ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Auditors should be held to higher standards than people in other professions because of the complexity, sensitivity, and significance of their work. Many cases of financial fraud involving multinational corporations have been reported in the past. For instance, the Waste Management, Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, HealthSouth, Freddie Mac, American Insurance Group, Lehman Brothers, Bernie Madoff Investment Securities LLC, and Saytam frauds are examples of corporate accounting scandals that had severe financial and economic consequences (McPhail & Walters, 2009). They happened because of financial fraud committed by individuals who contravened accounting ethics. Auditors should be held to high standards because the consequences of their unethical actions are very severe because they affect the wellbeing of people, businesses, and countries (McPhail & Walters, 2009). The collapse of the aforementioned multinational corporations had severe effects on the global economy. The consequences of the unethical actions of individuals in other professions are not as severe as those of accountants. External auditors are expected to practice better and stronger professional judgment than internal accountants because internal accountants can be easily compromised by their companies and as a result conceal evidence of fraud. Internal accountants are part of the organization and provide an ongoing assessment of day-to-day financial activities (McPhail & Walters, 2009). Therefore, they are required to practice great professional judgment because it is easy to detect illegal transactions while dealing with daily or weekly organizational activities. External auditors are independent of the organization they audit and provide an annual assessment of financial accounts and statements, and decide whether they adhere to accepted standards of accounting. They are expected to practice greater professional judgment because they serve the interests of the public while internal accountants serve the interests of their organizations (McPhail & Walters, 2009). External auditors usually work with government regulatory agencies such as Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to audit companies that have been suspected of illegal financial activities. Therefore, their tasks are more difficult than those of internal accountants. Auditors need virtues such as skepticism, honesty, transparency, objectivity, and perseverance in order to help mitigate the risks of failure to detect material fraud in financial statements (McPhail & Walters, 2009). Auditors need to persevere and keep asking questions until they get the answers they seek. Professional skepticism empowers them t
Describe and define the three phases of the Business Cycle The business cycle may either go through a recession, recovery and a boom in the business cycle. During the recession phase, the real GDP of the economy will have declined to the bottom but this must have taken place for six months before it can officially be declared to be a recession (Shafrin, 67). In the graphical representation of the business cycle (which is a plot of real GDP against time (In quarters or months), this period is often seen as a trough. The other phase is the recovery phase which occurs after the recession and is seen by a steady rise on GDP. Finally, any business cycle will also have a boom which a period characterized by high capital. It will contain high instances of inflation which will necessitate the need to lower interest rates. Booms arise when excess capital is contained in the market and these drive up asset prices (Slavin, 217). The economy and phase of the business cycle Currently, the US economy is in the recovery rate. The worst of the recession may be offered because some of the leading indicators appear to be increasing. The most important economic indicator is the GDP. In 2010, it was at 14.72 trillion dollars which was an increase of 0.39 trillion dollars from the previous year. A rise in purchasing power parity is always synonymous to a recovery. Furthermore, inflation rates have increased from -0.3% to 1.4% between 2009 to 2010. A rising inflation rate is indicative of greater prevalence of capital assets in the economy. Also unemployment went down by 0.4% between the years 2010 and 2011. Leading economic indicators There are over 20 economic indicators but the most significant ones are about five. The first being the GDP which is a measure of a country’s wealth through the series of services and goods produced. Consumer price index refers to changes in prices that consumers paid for. Producer Price Index on the other hand indicates the amount that producers receive for their goods and indicates the cost of living. This is seen as an important measure of inflation. Money supply is an important measure as it denotes the total amount of money in the economy. Consumer confidence survey looks as public optimism about the economy. Current employment rate indicate the status of the labor force through employment and unemployment numbers. The Retail sales index is a measure of personal consumption. The S and P 50 stock index illustrates performance of 500 public stocks and is an important predictor of future consumer confidence levels. Housing starts is a measure of new constructions and is important because mortgage rates are highly related to interest rates. Trade inventories and manufacturing sales are also crucial as they measure trade values of shipments in manufacturing, wholesale and retail (Shaffrin, 46). Who compiles the most widely-used forecasting device on a monthly basis? The most widely used forecasting device is the consumer confidence survey which
