ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Summary The type of data used in market research influences the cost and quality of the result. Primary data is data obtained first hand from the selected sample for specific research while secondary data is data obtained from published sources collected for reasons not linked to the current study (Wrenn et al., 2006, p.71). Primary data is up to date and reliable while secondary data is easily available and utilized in forecasting and analyzing primary data, but it is not a proper fit for current market research. This paper will explore the general characteristics of primary and secondary data and instances where they are appropriate to use. Key Learning Points The key learning objective is: a market researcher should have a clear understanding of market research project and the characteristics of primary and secondary data to be in a position to choose the most appropriate data type. Critical Analysis The main techniques of collection primary data are interviews, surveys, or contact groups. These techniques of data collection are fairy complex and time-consuming that makes the unit data cost to be relatively high. Therefore primary data is costly. Secondly, primary data is reliable as it often represents current market information and trend. Also, primary data are more specific thus useful in analyzing the specific problem, for example; demographics and socio-economic characteristics, intention, awareness or motives, and behavior. Importantly, primary data is exclusive to an organization conducting market research as a result; it gives a competitive edge over competitors. Gilligan and Hird argue that sampling problems are a major limitation of primary data (1986, p.83). Sources of primary data are limited to a selected research sample. Subsequently, results drawn from primary data obtained from the wrong sample are biased or subjective. In most cases, secondary data is less costly or free since it eliminates design and time cost. Nevertheless, it is often out of data and thus suitable for indirect use o
This paper casts a critical eye over American dreams, views of Douglass and Franklin, and up to what extent their views are similar and different. Mostly in America more than America; it was the silhouette of democracy itself which Douglass reveals, its inclinations, quality, prejudices, and passions. Have you ever marveled why, during this time when America swanks the maximum number of millionaires in its history, there is a common thinking of emptiness infecting persons, families, and society at large? According to Charlie Douglass, true wealth requires more than financial assets alone. True wealth needs balancing financial capital along with the secret of spiritual capital, a precious product in short supply. How can you complete this impossible task of balancing financial wealth and spiritual health in today’s time-pressured, money-driven world? Due to experience and hard-won wisdom, Charlie Douglas gives you a convenient and appealing answer, so you may grasp the American Dream and enjoy a truly rich life, in all its aspects. American Dream can be exposed as having the freedom and opportunity that allows all citizens to attain their goals in life via hard work and determination alone. Today, it commonly seems to the idea that one’s prosperity depends upon one’s abilities and hard work, not on a stiff class structure, though the meaning of the expression has changed over America’s history. However, it is the occasion to realize more prosperity than they could in their countries of origin; for others, it is the occasion for their children to grow up with an education and career occasions; for others, it is the occasion to be a person devoid of the constriction imposed by class, race, caste, or ethnicity. A
Introduction McDonald’s is one of the largest fast-food restaurant networks in the world. It works as a global franchiser; more than 80% of their restaurants are possessed by independent businesspersons (‘Our Business Model”). According to the official website, the company serves approximately 69 million clients every day, in nearly 36,000 restaurants located in more than 100 countries of the world (“Company Profile”). In 2014, it had total revenue of $27,441 billion, and a net income of $4,758 billion (“MCD Income Statement”). So, is there any prospect for growth for such a large company, and if yes, what is it? Current Situation at McDonald’s and Threats Despite the fact that McDonald’s is among the largest fast-food worldwide networks, it is still planning to grow and develop. For example, in 2013, McDonald’s plans for 2014 were to introduce a wider selection of foods and drinks, as well as to offer free WiFi. It also planned to open nearly 1,500 new restaurants and get an operating income growth of 6-7% (Campos par. 7). However, according to MCD Income Statement, the organization’s operating income in 2014 accounted for 90,7% of the operating income in 2013 (whereas the income in 2013 was 101,86% of 2012). So, the company has, in fact, suffered a great decline in sales in 2014. According to Udland, this is due to a rise in the levels of obesity and the increase in customers’ preference for healthy food (par. 3). Thus, it can be inferred that competitors of McDonald’s are not only other major fast-food restaurants such as KFC, Yum Brands, Burger King, or Wendy’s, but, more importantly, various restaurants (both local and worldwide) that serve healthier food. It is stated that consumers in New York are willing to pay more for meals that resemble home dinner in restaurants that look more like a kitchen than manufacturing (Hussain). Opportunities for Recovery and Growth Udland claims that in such a situation, when McDonald’s’ sales are steadily falling, and the company is confronted by a long-term crisis, the only chance for its recovery and/or growth is to swallow other businesses of the same type, such as Wendy’s or Starbucks (par. 5). On the other hand, Brumley asserts that there is much opportunity for McDonald’s business in one particular region, which is China: the company’s CEO and his team “see China as the most productive place to foster change … even if only because China is the only place they truly understand how to improve” (par. 7). So, a possible way of improving the company’s situation is to focus on the development of the Chinese market. Another prospect of improving the current situation might be related to the food McDonald’s offers. As we mentioned before, clients often opt for other restaurants due to the fact that they offer healthier meals. Thus, McDonald’s migh
