Critiq a research methadology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Critiq a research methadology - Essay Example Some studies showed the positive effects of acupuncture towards these disorders, a considerable number of reports also showed that there is no difference between those subjected to auricular acupuncture and those in controlled studies. Since acupuncture is a procedure, putting it into a clinical test would entail that meticulous guidelines be followed. These procedural guidelines stem from the methodical understanding of the nature of acupuncture and of the character of drugs used. Hence this study, aside from dealing with the specific controlling factors of acupuncture also takes into consideration factors that are non-specific such as the use of questionnaires, monitoring of drug use and other aspects that would result to confuse the findings. This study was conducted using a randomized clinical trial aiming to determine if auricular acupuncture has significant and positive results towards the treatment of drug dependence in methadone-maintained addicts. This specific patient popul ation was opted for the use of addition to cocaine is a grave problem in methadone maintenance programs or MMPs. II. The Methods and Methodology Used in the Study A Randomized Controlled Trial of Auricular Acupuncture for Cocaine Dependence (Avants, et. al., 2000) Participant Selection: Entrance and Discontinuation Criteria The inclusion criteria for the research participants are the following: 1. They should be at least 18 years of age 2. They should be enrolled in methadone maintenance programs (MMPs) with a stable dose of methadone. 3. They should be able to meet the criteria for cocaine used as established by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV25 4. They should be able to show recent cocaine use: a. able to provide a cocaine-positive urine sample (at the time of screening) b. able to provide a detailed report of cocaine use (week before the screening) c. able to provide a cocaine positive urine sample (within two weeks before screening) The exclusion criteria for the re search participants are the following: 1. They should not be dependent to other substance other than cocaine, nicotine or opiates 2. They should not undergo any current treatment for cocaine dependence They should not have any current use of psychotropic medication (except when they are maintained in a regimen for this specific medication for 90 days) 3. They should not have previous acupuncture treatment for a period of 30 days They should not manifest suicidal nor psychotic status The discontinuation* criteria for the research participants are the following 1. Failure to attend 3 of first 8 sessions 2. Failure to attend less than session per week * Those who discontinued the research were termed as noncompleters Figure 1. The flow and progress of patients and their corresponding treatments throughout the trial (Avants, et. al., 2000). Randomization A computer-based randomization procedure was conducted by a staff member after the completion of the patient’s screening as wel l as intake interviews. The randomization procedure was used in order to set of scales for the participants on conditions such as a) sex; b) race; and c) HIV status. During the orientation, patients were kept abreast of their treatment assignments through a prescribed standardized script. Patients

Human Resource Management and Building Employee Loyalty Case Study

Human Resource Management and Building Employee Loyalty - Case Study Example Human resource management of Xeleco is a matter of recognizing people as perhaps the most important asset of Xeleco and to manage these people the best way possible. Xeleco's competitiveness in its market refers to their capability to uphold and expand market share. Competitiveness is related to Xeleco's effectiveness, which is determined by how much Xeleco satisfies the requirements of its stakeholders. The significant stakeholders comprise stockholders, customers as well as employees. Therefore, retention of employees becomes an important factor of Xeleco competitiveness. Xeleco's core employees are those that are essential to the service(s) Xeleco provides. These employees work year round, typically full time, and drive the business. Retention of core employees is vital to the business. To retain employees it is no longer enough to be competitive concerning pay. Employees of today relate their jobs to their private lives far more than they did in the earlier days. In earlier days employees would go to work, do their job, get their pay, and go home to a life often totally separated from work. Today the types of work have changed, and people's conceptions of work have changed in a way that makes retention of employees something much more complex than adding more pay. A dangerous myth existing from earlier days is that people only work for money. And yes, people do work for money, but they work even more for meaning in their lives, for fun, for jobs that will contribute something to their lives, and their family's life. Pay cannot substitute for a working environment high on trust, fun, and meaningful work. Companies that pay no attention to this fact are fundamentally bribing their employees and will pay the cost in lack of loyalty as well as obligation, and difficulty in retaining important employees. Today, employee benefits are a major force in determining employee retention, or employee happiness. One could argue that content employees make content customers, and that content customers make content stockholders. In this view, employee benefits become crucial to Xeleco's success. Incorporating retention strategies into the HR and succession plan plays a major role in the changing and increasingly mobile workforce. This has been linked with the move towards the Protean career where a person's career is frequently changing. Hence organisations must be ready to adapt to this change by benefiting them with career development programs thereby enhancing reputation and achieving greater retention of valued employees. In order to retain employees the organization must When considering succession planning, employee development is an integral strategic process which enables knowledge, skills and behaviour to be acquired to meet job changes and client requirements in the future as opposed to training which is immediate current job