ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Corporate environmental responsibility has of recent years played a pivotal role in shaping many business agendas and a central ingredient of many organisations social responsibility endeavors. Although it is difficult to understand by one general definition limit what corporate environmental responsibility can be taken. A crucial importance is that most companies are embracing the practice to try and minimise the negative impacts of any of their activities on the environment, enhance resource efficiency and productivity, and reduce wastes and omissions (Jamison, 2005). To an individual, a company therefore CER is any practice aimed at achieving any one of the mentioned goals. Discussion McDonald’s Corporation is a global retail leader in the fast food industry and is among the companies that have been so aggressive and leading in promoting environmental responsibility. The retailer has its products and services served in over 34000 restaurants operating in 119 countries worldwide. The retail chain has among other items and services, specialised in the sale of hamburgers, non-alcoholic drinks and fries. Since the chains inception by McDonald’s Brothers, the fast foods retailer has experienced significant growth and expansion and it continues to do so up until today strengthening its foundation and leading in the industry. Just as the company has grown and continues to grow in size and grasp of the industry, McDonald’s has also had impressive results and performance which have earned the admiration of investors and the envy of competitors. One of the key aspects that have helped the company to perform so impressively is the commitment it puts on society and social performance, more so in environment. Anchored in 8 key pillars, McDonald’s has developed an elaborate framework upon which it seeks to demonstrate its environmental responsiveness and share to the world its ideals of what it calls innovative best practices. These 8 key pillars include energy, packaging, anti-littering, recycling and waste reduction, logistics, communication, greening the restaurants, and greening the workplace. Energy Energy is an issue that has attrac
Brief Therapy Solution-Oriented Brief Therapy (SOBT) is a brief classical therapy that is focused on the solution, where the therapist and the client are more interested in the future solution than in the past problems (Haggerty, 2012). It occurs because the supporters of this therapy believe that the solution to the client’s problem is his future decisions. However, in Brief, Psychodynamic Therapy (BPT), the therapist looks at how the past behavior influences the client’s present situation. Solution-oriented brief therapy has the following benefits: It saves energy and resources Since solution-oriented brief therapy focuses on the present and the future, it saves the energy and resources that are utilized when trying to assess the root cause of a given problem. For instance, in the BPT, the therapist engages much of his time trying to understand his client in terms of past relationships and how they have influenced their present behaviors. However, in SOBT, the therapist is focused on the solutions to the problems encountered (Reichenberg, 2009). SOBT practitioners assume that going through the problems involves many parties trying to resolve the matters at hand. In case of failed relationships, the therapist has to engage the involved parties, and this may require separate interviews before the parties get engaged in a final forum that involves all of them, where they share their views. In addition, since SOBT is focused on a specific result, it provides an immediate solution to a given problem. This approach has the advantage of saving some people who had already contemplated suicide. Hence, in a situation where the therapist uses the past to provide solutions to the future, much of the resources may be lost without finding an amicable solution. These resources include the finances that facilitate the whole process of the therapy (consultation fees and the cost of medical prescriptions), the people involved in the counseling process, and the time lost during the therapy. SOBT questions help the client to identify solutions to his problem On the other hand, SOBT involves engaging the client in a questioning process that helps him to identify the best solution to his problem. This is true especially in the case that involves the use of scaling questions, where the client is asked to think of a solution to his problem and rate it based on a given scale that runs from zero to ten. At zero, the client may feel that a certain solution he proposes to his problem is not possible because he lacks the necessary resources. Hence, he rates it at scale zero. However, at scale ten, he may find a given solution to be the best for his problem. These scaled questions help the client to work on his solutions. Besides, miracle questions help the client to reflect on a past situation in which he got into a similar problem and what he did. The therapist then asks the client to apply the past coping mechanism in the current situation. In this manner, you realize that the therapist is helping the client to identify a possible solution to his problem based on the available resources in the form of the client’s skill
