ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction As technologies change, so does the consumer needs and preferences. This raises the need for businesses to ‘change with the times’ in order to retain their customers, attract new ones and remain competitive. The hospitality industry is one among the many industries that are faced with changing demands from the consumer on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the same industry seems to be quite slow in regards to adopting the use of new technologies for purposes of marketing its products and providing services to the consumer. This report thus seeks to provide insight into some of the ways that businesses in the hospitality industry can adapt to the changing needs of the new consumer. The report then recommends some of the viable actions that business owners and managers in the sector can adopt for purposes of ensuring that they are at par with the new consumers. Understanding the new consumer A business can only adapt to the new consumer if it indeed understands who the consumer is, and what his needs and desires are. As such Williams (2002) argues that businesses should be able to explore the new consumer behaviour in order to devise hospitality approaches that will serve the consumer satisfactorily. Further, understanding consumer behaviour allows players in the hospitality industry to develop marketing strategies that will effectively market the products and services in the postmodern consumer market. The use of technology and other modern approaches by the consumer has changed the traditional consumption approaches which assumed that a consumer analyzes products or services objectively or rationally before deciding whether to purchase them or not. In its place, hyper reality, globalization, communication technologies, symbolism and ritual-focused perspectives are the aspects that determine consumer behaviour (Williams, 2002). The hospitality consumer is defined as the user of hospitality services, which include restaurants, clubs, hotels and bars (Williams, 2002). Generally, the hospitality industry provides the consumer with food, drinks and accommodation when he or she is away from home. But why is it referred to as an industry? Well, according to Evans (2000), its mere expanse, and the practical needs presented by organizations therein, seeking commercial success means that hospitality players, their activities and the money generating capacity can be grouped as an industry. For the industry to be successful amid the changing consumer needs and preferences however requires managers, regulators, policymakers and other stakeholders to acquire knowledge regarding the issues that face the contemporary hospitality industry. Notably, the stakeholders must be ready to use managerial interventions in functional business areas such as human resources, marketing, finance, accounting, strategic management and operations management (Evans, 2009). ICT One of the key factors that have affected the hospitality industry is identified by Buhalis & O’Connor (2005) as information communication technologies (ICT). According to the two authors, ICT has generated a paradigm-shift that has
Introduction Nowadays, there have been a lot of concerns with respect to the use of alternative sources of energy. Such concerns have resulted from the fact that most of the commonly used sources of energy have numerous consequences. For example, the burning of fossil fuels leads to the emission of greenhouse gases, which have enormous impacts on the environment. 1 For this reason, there is a need for the adoption of sustainable sources of energy. Ethanol is considered a better alternative source of energy. Various locally available materials can be used to produce ethanol. Some of the commonly used materials include corn, bio-based feedstocks, sugar cane, petroleum, as well as algae. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the various materials used in the production of ethanol. Background Ethanol is a colorless liquid that is both flammable and volatile. It can be used as both an alcoholic beverage and as an alternative biofuel. It is easy to manufacture as well as process ethanol through a process similar to the one used in the production of alcohol. One advantage of the use of ethanol as a source of energy is that large amount of it can be produced over a short time. In addition, its production is not complex as it involves the use of crops such as sugarcane or corn. For this reason, this type of biofuel is renewable. In the United States of America, ethanol has been adopted as a suitable alternative source of energy. Such an approach was attributable to the fact that using ethanol fuel can help in the reduction of oil imports and the provision of the necessary support to the agricultural sector by encouraging the growth of corn and other crops that can be used in the production of ethanol. In addition, the use of ethanol as fuel can be very instrumental in the reduction of the environmental impacts of using other types of fuels. For example, the United Kingdom has been working hard to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels based on the country’s strategy to adopt renewable energy sources for a chance to reduce the amount of harmful emissions to the environment. In spite of the significance of ethanol as fuel, its production is limited due to the lack of enough land to grow the crops used in its production. Analysis As pointed above, ethanol can be produced from corn, sugar cane, algae, petroleum (hydrolysis of ethylene), or even cellulose. The process of producing ethanol using each of the above materials is described below. Ethanol production using corn The United States of America is one of the major producers of corn in the world and hence, uses such opportunity to produce ethanol fuel. The initial process of making ethanol from corn starts with the selection of the right quality of corn for use in the fermentation process. 2 The corn is milled to form grain-like powder through either dry milling or wet milling. The fine powder obtained is allowed to mix with enzymes and waster to enhance the formation of a slurry. The role of the enzym
