaboratively to accomplish the work goals (Fullagar, Knight & Sovern, 2013). However, I will also keep in mind that chronic stress whether negative or positive is not good for the organization or its and its people, therefore, I will also include periods of relaxation and fun in the activities of employees at the organization (Hargrove, Nelson & Cooper, 2013). By implementing breaks and fun time within the workers’ daily routines where they suspend their projects and engage in fun activities such as playing indoor games, playing video games, or listening to music, the employees relieve stress and are able to work effectively.

References

Fullagar, C. J., Knight, P. A. & Sovern, H. S. (2013). Challenge/Skill Balance, Flow, and Performance Anxiety. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 62(2), 236–259.

Hargrove, M. B., Nelson, D. L. & Cooper, C. L. (2013). Generating eustress by challenging employees. Organizational Dynamics, 42(1), 61-69.

O’Sullivan, G. (2010). The Relationship Between Hope, Eustress, Self-Efficacy, and Life Satisfaction Among Undergraduates. Social Indicators Research, 101(1), 155–172.

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Nursing risk Project Paper Assignment

Nursing risk

Order instruction

Nursing risk
Project description
1. What are the different types of risk that must be managed in healthcare settings? Refer to the “Failure to Obtain Consent” and “Hospital Nightmare” simulations in your answer.
2. Review the “Customer Service” simulation. Is there any correlation to a perception of or actual poor customer service in a healthcare organization and risk management?

Required text: Youngberg, B.J. (2011).Principles of Risk Management and Patient Safety. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

“You must use a citation and reference in your initial post and in at least one of your response posts, using proper APA 6th edition format.”

SAMPLE ANSWER

What are the different types of risk that must be managed in healthcare settings? Refer to the “Failure to Obtain Consent” and “Hospital Nightmare” PDF’s in your answer.

Different types of risk require proper management in healthcare setting. These risks include informed consent, customer care services, and hospital nightmare issues that may include incidences of negligence on the parts of the nurses. One of the risks that nurses face relates to hospital nightmare as evidenced in this movie. Mrs. Smith complains of receiving a deadly infection because of negligence on the part of the health facility (Health Care Law, 2012). Even though she recovered, she complains that she contracted autoimmune disease after the incidence as a result of the complication caused by the infection. This, therefore, means that nurses must execute their mandate with keenness and professionalisms to avoid such incidence. The incidence is unfortunate but requires further interrogation to ascertain if the nurse caused the negligence.

Informed consent is as well important in nurse care and is a legal doctrine that endeavors to protect the right of patients. Patients have a right to give consent and to expect that the physicians’ honor their wishes (Health Care Law, 2012). The case of Mr. Davis filing a suit against Bright Road in the movies qualified as a breach of informed consent. During a cardiac catheterization, the act of the cardiologist extending the procedure without the consent of Mr. Davis is a breach that attracts charges, and should be avoided.

Review the “Customer Service” PDF. Is there any correlation to a perception of or actual poor customer service in a healthcare organization and risk management?

Customer care is essential in improving the quality of service provided. There is a correlation to perception of or actual poor customer services in a healthcare organization (Youngberg, 2011). Concerns of Bright Road CEO about the poor customer care are important (Health Care Law, 2012). Through Total Quality Management, customer care can be improved in streamlining administration, reducing length of stays of patients, and boosting clinical outcome and patients’ satisfaction. Without better customer services, the level of confidence of patients diminishes.

References

Health Care Law. (2012). Landscape. Ones & Bartlett Learning.

Youngberg, B. J. (2011). Principles of Risk Management and Patient Safety. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

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United Healthcare Organization Essay Paper

United Healthcare Organization

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Assignment :Health Organization Case Study
Research a health care organization or a network that spans several states within the U.S. (Example: United Healthcare, Vanguard, Banner Healthcare, etc.).
Harvard Business Review Online and Hoover’s Company Records, found in the GCU Library, are useful sources. You may also find pertinent information on your organization’s webpage.
Review “Singapore Airlines Case Study.”
Prepare a 1,000-1,250-word paper that focuses on the organization or network you have selected.
Your essay should assess the readiness of the health care organization or network in addressing the health care needs of citizens in the next decade, and include a strategic plan that addresses issues pertaining to network growth, nurse staffing, resource management, and patient satisfaction.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore, students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations for successful completion of the assignment.

THE DEADLINE IS ON SUNDAY, WE TOOK 7 DAYS

SAMPLE ANSWER

United Healthcare Organization

The United Healthcare Organization is a nonprofit making organization, which traces its roots in the early 1977, when Dr. Paul Ellwood, a health professional, and Richard Burke founded the company. It all started in the 1960s when it used to be called the Health Maintenance Organization until 1977, when the two decided to change its name to United HealthCare Corporation. Its core agenda by that time was to help people live healthier lives and create innovative thinking in provision of better healthcare services. The business was based on the use of the recommended medical practices in healthcare and the use of management skills in better service provision to patients while strengthening the health care system. By the early 1990s, the organization had grown and registered numerous members (Strang 1997, p. 166)

Growth

Together, the United Healthcare and its partner Optum serve more than 85 million people worldwide with more than 160,000 workers in all the 50 states of the United States and more than 125 other countries (UnitedHealth group, 2014, p.3). Since the organization started, it has grown so big and has diversified the provision of its services. It now runs a series of healthcare groups such as the Optum, United Healthcare Children Foundation, and United Health Foundation. In order to increase the number of health service providers, the organization has opened up a series of nursing schools to provide nursing training to students so that it can increase the number of healthcare service providers. One such school is the Park Lane Elementary School in Philadelphia. The services that they are providing have been greatly advanced form simple medical service delivery to the more complex surgery delivery services.

