ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The study “Does Economic Insecurity Cause Mental Illness: Evidence from Australian Panel Data” seeks to investigate the impact of economic insecurity on various mental health variables using panel data regressions (Rohde et al 1). The research problem being addressed is whether exposure to various factors of economic risk does indeed result in a quantifiable deterioration or worsening of an individual’s psychological health. It is evident from the abstract of the article that this is no simple issue judging from the fact that exposure to individual level economic risks has been found to have consistently detrimental effects on mental health. This paper critiques the research study using the following framework: article summary; study rationale; literature review; study design and data; instrumentation; and findings and conclusion. Article Summary The study investigates the impact of economic insecurity on various mental health variables, and offers an operational definition of economic insecurity as “the sense of anxiety felt by individuals when exposed to uninsured hazards such as job loss, wealth depreciation or unexpected expenses” (Rohde et al 1). To address the issue, the researchers develop eight alternative measures of economic insecurity and investigate the relationships with two measures of mental health, uses Australian panel data that is rich in items on financial expectations and measures of individual psychological wellbeing, as well as employs regression models to evaluate the causal effects of economic insecurity on mental health (Rohde et al 2). The study’s main objectives are two-fold: (1) to establish if the macroeconomic benefits associated with a policy formulation that promotes labor market flexibility over job security and the welfare state have negative health consequences, and (2) to develop a methodological framework or model which can be effectively used to capture economic insecurity variables in a way that they are supposed to be interpreted (Rohde et al 2). Study Rationale The authors postulate that “concern for e
Introduction The U.K. health club industry faced numerous challenges since 2000 there have been more entrants in the health and fitness industry. 2007-2009 also posed more challenges as more health clubs formed without a substantial increase in the number of consumers across the U.K. It is apparent that the current situation is dire for the Fitness First Company despite being the leading company in the industry. The forces that the company is facing are relatively out of the company’s control; hence, there is a need for the leadership and management function to ensure that the relevant adaptive measures are applied in the company to ensure it does not close down. The industry is no longer as attractive as it used to be because of the factors discussed hereafter. Supplier Power Supplier power refers to the ability of the supplier to control the price of the different commodities required by the company (Hill, Jones, and Schilling 43). Supplier power in this industry is an important factor in enhancing the competitiveness of the associated business entities. Being the largest company in the industry, Fitness First has developed strong negotiating power against its suppliers. However, it is apparent that other companies in the industry are gradually developing higher power against their suppliers; hence, they can afford to provide products and services at relatively lower prices. Consumer Power Consumer power refers to the ability of the consumers in determining the prices of the products and services (Hanlon par. 2). During the 2007 to 2009 global economic recession, the purchasing power of the consumers in the U.K. decreased significantly, and it has since been sluggish, which has led to more consumers viewing health and fitness clubs as replaceable luxuries (Grant and Jordan 74). This trend has led to an increase in consumer power for the associated services and products. The fact that there are more facilities being developed implies that the companies in the industry have to compete for market share through the adjustment of prices. Competitive Rivalry Competitive rivalry addresses the nature of the competition in the industry (Schwarzinger 15). Since the establishment of the ind
The Iranian revolution took place from 1978 to 1979 and culminated in Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s dynasty being overthrown. It was subsequently replaced by an Islamic state under the stewardship of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The activities of the uprising were being pushed by several interest groups, among them student movements, as well as Islamist and leftist organizations. Protests against the Pahlavi dynasty started in October 1977. The demonstrations were characterized as civil resistance, as they developed out of religious and worldly elements. In 1978, the unrest intensified to a point where Rex Cinema was burnt, thus triggering the revolution. This resulted in a paralysis across the country, which forced Ruhollah Khomeini to leave the country in exile in January 1979. In April that same year, the country became an Islamic republic through a national referendum that was also used to approve a theocratic-republican constitution. This new development meant that Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini became the country’s supreme leader. The Iranian revolution, whose goal was to overthrow the Pahlavi dynasty, was caused by religious motives, social injustices, and discontent with the Shah’s rule. Various interest groups that included farmers, intellectuals, the clergy, and merchants had a history of uniting to champion reforms in the history o
