ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction This paper is based on the topic of business regulation. It seeks to explore the linkage between excessive business regulation and levels of corruption. For the purpose of the paper, business regulation is taken to mean the laws and institutions established by governments to govern the establishment of businesses either by local citizens and companies or by foreign investors. Corruption is taken to mean the misuse of authority and power by public officials for personal gain. The paper relies on the World Bank report on Ease of Doing Business (EDB) and Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perceived Index (CPI). It also uses data from other sources. Discussion Many economic analysts have argued out that there is need for governments to regulate the business environment so as to avoid market f
Sony Ericsson Marketing Objective and Strategy Hammersmith-based Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (SEMC) was established in 2001 as a 50:50 partnership between Sony Corporation of Japan and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson of Sweden. The marketing objective: do sequential launches in Spring 2008 of the Esperia X3 and three models of the Walkman series in a bid to grow share versus global leader Nokia whilst protecting gross margins that are unmatched in the industry. Even with the global clout of SONY in consumer electronics (particularly music and video) and the proven R & D strengths of Ericsson, SEMC must contend for a fair share of dynamic mobile telephony markets worldwide against giants like Nokia of Finland and Motorola of America, as well as recent entrants such as Huawei of China, LG, and Samsung of South Korea. One solution SEMC has latched on to is moving forward to become a supremely “attractive and innovative global brand in the mobile handset industry”. Product Offering The next-generation Esperia X3 augments the current capabilities and work function of the X1 with a sportier, sleeker look, more colors, better music capabilities than the W910i, and all the capabilities of the Sony Videocam built-in. The three other models are the W350i, W380i, and W8901. The W350i is the ultra-slim entry for this go-round, being only 10-mm. thick. The W380i is the first on market with “gesture control”: mute calls, snooze the alarm, or move on to the next music track with a wave of the phone. Lastly, the W8901 can download music at HSDPA speeds, store up to 1,800 songs, features a 3.2-megapixel camera and the SensMe mood-music matching feature. Audience and Advertising Concept Heavily aspirational, the ultimate 3G phone in the world. Embodied in the theme, “I [SEMC icon] having it all”. Sub-headline: “For all the lives you live, ready whenever you are.” We shall target young professionals in their 20s, those who adopt new models fastest and are every bit as musically inclined as adolescents. Benefits “Be the best mobile warrior at work, tune in to sports broadcasts and YouTube when you need a breather, listen to radio, download and share music to your heart’s content. And best of all, the Esperia X3 is your “Videocam” in a pocket. Capture a presentation, catch a cloud, record every goofy moment, zoom in close to the action on the pitch or the rugby field, the lass in the train, rabbit all you like but never miss another moment, lovely or daft.” Execution A 90-second extravaganza. Cristina Aguilera reprises what she did for the W-series, Australian Open charmer Maria Sharapova to join the returning pair of Ana Iv
Introduction I am interviewing someone with over one-year working experience. My respondent is Edwin Smith, who works with Barclays bank in England as a sales representative. He has worked with this bank for two years and seven months. I had visited their branch seeking some services, he attended to me and I was satisfied and hence I requested him to grant me an interview which he obliged. How did you get the Job? I landed this job after attending three interviews, I applied for the job online and I received a call after a week. The vacancies had been advertised on local dailies and hence there was a very huge turnout and this called for thorough scrutiny. I met all the set requirements and hence my qualifications earned me this job. We the newly recruited employees were taken for a two-week induction course to acquaint ourselves with the organization and its operations. What is your Job Nature? I am a bank sales representative and this makes me the liaison between the bank and its customers. My job entails selling and promoting our bank’s financial products and services. I assist our customers in making financial decisions by informing them of various products being offered and helping them in choosing financial packages that would suit individuals or organizations depending on their nature of needs. I also scrutinize loan applications and process loans. This calls for thorough data scrutiny of the applicants to come up with comprehensive information that will help in correct loan approvals. It is very important to dig as much as possible to ascertain a customer’s creditworthiness. What Qualifications are needed? Some of the important qualifications that are required in this field are a degree in any field, but those with qualifications in sales and marketing or communication and finance are better placed since that is the core nature of the business in the sales department. One should also be abreast with the current economic news since this comes in handy when making presentations. Eloquence is an important tool since many will be the times when one needs to