ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Operations management is an approach to the management practice in which executives of the firm plan, supervise and control all the business processes (Bowman, 2009). The management process is also concerned with redesigning as well as realigning the operations of the firm to attain the specific goals. The process of designing and realigning involves coming up with various strategies including business strategies, operations strategies as well as corporate strategies that are critical in the attainment of the organizational goals (Chase et al., 2007). In essence, strategic operations management encompasses strategies and procedures that the firm undertakes to achieve its goals. The paper examines the way organizations apply strategic operations management processes, in particular, the business and operations strategies. Macy’s Inc is one of the companies that have utilized strategic operations in the management processes. The paper critically examines Macy’s operations and business strategies. In the analysis, the paper will examine the linkages between operations strategy and business strategies in the attainment of the organizational goals through the application of various analytical tools including PESTEL, porter’s five forces, BCG, supply chain and the value chain. In addition, the paper will also examine various technological applications that are critical in the supply and value chain applied in the operations strategies. The link between operations and business strategies Operations strategies and business strategies Operations strategies refer to an organization’s layout detailing the decisions that the business utilizes to achieve the set targets (Cigolini et al., 2004). Operations strategies involve designing, supervising and control of the business processes in order to attain the set goals and objectives. On the other hand, business strategies entail practices that businesses utilizes to achieve the long-term objectives such as growth, allocation of resources and globalization (De Treville et al., 2004). In addition, business strategies encompass the way a business carries out its accomplishments compared to the rivals. In other words, business strategies involve processes that contribute to competitive advantage. The company, mission and vision Macy’s, Inc, a subsidiary of Macy’s company, is one of the leading national retailers dealing in a variety of products including furniture galleries, clothing, jewelry, beauty products, accessories as well as footwear among others. The firm was founded in 1929 and has corporate headquarters in New York and Cincinnati. In addition, the company operates over eight hundred departmental stores as well as furniture arcades in over forty states. The company currently has over 170,000 personnel. Macy’s Inc. vision is to be an Omni-channel retailer that provides iconic trademarks in its stores as well as through
The selective provision of information is one of the primary tactics used by interest groups to advance their interests. As a result, there are a significant number of legislations being effected in the country. The origin of the legislations can be traced back to interest groups. Interest groups have not only been involved in championing for the implementation of several important legislations that Congress enacts. They have also participated in writing some of these legislations. This is attributed to the monopoly of information that they usually have. At times, enactment of certain sections of the legislation involves writing the whole proposed legislation or part of it and using various mechanisms to introduce it to the Congress for discussion. This scenario raises one question; why would legislators introduce a piece of legislation whose contents have entirely been written by an interest group? Congress allows to introduce a legislation in the House because in various legislative aspects, interest groups possess monopoly of information. Most often, interest groups choose to exercise this monopoly by ensuring that they are personally involved in writing the proposed piece of legislation. In a scenario where Congress denies them this right, the interest groups might simply withhold all crucial information that is necessary for the introduction of the legislation in the House. This indicates the significance of interest groups. The inherent nature of interest groups is that they represent the grievances of a certain group of people within the larger population in a country. In most cases, such groups represent the interests of a small elite group members of which benefit a lot after the Congress implements certain pieces of legislation. As earlier stated, the primary mode of operation in most interest groups is using their monopoly of information to advance the grievances of their members. This monopoly of information is a great source of power that interest groups can exercise over various bodies in the country, which includes Congress. The more pertinent information an interest group holds, the more powerful it is. In order to attain this objective effectively, interest groups also require substantial public support as a way of validating some of their interests. In order to obtain this support, most interest groups usually incorporate initiatives that have various aspects involving the public interest. However, this is general public exploitation since the public is merely being used to advance the various interests of the group. However, the greatest beneficiaries are usually the few elite whose interests are advanced by the group. As much as interest groups serve to advance the interest of the members they represent, there are some that are genuinely concerned
