ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Technological innovations have altered the business landscapes. Today, for instance, many interactive technologies that rely on Internet platforms have introduced disruptive traditional practices and forced many retailers and wholesalers to review their business practices. Innovative, interactive technologies have provided platforms for new robust business models such as Netflix, Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba, among others. The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is not new, and many large organizations have successfully used it in the past. In the recent years, however, retailers and wholesalers have discovered the benefits of RFID technology as means of enhancing business processes in highly competitive business environments. Retailers and wholesalers have noted the RFID technology would assist them to improve business efficiency and create competitive advantage. In this paper, the impact of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology on retailing and wholesaling is explored. As retailers and wholesalers create strong markets for RFID, they have recognized some specific importance of the technology that drives it adoption. Specifically, retailers and wholesalers strive for processes optimization and effective tracking of goods. These businesses aim to attain enhanced speed and visibility with RFID technology. Consequently, they will achieve more significant operational advantages, efficiency and effectiveness along the supply chain. Wholesalers use the RFDI technology to ensure that products can be delivered to warehouses and distributors at the right time to improve purchase. When retailers and wholesalers achieve improved visibility through the RFID technology, they reduce inventory levels, cut labor costs and increase sales. For many retailers and wholesalers, the cost reduction advantage achieved from adopting the technology is the most appealing. In this regard, retailers and wholesalers expect to reduce costs through effective management of inventory and expenses. Specifically, cost-reduction through RFID technology targets waste reduction, manageable inventory levels, elimination of manual processes, reduction in costs of product handling and logistic costs, reduce cases of claims and enhance asset usages. Retailers and wholesalers also focus on increased revenues through the deployment of RFID technology. In most cases, retailers and wholesalers are deploying the RFID technology to drive sales. Consequently, they can offer innovative solutions, which meet specific needs of customers. The RFID technology helps retailers and wholesalers to reduce out-of-stocks
World War I was an all-out war that mobilized not only the manpower at home but also that abroad. Military leaders from various countries played a crucial role during this war. Military leadership is the process of influencing others to accomplish the mission by providing purpose, direction, and motivation and the basic responsibilities of a leader are the accomplishments of the mission and the welfare of the soldiers. An understanding of the leadership characteristics of some of the military leaders of World War I and the reasons that they facilitated successful battlefield leadership can provide an intellectual foundation for anyone in the Army. When the United States entered the First World War, in April 1917, the American Army suffered from inadequate manpower and inadequate supplies due to its incursion into Mexico the previous year. It was during this period, that the Allies expected the United States to provide an unlimited supply of manpower. Wilson selected General John J. Pershing to head the American Expeditionary Force. Pershing was a great leader. He worked with minimal resources. Pershing was to cooperate with Allied forces under the following proviso – “that the forces of the United States are a separate and distinct component of the combined forces the identity of which must be preserved.” This remained a controversial issue all through the war. The fact he maintained that identity is said to be the key factor behind America’s rise as a superpower. Only because Pershing maintained that identity, America could wield a lot of power in the peace conference (ANC, 2008). American troops saw their first action in May 1918 in fighting alone the Marne River. In September, June 1918 Pershing ordered an all-out attack in the Saint-Mihiel area of Eastern France (EyeWitness.com, 2000). Casualties were high but the attack forced the entire German army on the run. On September 12, at 05:00 after a long artillery bombardment using 3,000 canons, seven American divisions under Generals Dickmann, Ligget and Cameron, charged the Saint-Mihielbulge assisted by the French 2nd colonial corps. At the end of the combat, 16,000 Germans were taken prisoner, and more than 300 canons were confiscated. Foch congratulated Pershing, “The American Ist Army, under your command, has managed a magnificent victory with a plan of action that was as carefully conceived as it was magnificently executed.” This describes adequately the leadership qualities of Pershing. At the time of his appointment, there was no expeditionary force available as such; the regular army comprised 25,000 men at most and no effective reserves. Pershing had to recruit an organized army of 500,000 men. He showed great confidence and innovation i
