ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Executive Summary Target Corporation is one of the leading retailers in the United States. It is ranked third-largest retail store after Walmart and Kroger. This firm has experienced a long period of prosperity, especially when it expanded its operations to Canada. One of the main strengths that have enabled this firm achieve its current success is its flexible management approach. The firm has been very sensitive to changes taking place in the external environment. However, its inability to retain its employees has affected it negatively. To address this issue, the management should develop a new system focused on employees’ satisfaction. This model should address issues such as the working environment, compensation, assigning of tasks, and the relationship between employees and the management. The focus should be on improving employees’ experience. If done properly, this firm will improve its competitive advantage over its market rivals. Introduction Target Corporation is one of the largest retailing companies in North America. The firm has been keen to ensure that its operations are in line with the company’s mission statement. As Aaker (68) notes, the mission statement of this firm states, “ Our mission is to make Target the preferred shopping destination for our guests by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and an exceptional guest experience by consistently fulfilling our brand promise .” George Dayton started Target Corporation in 1902, and currently the firm’s headquarter is in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the United States. Market competition was not very stiff when this firm started its operations, but there were well-established firms operating in the same industry. Over the years, Target has grown to become one of the giant retailers in the world. Target is currently the third largest retailer in the world, with most of its stores located in the United States and Canada. The management of this firm has been consistent when it comes to implementation of the emerging technologies. Target Corporation is one of the retailers that have been keen on using the emerging technologies to improve their service delivery methods. The following pie chart shows some of the competitors of this firm, and their market coverage percentage. In the current competitive market, firms have come to realize the importance of strategic alliances. In its international corporative strategy, this firm has emphasized on developing strategic partnership with its suppliers such as Samsung, Sony, and many others. This alliance creates a partnership where destiny of this firm is tied with the destiny of its suppliers. This way, the suppliers will make any effort to create a positive working environment so that this firm can succeed for the benefit of all.Ac
Introduction There is an irony in the growth one sees in the world today. On one hand, rapid advances in technology have made substantial contributions to the betterment of mankind. New findings and inventions have made life better for the average human being in terms of better health care, safety systems, quality of life, better housing and transportation etc. On the other hand, the race for supremacy and even survival among organizations, governments and other private corporations have resulted in massive depletion of natural resources and great harm to the environment. The growing levels of globalization and free trade are in part responsible for this unhealthy development. This trend which began to gain momentum during the 1980s has resulted in a growing marketplace with geographical boundaries becoming irrelevant. The result is high levels of competition. Companies now have to be extremely efficient to survive and grow in such an environment and governments have to take steps to bring about economic stability. All these things are implemented irrespective of the consequences. The two issues mentioned (scarce resources and environment) above have become a matter of serious concern for many people and organizations throughout the world. Lately, governments in many countries have begun to take an active part in such matters. But the fact remains that, though almost everyone is verbal about protecting the environment and increasing the life of scarce resources, very little practical effort is being carried out in finding a solution. It is heartening to note that there is a small band of individuals, groups and organizations who have adopted the concept of ‘sustainable development’ seriously and are engaged in activities that do little or no harm to the environment as well as resources. Each one of them is engaged in what is referred to as sustainable development projects which include businesses, service, education and conservation. This paper attempts to review a sustainable development project in the UK. It is this writer’s belief that focus on sustainable development should start at a young age. Hence, the paper will focus on a charity called StudentForce for Sustainability which “focuses on young people working and learning to boost their employability, as well as the sustainability of communities and employers.’ ( About Us ). Sustainable development projects As mentioned in the earlier section, the concept of sustainable development is being increasingly popular in the world today. There are many definitions that can be used to make the concept clear. Though there are certain differences among them, the common theme that runs through all of them is development along with protection of the environment Such development can be referred to as “The horizontal theme which describes the need to work towards economic growth, social cohesion and the protection of the environment simultaneousl
