The Nexus of the Business Ethics - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2392 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? Business ethics is the application of ethical values to business behavior. It applies to any and all aspects of business conduct, from boardroom strategies and how companies treat their suppliers to sales techniques and accounting practices. Ethics goes beyond the legal requirements for a company and is, therefore, discretionary. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Nexus of the Business Ethics" essay for you Create order Business ethics applies to the conduct of individuals and to the conduct of the organization as a whole. It is about how a company does its business, how it behaves intrinsically. The philosophy behind ethics having relevance to business is based on the fact that company, like an individual, is an important factor in society. Companies do not operate in a vacuum, but are part of society. Just as society expects a certain standard of behaviour from individuals, it also expects businesses to abide by similar standards. According to MORI research in July 2002, 80 % of the UK public believe thatÂÂ  large companies have a moral responsibility to society. But people no longer trust business to do the right thing. In the same survey, 61 % of people thought large companies dont really care about the long-term environmental and social impact of their actions. Companies require what is often called a license to operate. In other words, they need the approval of society in order to cont inue doing business. People expect companies to look after their staff and tell customers the truth. They also increasingly expect companies to address their environmental impacts and make sure that the people who make their products are treated fairly, wherever the company operates. A companys core values and codes of ethical behaviour should underpin everything that the business does. How a company then chooses to interact with its global and local communities in the light of its values and ethics is often known as Corporate Responsibility or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Generally, a company has five principle stakeholders as those with whom the company has a financial relationship. They are shareholders; customers; employees; suppliers and the community (through the payment of taxes). Other interested parties who may have influence over the companys behaviour would include the media; campaigning NGOs; competitors and the regulators, although these latter might be fin ancial stakeholders if they have power to regulate prices. Comparative Study: Ethics can be defined as a code of conduct that is based on the understanding of what is wrong or right. Therefore business ethics may be described as a set or informal code of conduct that may be displayed between the employees and the employer, company and the clients, as well as an organization to its neighbors and business associates. The need to display acceptableÂÂ  business ethicsÂÂ  is based on the perception that a mutually acceptable code of ethics improves productivity and minimizes employee complaints. A business organization that embraces good moral standards usually wins the efforts of the worker. There are decreased employees complaints and increased morale whenever the ethics applied are acceptable by the workers. Poor ethical presentation signifies compromised product and service delivery. For instance, if a company uses unacceptable recruitment procedures, this may result to subordination by the staff through poor production. This may lead to reduced revenues. In addition, an organization may have a sound ethics presentation system such as through right recruitment channels and procedures, rewarding of employees, and reprimanding of workers.ÂÂ   This creates a favorable working environment for the employee. This impacts on the production and general income levels of the company. Therefore, if a company sets good ethics frameworks and its implementation, this significantly improves on its performance. When the tool of ethical presentation is misused by a company, this brings in confrontations between the staff and the management. There is reduced concentration in duty execution. At the same time, poor application of work ethics drives away customers especially when the element of customer care is not applied responsibly. Poor employee-customer communication may result to dissatisfaction of the external customer resulting to withdraw ofÂÂ  consumption behavior. Positively, ethical presentation can create and strengthe n clients-company bond thus nurturing loyalty within the clientele. Ethics presentation can also impact on the competitiveness of the company to the business community. A company that practices sound ethics usually triumphs over the employees and clients needs and expectations which are the greatest tools of success of an organization. There is increased productivity, diversification of skills through innovation and creativity. On the other hand, there is improved buying behavior from the customers. This drives the company to profitability hence assuming the advantage of market leader and corporate ethics. Ethics presentation instills discipline in work place transforming to high performance through efficiency, concentration and respect. A company earns recognition and pride hence influencing the prospective customers. A company that receives confidence from the workers succeeds in growth and has a competitive edge. One may argue that business and ethics doÂÂ  not necessaril y go together. Succeeding in business is largely about advancing our own private interestsaggressively competing against other people, beating them out for the same prize, and having unlimited ambition for money, position, and power. The moral life, by contrast, focuses on our duties to othersnot to hurt anyone (deliberately or accidentally), to place other peoples interests ahead of our own when its called for, and always to treat others with the dignity and respect they deserve. Yet being scrupulously honest and caring in our business dealings with others can sometimes cost us sales, deals, money, and promotions. Refusing to go along with other peoples unethical behavior can even cost us our jobs. When taken too far in business, even healthy self-interest, competitiveness, and ambition can go turn into selfishness, aggression, and greedtraits that are clearly at odds with the moral life. It seems, then, that taking ethics seriously in business extracts a price and may make success more difficult to come by. But if this is true, why should any of us make the effort to do whats right? In particular, what would we say to someone who asks, Why should I be ethical?ÂÂ  Whats in it for me?. The most suitable response to this argument is to draw an empirical scenario of business world in 21st century where news is accessible and reachable by virtue of information technology all over the world. Nowadays, companies are open to public with loads of information regarding their business conducts and products. And any unfair business practice can badly affect the company reputation and destroy it completely. So it is for the sake of business itself to operate within a fair and ethical way. Moreover, having an ethical policy is good governance practice and is one of the hallmarks of a well-run business. It can reassure investors and other stakeholders about the companys approach to its non-financial risks. Besides providing a license to operate, having an ethical poli cy can also help to protect and enhance corporate reputation; can motivate and encourage loyalty in staff and can be useful in terms of risk management. The Institute of Business Ethics analyses the relationship between ethics and reputation risk management. Ethics policies are also an important aspect of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) and can stand companies in good stead with indices such as the FTSE4Good or the Dow Jones Sustainability Group.