The use of online forums in managing its growth has been very effective. The use of online management has also led to delivery of quality services to the patients at their own comfort. The patients can get advisory services at the online platforms

Management

The organization is managed in such a way that it has branches all over the country with distinct administrators. It has its headquarters at Minnesota and the president of the United Health Group organizations heads it. All the other administrators at the various branches around the country report to the headquarters (Strang, 1997).

As said earlier, the organization is a not-for-profit, which basically runs on member contributions and donor funding. The money is also collected through the membership subscription fee through the use of the healthcare insurance scheme where the members are taxed. It is collected from the various branches and then its use is managed at the headquarters. Here, any money that is required for spending is sent to the specific branch after approval by the necessary budgetary authorities (United Health group, 2014, p. 6-7).

Nurse staffing

The organization entirely runs on donor funding and contributions from the local societies in America. The employment of staff workers ranges from nurses to physicians, and doctors. The health care centers are located in every part of the United States. The employees sacrifice their time in order to ensure proper and quality service delivery to the patients.

According to Spetz et al. (2013), they observed that United Health Groups Center for Nursing Advancement has been in the forefront encouraging the nurse practitioners to engage in higher licensed programs so that they can practice with full authority. A report carried out by the center identified that nurse practitioners practicing in retail clinics have a very high potential to deliver quality services to patients. The study recommended that scope of practice by the qualified and trained nurses should go beyond what it is at now. The Health Group has carried out several researches in the healthcare system for America, which help equip the nurses with the right knowledge that they need in dealing with their patients. The organization has also organized several nurse-training conferences in which the nurses are given training on the current trends in the healthcare service provision. Through such forums, the nurses are able to acquire knowledge that helps them improve their skills in the healthcare system.

Advancements in Service Provision and Patient Satisfaction

The world of today is moving towards the era where people shall be accessing services at the comfort of their home without much manual work. In the year 2011, the United Health Center for Health Reform & Modernization in collaboration with YMCA launched the JOIN for ME Initiative. This was designed to engage young overweight kids between the age of 6 and 17 in an evidence-based program to achieve a healthier weight through a reduction of calories and TV and computer time screens. The initiative was also to encourage enough sleep and physical activity as one of the strategies of reducing weight. In the same year, the organization also invented hi-tech, lower cost hearing devices for the 36 million Americans with hearing loss. The initiative also included new testing in order to identify those who had developed the hearing problem (United Health group, 2014)

In the year 2012, the organization launched My Healthcare Cost Estimator, an online resource that provides a comprehensive analysis of costs of over 116 diseases and gives the comparison from various service providers. This helps the citizens in making informed decisions on their medication cost based on the different healthcare providers.

In 2013, the organization launched the Easy Book, an online healthcare shopping in which customers can book appointments online and pay upfront for quality care, often at discounted rates. In the same year, the Optum in collaboration with the United Healthcare group, launched a Diabetes Prevention Programme (DPP). The programme was run all over America encouraging change of lifestyle as a way of dealing with the diabetes problem among the millions of Americans in a convenient way. In addition, they launched the Optum 360, a new strategy to simplify patient billing and enhance transparency in the cost of medication of the patients by the various health service providers. The system also incorporates a technique, which enhances progressive delivery revenue management, and medical record documentation services to large hospitals and health systems.

This year, the organization has launched the Optum One, which is an analytics platform that helps the professional healthcare providers engage the patients, coordinate the patient care services, and improve health outcomes. The care providers can analyze and take direct action on conclusions deducted from data Optum One extracts from personal medical records and provides an avenue of claims.

Conclusion

The United Healthcare Organization is one of the very vibrant healthcare organizations in the whole of America whose service provision is aimed at satisfying its customers. Provided the organization advances technologically, new inventions will see it through its continuous growth and survival in the next decade.

References

Health Leaders Media, 2012. Grow your own nurse leaders. Retrieved from http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/NursingAdvancement/Default.aspx

Spetz, J., Parente, S., Town, R. & Barzako, D., 2013. Nurses Practicing Independently in Retail Clinics Deliver Significant Cost Savings for Many Common Conditions. Retrieved from http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/Nursing%20Advancement/Default.aspx

Strang, D. 1997. Health maintenance organizations. pp 165-179. New York, free press.http://www.soc.cornell.edu/faculty/strang/articles/Health%20Maintenance%20Orga nizations.pdf

United Health Group, 2014. United Health Group facts 2014 q2. Minnetonka, Minnesota 5534. Retrieved from http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/~/media/UHG/PDF/About/UNH

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Portfolio optimisation Assignment Available

Portfolio optimisation

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1. By doing the optimisation using Excel Solver, you are required to construct a mean variance efficient portfolio frontier for any 10 randomly selected ordinary shares listed on a stock market. For all your calculations, you should use the 60 monthly returns, sample means, standard deviations, and covariance and correlation matrices. Plot the portfolio frontier and comment on the weights of the portfolios along the portfolio frontier including in your discussion the correlations among the 10 shares.

2. Identify a risk-less asset and provide the rationale for your choice of the risk less asset.

3. By combining the risk-less asset with the 10 shares, plot the straight line efficient portfolio frontier and select the tangent portfolio on the portfolio frontier.

4. Assume that the short selling is not allowed, how your efficient frontiers would differ from those with short selling allowed in questions 1 and 3 above.

5. Identify the appropriate benchmark index and justify your choice of the benchmark index.

6. Evaluate the performance of the tangent portfolio selected above using:

a) Sharpe’s Measure
b) Treynor’s Measure
c) M2 Measure
d) Jensen’s Performance Measure
e) The Appraisal Ratio.

7. Comment on the limitation of your analysis.

8. Critically evaluate the gains in the performance of the identified portfolio along with the associated risks from investing in other asset classes, for instance, investment in gilts (including index linked), corporate bonds, convertible bonds, commodities, real estate, hedge funds and exchange traded funds.