Abstract The following essay analyzes the relationship between the media and the government. The paper provides evidence that many governments, particularly those that exist in established democracies, openly employ media propaganda to advance their agendas in foreign policy. The different methods of research employed in this essay include content analysis, polls and surveys and the uses and gratifications model. Introduction While the original intention of the media was to provide an independent, bipartisan check to the power of any individual government, the power base of any established democracy relies on the media to communicate to its followers. This is especially true in the case of foreign policy. Various media outlets interpret international events and their effects on foreign policy according to the political interests they serve. According to McCormick (2009), the media play an important role in foreign policy by virtue of what foreign policy issues they chose to report. Thus media coverage has a direct “influence on public’s attention to foreign policy,” as well as an enormous impact on what foreign policy issues become newsworthy (p. 546). The essential first step in foreign policy is to decide what information the public has access to, thus the role of the media as information gatekeepers becomes paramount (McCormick 2009; Spanier & Hook 2009). Governments in established democracies therefore employ media propaganda to advance their agendas in foreign policy. Content Analysis Content analysis refers to the methodology used to examine the specific content of a given communication tool. For the purposes of this essay, content analysis focuses on the texts used by the government as they relate to the cycle of voting in established democracies such as the United States. As Krippendorff (2004) observes, “in governments in which succession is…regulated politically…predicting the succession of leadership…is a favorite game of political analysts and important to foreign policy decision makers” (p. 175). Content analysis remains a pivotal instrument that researchers use to “expose propaganda techniques” employed by the media (Krippendorff, 2004, p. 45). Perceived successes in foreign policy may be advertised via the media to engender support during an election drive. An example is the May 2011 coverage of the death of Osama bin Laden, utilized by the Democrats in a partisan manner, as well as by the Republicans, who argued that it was the policies of the George W. Bush administration that allowed Obama to capture the fugitive Al Qaeda leader (Adams 2011). Surveys (Polls) The proliferation of online media outlets leads to a more informal method of polling for governments to use in addition to the standard polls such as Gallup – monit
Capitalism has become an issue of a heated debate for many people in the 2000s. Interestingly, the world was torn into two parts in the twentieth century. There was the world of capitalism and the world of social or communist ideologies. Thus, after the World War II, many European countries joined the US plan of rebuilding economies and the capitalist world was created (Dullien, Herr & Kellermann 12). At the same time, China, Soviet Union and a number of other countries decided to stick to the communist ideology as the societies were built on those ideals. Clearly, the eastern world was against capitalism which was seen as something unjust and vicious. However, in the end of the twentieth century the world turned into a single capitalist society. This could be the end of the ‘victimization’ of capitalism, but lots of people are against this type of economy as they argue that capitalism detracts from liberal democracy and undermines the most important values, e.g. justice. Nonetheless, it is obvious that capitalism cannot undermine democratic governance as these two notions are interrelated since democracy as well as capitalism presupposes diversity. In the first place, it is necessary to look back and think about the roots of capitalism. This type of economy developed from feudalism which had become ineffective (Mintz, Croci & Close 133). New agents (owners of industrial enterprises, workers, well-off farmers) appeared and this diversity led to the development of capitalism. People started making agreements and the interchange became really effective. Of course, opponents of the effectiveness of capitalism may claim that the development of capitalism led to a lot of turmoil and revolutions. Nonetheless, this was the necessary premises for the development of democracy as the political orders (monarchies) failed. Diversity in economy led to the diversity in political structures of countries, i.e. different political parties appeared. It is impossible to ignore the fact that capitalism sometimes took quite dangerous forms. One of the most notorious periods is the period of the Great Depression when thousands of people as well as economies of many countries were affected by the global financial crisis (Dullien, Herr & Kellermann 11). That was the period of chaos and it had positive effects in the long run as it was a vital lesson to learn. People understood that regulations are of paramount importance for the system and this finding helped th
