Piaget And Vygotsky Essays - Constructivism, Child Development

Piaget And Vygotsky Regular daily existence is described by cognizant reason. From going after food to structuring an examination, our activities are aimed at objectives. This reason uncovers itself incompletely in our cognizant mindfulness and halfway in the association of our musings and activities. Comprehension is the procedure engaged with deduction and mental movement, for example, consideration, memory and critical thinking. Much over a wide span of time hypothesis has accentuated the equals between the enunciated prepositional structure of language and the structure of an inward code or language of thought. In this paper I will talk about language and perception and two popular scholar who were both compelling in shaping a progressively logical way to deal with investigating the procedure of intellectual turn of events. Jean Piaget There are those that state that Jean Piaget was the first to pay attention to youngsters' reasoning. Despite the fact that Piaget never thought of himself as a youngster analyst his genuine intrigue was epistemology, the hypothesis of information, which, as was material science, considered a part of reasoning until Piaget went along and made it a science (2000). Kids and their thinking procedure intrigued Piaget. He started to suspect that seeing how the kid's brain creates may find the way to human information. Piaget's knowledge opened another window into the inward functions of the brain. Jean Piaget has made major hypothetical and down to earth commitments to our comprehension of the beginnings and advancement of information. Phases of Childhood Improvement In his work Piaget recognized phases of mental development. He hypothesized that all kids advanced through phases of psychological turn of events. He found that kids think and reason contrastingly at various periods in their lives. Piaget accepted that everybody went through an arrangement of four subjectively unmistakable stages. They are sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational. In the sensorimotor stage, happening from birth to age 2, the kid is worried about increasing engine control and learning about physical items. This stage advances that musing depends essentially on activity. Each time a newborn child does any activity, for example, holding a jug or figuring out how to turn over, they are getting familiar with their bodies and how it identifies with them and their condition. Piaget keeps up that there are six sub-arranges in the sensorimotor stage in spite of the fact that kids go through three significant accomplishments. In the preoperational stage, from ages 2 to 7, the youngster is engrossed with verbal abilities. Now the youngster can name objects and reason naturally. Piaget has separated this phase into the preoperational stage furthermore, the instinctive stage. In the preoperational stage youngsters use language and attempt to understand the world yet have a considerably less refined method of thought than grown-ups. They have to test contemplations with reality every day what's more, don't have all the earmarks of being ready to gain from speculations made by grown-ups. In the natural stage the kid gradually moves from reaching determinations based exclusively on solid encounters with objects. Be that as it may, the ends drawn are in light of rather ambiguous impressions and perceptual decisions. It gets conceivable to carry on a discussion with a kid. Youngsters build up the capacity to order questions based on various standards. At this stage kids figure out how to tally and utilize the idea of numbers. In the solid operational stage, from ages 7 to 12, the kid starts to manage theoretical ideas such as numbers and connections. It is here that kids learn authority of classes, relations, numbers and how to reason. In this stage an individual can do mental tasks yet just with genuine solid articles, occasions or circumstances. Sensible reasons are comprehended. For instance, a solid operational individual can comprehend the need to hit the hay early when it is important to rise early the next morning. A pre-operational youngster, then again, doesn't comprehend this rationale and substitutes the mental explanation, I need to keep awake. At long last, in the formal operational stage, age 12 to 15, the youngster starts to reason legitimately and methodicallly. The last stage manages the authority of thought (Evans, 1973). A formal operational scholar can do digest thinking and begins to appreciate unique idea. The formal operational mastermind can think ahead to design the arrangement way. At long last, the formal operational individual is fit for meta-cognizance, that is, contemplating thinking. A focal part of Piaget's formative hypothesis of learning and believing is that both include the support of the student. Information isn't simply transmitted verbally in any case, must be developed and recreated by the student. Piaget attested that for a youngster to know and develop information on the world the kid

The Twilight Saga 5 Midnight Sun 13. Knowledge Free Essays

string(95) evident love was sufficient for her to wish this regularly, however she could never voice her desires. I weaved my way down my carport while envisioning all the manners in which I could carry myself closer to Bella. Just to daintily contact her hair, to hold her near me as I did so heedlessly after the mishap, or to carry her warm lips to mine†¦I trailed off in thought as the dream went visual. Enough, I requested, however I was longing to feel the glow of her rich skin. We will compose a custom paper test on The Twilight Saga 5: Midnight Sun 13. Information or then again any comparative point just for you Request Now Enough. At the point when I arrived at the finish of the drive I comprehended what's in store, however, the affront that proceeded at most extreme limit fissured my nerves. Imbecile! Ass! Neurotic! I truly trust you are upbeat! On the off chance that I need to move again†¦, Rosalie was fuming hawkishness. The distinctive picture she push at the forefront of my thoughts was my Vanquish being calamitously determined off a gorge. I moaned and shook my head attempting to disperse her musings, yet subsequent to living with her for this long I’d figured out how to murmur a tune or disregard her inner mumbling, in any event, when she was shouting at the highest point of her psychological lungs and making the visual pictures additionally wrecking. In the wake of observing the entirety of the potential ways she would crash my vehicle again and again in her mind I understood that it didn’t matter. It was Bella who was eventually noteworthy at this point. Her quiet musings ?C how warm and believing she is. Ok, I thought joyfully. My psychological interruption worked splendidly. I sat in the vehicle, my fingers despite everything wrapped firmly on the guiding wheel as I considered returning. I breathed in profoundly at her fragrance that was all the while waiting in the vehicle. White hot blades chop down my throat, yet I grasped it, content that I was satisfied for the occasion. An idea disturbed my inner gaiety. Kid, do you make them disclose to do. â€Å"Emmett,† I murmured, however I was appreciative he had excused me of my activities so rapidly. His low laugh originated from inside the house as he over took Jasper’s knight in a round of chess. I needed to manage this now. I couldn’t go see her until my family was settled, however, truly, I ought to never return. Her life would be the better for it ?C she would have an actual existence to live. Carlisle’s vehicle was left close to Rosalie’s M3. I moaned in help. On the off chance that he was here, at that point perhaps Rosalie would be behaving as well as possible. More contemplations filled my psyche taking me back to the present. The time had come to go up against my family about the privileged insights that Bella coherently sorted out. I at long last convinced myself into going inside to talk with Carlisle. Alice’s contemplations intruded on my uneasiness filled psyche. I trust you’ve rethought your arrangements for the end of the week. I love her, as well. Her inner cry was a mourn. I jerked somewhat under the effect of the previous vision. I attempted to erase her musings from my brain as my stomach bent in torment. Ludicrous ?C it was a falsehood, inconceivable. I could never hurt Bella†¦would I? Bella†¦in my arms†¦cold, white, dead†¦ The considerations were unfathomable. Alice was visually impaired or confounded by one way or another, the vision difficult. The agony quickly took me under †it felt like my body was consuming from the back to front, as though the torment of her passing would truly cause me to combust. I gave Alice a grave look. â€Å"You’re wrong.† My tone was empty. Kindly Edward! Alice asked. I could feel each level of affection she had for her. She doesn’t even know her ?C her adoration was nonexistent contrasted with mine. I murmured. Be that as it may, doesn’t everybody have that response to her? Hadn’t I? Didn’t I chance everything just to spare her life so I could watch her; watch her rest around evening time? My need to talk with Carlisle was developing at a monstrous rate. He would have answers. He generally comprehended what to do. I walked past Alice where she was perched on the steps, her face laid on her hands, her lower lip extending out marginally from her upper. I overlooked her moping, realizing it was a direct result of her vision that was bringing her into this fear. Also, her vision wasn't right. I held my teeth together as I talked, making my words practically ambiguous â€Å"I’m strong.† I’m sufficiently bold, I attempted to persuade myself. â€Å"I won’t hurt her, Alice. Your vision is impossible!† I’m beseeching you, she kept on arguing. Her anguish was starting to burden me. I pushed her psychological knowledge from me violently. How might I be able to conceivably carry demise to her? I needed ?C no ?C I required Bella. The need to hold her, my hunger†¦my hunger for her was exponentially developing at a sizable power. In any case, it wasn’t my thirst that I was wanting the most; I wanted for her, yearned for the face, the voice, that went with the aroma. I moved quickly up the steps so speedy, indeed, a typical human wouldn’t have seen me. Gradually making the way for my latent capacity condemning I entered Carlisle’s office. His face was so near the book he was perusing that his nose was almost contacting the pages. Relationship among PPI’s and unconstrained bacterial peritonitis†¦His eyes climbed the page until they left the book streaming upward towards my face which was flawlessly reflected in his eyes. Blame was unfalteringly shown over my face. I turned away. Esme, happily fluttering around the room, was re-arranging the shelves in exertion to prepare for new books Carlisle had recently bought. She got my look when I went into the room. Edward!She shot. She didn’t deliberately think her name however somewhat of thinking her psyche was emanating the substance of Bella’s nearness that constantly went with me. The affectionate connection she had framed for Bella, while never meeting her, brought a dangerous new light after being with her. In the event that it were up to Esme, Bella would as of now be changed into a vampire. My conspicuous love was sufficient for her to wish this regularly, however she could never voice her wants. You read The Twilight Saga 5: Midnight Sun 13. Information in class Article models Each subsequent I developed nearer to Bella was one more second that was being taken from her life. My thirst. My adoration for her. Which one was more grounded? Would they mix and make her a vampire? Unsafe. My idea was transient since I realized that I wouldn’t disregard her and that I wouldn’t change her. What was the future, her destiny? The inside battle of her unavoidable future started pestering at me nearly as terrible as Rosalie thought’s that were presently booming in my mind. This wasn’t something I could run from. Perhaps Carlisle would have the appropriate response. The powerful urge for counsel wasn’t moving toward sufficiently fast. I was becoming fretful at all the cordialities. Hi Edward. His psychological tone demonstrated no intonation that he knew about Bella’s information. Great; Rosalie kept her snare shut, another astonishment on the previously developing heap of stunning news that I appeared to draw in. Would this news, this data, demonstrate my malefaction? Since I was remaining here, prepared to surrender my blame to him, I didn’t realize what to state, discourse wouldn’t structure. How would you tell somebody you profoundly care for, more than that, your creator†¦your father that you sold out their family ?C my family ?C for a simple human young lady? In any case, to me she wasn’t just ahuman young lady †she was thehuman young lady, the one in particular that at any point really made a difference. Carlisle read my demeanor, his considerations dispersing toward each path, moving in his psyche before he chose being frightened at my outward appearance. My quiet fa?ade more likely than not blurred. What is it Edward? What's up? Is Bella†¦his musings trailed off, yet I knew the course they were going. Fortunately, his anxiety for that subject was pointless. For the time being. â€Å"Carlisle, I†¦she†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I wavered, stopping. I didn’t realize how to tell my family, the individuals who cherished me the most, that I was Judas made tissue. A double-crosser. Carlisle raised an eyebrow at my condition of irresolution. â€Å"Edward? Is everything all right?† he asked distrustfully, pointing out our discussion. Esme turned at his words, carrying her considerations and focus to the open exchange. Overlooking their gazes I kept on influencing on the spot, remaining there with my mouth mostly open like a gold fish out of water panting for air. The words bombed me. Would this, for goodness' sake, break their confidence in me? Nobody had so totally speculated our mystery previously, scholarly our certainties. On the off chance that my heart was alive, thumping, I swear even a human would have the option to hear it. There was just venom in my veins ?C the one thing that would unavoidably bring Bella to her demise. Passing. No, this couldn’t be the end. Her insight wouldn’t censure her, I can't. Would this be Carlisle’s end, much the same as it had been for the remainder of the family? I would battle against them, if this is the thing that they chose. â€Å"Edward?† Esme pushed. I needed to mention to them what she knew; no uncertainty Rosalie will ensure they knew whether I didn’t admit this soon. It’s better on the off chance that they hear it from me, yet, the words wouldn’t get away from my lips. How would you admit a selling out? It’s considerably more troublesome than I suspected it would be. Feeling regretful, Edward? Rosalie jeered intellectually. What an astonishment! I can’t trust you. Indeed I needed to push Rosalie’s contemplations from my psyche. The obstruction was more enthusiastically to establish when my fixation was being pulled in such a significant number of bearings. Other than the forcefully threatening nature of Rosalie, every other person was quiet, the dead air making it apparent that everybody was listening in at this extreme of vital minutes, without a doubt holding back to hear my selling out, or at last choosing her fat