This is a portfolio optimization assignment.

It has to be done with excel after the report writing on word.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Introduction
Investing in the stock markets is highly dependent on the performance of the portfolio in which a certain investor has put his/her money. This principle of portfolio optimization was popularized by Markowitz who developed an appropriate method through which an investor could devise the most important stock portfolio for investment by avoiding risky stocks and prioritizing on investing in the stocks with the highest potential for maximum returns. Therefore, Markowitz portfolio indicates that it is necessary to increase assets and/or stocks in an investment portfolio the where the total risk of that portfolio is considered to be low or as measured by the standard deviation (or variance) of total return declines continuously, whereas the envisaged portfolio return is a weighted average of the expected returns of the individual assets. This implies that investing portfolios instead of individual assets and/or stocks, investors have a chance of significantly lowering the total risk of investing without necessarily sacrificing returns on their investments.

Therefore, the Markowitz’s mean-variance theory is usually implemented through the Excel Solver spreadsheet calculations meaning that it always optimize allocation of assets by finding the stock distribution through which there is minimization of the standard deviation or variance of the portfolio while at the same time sustaining the desired return on the stocks and/or assets. The origin of modern portfolio theory was in the 1950s with Harry Markowitz’s pioneering work in mean-variance portfolio optimization. However, prior to Markowitz’s innovation, heuristics were the ones who significantly influenced finance more than mathematical modeling. Mean-variance optimization is currently considered the core technique used by pension funds and hedge funds for portfolio diversification.
Most investors trade risk off against the envisaged return on their investments. Mean-variance optimization plays a crucial role in the identification of the investment portfolio responsible for the minimization of risk (i.e. standard deviation) for a given return. In most cases the line which is formed when the envisaged returns are plotted against the minimized standard deviation becomes the most efficient frontier for determining the most appropriate investment portfolio.
Background of Stock Portfolio Optimization
There is a certain return for every stock in the market and it is assumed that a normal distribution is portrayed by this return. This implies that the distribution for these returns for the stock can be completely described using the mean which represents the expected return as well as variance of the returns. Moreover, between any pair of stocks covariance of the returns can be computed whereby the stocks that show positive covariances, it means that they move together while the stocks that show negative covariances move in the opposite directions. Therefore, if the envisaged returns for a certain stock return or a group of stock’s returns are known, a portfolio of these stocks can be put together because of their desired variance (risk) in the stock market as a result of their envisaged return. Thus, solver, excel is mainly used for the purpose of picking the portfolio in possession of the least variance for an envisaged return meaning that the investor is likely to gain profits from his/her investment.
However, the expected return as well as the portfolio’s variance can be calculated using the method that was developed by Harry Markowitz which is crucial in the computation of portfolio return in terms of the sum of individual stock covariances and variances between stocks’ pairs in a certain portfolio. This is definitely the right thing to do from a mathematical standpoint, even though all covariances between any portfolios pair of stocks is considered meaning there would be so many calculations that would be required to accomplish this task. Alternatively, another method was devised by William Sharpe for the determination of the envisaged return and variance for a certain portfolio. This is a simpler method compared to the previous one because it assumes that any stock’s return has two parts such as the beta part which depends on the entire market performance, and the second one which is independent of the market. These two methods have been extensively used to determine the performance of specific groups of stock portfolios in the stock markets across the world for a considerable period of time.

Discussion
In our considered example, the optimal portfolio in stock market provides a risk-return trade off for superior to investing in all the shares within the UK stock exchange market. For instance, through the computations of the Excel Solver it has been determined. For instance, the portfolio optimization analysis began with the analysis of descriptive aspects of the considered 10 stock returns over a period of 60 months including means, standard deviations, and median. Moreover, the correlation and covariance matrix as well as correlation coefficient all seem to indicate that there is significant relationship between the 10 stocks considered over the 60 months.

Moreover, there are also other performance ratios such as the Treynor’s measure, Sharpe ratio, Jensen’s Performance Measure, and the appraisal ratio. For instance, Treynor’s measure of 0.4 which is relatively low considering that it is below the half mark, this implies that selected portfolio is not that better since the higher the Treynor’s measure. The Sharpe ratio is almost identical to the Treynor measure, with exception of the fact that the risk measure is the standard deviation of the portfolio rather than only considering the systematic risk, as represented by beta. Therefore, the Sharpe ratio of 1.6 is indicative of a portfolio that is not performing better. This may be attributable to the selected stock with lowly performing returns, except a few which show considerable performance.

Jensen’s Performance Measure analyses the performance of an investment by not only looking at the overall return of a portfolio, but also at the risk of that portfolio. For instance, when two mutual stocks, rationally an investor would go the one that is less risky meaning that the obtained value of 0.2 is and indicative of considerable performance of the stocks.

Finally, the Appraisal Ratio of 0.5 shows that it is necessary to attempt to beat the returns of a relevant benchmark or of the overall market. The appraisal ratio measures the portfolio performance by comparing the return of their stock picks to the specific risk of those selections, hence the higher the ratio, the better the performance of the portfolio in question.

This implies that two step must always be taken prior to determining where to invest in the stock market, where the first one regards the determination of the allocation of stocks/assets between the riskless portfolio and the risky assets and/or stocks. The second step is the determination of the allocation of resources between the risky and riskless portfolios.

However, considering that all the portfolios of riskless and risky assets have a similar Sharpe ratio, all investors do not have one optimal portfolio, but their allocation is often determined by specific factors that are individual like the objectives of the investor or risk aversion of the investor, taking into account factors like the investor’s horizon, wealth, etc. Furthermore, the extent to which the volatility of the portfolio can be decreased is highly dependent on the correlation whereby, the lower the average correlation of the stocks within a certain portfolio, then it implies that that is the lower an investor can decrease the volatility of the portfolio. This is a clear indication that this has provided the author of this assignment with succinct knowledge of determining the optimal allocations in stock markets.