Introduction Communism refers to a socioeconomic system of governance that advocates for communal ownership property and means of production. It is augmented by socialist economic and political ideologies. On the one hand, in communist countries, social and economic classes are nonexistent because the state considers all the citizens as equals. On the other hand, the state controls everything. Karl Marx was responsible for the emergence of and spread of communism, especially in Europe. His ideologies and socialist theories appealed to many people because they were against poverty and oppression. According to Marx, communism could be achieved through the advancement of socialism and related ideologies that encourage unity and sharing of resources among people (Evans & Jenkins, 2008). Communism emerged after the failure of capitalism. In communist societies, production and consumption are socialised to provide benefits for everyone. Also, personal ownership of property is not allowed under this rule. According to Marx, the state is an instrument of dictatorship and anarchy (Evans & Jenkins, 2008). The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was one of the earliest communist societies to embrace the ideologies of communism. Despite widespread criticism, the Soviet Union grew into a technological and industrial hub in Europe. The collapse of communism announced the emergence of an era of new governance and rapid economic as well as social changes around Europe. History of communism in the USSR Communism in the USSR began with the adoption of socialist ideologies developed by Karl Marx (Evans & Jenkins, 2008). In the 1840s, Marx began publishing his works that comprised numerous theories on socialism that sought to encourage communism as a way of fostering societal development. The theories were later used to develop a form of socialism known as Marxism. Marxism spread in the Soviet Union because it contained ideologies that were against poverty and oppression, which were rampant in the Soviet Union. Georgi Plekhanov introduced communist ideologies in the USSR. After communist ideologies spread, a group referred to as the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party was created to fight communism. However, the group split into two factions that had different ideologies and leaders. Julius Martov and Vladimir Lenin assumed control over the two groups. At that time, an autocratic leadership headed by the Tsar ruled the Russian empire. Poverty was rampant among many people in the empire. In 1905, a revolution arose because of the oppressive rule of the Tsar. The revolution led to the creation of small groups of councils that comprised workers only. The councils were referred to as “soviets.” The groups exerted a lot of pressure on the Tsar’s government that resulted in the creation of democratic leadership that was responsible for the abolition of communism. Communism versus capitalism Communism is based on the ideology that every person in society is entitled to food and shelter, as well as prot
Introduction Religion is an integral part of life for many people. As I was reading the Enchanted wisdom: Enduring ideas of world religions , I realized that the theme of wandering the land and being a stranger is quite common both in the Quran and the Hebrew Bible. The Quran offers several examples of people traveling the land and being outsiders. For instance, Abraham willingly left his home to follow God as he trusted Him and His judgment (Bronson, 2021). Similarly, Hagar and Ishmael wandered the desert as they had trust in Abraham and God. A seemingly disadvantaged position of being a stranger in the strange land is not portrayed as such in the Quran. On the contrary, the holy text implores people to “be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler” (Bronson, 2021, p. 108). I believe the deeper meaning of the quote is not to get attached to earthly possessions but to look to the afterlife as is the one true life. Moreover, the quote asks people to put their faith in God and trust that He will provide for them through miraculous acts and the kindness of others. For example, one of the five pillars of Islam requires people to give away a percentage of their earnings as charity to helps those less fortunate. Overall, being a foreigner in a strange land means having faith in others and God. Personally, I have felt like a stranger before, and it substantially affected my thoughts and actions. I felt very out of place when I moved to another town to study, as I suddenly lost all connections with friends and found myself in a completely new environment. It felt like I have lost my previous life entirely and had to build it anew. I felt like I do not belong, and it was challenging to force myself to go outside and meet new people. My home became a safe place that protected me from the world. Although this part of my life is behind me, it saddens me to think that homeless people experience as they lack this essential comfort. Islam and Judaism teach people to treat strangers with kindness and help them when they are in need. In the Quran, Hagar and Ishmael are given water by God’s angels, sparing both their lives and ensuring that the son of Abraham was able to lead a life of greatness and significance (Bronson, 2021). If we compare this example to many stories from around the globe of immigrants fleeing their homes and seeking safety, we can see that the doctrines of Islam are not always adhered to in the modern world. For instance, the United Kingdom, the country that saw an influx of illegal immigrants in the last couple of years despite the pandemic, is seeking legal ways of preventing such immigration. Nevertheless, many charity organizations treat people from different walks of life with compassion and kindness. Yearning for God Umm Kulthum’s singing is a prime example of a deep lament and longing for God. It is more than praise for Him; it is the longing to know the Deity and be with Him. Sufi poets and performers are unique, and their undying love for God “will not be satisfied until it is in the