Return to Normalcy is a Republican Senator and presidential candidate Warren G. Harding of Ohio speech in which he outlines his hopes and goals for the development of American society. The publication that transcribes this address is The American Yawp Reader. This work was created in 1920 – a time when the whole world and the United States, in particular, were recovering from the consequences of the First World War. This time is characterized in world history as an era of economic and cultural development. The primary addressees of this speech are voters and, in particular, representatives of the Home Market Club of Boston, who at that time played a significant influence in the US domestic market. Many phrases related to the unique path of America’s development and the need to become independent from world military domination are fundamental in this appeal (Warren, 1970). It is worth noting that speech is replete with motivational and emotional statements despite the clear message of the main idea. The main motive for creating this appeal was to focus the attention of listeners and readers on the need for a strategic approach in the development of the American economy and politics. The Allied forces’ victory in the First World War gave them economic dominance, especially given the size of the colonies that France or England had. The territories and advantages that these countries possessed allowed them to dictate their terms in world politics. At that time, the United States was still a relatively young state, which was just being formed. Therefore, independence and the lack of a protectorate were critical for America. The research questions raised in this paper primarily relate to forming zones of influence in the early twentieth century. Considering the two world wars in the first half of the last century, many states sought to possess more impact in the world. Reference Warren G. Harding, “National Ideals and Policies,” The Protectionist (1920) , 71-81. Web.
Introduction Liberal education has been extensively critiqued in academic literature. While the issue is approached differently, one common theme is a deterioration of moral and ethical principles and lack of objective foundation resulting from the openness as the main direction taken by the primary education. The following paper compares two viewpoints on the matter and aligns them with a view of the good life. Similar Themes in Readings Problem: Shortcomings of Liberal Education The main issue brought up in both books is the adverse effects of relativism as a dominant direction in modern education. According to Nussbaum, the problem emerges due to the inability of the students to settle upon certain values and beliefs. Simply put, the constant need to question their preconceived notions and ideas gradually builds up the confusion that discourages students from critically assessing new ideas. Instead, they eventually start viewing the process as a forceful indoctrination with multicultural values, which creates an alienating effect. Bloom reaches points to a similar problem by suggesting that relativism, which is a necessary element of openness-oriented education, eliminate the possibility of attaining a point of view, which serves as an important social and cultural anchor. As a result, the priorities of citizens shift away from the need to seek for truth through improvement, and truth is starting to be perceived as irrelevant. Goal: Creation of World Citizen It should be noted that after sharing a common starting point, Bloom and Nussbaum outline different goals. From Bloom’s perspective, the main goal is the recognition of the significance of historical tradition which, according to him, is currently viewed as flawed and regressive by default. By extension, this would allow to deemphasize the pursuit of commercial objectives and reestablish the quest for truth, honor, and love as primary values. Nussbaum, while also appealing to the importance of tradition as a starting point, suggests another set of goals. Specifically, she argues that the goal of education is the creation of a world citizen – an individual who is resistant to dogmatic knowledge and political musings. Means: Critical Thinking Both authors also suggest critical inquiry as means for achieving the identified goal. Bloom defines this process as a pursuit of good through reason and argues that openness is suitable for the cause once it permits the awareness of ignorance and, by extension, promotes the desire of obtaining new knowledge. Nussbaum approaches the issue in a similar manner by appealing to the concept of life examination. In addition, she provides a list of disciplines that are supposed to promote compassion and emotion and, as a result, cultivate humanity. Alignment of Good Life with Readings The concept of good life offered in a handout is intended to introduce a distinction between a life lived in accordance with certain moral values and virtues (i.e. moral life) and the one that is enjoyable both for the individuals and their peers. As can be clearly seen from the previous section, both authors argue in favor of promoting the moral life by app