Conclusion
Through this assignment it has been shown that, it is possible to use specialized spreadsheets for the calculation of important risk and return related portfolio statistics in the stock markets as well as minimizing the overall risk or maximizing the expected return of a multi-stock portfolio. However, it is essential to know that irrespective of these calculations being useful when creating investment portfolios, they rest on the assumption that historical relationships between asset classes and individual assets will hold in the future. This means that it is always crucial for investors to choose a period that they feel is representative of a “typical” market cycle, in order to avoid a capturing a repetitive cycle that is not relevant.

Moreover, the mean-variance portfolio optimization has its limitations, despite the fact that it is very helpful in choosing appropriate portfolios. For example, using standard deviation (or variance) as a proxy for risk can only be considered valid for normally distributed returns, and not any other returns which is not always the case in the stock markets. In addition, the premise of the Markowitz theory means that investors are not likely to make any alterations to their asset allocation after it has been optimized. Finally, fund managers or investors may not necessarily be interested in the minimization of risk (i.e. standard deviation or variance), but instead they may be interested in reducing the correlation of a fund to a benchmark. These are the limitations of the used method, even it is very crucial in determining portfolio optimization.

Reference List
Arnold, G. (2008), Corporate Financial Management, Third Edition, New York, NY: Pearson Education Limited.

Craig, W. H. (2008), Excel Modelling and Estimation in Investments, Third Edition, Indiana University, Prentice Hall, Inc.
FTSE Website http://www.ftse.com/products/indices/uk

Goldfarb, D. and Iyengar, G. (2003), “Robust Portfolio Selection Problems”. Mathematics of Operations Research, Vol.28 Issue 1, pp. 1-38.

Jackson, M. and Staunton, M. (2001), Advanced Modelling in Finance using Excel and VBA. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons.

Markowitz, H.M. (1959), Portfolio Selection: Efficient Diversification of Investments. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Markowitz, H.M. (1952). “Portfolio selection” The Journal of Finance, Vol. 7 Issue 1, pp. 77-91.

Sharpe, W.F., (1964), “Capital asset prices: A theory of market equilibrium under conditions of risk”. Journal of Finance, Vol. 19 Issue 3, pp. 425-442.

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Research Manuscript: Data Analysis Paper

Research Manuscript: Data Analysis

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Research Manuscript: Data Analysis Due

The data analysis section of your research manuscript is due by Day 7. In this section, you will include the results of any statistical procedures used with your data to detail the outcomes of your research. Outline the statistical analyses used, the results, and provide a discussion of the results. Refer back to what you learned in biostatistics about analyzing data and reporting the results. Examine how articles used in your literature review reported the outcomes of their data analysis. These resources can assist you as you work through this section. If you have any questions, contact your Instructor. This section of the manuscript should support your research question—the purpose of your research study.
Submit your data analysis by Day 7 via the Submission link for grading and to receive feedback from the Instructor. Include appropriate tables, graphs, or charts and a write-up of the data analysis procedures and findings.

For this assignment, please describe your data analysis in approximately 3 pages:

•Briefly address the data analysis process.
•Identify and justify the univariate, bivariate and/or multivariate statistical techniques that were used to describe and analyze your quantitative data.
The subject should be childhood obesity. I have to submit it via turnitin and it has to be less than 4% score. (No plagiarism)

SAMPLE ANSWER

Research Manuscript: Data Analysis

The alarming rise in the cases of childhood obesity in many nations in the world has lead to the increased studies associated with this problem. A survey of 5200 grade 5 students was conducted to determine the causes of childhood obesity. In the study, weight and height of the children were measured. Information about their dietary intake and physical and sedentary activities were also collected. The statistical procedures used in the study included the analysis of nutrition programs using multi-level regression levels, which also accounted for other demographic characteristics such as socioeconomic status, gender characteristics, and their residential neighborhoods (Veugelers & Fitzgerald, 2005).

The results of the study showed that the students in schools that participated in a coordinated program that incorporated school-based healthy eating programs exhibited lower rates of obesity and overweight children. The results also showed that students who had healthier diets and practiced more physical activities also exhibited a lower degree of being overweight and obese as compared to students who had no physical activities or nutrition programs.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of school education programs in the reduction and prevention of excess body weight that leads to obesity. The effectiveness of the reduction and prevention of obesity is mainly based on improving the quality of diets and the overall daily physical activity. The survey methods used to select the participants involved the use of purposive sampling that included elementary students who attended public school. The study dubbed the Children’s Lifestyle, and School Performance Study of 2003 included the school principals, parents, and elementary school fifth graders. In the study, more than two hundred and ninety schools were selected that had a fifth grade class. Out of these, only two hundred and eighty accepted to conduct the study, which consisted of filling a survey questionnaire and filling a consent form to parents of these fifth graders.

Of all the consent forms that were distributed, only five thousand five hundred were positive responses, with an average response rate of close to fifty percent. Many reasons resulted in the reduction of this response rate since some students lost their consent forms while some parents were extremely adamant in allowing their children to participate in a mass survey. The questionnaire presented was similar to that of the Harvard youth adolescent food frequency questionnaire, which had additional questions regarding the use of their free time in performing physical and sedentary activities. The data collection activity also involved the measurement of their heights, weights, and collection of their demographic characteristics such as their gender, age, social status, and residential neighborhood information.

Statistical methods used in the study involved multilevel regression methods to examine the effects of school programs in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption, obesity, dietary quality, fat intake, overweight outcomes, and physical and sedentary activities. The school program was considered a second level covariate and a contextual factor. The condition of being overweight, obese, and physical and sedentary activities were treated as first level binary outcomes in the multilevel logistic regression analysis. The data was used to calculate odd ratios with more than ninety-five percent confidence levels.