The process of globalization has facilitated discussions about whether countries are prepared and are compatible for viable regional integration. Studying the phenomenon of globalization is essential for discovering differences between various aspects of the process (e.g., economic globalization, free trade agreements, etc.). The Gulf region has been especially relevant within the discussion about globalization and free trade agreements in particular because the majority of countries belonging to the region share a common long-term trend of combining their fiscal policies, financial markets, and macro economies. This paper will explore two articles: “On the Path of Integration in the Gulf Region” by Darrat and Al-Shamsi and “Theories and Methods of Regional Integration and Free Trade Agreements” by Estupinan. Key learnings from both articles will be discussed, the validation of studies will be addressed. In addition, the article will be compared and contrasted in terms of academic knowledge and practical application of data. It has also been planned to discuss the gap between the prescribed ethical norms and practices. Theories and Methods of Regional Integration and Free Trade Agreements Key Findings of the Study The purpose of Estupinan’s research was to provide an introduction into the most important variations of regional integration as well as the most relevant methods targeted at the assessment of the implications of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) (225). The concept of FTAs appeared when countries began interacting on a worldwide scale to regulate the way states exercises their international agendas after World War II. For decades, globalization and interaction between countries through trade agreements have been subjected to extensive research due to the interest in effects and theories linked to regional integration. The Bretton Woods conference held in 1944 gave a start to the emergence of three key organizations: th
Introduction Information technology is the technology used by companies for the creation of information, computing and dissemination or storage of information. In the last thirty years, most companies have invested a large sum of money in modern information technology because of the benefits that come with it. The computers, calculators, photocopying machines all fall in this category of IT. Companies and countries have embraced this modern technology in the quest to improve production levels as well as increase efficiency. The investment in this technology has brought about commercial advantages to some companies. However, the increased use of information technology by companies does not mean that there has been improved productivity both in the service and manufacturing sectors (Brynjolfsson, 1994). Production paradox is a phenomenon that has emerged in the production levels of companies. Cases of over investing in IT have been reported. Production paradox is a concept where the level of increased investment in IT by a company is not commensurate with improved production levels (Cummings, 1993). There is a discrepancy between companies investing more in IT and reaping benefits in terms of increasing productivity. Several researches in uncovering the relationship between increased investment in IT and productivity have revealed that there has been a negative correlation between the two (Brynjolfsson, 1994). IT Productivity Paradox The level of productivity in a company is the most important way through which economists can ascertain the economic performances of a technology’s contribution. The managers have started raising questions whether huge investments in IT have caused a significant increase in productivity. The manufacturing and industry services are the subject of contention with respect to IT and productivity paradox. The comparison of increased investment in information technology capital and manufacturing sectors reveals there is negative correlation. The economic gains made in the manufacturing sectors are cannot be able to justify the huge investments made in the sector by some companies. This is an indication of over-investment in IT by companies but with little gains being realized in productivity. Also there have been cases of poor performance of IT related to a fall in capital productivity especially the production level of labour (Brynjolfsson, 1994). This labour productivity is calculated by getting the revenue that that a worker generates for a company when the investments in IT have been made to the organisation. Causes of over investment There are possible reasons why a company can invest heavily in IT but reap fewer benefits in productivity. Several factors contribute IT and production paradox. Firstly, there is mismeasurement between inputs and outputs of a company. There is massive expenditure in IT but the exact contribution of IT cannot be estimated. Secondly, IT really is not productive at the company level. The investments are just made because the decision-makers are not working for the benefit of the company. Instead, they use obsolete systems. It is poor use of technology and mis
