Research Design & Execution Assignment Guidance RESEARCH TOPIC: Sustaining the Tourism Industry in a Country Perceived Dangerous: Nigeria as a Case Study As a 30-credit module, the assignment should be 6500 to 7000 words in length. Assessment will be by one assignment, which will present a critical evaluation and comparison of relevant research methodologies appropriate to your specific research purpose and area. The assignment requires you to: • Critically discuss and evaluate the proposed research methodology and the design of the research methods you plan to use when undertaking your proposed research. • Specifically, you will critically review research methodologies appropriate to your proposed research and thereby justify your subsequent choice of methodology, proposed methods of data collection and analyses. PLEASE TAKE NOTE: • It is crucial that there is evidence of wide reading and theoretical underpinning for your paper with linkage to practical considerations • Ensure you write more on the methodology and analysis, and less of literatures • Discuss your choice of design. How relevant is it to your topic? • Make sure you reference while discussing about the methodology, (this will show as an evidence of wide reading). • Focus on your design, methodology and data collection method and justify why? Feedback will be given which will enable the student to develop deeper understanding of the stages in a research project to enable them to embark on their proposed research and thesis with confidence. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: The coursework will assess the extent to which the learning outcomes have been demonstrated within a critique of alternative research methodologies appropriate to the proposed research. Indicative Content/Structure 1. The first section (introduction) needs to succinctly answer three questions: (a) What is the issue/problem? You need to define the subject of your proposed research and draw some boundaries round it. What it is and what it isn't. State your research question(s)! (b) Why is the issue/problem important? Basically, why bother? Is it just a way of filling your time, or is your project about something that really matters to someone (you, the academic/management community), and, if so, in what way? (c) What is the context in which the research is set? You need to provide enough information about contextual features to give the reader a feel for the setting of the proposed work. Normally, this will mean a little about the size and business of your research organisation(s). Depending on the degree of contextual detail appropriate to later chapters, it might also include a discussion of extra-organisational factors which represent key aspects of the issue's environment. In addition, to answering these questions, this section should also give the reader some indication of the structure of the assignment. 2. The next section may (briefly) consist of your analysis of the literature. In effect you are trying to answer the question: “what is already known about this issue/problem?” and calve out the gap in the literature (or lacuna) to which you research will attend. 3. Having set out a theoretical framework through a discussion of the relevant literature, the next logical question is "how might this problem be researched?". This should be the bulk of your assignment in terms of weighting. This section is, therefore, a critical evaluation of research methodologies and methods. The discussion should also consider those rejected as well as those adopted - not just in a descriptive sense, but in a way that justifies your choices. The aim is to persuade the reader that your approach and the methods chosen are appropriate for the task. You should also be aware of the weaknesses of the methods chosen and be able to comment upon the limitations this may cause. Most methods of research are grounded in particular views of what organisations are, in general, about. So do discuss your philosophical commitments but this is not a philosophy assignment so don’t spend too much time on them. You will strengthen your argument by showing that you understand the dominant paradigm which underpins your approach. You also need to discuss the limitations of your methods. All methods are flawed to some extent and you need to show that you are aware of this. You will also need to discuss the method of data collection including, the sample or respondents used to gather the data from, and how you intend to analyse and make sense of the data. For example, what statistical techniques will you employ to make sense of quantitative survey data, and/or how will do you intend to analyse qualitative data from interviews or observations in order to demonstrate rigour and validity in your analyses.
04 November, 2015
Instructions 10 Writing Self-Assessment Overview In this assignment, you will describe your perceptions of yourself as a writer. Audience and Purpose The audience for this document is me, your instructor. Instructions • give some history of your experience as a writer. (e.g. I am a good writer, I hate writing, etc.) • explain how your perceptions have changed while you've been in this class • explain how you would like to change and mature as a writer (unless you are already okay with yourself as a writer -- then comment on why) • Length: approximately 300- 500 words Evaluation Criteria Note: Pay particular attention to the evaluation criteria for each assignment; they will help you focus on the key strategies to use for each document. Content (50%) • The introduction indicates the purpose of the piece • The body addresses the issues mentioned above • The conclusion summarizes your perceptions and goals Organization (25%) • The information is chunked for the reader and organized in a logical flow. The memo has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. • The paragraphs hold together well, and each has a unified theme. • The transitions help link sentences and paragraphs in a flow of ideas. Expression (25%) • The writing is clear and concise. • The style and tone are appropriate for the audience. • The memo uses correct grammar, punctuation, and word choices. The element of design will not be evaluated for this assignment, since at this point in the course we won't have addressed it yet. However, the design of your documents will become more critical as we move forward.