convince customers, this calls for someone who will manage to persuade customers without much ado. How does one succeed? For one to succeed in this field, lots of aggressiveness is required, there is stiff competition from dozens of other banks which offer similar products. They are all over wooing customers using all available means possible. This calls for a self-driven individual who can convince and close deals. One has to endear themselves to customers to stay in business; this can be achieved by being honest and sticking to given deadlines. In the course of duty one comes across confidential information, we are supposed to maintain high integrity and keep any information accessed as secret. The use of modern sales techniques like online method will also increase the success in this field. What can make one Fail? This department is not for all, some people are bound to fai
Introduction The United States government plays a key role in the development of the technological innovation in the private and public sector. Due to the government, many projects, such as IPHONE, Internet and GPS, were researched on and developed by the US military and defense departments, and later on commercialized. According to Wendy Schacht (2010), the US government supports, promotes and accelerates technological innovations by funding high risk, and high reward research projects that are crucial to the national requirements. The government has adopted a diversified approach to technological advancement and stimulation which includes development and adoption of innovation support programs, legislation and policies, incentives, such as experimental tax credit, modification of antitrust laws to encourage collaboration, revision of patent laws, promotion of technology transfer and fostering university – industry interactions. Funding programs The government has various bodies that support innovations; these include an advanced technology program (ATP) and Technology Innovation Program (TIP), both funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Advanced Technology Program (ATP) This program was established under the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act, title five. The program was intended to serve as a focal point for development of industry technology by public and private sector. ATP provided seed funding for business, government laboratories and universities to develop competitive technologies that would have a far reaching implication in the industry. By 2007, a total of 824 projects had been funded by ATP. $1.6 billion for development of these programs was provided by the government, while $1.5 billion came from the private sectors. 28% of
Several reports have been sent to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service concerning the recent spread of an unknown epidemic on a farm in Montana. The report describes that cattle started exhibiting strange and abnormal behavior. Particularly, the cows started losing weight drastically and without any obvious reason, producing a reduced amount of milk and having problems with orientation (Broucek et al., 2017). The study of the relevant literature revealed that one of the potential causes of the disease might be bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or ‘mad cow disease’ due to prions (Houston and Andréoletti, 2019). The latter is named PrPSc and is considered to be a misfolded form of protein PrPC that can be replicated and transmitted among the same species and also to other species. In this regard, it is fair to suspect that BSE could be transmitted to humans through the ingestion of diseased cattle meat. In humans, transmitted prions cause a disease that is called the new variant of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD) (Thomas, 2019). It is associated with developing neurological and psychological problems, mental deterioration, change in behavior, and reduced coordination. However, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (2017), the average incubation period of this type of prion disease in humans is ten years, whereas, for cattle, it is two times less. Thus, there is a high risk that farmers already have vCJD but without any symptoms yet. For this reason, I was sent to the farm to collect the brain tissue sample of the recently dead animals, and some of the supposedly affected farmers were invited to the research center. That was done in order to confirm or reject the original hypothesis concerning BSE and vCJD. Indeed, the laboratory results show that both the cattle and some farmers have isoforms of PrPC prion protein – PrPSc. As for the cattle, the brain tissue of the dead animals was collected as this method is the only one that can provide reliable results (U.S. Food & Drug Administration, 2020). On the other hand, Thomas (2019) maintains that in humans, the disease can be detected by the analysis of the lymphoid tissue. However, first, the patients were tested on electroencephalogram and MRI, and some small changes in their brains were detected. Therefore, the lymphoid tissue was analyzed to get more certain results. In the laboratory, the first step in
