ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The journal discusses the relationship between tradition and modernity as used in the theory of social change. With a particular focus on the Indian community, the author identifies seven fallacies regarding these two intertwined concepts. One of the misconceptions is that new changes replace old traditions (Gusfield, 1967). People often hold the erroneous belief that the birth of one culture effectively substitutes the older one. They also assume that a novel product, religion, or decision-making method will supersede the previous one. However, the author suggests that the latest versions of something increase the alternatives available to the community. For instance, magic and medicine, which are considered tradition and modernity respectively, are used complementarily. Two religions can also exist in syncretism within one community (Gusfield, 1967). Debunking this myth shows that introducing an element of modernity within a society does not necessarily displace tradition. Instead, the two are likely to interact with one another, as seen in the examples provided. Another fallacy that the author discusses is that developing society is static. It is flawed to believe that traditional society has not evolved in the past. For instance, India was influenced by British culture, Islam religion, and certain socio-cultural movements during different periods. Even India’s caste system has been altered in the past, which shows that no component is fixed (Gusfield, 1967). The author further illustrates this point by discussing how India evolved into an agricultural community rather than an industrial
Difficulties encountered in performance review conversations Most managers in the contemporary human resources environment experience a challenge to failing to assess actual performance by focusing on individual and personal attributes, which may lead to a biased view in communicating performance review needs. Generally, the objective of effective performance review conversation is a common understanding between employee and employer, and as such, a manager should be honest enough when conversing with employees about issues related to goal achievement, promotion, mobility, rewards, and layoffs, among the others. The nature of communicating performance appraisal is also complicated by the fact that it is done infrequently, thus failing to address the emerging issues. According to Heinke, DVM, EA, CPA, & CVPM (2012), both the employee and the employer are reluctant to engage in performance review conversations due to several reasons. They include views that the conversations are a waste of time and irrelevant as well as create discomfort in face-to-face discussions about individual performance (Heinke et al., 2012). Interestingly, managers are reluctant to engage in performance review conversations due to fear of how employees would perceive their message. For instance, they would prefer to remain likable by employees or avoid criticism, rather than communicate negative reviews (Heinke, et al., 2012). However, there are positive outcomes from review conversations, which include the need for employers to understand the level of employees’ satisfaction in their jobs, as well as the need to communicate important performance gaps that require improvement. In addition, employees get an opportunity to communicate their job-related issues and goals. How to introduce performance reviews A performance review is regarded as an indicator of success in performance management. The overall aim is usually to contribute to the overall achievement of goals by all the units within the organization. Efforts are usually made to separate a busy work environment from an effective one, with the idea usually being to maximize output and efficiency. Good performance may incorporate several activities taken on an ongoing basis. Some of the undertakings include setting standards for desired results, which can be achieved by forming achievable goals. Monitoring success should enable the employer to track regular feedback, thus aiding in taking corrective measures towards desired results and learning from experiences (Block, 2001). Telling the Truth Employees should be given a chance to share what they have witnessed. Here, truth helps in building trust, which is the beginning of an engagement. When employees lack this attribute during a performance review at their workplace, they breach employer-employee trust, which should be the foundation of work ethics. Omission and lies negatively impact on workers’ performance, and when these are not checked, they may compromise eff
One of the issues that modern farming has to respond to is the nutrient pollution of soils and water. Key agricultural nutrient pollutants are nitrates and phosphorus; their recommended concentration in drinking water is limited, and they can damage the marine life of a contaminated area (OECD 127). The latter aspect is especially costly: apart from demanding an expensive remedy, it is harmful to commercial fishing and marine farming. Over the years, the share of agriculture in water pollution has been rising, which has made the issue acuter and more dependent on modern farming (68, 127). The solutions that have been proposed for the issue are varied: there is the possibility of upgrading farms with the help of better technologies, controlling the use of fertilizers and waste discharge with the help of the government or even promoting smaller-scale farms that a less dangerous to the environment than “factory farms” (Opperman 119). Each of the solutions has its advantages and drawbacks, and