Capitalism refers to an economic system in which wealth is owned by a few individuals or corporations that influence its production and distribution. Proponents of capitalism claim that it is a necessity in the attainment of political and economic freedom. However, several criticisms lodged against capitalism have labeled it unethical. These criticisms have elicited mixed reactions from opponents and proponents of capitalism. Two of the most serious ethical objections to capitalism are its contribution to inequality and poverty, and its contribution to the creation of oligopolies that channel power to a few individuals or corporations. These objections are theoretical and operational limitations that are associated with capitalism. Capitalism does not fulfill the promises it stipulates in its principles of fair competition and equal opportunity. According to the capitalism system, few individuals own the largest portion of wealth, thus leaving the majority in poverty. There is a wide income gap between the rich and the poor. The poor constitute the larger portion of the population. Capitalism contributes to poverty by creating inequality in the availability of opportunities because it divides the population into two socio-economic classes. People in the lower socio-economic class have limited access to opportunities that could emancipate them from poverty. Capitalism advocates for fairness. However, the social stratification that results from the practical implications of the system makes it unethical. First, proponents of capitalism claim that the system is fair and presents equal opportunities to everyone. However, government’s interference is to blame for the inequality and poverty. The proponents claim that the market has its own mechanisms that eliminate poverty and unemployment were it not for the government’s interference. Secondly, they claim that since the standards of living are improving by the day, the capitalist system has benefits that override its disadvantages. These arguments are not convincing because it is apparent that gov
Introduction In the modern business environment, it is important to offer potential customers a variety of choices of a particular product. Such tendency especially concerns the market of the cosmetics and various products for skin care and beauty industry. While the market of regular mass market cosmetic products is relatively wide, the newly emerging trends also include a vast number of organic products for skin care and beauty. However, it is also important to note that in Abu Dhabi in general, and in Khalefa City A, in particular, there are not many shops representing this trend. The main objective of The Secret Garden is to re-introduce the organic skin care products and cosmetics to the city. In many ways, the customers would prefer to be able to go to the store and buy organic products there rather than order them online because it is a specific sector of the market, and the consultants of the store will be able to give advice to each customer individually. In terms of budgeting, the overall budgeting and financial planning, including rent costs, products stock for three months, payrolls for the personnel, and various additional costs, including but not limited to taxation, marketing, advertising, and customer service would require Dh 1, 187, 000 for 12 months. The marketing campaign for the store will be aimed at underlying the organic nature of the products. It is important for the shop to emphasize the role of natural beauty, as well as how organic components can help customers to take care of their health and beauty. With consideration for all the planning and marketing aspects, the timeline from the planning stage to the launch of the shop will be 3 months. Application of the ideas and facilities In order for a new company, such as The Secret Garden to get a trading license, the executive director of the company needs to contact the Department of Economic Development and register the company. After passing the formal procedures, the trade license will acquire its unique number. It is also important to note that the license needs to be renewed before its expiration date. The next step for the company is to find a property to rent. Overall, Khalefa City A was the first choice because it will get the company more access to potential customers. At present, it is a popular area, and it is hard to find a place to rent, but “costing between Dh120,000 and Dh140,000 a year came in second, accounting for another 10.3 percent of searches” (Barnard par. 10). That is why the place for renting that can be found with the help of online and actual estate agencies should cost around Dh120, 000 a year, there are many options of such properties at the real estate agencies’ websites (“Properties For Rent In Khalifa City” par. 4). In such a way, there will
Common name Kudzu. Scientific name Pueraria Montana. Conservation Status Invasive (Invasive Plants 97). Appearance Kudzu is a climber with large, compound deciduous leaves. Leaves consist of three wide leaflets, each of which is divided into two or three lobes. Natural History and Ecology Kudzu was introduced from Asia in 1876 for fodder and prevention of soil erosion. Kudzu proliferates mainly through rhizomes, runners, and developing vine nodes, expanding as much as a foot per day. Ecosystem-level Relationships Due to its rapid growth, Kudzu stifles slower developing plants and bands tree trunks, thereby restricting their growth. It destroys shrubs and trees by breaking or toppling entire plants through the might of its weight. Impacts of Changing Florida Landscape Climatically, Florida is ideally suited to Kudzu’s requirements It flourishes in warm climatic zones, where summer temperatures exceed 80°F, winters are temperate, and rainfall is fairly high. It favors areas with ample sunlight and thrives in almost any type of soil. Management Kudzu’s extensive root system has to be demolished to ensure permanent eradication. Vines are cut at ground level and reoccurring sprouts are cut monthly. Systemic herbicides are applied to infiltrate the root system. Soil-active herbicides also produce satisfactory results. Common name Gopher frog. Scientific name Rana capito (Doubledee 2003) Conservation Status Threatened (Florida and Alabama) Appearance Rana capito capito (Florida gopher frogs) is between 2.5 and 3.5 inches long. Their colors vary from gray to brown, with darker markings and they always have warts. Males may be identified by yellow markings on their back ridges, maxilla, axilla, and groin. Females have extended snout-vents. Natural History and Ecology Gopher frogs breed ponds with vegetation but no fish. Tadpoles hatch between May and July, and mature in about 210 days. They are mainly active at night when they consume insects and other frogs. Ecosystem-level Relationships The gopher frog lives commensally with the gopher tortoise. Threats to the gopher tortoise’s habitat have a serious impact on the gopher frog population. Impacts of Changing Florida Landscape Fire control has allowed invasive hardwood plants to encroach on the gopher tortoise’s favored wiregrass and softwood plants, driving the tortoises away and endangering gopher frogs. Increased human activity also reduces gopher frog territory. They are also threatened by the introduction of fish. (Miller) Management Preservation of habitat of both the gopher frog and gopher tortoise, and controlled burning to simulate natural fires, will have