The state of Nevada is one of the 50 states in America; located 39° 148’ to the north and 119°743’ to the east. What makes this state a pleasant place to live in is its low cost of living, due less tax imposition, lower health costs and low pollution, however crime rates are a warring trend here. According to the federal laws, each state has the freedom of maintaining its own independent jurisdiction in the areas of criminal justice system. As a matter of state policy, each state is responsible of determining what constitutes a crime with an appropriate form of punishment (Wilson 1987). In the past several years, the crime rate in Nevada has been on the increase according to a report from the FBI’s “Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR)”. The most common nature of crimes in the state of Nevada is property crimes and violent crimes. In the city of Las Vegas only, the property crime rate is 57,552 while that of violent crime rate is 9,158. Most of the crimes begun in 1981 but its peak was in the mid 1990s a time when the state was introducing casinos. Since the operations of casinos begun, the rates of major crime rates increased to 6.7% as compared to when there were no casinos. The crimes involved murder, forcible rape robbery, property offences like burglary and larceny. When this number is compared to the national chart trend, it is evidently higher by about 1.26 times during the 1990s, a time when there was a tremendous decrease in violent crime rates in United States (Glase and Palla 2004). A notable difference is that Nevada is listed to be one of the last states to record a decrease in crime rate compared to the rest of the states. There was a drop after the mid 1990s crisis but soon after the crime rate raise in the state begun to rise in the year 2000 (Nevada Division of Child & Family Services nd ). Further evidence show that from 1960, the rate of criminal activities like murder rate stood at lows of 21 murders per 100,000 but those figures had risen to 200 murders per 100,000 people by 1996. Records of about 197 murders were confirmed to have taken place in Nevada in 2003 where the number per residents is said to be 100,000 while compared to 129 murders confirmed in 2000. The violent crime rates have increased to 20% from 2003 to 2007 while the property crime rate has increased to 12% during the same duration (Bureau of the Census 2011). It is a given fact that Nevada has been following the same pattern in property crimes and violent crimes over the years. Nevada is ranked among the most criminal state in the nation. Some of the cross county regional trends complied by the federal bureau of investigation records that Las Vegas has the highest violent crime rate up to 770 per 100,000 crimes are committed while Reno reports the second highest crime rate especially murder crimes. While this is the case with the mentioned counties, Washoe was recorded with a rather low rate report of violent crimes committed compared to several other counties an estimated 84 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents (Cullen & Ball 2011). The state’s department of criminology believes that most of the crimes are usually
Introduction The question in the title of this writing assignment appears to be considerably difficult. Primarily, the most important issue that relates to this question is the immensely broad interpretation of the concept of a hero. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate this concept from different perspectives to develop a personal definition of a hero by referencing to reading selections from the textbook as well as personal experiences. How Could a Hero Be Defined? First of all, it is essential to understand that the concept of hero is deeply connected with other aspects of culture. Therefore, it means that societies in different historical periods had varying perceptions of what it means to be a hero. It is worth mentioning that nearly every ethnos had its definition of a heroic person. In the majority of cases, these definitions were closely connected with the nation’s mythology and religious beliefs. Arguably, one of the most recognized and influential (concerning its impact on the Western culture) examples of hero is the Ancient Greek literature. Represented by such characters as Ulysses and Hercules, a hero was defined as a person who can go against the gods and his or her fate. Further, the concept of a hero was the subject of continuous transformation throughout history. It is also possible to mention that traditionally the concept of hero is traditionally related to the phenomenon of war. However, this concept is also expanded by including such professions and occupations as firefighters, safeguards, or doctors. In overall, it could be concluded that a hero is usually defined as an individual who is capable of doing something unordinary for a common person. Examples from Reading Selections It could be hardly denied that the idea of a hero and its interpretations hold a significant place in the literature of various cultures from different historical periods. Therefore, this section dwells upon the investigation of three examples of such interpretations from reading selections. The Train from Hate In the first reading under consideration, the author explores the notion of a hero from a very interesting angle, putting it in the context of racial relations. He tells a story from his childhood, in which he and his mother had to travel to another city to buy some products (James 150). They boarded on the train, and as they were doing it in a rush, they did not recognize that the coach was reserved only for white people. Thus, the conductor told them to leave the train. The author was shocked by this event, and he asked his mother: why did the conductor be so rude? The mother told James that it does not matter what intentions did this man had because the most important thing is to keep one’s dignity under any circumstances (James 150). Thus, the author’s interpretation of hero dwells upon the idea of nobility. Bodega Dreams The second excerpt is taken from Bodega Dreams, and in the passage under discussion, the author tells a story about his school friend, Sapo, who is expelle
