ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Procurement has become one of the essential requirements when building or setting up a certain project. Procurement involves the processes or activities that are required to ensure that a certain product or service meets the threshold or the requirement of the user. I have been accorded the opportunity to prepare a report that covers on various aspects related to procurements and in particular the procurement to build a new auditorium at the Heriot Watt University in Dubai campus. The auditorium will comprise 800 seats, high specification technology, multimedia theatre with air conditioning, and a comfortable tiered seating that provides excellent visibility. The auditorium will also feature a full sise interactive screen and computer driven presentation facilities, perfect for conferences, lectures, and presentations. Strategic Approach to Procurement In such a project, strategic approach to procurement is vital in ensuring that the project is concluded as required. This approach is appropriate for the Heriot Watt University because it will ensure achievement of money value. Appropriate procurement measures are critical in ensuring that the project is well managed and completed within the stipulated time using the available resources. This project is a long-term one because of the complexities involved in it. Therefore, the statement of the program activities, all actions, and other initiatives that Heriot Watt university wants done must be well stated and included in the procurement documentation. Furthermore, this strategic approach will provide in detail the delivery model that shows how the actions will be done to ensure a smooth implementation of the project and its understanding. In this stage, all the activities that have already been cleared or approved by the university will be noted down and appropriate models applied to ensure that the project becomes a success. Furthermore, appropriate models to maintain an efficient and effective experience will be documented and looked into at this strategic approach stage (Yeow, & Edler 2012, p. 472). Documentation of the relevant issues pertaining to the project will be undertaken by competent procurement managers to plan and organise all the materials and resources required for completion of the project. This information will be used for future referencing and accountability on the use of materials during the building process. It is also important to note that every procurement activity approved by an organisation has some negative implication on the environment. Developing a strategic approach to set up the required auditorium makes the university have a chance of spending its money wisely while at the same time putting considerations on environment. Therefore, to ensure that procurement is done in the right way, I would develop my strategic approach by first identifying and gaining a full understanding of the activities that are required to be done. This will come at the planning stage whereby, as indicated, I will identify the specifications or the requirements of the auditorium. After gaining understanding of what is required, I will then consider or think about t
The world of business continues undergoing multiple changes to enhance its security and mitigate potential threats. Organizations have to hire professionals in different spheres to make sure that enough measures are taken at individual, strategic, and operational levels. However, one should understand that security is never a goal of employees but a means to meet their organizational goals and interests. In many studies, organizational security is characterized by multiple definitions, depending on specific contexts and the environment (Yasin et al., 2018). Still, in most cases, security plays an important role in sharing and storing information to promote collaboration between different stakeholders (Yasin et al., 2018). There are many organizations that take care of their security management, and this paper aims at analyzing recent achievements in the U.S. freight rail system. The Federal Railroad Administration is a governmental agency, a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. One of its integral missions is to guarantee the safe and high-quality movement of people and goods by rail. This report will demonstrate how the American government emphasizes the protection of assets, people, and facilities by means of establishing the FRA’s railroad safety program. Organization and the Security Program The U.S. government introduces a complex system with a number of fields and departments that have certain tasks and responsibilities. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is one of the facilities that deal with transportation issues in various directions. Regarding a variety of needs and resources, any department should have specialized agencies that conduct research, analyze activities, and launch regulations. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is one of such DOT agencies, the purpose of which is to define safe and secure means of transportation in the country and abroad for American citizens and organizations. There are several principles in FRA work, namely excellence (cost-effective solutions), transparency and accountability (constructive communication), innovation (investments in the future), engagement (effective policies and stakeholders), and safety (protection for employees and the public) (“About FRA,” 2019). Relying on available resources, contacts, and broad authority, FRA develops new programs regularly. The FRA’s Railroad Safety Program is one of the contemporary security programs within the chosen organization. Modern railroads are necessary for the country because huge amounts of materials are shipped by rail every day (U.S. Department of Transportation, 2007). The developers of this program are confident that maintaining a safe railroad transportation system is integral for the U.S. Department of Transportation (2007). Therefore, certain railroad safety regulations are established to promote security. A number of steps are taken to manage the work of the