The results of the survey led to the conclusion that school-based nutritional and physical activity programs provide a basis for the provision of future well-being and health of the children, by enhancing learning and instilling good nutritional and exercise habits in them. This was found to be effective in enhancing their quality of health during growth and reducing chronic illnesses at adulthood

Reference

Veugelers, J. P., & Fitzgerald, A. L. (2005, March 3). Journal of Public Health. Retrieved August 1, 2014, from US National Library for Medicine: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1449197/

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Organizational Stressors: Annotated Bibliography

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Organizational stress seems to be an inevitable consequence of doing business in today’s fast-paced global society. But what are the causes of organizational stress?

What is the impact of these stressors on an organization? How can these sources of stress be effectively mitigated and managed? Critically reviewing the body of research on these questions may yield valuable insight that will allow you to enable organizations of which you are a part to better manage stress.

To prepare:

•Select three peer-reviewed scholarly articles, with each article addressing a different source of organizational stress. In your evaluation of each article, consider the following:

Reliability (evaluation of research methods used, theories used, and data on which it is based)
Appropriateness for the intended audience
Background and authority of the author
Limitations of the research (which can depend on the scope, reliability, age of the document, and bias)
Significance of the research

For more information and an example of an annotated bibliography, refer to the Walden University Online Writing Center’s annotated bibliography resource in this Module’s Learning Resources.

By Day 7 of Week 5, submit an annotated bibliography for the three resources. For each article, be sure to include the following:

•A full APA-style bibliographic reference including the author, title, publisher, and place of publication
•A summary of the document including the main points, its purpose, the theoretical perspective on which it is based, and the scope
•Evaluation of the source following the guidelines outlined under “To prepare”

SAMPLE ANSWER

Organizational Stressors: Annotated Bibliography

Marija Rok. (2011). Stress and stress management in a higher education tourism institution, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 279-290.

The article aimed at finding out the nature of stress found in institutions of higher learning, and how they affect the employees as well as methods used to handle them. The author conducted a case study in one tertiary institution and targeted employees of one faculty, i.e. the tourism department. The study followed a phenomenon approach focused on participants’ subjective experiences. Employees were subjected to a semi-structured interview with open-ended questions. Data was analyzed using a general analytical strategy where the author compared the findings of the study to other similar studies done both in that country and worldwide. The results indicated that employees in higher education institutions face stress similar to those in an enterprise.

The author did not base his study on any specific theory but instead, compared his data to other studies done previously. This was intentional as he wanted to get an unbiased result, which could be used or applied in any other higher education setting.

Typical answers given by participants on what they found stressful include dissertation work, diverse curricula, research obligations, lack of job safety, ambiguous roles, non-transparent leading, lack of opportunity for empowerment, organization climate, family obligations, and lack of time. Surprisingly, these issues were similar to those of employees found in corporates as well as previous studies done in tertiary institutions elsewhere.

Effects of these stress factors included tiredness, frustrations, irritability, aggression, and loss of interest among others. The participants understood how to relieve stress and engaged in activities like regular exercise, proper nutrition, regular sleep, engaged in hobbies, social gatherings, positive thinking, laughter, and relaxation. The organization, on the other hand, did nothing except hold meetings.

The case study method used was appropriate as it gave an opportunity for thorough investigation and a small sample size; hence, comprehensive results were gotten. The analysis the author draws from this study is that most of the stressors found in this institution were extrinsic i.e. based on bad tourism industry performance. His conclusion that stress is an unavoidable factor is true but it is rather a shallow recommendation, and he should have offered solid solutions instead of living the research hanging.

Lineta Ramonienė and Olena Gorbatenko. (2013). Managing Occupational Stress In Human Service Nonprofit Organizations In Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Organizations & Markets In Emerging Economies, VOL. 4, No. 2(8)

These authors sort to identify stressors in nonprofit organizations in a town in Ukraine using the transactional theory model that views stress as caused by relationship of a person and work. The study was conducted on the entire population of the non-profits of the town i.e. eleven institutions and six hypotheses were formulated using fourteen stressors. Using the regression model for analysis, the findings revealed that three stress factors were dominant i.e. demands exceeding abilities, demands falling short of abilities, and clients’ needs for emotional support.

The study shows that too many stress factors were chosen and out of original fourteen chosen, only eleven were applicable. Out of those, only six had positive results. Out of the six, only two revealed strong indicators to stress. Two stress factors had mild relation to stress and the other three had a weak link to stress. The three stress factors that failed to be used were career development opportunities, job insecurity, and dysfunctional relationships with supervisor. These are normally the main factors that contribute to stress among employees. However, it could be that this does not apply in the NGO sector as staffs here aim to “serve” and not “benefit” from the work. In addition, the lack of use of qualitative methods like interview that would have explained certain responses was an oversight. Lastly, even though the goal was accomplished i.e. to find out the stress factors that are found in NGO’s, the study left more questions than answers.

Caitlin Finney, Erene Stergiopoulos, Jennifer Hensel, Sarah Bonato and Carolyn S Dewa. (2013). Organizational stressors associated with job stress and burnout in correctional officers: a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 13:82

The authors reviewed the relationship between organizational stressors and employee stress and burnout in adult correctional facilities. The authors conducted a literature review and used Cooper & Marshall’s model of job stress to choose which stressors to use. The findings indicated that organizational structure and climate was the main cause of stress and burnout for employees.