How to Work with Headhunters to Find a High Paying Job

How to Work with Headhunters to Find a High Paying Job Looking for a higher paying job to transfer your career into the next level? You’ll probably find yourself working with a headhunter. But who are these headhunters and how can they help you find your dream career? © Shutterstock | Syda ProductionsWe’ll explain who headhunters are and how they work. We’ll give you tips on how to best gain the attention of a headhunter and  effective strategies to help land a high paying job.WHO ARE HEADHUNTERS?In order to maximize your use of headhunters, it’s helpful to understand who they are and how they operate. This guarantees you take full advantage of the assistance they can provide you and it prevents you from, on the other hand, expecting too much from them.Headhunters are essentially a type of recruiter, often referred to as third-party recruiters. Therefore, they help an organization find a candidate for a specific role â€" acting as the middleman.Headhunters differ from typical recruiters in the sense that they are often executive search firms, specializing in mid- and high-level jobs. Headhunters don’t typically deal with graduate or entry-level roles. They are essential for finding high paying jobs, as research shows as many as 60% of job s go unadvertised and instead are only known by headhunters.Furthermore, there are three different types of headhunters. The difference between these types mainly relates to the salary they receive.Contingency headhunters:  Search for the candidates on behalf of the organization and the headhunter will be paid only when the position is successfully filled.Retainer headhunters:  Search and often screen the candidates, with the organizations having exclusive contacts with specific headhunting agencies.  Commission can be similar in terms of the final payable to contingency headhunters, but the payment is not typically dependent on the position being filled.Hybrid agency:  There are a number of headhunting agencies using a hybrid model, under which part of the fee is paid upfront, with the rest being contingent on the filling of the position.As a candidate, you should know headhunters are always paid by their client, which is the organization looking to hire. This means the loyalty of the agency is on the client and not necessarily on you as the candidate.This can mean headhunters aren’t interested in providing any type of career counseling and other such advice for you.In addition, this can mean the recruiter goes for standard candidates, who match the job description, as these are what the clients tend to prefer. Overall, headhunters are not looking for the most talented or likeable candidate. HOW DO HEADHUNTERS OPERATE?So, what is the typical process a headhunter uses to find the right match? The name, headhunter, is rather suitable for explaining the proceeds, as headhunters tend to “hunt” for the right candidates, instead of necessarily waiting for the candidate to come to them.The basic process tends to follow these steps:The headhunter receives a job description from the client. Although occasionally, headhunters can be closely involved in creating the job description and better understanding things such as the corporate culture, as this can help fin d the right match.The headhunter analyses the key requirements and starts searching for the right candidate.The places headhunters tend to look for and often in this particular order are:The agency’s own candidate database.Personal contacts the headhunter has within the specific industry.  This might include people they’ve previously helped find work and other word-of-mouth referrals.Social media sites.  The most common used platform is LinkedIn, but Facebook can also be utilized.  Cold calling or cold emailing the candidates found on social media.Advertise the position on a job site.  This is relatively rare, but still an option headhunter might turn to.The headhunter creates a shortlist of suitable candidates and presents it to the client.In addition, certain headhunters and search executive firms are also in charge of the interview process. This means the headhunter shortlists the candidates to invite to an interview. The interviews can be an initial phone interview, together with a face-to-face interview for selected candidates. Afterwards they might present two to three candidates to the organization to choose from.It’s not unusual for the initial search or even interview process to come up with no suitable candidates. According to data, 30% to 50% of all recruiting efforts are classified as a failure.[slideshare id=30488532doc=guidetofindingandworkingwithheadhunters-140127082221-phpapp02type=dw=640h=330]HOW TO BEST GAIN ATTENTION OF A HEADHUNTER?Now that you are aware of the “hunting” process, you can begin improving the way headhunters take notice of you.Below we’ll introduce you the two steps that can ensure you can gain attention.Position and brand yourselfFirst, you need to position and brand yourself well in the eyes of headhunters. There are essentially two key routes for enhancing your employee brand: through a strong online presence and with a quality CV/resume.You need to focus on constructing a strong online presence on public socia l media platforms used by headhunters. The key platforms to focus on are LinkedIn and Facebook.What are the best practices you should focus on? First, it’s important to create a detailed, yet short enough, summary of your skills and past experiences. You definitely want to focus on highlighting the skills required in your ideal career. You need to remember headhunters will be looking at your profile and comparing it with the job positions, they are searching for.Therefore, you need to think about the roles and companies you want to attract before creating the online profiles. The best way to do this is to research your ideal job roles and companies to get an idea what they want. In addition, since you are perfecting your online profiles, focusing on keywords is important.Overall, it’s crucial to ensure your social media profiles are clean and professional, if you are using public profiles. In 2012, a survey by ExecuNet found 90% of recruiters searching for candidates’ names on line. Therefore, an unprofessional profile, use of profanities or inappropriate comments can damage your chances.The second key way to positioning yourself higher on the headhunter’s shortlist is with a quality CV/resume. The task is not easy considering headhunters only spend six seconds on individual resumes.Headhunters use ATS systems to scan resumes in their database, so it’s important to focus on the relevant keywords and ensure you send out your CV/resume to all relevant agencies. Once again, it’s crucial to ensure you target the roles you are looking for with your keywords. Standardized resumes are unlikely to provide you the results you are looking for.What are some of the other points you need for creating a quality CV/resume? You should focus on:Include the most recent skills, experiences and qualifications to guarantee the resume is up to date. Ensure you only highlight the relevant skills, experiences and qualifications in terms of the job you are looking for.Have a clear and attractive headline. The headline should immediately point out your experience, qualifications and ambitions.Erasing all grammatical errors. 59% of headhunters will reject a candidate simply because of spelling and grammar errors.[[slideshare id=46173277doc=awesomeresumetemplates-150323094821-conversion-gate01w=640h=330]Reach out to headhuntersYour second step should be to increase your efforts on reaching out. While headhunters are in charge of contacting you in terms of job positions, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be active in positioning yourself into their ‘inner circle’.If you can highlight your professionalism and qualification in terms of specific types of jobs, headhunters are more likely to remember you when appropriate job positions land on their desks.Networking is a crucial part of a job search. You want to keep growing your own personal network by focusing on both headhunters and industry professionals.Start by identifying the headhunters and industr y influencers who are related and relevant to your career goals. We’ll delve into identifying your career goals a bit more in the following section. The key to remember is that not all headhunters are relevant to you. You need to identify the headhunters with access to the roles you want.In terms of creating networking opportunities, you should be active in attending different events. Career fairs and other industry-specific events are great opportunities to meet headhunters, as well as create connections with different companies and industry influencers.When you make a new connection with a headhunter, you must be pro-active in staying in touch. Follow-up on the new connections and maintain a regular relationship. This should include staying in touch on social media, participating in any recruitment events the headhunter might organize, and sending an updated resume/CV every once in a while to the headhunter.Overall, it’s beneficial to have a list of the relevant headhunters, a nd include their names, organizations and contact details in the file. You can use the list to stay on top of the last contact, the resume they have in their files and any other additional information you might wish to remember.HOW TO FIND A HIGH PAYING JOB USING HEADHUNTERS?The key to getting a high paying job through headhunters relies on the understanding that it’s not the most skilled candidate that gets the calls. Headhunters will look for candidates that best fit the job description and requirements, not the people with the highest qualifications or the most experience.In order to ensure the headhunters pick up your resume or find your LinkedIn profile, you therefore need to focus on the following strategies.Identify your career goalsWe briefly mentioned in the previous sections how having a set of career goals can help with your interactions with headhunters. You’ll be better equipped to create the right kind of profiles on social media and to write a compelling resume, i f you know the career route you are after.If you haven’t established a career plan or thought about the career progression steps you want to achieve, you definitely need to start thinking about them. Only once you are aware of the roles and companies you’d like to impress can you start contacting the relevant headhunters.Knowing your ideal roles beforehand ensures you are more prepared to talk with the headhunters. They will also notice you are career-driven and know what you want from your career. This ensures they don’t try to match you with jobs that are clearly not suitable for you.Furthermore, you should also be aware of the kind of salaries you are looking for. You don’t want to accept interviews for jobs that don’t meet your salary expectations or spend time applying for jobs with insufficient benefit packages. Focus only on the headhunters and networks that help with above goalsDon’t send your resume to every headhunting agency you find. With your career goals in mind, you need to instead identify the agencies and specialists focused on your industry.Find different recruitment agencies by searching for “headhunters (your industry)” in Google. You can also use keywords such as “headhunters (ideal role)” or “recruitment agency (your ideal company)”. This can provide you a selection of options.When you find possible headhunters, check out the agency’s website for more information. Don’t be afraid to drop a quick note outlining your career