Introduction
The world around us is experiencing paradigm shifts in the different kinds of phenomenon. This is because the human race is going through a phase of development, and it is becoming difficult to estimate the enthusiasm involved in this process. The dynamics associated with the development are complex, and it is imperative to analyze its impact on our environment. In order to ensure prosperity for our future generations, it is essential to conduct a proper analysis regarding the people and their environments. The environment used to play a vital role in the development of suitable atmosphere for living creatures and governments around the world allocate a lot of their resources for preserving their environments to avoid a potential threat. Moreover, vast development is affecting our environment and a perfect example to study this affect is related to the water use. The complexity arises when the facts related to the water use are researched and further leads us to a situation where it becomes compulsory to believe that our environment and physical characteristics of the planet are in danger.
The situation is becoming worse, and forecasted results show that our environment can suffer from water stress. The statistics show that 1.7 billion populace have access to safe drinking water, but still 884 million are living without adequate and safe drinking water service. Moreover, about 5,000 children die every day due to the diseases associated with the water use (United Nations). The management of water is another issue such as about 70 percent of the drinkable water is used for the irrigation purposes, and 15% of the deaths in natural disasters are due to floods. This is also estimated that at least one in four people may experience scarcity of fresh water in 2050 (United Nations). This shows that how this issue will become a danger for our future generations. The pessimistic approach indicates that the situation is going to get worse in the future due to the factors like population growth, expansion of business activity, rapid urbanization, an increase in poverty and so forth.
In order to analyze the water use, three papers authored by Luoto et al., Mascarenhas and Sohn are considered. This will help to understand the mechanism involved in factors related to the use of water as well as provide an in-depth understanding of the different research methods and designs used to formulate the conclusions. The sampling approach is also an integral part of this process because it is a technique used for estimating the properties used in a particular distribution.
Research designs and methods
All the research papers are encompassing unique aspects by remaining within the parameters of the issues related to the water use. The dynamics of this issue are complex in nature. Therefore, it is essential to use different types of research designs and methods according to the given requirements to identify a problem for the subsequent development of a solution. The strategy adopted in the articles regarding the research designs are based on nature of the problem, such as Luoto et al. discussed point-of-use water treatment products and their research design covers the experiment, water quality analysis, sample size, enrollment, and data analysis based on the information collected through surveys. This type of research design was necessary because the findings have to be developed for the product testing. The approach has helped in gathering information about the impact of different products by taking into account its optimal use. So the method of qualitative research is used because the data is collected through interviews (Thomas, Nelson, and Silverman). The experiment design is an integral part of this research because the products compatibility in the low-income neighborhood helped in developing longitudinal surveys such as with four bimonthly household visits, it explains the health hazards of untreated drinking water. If we analyze the free trial period, the filters which are the most popular product have shown less than 30% usage (Luoto et al. 26-32).
Arguments presented by Mascarenhas are based on strengthening the theoretical relationship between the neo-liberalism and environmental justice. He also used qualitative research method and collected the data to develop the findings. The analysis are conducted based on 800 transcribed interviews along with the field observations. The research design is formulated in a way that explains the basic concepts encompassing the theories and then based on the data analysis; the conclusion is being developed. On another hand, Sohn explored a pattern associated with the urban water use, and the research is carried out by using research methods like Moran’s I and Local Moran statistics. The regression method is always being used for identifying the different factors that influence the quantity of water use. The longitudinal survey of water charge differences between cities in the light and heavy use groups have been used. The regression analysis reveals that if the water prices increase then the use of water decreases in the cities in the light water use group.
Sampling approaches
The sampling approaches used in the articles helped in collecting data and evaluating the behavior of the sampling groups. Mascarenhas used the purposive sampling in order to collect the data and surveys. In purposive sampling, the respondents are proposed, and these respondents are considered relevant to the researched topic. The selected respondents should have some knowledge about the topic, and the transcribed interviews were conducted. This type of purposive sampling helped a lot in collecting the intensive field observations which eventually resulted in developing the conclusion. Luoto et al. also used the qualitative research method in which purposive sampling method is selected. The purposive sampling is a non-probability technique and for this research, the low-income neighborhood has been proposed. When the data is collected through this type of method, the ethical issues may arise. Surveys are conducted through the interviews and based on the sample size; the product preferences is determined.