Abstract An economic stabilizer is an economic policy that automatically rises and falls to counter immediate trend without necessarily involving the government. It uses a multiplier to keep the national income at high levels even when the government incurs a deficit during an economic recession. It helps in keeping the economy stable because it keeps the import at low levels during recession hence ensures that the national income is spent domestically and not in foreign markets. Any practices or institution in a domestic economy that helps in the reduction of fluctuations in the economy by manipulating the money in circulation and available for spending otherwise known as disposable income is an automatic stabilizer (Souleles, 1999). The existence of an automatic stabilizer lessens the multiplier and hence it aides in decreasing fluctuations in the real national income, when changes in usage of the national income occurs. An automatic stabilizer helps in resettling induced taxes, transfer payments and imports and exports. In induced taxes it generally sets the taxes at a lower rate in a recession because many taxpayers have low income levels. In transfer payments the government will have to reconsider its payment of transfer payments in booms and recession because various factors change in booms and recessions. Also in imports the government decreases the import of goods in recessions and increases them in booms (Sargent, 1979). Induced taxes During recessions the tax revenue decreases proportionately to the national income. This is because as an individual’s income rises, so does the average tax paid to the government. If the income decreases eventually the average tax will decreases. Also the corporate taxes paid to the government will also decrease because with low national income so is the low profits the corporate gain. So in general if the national income is high so is the tax the government will receive. Transfer payments It is the government responsibility to pay welfare and unemployment benefits to its citizens. The number of unemployed and those in need of welfare benefits increase during a recession. This ultimately means that the government pays out more in recessions than in economic booms. Imports In economic booms, people and the corporations marginal propensity to import increases, likewise in economic recessions the marginal propensity to import decreases. While importing, the level of money in the domestic economy generally goes low. However, recessions and booms are also influenced by world wide currency fluctuations and these change the importing and exporting behavior of the domestic economy in general (Sargent, 1979). Failure of automatic stabilizers Many economists argue that though the automatic stabilizers exist, they only function in the short term and cannot be relied upon in long term economic situations. They are not also immune to changes in policies, markets and the peoples’ expectations. Their main weakness is that they do not consider other micro-foundations in economics and they also ignore rational expectations in an economy. It can no
Introduction Learning is a gradual process and its essence in the education profession is becoming incessant. The education profession nowadays considers professional development as a growth factor in the teaching profession (LaRocco, 2007). Such trends in education demands have motivated the American schools to come up with a reform model known as the Professional Learning Community (PLC). Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are educational reform systems that work towards fostering a collaborative learning practice that comes with specific goals and objectives (LaRocco, 2007). The four main goals or purposes of the PLCs in the American schools include ensuring that there exists an efficient student education, professional teacher development, a culture of collaboration, and a focus towards educational results. Although the four goals are eminent within the schools, little remains clear about their ultimate success in the individual schools (LaRocco, 2007). This section of the PLC topic focuses on discussing an interview carried out with a school principal to review the progress of a PLC model in the school. Literature Review The increasing demand for better education has forced teachers to face increased accountability in ensuring that they achieve an efficient learning that is result-oriented (Rick, 2013). While venturing into ensuring an efficient learning, the PLC educational reform program invested in three big ideas, focusing on learning, building a collaborative culture, and focusing on academic results (Harris & Jones, 2010). The PLC also focused on four major questions that a committed school with a PLC program must consider. According to the prevailing literature, the PLCs in schools must focus on answering the four major questions of the PLC educational reform program (LaRocco, 2007). “What do we want students to learn, how will we know if they have learnt, what do we do if they do not learn it, and what do we do if they do learn it?” (Rentfro, 2007, p. 1), are the PLCs four major questions that schools must answer in their lesson planning, instructional programs, assessment techniques, and teaching processes. In the recent days, the questions that are prevailing in many analysts are whether the schools have the required commitment to achieve the ultimate goals of the PLCs and whether they use relevant instructional plans, student assessments, lesson plans, and proper teaching practices (Rick, 2013). For a school to have a competent PLC reform program, it must have the six characteristics that match the demands of the PLC educational reform platform. According to Harris and Jones (2010), the six essential components or characteristics of an efficient PLC model include the presence of a shared vision, a mission, values, and goals, the presence of collaborative teams that focus on learning, the presence of a colle
