ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
In discussions that touch on race relations, understanding what is meant by specific terms is important. Race implies that the origin of human beings is common and that they originate from a common species. As a result, human beings are equal and any variations in what they achieve are based on economic, geographical, social, historical and cultural factors. Racism is described as any attitude or deed done either consciously or unconsciously with the intentions of subordinating individuals or groups on the basis of race or the color of their skin. It can be perpetrated institutionally or at an individual level. Racial discrimination is therefore the act of treating an individual or groups of individuals on the basis of their race. Power is critical in racial discrimination because the practice relies on the capacity to withhold or deny facilities, opportunities, social benefits and services that individuals are entitled to. Racial discrimination is a problem that has existed in the US for many years. The victims of the practice have always been the colored communities who include Native Americans, Asian Americans and African Americans. The practice has caused these groups of people to suffer by being denied privileges and opportunities they deserve. There are many factors that have been contributing towards the practice both from within the communities and outside. The first factor is competition for resources. Due to the large number of members of the communities in the US, competition for the scarce resources has been stiff. As a result, some communities have been discriminating against the colored individuals in order to deny them opportunities and privileges. The second factor that leads to racial discrimination in the US is historic prejudice. Prejudice is the prior judging of individuals or forming wrong opinions about them without full knowledge about them or understanding them fully. In the US, there has always been prejudice against the colored population. These individuals have been discriminated on the basis of their color without trying to understand them and what they are capable of doing. This racial discrimination has caused them to suffer as a result of being denied privileges enjoyed by other Americans. The third factor that has been encouraging racial discrimination is the need for certain groups of people to dominate the colored population and make them less influential. Domination over them has been associated with social, economic and political benefits for the dominant groups. This has caused the religious and spiritual traditions among the communities to take the issue seriously hence they have been looking for ways of reducing it. Religion has been a powerful way of dealing with racial discrimination because it has been influencing many people In a bid to deal with the problem, religious bodies in the US have been campaigning for the need to treat colored communitie
The Maya Civilization covered Northern Guatemala and bordering areas of Mexico, Belize and Honduras (Demarest 2004). Demarest (2004) adds that this empire covered the Petén rainforest. “Maya civilization’s monuments displayed unrivalled success in astronomy, mathematics, calendrics and violent political history” (Demarest 2004, p.35). For that reason, it is one of the most powerful and widely studied ancient civilizations. Ancient Maya’s success can be traced to a strong trade network, technological advances, strong leadership and valuable resources such as salt (Conrad 2006). On the other hand, its surprise collapse was associated with internal power struggles, climate change and poor socio-economic structures (Demarest 2004). This paper provides an insight into the Maya Civilisation. Suck (2008) states that the classic ancient Maya existed between 250 and 900 A. D. Therefore, this civilization lasted until the Spanish conquest of Central America. Maya Civilization was characterized by cities and states with palaces, temples and stone monuments (Suck 2008). In addition, these states were ruled by kings or lords who had divine powers. According to Demarest (2004), the ancient Maya had a complex civilization made up of millions of people. Astonishingly, this population was sustained for more than two thousand years. Demarest (2004) affirms that the Maya Civilization was located on the eastern part of the modern day Mesoamerica. Geographically, this area covers Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and parts of Honduras (Demarest 2004). For many years, Mexico and most parts of Central America interacted in trade, conquest and other things. These interactions led to the sharing of many features across a large geographical area. The confines of the Maya Civilization are, thus, contentious since they changed with the movement of cultural behaviours and traditions. The ancient Maya accomplished impressive and compelling political, social and economic success. Extraordinary pre-conquest cities such as Tikal and Caracol attest to this success (Conrad 2006). A well developed and widespread commercial network between Mayan states is cited as one of the reasons for this success. Consequently, the ancient Maya had unrivalled trade networks. In addition, the civilization had made large strides in technological advances (Conrad 2006). For instance, farmers used raised fields and practiced extensive irrigation. Accordingly, these technologies increased output and strengthened the economy. Conrad (2006) adds tha