The Effect of specific land use practices (sewage treatment, arable farming, livestock farming) on the dispersal of these pollutants to surface waters . The nitrogen cycle has a problem in that human beings are contributing to twice the nitrogen entry into the land-based nitrogen cycle (Vitousek et al, 1997). The alterations due to human domination have resulted in the increase in global concentrations of the greenhouse gas or nitrous oxide and the formation of photochemical smog (nitric oxide). Land use practices have been faulty to a large extent. Long-term fertility of the soil has been affected due to the loss of essential ingredients calcium and potassium. The soils and water resources like streams and lakes have become acidified. Policies need to be implemented at the political level for total commitment to prevent water pollution. Management schemes should be need-based and demand-driven. Decision makers have to understand the requirements of the farmers at grass root levels. Rural settlement problems of agriculture are highlighted as different from urban ones by some ecologists. Water containing the nitrogen has been carried to the estuaries and the coast where it is a major pollutant (Vitousek et al, 1997). A comprehensive knowledge of the nitrogen distribution to the land and acquatic systems would convey a picture of the nitrogen distributed to the coastal zone (Green et al, 2004). Simultaneously plants growing in low-nitrogen soils have almost disappeared and the animals and insects which depended on them have also been lost. Plant and animal lives thus have been altered changing the ecosystems. Decline and reduced biodiversity have been seen in the marine life and fisheries (Vitousek, 1997). Farming Figure 1 Nitrate pollution originating from agricultural practice (Perry and Gaskell, 2006) Agriculture accounts for 70% of pollution of soil by nitrates (Sweeten and Auvermann, 2006). Human beings are responsible for increasing fixation, releasing stored nitrogen and also mobilizing nitrogen from the storage pools. The fertilizers contribute the greatest to the human-delivered nitrogen fixation and resultant contribution to the cycle. Manures and organic nitrogen fertilizers are not included in the contribution of nitrogen fixation by fertilizers: these are involved with mere transfer of previously fixed nitrogen from place to place. There is no new fixation involved with organic fertilizers. Organic farming adds to the challenges of nitrogen management (Bergstrom, 2005). The substantial increase in nitrogen fertilizer production for the past seventy years has further contributed to the upsets in the nitrogen cycle. The uncontrolled population growth and urbanization have both added to the issue; the increased demand for food would only increase the problem making the future bleak. Biologically available nitrogen is found only in one-third of the land surface of the earth where crops like soybeans, peas, alfalfa and other leguminous crops grow (Vitousek et al, 1997). The growth of rice too helps in the nitrogen fixation from the atmosphere. It is difficult to measure the amount that is bio
Introduction Community policing is an integrated approach that involves community members in promoting public safety. Enhancing security requires the commitment of every individual in society. Although police officers are paid by the government to enforce the laws, criminal activities can only be reduced if the community members are committed to eradicating criminal acts (Wood et al., 2018). Though the police will enhance public safety, it will receive resistance from people who benefit from the insecurity in the area. An integrated community approach enables the community members to have faith in the police department since the community members themselves are involved in ensuring that criminal activities are curbed. In most cases, the public lost trust in the police, especially when the law enforcers are involved in killing the public’s innocent members. Therefore community-based policing will improve the cooperation of both police and the people they are protecting. Policy Alternatives There are numerous policy alternatives that can be adopted instead of community-based policing. The alternatives can range from initiating own patrols to integrating first-responder organizations. Initiating their own patrols reduces criminal activities in that it covers the gap that officers have left when they are not patrolling. Housing the poor reduces crime rates since the homeless are usually vulnerable to illegal activities. According to Cordner, (2020), decriminalizing some crimes lowers criminal activities since people do not have the urge to experiment. In addition, it promotes social services resources that can accommodate reformed criminals and drug addicts. Moreover, first-responder organizations always perform numerous tasks. For instance, firefighters respond to emergencies, hence integrating them into the security system will lower pressure on the police system. Moreover, an integrated system of emergency teams will increase law enforcers’ numbers since the increasing number of community members overpowers the current number. Stakeholders and Roles There is a number of stakeholders who are involved in community policing. They include, 1) the community members who form an integral part of the team, hence they must be fully engaged. They can decide to reject the project or accept the plan and perform their role of informing the police. 2) Police officers – they are trained law enforces who can deal with any emergency and they are funded by both the local and the federal government. 3) Non-governmental organizations- they usually act as a link between the police and the community members, hence they can educate the general public. The NGOs also provide financial support to the initiatives aimed at protecting vulnerable community members. 4) Local politicians are critical because they formulate policies, hence they can ensure that the relationship between the community members and the police work. Budget Cost Factors Budget cost factors can be classified into two; exte