ÂÂ  In addition, another research shows that from three of four measures of corporate value (EVA, MVA and P/E ratio), it was found that, during 1997-2001, those companies in the sample that had had a code of ethics for at least five years outperformed a similar sized group who said they did not have a code. A number of companies have publicly claimed that ethics is good for their business. Well known for its ethical stance, The Co-operative Bank claims that itsÂÂ  ethical and ecological positioning makes a sizable contributio n to the banks profitability. The banks 2002 Partnership Report claims that,ÂÂ  for 2000, the profit attributable to ethically motivated customers was stated at between 15 % and 18 % of the banks profit before tax. Case Study: A series of external and internal factors are putting pressure on companies to address ethics. These include the increasing influence of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs); a pervasive media in search of stories; the knock-on effect of corporate accountancy scandals such as Enron and WorldCom; increasing legislation and the growth of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI), as well as changing consumer and employee expectations. In 1977, following a series of scandals involving bribery by U. S. firms abroad including the Lockheed $12 million bribery case that led to the fall of the Japanese government at the time, the U. S. government passed the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The Act was historic because it was the first piece of legislation that attempted to control the actions of U.S. corporations in foreign countries. The Act prohibited U. S. companies from paying large sums of money (or their equivalent) to high level government officials of other countries to obtain special t reatment. A number of companies prior to the Act had already adopted the policy of refusing to pay bribes as a matter of ethical principle. IBM, among others, was known for adherence to this policy, as was Motorola. The Act forced all companies to live up to the already existing ethical norm. Its critics complained, however, that it put U. S. companies at an unfair disadvantage vis-Ã  -vis companies from other countries that were permitted to pay bribes. The U. S. government applied what pressure it could to encourage other countries to follow its lead, and finally twenty years later the OECD countries agreed to adopt similar legislation. In 1978 General Motors and a group of other U. S. companies adopted what are known as the Sullivan Principles, which governed their actions in South Africa. The signatories agreed that they would not follow the discriminatory and repressive apartheid legislation in South Africa and would take affirmative action to try to undermine apartheid not only by not following the existing South African apartheid statutes, but also by lobbying the South African government for change. Adherence to the Principles was seen as a way by which American companies could ethically justify doing business in South Africa. They were adopted in part as a response to public pressure on the companies to leave South Africa. The Principles have become a model for other voluntary codes of ethical conduct by companies in a variety of other ethically questionable circumstances. By the 1980s many companies had started reacting to calls for ethical structures, and more and more started adopting ethical codes and instituting ethics training for their employees. Each wave of scandals, which seemed to occur every ten years or so, resulted in more pressure for companies to incorporate ethics into their structures. In 1984 the Union Carbide disaster at its plant in Bhopal, India, which killed thousands of people and injured several hundred thousand, focuse d world attention on the chemical industry. This led to the chemical industrys adopting a voluntary code of ethical conduct known as Responsible Care, which became a model for other industries. In 1986, in response to a series of reported irregularities in defense contracts, a special Commission Report on the situation led to the establishment of the Defense Industry Initiative (DII) on Business Ethics and Conduct, signed by thirty-two (it soon increased to fifty) major defense contractors. Each signatory agreed to have a written code of ethics, establish appropriate ethics training programs for their employees, establish monitoring mechanisms to detect improper activity, share their best practices, and be accountable to the public. The DII became the model for what has been the most significant governmental impetus to the business ethics movement, namely, the 1991 U. S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Corporations. That law took the approach of providing an incentive for corpo rations to incorporate ethical structures within their organizations. If a company could show that it had taken appropriate measures to prevent and detect illegal and unethical behavior, its sentence, if found guilty of illegal behavior, would be reduced considerably. Appropriate measures included having a code of ethics or of conduct, a high-placed officer in charge of oversight, an ethics training program, a monitoring and reporting system (such as a hotline), and an enforcement and response system. Fines that could reach up to $290 million could be reduced by up to 95 percent if a company could showÂÂ  bona fideÂÂ  institutional structures that were in place to help prevent unethical and illegal conduct. The result was a concerted effort on the part of most large companies to incorporate into their organizations the structures required. This led to the development of a corporate position known as the Corporate Ethics Officer, and in 1992 to the establishment of the Corp orate Ethics Officer Association. The most recent legislative incentive to incorporate ethics in the corporation came in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, passed as a result of a rash of scandals involving Enron, WorldCom, Arthur Andersen and other prominent corporations. The Act requires, among other things, that the CEO and CFO certify the fairness and accuracy of corporate financial statements (with criminal penalties for knowing violations) and a code of ethics for the corporations senior financial officers, as well as requiring a great deal more public disclosure. Corporations have responded to legislative and popular pressure in a variety of ways. The language of social responsibility rather than explicitly ethical language is still probably the most commonly used. Self-monitoring of adherence to a corporations stated principles and self-adopted standards is becoming more common, and some companies have voluntarily adopted monitoring of their practices, policies and plants by independent auditors. The notion of a Triple Bottom Line, which involves financial, social and environmental corporate reporting, has been adopted by a number of companies. Other popular reporting mechanisms include corporate environmental sustainability reports and social audits, which vary considerably in what is reported and how it is reported. Ethical investing is another aspect of the movement, and mangers of ethical investment funds have begun proposing stockholder proposals as a means of encouraging more ethical behavior on the part of corporations in which they own stock. Conclusion: The above discussion reveals that ethics is must to do business well and to maximize profit. However, it is not so smooth as selfishness and unfair market completion creates obstacles in the way and encourages people to resort to unethical means to get the best out of it. But in the long run only that business remains profitable which continuously provides good quality products and keeps following fair policy.