the current paper is devoted to finding out how the modern society intends to reduce agricultural nutrient pollution and what are the arguments for and against different proposals. The solutions are designed for various levels of participation. For example, an individual farmer is capable of keeping his or her farming small-scale and thus contribute to the improvement of the situation. Jeff Opperman describes this approach in his article. Admittedly, it is suitable for an individual farmer but not for a government member: as Jeff Opperman admits, this measure is very unlikely to resolve the problem on a larger scale. Although he also insists that a small farm is capable of feeding several people, Opperman acknowledges that it is unlikely to keep up with the demand for food of the 9 billion people who are expected to populate the Earth in 2050 (120). Similarly, a small-scale farm is less profitable than a big one, which means that the proposed solution will suit the farmers who do not have the ambitions of a farming magnate and want to help the environment. However, it is well-known that extensive, scale-related measures are typically considered inferior concerning intensive ones that are concerned with the improvement of quality and technological advancement. There exist intensive solutions for the issue of nutrient pollution, and new ones are being developed as the pressure for the preservation of our natural resources increases. An example is the newly developed and tested agricultural method that presupposes using catch crops (an approved technique of fighting pollution) followed by flood ir
Effective leadership is essential for organizations to achieve their goals, improve performance and grow profits. As a result, the quest to understand what makes a good leader has been supporting the interest in various leadership theories for many decades. Trait-based leadership theories and skill-based models are some of the most famous examples of theoretical works on leadership. Learning from the knowledge gathered through research and applying it in practice by developing leadership skills, qualities and capacities can help leaders to become more influential and successful. However, in order to apply academic knowledge in real-life circumstances, it is also essential to learn from people who exemplify excellent leadership capacity. James D. Sinegal is a former CEO of Costco, who is mostly responsible for its corporate success. The present report aims to analyze Sinegal’s leadership from the perspective of traits theories and leadership and skill-based models. The analysis will highlight areas of good practice and those that require improvement and provide a set of recommendations, summarising what can be learned from Sinegal’s example. Background James D. Sinegal, or simply Jim Sinegal, served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Costco Wholesale Corporation from 1983 to 2012. He was also the co-founder of the company, having established Costco
Introduction The formation of cultural competence is a significant aspect of professional development in various fields, including nursing. Honing one’s interpersonal and communication skills requires applying extensive knowledge and developed attainments. However, according to Biles (1), personal values ​​promoted by an individual are significantly important criteria influencing the formation of cultural competence. When applied to nursing, this statement is valid and logical since personal beliefs are factors that determine specific positions regarding intercultural interaction. Significance of Personal Values Since cultural competence includes a set of skills that allow interacting with other people effectively and understanding their motives and behaviors, the aspect of personal background is of great importance. According to Markey and Okantey (4), for nurses, maintaining a safe care environment is often associated with personal beliefs concerning specific human values. In other words, individual experiences influence the way healthcare professionals perceive certain situations and behavioral aspects. In terms of my personal values, my background has helped me strengthen my cultural competence due to my proper upbringing and good education. As Sharifi, Adib-Hajbaghery and Najafi (7) note, vocational training plays an essential role in shaping attitudes towards responsibilities for the work performed. Cruz, Estacio, Bagtang, and Colet (2), in turn, draw attention to core values ​​that apply not only to nursing personnel but also to representatives of other jobs. In this case, respect for people’s equality, their gender, appearance, religious and political views, and other individual aspects are the key criteria that determine the strength of cultural competence. Therefore, in relation to personal beliefs, one’s background is a crucial factor that largely influences specific opinions. Correlation Between My Personal Values and Cultural Competence By combining personal experience with new knowledge, I can improve my cultural competence. At the same time, if it were not for my individual background and, in particular, the principles of upbringing inherent in my family, I would not be able to realize my professional potential as a nurse comprehensively. According to Marzilli (5), a personality and a family are the starting circles that form human ideas about intercultural interaction. This statement is logical since the basic values ​​and ideas about the world, as a rule, are laid during communication with close relatives. Schmidt and McArthur (6) give an example of cultural care and note that nurses’ behavior in the clinical environment is a direct consequence of their individual experiences. Therefore, about the topic in question, team principles of work play a less important role than personal beliefs. While speaking about my values, I would say that they are not extraordinary. At the same time, I am convinced that a set of such properties as resp
