ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Summary of the article in question Van Kleef, E., Van Trijp, H. C., & Luning, P. (2005). Consumer Research in the Early Stages of New Product Development: A Critical Review of Methods and Techniques. Food Quality and Preference, 16 , 181-201. The article in question written by Van Kleef et al. (2005) dwells upon consumer research implemented in early stages of New Product Development (NPD). The authors argue that consumer research is often ignored in early stages though this step may be crucial for the future success of the product. The researchers suggest that the lack of attention to this step can be due to the lack of the knowledge of effective methodology. Apart from this, the researchers point out that the methods used have similar goals but quite different features which should be taken into account while choosing the necessary technique or method. Therefore, Van Kleef et al. (2005) provide “a categorization scheme”, describe some methods and present guidelines for the effective methods which can be used in different situations (in accordance with companies’ goals) (p. 183). As far as the categorization scheme is concerned, it includes three categories: “information source for need elicitation”, “task format” and “response / output” (Van Kleef et al., 2005, p. 183). The first category (used in methods analysis) focuses on need-driven and product-driven stimuli. The researchers also point out the importance of such notion as familiarity of the stimulus. The second category is concerned with the format of the research. Van Kleef et al. (2005) divide the methods into two subgroups: structured or unstructured. Finally, the researchers also stress the importance of “actionability of output” (Van Kleef et al., 2005, p. 186). In other words, not all methods lead to implication of the results of the research as sometimes it is impossible to create products made in accordance with consumers’ preferences due to technological issues. Thus, the third category focuses on possibility of the research results implication. The most widely used methods are analyzed using these three categories. The researchers also provide a certain pattern to be implied when developing products or marketing products, when introducing incremental or new products. The researchers present particular methodologies to be used in particular situations (depending on the newness of products or actionability). Van Kleef et al. (2005) also draw the conclusion that the research in the early stages of NPD can be very helpful if the right methodology is used. The major findings and key points The most important and valuable findings of the article under consideration are the categories which can be
To begin with, weak gun control worldwide has been a severe issue in the modern world. To be more exact, more accidents occur, and people get injured or even killed by thieves, burglars, and killers. However, not only criminals tend to purchase firearms, but ordinary people too, which results in massive shootings at schools and public places. Therefore, it seems vital to control gun ownership and considerably limit it to ensure society’s safety in numerous countries, which is the main reason for proposing the legislation. Overall, I support legislation based on the limit on arms ownership, considering that it helps minimize the risks that people might face in their daily lives. It is vital to note that ownership of guns for hunting is also unfavorable since people might still use them in the wrong way. It creates a huge issue across the world that provokes numerous debates regarding limiting gun ownership; however, “many high-profile incidents involving guns” lead to the only possible solution, the restriction of weapons usage (Masters, 2021, line 3). Many shootings and terrorist acts have already hurt a great number of innocent people and their families that suffered from the losses of their dear ones. Laws to control gun transfer, production, and sales should be imposed by governments worldwide to minimize the risks of potential attacks (Masters, 2021). Most countries have already developed certain restrictions regarding firearms ownership, but still, the rules should be stricter and penalize people who do not follow the laws. To sum up, it seems vital for countries worldwide to ensure their residents’ safety by entirely restricting gun ownership. As a result, such laws may considerably reduce the number of attacks and victims that suffer from injuries or even die during terrorist acts. Therefore, the production and sales of firearms should be thoroughly controlled, and the purchases of guns by hunters should also be limited to avert possible repercussions of their usage. Reference Masters, J. (2021). U.S. gun policy: Global comparisons . Council on Foreign Relations. Web.