My Fathers Life - 1110 Words

In between the two world wars, America suffered from hunger and unemployment. This all happened because of the huge economic crisis, which struck the whole world in 1929. It is not unusual that this type of crisis can lead man into alcoholism and gambling, and quickly, a whole family can be on the edge of destruction. This is exactly what Raymond Carver describes in his novel â€Å"My Father’s Life† from 1984. In his novel, Raymond Carver describes his father’s life, starting with his death and continuing with how he met his wife. The story goes on, telling about their poor life, his alcoholism, gambling and his unfaithfulness. The father is named Clevie Raymond Carver and he is roughly described as a drunkard, who has a hard time finding†¦show more content†¦He writes this poem in the period where he is most identic to his father: â€Å"I wrote the poem when I was living in an apartment house in an urban area of south Francisco, at a time when I found myself, like my dad, having trouble with alcohol.† -------------------------------------------- [ 1 ]. (P. 170, l. 16-19) [ 2 ]. (P. 175, l. 9-11) [ 3 ]. (P. 169, l. 34-37) [ 4 ]. (P. 174-175, l. 40-3) [ 5 ]. (P. 174, l. 28-30) [ 6 ]. (P. 172, l. 5-8) [ 7 ]. (P. 171, l. 22-25) [ 8 ]. (P. 175, l.Show MoreRelatedMy Life With My Father1066 Words   |  5 PagesHospital in Bronxville New York. I was named after my father and grandfather which made me Manuel Pragana the Third. Having the same name as three other people in my family made it ever tough for us to figure out when someone yelled Manny which one they were trying to get ahold of. I lived the first year of my life with my mother and father in their house in Yonkers where both of them grew up. Soon after my parents found out that they were having my younger brother Antonio they packed me up and boughtRead MoreMy Life Is My Father1180 Words   |  5 Pagesseen as my hero my whole life is my father. He is the most humble man I know. His humility remind me each day how there are good people that truly exist in this world. He he acquired this trait from my grandfather and grandmother who use to clothe, feed, and house immigrants that came to the United stated in the mid 70s and 80s. My dad told me ho w my grandpa never denied anyone help how he would help those that came through his house until they were able to get on their two feet. My pride wouldRead MoreMy Life As A Father1676 Words   |  7 PagesI would like to share some things that have made me think of late, mainly of the short comings that I have faced myself, as a father (yes, I have been guilty on occasion), and now Grandfather, although time is on my side to correct this, as my Granddaughter is about to turn 3 years old in December. I went back into baseball last year, to play for the Werribee Giants Baseball Club, after being away from the game for almost 20 years. I was welcomed with open arms and the opportunity to coach wasRead MoreMy Fathers Life1094 Words   |  5 Pagesquickly, a whole family can be on the edge of destruction. This is exactly what Raymond Carver describes in his novel â€Å"My Father’s Life† from 1984. In his novel, Raymond Carver describes his father’s life, starting with his death and continuing with how he met his wife. The story goes on, telling about their poor life, his alcoholism, gambling and his unfaithfulness. The father is named Clevie Raymond Carver and he is roughly described as a drunkard, who has a hard time finding work and stayingRead MoreMy Life Of My Father849 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Goodbye Daddy†. Those two simple words felt stained to my lips every time I had to say them while growing up. I was raised in a military family, with a father that was never home. My father was in Special Forces so he was constantly deployed for months on end. I think his longest deployment was probably fifteen months, maybe eighteen, I have grown to forget them by now. While growing up, I was never allowed to discuss my father’s circumstances. Not just because of how important and secretive heRead MoreMy Life With My Father Essay1676 Words   |  7 PagesThe One Week That Will Last a Lifetime Isn t it funny how fast life can seem to pass by? Often we are so caught up in the daily actions of the world that we miss certain things in the meantime. As if we all have infinite time to do infinite things with the people that we carry dearly in our hearts every single day. Life as we know however, is not always this beautiful. I found this out the hard way by losing my father, and falling into a depression I struggle with everyday. I had a very interestingRead MoreMy Life Of My Father984 Words   |  4 PagesSongtan, South Korea. Bringing me into this world must have been a tremendous task for my mother because she reminds me often how difficult birthing me was. My mother unconditionally loved me the way I was and bought me a lot of dresses that a princess would wear in a fairy tale book. Also, she encouraged my learning and bought me more than hundreds of books to broaden my insight of the world. However, my father was a traditional, patriarchal Korean man who was immediately ashamed that his first bornRead MoreMy Life Of My Father2733 Words   |  11 Pageshad turned seven, my mother had demanded a divorce from my father, but he didn’t want one and started to threaten my mother if she left him. For instance, one morning, I recall my mother arguing with my father about him not being around and always being drunk and high on drugs. My father was going around the house punching walls and throwing picture frames and anything he was able to get his hands on. I remember running into my parent’s room and seeing my mother holding on to my little sister withRead MoreMy Life Of My Father1433 Words   |  6 Pagesearly 40’s and considered by the government standard as being middle class. My mother was rushed to the hospital on March 14th, 1995 in Brandon, Florida. This made me the youngest of their three children. My sister is ten years older than I am and my brother is seven years older. After I turned two years old my family packed up and moved to Mobile, Alabama, where I would eventually grow up to become who I am today. My father took a job as the head of the grounds crew at Spring Hill College. He wasRead MoreMy Life Of My Father1778 Words   |  8 PagesArabia; I was with my father visiting family for the first time in my life. As we got on the tube from the plane and walked towards the terminal, you are hit with that unfamiliar new smell of a country you just arrived, then to my surprise there was a big costume party that everyone are participating in, men in white dresses and red scarves on their heads, and women covered in black sheets from head to toe. I couldn’t believe my eyes that they have costume parties in the airport; is what my seven year old