John Locke Unavoidable consequences of lowering interest rate John Locke’s ideas on finance were widely utilized in western economies. Moreover, most of Locke’s ideas on finance are still exploited by economists to counter regulations on interest rates. In the late 17 th century, the British government faced financial issues caused by the revolution. Even the country’s currency lost its value. Therefore, the government brought a bill to reduce the interest rate from six to four percent. The government hoped that by lowering the rate of interest, its currency would gain value. However, Locke opposed this move and instead gave a counter proposal on the best way to deal with interest rates. Locke believed that lowering interest rates would only act temporarily but will later lead to higher rates than before. In essence, Locke knew that this move would only benefit bankers and that it could lead the country to depression. Price of money Locke’s letter to the British parliament responded to a political situation of the time, which included growth in national life. The British government was facing economic issues with the American colonies, enterprises, and plantations in Ireland. Additionally, Britain was facing rivalry between Holland and France. The issues ranged from the value of the British currency to interest rates. These issues were of great significance during the seventeenth century. The government faced financial issues, which were triggered by the revolution. Locke’s letter was in response to the government’s proposed interference in trade (specifically, on interest rates). Moreover, Britain had to de
Introduction Arthur Miller wrote brilliant plays which reflected the world of the middle of the twentieth century. He managed to reveal vices and virtues of people who lived in the American society of those days. Admittedly, Death of a Salesman is one of his best works. One of the central themes in this play is the life of little people and “the tension between little people and big issues” (Popkin 35). Many critics agree that the protagonist of the play, Willy Loman, is one of these little people who fail to solve big issues. Martin agrees that Loman is a little man who tries to solve big issues (97). However, the researcher argues that this little man is capable of heroic deeds (or at least one heroic deed), which can help him to solve the big issues (101). Nonetheless, this is one of the biggest miscomprehensions as Willy Loman cannot be regarded as a hero. His final act cannot be regarded as a heroic deed as it can only be seen as an attempt of a little person to find the way out which is as little as the little man himself. Merits of Martin’s Arguments It is important to note that Martin does state that Miller’s protagonist is a little person struggling against the cruelties of the world (99). The researcher also claims that this is one of the most significant peculiarities of Millers works. Miller was one of those who changed perceptions of the heroes. In ancient times (as well as in the following centuries) only heroic deeds and courageous people were glorified (Martin 97). More so, only such people were regarded as worthy characters for literary works. However, Miller reflects the world he lives in. Admittedly, the society consists of little people. Thus, Popkin stresses that Miller makes sure that his people are “sufficiently small” and the protagonist of the play under consideration is “labeled a little man by his name” (35). The society o
Introduction Documentaries are an important genre which provide people with an insight into various types of topics and themes. Historical documentaries are particularly valuable since they contain information on the events which occurred in the past and therefore require thorough research to be talked about in a correct manner. African history is a topic which does not frequently appear on TV, therefore documentaries dedicated to it constitute an interesting source of knowledge and there were several attempts to produce documentaries on African history. Nevertheless, the most notable examples of such documentaries are the two series titled “History of Africa” with Zeinab Badawi and “Africans: A Triple Heritage” by Ali Mazrui. Both of the documentaries provide an extensive account of the historical development of Africa and explain in detail numerous aspects of the continent and its peoples. Nevertheless, despite exploring similar topics, “History of Africa” and “Africans: A Triple Heritage” possess certain individual differences which are worth considering. Summary Before comparing the documentaries, it is crucial to provide a brief summary of the main topics covered by each of them. “History of Africa” has a total number of episodes of twenty, which lets its authors create an exhaustive account of Africa’s past and even present. The first three episodes of the series serve as an introduction to the continent and its role in humankind’s progress, as well as deliver a description of the rise of Ancient Egypt. The fourth, fifth, and sixth episodes focus on the ancient king