Introduction The effective and efficient management of human and economic resources is a key requirement for a nation to function effectively and develop in the ever-increasing competitive worldwide economy (Belanger & Hiller 2006). There is a global shift towards forms of governance that are more open and embraces democracy. As a result of this, governments are faced with the challenge of enhancing the efficiency of their public service delivery (Bellamy 2003). The discovery of the internet and the increasing need to increase the processing capacity and expand data storage has had significant influences on the way that governments are making of use Information and Communications Technology across the government institutions with the prime objective of increasing efficiency in public service delivery (Bolman & Deal 2008). The effects of relying on ICT to facilitate governance functions are likely to be a subject of contention, with the pending requirements for implementation exerting intense pressure on the public sector to progress their performances, exploit external opportunities and help in overcoming the challenges imposed by the internal weakness and external threats that may hinder the effective delivery of public service operations to the citizens (Bovaird & Loffler 2000). This paper attempts to evaluate whether the aspect of e-governance poses a threat to public service professionals. The concept of e-government E-government can be broadly used to refer to the use of ICT by the government to deliver its services to the people (Belanger & Hiller 2006). On a narrower perspective, e-government refers to the deployment of ICTs to support government operations and enhance the delivery of government services to its people through enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the government’s agencies and enhancing service quality (Buelens & Broeck 2007). Various definitions of the aspect of e-governance have been suggested although the uniform concept across them is related to the strategic use of Information Technology and an emphasis on the effectiveness of the public sector (Carter & Belanger 2005). In this essay, e-government is defines as the use of ICT by the government in order to facilitate an efficient and cost-effective government that aims at offering convenient services to the public through allowing public access of information and promoting accountability within the public service (Bellamy 2003). As a result, it is arguably evident that the implementation of e-government imposes some impacts on the professionals within the public sector. The nature of the influences is significantly determined by the manner in which the public service professionals and the larger public make use of the ICT frameworks adopted by the government (Carter & Belanger 2005). The principal objective of e-government, as discussed in the conceptualization involves enhancing the efficiency of the delivery of public service by the various government agencies (Belanger & Hiller 2006). This impli
Introduction Although democracy in Nigeria has given citizens an opportunity to freely express themselves, it has also been the cause of serious political and economic conflicts between different ethnic groups in the country. With at least 140 million inhabitants, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with regional power of economic, political and military influence (Clarke, 2013). The country has, however, gone through serious conflicts ignited by religious affiliations that have led to the loss of many lives over the years (Handley, 2013). According to findings drawn from different case studies, there is a complex relationship that exists between religion and development in Nigeria. On one hand, widely shared visions of development among Christian and Muslim groups suggest that they are indeed united by jointly held values. Religious groups even provide both criticism and guidance to the state sector on development matters. However, a reflection on the strong competition that characterizes relations between Christians and Muslims are indicative of the fact that the shared values divide rather than unite religious groups in their development activities. As a result, where religious groups offer to open their provision of development to non-members, especially across the Christian-Muslim divide, such offers have always been viewed with suspicion. Furthermore, the existing religious competition appears to be fueled not only by Christian-Muslim relations at the central level but also by the nature of links that these groups have with the government of the day. Effects of Christian-Muslim Conflict on Economic, Political, and Social System As noted by Williams and Shenley (2013), successive Nigerian presidents have failed to deal with the challenge of spiraling violence between Christians and Muslims in an ongoing religious conflict in the country. While President Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan are Christians from the south, President Yar’Adua was a northern Muslim who was involved in implementing sharia law, seen as part of the problem. Since 1999, the resulting clashes have claimed more than 14,000 people (Williams & Shenley, 2013). Among the many challenges faced by President Goodluck Jonathan has been to contain the growing reach of the radical Islamist group Boko Haram. Formed in 2002, the sect has been seeking the eventual imposition of sharia law across all of Nigeria. The group began to arm itself and in 2009, clashes with Nigerian security forces left an estimated 700 people dead. As noted by Williams and Shenley (2013), small scale attacks were originall