Vizualna utemeljena teorija: metodološki nacrt i primjeri iz empirijskog rada

Grounded theory has not usually been associated with the extensive use of visual data. The author of the paper wants to present a basic introduction to methodological concepts and procedures, which allow researchers to incorporate visual data in their analyses while designing their research projects within the framework of grounded theory. The author also discusses the different approaches of visual data analysis that use the name of grounded theory but do not in fact perform the analysis according to its basic principles. At the outset, the author describes some inspirations that have come from a few researchers who have used the visual data in constructing theories in the grounded theory methodology style of analysis. The status of visual data and a methodological model of visual data analysis in grounded theory (multislice imagining) is also described. The multislice imagining is a grammar of visual narrations analysis that accents the following stages: a) an act of creating pictures and images (analysis of context of creation); b) participation in demonstrating/communicating visual images; c) the visual product, its content and stylistic structure; d) the reception of an “image” and visual aspects of presenting/representing something. Next, procedures of analyzing the visual data to generate categories on visual processes (transcription, open coding and memo writing) are presented. The presentation is based on examples from the author’s two research projects on a visualization of yoga practice and on a visualization of homelessness. The author also presents a selective coding of visual cases and empirical materials together with theoretical memo examples and comparative analysis. The last described procedure is a theoretical sampling indicating how and where to look for visual data to generate the properties of the category. The paper will end with conclusions and some remarks on future prospects of visual grounded theory.Utemeljenu se teoriju obično ne povezuje s opsežnom upotrebom vizualnih podataka. Autor ovog članka želi podastrijeti elementaran uvod u metodološke pojmove i procedure koji istraživačima omogućuju uključivanje vizualnih podataka u analizu dok osmišljavaju nacrte istraživačkih projekata u okviru utemeljene teorije. Autor također raspravlja o različitim pristupima analizi vizualnih podataka koji se služe imenom utemeljene teorije, ali zapravo ne izvode analizu u skladu s njezinim temeljnim načelima. Na početku autor opisuje neka nadahnuća koja potječu od malobrojnih istraživača koji su upotrijebili vizualne podatke pri konstruiranju teorija u stilu analize metodologije utemeljene teorije. Također se opisuje status vizualnih podataka i metodološki model analize vizualnih podataka u utemeljenoj teoriji (stvaranje slikovnih predodžbi u više isječaka). Stvaranje slikovnih predodžbi u više isječaka jest gramatika analize vizualnih pripovijesti koja naglašava sljedeće faze: a) čin stvaranja slika i slikovnih predodžbi (analiza konteksta stvaranja); b) sudjelovanje u prikazivanju/komuniciranju vizualnih slikovnih predodžbi; c) vizualni proizvod, njegov sadržaj i stilska struktura; d) recepcija »slikovne predodžbe« i vizualnih aspekata predstavljanja/predočavanja nečega. Nadalje, predstavljaju se procedure analiziranja vizualnih podataka u svrhu generiranja kategorija o vizualnim procesima (transkripcija, otvoreno kodiranje i pisanje bilježaka). Predstavljanje se zasniva na primjerima iz dvaju autorovih istraživačkih projekata o vizualizaciji prakse joge i vizualizaciji beskućništva. Autor također predstavlja selektivno kodiranje vizualnih slučajeva i empirijskih materijala zajedno s primjerima teorijskih bilježaka i usporedne analize. Posljednja od opisanih procedura jest teorijsko uzorkovanje koje upućuje na to kako i gdje tražiti vizualne podatke u svrhu generiranja svojstava kategorije. Članak završava zaključcima i napomenama o budućim izgledima vizualne utemeljene teorije

