Research that measures change and research that measures differences

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Compare research that measures change and research that measures difference. Locate a peer-reviewed research study on an area of organizational behavior by using the SUO library database. Evaluate the connection between the study design and also whether it measures change or difference.

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Research Measuring Change vs. Research Measuring Difference:

  • Research Measuring Change (Longitudinal Studies):

    • Focus: Examines how variables evolve or transform over time.
    • Design: Typically longitudinal, involving repeated measurements of the same subjects or groups at multiple points in time.
    • Examples:
      • A study tracking employee morale before and after a new management training program.
      • An investigation into how a company’s culture changes following a merger.
      • Studies that measure the effectiveness of a new therapy on a patient group over a period of time.

Research Measuring Change vs. Research Measuring Difference:

  • Research Measuring Change (Longitudinal Studies):

    • Focus: Examines how variables evolve or transform over time.
    • Design: Typically longitudinal, involving repeated measurements of the same subjects or groups at multiple points in time.
    • Examples:
      • A study tracking employee morale before and after a new management training program.
      • An investigation into how a company’s culture changes following a merger.
      • Studies that measure the effectiveness of a new therapy on a patient group over a period of time.
    • Statistical Analysis: Often uses paired t-tests, repeated-measures ANOVA, or regression analysis to analyze trends and patterns.
    • Strengths: Provides insights into causal relationships and developmental processes.
    • Limitations: Can be time-consuming, expensive, and susceptible to attrition (participants dropping out).

  • Research Measuring Difference (Cross-Sectional Studies):

    • Focus: Compares distinct groups or categories at a single point in time.
    • Design: Typically cross-sectional, involving data collection from different groups simultaneously.
    • Examples:
      • A study comparing the job satisfaction of employees in different departments.
      • An investigation into the differences in leadership styles between male and female managers.
      • Studies that compare a control group to an experimental group after an intervention.
    • Statistical Analysis: Often uses independent t-tests, ANOVA, or chi-square tests to compare group means or proportions.
    • Strengths: Relatively quick and cost-effective.
    • Limitations: Cannot establish causality, as it only captures a snapshot of a moment in time.

Hypothetical Research Study Analysis:

Let’s imagine we found a study in an organizational behavior journal titled: “The Impact of Flexible Work Arrangements on Employee Productivity and Well-being: A Comparative Analysis.”

  • Study Design:

    • The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study.
    • They surveyed employees from two organizations: one with a flexible work arrangement policy (experimental group) and one with a traditional office-based policy (control group).
    • They measured employee productivity (self-reported and supervisor-rated) and well-being (using standardized questionnaires).
    • They then compared the results from the two groups.

  • Measuring Change or Difference:

    • This study measures difference.
    • It compares the productivity and well-being of two distinct groups at a single point in time.
    • It does not track changes over time within either group.

  • Evaluation of Connection Between Design and Measurement:

    • The cross-sectional design is appropriate for measuring differences between groups.
    • However, it cannot determine whether flexible work arrangements cause higher productivity or well-being.
    • There could be other factors that explain the observed differences (e.g., pre-existing differences in company culture, employee demographics).
    • A longitudinal study would be needed to truly measure the change in productivity and well-being that occurs as a result of implementing flexible work arrangements.
    • If the study was to follow employees from a company that was in the process of implementing flexible work arrangements over a period of time, then it would be a study that measures change.

Key Considerations for Evaluation:

  • Causality: Cross-sectional studies cannot establish cause-and-effect relationships.
  • Confounding Variables: Researchers must consider and control for potential confounding variables that could influence the results.
  • Sample Selection: The representativeness of the sample is crucial for generalizing findings.
  • Measurement Tools: The validity and reliability of the measurement tools used in the study should be assessed.

By carefully evaluating the study design and measurement approach, we can better understand the strengths and limitations of organizational behavior research

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