Part 5 Ethics

I would describe ethics as what is seen as right and what is seen as wrong. It is our behaviour towards our values. The importance of implementing ethical considerations aims to treat the people with whom I am affiliating with in a moral, equal and fair way.

Some ideas I've put together are as follows during rehearsal times:

To listen, respect, apply corrections, attention to detail and others, attention to space/setting and application of health and safety procedures, being helpful and working as a team, engaging and giving time to each member of your team. Keeping dignity in your workplace, a sign of respect for your working environment, job, colleagues and yourself. Taking care of your body and your colleagues as these are whom we work with and are affiliated with, this is our support system so we must pay attention to them, look after and include them, they are so important to us.

This raises thoughts for me, to think about composing ourselves, we should always be mindful and aware of others and ourselves.. Be careful what we say, and what we do= this always has a reaction and consequence.

When conducting my inquiry there is a lot to think of in terms of my responsibility as a researcher. Thinking in terms of ethical considerations, I would have to let the guests know why I'm conducting this research, ensure their confidentiality and validity, choose a range of people to conduct my research on by using a varied, random pick of participants. Allow the participants freedom of speech, do not interrupt, try to manipulate answers or show reaction to answers given.

Some points to remember from Reader 5:

-Plagiarism. Honesty and working within the law when presenting ideas. Do not use others work and pass it off as your own.

-Only ask questions relevant to your inquiry. You must validate reasons for questioning anything other than your inquiry.

-Covert-vs-Overt. Do people know your observing them? What are the risks? Will it change their behaviour/relationship with you?

-Make sure I present ALL data, don't cherry pick to support my preferred notion.

-Let everyone know why your conducting the research this includes participants and professional bodies within your place of work. Remember to get permission from a parent/guardian if participant is under 18 years of age.

WHEN INTERVIEWING:

-Respect every participant and treat fairly and equally.

-Do not go off course, stay within the topic and keep within boundaries of research. 

-Let participants know how to contact you if needs be.

-Give participants the option to leave/abandon the interview.

-Report any project related problems to appropriate body.

-Provide accurate, truthful and complete reports on conducted research. 

-Uphold confidentiality.

-Enusure that I collect, store and present both positive and negative statements given.

Recent observation

I would like to share a recent experience that occurred last cruise whereby I compared this occurrence  to another that was presented to me when I had first started the shows onboard my current contract.

Myself and the cast onboard the 'Carnival Paradise' have now been performing the shows for 4 weeks, we do approximately 8 shows a week. A while back, just as we had opened our shows I'd asked a guest who was in her early twenties, white, american and single about her reaction to the previous nights performance. I'd gotten my hopes up for a complimentary, enthusiastic reply as myself and the cast felt we had done a good job. To my dismay her reaction was quite timid and unenthusiastic, her choice of words being: 'Yeah it was nice'. Although a little disappointed at her reaction, I told myself that everyone is entitled to their opinion and findings. It may have been that I set my reaction too high, she may have been tired, caught off guard or perhaps her mind was elsewhere. Whatever the resigning behind her response, I still have to take this as a valid source for research.

In contrast, to my pleasured surprise, last cruise I was waiting in line to get served food, my body language was more closed than usual as I was very hungry and tired from the days rehearsals and duties, I didn't feel like socialising and interacting with guests until my mood had been lightened somewhat. A guest that was also waiting in line had sparked conversation with me, when she saw from my name tag that I was a dancer her eyes widened and she immediately started praising me and the rest of the cast on the 'awesome, broadway style shows we always give'. She told me it was the reason why she and her friends come and cruised, it was her favourite event on the ship and she comes to every show when she cruises. This lady was a mid twenties, african american single who enlightened my mood more than sleep or a full stomach could have done that afternoon.

It brought to my attention how people show and formulate different findings and views of performance. There is no right or wrong, good or bad, its all perception. Reflecting back on these cases, it raises my questioning of whether the data I collect will be valid and mutual... Is there going to be a definite formula for a great performance or is it matter of opinion? Perhaps I shouldn't try to predict this or force a more likened response, I have to conduct my inquiry and utilise my research whatever my results may be.

Part 6 Benefits for others and ideas for proposal

I believe my inquiry will not only benefit myself but also my work colleagues and fellow BAPP arts students who are performers themselves. I will do this by researching, identifying and providing knowledge and information on how to become a successful performer, how to develop yourself and also provide entertaining and memorable shows/performances for an audience.

I have noticed within my WBL corporation that we as performers on the cruise are frequently reminded of our job as 'entertainers', our job is to entertain the guests. Since cruise ships is a vacation industry. we have to provide broadway style shows and make sure the guests feel like they are enjoying themselves.

During my inquiry, I aim to research and respond to my findings, my goal is to better myself and my cast onboard the Carnival Paradise if I can accomplish it, set up investigating and find a successful formula for creating memorable performances. I hope to develop good practice by carrying out my investigation and also hope to empower and give suggestions and inspiration to my colleagues and associates. I hope to build a shared vision of great performance and entertainment to my cast onboard my ship.

The ideas for conducting my inquiry are as follows:

Using my hosting qualities that are encouraged within my workplace, I would like to follow through with some Qs and As to guests pre watching our shows then follow up afterward. I would like to conduct informal interviews and ask them:

-What makes a show entertaining for you?
-What draws the most attention to you when watching a performer?
-What makes the show most enjoyable for you and your family?
-Why do you come to shows?