Introduction Entrepreneurs start businesses with a view to make profit. Profits do not happen by themselves except through a process that executes relevant business functions. The place of the employee or staff is essential towards the achievement of the business goals and objectives. This places the question of staff motivation as key to the fulfillment of business objectives. The relationship between motivation and performance is crucial. Staff motivation has to do with the provision of a pleasant working environment for the workers. It involves the creation of relevant work ethics, clarification of responsibilities and documentation of effective performance appraisal and rewarding system. A company will not be able to achieve desired results without motivated staff. Business owners must ensure that employees derive meaning from the work they do. This will guarantee their commitment and excellence in performance. The success of the company depends more or less on the passion and concentration of workers. Staff motivation is the key to business excellence (Bruce and Pepitone, 1999). The store must invest in motivation. Purpose does not exist in most of today’s business enterprises. One of the reasons why staff become demoralized has to do with lack of clarity for the purpose within the business. The store cashier has a vital role of ensuring that the customers of the store get satisfied. This means that the cashier must undertake such tasks and activities that ensure excellent customer service and satisfaction. They must also perform those tasks with the utmost excellence. The incentive program should include clarity of work purposes. The incentive program details the activities involved in the fulfillment of work tasks. The purposes for which those tasks become undertaken must be clarified. Purpose will help workers in making the right choices about work activities and find meaning in what they do. The external needs of the cashiers should be met as a means of providing a pleasant working environment. The program should work around dealing with external uncertainties surrounding customer satisfaction – dealing with customer moods, tastes and preferences (Thomas, 2009). The other components to be considered include – creation of a high performance culture environment and rewarding outstanding implementation and performance. The incentive program should address critical work issues – staff satisfaction with job assignment, recognition, management support and understanding. The components of the incentive program should be integrated within the human resource training module. It should be entrenched in the employee team building program. The business monitoring and evaluation matrices should reflect the adopted components of the incentive program. Excellent feedback mechanism systems should be developed to allow continuous interaction between the employees and the human resource managers and business owners. All the components of the individual incentive program can be adopted for im
Smartphone’s are the true face of the 21 st century digital era. Since their manifestation in the domain of mass communication three years ago, they have revolutionized the communication sector. They allow wireless access to internet, sending emails and retrieval of information on the web. Before showing the positive aspects of the Smartphone, it would be prudent to acknowledge that their impact on the society has not been flawless. They bring one segment of the society together but push away another segment. These ambivalent forces are referred to as centripetal and centrifugal correspondingly. The Smartphone has done much to pull the world towards the core of digital database. Students and researchers find it a tool for browsing information. Its portability and wireless connectivity has made it peerless in internet access amongst researchers in remote fields. Moreover, it has helped to break the geographical boundaries to connect continents and compress the world into a global village. Its technology has employed speed to defy distance by using instant messaging, live chats, and emails. Its use seems to compel the world towards shared values and information. Smart phones also have large inbuilt memory for storage of data. The youth has exploited this utility to download music and movies from the world over and store it for their personal entertainment. Concurrently, these movies and music influence perceptions and opinions, shaping new cultures and ways of life. This sets the platform for a common way of life whereby young people may be worlds apart but are connected by their musical preferences entertainment and lifestyles. Even though Smart phones have done their fair share to unite the world, it has also played a role in separating individuals. They have greatly reduced face-to-face interactions by creating illusions that people are in touch when actually individuals may be disjointed. Absence of non-verbal cues and physical intimacy has reduced their effectiveness as compared to face to face communications .They have also favored the electronically savvy at the expense of those with little penchant for technology hence creating a digital divide. This has put a wall of partition between the two groups as far as information access is concerned leading to knowledge imbalance in the society. Moreover, the global culture enhanced by the Smart phones may not be in tandem with the individuals local culture thus may create tensions and separations. Those who have smart p