In 1992, Dr. Harold Stevenson published a book entitled “The Learning Gap: Why Our Schools are Failing and What We Can Learn From Japanese and Chinese Education”. This book described the general features of Asian education, which is characterized by high standards and tremendous pressure on children. This learning condition thus resulted in the generation of highly educated children and thus schools can be technically considered as learning factories. The high competency of these children is observed from the significant increase in the hiring of foreign nationals in the United States. Dr. Stevenson pointed out in his book that the educational standards of the schools in the United States were highly deficient in content as well as poor in standards. In addition, the author of the book identified that teachers in the United States were commonly overloaded with other responsibilities in schools and this burden has thus sacrificed the quality of education the American children are receiving. Dr. Stevenson also pointed out the in the United States, it is culturally accepted that parents do not influence a child’s effort in learning in school. This belief is totally the opposite of what is believed in the Asian setting. The book has thus served as a medium for cross-cultural examination of methods of education. Dr. Stevenson’s point was strongly supported by scientific evidence, wherein he conducted studies involving comparative analysis of teaching methods in both the United States and Asian countries such as Japan and China. Since his claims have thus been determined to be credible and factual, the educators and the rest of society have looked into his point and improvements in the educational system of the United States have been integrated into the current scheme. As a nursing major, I envision myself to be interacting with patients and members of their immediate families. I would like to be part of the force that would help them learn more about science and math. As a student preparing for my actual profession, I will study well and imbibe the principles that are taught in science and math. Aside from learning these principles as a requirement in earning a nursing degree, I will keep a personal goal that I would also want to learn the science and math concepts in order to share these principles with the rest of the society that I will interact with when I am a full-fledged nurse. I am aware that most of society does not understand medical terms because these are simply based on science and math principles. The lack of understanding and awareness thus results in the confusion, misuse, and abuse of medical treatments. For example, there are still members of the society that do not understand what cancer is and what are diagnostic tests may be received in order to determine if an individual has cancer. Hence, most of the patients find out of their cancer condition at a late stage wherein the cancer level has progressed to an advanced stage which is often categorized as untreatable. Another scenario may involve the intake of medications that are prescribed to a patient. Most patients think that
Currently, there are two major accounting systems that most organizations apply for financial analysis. Notably, the two systems use acronyms that stand for United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) and the International Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (IGAAP). Just as the initials state, US GAAP consists of the key principles used in accounting within the United States, while IGAAP contains the guidelines and principles that other countries use in accounting entries and making calculations (Gupta, 2011). Despite the existence of a number of differences in the two accounting systems of intangible assets, there are a several similarities that this paper will discuss. Thus, this paper aims at providing a brief description of major similarities and differences between US GAAP and IGAAP. Similarities When coming up with entries for intangible assets, it is of great significance to note the major correspondences between IGAAP and US GAAP. In both systems, the accounting guidelines use same language, entry procedures, reporting periods, as well as consistency. Most accounting vocabularies that are used in US GAAP and IGAAP have various factors in common. For instance, when preparing a balance sheet, intangible assets are used in both the accounting systems. In addition, entry procedures are similar for both in preparation of entry books such as the statement of financial position, income statement, cash flow statement among others (Kakani, 2012). Most firms view intangible assets as business intelligent possessions that include elements such as copyrights, patents, franchise licenses, goodwill, trade names, government licenses and trademarks. In fact, in both accounting systems, intangible assets are defined as those that are neither physical nor monetary. However, they are often categorized as long-term assets that have abiding importance to the firm. It is evident that both accounting systems present intangible assets on the balance sheet as value holding properties (