What to assess and how the assessments will be used effectively The world today requires that students learn many skills. The action plan will focus on thinking skills that can make students understand the relationship among concepts that seem diverse. This can help the students to fit in the present economy which is highly technological and knowledge based. Assessment will be done based on abilities such as analysis, recalling, inference, evaluation and comparison. Other skills to be assessed will include collaboration, moral character and teamwork. These skills cannot be measured by use of standardized tests. The assessments will be effectively utilized if alignment is observed in an effective manner. The teaching objectives and those of the expected learning outcomes will have to be defined clearly for the benefit of the teacher and students. These outcomes and objectives should be aligned with those being assessed. Students must understand them so that they can be able to concentrate on achievement (Edutopia, 2012). Role of standardized testing in the action plan Standardized testing in the action plan will be use
Introduction It is common knowledge that wildfires are an inherent element of the landscape of the state of California. However, the fire season there and generally in the West takes an increasing part of the year as time goes by. To no one’s surprise, the main reason for that is climate change. Considering how rapid and threatening the changes are, it is reasonable to assume that the state’s governance is supposed to pay extra attention to the allocation of funds related to wildland fire management. Main body In order to see how the issue is being addressed, one is to turn to the 2021-22 California Spending Plan’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Package published by the Legislative Analyst’s Office in October of this year. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office (2021), a sum of $988 million is provided by the budget on a one-off basis for the implementation of proposals centered around preventing wildfires and improving landscapes. The package consists of $758 million granted by the General Fund and $230 million granted by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) for approximately 30 various programs governed by 18 departments. $541 million – that is, over half of the funds – support initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable forests and landscapes, usually by the removal of hazardous fuels. Projects on public lands, along with grants to local administrations, tribes, and non-profit organizations, are to be supported by this funding. Around thirty percent of the funds’ sums – $282 million – are to be supplied for installing and maintaining forest fire flame barriers. The rest of the funds – that is, $164 million – uphold programs encouraging economic incentives in the forest sector, forest management based on science, community strengthening, and other initiatives. Additionally, this package provides for an annual allocation of $200 million for forest health programs and wildfire prevention for the six following years, starting from 2022-23. Moreover, the language requiring that the Government provide particular information on every program related to forest sustainability that was funded in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 budgets annually is included (Legislative Analyst’s Office, 2021). As one can see, a significant portion of the budget has been proposed to be allocated for fire-related problem management. If someone has an actual idea on how to prevent fires from spreading around California, CAL FIRE’s Fire Prevention Grants Program is the proposal for them. This initiative is aimed at funding local projects and activities addressing wildfire risks, reducing fire potential, and increasing community resilience. According to California Grants Portal (2021), some of the activities funded are the reduction of the use of hazardous fuels, planning of fire prevention, and education on fire preve
Overview Public colleges are growing their matriculation faster than four-year colleges. Nevertheless, even supposing that public institution student populace is increasing quicker than in four-year universities, the resources and budget at these institutes have not increased. This has directed universities to discover alternate ways to satisfy the needs of their students. Increasing public college admission, unambiguously in online and progressive courses, requests the necessity for research with this populace for the reason that a small number of studies emphasizes on online scholars in public colleges (Ashby, Sadera, & McNary, 2011). Description of the Research Problem The purpose of the study was to conduct research which compared student accomplishments in a course accessible in three dissimilar learning settings (online, mixed, and direct). The current research has revealed that the educational environment has an impact on the progressive students’ accomplishment rates. The problems that they encountered became the reason for numerous students to leave the university. Moreover, the possibility of having online and mixed courses only amplified the severity of the problem. The study was conducted to certify that the universities are proposing learning prospects that endure the accomplishments of students signed up for these courses. Research Methodology This research employed quantitative study methodologies to equate student achievement rates in diverse learning settings. The data from 167 partakers was collected together with demographic data, unit examination scores, and uniform math test grades. The key res