With the aging market growing fast now, creators of commercials have to come up with innovative techniques to entice older consumers into buying goods and services promoted through media advertisements. Unlike younger adults who tend to focus on the actual product features when making a purchase, the elderly seek an emotional component or a compelling narrative associated with a commodity. In the commercial of “Merci” and “Dry Cooker Pan,” advertisements creators effectively appeal to older adults by associating their products with happy grandchildren and a healthier lifestyle. Like a bridge between a buyer and a seller, a relatable narrative connects a customer’s emotions and needs with the good displayed in a commercial. Creating a believable, easy-to-follow story is especially important in the case of targeting the aging market since, according to LaBouvie-View and Blanchard-Fields, older consumers have a higher motivation to perceive emotional rather than factual information (as cited in Pragya & Sangeeta, 2016). Williams and Drolet also suggested that the elderly respond better to the commercials, including an emotional component, showing “higher liking and recall of emotional appeals” (as cited in Pragya & Sangeeta, 2016, p.72). Furthermore, as explained by Pragya and Sangeeta (2016), emotional advertisements may lead to a customer’s higher level of readiness to purchase by provoking a more intense, impulsive behavior. Such alternations in consumer behavior may be achieved by a variety of different techniques, including, but not limited to, humor, promises of better living conditions, and manipulation (Pragya & Sangeeta, 2016). While advertisement creators frequently use stereotypical images in their commercials, customers continue subconsciously associating the advertised product with a positive story, willing to buy it. One of the narrative plots, often incorporated in the media advertisements to attract the interest of the older customers, is a family relationship. According to Emandi (2014), by depicting a grandson presenting his grandmother a box of chocolate for the newly sown T-shirt, “Merci” tried to associate their product with genuine gratitude and appreciation. Accompanied by a subjective description of the quality of sweets and pleasant background music, visuals gain a verbal confirmation of their emotional significance for the older. Additionally, the red color on the chocolate packaging and actors’ clothing encourages the elderly to connect “Merci” with love and faithfulness, as well as “extremely good food product” (Emandi, 2014, p. 349). Consequently, chosen to appeal to the older adults’ warm feelings toward their family, “Merci” managed to create a profitable commercial, which both effectively presents the product and makes the story behind it memorable. Apart from family relationships, anothe
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) strives to reduce cases of infections at care facilities, but with mixed results. In this study, healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) was reviewed as a case of healthcare-associated infection. It was noted that it contributes largely to the increased percentage of pneumonia deaths in the US. Although guidelines for HCAP were developed in 2005, available evidence suggests that it is poorly defined, understood and may not be a suitable categorization tool for patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) etiology. Nonetheless, it is shown that HCAP identification should be based on individual patients, local factors, and risk scoring tools for appropriate determination of HCAP and provide recommended interventions. To eliminate the current controversies, HCAP requires further studies and more evidence. Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia   * The Department of Health and Human Services wants to eliminate healthcare-associated infections (Magill et al., 2014);   * However, healthcare-associated infections are associated with more morbidity and mortality rates;   * Some types of HAIs are difficult to eliminate. The primary goal of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is to reduce cases of healthcare–associated infections and notably, substantial achievements in prevention have been documented for some infections (Magill et al., 2014). In this research, the focus is on healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) as a healthcare-associated infection, which is poorly explored and understood. Problem Statement   * HAIs are a major cause of death in the Unified States (Rothberg et al., 2014; Russo, Falcone, Giuliano, Guastalegname, & Venditti, 2014);   * No proper treatment guideline;   * Most doctors are also not aware of the risk factors and the clinical importance of identifying them distinctly (Bo, Amprino, Dalmasso, & Zotti, 2017). Table 1: HAI Estimates Occurring in US Acute Care Hospitals, 2011 Major Site of Infection                                            Estimated No. Pneumonia                                                          157,500       Gastrointestinal Illness                                           123,100       Urinary Tract Infections                                           93,300        Primary Bloodstream Infections                                     71,900        Surgical site infection