The article’s thesis statement is supported by the further reading authors investigating the case of a strange change in Professor Wilson’s lifestyle. Indeed, the reasoning behind such a decision was complex, and it includes elements of achieving maximum sustainability in the tiniest space possible. In addition, the article mentions that he shares his experiences during the nights when his ecology-focused students are invited to stay in the dumpster with him. The article caught my attention with a few details. First of all, the scenario where a respected scholar lives in the dumpster reminded me of an Ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes who lived in the barrel. Hence, it was interesting to investigate the topic and find if there are any similarities between the two. Furthermore, giving personal details and the personal background of the divorced professor added a bit of psychological interest to it. I wondered if the divorce affects men so severely that they are ready for such a downshift. But these are all subconscious thoughts and triggers. The visuals in the article were crucial to me because I felt a little tired when I started reading. Hence, being able to scroll down and see the pictures of the dumpster, pictures of day-to-day activities, and the interior of the dumpster was a way of relaxing and thinking about the subject. After looking at pictures, I had some questions; therefore, I had a personal interest in reading the article to find the answers. Honestly, the interior of the dumpster does not look that bad, and the best thing is that Wilson is able to lay there comfortably. Therefore, personally, living in a dumpster is an option for times when I feel like I need to be alone. But lack of commodities associated with the home kitchen and bathroom is why I could not choose the dumpster as a place of my permanent residence.
Democracy, the most engaging philosophy of politics, has been considered the most cherishing ornament of the modern American government and the political system. In fact, the significance of the democratic governments, just as the philosophy of democracy itself, has been recognized all through the ages, say from the times of the classical Greek city-states where democracy demanded the citizens join in the service of the State. In the background of the American democratized Constitution, it is relevant to note the famous oration of Pericles delivered at the funeral of soldiers who fell in the war with Sparta as it points to the important concerns of a democratic state and its relation to the basic Constitution. “Our Constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people. When it is a question of settling private disputes, everyone is equal before the law; when it is a question of putting one person before another in positions of public responsibility, what counts is not membership of a particular class, but the actual ability which the man possesses. No one so long as he has it in him to be of service to the State is kept in political obscurity because of poverty. And just as our political life is free and open, so is our day-to-day life in our relations with each other…” (Vernant 149). This oration is relevant as it points to the basic aspects of a democratic government, such as the equality of every citizen for civil rights, franchise, free speech, etc., regardless of one’s race, sex, or any other concerns. In an analysis of the democracy of America, we come to notice that the government and the political system of America is the result of a long process of democratization that involved mainly the democratization of the republican Constitution in the eighteenth century. Among the different aspects of the American National government and politics, the civil rights for women as well as issues related to the judiciary most convincingly describe and explain how the eighteenth-century republican Constitution has been democratized. An analysis of the development of the American democratized Constitution in the background of the eighteenth-century political, and governmental aspects is most relevant in the background of the modern American political life where, as acknowledged in the book America’s Democratic Republic , cynicism tends to make people withdraw from civic life. (Greenberg and Benjamin). It is remarkable to note that there are various aspects of the American National government of the eighteenth century which suggest that the Constitution of the Republic has been democratized by the existing system of society and the evolving concern for the civil rights of the citizens. There has been an enormous need for the inclusion of democratic values in the Constitution of the nation, and accordingly, the Republican Constitution has incorporated provisions that ensure social justice and civil rights. Therefore, the women’s
Firms conduct initial public offerings as a strategy to raise the money needed for growth and expansion. Initial public offerings can either involve tradition IPO as well as Auction-based IPOs. In traditional IPOs, companies that aspire to go public engage an investment bank that helps them to underwrite an IPO. The investment bank works together with the firm in researching for the probable market value of the firm. Depending on the amount of money the firm requires in its growth and expansion, the investment bank and the company determines the value of the share as well as the number of shares the company will offer in order to raise the required capital. After determining the true market value of the company, the company and the investment banks discounts the estimated market value of the share in order to get the value at which the company will sell its shares. Once the company determines the share price as well as the number of shares to be offered, the firm and the investment bank approaches large