The aim of the study was to identify areas that organizational interventions could target to reduce employee stress and burnout. The study was done using eight articles chosen from credible databases and journals, and five stressors including role in the organization, rewards at work, supervisory relationships at work, and the organizational structure and climate were applied. Negative consequences of burnout included high turnover rates, high absenteeism, and low productivity. Limitations of the study were many, especially that the articles selected used varying measures for organizational stressors. Moreover, the fact that this study used a cross sectional design as opposed to longtitudal design, which is more appropriate for behavior related researches is another weakness. In addition, the articles chosen were mostly from one country and involved public correctional institutions.

The authors in their conclusion recommended increase in communication between management and employees, while mild and more radical solutions might be necessary, especially when giving staff more decision-making power and reviewing job descriptions.

References

Lineta Ramonienė and Olena Gorbatenko. (2013). Managing Occupational Stress In Human Service Nonprofit Organizations In Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Organizations And Markets In Emerging Economies, Vol 4, No. 2(8)

Marija Rok. (2011). Stress and stress management in a higher education tourism institution, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 279-290.

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Workforce Transportation habits Essay Assignment

Workforce Transportation habits

Order Instructions:

The assignment is for a short business report. Sources/references aren’t needed, nor is a title page. However it requires creating and embedding charts within the report. I will attach detailed instructions. Thank you!

SAMPLE ANSWER

To: Ms. Suarez, CEO

From:

July 28^th 2014.

Subject: Workforce Transportation habits.

The impact of the company’s workforce on the local traffic can be analyzed from different perspectives. The most appropriate way of assessing the workforce effect is through the analysis of employee behavioural habits and their preferences. Many factors affect the behaviour of employees when transportation becomes a source of employee problems. The following is an analysis of several behavioural habits that have been observed.

Employee Carpool Habits

Out of a total of 43,500 employees, only 23% opt for carpooling ventures every day of the week while 11% opt for carpooling on certain days of the week. Only 2% randomly decide to use the carpooling option while 64% are not documented which may mean they are undecided or uninterested.

A total of 23556 employees or 54% of all the employees use the public transport system every day of the week while only 5% or 2029 employees use the public transport on certain days of the week. A total of 12,053 employees have never used the public transport system and only 5862 or 13% of the employees use the public transport randomly.

Improvement That May Encourage Use of Public Transportation

The greatest improvement that may encourage the use of public transportation is the implementation of reduced commuter time.

About 7285 or 17% of the total number of employees prefers reduced commuter time than any other activity or precaution that may attract the use of the public transport while 5634 or 13% of employees would use the public transport if the fares were reduced or subsidized. Increased safety perception would attract 4932 or 11% of the employees to use the public transport system while only 3278 or 7% of the employees would be attracted by the conveniences of fewer transfers. More stops for the public transport system would encourage 1155 or 3% of the employees while only 852 or 2% of the employees would be encouraged by cleanliness. A total of 12070 or 28% employees are undecided on what may encourage them to use the public transport system while 8294 or 19% would not be encouraged by anything to use the public transport

The numbers of employees who use the public transport totalling to 17915 or 41% of the employees are illegible for alternative telecommuting options. Employees who have agreed to telecommute several days a week are 1433 or 8% of the employees who use the public transport while those who would telecommute several days a week are 3583 or 20% of the employees who use the public transport system.

The largest number of employees who use the public transport and would agree to telecommute are 5375 or 30% of the total employees who use the public transport while 7524 or 42% of the employees who use the public transport contend that telecommuting options is not applicable in their work options as illustrated in figure 4.

Recommendations

The first recommendation would be to lobby the city or county representatives to reduce the fares charged by the public transporters to encourage the use of the public transport system or to persuade the management to subsidized the fares of public transport to encourage more employees to use the Public transport. Fares discourage the use of the public transport by about 13%. Only 23% of the workforce is engaged on full time carpooling options every day of the week and majority of the employees are undecided or are interested on the carpooling option. About 54% of the employees use the public transport every day of the week and a further 13% would be encouraged to use the public transport if the fares are reduced. Cleanliness discourages only 2% of the workforce while safety measures discourage about 28% of the employees. The 28% of the employees who are undecided on what may encourage them to use the public service would also be encouraged by the reduction of fares of the subsidies being extended from the management.

The other option is to allow the employees whose work options can allow them to telecommute as more time will be saved as shown by the high number of employees who preferred reduced commuter time to even safety. Most Employees are conscious about the time spent commuting and they detest the use of the public transport because of the commuter time taken to reach their destinations. About 17 % of the employees are discouraged from using the public transport because of commuter time. While 42% of the employees who use the public transport are categorical that the telecommuting is not applicable to their work conditions it’s worth noting that about 30% of the employees who use the public transport telecommute randomly and a further 20% telecommute several days a week. It would be very convenient if a section of the employees would be allowed to commute every day of the week as its convenient, safe and time saving.

Finally i would be obliged to discuss the recommendations of the report with you in your own time on any day that you may be available.

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Identifying Patterns Discussion Paper

Identifying Patterns

Order Instructions:

In At least 1 paragraph, comments on each of this post with at least one citation, offering your thoughts about the post, or expanding on some points that you felt needed some more thoughts and explanation. Avoid cutting and pasting use proper paraphrasing in this paper, and complete each section by writing the reference list in APA before going to the next section. Importantly you have to support each respond with a credible source and reference it at the end of that section.

Refrain from repeating the writers own words or written, it is important that you read and properly analyze the writers thoughts offering some very constructive thoughts about the post. For section A part one and two you have to read the article associated with the writers post. Using the reference associated to article mention in the post.

SECTION A
Part 1(Sheryl)
What are your thoughts and comments about this post?