A retired American football player, football broadcaster, spokesman, and actor, O. J. Simpson was born on the 9 th of July 1947. Simpson was held and criminally charged for the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman. It was a lengthy legal tussle that was held in the Californian superior court. Felman (2002) says that the Los Angeles case had such publicity to earn the description as the case of Simpson against the people. The lengthy trial however saw Simpson acquitted. It lasted for a whole nine months and was deemed the longest trial ever witnessed in the history books of California’s courts. In his defense, O. J. Simpson had hired such a team experienced in court cases with such esteemed profile. This esteemed high profile team was led by Robert Shapiro, a capable and learned person in matters of the law. Robert Shapiro had participated in diverse cases to earn him the distinction of a high profile figure. Later on, the high profile team was led by F. Lee Bailey and Jonnie Cochran. A display of wit and excellent mental ability characterized F. Jonnie Cochran when he exercised his ability to convince jurors that the DNA evidence adduced in court was as a matter of fact not solid evidence against Simpson. Aeseng (196) notes that Cochran convinced the jury that the evidence was diversely defective. This was coupled with the newness of this kind of scientific innovation and discovery in the law courts as a reliable tool to adduce evidence. In addition F. Jonnie Cochran’s arguments weighted to his advantage the blood evidence that it had been contaminated and had no reason to be sustained as solid evidence against Simpson in the murder trial. This and other evidence adduced in court were overwhelmingly refuted under the able leadership of Cochran to the defense of Simpson. The defense team argued that the Los Angeles Police Department at diverse times and in diverse circumstances associated with the investigations and handling of evidence clearly involved in such misconduct as to warrant their evidence invalid according to (Felman, 2002). Ito (1995) chronologically documents that Simpson married Nicole Brown on February 2, 1985 with whom they had two children, but later divorced in 1992. It was not until 2 nd June 1994 that Simpson’s former wife, Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman were found dead and Simpson acquitted of any criminal charges in a controversial court case thereafter. However, Jury findings pointed to Simpson as liable for the death of Ronald Goldman. Jury verdicts from previous trials like the one that culminated on 3 rd June 1995 known as “the trial of the century” and subsequent ones acquitted OJ Simpson of both murders. Shosana (2002) points out that these verdicts drew conflicts and confrontations coupled with divergent feelings along racial lines. It was not until 1995 that OJ Simpson was pronounced not guilty of the deaths of
Introduction When the story first begins, a group of children is stranded on a deserted, tropical island. The island symbolized freedom as there were no adults there. It seemed like the ideal world to them. William Golding wanted to show that paradise is far from reality. The beginning setting resembled The Coral Island, a perfect setting – food, sun, friendship, simple democratic organization adventures, and happiness. A simple society was set up to introduce rules on the island to try and resemble their original society. This was accomplished by the symbolic nature of the conch shell. The conch shell represents power and authority and the only rules the children have. The conch shows how people use objects to give power. At first, the conch was a success. Everyone followed the rules and was happy. It was the perfect Utopia. Later in the story, we also learn that objects don’t always give power when people don’t choose to obey them. This was the case when Jack started to rebel and disobey Ralph’s rules and commands. This was where their perfect Utopia fell apart. Main text William Golding also wanted to show his readers the true meaning of the real world. He wanted to show that reality is not always perfect. Instead of comradeship, co-operation, and teamwork, like described in the ideal world – William Golding has created a murderous, bloodthirsty and evil society that has accurately represented the world that society exists in today. In an ideal world, hard work plays out and goodness comes to those ends. In The Lord of the Flies, the fire in the story is lit as a symbol of hope and rescue. In the ideal world – this would have resulted in their rescue, however, rebellion from and murderous acts from Jack resulted in their final rescue and not the original fire. So in reality, we succeed more often from luck instead of hard work. Lord of the Flies can also be interpreted as an allegory or parable. Ralph, Jack, and the rest were given a choice and the knowledge of good and evil. The island in The Lord Of The Flies resembled the perfect type of Utopia at first, and all they had to do was follow the ‘good laws’ of the adult society. They fell prey to temptations – pride, cruelty, bloodthirstiness, greed, and the desire to hurt and kill. Jack, who was the head of the choir group and who was the also first to follow rules – could not resist these temptations deep within him. And that was why he was taken over to the dark side. (Reilly 49) Many of the characters in the story are symbolic of really important people. They show how the real world is made up of people. Ralph symbolized a good leader who was the first to try and establish a civilized society and bring rules to the island. Ralph, however, could not control evil people like Jack. Ralph represented Franklin Roosevelt before World War 2, who could not prevent the war from breaking out. Piggy symbolized the educated people who gave good advice which nobody listened to. Piggy represented Albert Einstein when he argued the bad ideas of using the a