Summary Written by Robert H. Wiebe in 1967, the book, The Search for Order, is a perfect chronicle of the Americans’ search for economic, political, and social order between 1877 and 1920. The search kicked off immediately after the Reconstruction Era until 1920 just before the vagaries of the Great Depression set in. The Reconstruction, which was occasioned by the Civil War, failed and people started looking up to themselves and this change was supported by the growing industries. This shift from government dependence to self-actualization was at the center of the controversies that followed including the introduction of the Gold Standard, the agrarians’ fallout, and the bulging need for professionalism in the country among other issues. Theodore Roosevelt’s triumph to presidency consolidated the calls for professionalism in every aspect of the American livelihoods including politics. The First World War was a shocker to the US, which mistakenly thought it had enough diplomatic ties to control such an occurrence. The key concern in the book is the progressive movement that gripped the Americans, which seemed to be the genesis of the disorder that Wiebe seeks to address via this book. Critical Analysis Conventionally, by exploring the undying spirit for search for order amongst Americans from the late nineteen century, Wiebe, through the law of unintended consequences, highlights the ripe disorder that defined the American society at the time. One of the critical issues that I learnt from the book is the disorder that prevailed after the abortion of the Reconstruction and the subsequent quest for restoring order in the American society. Wiebe (1967) confesses, “Americans in a basic
Despite the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage, and widespread acceptance of LGBTQ, the rights of sexual minorities in America are still not protected by federal law. In the past few years, the number of legal cases related to discrimination against LGBTQ representatives has been growing (Green, 2019). The House of Representatives passed the bill protecting sexual minority members from discrimination in public and commercial life. Significantly, the bill presupposes the exclusion of any religious exceptions, which has sparked a reaction from conservative groups opposing any law which recognizes gender and orientation as legal categories. At the moment, many Americans doubt the existence of discrimination against LGBTQ representatives, while they claim that they face it daily. However, due to differences in legislation in various states, it is challenging to document such cases. In the past 30 years, LGBTQ activists have begun to fight for members of sexual minorities’ rights, which has led to many legislative changes. However, due to the existence of various laws, it has become increasingly difficult to regulate the legal framework into which one or another case of discrimination fits. Therefore, currently, activists are in favor of adopting a single equality law. However, the adoption of such a law has displeased conservative groups, who are proposing an alternative of exemptions for certain institutions. Thus, the debate about freedom of religious belief and the desire to eliminate discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation remains relevant. The current situation complicates the problem’s solution since, from the political and legal perspective, it is difficult to find a compromise in such a conflict of radical views. Despite the extensive public support for the LGBTQ community in recent years, many Americans also consider religious beliefs significant. Thus, the legislative conflict between sexual minorities and conservative groups may become more acute. Reference Green, E. (2019). America moved on from its gay-rights moment—and left a legal mess behind . The Atlantic.
In the novel, Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart , the whole plot is permeated with tragic thought. In the words of Toni Morrison, literature “turns sadness into meaning” (Morrison, 2009, p. 23). The novel’s problem is deeply embedded in the chain of events. Okonkwo does not show his love to the boy for fear of appearing weak. As a result, this fear goes so far that he not only kills Ikemefun but also renounces his family, religion and decides to commit suicide. Destruction is the main idea of the novel and it takes on different scales: from the personality to the entire religion. Okonkwo’s mental conflicts and the examples given in the excerpts, with the help of metaphors, immediately reveal a whole layer of problems. Such destructions they describe always leads to emptiness, sadness but at the same time opens up space for new traditions. The old habits are depicted with the help of allegory, as “ancestors” in the first passage – “The life of a person from birth to death was a series of transitional rituals that brought him closer and closer to his ancestors” (Achebe, 1994). This implicit sadness contains the eternal conflict of generations and traditions. Toni Morrison develops a similar idea in her lecture. She tells the story of a bird and a blind woman, using allegory to represent the language and the writer under their images. The woman is asked if the bird is alive. Her answer reflects, among other things, the position of the author of the novel Chinua Achebe: she does not know whether she is alive or dead, but in both cases, the responsibility lies with the person who holds her (Morisson, 1993). In the novel, the culprit for the destruction of Okonkwo’s personality, the disintegration of the clan, which Elder Mbata speaks of in the second passage, the destruction of family ties and religion, is the person himself who has taken control into his own hands. The traumatic events that Toni Morrison talks about lead to tragic outcomes (Morrison, 2009). The story will not pass without a trace for every surviving participant in this novel. District Commissioner Gregory Irwin thinks Okonkwo’s story will make a “sensible” chapter in the book. Okonkwo’s followers tarnished his reputation after learning of suicide. Christianity is introduced in Umuofiya (Achebe, 1994). This novel shows us that change is unavoidable. However, it is not worth changing the principles, which casts doubt on the entire spiritual basis of the personality. Okonkwo should have listened to his heart even in the first part of the work; perhaps, many could have avoided tragic consequences. Elder Mbata, in his monologue, compares a man to a hunting dog that has gone mad (Achebe, 1994). It is the destruction of personality, which is shown in detail to