interests and asking whether the recruiter has worked with similar job postings in the past.Finally, you can always ask more information from your network connections. People working in your ideal companies or roles might be able to provide insights into the headhunting agencies they’ve worked with in the past.Improve your qualificationsSince headhunters are only looking at the skills and qualifications mentioned in the job posting, you need to ensure you have these. Therefore, to maximize y our chances of obtaining those high paying jobs, you need to know the specific requirements of these roles.Once you have career goals in mind, you should start browsing job listings to see what sort of skills and qualifications are required for your ideal job. You can also search for the roles online with keywords such as “(your ideal role) skills and qualifications)”. Furthermore, you want to research the companies you are targeting and pay attention to their corporate culture. What kind of skills does the company keep mentioning and focusing on?Once you have a better understanding of these specific requirements, start developing your skillset to fit these descriptions better. This might require some training or simply taking on opportunities at your current role to enhance your skillset. For instance, you could step up to different managerial positions to improve your leadership skills.Be open-minded with the responsibilities and skills you develop. You might be looking for a career in marketing, but a high paying job in the industry could well ask for sales knowledge. Cross training is always a good idea, as long as it doesn’t take you too far away from your focus area.Furthermore, remember top class jobs often require more than just technical skills. The higher you climb the career ladder, the more you need to focus on soft skills such as communication skills, team building skills and so on. Therefore, you need to pay attention to developing these as well.As you develop these skills, update your resume and social media profiles with the new qualifications. Remember to target the specific keywords you’ve noticed companies using when searching for these roles.If you’ve sent your resume to headhunters, remember to update them with the adjusted resume frequently. Not only does this ensure you’re resume is focused on the specific skills, but the contact can ‘bump up’ your resume on their list.Strengthen your role as industry expertFinally, you†™ll be higher on the list of quality candidates if you continue to strengthen your role as an industry expert. This not only provides you better networking opportunities, but it also improves your resume.Furthermore, since headhunters are the ones ‘hunting’ for the right match, you can fall into their radar by being active in industry discussion. Headhunters can sometimes simply browse industry forums, social media and other such resources for suitable candidates. If your name keeps popping up during this search, you’re likely to attract interest.You should definitely consider starting a blog. Attracting a strong following with a blog will improve your online visibility. Readers are likely to share your blog posts and therefore headhunters might stumble upon them.Even if blogging is not for you, you should become an active participant in industry discussion. Search for industry specific forums, read other people’s blogs and comment on them, and join in on the social media co nversation. Finally, you should consider speaking at industry events and career fairs.Find out more about becoming an industry expert from the video below: FINAL REMARKSHeadhunters seek the right candidates for the most prestigious roles. If you want a high paying job or progress on the career ladder, then you definitely want to build relationships with headhunters. But for the relationship to be the most fruitful, you need to understand the ‘hunting’ process.Headhunters are not all going to be useful for you, but at the same time, you can’t just lie around and wait for them to call you. You need to identify the headhunters most beneficial for your career development plan and build an online and offline presence, which will get you noticed.If you are aware of what you want, develop the skills you need in your desired role and stay active in your communication with headhunters. They might just knock on your door with a lucrative job offer.

Smallholders Coping With Food Sector Transformation - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 23 Words: 6856 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Agriculture Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? This chapter provides a description of the data and research methodology used in this study. This study employed investigates the smallholders coping with food sector transformation and the role of social enterprises in Thailand. Both qualitative and quantitative data were carefully planned and collected in order to facilitate the achievement of the objectives set for the study. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Smallholders Coping With Food Sector Transformation" essay for you Create order An overview of the stages of data collection, data discussion, scope of the study, sample and case studies selection, and methods of analysis is provided. Qualitative data was used for making a general mapping and characterization of the agri-food value chain in Thailand. This information provided essential input for designing a survey for collecting quantitative data. Furthermore, qualitative information will be very useful for interpreting quantitative results and complementing them. While quantitative data is analyzed using statistical and multivariate data analysis techniques, such as Probit regression, gross margins regression with selectivity bias solution, and Factor Analysis. All these quantitative methods are summarized and discussed in this chapter according to the research objectives and questions. 5.2 Overview of stages of data collection The different stages of data collection were divided into four steps as follows: First stage, prior to leaving to the field in Thailand, a thorough review of secondary information was undertaken. It consisted of the review of information from international and Thailand sources, including a literature review of previous studies. This stage consisted of interviewing key informants of government institutions, NGOs, private organizations, farmer organizations, universities and donors. The semi-structured interviews explored the information on how agri-food value chains are changing, with special reference to smallholder coping with food sector transformation and the role of social enterprises. The objective of this activity was also determining the role of institutions and organizations in helping small-scale farmers in modern trade supply chains, including the involvement of institutions and organizations in the production and marketing, their current and future plans and limitatio ns. This information was essential for designing pre-structured interviews used in the following stage of the study. Second stage, the main key actors in agri-food supply chain such as supermarkets, suppliers/brokers, wholesalers, Green Net cooperative and the Royal Project were interviewed by using semi-structured questionnaires (please see the questionnaires in Appendix II-1) in order to gather information about their marketing activities, procurement systems, contract farming systems, and marketing development, especially the current and development of participating with modern trade chains. These interviews help to identify the nature and level of participation of smallholders in modern trade chains. It also provided information about market opportunities and threats offered to small-scale farmers by modern trade markets, the constraints faced by farmers trying to enter such supply chains, and key success factors associated with small-scale farmers that are able to gain acces s. Furthermore, market observation were undertaken by the author and research assistances in top supermarkets and wholesale markets in Bangkok and main cities such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Chachoengsao. As a third stage, in-depth interviews and focus groups were undertaken with farmers participating with social enterprises in producing for modern trade markets and farmers selling in the traditional markets. Interviews encompassed the factors that facilitate of impeded their participation with social enterprise in producing for modern trade markets. Interviewing participant and non-participant farmers enabled the exploration of the motivations, benefits and key success factors of these two groups, and the barriers to entry faced by non-participants. This stage provided information to develop the quantitative questionnaires in stage four. The fourth stage, step in quantitative survey, of data collection was consisted of surveying a sample of participating and compar able non-participating farmers in order to collect quantitative information about the issues addressed in the in-depth interviews after the survey instrument was pre-tested in two different rounds with sets of respondents (see more detail about questionnaire and pre-test in section xxx). This stage provides quantitative data on the benefits, constraints faced by farmers and key success factors of farmers. Both qualitative and quantitative information contribute to achieving the objectives and research questions of the study. 5.3 Data discussion Regarding to stages of data collection, it was divided into two main phases according to type of analyses and objectives of the study. First phase aimed at collecting qualitative (secondary information and semi-structured interviews), and was carried out during the period April 2008 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" July 2008. In addition, it aimed at market observation from top supermarkets in main cites, and was carried out during the period Apri l 2008 September 2008. The phase of the surveys investigated the following issues according to the research objectives and questions: Phase I: Qualitative Analysis: Assessing forces and trends in the restructuring of Agri-food value chain of modern trade and small-scale producers in Thailand. 1: To analyse the changing value chain and transformation in the agri-food industry of small-scale horticulture producers and modern trade in Thailand. RQ1 What is the current agri-food supply chain of small-scale producers and modern trade markets in Thailand? RQ2 What are forces and trends driving the restructuring of agri-food value chain and food sector transformation in Thailand? RQ3 What is the role of social enterprise in linking small-scale farmers into modern trade chains? 2: Outline the terms under which small-scale producers interact with modern trade. RQ 4 Do they have proper contracts, or are the transactions more informal and ad-hoc, etc? RQ 5 Do contracts change over time?, and why? RQ 6 How suppliers/producers adjust to/bargain with modern trade? This phase (regarding to objective 1 and 2) refers to the patterns of changes in the different modern food supply chains in Thailand and the impact of policy on these changes, including the role of social enterprises in linking small-scale farmers to the modern trade chains. The study reviewed grey literature and interviewed with key informants from many key informants and institutions industry à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"middlemenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢- wholesalers, buyers, social enterprises and cooperative managers, the World Vegetable Center- AVRDC, government institutions, NGOs, and Universities (see Appendix II-3). The general of this phase is to make a general characterization of agri-food value chain in Thailand, make a map of the system and collect inputs for the questionnaire design in the second phase. Second phase aimed at collecting quantitative data (survey), and carry out during Jun e 2008 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" November 2008 for the Royal Project case study, and September December 2009 for Green Net case study. Phase II: Survey and Quantitative Analysis: Assessing motives for and impacts of small-scale producersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ participating with social enterprises in producing for modern trade markets for selected products. This phase based on two case studies (Green Net, and the Royal Project) producer surveys which include both participants and non-participants with modern trade contract farming. The surveys investigated the following issues according to the research objectives and questions: 3: Analyses the motivation and challenges of participation of small-scale producers in producing for modern trade chains in Thailand. RQ7 What are the determinants of small-scale farmersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ participation with social enterprise in producing for modern trade chains? RQ8 What are advantage and challenges faced by small-scale farmers participat ing with social enterprise in producing for modern trade market markets in Thailand? 4: Estimating the impacts on small-scale farmers participating with social enterprises in producing for modern trade. RQ 9 Do producers participating with social enterprise in producing for modern trade obtain better outcomes (profits/income) compared to non-participant? RQ 10 Do producers participating with social enterprise gain other non-financial benefits from participation? This phase (regarding to objective 3 and 4), the study involved field survey and collect the data from questionnaires (please see scope of the study in the next section and Appendix II-2). The objective of this phase is to collect quantitative information about variables that determine the participation of small-scale farmers in modern trade chains. 