Teaching Visual Grounded Theory

Qualitative Sociology Review, 2009, Vol. V Issue IIIThe paper is based on personal 20-years experience of teaching methodology of grounded theory and qualitative methods. In the following paper I would like to show the usefulness of visual analysis in teaching methodology of grounded theory. A very important tool is to use pictures and a sequencing of pictures, which give a comparative insight into empirical data and teaches the comparative method that is so important to generate theory (Glaser 1965; Glaser, Strauss, 1967; Glaser 1978). Students can learn how to compare and find patterns in empirical instances, which have visual character. Some of the sequences show stages of action and the sequence that all together is a linear representation of activity. Sequence of pictures helps to build the pattern that is conceptual understanding of the phenomena being studied. In other case, the sequences of pictures given to students are not planned. They are almost accidentally created and force students to find patterns by means of the comparative analysis. We should always know what had happened before a picture was taken as well as afterwards, it is similar to sequences analysis in textual data (Silverman 2007). We should always be aware of the context of analysed activity. Students are also encouraged to make a theoretical sampling and saturate categories using data from photos and other visual data. This helps them to proceed with the research from empirical incidents to conceptually elaborated properties of categories and finally to the definition of category and formulating the hypotheses. In this way they learn visual grounded theory that is using the visual images for generating categories, properties and hypotheses and also for presenting results of analysis in the final report.Publikacja dofinansowana została ze środków Polskiego Towarzystwa Socjologiczneg

W stronę socjologii emocji

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Usefulness of clearance parametric images in detection of regional renal parenchyma dysfunction

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to examine whether parametric clearance images (PAR) enhance diagnostic potential of a dynamic renal scintigraphy with detection of local dysfunction of kidneys, on a model of kidneys after treatment with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), MATERIAL AND METHODS: Kidneys after ESWL were accepted as a proper model for the implementation of this objective because of the previously proven damaging effect of a shock wave on renal parenchyma and known region of ESWL application. Forty patients (23 males and 17 females) at the age of 37 to 70 years (mean value 54) with untreated earlier single, one-sided nephrolithiasis, currently treated with ESWL, underwent a study. A dynamic renal 99mTc-EC scintigraphy was performed three times: before ESWL, a week and a month after this therapeutic intervention. PAR images generated with use of an in-house developed software were compared with summation (SUM) of images obtained from radiopharmaceutical uptake phase and quantitative global function parameters (GFP) of each kidney, like split function, MTT — mean transit time and PTT — parenchymal transit time. RESULTS: PAR and SUM images of all 40 kidneys before ESWL were normal. PAR images revealed local or diffused defects a week and a month after therapeutic intervention in statistically significantly larger numbers of kidneys than SUM images (19 vs. 6, p = 0.002 and 16 vs. 5, p = 0.003, respectively). A week after ESWL, when defects in PAR images were observed in about a half of all renal segments (29/57 — 51%) all GFP values were significantly worse than in kidneys without defects. A month after ESWL defects in PAR images could be observed in ab. 1/3 (17/48 — 35%) of segments and were less extensive, whereas GFP values did not differ significantly from values in kidneys without clearance function impairment in the PAR images. CONCLUSIONS: PAR images enhance diagnostic potential of a dynamic renal scintigraphy with detection of local function defects. These images allow to detect more local renal function defects than SUM images

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Optimasi Portofolio Resiko Menggunakan Model Markowitz MVO Dikaitkan dengan Keterbatasan Manusia dalam Memprediksi Masa Depan dalam Perspektif Al-Qur`an

Risk portfolio on modern finance has become increasingly technical, requiring the use of sophisticated mathematical tools in both research and practice. Since companies cannot insure themselves completely against risk, as human incompetence in predicting the future precisely that written in Al-Quran surah Luqman verse 34, they have to manage it to yield an optimal portfolio. The objective here is to minimize the variance among all portfolios, or alternatively, to maximize expected return among all portfolios that has at least a certain expected return. Furthermore, this study focuses on optimizing risk portfolio so called Markowitz MVO (Mean-Variance Optimization). Some theoretical frameworks for analysis are arithmetic mean, geometric mean, variance, covariance, linear programming, and quadratic programming. Moreover, finding a minimum variance portfolio produces a convex quadratic programming, that is minimizing the objective function ðð¥with constraintsð ð 𥠥 ðandð´ð¥ = ð. The outcome of this research is the solution of optimal risk portofolio in some investments that could be finished smoothly using MATLAB R2007b software together with its graphic analysis

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good

Search for stop and higgsino production using diphoton Higgs boson decays

Results are presented of a search for a "natural" supersymmetry scenario with gauge mediated symmetry breaking. It is assumed that only the supersymmetric partners of the top-quark (stop) and the Higgs boson (higgsino) are accessible. Events are examined in which there are two photons forming a Higgs boson candidate, and at least two b-quark jets. In 19.7 inverse femtobarns of proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV, recorded in the CMS experiment, no evidence of a signal is found and lower limits at the 95% confidence level are set, excluding the stop mass below 360 to 410 GeV, depending on the higgsino mass