The poem “I am Joaquin”, written by Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales portrays the strong feelings of the fighter Joaquin, who narrates his experiences while he was struggling for the freedom pf his own land, his people from the clutches of the foreign conquerors. The fighter Joaquin says that he is confused, stuck and caught between the American societies, their rules, and their attitude. Their manipulations were suppressing Joaquin big time. He tells that his forefathers and fathers were economically very weak, did not have enough so as to survive. But, they surely were successful in keeping their cultural flag rising high, in spite of all their hardships. The narrator is in a fix whether to join the Americans, where the financial situation is good and people there pay good attention towards hygiene and cleanliness. Their culture is beckoning Joaquin to blend himself with their way of living. Joaquin worked hard, struggled to his best, but landed nowhere. He suffered, cried, mourned, and found peace and tranquility among his folk, his own people. He found life among them. He was dragged by progress to practically nowhere. Joaquin compares himself, rather self impersonates as Cuauhtemoc, who was an Aztec ruler. The name means one who descends like an eagle, or in English it means- Falling Eagle. Cuauhtemoc was a proud and noble rule, who also fought for the rights of his people. He calls himself more civilized than the Gachupins or the Spaniards. It is used in a derogatory sense here. Gachupin is basically an amalgamation of various ethnic groups. The poem is mainly inclined towards the Chicano movement, which wanted to blend with the U.S. and also at the same time, guarding their culture for future generations. Next, he compares himself with the Nezahualcoyotl, which means a coyote who fasts. He was a ruler in pre-Columbian Mexico. He was not Mexican, but his people were called Acolhua. Joaquin, besides calling himself all this, along with being the eagle and serpent of the Aztec civilization. According to him, he gave his faithful services to the Spanish master. He shed his sweat and blood for him. But despite all this, he claims that the land was his, he was the master of that ground. He calls himself both a tyrant and a slave. As the Christian church taught all men, the Spaniards, the Mexicans and the Indians, that they were one and that they were all god’s children, still they fought among themselves for land and wealth and most importantly, freedom. In 1810, a priest named Hidalgo existed. He carried out the independence movement. Joaquin led him to the revolution and confesses that he killed him. The Morelos, Matamoros, the Gurreros were all a part of the act. All stood against that disgrace, that scandal. Joaquin’s soul aim was to make his country free. His country was free in 1821 from the Spanish rule. Mexico was finally free. Although the crown no longer e
Introduction It is an acknowledged fact that the establishment and obedience of laws and codes of conduct play a pivotal role towards the survival of any civilization/society. This is mainly attributed to the fact that there are instances where people in any given society behave in a manner that threatens the safety of others. Throughout history, nations have established law enforcement agencies that seek to prevent crime and deliver punishment to those that go against the set laws. As such, such agencies are established mainly for retribution and deterrence purposes. However, as civilizations advance and population increases, criminal activities become more advanced and rampant. This is further worsened by the fact that law enforcement agencies cannot guarantee the safety of every individual. This is due to lack of adequate resources (human, financial, technological among others) needed to provide such a level of security to the masses. To this end, many people across the world have turned to private security as a means to ensure the security and safety of their lives, businesses and properties. This paper shall set out to explore the history of private security in the United State. To this end, an overview of the factors that led to the establishment of private security shall be discussed and the major advancements made in this industry addressed. Private security in America: A historical overview Private security agencies can best be defined as organizations that specialize in policing and protecting businesses, individuals and nations from various threats (Dempsey, 2010). In the United States, private security agencies emerged during the mid-nineteenth century. These agencies worked alongside public law enforcement agencies. They included but were not limited to private body guards, private interstate railways security, guards, private investigators and private military organizations. Allan Pinkerton is recognized as being the father of private security in the United States. According to Ortmeier (2009), Pinkerton had served for several years in the Chicago police as a detective. In the 1850’s, he established the Pinkerton Agency (the first private security agency in America). Primarily, this agency was hired to provide security at various railways traversing the states. However, his agency gained prominence and his security forces were even hired as spies by the Lincoln’s government. Ortmeier (2009) asserts that the Pinkerton Agency went down in history as the first private security company to operate at a national level. Soon afterwards in 1889, Brinks Incorporated, which provided protection for payroll and property to different entities, was formed. In 1909, a private detective agency called William. J. Burns Inc. was formed. According to Dempsey (2010), it became the American Banking Association’s investigative unit. These three private security agencies are commonly referred to as the “original three”, as relating to the emergence of private security services in the United States. Documented ev