5.4 Scope of the study and survey 5.4.1Qualitative Information The qualitative phase was carried out during the period April July 2008, consisting of in-dep th interviews with different actors involved in the agri-food sector, including government, private sectors (eg., modern trade and supermarkets, suppliers/brokers, buyers and/or wholesalers), NGOs, farmer organizations, universities and farmers. (see Appendix II- list of key informants) A total of 20 in-depth interviews conducted with organizations and institutions, 20 with small-scale farmers that participate in the modern food chains and 20 with small-scale farmers that selling to traditional markets. A à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Snowballà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? Sampling used to contact research informants (see example Blandon, 2006 and Robson, 1993). Semi-structured interviews were differently designed for organizations and institutions, buyer/wholesalers, and farmers; participants and non-participants (Please see Appendix II-1). Each interview lasted between one hour and one hour and a half, and in the case of farmers most of the interviews were conducted on their farms. For each interview hand- writing notes and/or tape-record were taken for analyzing and reviews. For analysing the data, notes and tapes were reviewed. This analysis allowed the making of a map of the agri-food system and identifying categories related to the research objectives. 5.4.2Quantitative data collection The objective of the second phase was to collect quantitative information about variables that determine the participation of small-scale farmers with social enterprise in producing for modern trade markets. For this purpose, a survey including participant and non-participant farmers was carried out during June 2008 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" November 2008 for the Royal Project case study and September December 2009 for Green Net case study. The quantitative portion of the study based on small-scale producer analyses (vegetable and rice case studies) which supplying modern trade markets as well as international markets. The survey questionnaires administered from face-to-face interviews 240 (120 f or each case study) small-scale farmers excluding pilot tests. This stage that some attempt made to follow a random sampling procedure, but field reality may result in convenience based sampling. Since the qualitative data collection precedes and feeds into the quantitative data collection, I first outline the schedule for qualitative data collection and then show how this transition into the quantitative part (see Table 5.1). Table 5.1 Steps in quantitative survey data collection Task Description of task 1 Information gathering and preparation of materials needed for the in-depth interviews 2 Pre-test: Semi-structured interviews, focus group 3 In-depth interviews (semi-structured interviews) conducted on a group of key informants 4 In-depth interviews (semi-structured interviews) conducted on a group of suppliers/buyers/wholesalers 5 In-depth interviews (semi-structured interviews) conducted on a group of small-scale farmers 6 Initial Analysis of results from in-depth interviews and comparisons. This will provide inputs to development of the quantitative part, commencing in step 7 below. 7 Development of initial questionnaire for pre-testing 8 Pre-test of questionnaire on a sample of participant farmers 9 Pre-test of questionnaire on a sample of non-participant farmers 10 Evaluation of questionnaire for possible corrections and re-designing of questionnaire 11 Final administration of questionnaire on sample of    participant farmers 12 Review of answers given to ensure clarity and uniformity, at this stage, new information revealed will be added to the questionnaire. 13 Final administration of questionnaire on sample of non-participants 14 Review of answers given to ensure clarity and uniformity, at this stage, new information revealed will be added to the questionnaire 15 Revisit[1] of farmers by the same interviewer to clarify ambiguous issues and ensure consistency [1] Repeat visit will be done if there are any data problems. 5.4.3 Administration of questionnaire and survey: The questionnaire was developed following five steps suggested by Aaker et al. (1998) and Masakure (2005). Step one involved planning what to measure (revisiting research questions, focusing on research issues and getting additional data from secondary and exploratory research). Step two entailed formatting the questionnaire (determining the content of questions, the framing for each question). Step three involved consideration of question wording (evaluating each question according to how respondents would comprehend and their ability to answer). Step four involved sequencing and layout decisions (ordering of questions to create a single questionnaire). Finally, step five involved pre-testing the questionnaire and correcting problems. The entire design was guided by the in in-depth interviews and as shown in steps in quantitative survey data collection (see Table 3). It is important to know that the research supervisory visited in Thailand also involved in these steps for evaluati on of questionnaire for possible corrections and re-designing of questionnaire. The questionnaire divided into five sections. Section one of the questionnaire contained questions relating to Basic household information. Section two collected data on farm characteristics including costs and returns. Section three focused on income and assets of household. Section four assessed the marketing details and the factor of choosing markets. Section five focused on the history and experience of growing. A copy is provided in Appendix II-2. In questionnaire different scales of measurement were used, such as nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio scales. A number of multi-item scales were included in the questionnaire following Masakure (2005) and Oppenheim (1992). It is important to note that multi-item scales are widely used in marketing research to measure phenomena that cannot be captured directory with one attitude-based question (Masakure, 2005). They are particularly useful when it is not possible to rely on behaviour as an indication of phenomena (Oppenheim, 1992). For example, in this study a multi-item scales was used to measure the perceptions of small-scale farmers on participating with social enterprise in producing for modern trade markets as opposed to using a single item. The advantages of multi-item scales is that specificity of items can be averaged when all items are combined and the researcher is able to make a clear distinction between individuals and factors through combining these items (Masakure, 2005). The final questionnaire was administered by personal interviews, after the completion of each pilot questionnaire, from.. through . . Two trained research assistances from Mae Fah Luang University and Chiang Mai University were recruited and helped the author in this task. The author carried out half of the interviews. Respondents were selected using a two-stage stratified sampling procedure based on the number of centres operated and the geogr aphical areas of operation. To aid the interview process, research assistants first met farmers at an informal gathering. Farmers were free to ask questions related to the research. Participant farmers were told that the information generated would be used sorely for academic purposes. Each interview began with a brief explanation of the research objectives and its purpose. Questionnaires were filled in by the interviewer. The process could be adjourned several times to enable farmers to undertake their normal duties. On completion the questionnaire, the respondent was thanked for their participation. 5.4.4 Case of the study Secondary information from different sources (triangulation) and the information from in-depth interviews with key informants was a key to identify the case studies. The research design, data gathering, analysis and interpretation were based on two case studies approach. Case studies are better at investigating contemporary phenomenon within its real life context, especially when the boundaries between the phenomenon and context are not clear (Yin, 1994). The case study approaches are also powerful in combining qualitative and quantitative data and provide a description and test theory or even generate theory (Masakure, 2005). This study mostly concerned with the role of social enterprises assist smallholders with production and marketing for modern trade markets. Therefore, case studies are more useful in addressing the implications of the restructuring agri-food value chain on small-scale farmers (the relationship-returns, network and social aspects). In consequence, this study u sed two case studies as Green Net and the Royal Project. Below is a brief overview of the current case studies. 1. Green Net (rice case study) Having explained briefly about the Green Net, it is established in 1993 by the group of people wishing to support the environmental and social responsible business. In present, Green Net is one of the largest producers and wholesaler of organic food in Thailand. It also plays as important social enterprise in supporting sustainable development for a better livelihood of small-scale producers and consumers as well as a clean environment for Thailand. At present, there are over 20 product assortments (e.g. organic rice (majority product), vegetables, fruits, teas, cotton etc.) sold through approximately 40 retail outlets in Bangkok and around the country. Beside domestic market, Green Net Cooperative operates fair-trade exports to Europe and the nearby countries in Asia. Please see more detail about Green Net in Chapter 6, section 6.xx. Green Net is currently purchased from farmer groups in the North-eastern, Northern and Central regions of Thailand. Regarding organic rice, majority product, main organic rice price producers for Green Net are cooperatives in Yasothorn Province (North-eastern) , one of the largest organic rice provinces in Thailand, such as Naso Organic Rice Cooperative and Bakruea Organic Rice Cooperative. Therefore, this study is focused on these cooperativesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ members who are small-scale farmers growing organic Jasmine rice as participant farmers. 2. The Royal Project (vegetable case study) The Royal Project (RP) has been playing as an important social enterprise in developing and promoting quality of life for the highland small-scale farmers in various aspects. The RP also becomes one of important agri-food suppliers for both domestic and international markets especially for low-chemical and organic products. The RP has developed the household subsistence farming into the commercial-based production under Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) emphasizing on quality and safety standards in all links of the supply chain. Therefore, the RP, as it now becomes, has represented the linkages between the small-scale farmers and modern trade markets to help themselves in growing useful crops which enable them to have a better benefits. Please see more detail about the Royal Project in chapter 6, section xxx. The RP have 4 research centres and 37 Agricultural Development Centres within 5 provinces in the North of Thailand as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphoon, Phayao and Mae Hong Sorn. The Agricultural Development Centre plays as a main collaboration centre between farmers and the RP to support the RP production and marketing plans. There are 27 Agricultural Development Centre in Chiang Mai (72.79%), 6 centres in Chiang Rai (16.22%), 2 Mae Hong Sorn (5.1%), 1 centre in Payao (2.70%) and 1 centre in Lampoon (2.70). In addition, there are 26,174 householdà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s members, 257 villages from 5 provinces, under 37 The RPFà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s development centres. Most farmers are in Chiang Mai (69.25%), Chiang Rai (16.27%), Lampoon (7.38%), Mea Hong Sorn (4.90%), and Phayao (1.51%) in ordered. Vegetable and fruit production are main income resources of the RP. In 2008, The RP had total income about 427.47 million Baht. The main income resource came from vegetables 56.29%, fruits and coffee 16.97% (coffee is about 4.61%), and flowers and trees 5.88%. Chinese cabbage is one of importance crops for the RP which is selling all the year to modern trade markets. Therefore, regarding to in-depth interviews and survey, this second case study is focused on the RP members who are Chinese cabbage producers in Chiang Mai province (Chiang Mai is one of the largest vegetable (cold weather vegetable) production areas in Thailand) as participant farmers. The participant famers come from 3 Agricultural Development Centres in Chiang Mai as Nong Hoi, M ae Hea, and .. The following table (Table 4) shows the summary of scope of the study. Table 4: Summary of scope of the study Phase of study Analysis Data sources Phase 1 :Qualitative Trends Changes in retail points policy. Documents/interviews from key informants, organizations and other administrations. Change in producer and supplier points, and contract policy. Documents/interviews from key-informants from supermarkets, suppliers and farmers. Phase 2: Quantitative Producers/Suppliersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ access Small-scale producer analyses: Royal Project: vegetable producer Green Net: rice producer (Total is 240 farmers) Surveys of small-scale farmers who participate and non-participate with supermarkets, 60: 60 PER CASE STUDY 5. 