Introduction There has always been a controversy over the causes of continuing African problems. African countries blame their counterparts from the West and United States on their deteriorating development, what they term as exogenous factors while on the other hand the Western countries together with US maintain that the crisis in the African continent is caused by the continent itself. The following discussion will try to shed some light on the issue and establish which side is telling the truth, whether the crisis in Africa can be solved and whether the two sides can address the problems jointly. This is because the continent has lagged behind in terms of development and a lot need to be done to improve the livelihoods of so many Africans. This has led to the emergence of “Adjustment with Growth” ((Wheeler 76) by the Bretton Woods Institutions, that confirms the past errors of the African governments. It emphasizes that stabilization is not sufficient for the growth process to take place and that African states need external resources in terms of finance in order to achieve their development objectives (International Monetary Fund and World Bank 261). This is where the two Bretton Institutions fulfill one of their underlying principles for their establishment; provision of sufficient liquidity to the needy countries so that they may not resort to other costly adjustments because of short-term balance of payment shortage. However, this liquidity should not be so much to lead to allocation of funds into less-prioritized areas. Contradicting opinions There are two differences over the continuing existence of African’s economic woes. Two reports give contradicting opinions. There is report on ‘ Accelerated Development in Sub-Saharan Africa ’ by Elliot Berg, which blames Africa’s economic problems on domestic errors, and it asserts that improvement of agricultural performance is important to produce enough food for the Africans. Another report by Organization of African Unity (OAU), ‘ Lagos Plan of Action ’ blames the woes solely on historical, structural and external factors. Though there is a continued debate about the two reports, they seem to have a genuine agenda for the continent; these agenda have neither been translated into concrete actions nor incorporated in the national development plans. The reasons cited are either ignorance of the lack of requirements for Lagos action and lack of political will. Africans are characterized by the major weakness in this context, that they have since been formulating constructive plans and agenda but the actual implementation is not taking place. The leaders lack total commitment in putting the development agenda of the continent first but instead put more emphasis on strategies of ensuring how they will forever remain in power. With reference to the case study, Africa is faced with so many serious problems that can only be solved in sequences since handling all of them simultaneously may not be possible. So
Introduction Among the most renowned world architectural and engineering masterpieces is The Empire State Building (ESB). In spite of its massive nature, a 103-storey and 1453-foot monolith, the EBS was constructed in slightly over 13 months. It is also alleged that the company that carried out this daunting task had virtually nothing at hand in form of equipment and supplies necessary to venture into such an enormous project. Successful execution of the project could only have been made possible because of the firm’s expertise in commercial constriction management. The era when this project was undertaken, when New York and Chicago were in cutthroat competition for the construction of the highest skyscrapers, was also quite significant. Successful completion of this project, consequently, gave New York a competitive edge in the rivalry. For more than forty years, The Empire State Building remained the most prestigious and tallest building in the entire world. This position was only challenged when the World Trade Centre was completed in 1972. The execution of the masterpiece that is The Empire State Building is credited to a leading firm of architects, Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon Associates. A steel frame was chosen by the architects as the primary construction technique. The only firm that had perfected the use of this technique, Starrett Brothers and Eken Incorporated, was given the contract to complete this project. The size of the building demanded for the erection of 64 elevators that could be used to convey people and materials up and down the construction. Upon completion, the building was 1472 feet or 448 meters in height. Though it had originally been proposed that the antennae would provide direction to docking ships, the proposal was later shelved when it was established that people would not be comfortable disembarking an airship tethered to the building, at over one thousand feet above. The building is estimated to have cost well over £40 million at the time of the great economic depression. Some people felt that this building was undesirable and should not have been built in the first place. The rapid pace at which the project was executed would make it appear that the owners were in a rush to get rent from the available space. The contractor used what was considered the most current technology of the time to construct The Empire State Building. A massive concrete base was used to lay the base in order to support the equally massive weight of the massive steel framework. The steel sections were prefabricated at the steel plant and conveyed to th