Multicultural Issues Since the client is Hispanic, the major multicultural issue that has to be addressed is ethnicity. Unfortunately, there is a lot of evidence supporting the fact that the educational experience for Hispanics in the United States is one of the most pressing problems. This implies that the student’s achievement is inevitably affected by his ethnicity. Even though the socio-economic status of his family is not particularly low (both parents of the boy are employed but have low-income jobs), the initial perception of Hispanics as a minority group is rather negative as they are considered to be poor and idle. This is explained by the fact that a great number of Hispanic students have to begin their school attendance without sufficient financial resources. This is the reasons Hispanics remain one of the least educated minority groups in the country (only about 11% of Hispanics over 25 have managed to obtain a bachelor’s degree as compared to 30% of whites, 50% of Asians, and 17% of blacks) (Espinoza-Herold & Gonzalez-Carriedo, 2017). Furthermore, it is typical of Hispanic students to have weak relationships with their teachers and demonstrate unsatisfactory academic performance, mostly due to their immigrant status that places them in the position of outcasts. Generally, this ethnicity issue is rather difficult to manage since prejudice is supported by the general perception of society. However, psychotherapy and involvement in social activities that unite representatives of different ethnic groups may help reduce the stress of negative self-perception. Another issue that is present in the case is a language barrier. Although the boy speaks English, he is far from being fluent in it, which prevents him from expressing his thoughts in a clear, comprehensible manner. He speaks in short, abrupt utterances and uses only simple phrases. This lack of language skills makes it impossible for him to share daily problems and improve academic achievements. Furthermore, he seems to be rather shy, which can also be explained by his inability to express himself properly. It can also be assumed that Andres may have difficulties establishing contact with his classmates owing to his linguistic barrier. In the majority of cases, this barrier can be removed by providing clients with the opportunity to attend extracurricular language lessons to improve his/her knowledge. The situation may be exacerbated by the fact that the client has health problems. First and foremost, he suffers from the ADHD condition that can partially account for the absence of improvement in school subjects, inconsistency in time management, trouble remaining quiet during classes, distracted attention, inability to finish tasks, and excessive talking (Barkley, 2014). Secondly, Andres has type 1 diabetes. This disease can hardly produce any negative impact on his performance but still requires certain attention on behalf of the boy, which can make him feel uneasy. Finally, Andres is obese (the condition that frequently appears in the Hispanic m
Introduction Clusters refer to the “geographic concentration of interconnected companies, specialized suppliers, service providers and associated institutions in a particular field in a country or a region”. Clusters are formed in order to improve the productivity and competitiveness of companies in a region. New Zealand is among the countries that pursed the cluster development strategy in early 2000 in order to improve the productivity of its firms. The overall expectation was to achieve higher economic growth. However, the country has since abandoned its cluster program due to its inability to achieve the intended development objectives. This paper analyzes the reasons as to why New Zealand abandoned its cluster program. Failure of New Zealand’s Industry Cluster Program The cluster program helped the country to promote collaboration among the firms that were involved in it especially in accessing information on the dynamics of the market (MED, 2006). This was particularly realized in the Matamata racing and thoroughbred breading cluster. However, the cluster failed to achieve the overall goal of increasing productivity due to the following reasons. First, the scope of the program was highly limited and the core objectives were not clearly spelled out thus leading to failure (MED, 2006). Second, since the program was funded by NZTE, most products or objectives of the program were duplicated in other programs financed by NZTE. This led to conflict of interest and wastage of resources (MED, 2006). Third, NZTE was not able to fully support the program since it was already supporting other forms of collaborations among firms in various industries. Finally, the government realized that better outcomes could be achieved if regions were allowed to make decisions that fit them as compared to national decisions made by NZTE (MED, 2006). Contribution of the Broader Economic Development The government has responded to the failures of the cluster program through the broader economic development initiatives and this can be explained as follows. First, the government has helped the local firms to improve their productivity by providing incentives for innovation (MED, 2011). Second, the government helps the firms to connect with their counterparts at the international level through export oriented polices. Besides, it helps them to access capital (MED, 2011). Finally, the government has focused on supporting only the major industries associated with high returns. Such industries have great competitive advantages and potentials for high exports (MED, 2011). Examples of industries supported by the government include petroleum
