ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Social inequalities seem to typify the American society. The federal government is desperately attempting to raise the debt ceiling to cover up for high debt due to insufficient revenues. That notwithstanding, it is now apparent that myriads of billionaires and millionaires rarely pay their income taxes. This is despite making huge incomes from their investments. Conversely, tax evasion amongst the middle and lower class is an offense that invites horrendous punitive measures (Kourvetaris, 1997). How do the rich avoid paying income tax to the government? Have people banded together to counter this source of social inequality? Tax Avoidance by Billionaires There are various ways that the rich are able to avoid taxation. In 2009, the IRS revealed that almost 1,500 billionaires and millionaires in the country did not pay a single dollar as income tax (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009). First, the billionaires seem to be very philanthropic by contributing to charities and donating to ‘worthy causes’. However, the tax regime dictates that such amounts that go directly to charity and other philanthropic activities are not subject to tax. Hence, many billionaires use this loophole to evade some significant percentage of their income from inviting taxation. Philanthropy has now become a way of improving the billionaires’ public image. Since they are the faces of their establishments and companies, they begin to make more sales and subsequent more profit in the name of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). On the other hand, the middle class seldom make enough income to direct huge amounts to charitable events and organizations. The little they donate contributes a meager percentage of their income implying that the larger portion of their income is subject to taxation. According to Wilkinson & Pickett (2009), a middle class and lower classes are subject to an estimate of 35% in tax rate while the wealthy individuals only pay amount less than 17%. Besides, the middle and lower classes are not endowed with incredibly huge business ventures and companies that can invite higher returns because of improved public image (Chowning, 2001). This depicts the class disparities that fuel social inequalities within the American society. The billionaires also evade income taxation by investing in foreign countries. In fact, they are well advised to which country they ought to locate their business. Mainly, they consider countries that charge least amount of income tax on their companies (Shapiro, 2004). According to economists and tax experts, a company operating in foreign land pays the income tax to the host country and is not subject to paying tax in the United States (Bhim & Salvatore, 2009). The rationale is that a single company cannot pay twice in terms of income tax. They claim
Introduction Corporate Social Performance can be an important aspect of the business. When used effectively it can attract employees of higher quality to the company. An article by Greening and Turban explores how it could be a competitive advantage for a company. This paper will provide a review of the article and the way I plan to use its information in my future HR position. The Aim of the Article The authors of the article aim to describe a new way of gaining a competitive advantage through the attraction of a high-quality workforce. Based on the identity and signaling theories they propose that companies can use their corporate social performance activities to attract these workers who could overlook the company otherwise. The social responsibility of the company can instill a more positive attitude for the company from its employees, especially those who have a higher self-image (Greening & Turban, 2000). Quality Workforce and the Achievement of a Competitive Advantage Various reasons for the quality workforce being a significant competitive edge are presented by the authors. The first is due to the simple fact that other sources of competitive advantage have grown less effective over the years. These aspects included technology, patents, learning curves, and other aspects that do not concern the workforce itself. According to the article, a modern competitive advantage comes from the firm’s focus on the creation, managing, and transfer of knowledge throughout the company and between quality employees. Quality is defined as a combination of intelligence, motivation, experience, vision, creativity, commitment, analytic abilities, and computer training (Greening & Turban, 2000). The article touches upon the resource-based theory of the firm. It states that every organization consists of various unique resources and capabilities. They are then used to create the strategy of the organization and are the main way of achieving profit. New resources are acquired and developed over time and often cannot be replicated in other firms and therefore become the basis for a competitive advantage. Human resources are especially important because talented employees are vulnerable, rare, and cannot be easily substituted (Greening & Turban, 2000). By effectively managing them, the organization should be able to develop a powerful competitive advantage. Corporate Social Performance and Attraction of High-Quality Applicants Various researchers have previously proposed that Corporate Social Performance of the