Geographical distribution and location Banana is a popular fruit crop that grows all over the world and has several health advantages. Bananas are particularly significant in several low-income, food-insecure, least developed nations, where they may help with both household food security and revenue-generating as a cash crop. The crop is a key export item for a number of agricultural nations, and it is Africa’s, Asia’s, and Latin America’s biggest fruit crop in terms of production and commerce (MacKinnon & Cumbers, 2019). Bananas from Central and South America, as well as the Philippines, account for more than 90% of all exports (MacKinnon & Cumbers, 2019). The EU, the USA, China, Russia, and Japan are the top importers (MacKinnon & Cumbers, 2019). Banana output worldwide is projected to be 130 million tons per year (MacKinnon & Cumbers, 2019). Approximately 87 percent of bananas produced in the globe are consumed by farmers or sold in local marketplaces. Almost a third of it is farmed in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it meets more than 25% of the dietary energy requirements of over 100 million people (MacKinnon & Cumbers, 2019). East Africa produces and consumes the majority of bananas in Africa. Spatial Distribution Large supply growth in top exporting nations Ecuador and the Philippines, as well as strong rises in import demand, particularly from China and the European Union, are key drivers of trade (MacKinnon & Cumbers, 2019). Large retail chains from key importing nations are now operating directly in the global banana value chain. These networks buy bananas directly from growers and distributors rather than via typical fruit corporations (MacKinnon & Cumbers, 2019). The intricate web of interactions involved in the production, distribution, and trade of any given commodity may lead to genuine conflicts of interest among groups of individuals over who benefits the most from a product. Cheap bananas are frequently passed on to small farmers and plantation employees down the supply chain, resulting in lower salaries and working conditions (MacKinnon & Cumbers, 2019). Currently, the main issue in terms of spatial distribution is that large-scale banana production may negatively affect the environment, worker health and safety, and local populations. This occurs due to the frequently harsh techniques employed to regulate irrigation and plant d
Introduction The four presentations suggest solutions for alleviating flooding and preserving the Great Barrier Reef. In the first presentation, solutions to protect the Great Barrier Reef, which is endangered from rising acidity levels due to methane extraction, were given while the second, third and fourth presentations focused on the measures to manage the effects of flash flooding in Penzance, the floods of river Erewash and the tidal and fluvial flooding in Pwllheli, North Wales, respectively. This paper critically evaluates the suggested solutions to determine the best two solutions and two others, which can be improved. The Best Two Solutions The solution provided for conserving the Great Barrier Reef is a good approach for ensuring that the reef remains healthy and thriving in the future. An inclusive legislation is suggested, which, among other things, authorizes the minimum drilling depths, restricts mining around the Great Barrier Reef and encourages the use of the carbon sequestration technique through tax exemptions. In my view, this solution stands out as the best since, currently, there is no piece of legislation (in international) that provides guidelines on deep sea methane mining or mining near the Great Barrier Reef. In my view, the other best solution in the presentations is the storm drains to control river Erewash flooding. In my view, the other best solution in the presentations is the storm drains to control river Erewash flooding. They have many advantages over flood barriers and deep basins. They are cheap to build, they protect homes from flood waters and they enhance road safety. Solutions that Need Improvement In order for the solution to prevent tidal and fluvial flooding in Pwllheli and the integrated urban draining (IUD) to prevent flash flooding in Penzance and achieve their desired goals, some improvements need to be made. Channelization and levees can help avert flooding of the downstream rivers. Also, upstream storage can serve as a cheap alternative to river diversion. The second solution, the integrated urban draining (IUD) in Penzance, also needs some adjustments. Besides getting the community to work together, alleviating flood risks and implementing IUD, it would be important to conduct spatial planning, engage the stakeholders and assess the social/health issues before implementing this solution. Analysis of the Solutions The diversion of Rhyd Hir and Penrhos via the dunes at the Golf Club along with raising A499 and building a culvert under is a viable solution for managing the fluvial flooding risk in Pwllheli. It seeks to put in place defenses, monitor developments along the rivers and enhancing the resilience of built structures like A499. However, the current defenses have declined significantly. The Abererch frontage’s dune crest has declined significantly to about 2m in width, which puts the affected regions at risk of flooding (Warburton, Holden & Mills 2004). Moreover, in the west, there is a large part of the dune (Traeth Crugan fronta