On other hand, Sohn used different sampling approach compared to other two articles. The data is collected through systematic sampling approach (Smith). The sample approaches used by the researcher have played a vital role in executing the research design and collecting the data. In addition, opportunity samples are also utilized especially in collecting the data related to the impact of an increase in the government charges. The sample taken shows the diversified opinions related to the problems although the techniques used are different in each case.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The research methods used in the articles should be evaluated to know about the strengths and weaknesses associated with them. The methods used were compatible with the diversified nature of the problems and consequently the analysts were able to reach a conclusion. The method of qualitative research provides a deep understanding of the social phenomena, and this information of understanding can be obtained by using quantitative methods such as questionnaires. This method is also applicable in getting information about the sensitive topics because there are many situations where the participants avoid talking about the issues in a group environment and this method is easy to manage and administer. The weaknesses associated with this method is the researcher’s biases that can become a part of the report and hard to avoid. The subjectivity can further lead to different kinds of procedural problems, and most importantly it becomes difficult to verify continually the data in an ongoing research program (Gill et al. 291-295).
The utilization of regression model also possesses different kinds of strengths and weaknesses. For instance, it uses the data very effectively, and the results can be obtained by using small sets of data. It is really easy to use and facilitates in developing different kinds of interpretable statistical intervals for optimizations, predictions and so forth. Unlikely, it is not free from weaknesses because it can give an optimal estimate of the unknown parameters and generates an issue of unfamiliarity for the general population (Chambers and Dinsmore). The assumptions developed in this model lead to the errors and deep analysis should be conducted before making any assumptions; otherwise, the results can vary a lot.
Objectivity, Reliability, and Validity
The concepts of objectivity, reliability, validity are basically longstanding terms in the qualitative paradigm. This type of method basically rejects the authority of these concepts, and the reason is that they have a quantitative load. The qualitative research creates an impact on the credibility, fairness, authenticity and so forth. The qualitative researchers prefer to work under an interpretable framework. The regression model creates an impact on the objectivity and reliability such as it helps to develop an analysis according to the objectives associated with the problem. The model works according to the given variables and assumptions formulated to overcome the errors make it reliable and the validity remains until the time variables don’t change.
Influence of Research Designs and Methods
The methods used by the researchers have created a great impact on the discussions and conclusions. For instance, if the researcher has used quantitative research method for interviews instead of qualitative, then the findings will be different in the article authored by Luoto et al. A quantitative interviewer can be asked some open-ended questions, and this will result in collecting a different type of data. The quantitative research method demands that the data should be from the large representative sample (Interviews: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches, 2016); this can lead to a situation where the opinions of the people in the sample can vary a lot. Hence, the usage and performance indicators of the products in this article can be different, and it will also create a great impact on the self-reported usage. The same goes to the article authored by Mascarenhas and if some open-ended questions were asked than there is a possibility that the people will have different opinions about the neo-liberalism and environmental justice. This may have changed the conclusion, and the researcher opinion about the capital accumulation will be different. Subsequently, it becomes a threat for the marginalized groups.
Ethical Issues
The issue of ethics is imperative in conducting the research, and it has gained more importance when the process related to the collection of data is implemented. Mascarenhas and Luoto et al. collected the data through the surveys. The ethics issue arises when the surveys are developed based on interviews. The way of interviews conducted allows the researchers to delve deeper into issues of interest and controversial issues are also discussed which a simple survey research does not allow. The interviews develop a strong relationship between the researcher and the participants but also raise an issue like confidentially, professionalism and so forth. The other issues can be like stigmatization and an increasing vulnerability. These authors have shown professionalism incompletely maintaining the confidentiality of participants in their research papers. For instance, Mascarenhas have recorded the interviews but didn’t mention the details related to the participants profiles. On another hand, Sohn has developed conclusions by observing and analyzing the data related to the general public behavior with respect to the water use. Such as, if the government increases the prices, then the use of water decreases in the light water group. This shows that the researcher is secretly observing the behavior of the participants although they have not participated practically but still the data related to them is being utilized for the purpose of completing the research. This indicates that the ethical issue exists in the process of collecting the data because a particular behavior is secretly observed.
Conclusion
The dynamics of evaluating the situation related to the water use are changing, and this is also reflected in the articles. The detailed analysis of the articles makes it clear that the governments around the world play a vital role in developing consensus about the environmental justice and water use, especially in the urban areas. The prices charged basically determine the quantity of water use; this has been proven through the regression analysis. Products used for getting safe water reveals a different mechanism, which shows that budget should also be allocated for educating the people on this issue. The fact findings involved in the articles greatly depend on the research methods used for this process, and the conclusions can be different if these methods are changed. Even with these results, some potential limitations also exist. The researches carried out in the articles are based on concepts revolving around the use of people preferences for the safe water, environmental justice and water use in the large cities. The research designs provide problem-solving approaches and data analysis within these designs helps in a systematical statistical technique in order to evaluate the problems. These types of researches provide a detailed overview of the complications associated with the water use and also help in developing a framework, through which these types of problems should be solved. The future of our generations greatly depends on this issue, and efforts should be made on a continuous basis in order to ensure that our environment is protected from any kind of predicted disaster.
Work Cited
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