Introduction Social marketing involves the application of marketing skills and technology in influencing human behaviours with a view of overcoming certain issues in society. Moreover, social marketing is a powerful tool in influencing human behaviours because it involves the use of downstream and upstream strategies, as well as applying theories of behaviour change to address some of the social issues. Speeding is a social issue in New South Wales because it causes about 40% of road deaths, results into more than 200 deaths, and is responsible for over 4000 injuries per year (Blender, 2009). In this view, this report analyses RTA campaign and examines application of two behavioural change models. Background Information, Target Audience & Behaviour Change Following rampant cases of road accidents, the Road Transport Authority (RTA) of New South Wales, Australia, launched an anti-speeding campaign with a video entitled “Speeding: No One Think Big of You” (NOTBOY). The RTA speeding campaign was remarkably successful because it enabled RTA to reduce the occurrence of accidents on the roads of New South Wales. According to Bender (2009, p.158), RTA campaign was “one of the cleverest ad campaigns” and “very successful” because it ridiculed racing drivers, thus discouraging speeding behaviour among drivers. Prior to the RTA speeding campaign, the RTA employed campaign approach that instils shock and fear on the drivers, but it never worked well. The RTA campaign targeted the entire community to influence changes in behaviour amongst youths who regard speeding as a fun activity, way showing off, and a trendy affair. The RTA campaign was successful because it had its basis on previous anti-speeding campaigns, but extended to use social approach, which empowered the community to create a culture that does not accept speeding. By use of social approach, the RTA campaign made extensive awareness amongst the youths and community leading to decreased cases of accidents. The audience targeted by the RTA campaign included divers, particularly young male drivers between the ages of 17 to 25 who like speeding on the roads of New South Wales. Road accidents in New South Wales have been increasing exponentially due to the behaviours of young male drivers who like speeding. Statistics show that about 40% of road deaths occur due speeding in New South Wales (Dorn 2010). The dominant group of drivers involved in the accidents is the group of young male drivers. The young male drivers speed because they perceive speeding as a means of displaying their prowess in driving (Hartig 2000). In this view, the RTA campaign targeted the young male drivers through upstream and midstream social marketing strategies. The upstream social marketing focused on the use of media and community as influencers of behaviour change while midstream social marketing involved the use of family and friends in discouraging speeding. Therefore, the youths between the ages of 17 to 25 years were the target audience given that they were ready for action because they form about 17% of the speeding drivers, who experience accidents in New South
Kyoung-hwa, Yonnie. “The landscape of keitai shôsetsu: Mobile phones as a literary medium among Japanese youth, Continuum.” Journal of Media & Cultural Studies , 26.3 (2012): 475-485. The author notes that the use of mobile phones in sending message is in the increase in the current Japanese society. Apart from the use of mobile phones and the media in relaying information, some other channels are used including literary communication and oral conversation. The author underscores the fact that the use of mobile phones in transmitting messages in the Japanese society is in the increase. In order to understand the persistent use of phones as a literary medium in Japan, the author compared the new trend with the influence of the popular novel in society. He uses the term keitai shoˆsetsu, which means mobile novel. The trend is gaining much popularity among young Japanese women (Kyoung-hwa 477). The author understands the behavior of women regarding the use of mobile novels from a cultural perspective meaning that it is a culture of Japanese women to associate themselves with the mobile novels. The author describes the views of various readers and writers regarding the culture of Japanese women, which is related to mobile novel. The author utilizes some ethnographic reports and other materials to understand mobile novel phenomenon in detail. For instance, a social discourse is one of the additional factors that the author uses in comprehending the behavior of young Japanese women regarding mobile novel trend. Some factors, such as the factors related to the industry, are some of the features that influence the behavior of Japanese women in relation to mobile novel phenomenon. The mobile media influences the behavior of individuals in society in a number of ways. For instance, it influences the lifestyles of individuals and their socialization processes. In the long-run, an individual adopts a different culture, which grows with time into something complex. The culture is adopted by a number of individuals in society to an extent of becoming a normal way of life. In other words, the author suggests that the mobile technology has been able to translate and modify the culture of Japanese youngsters. The author is able to supp
Leadership is a complex phenomenon that can be considered from different points of view. Great professionals do not define themselves as ones because they seek to be flexible and adapt to a particular environment. This essay addresses the definition of leadership as well as the personal and professional qualities of a successful leader. It also dwells on the role of versatility and leadership ethics. An outstanding manager is trying to learn more and motivate others to reach the goals set. Leadership does not require a strict well-cut definition, as it is not a universal theory. Scholars and business practitioners have been attempting to define it for around a century (Northouse, p. 2). The definition evolved from centralized power at the beginning of the 20th century to the accomplishment of organizational goals in the 1970s (Northouse, p. 3). In today’s management practice, there are numerous approaches, including authentic and spiritual leadership. However, it