ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction This report discusses whether or not the present form of mercantilism is self-destructive and hence self-correcting strategy. The writer argues mercantilism, under classical theory was seen as a destructive policy. Other forms such as monetary mercantilism self sustaining and beneficial. The report further discusses the mechanism that a trade deficit country could effectively fulfill to provide a fair trade. The writer infers the mechanism differs in various aspects; however, scaled Tariff remains dissenting among them. Is Mercantilism a self-destructive Strategy? Many authors of classical economics of the 18th and 19th centuries have debated that mercantilism is a self-destructive strategy to any country. The debate has made some countries such as the United States believe the assertion. For this reason, the United States has relied on the classical opinion in persuading other economies such as the Chinese government to amend its mercantile strategy, in view of suiting its own interests. The assertion by the United States which was based on classical theory contradicts the views of Keynes. In his article, The General Theory of Employment Interest and Money , Keynes disputes inferring the classical economists, in which the United States bases its justifications. Keynes opines that mercantilism is not a self-destructive element; it works and fixes a favorable balance of trade (Keynes, 1980). This is only if it is not massive. He asserts that mercantile only fails when unfavorable balance produces unceasing depression (Keynes, 1980, p.338). On the same note, Krugman and Obstfeld (2000) in their International Economics textbook had argued that mercantilism is not feasible. However, after a decade of extensive research, he later concurred and changed his viewpoint, Krugman (2010). He argued that the US failure to tame China’s “greedy trade policy” fixes a “world in which mercantilism works.” The classical argument against mercantilism has three elements. These are the comparative advantage proposed by David Ricardo, the reduced consumption devised by Adam Smith, and the market forces balance trade by David Hume. Comparative Advantage Argument Basing on comparative advantage, the merits of international trade is obvious. According to this argument, Ricardo poses that a nation focuses on what it produces and exchange on a comparative advantage with similar products of another country on a comparative advantage (Ricardo, 1911). Similarly, each country trades an assortment of goods it produces with competence in exchange for an assortment of goods the other country produces using similar methods of production. To explain this element, Ricardo summarized free trade as an ideal structure of a free trade, where each country naturally dedicate
Group Population Students at risk are those vulnerable to expulsion owing to their weak academic performance. In the recent past, scholars have been engaging in constant research to establish some of the factors that predispose students to poor academic performance, which dispose them to risks of being expelled from school. It is established that some conditions expose new college students from high school to poor results, making college life more difficult. Some of these factors are related to the school environment while others are directly associated with the peer group. The peer group influences the performance of an individual even in their social life. Peer pressure may force a student to engage in activities that are parallel to the academic standards. These factors cause a major drop in grades while in extreme cases, student’s think of dropping out of school. For the group that I intend to work with, the major problem is to help them avoid academic probation and possible expulsion from college due to ongoing poor academic performance. York College City University of New York administration puts SEEK (Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge) students whose grade point average is below a 2.4 on academic probation. Therefore, the main challenge is to ensure that students achieve the desired grade point average of 2.5 or above. Since students are disinterested in attending the mandated workshops, I intend to come up with strategies that would help in encouraging the students to join The SEEK Academic Challenge for Excellence (ACE) group. The group will be aiming at recruiting freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are in the SEEK Program, and their performance is not satisfactory. The main challenge for these students is that they are first-generation college students. They have little skills as regards to academic life in college (Oldfield, 2012). I chose to form a group that would benefit students academically because students attain low grades not because they are mentally weak, but because of some factors that predispose them to poor performance. Some of the issues that the group seeks to address include time management, study skills, encouragement/empowerment, recognizing strengths, and goals. The school environment has a role to play as far as improvement of grades is concerned. Lecturers should come up with advanced or refined instructional plans in case they realize that some students need special attention (Yalom, & Leszcz, 2005). In a class set up, not all students are in a position to comprehend the course material at the same pace. It is upon the school administration to ensure that the lesson plans cater to the needs of all students, including the disabled and the vulnerable. Tutors should understand the problems facing students and come up with adequate measures to resolve the problems. This would be another area of focus since the group will come up with ways through which instructional plans and pedagogical strategies would be adjusted. Benefits of Using Group Approach In modern society, issues affecting individuals are resolved inside groups mai