5 Validity, Reliability and Practicability Regarding to data collection and research methods, one important issue to take into account in this study is that measurement tools used meet the criteria of validity, reliability and practicability. A research instrument meets validity criterion if it is able to measure what is supposed to measure; reliability if it provides accurate and stable measurements; and practicability if it is appropriate according to economic, convenience, and interpretability (Blandon, 2006; Cooper and Emory, 1995 and Robson, 1994). The quantitative research is usually associated with the terms of validity and reliability. On the one hand, qualitative research usually looks for alternative ways to deal with credibility issues (Blandon, 2005). The above measurement criteria are very difficult to evaluate. However, according to Janesick, 2000 and Robson, 1994, an alternative and important tool is triangulation which refers to the use of several data sources and/or the use of multiple methods in the resear ch. Therefore, in this research, qualitative data come from different sources (for example, supermarket, buyer, social enterprise, cooperative, NGOs, donor, farmer, public, private and academic research participants). In addition, several statistical and multivariate research techniques that facilitate methodological triangulation are used in the quantitative analyses. Furthermore, qualitative and quantitative results can mutually validate. Several authors have raised concern about the issue of selectivity bias, or self-selection bias (see example Ali and Abdulai, 2009, Mendola, 2007, Shankar and Thirtle, 2005), such as in this study farmers are not random assigned by the researcher into participation and non-participation groups, and instead self-select themselves into groups. There are many solutions to the selectivity problem, including Heckman correction models, panel data methods, etc. In this study, therefore, the propensity score matching method was used to be addressing t his issue. Finally, the practicability is also taken into account, especially for the quantitative phase, which was conducted in two case studies. The case studies selected for the survey are important social enterprises, which are most important producers/suppliers for modern trade markets in Thailand. In addition, kind of products and the geographical selections were very practical in terms of budget and crop season limitations as well as in term of socio-economic conditions. 5.6 Methods of Analyses The study has two parts of analysis methods, according to the objectives of the study, which organized into two empirical studies as the following; Value Chain Analysis; value chain mapping à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" in order to achieve the objective 1 and 2. Econometric and Statistic Processing of Survey data à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" in order to achieve the objective 3 and 4. 5.6.1 Value Chain Mapping The value chain mapping helped to understand the patterns of agri-food supply chains, forces and trends driving the future food value chain and market development, including the role of social enterprises in helping smallholders with food retail transformation in Thailand. There are many different dimensions of Value Chain Analysis techniques (see example Kaplinsky and Morris, 2002 and Roduner, 2004). However, this research followed the value chain work plan as the following. Value chain work plan This study adopted an approach follow a simple practical methodology borrowed from Miles (2002) and Holtzman (2002) found in the World Bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s online à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Guide to Developing Agricultural Markets and Agro-enterprisesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?.The development of a 9 steps work plan is the combination of these approaches that describing the sequence of efforts needed to construct a viable and representative value chain map for the selected case studies. A flow chart il lustrating the overall procedure is depicted in Figure 4. Figure 4. Employed work methodology: chain construction and sector analysis. Part I Establish initial understanding of commodity subsetor Product selection Step 1 Review of existing literature data Step 2 Preliminary interviews/fieldwork Step 3 Identification key issues questionnaire design Step 4 Drawing of preliminary (Value Chain) map Step 5 Part II Refine map and subsector understanding Extensive fieldwork: interview of chain actors Step 6 Visiting of physical facilities institutions Step 7 Quantification and refinement of map Step 8 Re-assessment of results by actors and map finalization Step 9 The value chain mapping helped to understand the patterns of agri-food supply chains, forces and trends driving the future food value chain and market development, including the role of social enterprises in helping smallholders with food retail transformation in Thailand. This methodology helped to understand the patterns of agri-food supply chains in Thailand. 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With data on participants and comparable non-participants in place, these models estimated the following kinds of relationships: Probability of Participation = f(demographic, socio-economic, attitudinal variables) Here, demographic information included variables such as age, family size, education of household head, etc; socio-economic variables may include income, experience in farming, farm size, etc; attitudinal variables included a small number of scale variables that attempt to proxy the smallholderà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s welfare priorities, attitudes to risk, etc. Regression models of the determinants of farm economic outcomes (profits per rai). Profits per rai = f(farm variables, socio-economic and farmer variables, participation in modern trade chains). Th ese helped determine the effect of participation with social enterprise in producing for modern trade chains on key farm outcomes, while controlling for other variables that may affect outcomes. A selectivity/endogeneity problem is recognized in such estimation equations, and ways to overcome such problems was explored during analysis stage. In addition, the statistic tool; Factor analysis, was applied on collected survey data; Factor Analysis of the motivation and potential benefits of participant farmers including problems faced by participant farmers. This analysis helped us to look at factor of the motivation and problems faced by participant farmers. The factor interpreted by identifying the variables that have a large loading on the same factor. These methods are described below. 5.6.2.1 Probit regression analysis. In analysis of dependence when the dependent variable is discrete, choice or probability models are used. A particular dependent variable used in this research is the participation with social enterprise in producing for modern trade markets. Explanatory variables are used for determining the probability of the participation with social enterprise in producing for modern trade markets. Probit regression is associated with the estimation of the probability of participation (see example Lattin et al., 2003; Greene, 2000, and Blandon, 2007). To test the determinants of participation with social enterprise in production for modern trade, a probit model is estimated in which the dependent variable equals 1 if the farmer is participate with social enterprise in producing for modern trade markets, and zero otherwise: Yi* = ÃŽÂ ² Xi + ui , (1) where Y = 1 if Yi 0, otherwise Y = 0, and Probability (Yi = 1) = Probability (ui ÃŽÂ ² Xi) = 1 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" F(à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" ÃŽÂ ² Xi), where F is the cumulative distribution function for u  [1]  . The ÃŽÂ ² are maximum likelihood estimates. For a description and discussion of the probit model, see, for example, Maddala, 1998, 22-27. The theoretical concept of the probit model application with a list of factors that were indentified from previous studies (see for example Braun, Hotchkiss and Immink, 1989 and Blandon, 2006) and the information provided by in-depth interviews and survey is the following: It is hypothesized that the choice to become a participant farmer was determined by the expected income increase, which can be assumed to be determined by the resource endowments of the farm (farm size, soil quality, land elevation, distance of farm from main road and distance of farm to market). In addition, income potentially earned non-farm determines the of opportunity cost of working on-farm. In the long-run, farmers are facing a choice of earning non-farm income versus on-farm work growing the labour intensive for modern trade crops, especially for organic farming. This choice is determined by the non-farm versus on-farm opportunity costs of family labour. Endowment of human capital and established non-farm employment opportunities determine these relationships for a specific household. It is further hypothesised that household labour force size and composition (womenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s share) may be a factor for adoption. A higher share of womenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s labour may enhance participation of the modern trade crop. Since the decision is mainly that of the male head of household, his age, education level, and experience in farm are other factors of hypothetical impact for the participation. Based on these hypotheses, the participation model is specified as follows: Participation = f (Hsize, Adult, Female, HHsex, Hhage, Hhedu, Expf, Froad, Fcoop, Fsize, Land, Qsoil, Hincome, Nfincome, NfinL, WealthIndex), where Hsize = hous e size (all members in the family), Labour = total labour available in the household (that is, persons of working age), Female = total female in the household Hhsex = sex of head of household (1 male, 2 female), Hhage = age of head of household (years), Hhedu = head of household education (years) Expf = head of household expericenc in farming (years), Froad = distance of farm from main road (km) Fcoop = distance of farm from cooperative (km) Fsize = farm size (rai). Land = land elevation (1very low land à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 4 high) Qsoil = soil quality (1 very bad à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 5 excellent) Hincome = yearly household income (Baht) Nfincome = non-farm income (%) NfinL = non-farm income from providing labour share (%) Wealth Index = calculated from house area and householdà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s assets e.g. car, bicycle and TV The empirical analysis was conducted using the STATA statistical package. The probit estimates can be used to der ive linear probability of participating modern trade crop product, which can be approximated by dF/dx (marginal effect). Table 5.xx is shown a list of socio-economic, farm characteristic variables and attitudinal variables? that hypothetically determine small-scale farmers participation with social enterprise in the modern trade chain which has been used in probit regression. This original set of variables has been chosen considering the literature review and the information provided by in-depth interviews and survey. (see for example Braun, Hotchkiss and Immink, 1989 and Blandon, 2006) Further discussion about these variables presented in the results (please see chapter 7: Results 1 Green Net, and Chapter 8: Results II -The Royal Project). The expected relationships of the explanatory variables and the probability of participating with social enterprise in modern trade chains are also presented in Table 5.xx. Table 5.xx à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Explanatory variables and descriptive statistics determining participation with social enterprise in producing for modern trade. Variables Description Expected Sign Type* Dependent Variable: Participation with Green Net (social enterprise) in production for modern trade 1=yes, 0 = no N/A Independent variables: House size (members in the family) person + SE Total labour available in household person ? SE Total females in house hold person SE Sex of head of household Male/Female ? SE Age of head of household Years ? SE Education of head of household Years + SE Experience in farm of head of household Years + SE Distance of farm from main road km FC Distance of farm from social enterprise km FC Area of farm size rai + FC Land elevation 1 very low land à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 4 high + FC Soil quality 1 very bad à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 5 excellent + FC Yearly household income Baht + FC Proportion of non-farm income % FC Proportion of providing labour share % FC Wealth Index scale + AV Note: * SE stands for socio-economic; FC for farm characteristics, AC for attitudinal variables 5.6.2.2 Regression analysis (Gross Margins Regression) This study used the simple form multiple regression analysis finding the best predicted by a linear combination of the possible explanatory variables to explain how the variation in farm economic outcomes (or dependent) variable, Y, depends on the variation in a predictor (or independent or explanatory) variable, X. The general regression model is given by: Yi = ÃŽÂ ²0 + ÃŽÂ ²iXi + ui where the values of ÃŽÂ ²0, ÃŽÂ ²i are called the regression coefficients and are estimated from the study data called least squares, explained by Lomax  [2]  (1992). The regression models was employed to explore the determinants of farm economics outcomes which helped determine the effect of participation on key farm outcomes (profits per rai), while controlling for other variables that may affect outcomes. It is hy pothesized that the farm outcomes (profits per rai) was determined by the farm variables, socio-economic, farmer variables, and participation with social enterprise in production for modern trade. Based on the hypothesized, the profits per rai regression model is specified as follow: Profits per rai = f(farm variables, socio-economic and farmer variables, and participation with GN) The empirical analysis was conducted using the STATA statistical package. In addition, a selectivity/endogeneity problem is recognized in such estimation equations, and ways to overcome such problems will be explored in the next section (section 5.6.2.3). 