Everly, M. C. (2012). Facilitators and barriers of independent decisions by midwives during labor and birth. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 57(1), 49. doi:10.1111/j.1542-2011.2011.00088.x

The process of qualitative data analysis is very involved, hence, time-consuming. Analysis of qualitative data includes the identification, examination, and interpretation of patterns and themes in data (Jones, 2007). After data is collected the researchers use the raw data to find qualities in the data and then examine them. One method of data analysis is coding. Open (unrestricted) coding logically arranges the data and then there is axial coding where the groups are investigated and labelled (Schmidt & Brown, 2012) to find “relationships between categories and sub categories” (Boswell and Cannon, 2014) and finally selective coding where the researcher combine the concepts gathered around the core category while he or she continues to work on other categories that require some refining (Boswell and Cannon, 2014). The aim of coding is to find shared commonalities in the study which is how themes and patterns emerge. Themes and patterns emerge from the commonalities in the data. Themes are established by almost cross-examining the categories through comparison between and within cases (Health et al., 2012). There are different approaches to develop themes in research; a top-down analysis or deductive which is most time used in quantitative research and bottom-up or inductive approach which is mainly used in qualitative study (Boswell & Cannon, 2014). In the deductive approach, themes and codes are pre-selected based on previous literature, previous theories or the specifics of the research question and in the inductive approach, themes are generated from the data though open coding, followed by refinement of themes (Gale et al., 2013) which is how it was done in this study identified above.

In this study by Everly (2012), one-on-one tape recorded interviews of midwives who had experience in managing labor and birth in both types of settings. The data from the interviews was “transcribed and uploaded into QSR Nvivo 7 (QSR International, Cambridge, MA), a computer-assisted, qualitative data analysis program” (Everly, 2012). The first eight interviews were analyzed line by line for as many codes as possible. The last two did not reveal any new codes. This implied that the themes were identified in the first eight analyses, and the data collected seemed credible. The results were then reviewed with and confirmed by seven of the participants for credibility and trustworthiness (Everly, 2012). The themes identified were trust, the woman, the environment, and the care team. These were very important themes because the expectant mother wants to know that she has a care team that she entrust her life and the life of her unborn to provide care in a trusting and nurturing environment. Patients and their families expect nurses to be caring, honest and supportive. The labor and birth environment can be very stressful for patients and their families and we as nurses should work to reduce that stress. It should be that place where there is “visible regard for human dignity and in which the relationships between the caregivers and those they served are built on mutual respect and a shared commitment to healing” (Mathes, 2011).

Boswell, C., & Cannon, S. (2014). Introduction to nursing research: Incorporating evidence-based practice. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Everly, M. C. (2012). Facilitators and barriers of independent decisions by midwives during labor and birth. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 57(1), 49. doi:10.1111/j.1542-2011.2011.00088.x

Gale, N., Heath, G., Cameron, E., Rashid, S., & Redwood, S. (2013). Using the framework method for the analysis of qualitative data in multi-disciplinary health research. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 13117. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-13-117
Heath, G., Cameron, E., Cummins, C., Greenfield, S.,

Pattison. H., Kelly, D., Redwood, S. (2012). Paediatric ‘care closer to home’: stake-holder views and barriers to implementation. Health Place. 18(5):1068–1073.

Mathes, S. (2011). Implementing a caring model. Creative Nursing, 17(1).

Respond to this post hear in one paragraph with at least one citation to supports your comments

SECTION A Part 2 (Elizabeth)

Aliasgharpour, M., & Nayeri, D. N. (2012). The care process of diabetic foot ulcer patients: a qualitative
study in Iran. Journal of Diabetic & Metabolic Disorders, 11(27): Retrieved from:
http://jdmdonline.com/content/11/1/27.

According to Boswell & Cannon (2014), qualitative research is based on something that is impossible to specifically measure; it is subjective and uses inductive reasoning to create data. The first step in data analysis is the process of systematically searching and arranging the data into units to make it more manageable and then the data is interpreted (Jacelon & O’Dell, 2005). Qualitative data analysis software (QDAS) is a computer program utilized to ease the workload of the researcher not to replace the researcher from actively performing the data analysis (Jacelon & O’Dell, 2005). To assist in searching for changes in the data the data is put into graphs and charts, this visual picture is very effective in looking at a large amount of data and finding any changes or discrepancies (Jacelon & O’Dell, 2005). Once this process is complete the researcher has the challenge of transmitting the results in a way that will be beneficial to the reader (Jacelon & O’Dell, 2005).
In the study by Aliasgharpour and Nayeri (2012), grounded theory method was used in clarifying the care process for Iranian diabetic patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Data saturation was carried out and demographic questionnaires and interviews were used (Aliasgharpour & Nayeri, 2012). After the recorded interviews were transcribed and look over numerous times the key themes were designed with the work of team members (Aliasgharpour & Nayeri, 2012).
Thematic analysis focuses on human experience subjectively, it emphasizes on the participants’ perceptions, feelings and experiences as the paramount object of study (Braun & Clarke, 2006). This is framework of a qualitative study and one of the ways that makes it different from quantitative studies.

References

Boswell, C., & Cannon, S. (2014). Introduction to nursing research: Incorporating evidence-based
practice. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in
Psychology, 3(2), 77-100.

Jacelon, C., & O’Dell, K. (2005). Analyzing Qualitative Data. Urologic Nursing, 25(3): 217-220.