It is common knowledge even among laypersons that marketing is an important factor in the success of any business. But not many realize it full importance that it has to a business. According to the American Marketing Association, marketing is defined as “the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.” (Definition of marketing: Marketing, 2008). This definition stresses that marketing is an activity that should be beneficial for a whole range of people and not just the customer and the seller. The importance of marketing can be summed up in the words of the world famous economist Peter Drucker. He has said that “Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two–and only two–basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs.” (Trout, 2006). It is important for The Great Indoors to take these ideas seriously. Marketing is all the more important in today’s world because of the rising levels of competition that has come about as a result of globalization and free trade. Now cheap goods from many Asian and African countries are available in the country. This is compounded by the fact that the internet is being used more and more as a method of purchase by customers. As the definition of marketing says, the important factors that are needed to make marketing successful is communication and delivery of the product or service that is to the satisfaction of all the people concerned. Communication can be through advertising, promotion, direct approach or marketing etc. The next important factor is satisfaction especially for the customer. This is essential for creation and retention of customers. But the article mentioned above asks a question that why should a customer choose a particular company or brand when there are many alternatives to choose from. The author says that the most important thing is differentiation. The product has to be different or innovative to be noticed by the customer in the first place. The plan laid out by The Great Indoors as mentioned in the previous section follows such a strategy of innovative marketing. The products sold by the company are manufactured by well-known brands and hence customer satisfaction will not be a problem. The innovative (differentiating) approach where customers can come and actually cook on six different ranges will be very attractive to them. They can actually feel out the product before they make a decision. The availability of free advice, tips and demonstrations from expert chefs is also an added attraction. Differentiation is
The shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and following local and nationwide protests can be discussed as a kind of the social disaster that is associated with the problem of racism in the American society. It is important to discuss the turmoil in Ferguson from many perspectives in order to explain what questions arise with references to the shooting and a series of nationwide protests. The reaction of the public to the event in Ferguson supports the idea that there is an unresolved problem and a menace of the social division in the American society because of the expressed violence and protests. Furthermore, the problem is too complex to be discussed from only one perspective of policemen’s brutality, racism in the streets, or the turmoil. The events in Ferguson caused the wave of the social protests and demonstrations, provoked public’s fears, and affected active discussions of the issue in the society; as a result, these events can be referred to as a social disaster that was widely responded to in the country. Hoffman and Oliver-Smith note that an idea of a disaster is associated with the “pattern of ‘vulnerability’” that can be evidenced in “the location, infrastructure, sociopolitical organization, production and distribution systems, and ideology of a society” (Hoffman and Oliver-Smith 3). Furthermore, a pattern of vulnerability is a core to determine a disaster, and it conditions “the behavior of individuals and organizations throughout the full unfolding of a disaster far more profoundly than will the physical force of the destructive agent” (Hoffman and Oliver-Smith 3). While discussing the events in Ferguson as a social disaster, it is possible to state that it has demonstrated the ‘vulnerability’ of the African Americans and accentuated the question of human rights. The Whitehouse reacted to the turmoil in Ferguson with a set of policies, and Eric Holder accentuated the role of trust while stating that “Events in Ferguson have revealed a deep distrust between a community and its police force” (Holder par. 3). The factor of trust is important while discussing the nature of a crisis and reactions to it (Bennett 4). In this case, the factor of trust is as important as fright factors that attract the public’s attention. The shooting in Ferguson can be discussed according to Bennett as associated with the death, as the situation when the victim is identifiable, and as the man-made risk (Bennett 6). From this point, the reaction of the public realized in protests seems to be reasonable because the risk of violating the African Americans’ rights became closely connected with the issue of policemen’s brutality. In order to understa