ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
As a reading, I chose “Social dimensions of expertise in World of Warcraft players” by Mark Chen. In this article, the author tells about how the players of Warcraft use their social skills to join more professional gamers and raise their status. This reading is relevant to the class because it studies a type of communication in a video game (media). This article is also interesting for me because it allows studying communications in an unusual field. The article is separated into six sections. In the first one, the author mentions the other authors who studied social problems of video games and cited their research. He also explains what expertise development is, tells about the methods that he used to conduct his research and the methods he found useless, and makes a conclusion about expertise development. In the second section the author explains in details what Warcraft is and what features this game has. The third section is about gamers. The author speaks about the nationality and regions of the players, his experience as a player and his experience of playing in a group. The fourth section tells how to level up though social interactions, the fifth section explains how interactions in a team help in raiding, and the sixth one makes social analysis of the material and a conclusion. The author discusses the social nature of video games. He also discovered that female participation in group communication was very low but females were 20-25% of the group. The main point of the article is that expertise development of a gamer depends on his or her successful use of social skills which helps to get access to the groups of skilled players and to level up in the game. The author supports his conclusion with ethnographic evidence which he collected when he participated in the game as a player. In the article Chen uses some definitions that are not clear to a person who does not play video games. Party is a group of 5 players and raid group is a group of 40 players who collect to kill a monster or to do a quest. Raid is an attack of enemy. A quest is a task you need to do to go to the next level of the game. Level up is when your character becomes stronger because you successfully did the task or killed enemy. Dungeon is an underground place where enemy can be. Boss is a very strong enemy which is not pl
People of different ages play computer games to escape reality, negative thoughts, and pass the time with pleasure. Still, I believe that apart from relaxation, a computer dame should be beneficial for the training of cognitive skills. The current paper presents an idea of a computer game that would be interesting for both young adults and people from 25 to 30 years old. The additional details and mechanics of the game will also be discussed below. First of all, the game is dedicated to searching for treasure in a maze. However, the game has seven levels, and the access to the stages of a game is given as tasks of a previous level are completed. In the start, a player could choose his or her character and personalize its style. The character must complete a range of tasks. For example, he or she will be asked to build a house using only provided tools and resources. Another version of the activity requires finding a way to catch an animal. Then, a player should develop a way to cross a river. In some sense, the tasks relate to the issue of survival. When a task is completed, a player gains an item or a hint that could be used in the final sub-game to get a treasure, which is a goal of the whole gameplay. I also suppose that there should be interaction among the users. Therefore, a game will have an online chat, in which players could discuss how to complete the tasks. In addition, players could unite into couples, triples, or broader coalitions to achieve their intermediate goals. However, the final assignment should be solved individually. In order to increase the spirit of competitiveness, the players will receive points for their achievements and be ranked. In conclusion, the game could be played both on computers and smartphones. There will be no violence, shootings, and death in the game. Therefore, it could be played even during family evenings. The game will also have background music and the sounds that could occur if the game was real, for example, the sound of water, forest, and city. The game will be suitable even for children and grown-ups.
Lateral violence is a form of unethical behavior in nursing and other medical fields. Judging on evidence and statistical data provided in the presentation, it is possible to say that this problem remains more widespread than it should be. There is an urgent need to address the issue of lateral violence in clinical settings since it is highly detrimental to the workplace climate. Moreover, as reported by Nemeth et al. (2017), the Institute of Medicine defines disruptive and inappropriate professional behaviors as one of the main threats to patient safety. Therefore, not only does lateral violence decreases retention rates and job satisfaction but also increases the overall costs of healthcare. Nurses should be provided with opportunities to speak up when they or their colleagues are bullied, without fear of bearing any negative consequences of complaining about another person. Unfortunately, reporting may cause more lateral violence in some hospital environments. As the study by Taylor (2016) reveals, nurses often fear to report their colleagues’ mistakes, even when there are critical, because of the fear of reprisal. Some of the interviewed nurses in Taylor’s (2016) study also believed that managers would not provide sufficient support to them if they would complain about staffing and other performance problems. For this reason, practitioners may tend to suppress their concerns and strive to handle everything independently, trying to avoid being labeled as incompetent or as whistle-blowers. These research findings indicate that the hospital-wide culture of no tolerance for lateral violence is essential to eliminate disruptive behaviors in hospitals. Moreover, nurses should be educated on the essentials of ethical conduct and engage in the development of professional interaction skills. It is possible to presume that in environments where collaboration is a core value and each team member acknowledges their responsibility for own actions, the incidence of lateral violence is minimized.
