The ‘right time’ – negotiating the timing of interviews with vulnerable young people

Participant retention is a key factor in determining the success of longitudinal research. Challenges in re-locating and retaining participants over the long term are major issues for researchers working with young people who face adversity and experience frequent changes in circumstances. This article reports on a study of vulnerable young people and their transition into adulthood. Rather than the more conventional schedule-based approach to locating and re-interviewing young people, a relational process, the ‘right time’ framework, was used to facilitate young people's involvement in the study. Embedded in the ‘right time’ framework is recognition of the diverse and fluctuating circumstances that shape young people's availability for interviews. Several case examples are considered which amplify the way that the ‘right time’ framework allowed the research to navigate around these circumstances. The case examples highlight the value young people attached to being involved in the research, the influence on the ‘right time’ of wider relational tensions for young people and the need to negotiate researcher status as a different sort of adult. The ‘right time’ framework contributed to a high retention rate in the study generating a more representative sample and enhancing the subsequent data analysis by providing valuable insights into the lives of these vulnerable young people.     

The University: An Agent of Social Change?

Can universities be agents of progressive social change? How would we know if a university was acting as an agent of social change? Drawing on four case studies, I raise a number of questions to problematize our understanding of the university as an agent of social change. I outline a number of contributing factors that appear to explain successful cases. I conclude by arguing the relevancy of these cases for larger, and more traditional, sociological projects.     

Challenges to Connecting Sociology and Service Learning

Service-learning programs are not free from challenges brought about by lack of financial support, lack of widespread commitment from professors, community agencies, and recipients of service, and lack of knowledge and insight in students directly involved in such programs. While service-learning initiatives and programs serve positive functions for organizations and individuals, rhetorical accolades for service learning can distort or omit the realities of program implementation and sustained delivery. This paper specifically explores the following challenges connected to service-learning programs: (1) pedagogical difficulties; (2) student limitations; (3) time constraints; and (4) community cooperation.     

服务台可修的多水平优先权排队(二)

文献[1]讨论了服务台可修的多水平优先权排队的排队指标。本文讨论该系统的可靠性指标。利用文献[3]中的随机序,获得了这些可靠性指标的界值。     

倡导和实践为人民服务的思想道德--兼论公民道德建设核心的哲学依据

本文从哲学的角度论述了把为人民服务作为我国公民道德建设核心的四大依据,指出了实践为人民服务的思想道德的方法.     

制度创新与人的全面发展

制度创新是人的全面发展的基本途径。从人的全面发展的视角看问题,适合于中国社会的理想制度模式应当是形式化、程序性、民主优先于自由、有利于杰出人才涌现、以人为本的非人格化制度。这种制度的创新,需要我们设定正确的制度创新理念,培养人们的创新精神和创新意识,积极探索制度创新的规律性,完备制度创新的实施技术。     

对车险改革后保险营销的浅析

在车辆保险条款费率改革之后的车险市场上,现实状况却与预计效果相差甚远。其主要原因是,对保险营销战略的忽视,没有以相应的保险营销战略为指导,使得营销战术在操作过程中显得盲目而跟从。针对以上问题,我们首先要做的是树立正确的保险营销观念,即重新审视营销战略在车辆保险中的作用,并在此基础上建立广义的产品观念;同时注重服务在车险营销中的作用;有效地进行市场细分和市场选择;最后对车险营销战略的具体实施即营销战术提出建议。     

论新形势下和谐的党群关系

和谐的党群关系,是支撑社会主义和谐社会的重要支柱,是我们党执政为民的必然要求.在构建和谐的党群关系的进程中,必须充分认识和谐党群关系的重要性,认清党面临的新形势,研究党群关系中的新情况,正确处理各种关系,探索构建和谐党群关系新的理论、制度和方法,以确保党同人民群众的血肉联系.     

商业银行个人金融服务的国际比较

目前,我国商业银行以代发工资、代收费等业务为突破口,已开发了近40个品种的个人金融服务业务。谁能提供更快捷、方便的金融服务,谁就会拥有更多的客户。进一步的对外开放,个人金融服务的巨大市场是中外银行竞争的焦点。个人金融服务市场从以往简单地通过银行储蓄存款获得利息并保障安全,已跳跃到支付结算、外汇买卖、临时透支、贷款融资、经营投资和综合理财等全方位、多层次的服务。这些对国内各家商业银行拓展个人金融服务提出了巨大的机遇和挑战。     

白族本主神话中的水神崇拜

本主崇拜是白族的传统信仰 ,在大量的本主神话传说中 ,有一些与水有关的故事 ,反映了农耕经济对水的依赖及凝结于本主身上的原始崇拜的影子 ,还可以看到多种文化交流在这一特定领域里的反映