After watching the shows I would like to follow up with them and ask what they though, what entertained them the most, who they watched the most, what drew attention and what their overall experience was like.

My inquiry is a genuine area of interest, it is real and it is sustainable. I may not be able to get a right or wrong answer, or something that is definite or mutually felt/agreed upon. I believe that this is going to be an extensive research programme, and a lifetime inquiry, for me, I will never stop learning and growing as a performer. I will seek to continue learning and researching on this line of inquiry throughout my career as a performer.

I plan to conduct my research by capturing evidence and being stimulated within my workplace. I will plan to build/utilise real life ongoing activity and experience whilst conducting it in an ethical way. This will act to inform my professional practice.

Reading through the material for part 6 I believe my research will be conducted in a more qualitative sense. It will be 'interpretivistic' in its nature and be led by social and individual perspectives. Although my research is being situated as it is specifically going to be monitored in my place of work (onboard a cruise ship) I hope that this will not hinder my results or limit them in any way. I do not intend to create a hypothesis and determine an answer or theory; my research will be non bias and free in its nature. I do not intend to prove or predict a theory.

During my research I will use observational methods that will involve me being a participant of the event being studied but I will also act as an outsider and be a freestanding/sideline viewer. I will be observing and collecting my research by noting reactions given by the audience during our shows, both collecting reactions that are verbal and non verbal. I will not only be asking them physically face to face their views and opinions but also observing their reactions and behaviour during the performances themselves.

Its important to note the diversity of age, culture, religion, values and group types of both crew and passengers. This is a widely diverse ship that welcomes and supports many different backgrounds and ethnicity's. This is good for my research as I can work with a very broad array of people that can assist greatly in my results being not only fair, but perplexing and interesting due to the diverse sourcing.

I would like to direct my interviews formulating a mix of techniques using:
-a semi structured interview
-informal interviews

I would like to conduct open questions and also topic questions giving my participants a wide scope for response and opinion. Towards the end of the interview I would like however, to pose a leading question to connect to my main line of inquiry.

I would like my questions to be quite open to allow the opportunity for interviewees to speak on behalf of their own free will, although directed by myself, I would not want my participants to feel as if they can only give me a closed response. I would casually introduce them to the topic of the shows and then direct some questions on performance and entertainment in an informal way this is so that my participants do not feel any pressure or under any stress to give an answer they may think I want to hear as a researcher.

I will take written notes afterwards so that my interviewees do not feel under pressure to create an exact response or formal answer. I would also conduct my interviews face to face as I like to take a personal approach.

I will make sure I draft and send an email of my intent and purpose of my inquiry to my department head which is my Cruise Director, I will ask him to sign in agreement and ensure I am under the supervision and permission of a professional body.

As well as interviewing the guests onboard and conducting face to face informal questioning and observation, I would like to construct a focus group utilising my cast members for further development and research into my line of inquiry. I would set up a specific seating plan and will want my focus group to be organised in a formal way which will differ from the informal questioning posed to the guests. Questions will be answered individually, one at a time by each and every member of the group. This would be formal, specific and the terminology used to pose the questions will be relevant to our professional practice. I would have both myself and my dance captain record all responses. I would like all cast members to introduce themselves, their role, age and experience before answering the questions. The focus group will be monitored and managed by both myself and the dance captain to ensure the validity and control of the group.

Contractual agreements

Looking through my contract agreement with Carnival, I thought I should pinpoint the conditions which I feel raise the issue of ethical consideration. I thought it would be a good grounding for exploring ethics in a professional work place, trying to analyse and research into the ethics part further I found the following:

7. a) ARTIST agrees to comply with and be bound by all shipboard rules. Acts of misbehaviour, malfeasance, illegality, immortality, violations of the ship's articles, rules or regulations and artists failure to perform duties to the satisfaction of CARNIVAL will be considered grounds for termination of contract.

With regard to British citizen artists, should any disciplinary action be taken by CARNIVAL toward the artist, the British Actors Equity Association will be furnished a copy of the performance evaluations and/or termination notice. CARNIVAL will be receptive to comments received by British Actors Equity Association regarding performance evaluations and/or termination notices.

9. a) ARTIST expressly gives and grants CARNIVAL the right to photograph ARTIST during the term of this agreement and to make use of and to permit others to make use of ARTISTs name, voice, pictures, photographs and other likeness for the purpose of promoting and publicising CARNIVALs vessels in any and all media.
 b) ARTIST agrees that any photos or video taping shall be for the sole purpose and use by CARNIVAL. ARTIST shall not use zany video/photo of any CARNIVAL performance of any kind for any purpose other than with the express written consent of CARNIVAL. Violation of this provision may result in termination of the agreement and damages against ARTIST as provided by applicable law.
 e) ARTIST and CARNIVAL understand the ARTIST is hired based on requirements for particular shows and as such, appearance and grooming are an important aspect of the hiring process.

13. ARTIST is required to be fluent in the English language as per CARNIVAL safety regulations. The ARTIST acknowledges his/her separate and independent duty to abide by all other oral and written rules, regulations and standards of CCL and/or the vessels operator and/or the ships command.