I consider Java as the best programming language due to its small language vocabulary, portability and simplicity. Java has a small and regular vocabulary; a programmer can easily master and grasp .Any computer program written in Java can run and execute on any operating system hence compatibility with all operating systems. Java was developed and released in 1995, much later after C and C++. As such it tends to solve some of the shortcomings cited in C and C++.For instance, it uses Javadoc, a documenting system that develops a systematic and organized method for documenting codes (Pawlan 1999). It also uses Byte code verifier which enhances correctness and security of the compiled code hence reducing the number of runtime checks. This implies that with the knowledge of Java, one can comfortably take up programming tasks in C and C++ or any other language. Java is also purely object oriented, easy to interpret and has high execution performance. This makes it simple and easier to work with. For this reason, Java is sometimes referred to as “a powerful yet easy to learn and work with language” (Pawlan 1999). Java is the most widely used programming language by web developers for both simple complex programming tasks. Due to its much simplified user platform, most people tend to have a general notion that Java cannot be used to create much complicated web applications due to its simple platform. This is not true since most programmers use Java to write complex programs in a simple way easy that is to follow and interpret. Java was developed to write more complex programs in a simpler language. Even the most complex and sophisticated programs look so simple in Java making it hard to realize their complexity (Lindholm & Yellin 1999). It is considered flexible; due to incremental development in terms of object- oriented features, coupled with Java’s simplicity, it is possible to rapidly develop applications and easily change them at will. This offers much freedom to the programmer to make changes to the program whenever he deems fit to do so. It has the ability to develop robust and secure programs. It is also used to break down and portably distribute some complex programs. These features, together with its sim
Introduction Many regard physical activities as a prized way to spend one’s spare time and an essential part of life. However, while many people enjoy the liberty to have a sport’s center subscription and participate in its events, individuals with physical disabilities find it challenging to incorporate it into their everyday lives. Despite the governmental regulations obliging businesses to have equal opportunities for everyone, many fitness venues simply lack the accessibility measures to allow people with impairments to enjoy their services. Although enabling people with disabilities to easily enter and employ the establishment is a fundamental human right, leisure centers all over the world still miss out on the extensive client group of customers with disabilities. More specifically, wheelchair users are often widely misrepresented when it comes to access to sports despite their great need for physical treatment. This paper will present an audit of the wheelchair users’ accessibility to the Whitlam Leisure Centre facilities, specifically the pool area, as well as offer a one-page recommendation for better accessibility practices. Organization Audit Service Being Assessed: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Pools Facilities Location: Whitlam Leisure Centre Transport Access: By car parking Date of Assessment: May 14 th , 2020                                                                                                                                                     Yes  No Is there adequate signage provided at the venue?                                                                                                         X
Airport screening has become an essential component of transportation security policy in the United States following a security breach that precipitated the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (Fritteli, 2005). In response to the terrorist attacks, the US Congress moved with speed to pass the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA), which in turn established the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to ensure the security of the travelling public through screening of passengers for explosives and other dangerous items (Blalock, 2007; Lord, 2012). Although the TSA mandated a federalized workforce of security screeners to conduct inspections on online passengers and their luggage, available literature demonstrates that this piecemeal and reactive mandate resulted in significant cost increases, adverse privacy implications, and inconveniences (McLay, Lee, & Jacobson, 2010). The present paper measures the impact of the federalization of airport screening and attempts to advocate for a more responsive, intelligence-based, and technology-focused screening aimed at cutting costs, ensuring passenger privacy, and reducing inconveniences. Impact of Federalization of Airport Screening Understanding the Federalization of Airport Screening The two fundamental changes in airport security visible to passengers after the terrorist attacks included “the federalization of passenger security screening at all US commercial airports by November 19, 2002, and the requirement to begin screening all checked baggage by December 31, 2002” (Blalock, 2007, p. 2). When TSA officially took over the mandate for airport security in February 2002, it embarked on an effort to substitute private security screeners with federal employees who were charged with the responsibility of conducting passenger-screening operations at all US commercial airports. TSA not only embarked on hiring 56,000 federal screeners to help reduce waiting time in security lines but also increased the compensation and training of screeners by offering them higher wages and expanding training requirements (Blalock, 2007). Fritteli (2005) argues that federalizing the screener workforce was offered as a potential solution to address the challenges of high staff turnover, low wages, poor supervision and training, as well as lack of regulatory oversight. Impacts and Concerns This paper looks into three impacts related to the federalization of airport screening, namely travelers’ inconveniences, privacy concerns, and cost implications. The discussion around inconvenience is embedded in the fact that, although greater confidence in the safety of air travel has been found to trigger demand, the inconvenience of security procedures that necessitate additional time and effort on the part of travelers due to the high expectations associated with airport screening may indeed minimize demand for air travel (Blalock, 2007). The intrusive security measures occasioned by the federalization of airport screening (e.g., arbitrary hand-searches of travelers and their carry-on luggage, expansive inspection and prohibit