New Zealand Families Today Free Essays

string(72) " decision nor felt that their wellbeing was affected by their decision\." RESEARCH PROJECT Women in later life who have chosen to remain voluntarily childfree what are the implications if any? 1. AIM The aim of the research is to explore the implications of remaining voluntarily childfree for women in later life within the New Plymouth district of New Zealand. 1. We will write a custom essay sample on New Zealand Families Today or any similar topic only for you Order Now a. INTRODUCTION Within many Western industrialised societies there are notions that children provide fulfillment, give purpose and offset loneliness in later life. There are tales like the ‘Three Spinsters’ from the writers The Brothers Grimm which have contributed to the stereotypes of childless women as lonely, bitter and unfulfilled for decades. If children are necessary at preventing loneliness in older age there is concern in regards to the New Zealand population trend. The 2006 New Zealand census released reports that by 2016 one in four women will remain childless. The implications of the assumption that children are necessary for elderly wellbeing could mean that our ageing generations may be prone to loneliness. The changing demographics of our society combined with the findings that there is no research to date on voluntary childfree women in later life within New Zealand has amplified my interest in this research topic. My interest in this research proposal stems from my own position in life. I am a 35 year old Pakeha woman who has chosen to remain childfree. I have had many assumptions put forward to me in regards to my personal choice to remain voluntarily childfree. These are mainly aimed around the notion that I am destined for loneliness in later life and that I will be unfulfilled. Therefore I have made my position within this research proposal transparent as I acknowledge it is influential to my perspective when I undertake the research. Delwyn Field Page 2 The research proposal will outline the research methodology to be carried out. The research will be qualitative based on a feminist’s perspective, to provide knowledge of women issues, for women from women. The research will be guided by feminist ideology and explore the socially constructed norms of womanhood without motherhood. The data collection will be the use of storytelling which is fitting with qualitative research. The story telling process will enlighten the researcher on how the participants came to their chosen life path. This will be informative as the participants came from the eras of where motherhood and childbirth was predominately something that happened to women not chosen by women (Held, 1989, as cited in Riley, 2008). The participants for the research will be women who have chosen to remain childfree and they will be over the age of 65. The age range of 65 plus is described as late adulthood in human development lifespan theories (Berk, 2007). I have chosen this age criteria because critical social, emotional and developmental stages occur in this period of life which are broadly universal to most elderly (Berk, 2007). The research proposal will also be based on the New Plymouth district of New Zealand. The New Plymouth district consists of â€Å"New Plymouth and the towns of Waitara, Inglewood, Urenui, Okato, Bell Block, Oakura and many other smaller rural communities† (New Plymouth District Council, n. d. ). Within New Zealand there is no empirical research done on New Zealand voluntary childless women in smaller urban areas in later life, hence why the research will be conducted here. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW This literature review has minimal reference to New Zealand literature as there is a limited study on voluntary childfree persons within New Zealand. Therefore the majority of the literature relied on is sourced from Western industrialised countries. In 1997, Cameron investigated voluntary childless within New Zealand in her book Without Issue; New Zealanders who choose not to have children. The participants within Delwyn Field Page 3 the research were numerous and involved mostly the qualitative approach of telling their story (Cameron, 1997). One of the themes that was highlighted in Cameron’s (1997) study was the social perceptions of voluntary childfree persons; the assumption that they were unhappy, selfish, emotionally unstable, immature and LONELY. This assumption of lonely old women has fueled the myth that those who choose not to have children are going to be miserable in their later years (Cameron, 1997). This was a common theme uncovered in further literature. This stereotyped image of voluntary childfree as lonely and unfulfilled is still predominating in our society in the twenty first century. Riley in her 2008 Masters of Social Science in Psychology researched stereotyping of voluntary childfree couples within New Zealand. This qualitative study interviewed and held focus groups of ten couples, to delve into stereotypes, pressures and harassments of their chosen life path. One of the stereotypes that were identified was that they were â€Å"destined for loneliness in later life† (Riley, 2008, p. ii). Throughout Riley’s 2008 thesis the belief by those who have/want children is that for individuals in society, and especially women children were fundamental in providing fulfillment and companionship. Jamison, Franzini and Kaplan (1979, cited in Riley, 2008) investigation of American university students supported Riley (2008) view that there are negative implications for women in later life who were remaining childfree. The students perceived these women to be â€Å"less likely to be happy and satisfied in old age† (Jamison, Franzini Kaplan, 1979 cited in Riley, 