https://isiarticles.com/bundles/Article/pre/pdf/20931.pdf

Impact of eBusiness technologies on operational performance: The role of production information integration in the supply chain

The United Nations World Tourism Organization endorses tourism for economic development and poverty reduction in developing countries, emphasising the role of micro-, small- and medium-sized tourism enterprises. In Kenya, community-based enterprises (CBEs) are preferred. This paper evaluates CBE potential and challenges for poverty reduction in Kenya. Reviewing literature on Kenyan tourism development, it uses case studies of six Kenyan CBEs spread across Kenya's tourism-focused community-based initiatives selected using opportunistic and snowball sampling. The case studies used individual in-depth semi-structured interviews with community leaders, CBE managers, tourism academics, support organisations and government officials, and focus groups with community members. The paper develops a detailed understanding of the CBEs, identifying the catalyst for their establishment and the role and degree of external intervention. It explores critical success factors, the extent to which CBEs alleviate poverty, and...

http://ku.ac.ke/schools/hospitality/images/stories/docs/publications/Community-based%20Tourism%20Enterprises%20Development%20in%20Kenya%20An%20Exploration%20of%20Their%20Potential%20as%20Avenues%20of%20Poverty%20Reduction.pdf

Community-based Tourism Enterprises Development in Kenya: An Exploration of Their Potential as Avenues of Poverty Reduction

This paper addresses the issue of service quality evaluation within the higher education sector and stresses the need to develop measures that are both psychometrically and practically sound. The paper argues that recent debate surrounding the development of such measures has been too strongly geared toward their psychometric performance, with little regard for their practical value. While the paper supports the need to develop valid, reliable and replicable measures of service quality, it is suggested that educators must not lose sight of the original purpose for which these measures were designed, i.e. their practical value in informing continuous quality improvement efforts. It critiques the use of disconfirmation models and reports on a study of students’ perceptions of quality using importance‐performance analysis (IPA). The technique allows specific failings in the quality of support issues to be identified and their importance to a quality improvement programme assessed.

Importance‐performance analysis: a useful tool for directing continuous quality improvement in higher education

Drawing on relevant literature and a study carried out by the author and colleagues, this article reviews the evidence about children’s expressed views on methods used by adults to obtain chil dren’s views. It identifies key considerations deployed by children to account for those prefer ences. Children are normally passive with respect to method choice, but they negotiate differing degrees of engagement related to considerations such as time control, comfort with the research medium, rewardingness and privacy. Their views about methods of research and consultation are sharply affected by notions of inclusiveness and fairness.

/pdf/children-s-voices-on-ways-of-having-a-voice-children-s-and-2ucsi36eov.pdf

CHILDREN'S VOICES ON WAYS OF HAVING A VOICE Children's and young people's perspectives on methods used in research and consultation

The researchers of various disciplines often use qualitative and quantitative research methods and approaches for their studies. Some of these researchers like to be known as qualitative researchers; others like to be regarded as quantitative researchers. The researchers, thus, are sharply polarised; and they involve in a competition of pointing out the benefits of their own preferred methods and approaches. But, both the methods and approaches (qualitative and quantitative) have pros and cons. This study, therefore, aims to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using qualitative and quantitative research approaches and methods in language testing and assessment research. There is a focus on ethical considerations too. The study found some strengths of using qualitative methods for language “assessment and testing” research—such as, eliciting deeper insights into designing, administering, and interpreting assessment and testing; and exploring test-takers’ behaviour, perceptions, feelings, and understanding. Some weaknesses are, for instance, smaller sample size and time consuming. Quantitative research methods, on the other hand, involve a larger sample, and do not require relatively a longer time for data collection. Some limitations are that quantitative research methods take snapshots of a phenomenon: not in-depth, and overlook test-takers’ and testers’ experiences as well as what they mean by something. Among these two research paradigms, the quantitative one is dominant in the context of language testing and assessment research.

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1120221.pdf

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches and Methods in Language “Testing and Assessment” Research: A Literature Review

PART ONE: INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH DESIGN The Nature of Enquiry Beginning the Design Process Initial Sources of Invalidity and Confounding Basic Designs Identifying Populations and Samples Additional Sources of Confounding by the Measurement Process and Interactions Refining the Designs PART TWO: MEASUREMENT DESIGN Principles of Measurement and Collecting Factual Data Measuring Attitudes, Opinions and Views Measuring Achievement Evaluating Data Quality Determining Instrument Reliability and Validity PART THREE: TURNING DATA INTO INFORMATION USING STATISTICS Descriptive Statistics Using a Spreadsheet Probability and Statistical Significance Power, Errors and Choosing a PART FOUR: EX POST FACTO, EXPERIMENTAL AND QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS: PARAMETRIC TESTS Comparing Two Groups t-Test One-Way Analysis of Variance Factorial Designs Randomized Block Designs and Analysis of Covariance PART FIVE: NONPARAMETRIC TESTS: NOMINAL AND ORDINAL VARIABLES Nonparametric Tests One and Two Samples Nonparametric Tests Multiple and Related Samples PART SIX: DESCRIBING NON-CAUSAL RELATIONSHIPS Correlation and Association Regression

Thomas R. Black

Papers

Doing Quantitative Research in the Social Sciences: An Integrated Approach to Research Design, Measurement and Statistics