Respond to this post hear in one paragraph with at least one citation to supports your comments

SECTION B part 1(Lynn)
Qualitative research requires the factor of time to conduct the research and repeatedly analyze the data in various formats to prevent errors in analysis. It is most beneficial for the actual interviewer to review transcribed data for accuracy (Rothwell, 2010). Phenomenology as a research method incorporates personal interviews to depict experiences as stated by the research subjects (Boswell & Cannon, 2014). Audio recordings of the interviews can be played and replayed to ensure accurate transcription. Analytical software has been used in qualitative research since the 1980’s (Woods, Macklin, & Lewis, 2013). As technology improves, so do the capabilities of sophisticated software programs to analyze descriptive data represented in audio recordings and text files. The accessibility to portable mobile devices only enhances these products and complicates the selection process in an already competitive market. In a study to interview subjects who have experienced the phenomenon of recall following general anesthetic for surgery, I would use audio/video recordings to capture expression and tone in responses to interview questions. A review of multiple software products on the market for quality data analysis yielded a preference for the MAXQDA program. Comparatively, the MAXQDA software seems more user friendly with easy to navigate interfaces for input and coding interpretation. I am a visual learner by nature and feel that this software and the overview presented on their website and tutorial offered more than other companies for the type of data I would be interested in analyzing.
Boswell, C., & Cannon, S. (2014).Qualitative and Mixed Research Methods. In C.B. Boswell & S.C. Cannon (Eds.). Introduction to nursing research: incorporating evidence-based practice (6th Ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

MAXQDA, The Art of Data Analysis. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.maxqda.com/products/maxqda

Rothwell, E. (2010). Analyzing focus group data: content and interaction. Journal For Specialists In Pediatric Nursing, 15(2), 176–180.

Woods, M., Macklin, R., & Lewis, G. (2013). How has Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software affected qualitative research? Retrieved from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/TQR2013/woods_etal.pdf

Respond to this post hear in one paragraph with at least one citation to supports your comments

SECTION B Part 2(Mary)
Case studies are a design that investigates one person at a time or a group of people. This type of design is used when more information is needed about a particular situation (Boswell, C. & Cannon, S. 2014). The information may be small as in one case but the variables are large as in many cases concerning that case study. Data collection is either clinically done, observationally done or in the field. These data collections are done through a process so that the particular study can be followed and analyzed (Cronin, C. 2014).
The qualrus qualitative analysis program is what I would use to examine the data collected from the case study. Qualrus qualitative analysis program is designed to be easy to use, exceptionally good for ciphering through large amounts of information, and different types of wording. I would use this program because it makes since of information that’s not structured, the format is also unstructured and the information is conveyed from different researchers and studies and also has been collected over a long period of time. This is what is involved when doing a case study about a particular situation of interest. It also makes case study research convenient, because I could work at home as well as the office with this software (Qualrus, 2014).

References

Boswell, C., & Cannon, S. (2014). Introduction to Nursing Research: Incorporating Evidence-Based Practice. (3rd ed.). Burlington, WA: Jones & Bartlett Learning

Cronin, C. (2014). Using case study research as rigorous form of inquiry, Nurse Researcher, 21(5), 19-27

QUALRUS, (2012). Qualrus the intelligent qualitative analysis program, Retrieved from http://www.ideaworks.com/qualrus/index.html

Respond to this post hear in one paragraph with at least one citation to supports your comments

SAMPLE ANSWER

Identifying Patterns

I agree with Sherly that the qualitative data analysis process is extremely involving as well as time consuming. This is based on the fact that results are only identified after themes and patterns are analyzed from the gathered literature and data. Noteworthy, the writer also acknowledges the significance of coding when identifying themes and patterns from data. There may be the use of selective, open, and axial coding. I support Sherly’s view that coding aims at finding the shared commonalities of data, and this leads to the identification of patterns and themes. The writer is also keen to mention that themes can be identified after the deductive and inductive approaches. The study actually used the inductive approach. In the study, themes and patterns were identified through a thorough analysis using the tape recorded interviews, transcription, and QSR Nnivo 7. The interviews had every line analyzed and within the first 6, there was saturation. The participants were involved in analyzing the results so as to promote trustworthiness and credibility. The analysis identified the themes as the care team, environment, women, and trust (Everly, 2012).

Reference

Everly, M. C. (2012). Facilitators and barriers of independent decisions by midwives during labor and birth. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 57(1), 49. doi:10.1111/j.1542-2011.2011.00088.x

Elizabeth also notes that qualitative data is subjective and there is usually the use of inductive reasoning when creating data. However, the writer should also have noted the role of deductive reasoning. It is impressive for the writer to specify that there should be first systematic searching as well as arranging the data. These data units make it manageable and the interpretation becomes very easy (Aliasgharpour & Nayeri, 2012). Elizabeth recognizes the use of the qualitative data analysis software that makes identifying patterns and themes easy. Another method that can be used is reading and re-reading through the data until there is saturation and themes and patterns are identified. In the study, there was transcription and thorough assessment for identification of themes.

Reference

Lynn notes that qualitative research is time consuming since immense time is required for conducting the research and analyzing the data repeatedly using different formats so as to prevent analytical errors. I support Lynn in that the actual interviewer has to review the transcribed data so as to promote accuracy. My take is that audio recording should be supplemented by notes, which promote accurate transcription and analysis to identify themes and patterns. The writer notes that with the improved technology, there are also improved and sophisticated software programs for analyzing descriptive data. I recommend the use of video and audio recordings as well as the MAXQDA software (MAXQDA, The Art of Data Analysis, 2014). This software is user friendly and it promotes data analysis in qualitative studies.

Reference

MAXQDA, The Art of Data Analysis. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.maxqda.com/products/maxqda

I agree with Mary that case studies involve studying a person or group intensive for a certain period of time. This is more so when a lot of information is needed from the specific group. The data can be collected from the field, observationally, or clinically (Boswell & Cannon, 2014). I consent with Mary that the qualrus qualitative analysis program is very strategic for use in case studies since it is easy to use, permits a comprehensive sieving through huge amounts of data, and various forms of wording emerge. Using the software is portable for the researcher and different studies and researchers can be involved at the same time.

Reference

Boswell, C., & Cannon, S. (2014). Introduction to Nursing Research: Incorporating Evidence-Based Practice. (3rd ed.). Burlington, WA: Jones & Bartlett Learning

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