5.6.2.3 Selectivity bias The above gross margin regression analysis explores the determinants of farm economics outcomes which help determine the effect of participation on key farm outcomes. There is however, one very important econometric issue with the gross margin regression which needs to be addressed. This is the issue of selectivity bias, or self-selection bias because farmers are not randomly assigned by the researcher into participation and non-participant groups, and instead self-select themselves into groups. In consequence, this profitability difference does not necessarily indicate that participant farmers have a positive impact on profits because it could be caused by selection bias. It is possible that more talented or more enterprising farmers tend to become members of Green Net. Since more talented farmers make higher profits than less talented farmers, it may appear that Green Net membership is increasing profits. In reality, it may be the higher underlying talent levels of participating farmers that creates extra profits. If this is true, then the regression coefficient of gross margins on participation would not really reflect the effect of participation, but rather the mix of the effects of participation and the underlying talent levels. There are many solutions to the selectivity problem, including Heckman correction methods, panel data method, etc. The method for this study is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“propensity score matchingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?method. The basic idea behind propensity score matching method is as follows. The probit model of participation produces a probability of participation for every observation in the sample, including participants and non-participants. This predicted probability (called the propensity score) is based on the observed values for the independent variables and the coefficient estimates from the probit model. In one version of propensity score matching, every participant will be compared to a non-participant based on similarity of propen sity scores. Their outcomes will be compared, i.e, the difference between their gross margins will be computed. Once this is done for all participants, the differences will be averaged and reported as the average difference. This version is called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"nearest neighbourà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ matching (NNM). The intuition is that, controlling for the probability of participation, ie., comparisons of participants and non-participants with similar propensity scores, is similar to random assignment to control and treatment groups. There are other versions of propensity score matching. Another method is called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"kernel-basedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ matching (KBM). Here, the outcome of each participant is compared to the weighted average outcomes of all non-participants, where the weights depend on the probability of participation. The output will show a row called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"ATTà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, the average treatment effect on the treated. The value in this row s hown as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"differenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ is the average difference between gross margins of participants and non-participants after matching. It also gives a t-statistic that used for doing a t-test. This study employs statistical matching to address the problem of selection bias. This involves pairing participants and non-participants that are similar in terms of their observable characteristics (Dehejia and Wahba, 2002). When outcomes are independent of assignment to treatment, conditional on pretreatment covariates, matching methods can yield an unbiased estimate of the treatment impact (Ali and Abdulai, 2010). It follows that the expected treatment effect for the treated population is of primary significance. This effect may be given as à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ I I=1 = E (à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ I I = 1) = E (R1 I I = 1) E (R0 I I = 1) where  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  is the average treatment effect for the treated (ATT),  R1  denotes the value of the outcome for p articipant farmers and R0  is the value of the same variable for non-participant farmers. As noted above, a major problem is that we do not observe E (R0 I I = 1).   Although the difference [ à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾e = E (R1 I I = 1) E (R0 I I = 1) ] can be estimated, it is a potentially biased estimator. In the absence of experimental data, the propensity score-matching model (PSM) can be employed to account for this sample selection bias (see for example Ali and Abdulai, 2010; Dehejia and Wahba, 2002). The PSM is defined as the conditional probability that a farmer participation, given pre-participation characteristics (see for example Ali and Abdulai, 2010; Rosenbaum and Rubin, 1983). To create the conditions of a randomised experiment, the PSM employs the unconfoundedness assumption also known as conditional independence assumption (CIA), which implies that once  Z  is controlled for, participation is random and uncorrelated with the outcome variables as poin ted out by Imbens and Wooldridge (2009).  The PSM can be expressed as, p(Z) = Pr {I = 1IZ} = E{I I Z} Where I = {0, 1}  is the indicator for participation and  Z  is the vector of pre-participation characteristics. The conditional distribution of  Z, given p(Z) is similar in both groups of participants and non-participants. The empirical analysis was conducted using the STATA statistical package. 5.6.2.4 Factor analysis This analysis explores the motivation and main problems faced by participants farmers. The respondents were presented with a list of factors indentified from the literature, focus group and in-depth interviews suggesting potential problems faced by small-scale farmers. They were asked to indicate the important each issue on a Likert scale ranging. First, the mean important score method was used to indicate the important motivation and main problems faced by participant farmers. Then, to enable the factor of participation and problems faced by participant farmers to be better understood and classified into subsets, the importance score were subjected to Factor Analysis. Factor analysis is a multivariate method of exploring the structure of data with the object of data reduction and interpretation, particularly in marketing research which may consist of a number of variables and must be reduced to a manageable level. Therefore, factor analysis allows us to look at a group of va riables that tend to be correlated to each other and allows us to indentify underlying dimensions that explain these correlations (Malhotra, 2007). In terms of the results, the variables included in this analysis were categorised into groups of variables. The next step is testing the appropriateness of the factor model. The useful statistic is the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO), which normally states that a value of KMO greater than 0.5 indicates that the correlation between the pair of variables is desirable. Once the factor analysis demonstrated that it is a proper technique for analysing the data, Principle Component Analysis (PCA), which is one of the most common approaches of factor analysis, is implemented due to the recommendation for the data use in subsequent multivariate analysis. The small numbers of variables were extracted from PCA, which there are several procedures for determining the number of factors (or so-called, principle components). The common approaches are based on Eigenvalue, scree plot (a plot of the Eigenvalue against the number of factors) and the percentage of variance, etc. The first determination is done by only using factors with an Eigenvalue equal to 1 or greater in the analysis. Finally, the factor can be interpreted by indentifying the variable that have a large loading on the same factor. In addition, the factor rotation following the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Varimaxà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? method by means of orthogonalization of the factor can help the interpretation to become simpler and more accurate (Malhotra, 2007). The empirical analysis was conducted using the SPSS statistical package Finally, the study gathered together the value chain analysis (supply chain map) and discussions from the first stage, and the quantitative insights from the second stage to comment on what has been added to the existing stock of knowledge on smallholders coping with food transformation and the role of social enterprises, and make broad policy reco mmendations for the sector. Table 5.xx Decision tree of analysis techniques: 1. Quantitative Analysis Econometric methods Research Questions Number/kind of dependent variable Number/kind of independent variables Analytic strategy Goal of analysis RQ7 Multiple (discrete) Multiple (continuous) Probit Analysis Inverse  cumulative distribution function   associated with the standard  normal distribution RQ9 Multiple (discrete) Multiple (continuous) Multiple Regression: Gross Margin Regression Relationship between several independent or predictor variables and a dependent or criterion variable Strategy: Propensity score matching method Solve the problem of selectivity bias, or self-selection bias Statistic methods Research Questions Variables Analytic strategy Goal of analysis RQ8 Multiple (continuous) Factor Analysis Correlation linear combination of dependents variables with independent variables RQ8 Significant difference of mean scores? Strategy: Wilcoxon Signed rank (0.05%) Significant difference of paired mean scores 2. Qualitative Analysis Research Questions Index Analytic strategy Goal of analysis RQ1, RQ2, RQ3 RQ4, RQ5, RQ6 FIGURES xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx TABLES xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Value Chain Analysis Strategy: supply chain mapping technique Understanding the patterns of agri-food value chains and business potential such as markets, relationships, and critical constrains that limit small-scale farmers growth and industry competitiveness. 5.7 Conclusions In this chapter the data used and research methodology in this study were presented and discussed. The data collection was divided into four stages (2 phases) in order to facilitate the achievement of research objectives. Both qualitative and quantitative information was collected. The first one consisted of secondary information and in-depth interviews (using semi-structured questions) with different players of the agri-food value chains and social enterprises in Thailand. This information was very useful for making a general characterization of the agri-food value chain restructuring and the role of social enterprises in helping small-scale farmers participate with the modern trade markets as well as for designing the questionnaire used for collecting quantitative data through a survey of participant and non-participants farmers in the modern trade chains. In the same way, qualitative information complements and helps to interpret quantitative results. A summary and discussion of quantitative methods were provided in this chapter. Probit regression analysis can assess the determinant factors of small-scale farmers participating with social enterprise in producing for modern trade markets. Gross margin analysis and selectivity bias methods can compare the profitability of participant and non-participant farmers. Moreover, the mean importance scores and Factor Analysis can assess the impact on farmers of a number of problems (variables) faced by small-scale farmers. The following chapters (Chapter 7 and Chapter 8) place the study within the findings regarding the characterization of the agri-food value chain and the role of social enterprises in Thailand.