Introduction During the 19th and 20th century, Chinese scholars were confronted with the problem of modernization of China given that China is widely known for its cultural practices. They wondered how China would catch up with the western civilization without giving up part of its cultural practices, which it had known and lived with for a period of more than two thousand years. From early 20th century (1920s to be precise), Confucian thought was slowly replaced by Marxist ideology and, was later established as the new order of discourse in 1949, when the People’s Republic began. However, many scholars observed that, despite the changes in ideologies that were established in China after the 1919 movement, the Confucianism was not demoted to the museum of History of philosophy in China. Instead, the Confucian ideology (which forms an integral part of the Chinese culture) was not swept away completely but remained influential in shaping the modern china. It may look suburb that, cultural teachings are still going on in China consideration the rapid changes that are taking place in the global world. Many radicals have tried to give China new ideologies although they have not succeeded because many Chinese strongly hold to their cultural tradition to a point that it has become almost impossible for them to shake it off completely. However, China has not been left behind in terms of globalization and it is actually among the countries in the world that have managed to keep pace with the changes in the global world. This shows how significant the Chinese culture is to the Chinese people. It has managed to persist in the world of western civilization and seems to persist until the end of time. However, the significant of culture and cultural identity in the age of globalization remains a question that is yet to be answered. This paper will give an in-depth analysis of Chinese culture that has withstood the western thought. It will explore on some of the work of arts that constitute a big percentage of Chinese culture including aesthetics, poems, pottery, just to name but a few. This paper will put more focus on the aesthetics because they form an integral part of Chinese cultural identity. It will look at the main characteristics of the aesthetics, and they have been able to persist in the world of western civilization. It will also loo
Summary of the Proposal Introduction This research proposal seeks to determine how the Chinese economy will overtake the US in the next half a century. It will determine what China will do to achieve this dream. Currently, the Chinese economy is no doubt one of the most studied case examples in the modern world (Rodrick 349). Empirical evidence and statistics indicate that the average annual rate of the Chinese real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 1979 and 2003 was 10%. Argument of the paper Based on China’s economic trends since 1979, including the ability to overtake Japan as the second largest economy, one can argue that China will overtake the US by 2030. How the study will address the issue This study seeks will attempt to support this argument by using a mixed method to investigate the matter. It will use survey questions and questionnaires to acquire both qualitative and quantitative data. Possible implications The outcomes of the study will improve the existing knowledge and aid researchers and scholars in carrying out additional studies. The results will be useful to policy makers in US and China. Research Question/ Hypothesis In light of the above questions, the study will attempts to address the question on what China must do to sustain an enormous growth and gain competitiveness adequate to reach the status of the US economy. Background Over the last few decades, analysts have increased their interest in the study of Southeast Asian countries, focusing mainly on various variables of economic growth and development (Crompton and Wu 195). Analysts compare the declining US economic power to the rising Chinese economy to explicate the possibility of China becoming the new economic power by 2030 (Ash and Kueh 47). According to the World Bank (2), a statistical comparison between China and the US over the last four decades provide evidence that China’s GDP has a positive slope while America’s GDP slope is negative (Chow and Li 126). America’s greatest change in GDP was recorded in 1978 when it reached 13.4% within one year (Crompton and Wu 197). However, it maintained a constant decline over the years. According to the International Monetary Fund IFM (2), the Chinese GDP in terms of current market rates as well as prices is about $8.5 trillion, surpassing 50% of the total GDP of the United States of America. OECD (12) reports that the Purchasing Power Parity of the Chinese economy is over $18 trillion, exceeding the forecasted PPP of the US (Renz 117). Moreover, the enormous rate of growth in the last three decades indicates that the Chinese economy might overtake the US in the last two decades. Economists base their argument on the short time it took China to overtake Japan (Economy 36). China has proved that it will take a short time to reach the US. The large Chinese population of more than one billion people and huge industries prove that the country is fast becoming a ma