Executive Summary Many scholars and observers have claimed that President Ronald Reagan was more of a facilitator than a spectator. These sentiments could be attributed to his success in handling crises, notably the air traffic controller’s strike in 1981. Reagan treaded on murky waters of going against what other presidents had feared and avoided before; confrontation with union workers, managing to successfully fire Air Traffic controllers. The threat came in Reagan’s early time in office, testing his ability to maneuver such a crisis, with the workers union that had put its position rigid for any further agreement. Many have argued that the incident expressly exposed Reagan’s willpower, while others cite effective communication that the President employed to his favor, winning the support of ordinary Americans. While both claims may be true, it is also important to note that the union’s early hard stance could have played a role in Reagan’s response, countering ‘hard stance’ with ‘hard stance’. Realistically, the President may have assessed the ability of the Union in terms of communicating their message and noted that it held no substance, considering the fact that the strike was against the law. Introduction History tells us that every administration has its defining moments; others experience several of those moments. It is possible to remember Reagan Administration for many things, but the one event that remains in the psyche of every American is the discharge of federal air traffic controllers for failure to follow a presidential directive to return to work. During the summer of President Reagan’s first year in office, the Professional Air Traffic Controllers employed by the Federal Aviation Administration, called a strike to start on August 3, 1981, to demand higher wages, a shorter work weak, and better retirement benefits (Nordlund, 1998). The Threat of a strike became a test of Reagan’s famous willpower and his stated position that unions alone would not determine what happens in labor-management disputes (Nordlund, 1998). Emphasizing that it was illegal for them to strike, Reagan left no doubt beforehand that if the controllers went out, they would be fired. In fact, President Ronald’s stand was that there would be no compromise- there would be ‘no amnesty’ for those participating in a walkout, nor would there be any negotiations during a strike (Nordlund, 1998). Nordlund (1998) states that Reagan showed a strong will in the way he communicated his messages, hence instilling a notion of goodwill and power (p.12). The drama leading up to the event and the national trauma that followed provide a poignant picture of misjudgments in the negotiations. In fact, some economists and federal officials predicted that a prolonged strike would have a devastating national economic impact (McCartin, 2008). Probably they were
Case Analysis: Strategic Planning at Multistate Health Corporation The MHC’s strategy in terms of market position is to adopt the new technology for successful and efficient health service delivery at a lower cost than other health service providers in the market. It aims at improving efficiency in terms of service provision to the less fortunate members of the community as well as outpatient services. Therefore, it aims at charging same prices as other health service providers but make use of efficient technology and efficient service provision to cut down on hospital costs by reducing patient recovery periods to earn profits. It also intends to market the technology to other health service providers to earn revenues. MHC is operating in a competitive external environment where prices are regulated by federal state governments. The environment is competitive with changes in products and services thus need for new competitive strategies. The new strategies matches the environment in a way that MHC will out compete its competitors from the benefits of new technology and the efficiency in service provision due to reduction in hospital costs (Blanchard, & Thacker, 2009). MHC currently uses a decentralized structure whereby its branches operate as separate profit oriented entities with deliverance of reports to the central management. Under the competitive strategy proposed, the current structure has to be adjusted to a more centralized structure so that the subsidiary corporations can fit uniform implementation of the strategy to all the regions and divisions. Some of the structural adjustments that should be made include the following. Centralization of operations because the current system does not provide favorable environment for partnerships between the subsidiary corporations and the regions, getting the right personnel to carry out the implementation, harmonization of the whole system to be able to point out the scattered personnel with capabilities to implement the new competitive strategy and adjustments to the human resource system to come up with a coherent HR system that will fit the right personnel in the right places (Blanchard, & Thacker, 2009). One area where management KSAs is not aligned with effective implementation of the competitive strategy is the evaluation and comparison of the KSA required of the management in different divisions. There are no systems for doing this since the management in different divisions has different responsibilities and none of them knows about these differences. This poses a challenge to implementation of the competitive strategy. Another area is on performance evaluation. Data collection is manual and evaluation of performance is inconsistent and this poses a risk to selection of capable m