A tutor represents one of the entities within this database. The tutor as an entity has been defined using a Tutor table that consists of the following fields: Field      Data type  Size         ModCoord   Text       50           StudentID  Number     Long integer Room       Text       50           Campus     Text       50            The Modcoord and StudentID fields are the primary and secondary keys respectively for this Tutors table. The tutor and student tables are related via the module coordinator table. A tutor also qualifies as a module coordinator and hence the primary key (unique identifier) of any of the tutors is the ModCoord. The primary key in the module coordinator table is ModCoord . From this setup, we can identify that the student, module coordinator, and tutors tables are related. The association between the module coordinator and the student table is a one-to-many type. This implies that a module coordinator has one or more students to handle for a particular module. Similarly, the relationship between the module coordinator and tutor is a one-to-many type that implies that one module can be coordinated by one or more tutors. The screenprint below shows these relationships: Tutors require information related to the student as well as the module. Typical information required will include the StudentID, ModCode, Name, Address, County , Postcode, Email, Telephone number and G roup . The tutor details form captures the tutor details. Typical fields available on the tutorial details form include ModCoord , StudentID, and Name . The tutors may also want to know the performance of their students for assessment purposes. Button and macro actions have been utilized to link the tutorials form to the student and coordinator forms. This further illustrates the relationship that exists between the tutors, students, and module coordinator tables. The University of London is one of the reputable academic institutions that seek to benefit from integrating a relational database application to take care of the student course coordination requirements. The relational database for this university includes; students and tutors among other users. This study is going to focus on the tutor as one of the user groups found within the university database. The tutor in this setup will also double up as a module coordinator and will therefore need information relating to a module, degree, student, schedule, and campus. The university students undertake various modules for their degree program. These courses may be offered at different campuses and therefore a proper lecture schedule is necessary to cater to these student requirements. The tutor should therefore know those students taking the respective courses for which they are module coordinators. This requires that a student is assigned to a course or module by the module coordinator. It may be important to understand that the tutors are the module coordinators. Looking at
Research Philosophy The present research study uses a positivist research philosophy to investigate the effectiveness of alternative teacher certification programs in education. This philosophy views research in social science as a form of scientific explanation, or as an organised method for combining deductive logic with accurate empirical observations of individual behaviour with the view to discovering and confirming a set of probabilistic causal laws that can then be used by the researcher to predict or envisage general patterns of human behaviour (Neumann, 2003). Bryman (2008) posits that the knowledge that develops through a positivist research orientation is embedded in thorough observation and measurement of the objective reality that exists “out there” in the world, and that can only be possible through the development of valid measures of observations for use in studying or evaluating the main issues of concern to the researcher. In the context of the present study, it is more appropriate to use a positivist research philosophy than an interpretivist research philosophy as the former allows the researcher to:  1. collect specific empirical data on the effectiveness of alternative teacher certification programs in the district,  2. develop specific sets of hypotheses and operationalise them based on the main issues of interest to the study,  3. empirically test the hypotheses with the intention to corroborating existing relationships between the main issues of interest to the study. However, unlike interpretivism or social constructivism, positivism as a research philosophy lacks the rigour to describe a phenomenon, construct propositions, as well as identify structures and interactions between complex mechanisms (Mesel, 2013; Zachariadis, Scott, & Barett, 2013). Research Approach The present study uses a quantitative research approach, which is usually associated with an empiricist/positivist research paradigm and a survey method of data collection (Weaver & Olson, 2006). Available research methodology scholarship defines the quantitative research approach “as a type of empirical research into a social phenomena or human problem, testing a theory consisting of variables which are measured with numbers and analysed with statistics in order to determine if the theory explains or predicts phenomena of interest” (Yilmaz, 2013, p. 312). On their part, Lee and Hubona (2009) argue that quantitati