Research Problem There is an increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular disorders around the world and especially in developing and transition economies. The increased prevalence and incidence of such disorders is caused by high- risk lifestyles among other factors (Sharathkumar et al., 2011). Aghasadeghi et al. (2011) point out that Coronary Artery Disease (also referred to as CAD) accounts for about 50 percent of the deaths linked to cardiovascular disorders in the country each year. According to Aghasadeghi et al. (2011), several risk factors are associated with the severity and prevalence of CAD in the society. Some of these factors include dyslipidaemia, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus among others (Khan & Shah, 2012). In order to determine the relationship between these risk factors, Aghasadeghi et al. (2011) endeavoured to establish the correlation between fasting blood sugar and resting blood pressure among teachers living in Shiraz. Data Source and Collection The process of collecting, compiling, and interpreting data was carried out between February 2009 and December 2009. According to Aghasadeghi et al. (2011), data was collected from 2848 teachers aged between 21 and 80 years. At the time of data collection, all informants were working in various education institutions in Shiraz, Iran. It is noted that 59.1% of the informants were female while 40.9% were male. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The nursing staff interviewed the participants to obtain the information required. The data collected contained demographic information such as the gender, age, hypertension and diabetes mellitus history, and the current usage of prescribed medication among the participants (Aghasadeghi et al., 2011). The researchers also collected anthropometric data. This included height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) of the participants. The trained nursing staff obtained the blood pressure of the patients and collected blood sample for FBS analysis (Aghasadeghi et al., 2011). Independent and Dependent Variables There were three independent variables in the study. These were BMI, age, and sex. The dependent variables that were measured against the three independent variables were blood pressure and fasting blood sugar. Informants with a hypertension reading of ≤90mmHg were regarded as ‘hypertensive’. On the other hand, those whose blood pressure readings ranged between 80 and 89mmHg were regarded as ‘pre-hypertensive’ (Aghasadeghi et al., 2011). Those participants whose blood pressure was lower than 80mmHg were regarded as normal. Participants with FBS of more than 126mg/dl were considered to have diabetes mellitus. Those participants with FBS readings ranging between 100 and 125mg/dl were consi
Introduction A case brief is normally a summary of the undertakings of a given case. In a case brief, the writer finds ways of presenting the arguments of a case in a systematic way but in brief. It involves identifying issues, ascertaining the decisions and judgments made as well as an analysis of one’s reasoning behind the court’s ruling. This paper is therefore on case briefs of two landmark cases of the Supreme Court. The United States v. Dekonty Corporation Case name and citation This was a case by the government of the United State of America which is the appellant versus a company known as Dekonty Corporation which is the appellee. It is therefore an appeal by the United States government originating from a ruling made by the Armed Services Board of Contracts Appeals (ABSCA). The case is numbered 922F 2d. 826 (1991). Key Facts of the case In this case, the government of the United States of America made an appeal from the judgment made by the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (Board). In the ruling made by the Board, the government was found to have breached the contract signed with Dekonty Corporation. The government was noted to have intended to withhold the payment to be made to the corporation. According to the facts of the case, the government through the United States Navy entered into a contract with Dekonty Corporation to put up a child care facility. This facility was bound to be located at the Los Angeles Air Force Station. However, in the process of the construction, the designated Resident Officer in charge of the Construction referred to as ROICC, cautioned that the US Navy might have the contract terminated because of non-payment. As such, “Dekonty Corporation halted the construction process and wrote a memo to the Commanding Officer of the Western Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFACENGCOM)” (OpenJurist 1). This was backed by subsequent follow-ups on the contract’s process by the contracting officer and the ROICC making Dekonty abandon the performance formally. Dekonty made allegations that the US Navy had failed to make progressive payment as scheduled thus breaching the contract. At first the case was heard by the Armed Services Board of Contracts Appeals for judgment to be made with regard to the contract issue. This board found the government guilty of breaching the contract in failing to make the scheduled payments. Later on, the case was appealed to the Supreme Court. Legal Issue(s) Presented before Court When the case was forwarded to the Supreme Court, the board was found out to have made an erroneous decision. This was in accordance to the unsupported evidence that the board had relied on. “As a result, the Supreme Court set forth a number of breaches; When one party to [a]… contract absolutely refuses to perform his contract, and before the time arrives for performance distinctly and unqualifiedly communicates that refusal to th