2008, p. 21). The participants in Riley’s (2008) research noted that there was harassment and pressure in regards to the implications and risks they were taking in remaining childfree. These were messages that in later life they would be alone, they would not have children to support or give them fulfillment this would be internalised and their wellbeing would be effected (Riley, 2008). Delwyn Field Page 4 Regret is a message that childfree persons seem to hear continually in regards to their decision (Cameron, 1997). But there is to date research that has actually provided the opposite outcome. In Jeffries and Konnett (2002) research found that 22 out of 23 participants of the Canadian voluntary childfree women did not regret their decision nor felt that their wellbeing was affected by their decision. You read "New Zealand Families Today" in category "Papers" When analyzing Zhang and Hayward’s (2001) quantitative research of Americans in the 1993 Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) to conclude the Psychological wellbeing of childless older persons stereotypes are actually unfounded. The result of their research concluded that childlessness when voluntary did not support the hypothesis that â€Å"childlessness increases loneliness and depression for divorced, widowed and never married elderly persons† (Zhang Hayward, 2001, p. 311). Therefore children make little difference in how women fare in later life in regards to loneliness. This was again confirmed by Rempel’s (1985) research article into the childless elderly. Rempel used the 1979 Social Change in Canada’s data base to compare childless and parent elderly. The results from the research showed that statistically there were minimal disparities of what they were missing in life. The article stated there were benefits to both choices in life. When reviewing the article Rempel (1985) highlighted the ability of those who were childfree to have a parallel quality of life of those who were parents in later life. This refutes the concern that childfree elderly are isolated and lonely. What points to the parallel quality of life is that thou adult children provide support networks to elderly parents. The childfree elderly also have an established network of friends and family e. g. siblings who contribute to their support networks (Rempel, 1985). Rempel (1985) suggest this is due to childfree persons knowing that in later life children are not going to be available. So in turn they produce a life that ensures they are â€Å"capable self reliant elderly† with an established support network they nurture (Rempel, 1985, p. 347). Delwyn Field Page 5 Zhang and Hayward (2001) confirmed that the social support network was crucial in childfree elderly maintaining wellbeing. Their research linked older childless persons being integrated into close friend networks instead of the close family networks older parents had established this was on par or to a greater level at providing support (Zhang and Hayward, 2001). The research also underpinned the role of siblings, nieces and nephews played in elderly childfree lives as being important compared to that of elderly parents lives (Zhang and Hayward, 2001). Connidis and Davis (1990) qualitative survey of over 400 older person to conclude the place of family and friends in later life also states the use of differing support networks of elderly people is beneficial. In depth individual one hour interviews in America discovered that among elderly persons a diversified social network provides the best support in later life (Connidis and Davis, 1990). This is most favorable to childfree women as they tend to develop the strongest ties with friends and siblings as both companions and confidents (Connidis Davis, 1990). This may be again due to ensuring their self reliance in later life due to no children to depend upon. One of the key findings in loneliness, social isolation and living alone in later life was the size of the individual’s social network in offsetting negative effects of loneliness (Victor, Bowling, Bond Scambler, n. d). Though a large amount of this literature review has shown loneliness is not the destiny of elderly childfree persons, it unfortunately has not included New Zealand childfree women. Therefore when analyzing Riley’s (2008) childfree participants in her New Zealand study was there any key theme that was established in regards to social networks and loneliness pertaining to the participants? All participants raised the concern of their status ‘childfree’ as making them more socially excluded. The difficulty of remaining friends with people when they became parents was expressed due to the â€Å"nature of the relationship† would change (Riley, 2008, p. 57). Maintaining friendships with parents was an issue and affected social networks. Cameron (1997) also discovered this in her Delwyn Field Page 6 study that childfree people believe that if they were parents they would have access to larger social networks (Cameron, 1997). This is because parents have more in common with other parent’s children provide a connection that is not available to childfree (Riley, 2008). Although to date no data could be found within the literature research to confirm that parenting is a guarantee to social inclusion. Unfortunately no participants were elderly to conclude loneliness in later life. More research needs to be conducted in regards to New Zealand Childfree persons to conclude social network supports and loneliness in elderly here. An article released by New Zealand Statistics in 2008 concluded that if trends continue one in four elderly women in New Zealand will be childless. New Zealand statistics also stated that childless is more common among women living in main urban areas (Boddington Didham, 2008). Boddington and Didham (2008) who collated this information from the 2006 census state this is due to the larger social networks available in main urban areas. So will women who remain voluntary childfree and reside in smaller urban areas, be subjected to more negative impacts from their decision due to more smaller social networks? 