The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain - 3807 Words

Racism still exists in some forms of modern society today. Racism encompasses the beliefs that â€Å"inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or independent achievement† along with the belief that one race is inferior to another (Dictionary.com). Mark Twain bases a large amount of conflict off of racism in his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain reveals the significant differences between†¦show more content†¦When traveling on the river Huck has the freedom to be who he wants and to do what he wants. Here he does not have to â€Å"accept society’s treatment of Jim† which also shows his individuality. Huck also treats Jim like any other friend of his while they travel on the river, because he isn’t under the critical eyes of society. While off of the river and on land Huck changes his actions, even his identity, in order to fit into society. A large part of him doing so is in order to protect Jim. In particular, slavery acts as an inhibitor to the majority of instances of racism in the novel, especially since Twain sets his novel before the American Civil War. Considering slavery in America dates back to America’s beginning years, the official slave trade beginning in 1619 and progressing to move over 12 million slaves by the time it came to an end in 1850, one cannot ignore Twain’s deliberate choice of setting (National Parks Service). Although slavery is not the sole cause of racism in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn it occurs frequently throughout the novel. Mark Twain characterizes Huck Finn as one of the few dynamic characters who was not raised by racists, which leads him to hold a true friendship in a time of harsh racial discrimination. The use of racism throughout the novel helps to show how different levels of society interact and how one boy defies the social norm. Mark Twain uses the motif of racism to develop a theme of

Psy 202 Self Reflective Free Essays

Inside The Life of a Persevering Adult: A Self Reflection Amber Ward Psy 202 Professor Stephen Law October 25, 2012 I. What was your family like? A. Single parent strict home B. We will write a custom essay sample on Psy 202 Self Reflective or any similar topic only for you Order Now Middle of three children C. Parent’s divorce and father’s absence II. What things do you remember about your childhood? A. Financial Hardships B. Good times along with tough times C. Becoming independent at a young age D. Things chosen to forget about E. Sports III. Greatest achievements A. Career B. Abuse survivor C. Return to school IV. What are your personal, professional, and academic goals? A. Demonstrating the importance of a college education to my peers B. Owning my own preschool C. Earning my bachelors degree Throughout life, we all have pitfalls that we believe hold us back from dreams, but I believe that we have the opportunity to persevere and move forward in the future. On a daily basis, we make decisions using the conscious mind and try to apply the adult development theories when making those decisions but, we may not always apply them correctly. Although my story may be one of a series of pitfalls and setbacks, I will prove to others that perseverance has pulled me through those pitfalls and setbacks and has gotten me to where I am today. I do not see my pitfalls as mistakes, but rather as life lessons that have contributed to bettering my life and shaping who I am today. Life does not create a person; a person creates their own life. While we all have different journeys that lead us to where we are today, my life has been one that I look upon as a true persevering story. Throughout my childhood, I learned the importance of hard work and dedication to family. My father was from a military family and was strict the couple years he was around. While some might consider his discipline style and strictness out of the ordinary, I appreciate what he did and how he taught me the value of respect. At times, growing up as the middle child in a broken family was not an easy life. I believe that I had to do what my sisters were doing. I constantly thought that my mother only took my sisters wants and needs into consideration, and that led me to seclude myself. I allowed my father’s disappearance to take me away from reality and grew up resenting my immediate family. I regularly kept to myself in my room and was the different one in the family. This self-perception from others led me down a deep path of depression; I chose to hear only what I wanted to hear when my family tried to communicate with me and that created problems for me. Despite my father’s disappearance, my father made several attempts at talking with me and trying to understand why I was in such a dark place. Instead of talking to anyone I chose to ignore what they viewed as kindness and chose to ignore them. The majority of my childhood often seems to be put in the back of my mind. I remember key events but little to nothing else. I do not remember the name of a single friend from any grade all the way through college as I did not have many; I had select programming in my brain that allowed me to keep only those treasured times in my memory to fight the depression. I do remember growing up with financial hardships. Looking back, I now realize that there were many other children that had it much harder than my family did. I believe that these financial hardships came about during my parents’ divorce, when I was two years old. I am lucky to say, I have never gone without a meal though and could count on having clean lothes for school. My mother always tried to push me to do those activities that my sisters participated in. However, even though I played soccer and softball I still felt let out as these activities were not of my liking. My sisters excelled in both sports causing me to gain a sense of jealousy. I then became even more withdrawn from society and would go to bed crying every night. At the age of eighteen, I decided I did not want to be alone, so I started online dating. I then was constantly staying with others and chose my relationships with these men over my family. Despite my family’s pleas and wishes to get out of those bad relationships, I had to learn on my own. At the time, I blamed my family for everything I believed to have caused a horrible relationship and broken family. Before long I got taken advantage of and abused in every way possible by the guys I was dating. I worked every day but would spend all my time and money on my relationships and get nothing in return. Within an unusually short time frame, I reminded myself of a lesson my parents attempted to teach me: It is better being alone than in a bad relationship. At the wise age of twenty two, I got hurt so miserably I thought about giving up on life. Initially, I ignored the situation and did not realize the seriousness of it until I woke up one cold and out of it with bruises and not remembering what had happened the night before. I quickly realized that I needed to seek support and get out of that relationship before I die. After speaking with my father after two years, I decided that I should move out of town with him. My father would provide me with somewhere to live and a fresh start on life. Within three weeks, I moved to Ventura, California where I now reside and started with a clean slate. The move brought about a new perspective on life and gave me time to evaluate myself. I gained a new respect for myself and appreciation for those that tried to reach out. All of the past relationships were now past experiences. However, not having a relationship and being so torn caused me to need counseling for severe post traumatic stress disorder. I still believe calling my dad saved my life. Upon entering my second month of counseling, I enrolled in classes at American Intercontinental University. I viewed college as an opportunity to prepare for my future and to prove to myself that I am worthy of finishing something I had always wanted. I found myself surrounded by many supporters that drove me to succeed and encouraged me every step of the way. During the last weeks of my first semester of college, my life changed forever. I spent the night in a psychiatric hospital for wanting to end my life in the past. I had everything taken from me and had to force the nurses to inform my father where I was since I lived with him. I cried that entire night and did not sleep all but maybe ten minutes in the twenty four hour period. All my classes received failing grades as it was finals week and, policy was a student must attend finals and my world came crashing down. Upon my exit, I became a full time nanny and began my career. However, I still wanted to stay true to myself and wanted to complete my associate’s degree and then obtain a bachelors degree. John Holland’s personality theory states â€Å"People feel that their job is fulfilling if there is a match between some features of their work and their personality† (Witt amp; Mossler, 2010, pg. 30). This statement could not pertain more to me when describing my career in the childcare field. My time with the children has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. I have been fortunate to be blessed with loving families that I work for that have now become my own. By taking advantage of these opportunities presented, I am well on my way to opening my own preschool-based daycare center. Though I have faced many setbacks, I have chosen to use each one as a learning experience in bettering my future. During the abuse, I remembered that there is someone out there that does love me and is worth my time. I am truly fortunate to have lived through an instance that was so tragic and could have taken my life. While my career in childcare has been one of my most valued experiences, one of my most rewarding experiences would be getting the opportunity to live. My family always told me there is a reason why I am on this earth; they could not have been more correct. Being able to survive a tragic attack made me value what I have; With a now loving boyfriend of one and half years and a supportive family at my side cheering me on I now know why I must continue to persevere and not let anything stand in the way of my hopes and dreams. My drive in life is now not one of satisfying only others that did not care about me, but now one of self respect and dignity. I want to do everything to prove that I can use perseverance to get through anything or anyone that tries to knock me down. As I continue to move through life I accept every day as a new beginning; I believe that too many people settle for less than what they deserve because they think their goals are out of reach once someone or something tries to block their path. Very few people achieve anything significant without first overcoming obstacles as seen in Zeleznocks article saying â€Å"If at first one does not succeed, try again† (Zeleznock, 2008, pg. 1). What life has taught me is that if one lets setbacks control their life they will never move forward. In order to have a positive self image one must push to succeed and maintain self worth. Using setbacks and allowing others to make your decisions will only result in regret and lead one down a life of self doubt. Each day I view as a new beginning and an opportunity to learn and grow with others. As I accept new challenges, I look upon my past as a foundation for building knowledge and wisdom. If I am able to use perseverance to maintain my focus and achieve my goals, I will live a life of happiness. Despite my own inability to recognize it at the time, I have an incredible family that supported me throughout my childhood. I have learned many positive lessons about responsibility and becoming a role model in today’s society. I have a career that I enjoy and excel in. Most importantly, I have a family that supports me and loves me for the individual I have become. While some would look at my life and see only the setbacks, I look into the mirror and see a persevering woman with some hurt that lead me to persevere. While there are these setbacks, I now realize my place in society. I have self respect and love life and look forward to what each day may bring. References Witt, G. A. , amp; Mossler, R. A. (2010). Adult Development and Life Assessment. Retrieved from http://content. ashford. edu/books/30 Zeleznock, T. (2008), amp; Entrepreneurs Whose Perseverance Will Inspire You. Retrieved from http://www. growthink. com/content/7-entrepreneurs-whose-perseverance-will-inspire-you How to cite Psy 202 Self Reflective, Papers