Socrates is one of the pioneers of philosophy. His point of argument on different life issues has greatly contributed to the development of the modern philosophy. During his days, many people in the authority and places of influence were vexed by his arguments on various philosophical issues of life. He never believed anything without first questioning its credibility and truth of the subject matter. This is the reason he was accused and put on trial by his enemies. During and after the trial, he engaged in very intensive arguments with the others on matters of life and death. These last moments are recorded by Plato in Phaedo . Phaedo is the last dialogue that recorded his final arguments before his death. In this dialogue, Socrates is apparently not afraid of death. He has been prosecuted, and a bench of 500 jurymen has already voted for his death penalty for supporting atheism and corrupting minds of the young in society. He seems to have already accepted his fate by this time. A visit by some of his friends culminates in heated arguments on some philosophical issues. In the first argument, death becomes the pertinent topic of discussion (Guthrie, 1975). Socrates gives a clear distinction between true and false virtue brought about by death. He argues that true virtue can only be attained after death. This is the purification that comes from the separation of the soul and body. He argues that the body is a great hindrance to the acquiring of the knowledge and truth. He holds the belief in the afterlife. This seems to be the major motivating factor to face death through poisoning. According to him, the separation of his soul with the body will give him a full answer to all the questions he has ever craved for. To him, death is a purification from what he calls the ‘infection’ of the body (Gallop, 1996). He believes that true virtue can only be found in the afterlife where wiser souls and Gods live. He believes that there exists something better after death. The soul, therefore, is the key to the full attainment of virtue and wisdom (Gallop, 1996). It exists before the body comes into being. It, therefore, might acquire some knowledge before. The hindrance to the realization of the true virtue is corrupted by the body and its elements. This is why, separating the two is the key to the full attainment of the true virtue. On the other hand, this argument also brings out the false virtue that comes from the corruption of the body. It is a result of the fears of life, which act as the speed governors in the urge to attain the real full virtue. The body has demands that must be fulfilled. During this process, many important aspects of attaining knowledge may be ignored just to ensure that the body’s demands are fulfilled. The soul, which is still a part of the body, has no free will in exercisi
Statement of the problem An organization like KPMG is based on commercial dissemination of the knowledge of its partners and the professionals employed there. It is essential that customers need accurate, relevant and up to date information at competitive prices. The two focus areas in this regard are knowledge management and content management. A well established and planned IT based system should be established in the organization. Recommendations   * The firm should put emphasis educating its partners and employees (professionals) about the importance of knowledge management in an IT based infrastructure.   * The knowledge base and content should be classified and catalogued for easy management, retrieval and dissemination.   * Support for accessing the internal and external content.   * Creation of a website that will enable clients to interact with the organization is a seamless manner. Discussion and analysis of the recommendations The organizational structure within KPMG needs some modification to suit the implementation of the IT based knowledge management system. New roles with related responsibilities should be created within the organization. The best way to do this is to name the new roles in a non-technical manner. It is proposed that six new roles be created and the necessary training (along with infrastructure) be provided for the personnel. The roles will be named knowledge champion, knowledge master, knowledge integration manager, page master, web master and web librarian. The first role mentioned will be the responsibility of the senior management and as the name indicates will involve balancing strategy and knowledge management. It will also involve committing everyone concerned to the new strategy. Knowledge master will be responsible for the sharing of knowledge between personnel and also with the clients. The knowledge integration manager will be responsible motivation, coordination and management of the project between the many knowledge centers. The page master will be the person who actually publishes the matter on to the company website and will have basic knowledge about HTML and other related software. The web master is responsible for the running and maintenance of the whole website. The web librarian is to keep track or the indexing of all the content. The role needs knowledge of HTML and database management. Limitations of the proposed solution Acceptance and understanding the new system by the large number of employees will be a challenge and will take time for smooth integration. Different work and organizational cultures across KPMG’s international markets is also a limitation. This is because the knowledge management system is universal and is not tweaked to suit individual markets. New posts and roles (like HTML and IT personnel) in an organization that predominantly consists of tax and law experts will also be a limiting factor in the smooth implementation of the knowledge management system.