The increasing adoption of data mining in various sectors illustrates the potential of the technology regarding the analysis of data by entities that seek information crucial to their operations. Data mining tools enable entities to establish relationships such as associations, classes, clusters and sequential patterns. The analysis of data can occur using a variety of techniques such as genetic algorithms, rule induction, neural networks and data visualization. Information obtained through data mining has transformed business operations by aiding companies in decision-making and the prediction of crucial factors such customer’s behavior, which helps companies to gain a competitive advantage. Benefits of data mining to businesses The generation of predictive scores for organizational elements is crucial in the analysis of the behavior of customers. Predictive analytics enable companies to optimize marketing strategies by modeling trends in customers’ responses. This information helps businesses to allocate funds for various campaigns based on their potential of succeeding. In addition, it minimizes wastage of time and money caused by the use of manually analyzed marketing strategies. Research shows that manual analysis of marketing methods is a cumbersome process that is error-prone due to the extensive skills required. Predictive analytics eliminate guesswork in the identification of marketing methods by providing reliable data on customers’ preferences and habits (Pyle, 2003). Analyzing past and present trends about customers’ habits provides patterns that aid in making decisions on future undertakings of a business. A company that implements measures in response to future patterns of customers’ behavior is likely to gain a competitive advantage. Data mining enables businesses to establish relationships among items in a transaction. The association technique facilitates identification of products that customers purchase frequently. Using the association rule, businesses can determine the way one product influences the sale of another product. For example, an association of Bagels and Potato Chips provides insight on products that a fast foods business can sell with Bagels so that the sale of Potato Chips increases. Market based analysis provides businesses with important information that guides the implementation of marketing campaigns by enabling them to establish hypotheses for customers’ buying patterns. Relevant marketing strategies boost sales and promote higher profits. Web mining enables business entities to establish patterns of customers’ behavior from the web. Using data mining techniques, companies can identify customers’ interests on the web concerning textual or multimedia data (Soares, 2010). Web usage mining facilitates the analysis of target demographics. Web content and structured mining enable companies to monitor brands and analyze the content and structure of competitors. Such undertakings create strategic advantages. Clustering enables companies to identify d
The story of an hour by Kate Chopin is built using the classic rules of plot structure. The exposition is the news about Brently Mallard’s death. The complication is how his wife reacts to the situation and how she begins to feel free and happy even though she should feel sorrow. The climax of the story is Brently Mallard’s return home and the situation when Mrs. Mallard cries. There is no falling action in the story as the resolution is presented immediately – Mrs. Mallard is dead because of a heart attack. The point of view in the story is categorized as the third person limited omniscient as the story-teller is not the participant of the events which take place and is aware of the thoughts of Mrs. Mallard. It should be mentioned that the point of view through the story changes. When Mrs. Mallard is told that her husband is killed in an accident, she “wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms” (Chopin, 2006, p. 352). When she entered her room, her feelings and attitude to the husband’s death changed as she whispered “free, free, free!” (Chopin, 2006, p. 353). Thus, a deep grieve has changed with the inner feeling of satisfaction and joy for the free future. Reading the story, I followed Mrs. Mallard’s reaction and my opinion about her marriage and her husband changed with the change of the point of view. These changes showed me that the first impression was wrong when I thought that she loved her husband and suffered because of his death. The changes of the point of view are closely related to the story theme and content, as with the help of those changes it is possible to predict that Mrs. Mallard died not because she was so happy to see her husband, but because she understood that her dreams of freedom were ruined. Reference List Chopin, K. (2006). The story of an hour. The complete works of Kate Chopin . Baton Rouge: LSU Press.