Introduction At all times, people were trying to explore nature and master their laws. Curiosity is one of the major human features, and it pushes people to discover new things and seek for new inventions. However, rarely if ever scientists were interested in the consequences that their discoveries might lead to. Thus, the ethical concern about relations between nature and science was the core idea of many literary works at all times. A novel Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley is a romantic work that reflects the consequences of “blind science” and human ambition, and Blade Runner (1992) by Ridley Scott depicts the industrialized society and world of the future which, in fact, deals with the same problems as Frankenstein. In this essay, we are going to discuss the relationship between science and nature as an important universal concern through the comparative study of Frankenstein and Blade Runner. Blade Runner & Frankenstein: Comparative Analysis First of all, let us discuss the problems and the main idea of the Frankenstein. This work was written during the epoch of Romanticism, and thus, it explores the concerns typical for that period. The authors focused their attention on the emotional state of people and relations with nature and ethical problems of scientific discoveries. These problems are explored in Frankenstein. The author deals with the question of creating. Victor Frankenstein was intended to create a human being: “So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein—more, far more, will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation” (Shelley 86) Practically, he achieved his aim and made a human, but only physically. The soul of this creature was far from being a human soul. The creature was the part of the world, but it did not belong to it. The solitude and despair pushed this creature to do terrible things. Victor Frankenstein says about his creation: “I pursued nature to her hiding-places” (Shelley 52). However, did he succeed in this? Certainly, he did not. Thus, the author emphasizes that creation is only God’s responsibility, and science should not interfere in natural law as it will never surpass it. However, the work by Mary Shelly was not a final point in the discussion of the relationship between science and nature. As Nadine Wolf comments in her book: “When Mary Shelley wrote this novel, she probably didn’t expect that her vision of a manmade monster actually could become possible in the
Introduction Today, more than ever before, academics and practitioners are coming to terms with the increasingly complex nature of marketing and advertising brought about by media fragmentation and varied viewing and purchasing habits across consumer groups (Soberman, 2005). Indeed, according to this author, media fragmentation has made it extremely hard to cost-effectively inform a mass audience about one’s products and services, not mentioning that consumers now have increasingly varied habits with regard to media. This view is reinforced by Hackley & Kitchen (1999), who note that advertising and other forms of promotional activity have flourished to such a level that they may be viewed as constituting a form of social pollution, particularly in the developed world. According to these authors, not only are marketing initiatives and advertising campaigns delivered in unparalleled quantities, but their tone is becoming increasingly complex to classify in the Postmodern Marketing era. The fundamental question that arises is how firms can manage their marketing and advertising to guarantee that these activities are not lost in the ocean of messages and noise that confronts the contemporary consumer. This question demands a careful analysis of the tenets of successful advertising, alongside a critical evaluation of the paradigm shifts that have been witnessed in this critical area as organizations align themselves to become more competitive. It is against this background that the present paper aims to critically evaluate the claim that ‘a good idea and a good creative department are all that are needed for a successful advertising campaign.’ The Old and the New: Toward a Paradigm Shift in Advertising Effectiveness Earlier advertising studies focused on the central role played by the advertising message and the importance of the executional strategy adopted by marketers and practitioners. To achieve advertising effectiveness, therefore, earlier framers of advertising theory suggested that there is a particular order in which the targeted audience responds to advertisements (Aitken et al., 2008). The argument projected by these theorists opinionated that advertisements must be developed to achieve particular responses from the intended audience according to the nature of the communications and marketing objectives preferred by the advertisers. It was assumed that for advertisements to achieve success in influencing consumer behaviour, they must have the capacity to lead the intended audience through a sequence of reception stages described as cognitive, affective and conative, and which were perceived as “…essentially, and in some cases, entirely, hierarchical in nature” (Aitken et al., 2008 p. 280). This view has also been well documented by Shankar (1999). As noted by Aitken et al. (2008), this line of thinking brought forth the information-processing model, which puts much focus on the advertisement message, the executional strategy and the signifi