Introduction This paper explores how Kibsons, an online-based food delivery business, uses different marketing concepts to sustain its business. It includes an analysis of the main factors influencing the company’s business environment, as presented in an article by Go Dubai (2018), which appears in the appendix section. Key tenets of this paper also investigate and identify the key forces in the company’s external environment and their role in improving its competitive position. Lastly, this paper contains discussions about how the UAE-based organization uses key marketing variables of place, price, promotion, and product to operate. Some of the key terms and concepts used in this paper include SKU to mean stock-keeping units, UAE, which refers to the United Arab Emirates, and brick-and-mortar to symbolize the physical presence and operationalization of a business. An analysis of the key forces influencing the company’s external environment appears below. Environment The main environmental forces affecting Kibsons are natural, economic, demographic, social/cultural, and technological. Technology plays a vital role in the business’s operations because it provides a platform for interacting with customers. A change in this force could significantly affect the business’ operations because its entire operating model is hinged on it. Technology also emerges as a tool for Kibsons to gain a competitive advantage over its rivals because it reduces the operating costs of the business (Phadtare, 2014). Indeed, according to Go Dubai (2018), the company sells fresh produce to its customers at wholesale prices (as opposed to retail prices) because it does not incur brick-and-mortar costs. Nature is another force affecting the business because it defines the products sold to the customers. Indeed, Kibsons sells organic produce to its customers as a differentiating factor because most of its rivals are not specialized in the sale of healthy foods. Thus, a variation in the natural environment would have an impact on the business because it would affect the supply of the same produce (Folsom & Boulware, 2014). Demographics also influence Kibsons’s operations because they define the company’s target market. This force could largely affect the affordability and demand of the company’s products (Kolb, 2013). Operating on a virtual platform allows the company to target a tech-savvy group of customers who leverage technology in their purchasing behavior. The economy is also another significant force in Kibson’s operations because it defines the business’s market potential. In this regard, it may affect the demand for the company’s products and the nature of competitive rivalry in its business environment (Silver, Stevens, Wrenn, & Loudon, 2013). Social and cultural forces also exert a strong force on Kibsons’s operating environment because they affect the type of demand or service that customers want. For example, shifting consumer tastes and prefere
Introduction Corporate social responsibility is a guideline set aside to cater for the welfare of stakeholders of a business. This factor is opposed to the traditional view that a business’ objective is to maximize profits. Companies’ continued use of corporate social responsibility ensures that they reduce conflicts between managers and the society as a whole. The ethical standards and the social responsive nature of business are the secrets towards the continued high performance of Chipotle Restaurant. The Fundamental Areas of Chipotle Relevant To Business One of the areas of the company that is of importance to its business is its core values. Chipotle Restaurant emphasizes the need for being real and honest about the activities they do, which is integrity (Chipotle Mexican Grill, 2015). The company also considers establishing healthy relationships between itself and the society. For instance, the restaurant does not accept gifts from the outside but gives out the same gifts as a way of improving relationships between itself and its stakeholders. Another area that is fundamental to the performance of the company is the organizational culture present (Ferreira & Groenewald 200). For instance, the company operates in a manner that ensures that it takes care of the customers and the rest of the stakeholders (Chipotle Mexican Grill, 2015). There is a consideration that the company ensures a close association between itself and the environment from which it operates. In this way, customers and other stakeholders become a part of the institution and the bond created serves to boost the image of the restaurant. The company also considers the protection of its assets as fundamental to its success (Weilkiens & Weiss, 2011). Employees at Chipotle should not use company’s property, information, their duties and position for personal gain and a non-business purpose. The employees must safeguard the restaurant’s asset and ensures they are used efficiently (Chipotle Mexican Grill, 2015). The company requires that any employee engaging in vices such as theft be reported to the relevant authorities for investigation. Steps To Ensure Ethics among Employees The business policy of the firm should prohibit the use of confidential information such as trademarks, name and intellectual property without the consent of Chipotle restaurant. In case of doubts about whether the information is confidential or not consult the management. Such a case will entail employee education on the needs for information integrity. The company can also undertake to remind the employees of the usefulness of ethics in seminars and workshops, which will produce life-long results. The process will transform ethics into one of the core values of the company, which will help in shaping its relationship with the rest of the stakeholders. Ways in Which Chipotle Restaurant can be Socially Responsive Chipotle can practice corporate social responsibility by offering scholarships to