3. METHOD The research proposed is from a qualitative approach using storytelling as a means of data collection. This method is applied because of the argument presented in favor of qualitative research that it â€Å"†¦views the social world as a complex, dynamic reality†¦ of multiple layers of meaning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Connolly, 2002, p. 27). Therefore qualitative data enables a more comprehensive insight into the complexity of people. Qualitative research also supports feminist principles of where women are collaborative and equal in the research (Smith Noble-Spreull, 1986). Where-as if a quantitative method was applied in this research, it would focus on controlled data where the researcher has a hierarchical relationship with the researched, thus not equal and consistent with feminist values. Also through telling their stories women are given a voice to speak out within the public arena Delwyn Field Page 7 on pronatalism attitudes (promoting childbearing) which have been linked with patriarchal values and subordination of women (Riley, 2008). In turn this research will empower women to explore the complexity of childfree women which is important for feminism. Hence the qualitative approach when researching women who choose to remain voluntary childfree embraces the feminist perspective and enables us to seek understanding and information from the participant’s point of view (Bryman, 2001). 3. 1 DATA COLLECTION The data collection for the research is through one on one interview through storytelling. Davidson Tolich state â€Å"storytelling aims to explore an individual’s identity†¦through personal accounts† (Alice, 2003, p. 6). It is a method that reveals rich data because when individuals talk of their understanding of events they may retell it giving greater insight to the complexity of their experiences and themselves (Webster Mertova, 2007). This would be favorable in this research because the participants may have quite unique and complex accounts of their chosen life path where their poin t of view is vital for data collection. Feminists also believe that storytelling is unique at capturing the â€Å"diversity of experiences between women† (Alice, 2003, p. 67). The interviews will be conducted within the participants home, at times which are most convenient for them. There is no structured time set due to the nature of the data collection method, but the research is based on one or two in depth interviews. The life stories will provide the interview format, my role as the researcher will be to provide prompts to encourage the flow of the interview process. Being an insider within the research proposal, and having my position transparent through contributing and sharing in the interview, will enhance the process of sharing stories. Through the storytelling collection method the research will seek to cover several aspects of the participant’s life story. These will be consistent with revealing data that will help to conclude what it is like to be voluntary childfree in later life. See appendix one for subject matter the interviews will be seeking to cover from each participant. If a more formal structured Delwyn Field Page 8 interview was to take place assumptions about the participant may taint their viewpoint and limit the data collected (Bryman 2001). The interviews will be recorded by audiotape, once consent is gained from the participants (Appendix two). This will enable me, the interviewer, to remain focused on the participants and enable the flow of the interview. Note taking will not be included as it may distort respondent’s answers and may be interruptive in the flow of the interview (Bryman 2001). The audiotapes will be transcribed by the interviewer and transferred to a hard copy. The participants will be invited to be supplied with a full copy of the audio interview and hard copy. This will in turn encourage reciprocity i. e. equal bi directional relationships within the research process, which is in line with feminism ideology (Smith Noble-Spreull, 1986). It will also allow for the participants to confirm and have the opportunity to comment and make changes to their stories. This empowers the participant and encourages an egalitarian relationship which is congruent with qualitative research (Smith Noble Spreull, 1986). The data through out the research project will be kept in a locked filing cabinet within my home in Taranaki. All information that is stored on computer will be contained in a secure file. At the end of the research project all data will be destroyed that is held on the computer, and within the filing cabinet. The participant’s audio tapes and hard copy transcripts will be returned to them or destroyed at the end of the research depending on their personal preference. The qualitative research will be analysed using coding where data retrieved from the story telling is broken down to key findings using the themes from the interview guide and other categories (appendix one). The other categories may be quite broad due to the in-depth nature of the data collection, thus sub categories may evolve through the data analysis (Bryman, 2001). The use of coding within the research enables the researcher to review transcripts and decipher significant common themes of the participants interviews Delwyn Field Page 9 (Bryman, 2001). The coding process will categorize the participant’s life stories showing common patterns in the social world of those who remain voluntary childfree and allow for analysis of the data (Bryman, 2001). Within the data collection coding should be done as soon as possible to â€Å"†¦sharpen your understanding of the data†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and help with providing other emerging patterns (Bryman, 2001, p. 398). These patterns above the interview themes will contribute to the findings and the development of a theory to conclude the implications of remaining voluntarily childfree in later life. Once the coding is complete the data can be statistically analysed. 3. 