is vital to underline that it is a continuous process of cooperation between a head manager and subordinates. The common goal unites individuals involved in the collaboration. Furthermore, there are many factors, such as political agenda or cultural peculiarities, that shape people’s understanding of this concept. Every aspiring and hard-working person has a chance to acquire and develop leadership skills and qualities. There are personal and professional characteristics that help build up the personality of a leader. First of all, it is necessary to work on communication skills to establish and maintain all types of relations. An ability to listen and provide relevant feedback is an integral part of communication (Fries). Leaders tend to be courageous and are not afraid to risk. They make decisions and hold responsibility for both positive and negative outcomes. From a professional perspective, they are respectful and empathetic toward co-workers and employees at all levels of the organization. Moreover, outstanding managers can grow a team of competent and confident individuals (Gleeson). Therefore, leaders put the highest value on the people they guide and empower. There is a growing demand for professional managers who can determine priorities in a competitive environment. Versatile leaders can anticipate changes and respond accordingly (Keiser). They strive to enhance their professional skills to break the boundaries of a comfort zone. Many managers prefer to rely on the strengths they have already developed and avoid more effective but unknown practices. Challenging working experiences and a broad range of activities allow gaining versatility. Hence, learning and making mistakes are crucial for fostering leadership competencies. Genuine leaders have to be concerned about the ethical side of the decision-making process. Choices and solutions in organizational management should correspond to the ethical code of behavior (Northouse, p. 330). Great managers follow their moral values to become role models for colleagues and partners. They should be prepared to deal with et
It is apparent that the increased application of Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) will eradicate medical errors in hospitals. Moreover, healthcare practitioners who have adequate skills in HIT have an added advantage of functioning effectively in organizations (Burns, Bradley & Weiner, 2011). For example, they are able to communicate effectively, keep accurate records and also assimilate information with ease. Health workers are able to reinforce any given organization in decision-making and offer clinical support services to patients. Needless to say, any organization must provide quality services to patients. As such, HIT allows workers to acquire requisite skills and thus become efficient in the provision of such services with minimal medical errors (Burns, Bradley & Weiner, 2011). Furthermore, this may also be beneficial to health service providers to expand consumers’ knowledge. This implies that workers in an organization need to have information and skills that they use to advise patients on the usage of certain things such as drugs. This is important to the health sector since it assists patients to obtain knowledge on how to meet their health needs (Burns, Bradley & Weiner, 2011). This program is expensive to implement and manage since a significant amount of finances is required to train workers. It has also been found out that training and implementing such programs is time demanding and requires more effort to accomplish (Burns, Bradley & Weiner, 2011). Definitely, there are other challenges that face the program after it has been implemented leading to its failure. For instance, poor leadership is one of the challenges that hinder the implementation of HIT programs. Leaders also have undernourished initiatives as they implement the program. Another obstacle is a lack of clear objectives, determination, and poor communication within the organization (Burns, Bradley & Weiner, 2011). Trainees in organizations lack skills that may enable them to limit the duration and depth of short-term disruptions. Competition within the healthcare industry makes the operation of HITs quite expensive In response one, while it may
Introduction This report provides a detailed strategic analysis of the UK low-cost airline industry. It focuses on Ryanair Company. Moreover, it evaluates Ryanair’s current strategy and position in the industry, and how it is managing its strategy to stay competitive in the industry. To analyze the general UK low-cost airline industry, porter’s five forces analysis and PESTEL analysis models were used to study the market environment. On the other hand, SWOT analysis was used to analyze the internal environment of Ryanair Company. Porters Five Forces Analysis of the UK Low-cost Airline Industry Bargaining power of the suppliers The main suppliers of commercial planes include Boeing and Airbus Companies. However, new suppliers such as comic and others from china have emerged. This provides the UK low-cost airlines with a variety of suppliers from where to buy spare parts and commercial aircrafts (Porter, 1980). This gives Ryanair, easy Jet, Go and Buzz more bargaining power. In addition, high levels of competition among airports increases the airlines’ bargaining power in their business relationships with the airports (Hubbard, Rice & Beamish, 2008). Customer’s Bargaining Power Customers in the UK low-cost airline industry enjoy high bargaining power. This is because most airline companies are aiming at decreasing their flight fare due to stiff competition from aggressive competitors. Customers have relatively high bargaining power because they can switch between airlines without incurring additional costs (Porter, 1980). Customers enjoy support from Civil Aviation Authority making them have a