Julie Stern and Mark Foster founded WebTracker as a new software company providing the unique services in the area. The successful idea allowed entrepreneurs to gain the interest of two venture capitalists, Regent Capital and Bantam Ventures ( Sahlman & Roberts, 2015, p. 1 ). These companies have different experiences in the sphere of investment. Therefore, Stern and Foster received two term sheets to be analyzed, and then, decide on their choice of the investor. A range of factors can influence the decision of entrepreneurs, and much attention should be paid to the concrete details presented in the term sheets regarding the valuation of the company, the level of control, dividends, the anti-dilution protection, and liquidation conditions (Sherman, 2012). This paper aims to compare and analyze the aspects presented in the term sheets and provide the advice for Stern and Foster with the focus on the conducted analysis. Differences and Similarities between Regent Capital Term Sheet and Bantam Ventures Term Sheet The structures of the term sheets proposed by Regent Capital and Bantam Ventures, as well as the majority of formulations in them are similar. Thus, the venture capitalists propose the same formulations in their term sheets while discussing the aspects of non-binding, the optional conversation, registration rights, and the ‘drag along’ factor. These sections present the supporting information for the conditions provided in the other sections of the term sheets, and those conditions are quite different ( Sahlman & Roberts, 2015, p. 6 ). It is also important to note that the procedures associated with the liquidation, or preferences, are also discussed in the documents in similar terms. The main focus is on protecting the investors’ interests if the company cannot realize the plan in relation to the profitability. Still, the discussion of the board of directors is rather similar in order to distribute the control and ownership rights in the start-up company. The term sheets also include many differences that need to be taken into account by the entrepreneurs. Thus, two companies propose different amounts to fund the start-up, and they use different approaches to the calculation of the pre-money valuation and the associated employee option pool. In addition, the approaches to calculating dividends are also different, affecting the founders’ shares in the situation of the liquidation. The voting rights and protection provisions are also formulated differently. More importantly, Regent Capital proposed the formula for calculating the prices in the context of the anti-dilution provisions ( Sahlman & Roberts, 2015, p. 9 ). Founder vesting is also a point for the discussion because the proposed conditions differ significantly. Finally, the no-shop provision period is l
Introduction In contemporary times, the media shapes popular culture, which then influences people’s views on different issues. The proliferation of different media outlets occasioned by the technological revolution of the 21 st Century means that individuals learn through diverse mediums including televisions, radios, and online platforms like social media among others. The term “science” evokes pictures of geniuses working independently or in groups to come up with novel theories, explanations, or inventions that disrupt the conventional way of thinking. The perceived complexity associated with science deters people from endeavoring to understand the true contents of this terminology. Therefore, most individuals end up believing what they learn from the media concerning science. In light of this understanding, it suffices to argue that the perception of science among most people is media-based, and it may be twisted. The media focuses on popularity and viewership, and thus, it will promote what it thinks the public ‘needs’ to hear. Therefore, the media may not necessarily promote what the public ‘should’ hear concerning science as such would create a conflict of interest. Media reporters scan the scientific world for any interesting topic for the public, and this selective reporting is biased and misleading. The pop culture’s portrayal of science and scientists shapes the average person’s view of what science is and how research is conducted. This aspect determines the general populace’s views on a particular research field, which ultimately leads to misinformed, under-informed, or uninformed society concerning scientific matters. Personal definition of “scientist” The word “scientist” evokes a mixture of images informed by my idea of such an individual as a child, which has evolved with time. On one side, I think of bespectacled, bald, and bearded old men trying to crank numbers and mathematical formulas to deconstruct a concept – Albert Einstein sort of image. On the other side, I get images of young and ambitious individuals trying to mix fun and scientific pursuits in a quickly changing world like Sheldon Cooper of The Big Bang Theory comedy series. However, my classical thinking of science and scientists is fading quickly in the wake of pop culture, which gives a different perspective. Today, if I hear the word “scientist”, I think of Ellie Arroway from the movie Contact, Dr. Leonara Orantes, and the entire group of scientists from the chef-d’oeuvre 2011 thriller, Contagion among others. One of the common characteristics of these individuals is intelligence. For instance, Dr. Leonara Orantes’ intelligence stands out in the way she handles the outbreak of a virulent pandemic by identifying the source, cause, and coming up with mitigation steps. Secondly, these characters are social misfits. They are lost in the world of innovation fueled by the passion for results that they do not have time for normal relationships. For example, Ellie Arroway sacrifices her relationships to pursue the possibility of