04 November, 2015
Morality and Fairy Tales Purpose: This essay asks you to use rhetorical analysis, modes of argumentation and persuasion, and the practice of discovering and conveying your own style. In addition, this essay asks you to avoid using logical fallacies in your composition. Primary Readings: “Beauty and the Beast” by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont <http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/beauty.html>, “Little Red Riding Hood” by Charles Perrault, “Little Snow-White” by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm <http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm053.html>, “Bluebeard” by Charles Perrault <http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/perrault03.html>, and one fairy tale of your choosing (either Perrault or Grimm version). Topic: Fairy tales are so old that they date back to the oral tradition when stories were told by word of mouth instead of paper and pen. This is why there is no one main version of a fairy tale; each version differs depending on the region, the audience, the translators, and so on. Despite their differences, there is one goal that classic fairy tales have, which is to represent the fundamental flaws of human nature and create morals to teach audiences (particularly children) to avoid those flaws. It is this element that is most interesting for critical thinkers, who work to scrutinize truth, identify discrepancies, and avoid logical errors. Therefore, addressing these morals as arguments is what we will do for this essay, and our job will be to determine the strength and/or weaknesses of these arguments. Writing Task: Carefully review the moralist’s perspective also recommend you use the criteria for moral arguments and as you begin writing. Then, construct a well-developed and well-argued essay: Evaluate TWO moral lessons in 1-2 fairy tales : one critique must be a moral lesson you think succeeds and the other must be a moral lesson you think fails. Tips: There are obviously many morals to be found in fairy tales; some even contain more than one. For example, obedience is the primary moral taught in “Bluebeard,” kindness and compassion are taught in “Snow White,” but within each fairy tale you will find many more moral lessons like “don’t talk to strangers,” “don’t accept gifts from strangers,” “don’t allow your curiosity to get the better of you,” and so on. My suggestion is to make a list of all moral lessons you identified in each fairy tale, and then, in your notes, mark which succeeds and/or fails. In order to take helpful notes for this topic, you will need to consider characters, themes, circumstances, social, cultural, or gender expectations, time period, location, etc. Remember to think about context before beginning to write (the necessary background information you need to set up before presenting an argument). Directions: This essay should be at least 4 pages in length and it should have at least 2 credible sources. The first source is your primary text (the fairy tale(s) you will be focusing on), but the other source must be acquired through research. Recommended to look for critical and scholarly articles from books or academic journals/credible websites. . Essays must be in MLA format (12pt, Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, and double spaced) and should have a Works Cited Page.
04 November, 2015
supply chain management paper please pay attention to the details of the assignment: Maximum 8 pages, double spaced (exhibits and appendices can be included in additional pages) Your assignment is to submit a report outlining the opportunities, risks, requirements, and challenges associated with exporting a product to a new market in a developing economy/country. You may choose the product and the country, but please provide your logic and supporting data for why this is a good opportunity. Issues discussed in class should be addressed in your report. Be sure to use headings to break your report into sections. Include a map indicating the route your product will take including the ports (water or air) that will be used. Consider the following: 1. Why is the developing economy you selected a good market for this particular product? 2. What factors will impact supply and demand within the country? 3. What issues will you need to address in your contracts with your customers? How specifically will you address these issues (provide supporting logic)? 4. What are the major risks and/or challenges associated with exporting this product and selling it into this market? How would you mitigate those risks? 5. What is the harmonized tariff code for your product? What is required to import your products into the country (licensing, duties, documentation, labeling, etc.)? 6. What are INCO terms, freight costs, label requirements 7. What modes of transportation and routings would you use to export your product? 8. What time and costs will be incurred in the transportation process? What are the implications for the competitiveness of your product? 9. Please be sure to provide support for your decisions and cite your sources appropriately (use APA Guidelines)
04 November, 2015