commanding voice in the industry. Threat of Substitute Products Substitute products that compete with the airline industry in general include railway networks, sea transport, coach transport, and car rental firms. Those substitutes are insignificant for UK low-cost airlines because their tickets cost more than the airlines’ flight tickets. Moreover, the UK low-cost airlines’ time and cost advantage outweighs the flexibility and comfort of cars and trains travel. In addition, cars and trains cannot form an alternative means to air travel on international routes due to long distances (Mirko, 2004). Threat of New Entrants Threat of new entrants is low because of the existing potential barriers associated with market entry. The barriers include economies of scale, high capital requirements, and access to distribution channels/airports. Competition for airports makes it difficult for new players to find suitable airports for landing and take-off (Dobruszkes, 2006). Existing Competition Easy Jet, British Airways, Air Berlin, Buzz, and Go, MyTravellite, and Ryanair are the major players in the industry and they rival each other. In fact, easy Jet overtook Ryanair as the leader in the industry in 2002 (Porter, 1980). UK Low-cost Airline Industry PESTEL Analysis
Although women came to America expecting some of the same liberties and freedoms their men fought for, it was a long time before they were able to enjoy the rights and freedoms they enjoy today. Puritans who settled in Colonial America created laws and customs relating to women’s roles that were, in some cases, more stringent than those that existed in England at the time. This traditional, patriarchal society was intent on punishing women who did not conform to the prescribed ‘norms’ of the Puritan culture. Colonial women were prevented from owning property; they could not negotiate their own contracts or even keep any of their own wages. “Before the middle of the nineteenth century, the property rights of American married women followed the dictates of common law, under which everything a woman owned became her husband’s property upon her marriage” (“Married Women’s Property Acts”, n.d.). These restrictions on what a woman could do or own were partly due to the fact that most women were not considered intelligent enough to consider all the consequences involved in managing business or political situations. Women also played the subordinate role in defining the family’s religious beliefs. The observed religious traditions that guided the patriarchal family order allowed wives only a small authoritative role within the family unit. Wives that happily accepted their role and conformed to Puritan societal standards were openly referred to and addressed as ‘goodwife.’ However, the authoritative figure in the family and throughout all facets of Puritan society was clearly the man. The only role that wives served in the male dominated public psyche was caring for children and completing household chores, at all times subordinate to their husbands. Thought of as the physical, intellectual and emotionally weaker gender, they were thus more likely to give in to the temptations of the Devil. Women were the images of Eve, lustful for sexual gratification, power and money. This common view of Puritan men “made women susceptible to charges of witchcraft, particularly those who stood to inherit large estates that would have endowed them with uncommon economic influence” (Karlsen, 1987: 52). The Puritan ideology included an intense belief that the devil endeavored to tempt Christians from following God’s laws. According to Puritanical beliefs, they are responsible to observe and then eliminate the presence of evil in society. Paranoia was the or
Introduction When discussing working in the field of law and order, many people highlight that being a lawyer is not a business but a calling. This distinction is drawn by the fact that in their career, lawyers should not only pursue financial profits and prosperity but also be an agent of ethics. One may say that due to the versatility and complexity of the profession, a lawyer plays a variety of roles such as an expert technician, a counsellor, and an effective leader. Thus, lawyers not only apply existing laws to a particular situation and its factual contents but they also convey the ideas of what is “right” beyond the scope of law. Lastly, as decision-making leaders, lawyers often find themselves in a position of tremendous power and accountability that is, however, limited by their ethical duties. This paper provides a brief historical overview of the history of legal ethics in the United States and sheds light on the scope of a lawyer’s fiduciary duties. History of Legal Ethics in the United States The history of legal ethics in the United States of America can be traced back to 1878 when high-status lawyers founded an exclusive social fraternal organization, American Bar Association (ABA). Around that time, many people were already discussing lawyers’ role in molding public sentiment. Eventually, in 1905, Theodore Roosevelt’s speech at Harvard University gave an impetus for creating Canons of Professional Ethics. President appealed to graduates in the hope that they would set an example by “paying scrupulous heed not only to the letter but to the spirit of the laws” (Roosevelt 2014, p. 315). To Henry St. George Tucker, president of ABA, it was an inquiry to examine the scope of the profession and its moral implications. In 1908, to prevent a further decline of lawyers’ public standing that had been taking place since the Civil War, Canons were created. Alongside with the drafting of Canons, Tucker proposed implementing a comprehensive course in the subject of legal ethics and creating a culture of honor in American universities. Although Canons are no longer in use, the document had a major influence on successive codes a