Overview of the company Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is an American company with its parent headquartered in Overland. The company specializes in the production and sale of toys to children all over the world. The firm was incorporated in 1997 with only one store located in America at the time (Lee 20). However, as time went by, the firm opened subsidiaries in other countries, making it a multinational company. The company’s growth is attributed to the customer-centered strategy that is in place in the firm. Under the strategy, customers are allowed to dress their toys, select their preferred sounds, and to name them accordingly. The company sponsors various projects as part of its philanthropic works in an attempt to gain customers’ loyalty. Currently, the company operates about 400 stores located in different countries around the globe. The stuffed animals are cheap since they cost between $12 and $30 depending on the features included. The principal strategies that the firm expresses Focused Differentiation Strategy The company operates under a strategy that concentrates on a narrow buyer segment as opposed to wide buyer groups and markets. Under the strategy, the firm specializes in meeting the target customers’ needs through the assessment of their tastes and preferences. Build a Bare executes this strategy by allowing the customers to customize their toys depending on their tastes and preferences (Cohen and Liechty 49). The process of procuring a toy in the company follows the following steps  1. Hear Me  2. Choose Me  3. Stuff Me  4. Stitch Me  5. Fluff Me  6. Dress Me  7. Name Me,  8. Take Me Home. At the ‘Choose Me’ stage, the clients are introduced to the various types of toys available in the company’s store. At the ‘Hear Me’ stage, the clients are allowed to select the sounds they would like the animals to make, and they have the option to record their voices (Russell 123). The sounds selected are recorded in a chip that is then fitted to the stuffed animals. This stage is called ‘Stuff Me’ and it is considered the most important phase since it allows customers to choose what is to be included in their animals. The “Stitch Me’ stage involves enclosing the different features into the animal in readiness for the dressing phase. Customers are then allowed to dress their animals in the fashions of their choice. After the dressing, the clients are asked to name their animals and to give other details such as the date of birth. In the ‘Take Me Home’ stage, the customers are issued with a birth certificate of the animal based on the information they gave at the previous sta
Looking for Mephisto Products Ltd. case study answers? Get inspired with us! This paper criticizes Mephisto Products approach to sales and marketing. Mephisto Products Case Study Synopsis The case study is about an electronic control device manufacturer that is recording low sales revenues and profits in recent times. The entrance of new competitors, technology and marketing strategies created this situation. Now the company is thinking about changing is strategic approach by marketing their products to their clients in a different way. Mephisto Products Ltd. Case Study Answers Mephisto’s Approach to Sales and Marketing Mephisto is too product/ process-oriented; their marketing strategies only consist of occasional ‘Chemical quarterly’ advertisements and a sales team. As if that is not enough, this sales team uses a negative approach to sell their products. Now that more competitors are in the market, customers need to know about the positive aspects of the products too. The sales team has not changed its approach to selling the company’s goods since its inceptions. Furthermore, they have given their accounts team all the financial control, yet the sales team needs to have a greater level of flexibility to make their decisions. The company has no product-related value additions such as the use of the latest technological advancements. The organizations’ team members do not understand the power of marketing as they have not harnessed it. Mephisto’s target market is too small, yet many industries can use the device. It is still doing the same thing that its founder did, even though his circumstances were quite different from the present ones. He only focused on the chemical industry because of his family obligations. This situation does not exist today. Marketing Operations, Marketing Mix, Product Life Cycle Marketing operations are almost redundant in the company. No marketing directors exist, and the firm assumes that the products will market themselves. They think that all it takes is technical excellence to retain customers. They need to change their marketing philosophy in order to stay ahead. Its sales team uses an inefficient approach to selling its items. The marketing mix at Mephisto is unsuccessful. The company’s prices do not correspond to consumer preferences even after the sales team explained that Mephisto would sell more times if it reduce