2 SAMPLE GROUP/ PARTICIPANTS The sample group will consist of seven voluntary participants. The criteria for the sample group will be female, aged 65 years plus, voluntary childfree, living independent within the New Plymouth district community and have no cognitive impairment e. g. Alzheimer’s and dementia. The participants will be recruited through volunteer means. An advertisement will be placed within the local New Plymouth Midweek paper, over a period of two months recruiting volunteer participants (appendix four). The advertisement will also target local agency Age Concern to advertise in their newsletter magazine (Appendix four). Recruitment will also depend on invitations been extended through snowballing where the researcher depends on the social network groups of childfree women to enable invitation. Bryman (2001) describes snowballing as the opportunity to use a small group to recruit other participants who are relevant for the research. This method of recruitment is chosen because there is no data base to seek women who have chosen to remain voluntary childfree available in New Zealand. The researcher will select the first seven participants who meet the chosen criteria. The number of participants allows the researcher to acquire a large enough sample base for data to be consequential in providing an analysis of voluntary childfree women. The Delwyn Field Page 10 group number is also conducive in enabling the type of data collection method to be effectively conducted. This is due the in depth nature of story telling collection methods in conjunction with the time restraints of the research proposal. The selected seven participants will be sent a letter introducing the researcher stating what is required as participants (appendix three), and a consent form (appendix two). The consent form will tell the participants of their rights, where the information will be used and ensure them that they can withdraw from the research at any time (appendix two). 4. ETHICAL ISSUES Through my study as a social work student I will be guided by the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) Code of Ethics (2008) ethical responsibilities in research. The research carried out will be in line with social work practice and be sensitive to the â€Å"†¦wellbeing and dignity of participants† by integrating the following into the research proposed (ANZASW, 2008, p. 4). Before undertaking any recruitment the research proposed will be taken to the Western Institute of Technology (WITT) Ethics Committee to seek guidance and advice in regards to what research ethics committee I may need to gain approval from. This will ensure that the research meets the appropriate standards of being ethically sound. Within the voluntary recruitment process no partici pants will be â€Å"†¦obtained by coercion nor by force†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and at all times through out the research the participants have the right to withdraw without explanation to the researcher (Wilkinson, 2001, p. 6). The introduction letter (Appendix three) will be to ensure that participants are fully informed of all relevant information in regards to the nature, purpose and process of the research that is to be carried out. This information will be fully disclosed whether the participant has asked for it or not and will ensure that the participant gains full knowledge of what they are getting into (Wilkinson, 2001). This will all be disclosed before obtaining written consent (Appendix two) from the participants so that no deception occurs. Delwyn Field Page 11 All data collection methods will be conducted in a manner that upholds the principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi; partnership, participation and protection. The research will be conducted so that self determination is sustained. This will be through participants obtaining a full copy of the audio interview and written copy of the transcript for clarification. This will also provide the opportunity for them to change and omit any information that they do not wish to be disclosed. Confidentiality will be upheld, names of participants will be deleted. Participants will be informed though that some information given may enable them to be identified due to the size of the demographic area; so complete confidentiality can not be fully guaranteed. All information obtained will be destroyed on completion of the research project, with the option that participants may have information returned to them if they wish. The concern for harm within the research would be that the research topic may generate negative memories and emotions for the participants. Under the clause 8. 1 of the ANZASW Code of Ethics (2008) the researcher must â€Å"†¦take all possible steps to protect participants†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , if distress does occur a referral to a counselor will be provided (ANZASW, 2008, p. 14). This service will be available during and up to the completion of the research. Potential problems that may occur in trying to carry out the research may be the perception that I the researcher are too young, thus discrediting my ability causing the participants to not talk to me. Also the ability to gain participants who wish to share their stories of their chosen life path of voluntarily remaining childfree may be considered too personal to share. If not enough participants are found the sample may not be large enough to give a significant and fair analysis of the implications of remaining childfree in later life within the New Plymouth district. Delwyn Field Page 12 At all times I will seek supervision due to my own personal position within the research topic. This will be to ensure information obtained from the research will not spark off any negative mental discomfort in my own personal life. . CONCLUSION This research proposal is an opportunity for women to tell their stories and enlighten society that womanhood in later life is not just valued on motherhood, thus disputing pronaltist ideology (Riley, 2008). These stories will hopefully support existing literature and remove assumptions, allowing voluntarily childfree women to be more valued in our socie ty and not stereotyped for later life implications. One of the greatest benefits of this research is that undertaking research on women in later life who are voluntary childfree may assist future elderly generations. This is through providing rich data from their life stories which may conclude coping techniques to ensure well being an offset loneliness in later life. With using a feminist perspective in the qualitative research methodology the research will work for women and give a voice to empower them in their choices. The weakness of the research is that there is no quantitative data for triangulation which may have provided the research with more validity and reliability. Future studies within New Zealand will be beneficial due to the limitations of this proposed research. Delwyn Field Page 13 6. Bibliography Alice, L. (2003). Power, experience, and process in femininst research. In C. Davidson M. Tolich (Eds. ). Social Science Research In New Zealand: Many Paths to Understanding. (2nd ed. ). (pp 62- 68), Auckland: Pearson Education New Zealand Ltd. Alzheimer’s Society (2007, February). The relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and loneliness. Alzheimer’s Research News. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://alzheimers. org. uk/site/script/news_article Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (Inc). (2008). Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers: Code of Ethics. (2nd revision). New Zealand: Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (Inc). Ashcroft, C. DR (2009, April). Ageing in New Plymouth Planning for Tomorrow. New Zealand: Ministry of Social Development, New Zealand Government. Berk, L. (2007). Development Through the Lifespan (4th ed. ). United States of America: Person Education; Allyn and Bacon. Boddington, B. , Didham, R. (2008). Busy making other plans: Increases in childlessness in New Zealand. Statistics New Zealand; Demographic Trends. Retrieved May 28, 2009 from http://www. population. govt. nz/NR/rdonlyres Bryman, A. (2001). Social Research Methods. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press Cameron, J. (1997). Without Issue: New Zealanders who choose not to have children. Christchurch, New Zealand: Canterbury University Press. Cahill, T. (2003, October). You Assumed Wrong. Macleans. 116 (40) 52. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb Connolly, M. (2002, Spring). Routes of Knowledge Toward Informed Practice: Differing Paradigms in Social Work Research. Social Work Review, 14 (3) 27-29 Connidis, I. A. , Davies, L. (1990). Confidents and Companions in Later Life: The Place of Family and Friends. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences. 5 (4) S141-149. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://socialsciences. gerontologyjournals. org/cgi/content/full//45/4/S141 Delwyn Field Page 14 Davey, B. (1999). Sketch of a Theory of loneliness. Perspective: Mental Help. net. 4 (4) 1-3. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://www. mentalhelp. net/poc_doc. php. Dyson, S. (1993). The Option of Parenthood. Great Britain: Sheldon Press, Londo n Jeffries, S. , Konnert, C. (2002). Regret and Psychological well being among voluntary and involuntarily childless women and mothers. International Journal of Ageing and Human Development, 54, 89-106. Retrieved May 29, 2009 from http://jfi. sagepub. com/cgi/reprint/30/5/670 New Plymouth District Council, (n. d. ). Living in New Plymouth: About New Plymouth. Retrieved June 16, 2009 fromhttp://www. newplymouthnz. com/livingNewPlymouth/AboutNewPlymouth/ Pitt, L. (1989). Patriarchs, Paddocks And The Personal: Five Women From The Wharehuia/ Te Popo District Talk About Their Lives. Unpublished Masters of Social Work Thesis, Massey University, Palmerston North. Pittaway, K. (2001, November). Your Kids, Your Problem. Chatelaine. 74 (11) 44. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://proquest. umi. om/pqdweb Rempel, J. (1985, May). Childless Elderly: What are they Missing? Journal of Marriage and the Family. 47 (2) 343-348. Retrieved May 26, 2009 from http://www. jstor. org/stable/352134 Riley, T. M. (2008). Childfree couples experiences of stereotyping, harassment, and Pressure. Unpublished thesis of Masters of Social Science in Psychology, The University of Waikato, Hamilton. Rowland, R. (1982, M arch). An Exploratory Study of the Childfree Lifestyle1. Journal of Sociology. 18 (1) 17-30. Retrieved May 25, 2009 from http://jos. sagepub. com At Massey University Library. Smith, B. Noble-Spreull, C. (1986). An Overview of Feminist Research Perspectives in H. Marchant, B. Wearing. (Eds. ) Gender Reclaimed: Women In Social Work. Sydney: Hall Iremonger. Victor, C. , Bowling, A. , Bond, J. , Scambler, S. , (n. d) Loneliness, Social Isolation and Living Alone in Later Life. ESRC Society Today. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://www. esrcsocietytoday. ac. uk/ESRCInfoCentre/Plain_English Wane, J. (2008, May). Only the Lonely. North and South Magazine. 68-75 Delwyn Field Page 15 Webster, L. , Mertova, P. (2007). Using Narrative Inquiry as a Research Method: An Introduction to Using Critical Event Narrative Analysis in Research on Learning And Teaching. USA: Routledge Wilkinson, T. (2001). The Core Ideas in Research Ethics in M. Tolich (Ed. ). Research Ethics in Aotearoa New Zealand: Concepts, practice, Critique. (pp. 13-24). Auckland: Pearson Education New Zealand. Zhang, Z. , Hayward, M. (2001). Childlessness and the Psychological Well-Being of Older Persons. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 56:S311-S320. Retrieved May 8, 2009 from http://psychsoc. gerontologyjournals. org/cgi/content/full/56/5/S311 How to cite New Zealand Families Today, Papers

Creative writing A flower Essay Example For Students

Creative writing: A flower Essay A flower can be a beautiful object. Many can observe it. If a flower is cared for, provided with its needs than the flower is able to blossom and grow. If the flower is left out alone in the cold and rain it will die. A flower has feelings and emotions. It reacts to the weather and does not like the darkness. A flower needs nourishment and tender loving care. A flower must be dealt with in a tender and kind way. If not it will die. A flower must be left alone at times but must be attended to occasionally. A flower needs its light and warmth as well to be understood. If not it will die. A flower is a gentle and expressive thing. A flower when displayed properly can be the most beautiful thing in the world. It must be admired and cared for otherwise it will die. A flower will be insulted if not appreciated and cared for. A flower must not be neglected or abused. A flower can provide much happiness and joy to those who appreciate its exquisiteness and beauty. A flower needs a person just as a person needs a flower. If a flower is not cherished it will die.