Introduction Starbucks started its coffee outlets in 1971 at Seattle. The founders of the company included Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegel, and Gordon Bowker. Howard Schultz joined Starbucks in 1982 as the heading of marketing and overseeing retail division (Thompson and Gamble, 1997). Schultz had a different vision for the company. He wanted to create a community of coffee consumers. Under Schultz’s leadership as the CEO and chief global strategist, Starbucks has become the world’s largest coffee retail outlet. It is gaining international presence in most emerging economies due to reorganization of the company’s business strategy since 1987. Starbucks has grown as the premier coffee retailer with happy employees, quality coffee products and satisfied customers. The report focuses on the Starbucks’ Global Quest 2006: Is the Best Yet to Come? in order to develop a strategic management proposal for the company’s board of directors. The proposal focuses on the future of the company through an economic assessment, marketing assessment plan, a financial plan, an organizational structure recommendation, and supporting rationale. An Economic Assessment Today, Starbucks is a strong company in the US and other regions as shown through its success. Hence, the company needs to expand to other emerging markets. This expansion would require understanding of economic factors in the coffee retail business. The coffee retailer would be able to seize opportunities in emerg
Introduction The word renaissance refers to a change of state or a revival. It is in context the change in cultural activities recorded among the European countries in the early times beginning from fourteenth century to the seventeenth century. The cultural change brought transformation in many aspects of lives. Among the aspects transformed were economics, politics, social dynamics, religion, art and philosophy. This paper seeks to discuss a defining aspect of renaissance in a personal perspective. The paper will examine the state of art as a defining element of the renaissance period. It will examine the changing aspects of art that took place during the period. Art- The Defining Element of Renaissance Art is the category of elements that are “subject to aesthetic criteria”. It refers to the things that pertain to skills and techniques, involving emotional appeal in a significant way. Renaissance in general took place in the fifteenth and the sixteenth century. [1] It was a moment of change that saw the transformations of the historical middle period human beings to the current modern man. Though the artistic revolution is considered in this article as the major element of the renaissance, it was a result of the revolutions in the other elements such as the scientific, philosophical and the linguistic advancements. The advancement of knowledge and themes was a motivation to the development of better techniques and styles in the field of art. The identity of the art as a form of creation and respect accorded to the artists for their skills became a boost to the development of art during the period. The artistic renaissance can be distinguished into three categories: the first category is known as the early renaissance followed by high renaissance and lastly the late renaissance. [2] The new era of art in Italy was marked in Florence. The developments saw the inclusion of mathematical aspects that enabled a three dimensional representation in painting. This development was achieved as early as the fifteenth century. The then early painting methods were at best crude. There were two commonly used methods: tempera and fresco. One technique, the tempera, involved painting on a dry plane. Colors from items like vegetables and eggs were used to copy expressions from drawings. Another technique, the fresco, was done on wet sur
Introduction The current world composes of diverse individuals of different cultures, gender, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. In a business environment, different individuals of diverse races, ethnic backgrounds, cultures, and gender work together to achieve the common goal of the business. However, many individuals still hold on to stereotypes based on beliefs that place certain categories of people in certain levels. Categorization of individuals is usually reliant on the status quo of the society and dominant members that are in a given institution. This act of categorization of people leads to a form of discrimination against some members of the society deemed as lesser beings by the dominant members. Remarkably, every individual has unique and special talents that can be of great importance in the development of a given business. The talents of a person can only materialize if an individual acquires the chance and free will to exercise them without any form of discrimination. It is in this context that the essay aims to discuss the importance of understanding cultural, ethnic, and gendered differences by managers and professionals in a business setting. Importance of Understanding Cultural, Ethnic, and Gender Differences by Managers and Professionals in a Business Setting In reference to the experience of the ping-pong ball, which is tied to one hand and held using a tape, it is evident that a certain challenge presents itself. The phenomenon challenges the right-handed members more than the left-handed members. This brought to the fore the fact that, since many people are right-handed, the left-handed