Online Ordering free essay sample

They need a viable market where they could sell their products and services, and at the same time, take proper actions to keep the market’s patronage and avoid losses. As the times change, success in any venture requires change as well. With the advent of new technology, the internet can be an effective tool to start and expand any entrepreneurial endeavour. We are now living in a fast-paced world and consumers are trying to find more convenient ways to shop for things they need. The days of standing in long queues are waning. Looking from the perspective of a consumer, purchases should be made without exerting too much effort or wasting too much precious time. However, swiftness should not jeopardize the quality of the products and services offered. Substandard goods and services, no matter how swiftly purchased, will never provide satisfaction to consumers who expect only the best for their hard-earned money. We will write a custom essay sample on Online Ordering or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Consequently, customer discontent will be the downfall of any business. PC Manila is a computer parts shop located in SM North EDSA, Quezon City. It has an average of three (3) regular customers per day, and one hundred (100) computer spare parts to be sold and monitored. The owners want to publicize their store with the objective of gaining more customers. Creating a website will be advantageous for the store. The internet is a heavily populated space, and with millions of internet-users every day, PC Manila can eye a bigger market. Customers benefit from online stores as well. Instead of going out and visiting actual shops, they can now make orders without leaving the comfort of their homes or offices. This means consumers do not have to spend time walking or driving to the place, saving them money, gas, and time. All they have to do is visit the website, browse through the products, and choose the ones they want to order – all these consumer power right at their fingertips. 1. 2. 1 Project Rationale Online ordering is one of the best methods to make a business better known and, in the process, be in demand. This is a practical means for consumers with busy schedules because they can easily buy products they desire at a minimum amount of time. It is also a more controllable mode of inventory and store management. Also, the popularity of e-stores and online ordering are acting as catalyst in the further development of the technology (i. e. web designing, probable software advancement). 1. 2 Statement of the Problem Major Statement of the Problem * How will the proponents develop an online store system for PC Manila that will make ordering, and selling their products (computer parts) easier for the customers by means of a website. Minor Statement of the Problem * How will the proponents create user-friendly instructions for the customers. Some websites does not have a friendly appearance and interface; they display confusing instructions and guidelines for the customers. To make it easier for the buyer, the website will provide the item’s description and price. * How will the proponents build a secure and effective system for the website. Some website systems can be easily cracked or hacked by any unauthorized individual. Their system is not effective and strong enough to support the store’s information. * How will the proponents give customers access to the website. Some websites cannot be accessed because there is no proper device being used. Without a proper device, the customers cannot visit the website. 1. 3 Objectives of the Study 1. 3. 1 General Objectives * To create an online ordering system for the store’s customers from where they will benefit, and at the same time will make their transactions faster and more convenient with minimal work. 1. 3. 2 Specific Objectives * To create a website for online ordering In creating online website, clients should first consider its design and structure. We should avoid adding irrelevant objects on the website. We can put some instructions and guidelines on how to order to avoid confusion among customers. To achieve this, an application such as Adobe Dreamweaver can be used. * To create a user-friendly website for the customers/buyers If the website has a friendly appearance, then it should have a friendly interface as well. Its appearance should be pleasing to the users and customers, and the colours should be appropriate. The font and buttons has to be understandable and obvious. The application to be used to create the website’s interface is the Adobe Photoshop CS5. * To build a secure and effective system. This is an important element of the project. To achieve a hundred percent success, the system has to be strong, secure, and effective. The application to be used in this procedure is Microsoft Visual Basic or PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor). * To create an ordering system which can be accessed through a computer desktop or any devices that has an internet connection. Before accessing the website, there should be a proper device to be used. With the use of a personal computer, a tablet, or a mobile phone (with built-in wifi/4G), the customers can visit the website without any problem. Significance of the Study Online ordering system is easy to integrate into any company’s system for carry out services. Consumers are excited about their favourite store adding the convenience of an online ordering system. Online ordering is a flexible benefit because it offers useful, time efficient features for customers and company owners. This technology is growing rapidly with consumers for many reasons. An Online ordering system promotes many benefits such as convenience, order amp; price accuracy, eliminates hold times, no waiting in line and no pressure. The Online ordering system gives consumers the ability to browse the online menu leisurely, increasing the probability of consumer adding to order. 1. 5 Scopes and Limitations Scopes The system will focus mainly on how to order products and building the website structure design to show the customers the products’ price, details, and other information. The system will also keep the records of all the store’s items. The system will provide the item’s accurate information, its use, and its functions. It will also show the company’s information and contact details. Limitations The system cannot allow online renting systems. The online renting system is pointless and unnecessary because as part of the store’s protocol to keep their products in outstanding quality, they do not allow their products to be rented, and product delivery will not be included. 2. 0 Methodology of the Study Fourth Generation Techniques automatically generates source code based on the developer’s specification. They can also enable the developer to specify some characteristics of the online ordering at a high level. The use of Fourth Generation Techniques (4GT) has broadened considerably over the past decade and is now a viable approach for many different application areas. It is a kind of system methodology that encompasses a broad array software tools that have one thing in common. Each enables the software developer to specify some characteristics of software at a high level. There is a little debate that the higher the level at which the software can be specified to a machine, the faster a program can be built. The 4GT paradigm for software engineering focuses on the ability to specify software to a machine at a level that is close to natural languages or using a notation that imparts significant function. The proponents gathered all the information regarding the ordering of Online Avenue. In this phase, the proponents had several visits at SM North EDSA to gather information about the company. During the data gathering, the proponents interviewed Mr. Bobet Cabuoang, the owner of the Online Avenue who gave the information regarding their products and the process of ordering. Also, the proponents analysed their existing ordering system to plan the sequences in online ordering. * Design This phase covers the designing for the proposed system. It focuses on procedural detail and interface of the system. This is where all of the information gathered applied. After analysing what the system needs, the proponents started designing the recommended system that will answer all the needs of the developed system. The interface of the system was made simple and easy to access. The PC Manilas website design was made simple. The proponents did not put unnecessary buttons and instructions to avoid customer’s confusion. The home page displays the stores featured products so the customers can easily rowse some of the available products. * Implementation using 4GT This phase is where all the gathered information is developed in the proposed system. The proponents planned all the possible input for the system. After the planning, the proponents integrate its planned ideas into the representation of the system. * Testing In this phase, after implementing the program codes, the proponents conducted some testing activities for the system to uncover some errors and talk about the opinions for the system. Fourth Generation Techniques Figure 1. 0 4. 0 Documentation of the Current System Home This module is the main page of the website, where the user can see all the basic information of the hardware. This page includes the promotion of the hardware, the category of the products it offers, hardware’s brief history and the different advertisement of the products in the hardware. On the list of the categories of products in the hardware has a link to the list of the products for that category. The homepage for this website should be eye catchy, to get the attention of the customer. * Product The user can view the products that the hardware offers. This page contains all the information of the products that are sold in the hardware. It includes the product name, image, description and price. This page will also help the user to choose the item that he/she needs to order. If the customer decides to order the items, he/she will sign-in in order for him/her to order the products in the hardware. If there is a new customer he/she will need to create an account in order for him/her to order the products from the hardware. * Order This page is where the customer lists or selects all the supplies that he/she will order. The customer has to input his/her full name, email address etc. After choosing the products, the customer will click the Submit button to send the list of the ordered supplies. For the verifying the ordered supplies the customer should wait for at least 24hours then the personnel in charge will send an e-mail to customer for its approval and disapproval of the ordered supplies. This page also contains all the different policies that implements in ordering the products like the location should be specific, the delivery of the products is just within Bulacan.