In every organization, there are various assets that help in normal running running of the company It is always very important for an organization to determine the value of various assets within its pool. Product costing therefore comes out as a very important process of determining this value. Eldenburg, Brooks, Oliver, Vesty and Wolcott (2010, p. 45) define product costing as the practice of assigning direct or indirect costs to products, customers, or other costs to various items. Product costing is very important to the organization because it helps the management in various ways. As the above scholar note, the management heavily relies on the information that the accounting unit would provide them with in regard to the value of the assets in order to make various decisions in the organization. Although the product valuation is not only important at the managerial level, this information is also important to the finance department in ensuring that it allocate the right amount of finance to every department, which would enable it to cater for the value of the assets it holds. Employees may not directly need this information. There is always a general need for everyone in the organization to ensure that he or she knows the worth of the assets they are handling so that he or she can respond appropriately in managing them (Kerzner 2003, p. 12). This study seeks to identify the rationale behind Product Costing and the rate at which the management would require this information. Major Purposes of Product Costing Product costing as a strategic function has gained a lot of relevance in the near past to the managements of various organizations around the world. Langfield-Smith, Thorne and Hilton, (2009, p. 18) observe that the world has gotten increasingly competitive. Firms are coming up with strategies as regards to managing this competition, which forces every organization to determine a way of remaining afloat in this competition. The above scholars note that although there is a need for a firm to define unique methods of managing the competitive business world, there are some business factors that are currently considered universal. Product costing is one such factor. The need for product costing has become universally important to various firms across the divide. Some of the reasons for product costing are as stated below. Product Costing for Decision Making Process One of the main reasons why product costing is important is to help in the decision making process. The management requires the outcome of the product costing to help it determine how to approach some of the managerial decisions. The aims and objectives of the firm would always be made based on the current value of the assets. Ogilvie (2008, p. 67) states that it is not possible to plan for the future without the knowledge of the current value of the assets. The management would therefore need product costing to help in planning for the futu
Introduction In any business, qualified and competent personnel are required to fill the available different managerial positions for its smooth running. The criterion used in the selection process differs from one country to another, from one culture to another and also is dependent on the location of the firm. The situation becomes more complicated when dealing with a multinational organization. This is the situation faced by ComInTec AG & Co, where new personnel was to be selected to fill in the new regional management positions in the Asian-Pacific-region (APAC).As such, a personnel selection system was adopted to develop a criterion for selecting these new employees( Brown 220). Strengths of the newly developed multinational personnel selection system The system considers both the professional and the social competence of a candidate depending on the definition of the job requirement that are relevant in APAC countries. This makes it convenient in choosing the right person to fill in a specific position as it considers technical and vocational skills, social competencies, leadership competencies and communicative competencies (Storey 67). Apart from the job requirements, the system will also include the modules, which will be a two tier. This is very important as it ensures a tight scrutiny of the candidate’s qualifications ignoring the old method of just looking at the past experience on work, but this new model considers a wider range of competencies. Steger shares this idea of two tiers (43). The system has also the advantage of considering the location of the country thus making the selection of the candidate more flexible. With this in mind, qualified candidates will be recruited from their specific countries of origin, thus the issue of deporting will not arise. Shortcomings of the newly developed multinational personnel selection system The system will not consider the candidates perspectives, therefore, clarifications and feedback will not be considered as being important as the systems will only aim at selecting the right person. This will not be fare because without a clue or clarification on certain issues, many competent candidates might be locked out. The system did not also consider the testing methods, adaptations and implementation procedures for these modules in each of the considered country. This is important as the candidates differ according to their location, education background a
Introduction Core competency refers to the ability to clinically carry out nursing care using prior skills and knowledge obtained during the course. The Nursing Practitioner (NP) uses creative and critical thinking and lucrative nursing skills to cater to serve patients’ needs (Thomas et al.,