The main impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses is reflected in the havoc that this pandemic has caused to the global supply chains. Mainly, many suppliers could not produce goods for a while due to safety restrictions. Others could not deliver them due to overloaded ports, extremely high freight rates, and displaced shipping containers, among other issues. Although the pandemic’s effect had lessened over the last year when the vaccines were introduced and people were allowed to leave their homes, the effect of this global catastrophe on the supply chains prevails. The most significant impact of the pandemic and the changes within the business environments are seen with small businesses. This can be seen in the example of Amazon’s growth, which was picked during the beginning of the pandemic. As people were ordered by their governments to stay at home, the majority of consumers chose online shopping to satisfy their needs. Hence, the customers ordered most of their items online, including groceries, clothes, personal items, and other things. Amazon was thriving with its ability to deliver goods through its developed system of supply chains, while small brick-and-mortar stores were forced to close because they could not sustain not having profits for months. Moreover, these small businesses did not have the finances to invest in establishing websites and delivery services. Apart from this, Amazon has been accused of using data from its small suppliers to popular copycat items and selling them under Amazon’s brand. Hence, the internet retail giant has the resources and capabilities to overshadow any small business, which makes the competitive environment very challenging for small businesses, even in the post-pandemic times. Evidently, the lack of the company’s ability to get goods from suppliers has become one of the major threats to the business’s growth and development. Hence, in the post-pandemic time, executives will have to rethink the role of supply chains in their strategic plans and dedicate more attention to creating supply chains that are effective. Moreover, even when the freight rates reduce to their previous levels, the executives might want to rethink where they purchase their goods and choose local suppliers over the ones in China or developing states. This option would be safer in the case of another disruption, and considering the ongoing issues with shipments that companies currently experience, the higher cost of local suppliers can now become comparable to the low cost of production overseas combined with high shipping rates. I think these changes in the supply chain’s nature and consumer behaviors will be permanent, and businesses should restructure themselves to prepare for the new challenges. Mainly, over the two years that the pandemic has been active, consumers have gotten used to purchasing items mostly online. This is both convenient and allows one to save time and effort, and it
Business Process Improvement is considered to be a process of companies’ decision optimization to achieve better results. As far as BPI primary tasks are defining the company’s principal aims, determining the company’s customers, and realizing the company’s goals, the original process map for the pizza-making process will be the following: Thus, Graham (2006, p.1) states, ’The value of a process map is determined by how well it helps the reader understand the process.’ So, the flowcharting method I used reminds us of the method of IBM which appeared in the early sixties. The methodology allows us to understand the constituents of the process. However, one is to take into account that a line flow is considered to be rather simple. The item’s interdependence is expressed by horizontal and vertical lines. According to Graham (2004, p.1), ‘The point of process flowcharting is to provide a visual representation of the process including each item in the process.’ So, you see that the details are not ignored in the scheme. The first vertical line includes/shows us a manufacturing/production process (customer’s call, order creating, pizza preparing, delivery schedule, the process of delivery, and final aim achieving). The second vertical line shows us process management. Graham (2006, p.1) thinks that: Three essentials must be handled well to assure good process mapping. 1) The operating people whose work is being mapped must supply information for the map and must understand and support the reasons for the mapping. 2) The map itself must be organized in a way that enables everyone involved to clearly understand the process. 3) The information that is assembled on the map must be valid. In my opinion, the above-mentioned tasks were performed well (look at the first scheme). According to BPI studies, the pizza-making process improvement is possible due to labor costs reduction: Thus, our scheme num.2 shows us that combining the points order creating and delivery scheduling, BPI allows us to improve the pizza-making process. You can see the process itself, as ‘the Transportation Symbol represents movement from one work area to another’ (Graham 2010, p.1). The profits are considered to be the following:   * the decline of order processing;   * labor costs reducing (the company needs/requires fewer workers to perform the order);   * dilution of skilled jobs (there is no need to control the workers who process the order);   * profits increasing due to an opportunity to process more orders using the same labor costs. So, one may point out that the principal aim of BPI is the company’s performance changing. It is said that changes or improvements appeared to influence productivity. Thus, Graham (1996, p.1) thinks that ‘changes are achieving only a small portion of their potential and some are actually resulting in less effective processes. ‘ The report is considered to be completed, as according to Chris Boyle (2006, p.1), ‘Detailed process maps have been drawn. Analysis has been completed by the best possible resources available – the people who do the work.’