investors such as wealthy individuals as well as institutions with the proposed shares. The institutions and people who are mainly approached by the investment banks are its most royal customers as well as the wealthy group. Subsequently, interested investors commit to purchase some shares at the price given. After the road show process, the investment bank together with the concerned company reviews the investors’ commitments and subsequently allocates them the amount of shares they had pledged to buy. The investment bank benefits from a certain percentage of the IPO sale as a commission as well as from other fees charged from underwriting the IPO. Consequently, those investors who have been allocated shares start selling their shares on the initial day of trading (Ansoff, 1963). Auction-based IPOs is an alternative method used by companies in the privatization process. This method entails availing the IPO to a larger set of prospective investors. In this method of IPOs the firm establishes an investment bank that underwrites the IPO at low cost. Firms determine the cost of the shares as well as the amount of shares they will offer. The road show flows to educate potential investors about the company without allocating the shares. After this stage, the company opens the bidding of the shares and interested investors place their bids as well as the number of shares they are interested in purchasing. The most common format of auction –based IPO is the Dutch format where the company sets the price above any possible price that any investor is likely to bid for and reduces the price depending on the value of the bids. This process is repeated to other bidders until all the shares have been sold. After selling all the shares, the bidders then pay for their shares at the price that is offered by
An invoice payment refers to a situation in which a business provides its services or conducts its transactions on credit. The seller mainly sells the goods but receives payment at a later date. Whenever invoice payment guidelines are appropriately set, the customers make their payments on time and in accordance with the set guidelines. In a situation where a customer fails to stick to the required terms, essential measures are taken to ensure he or she checks on his or her payment discipline. In this case study, we are taking a consideration of the business activities between company A and Costco Company. The major transactions made involve the selling of DVDs and games. However, it has been noted that the payment procedures are not appropriately followed by both the companies. In order to solve this problem, proper strategies need to be employed. To begin with, company A will have to track the credit limit. This will involve an analysis of the outstanding credit before delivering the next sales. The findings will be presented to the company’s management s
This paper is aimed at discussing Napoleon Bonaparte who can be regarded as one of the most significant figures in the history of the nineteenth century. He was the military and political leader of France during the period between 1799 and 1815. His rule produced many long-term effects inside and outside France. In particular, one can speak about various changes in the organization of many armies, transformation of national bureaucracies, and dramatic demographic losses in various countries. His actions show that the nineteenth century was a period of significant social and political upheavals which made many nation states more oriented to the needs of people. One can say that Napoleon’s contemporaries might have different attitudes toward him. For instance, his political opponents believed that he had been the tyrant who usurped the power against the will of the public. To some degree, their accusations are quite justified because Napoleon overthrew the Directory and proclaimed himself as the First Consul in 1799. However, his political power was virtually unlimited. Later, he claimed the title of an emperor, and in this way, he undermined the results of the French Revolution. Nevertheless, his supporters regarded him as an unparalleled military genius who transformed the French Army into one of the best ones in the world. In the course of his career, Napoleon achieved more than forty victories. Moreover, approach to warfare was innovative, and it was emulated by other military commanders. It is possible to speak about several important achievement and legacies of Napoleon. First of all, much attention should be paid to the adoption of Napoleonic Code which shaped the legislation of many counties as France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain, and other European states. To a great extent, the adoption improved the functioning of courts and law enforcement agencies. It is possible to say that this legacy was palpable throughout the nineteenth century. Secondly, it is important to emphasize the changes in the military organization, for instance, the increased speed of conscription and the extensive use of artillery. However, one should not forget about the negative legacies of Napoleon. For instance, historians note that during the Napoleonic Wars, France lost approximately 1.4 million people. These military confrontations produced disastrous demographic effects on other countries such as Austria or Russia. Certainly, Napoleon is not the only person who can be blamed for these military conflicts; however, Napoleon could easily accept the necessity to sacrifice thousands of people in order to achieve some political or military goals. Moreover, one should not overlook the adverse economic impacts of his rule. For instance, Napoleon’s wars with Great Britain prevented France from participating in overseas trade. Moreover, French manufacturers could not get access to many raw materials. Modern historians recognize Napoleon’s military successes and his