individuals have learnt over time to adapt to the dominance of the right-handed world. This explains the practical nature of societies where certain categories force others to behave in a given manner, which is in line with the stereotype. Therefore, it is important that managers and professionals appreciate the diversity and uniqueness of individuals so that individuals can exercise their maximum potentials. According to Bell (2011), businesses should avoid using culture, gender, ethnic, and racial backgrounds as benchmarks to judge performance and productivity of individuals in a business. Notably, it is important to understand that irrespective of the gender, ethnic, and racial backgrounds people can deliver and steer the business towards success and achievement of its objectives. Business settings can benefit greatly from the diversities presented by the human resources present in the world today. These benefits can be in the fo
Prisons are rehabilitation institutions for individuals who have been put in custody by the court or criminals convicted of their crimes. Crime is committed daily, and those guilty are convicted in the courts of law. However, today state prisons have larger populations than they should. Penitentiaries are extremely overcrowded, which is contrary to the prison rules. The leading cause of overcrowding in prisons is sentencing offenders who have committed petty crimes. To reduce overcrowding in the prisons, legislators should assess the prison conditions to see the high populations that are in the jails. By conducting an assessment, they get to learn the kind of laws they should make to reduce prison overcrowding. There is also a need for legislators to review some of the statutes regarding the punishment of offenders. Prisons are to be only for medium and high-risk offenders and not low-risk offenders. Strict laws do not deter offenders from committing crimes. On the contrary, these laws accelerate the rate of offenses. Today because of the strict regulations, prison institutions are places where an offender learns new crimes. So a petty offender gets out and starts to commit a felony. The citizens have a right to know what these strict laws are all about, whether these laws violate or promote human rights, so that they can act when the states come with laws against the rights of humans and prisoners. Furthermore, if the legislatures implement new regulations regarding imprisonment, then the prisons should hold a maximum of 70 percent of the capacity. It thus makes it efficient in the rehabilitation process of these offenders. Legislators should monitor prison capacity to ensure that they do not exceed the required population. Therefore, it implies that the legislators have to decide how to punish petty offenders. These offenders deserve a community sentence, while offenders who have committed felonies deserve a prison sentence.
Overview The area of education and research selected for this study is the veterans’ health department, located in a level 1 health facility within the city. This department is engaged in continuous medical education (CME) targeting members of the healthcare profession in response to the rapidly aging veteran population. Specifically, the department has made substantial contributions not only in the advancement of aging research, geriatric education and training, and clinical care within and outside the confines of the health facility, but also in translational research aimed at enhancing the clinical care of future aging populations, and in providing leadership in educating family-based and general practitioners about the unique needs of older persons (Supiano et al., 2012). It is the objective of this paper to interview one member of the leadership team responsible for this department, with the view to benefiting from the perspective of a leader in education and research. Interview This interview was conducted with the program coordinator of the veterans’ health department, which oversees the day-to-day running of the department. The coordinator was in charge of all the educational and research activities undertaken by the department, hence had immeasurable knowledge and expertise in issues relating to education and research in healthcare settings. The interviewee was a medical doctor by profession (Ph.D.), but also with postdoctoral qualifications in geriatric medicine and clinical research methods. Additionally, he also provided consultancy services and taught at one of the medical schools affiliated with the health facility. Main Findings of the Interview Trends The interviewee identified three trends that are currently impacting education and research activities in the veterans’ health department. The first trend entailed the surging numbers of elderly people in the American society. Available literature demonstrates that the population of the elderly is growing at an unprecedented level in developed economies such as the United States due to recent medical advancements as well as major improvements in hygiene and food supply (Arai et al., 2012). The second trend entailed the loss of substantial sums of money to continuing medical education (CME) and research activities. Research activities undertaken by the department toward developing evidence-based practices in the treatment of the elderly, in particular, were using a lot of money that was not sufficiently reimbursed by relevant agencies. This trend has been reinforced in the literature through a report that demonstrates that 14 of the 20 most research-intensive institutions in the United States are experiencing financial stress, and that half of these institutions a