Despite the term ‘Industrial relations’ having been accepted in academic study and the work environment, no succinct definition of the term exists in literature. As (Kelly 50) admits, definition of the term is surprisingly rare, and even where such definitions exist, they are imprecise and disagreeable in specific respects. Despite this, (Kelly 52) has gone ahead to define Industrial relations as the “study of processes of control over work relations.” The definition by Kelly stresses the importance of processes that involve collective organization approaches, and actions by workers. On his part, (Dunlop 4) defines Industrial relations as a “complex set of phenomena both inside and outside an organization, that determines the relationship between employees and the management”. According to (Dunlop 4), the concept of industrial relations begun during the industrial revolution era, when the establishment of towns and cities led to the creation of industries, which in turn created job opportunities for the masses. With the emergence of large organizations, the labour market was flooded with workers who were willing to venture into promising job opportunities in the industrial sector. These social changes later gave rise to various workplace issues, which included low wages, long working hours, unfair treatment, and dangerous working environments (Rose 23-51). Since there was little or no interaction between workers and their employers, most of these issues were not noticed by the former, usually leading to widespread discontent among the employees. For employers to appreciate the magnitude of the issues that faced their employees, workers realised that they needed to unite and present their grievances as a unified front. This triggered the development of labour relations, which sought to ensure that employees were treated fairly (Bean 14). According to (Wooden 17), the field of industrial relations was traditionally very wide, covering aspects such as human resource management, commerce, workers involvement in decision-making, conflicts in the work place, workers unions, and collective bargaining. However, with the changing trends, industrial relations have diverted its attention to the relationship between parties involved in the production process (Lewer, Lewer & Gahan 12).This in turn means that the labour relations’ focus is now intent on ensuring that workers are treated with utmost trust, dignity, and equality. Moreover, industrial relations have enhanced teamwork and cooperation between the stakeholders in the production process. Democracy and decentralization of the industrial relations has been a major breakthrough for the modern labour market. Specifically, workers are now more involved in the decision-making
The following paper briefly compares and contrasts the corporate social responsibilities, ethics, and diversity in Walmart, Amazon, and Apple Inc. Walmart is an American multi-global retail corporation that is presently the world’s largest business entity as per Fortune Global 500 in 2020. On the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) front, Walmart believes in promoting the business and benefiting consumers and society. Firstly, the company emphasizes sustainability to make the world a better place by creating sustainable products, conserving nature, and eliminating dangerous emissions and sources of waste (Walmart, 2022). Moreover, the entity promotes volunteerism amongst its employees and engages in charity globally, including participating in food donations, conducting food security campaigns, and offering financial support to the needy. Amazon, founded by Jeff Bezos, is an American multinational company that delves into technology, artificial intelligence, computing, streaming, and e-commerce. Like Walmart, Amazon is also heavy on environmental sustainability initiatives as a CSR function. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the entity ramped up CSR programs to further include the provision of food relief, educational support, and housing (Amazon, 2022). Nevertheless, some criticism arose during the pandemic concerning its working conditions and PPEs for workers. Like Amazon, Apple is another American multi-global technology enterprise that focuses on online services, software, and consumer electronics. According to Apple Inc. (2022), the company is also big on environmental initiatives through its active engagement on climate change issues, environmental sustainability and strategy initia
Scientists have for a long time attempted to explain the mechanism of cognition in the brain. Two schools of thought have existed on this subject. The Phrenology school thought that the various cognitive abilities of the brain and personality traits are controlled by centers located on specific locations of the brain; each relatively independent of the other and controlling its respective function separately; and that damage, either accidental or iatrogenic results in dysfunction of this function only (Sizer, 1888). This school of thought was largely discredited in the early decades of the twentieth century for not having a credible empirical base. The other school of thought was actually formed as an opposition to the phrenology thesis. This theorized that higher cognitive functions are localized in the cerebral cortex which functioned as a single unit; and that the severity of negative effects on cognitive functions resulting from damage of the cortex is determined by extent rather than the location of the damage. This view almost completely annihilated the former postulate of localization. However, consequent studies went to show that indeed some of the cognitive functions were localized on specific parts of the brain. For example, aphasias, that is language distinctions, were reported to develop in subjects who had damage to certain locations of the brain known as the Broca and Wernicke areas which are located in the cerebral cortex. These areas can be demonstrated anatomically; and are found only in the left hemisphere of the brain in over 80% of humans; the former is found below the motor cortex while the latter is located above the temporal auditory cortex. The Broca’s area controls motor functions of the face; and thus facial expressions during conversations, damage to this area results in incoherent speech. The person can however understand even complicated conversation; but when s/he attempts to respond, they can only speak in gibberish. On the other hand damage to the Wernicke’s area results in negative effects on the ability to understand language. While the subjects can understand simple requests directed at him/her (by including his/her name in the phrase), they usually cannot conduct a simple conversation. The condit