Introduction Human services are a large, fast-growing sector with great potential in the world of work. Modern trends and changes in the world require more competent specialists to work with people and develop the structure of society to improve the quality of life. This area is quite complex and includes many positions depending on the services provided and the severity of working cases. This work certainly brings benefits and fulfillment to the social worker himself but he must be prepared for the possibility of challenging conditions and increased stress. The Direction of Work of Human Resources Human services are focused on working with people at the community, social, and educational levels. The main task of this sector is to help certain categories of people and purposefully work to improve the mechanisms of society following all ethical and cultural norms. Human life and, particularly the importance of mental health, has acquired value over the centuries. Now the physical and psychological wellbeing of people is the most significant goal of any morally developed society (Homer, 2017). Human services workers mainly work with the most vulnerable categories of people. These can be elderly people, people with drug or alcohol addiction, dysfunctional families, homeless people, and so on. A distinctive place is given to people who have survived violence and abuse and need serious help and shelter (Mosley & Smith, 2018). Considering all areas of human services, people in this sector should have not only a sincere altruism, but the basics of psychology, economics, law, and other disciplines. Relevance of Work and Employment Opportunities The demand for social workers and the number of related positions continues to grow steadily. The annual wage of an employee in this area is about $54,000, which makes it quite competitive in the labor market (Homer, 2017). The acute shortage of workers is explained by too influential and rapid changes in the social structure combining with a lack of specialists. Recently, this work ha
In Chapter 2 of his book Eight Theories of Ethics , Graham explores the concept of egoism as an idea of desiring the best of life for oneself. The idea has been traced back to ancient philosophy and history which spurred the differentiation between the values that are subjective by nature and the attribution of value to the desire of an individual. Thus, egoism is concerned with the claims that something becomes valuable for a person if he or she truly desires it. For example, when faced with the dilemma of advancing one’s career through dishonesty or remaining honest without advancing, the question why honesty should be the preferred solution appears. Thus, the conflict in a dilemma is not between the objective and subjective interpretations of what is honest. Instead, it is the conflict between obligations to others, altruism, and self-interest, egoism. The author makes a point to distinguish between egoism and selfishness, which is not always easy to grasp. Selfishness is the tendency to look for personal comfort and satisfaction before anybody else’s (Graham,
Human beings have experienced uncountable instances of leadership for as long as they have existed. Various leaders have gone down on record both from the ancient world (BC) to the past twenty centuries (AD). Leadership is a highly valued commodity which is always sought-after both during times of prosperity but most importantly during times of crises (Northouse, 2009). Leaders are needed in virtually all human engagements like politics, religion, work, and other social encounters since it affects people’s social, personal, as well as professional well being. Leadership can be defined as the process of providing direction, implementing a program of action, and motivating people to achieve desired goals (Chang, 2005). This implies that corporations, organizations, businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and religious groupings are constantly searching for proper leadership that will ensure the achievement of various objectives. According to Northouse, there have been varied attempts to provide a universal understanding of the concept of leadership and the various styles (2009). The essay seeks to discuss the four major styles of leadership; autocratic, bureaucratic, Laissez-faire, and democratic. Their respective description will help highlight their different disadvantages and advantages. It will then conclude that different situations call for different styles of leadership and their application depends on the leader’s judgment. Autocratic style of leadership is considered one of the most classical of all. It is also known as authoritarian leadership since the leader gives orders to the led. The leader in this case is responsible for decisions that need to be made and no one else is expected object. It is characterized by dictatorship tendencies since the leader wields all the powers (Northouse, 2009). This style has been found to be appropriate in situations when; the leader has all the knowledge necessary to accomplish a task, there is limited time left, trainings are conducted, the leader feels threatened by the followers, other styles have failed and also when the ones being led are highly motivated in the task at hand. In an organization, for instance, autocratic managers will not allow the employees to air their opinions or ask any questions but to take orders. Some leaders of some states still use this style of leadership, for instance in Zimbabwe and North Korea (Chang, 2005). Such leaders succeed by creating motivational environments where there are rewards for the obedient as well as punishments for those who fail to obey (Cruz, 2010). Organizations which embrace this style, according to recent research, have recorded a higher employee turnover coupled with frequent absenteeism. The second style of leadership is the democratic, which is also commonly known as participative style of leadership. The followers are fully engaged in the decision-making process and are aware of the latest developments that affect