Primarily, physical geography is the study of the earth’s surface facial appearance and the connected developments. Although physical geography explores the geographic patterns of climate, flora, soils, landforms, and the corporeal milieu that emanate from the internal reactions, it has been an integral tool in international relations. Significantly, physical geography amalgamates with human geography to produce a mixture of the multifaceted exchanges between the natural world and society. There are two branches of physical geography, climatology and geomorphology. Climatology deals with the observation and analysis of weather conditions over an extensive period. For example, physical geography deals with varieties, sources, and distinctiveness of climates right through the world thus, international relationship. Through the study of physical geography, human beings are able to understand and recognize diverse kinds of climates and consequently, construe the regional blueprint of allotment over the surface of the earth. For example, flight between two countries is possible if each country understand the climate of another country. On the other hand, geomorphology deals with the origin and development of landforms and in particular, the manner they occur on the surface of the earth. It also deals with the study of water catchment areas, oceanography and topographical features on the surface of the earth. In general, geography is the study of distribution of human beings and things over the surface of the earth, and the interrelationship between human beings and the natural world. Thus, an understanding of physical geography is a vital component in examining the current events taking place on earth and international relations. In addition, through physical geography, we understand why some countries are poor while others are rich. In most cases, countries that mine natural resources such as minerals and oil are rich and always dominate in international markets. Nevertheless, for countries to enter into agreement to exchange their goods and services, they have to sign treaties, which will oversee the smooth running of the affair. Not once, various countries have solved regional differences and conflict that result into political, economic and social interests due to the prior knowledge on physical geography. Physical geography plays a significant role in international relations. For example, in solving boundary problems between two bordering countries, physical features like mountains and rivers all play a significant role. The ongoing conflict between Sothern and Northern Sudan that has claimed millions of lives is mainly due to physical resources. This calls for diplomacy to solve the ailing problem. Geographical theories depicts the five geographical features, that is, size, location, topography, natural resources and climate, as the factors that dominate international relations. For example, for a long time, European Union has been in a deadlock over its institutional boundari
Located in Seaford, Victoria, Patterson River Secondary College is a private school, which was established in the mid-20th century. It offers students a wide range of academic subjects and co-curricular activities to students in grades 7-12. The school is devoted to ensuring the academic, emotional, and physical wellbeing of its students through an extensive pastoral system, supported by qualified personnel. The central values of the school – Respect, Engagement, and Success – are applied to all aspects of the students’ academic and social life. Patterson River aims to grow and develop, and part of this process would be to achieve better literacy and numeracy of the students. Ever since 2008, the Australian government has been investing its efforts and resources into the improvement of literacy and numeracy across the entire educational sector. As The Gillard Government notes, “targeted funding, coupled with proven strategies to help students improve their literacy and numeracy, lead to better results for our schools” (‘Australia: $41 million for literacy and numeracy’ 2013, para. 4). However, investing in literacy and numeracy has more benefits than improved academic performance. Whereas the concept of literacy is often equated with reading-to-learn skills (Gomez, LM & Gomez K 2007, para. 6), there is more to it in the context of the contemporary world: “Literacy is now centre stage in education policy, curriculum development, and everyday thinking about educational practice” (Lankshear & Knobel 2006, p. 5). The focus on developing numeracy, on the other hand, is crucial to modern society due to the fast-growing technology sector (AAMT 1998, p. 1). Despite the misconception that numeracy and literacy have to be taught by mathematics and literature teachers respectively, the Commonwealth of Australia (1997, p. 12) insists that both concepts have recently developed into broad cross-curricular topics and thus, to raise students’ literacy and numeracy on a school level, it would be
The situation in my life that involved unnecessary change was the problem related to processing management and organizational design. The primary purpose of this “alteration” was an attempt to solve the inefficiency of employees, low involvement in work, and lack of clear motivation. The tasks of this innovation included the fight against the problem of practical use and management of colleagues’ working time by implementing the KPI system. Recalling this situation, I think this change was unnecessary for the following reasons. In restructuring these concepts and ideas, the estimated and expected effect initially planned was not observed. The lack of a clear strategy plan and action tactics entailed undesirable consequences. The time of changes in work processes, for some people, became difficult, and not everyone was ready to cope with it. Accordingly, not all changes are beneficial; before proceeding with anything, one needs to mentally ask questions about why specific changes are essential. The changes caused emotional and social turmoil – the relationship has become a little tense; the former mutual understanding and trust have been lost due to an ill-considered plan. I also failed to support my colleagues, convincing them of the need to implement specific changes. Excitement overwhelmed me with my head in the pool of rapidly passing events. I felt awkward and out of place, not knowing how to react and act correctly in this situation. I wanted to be listened to, understood, and accepted for my feelings and emotions at these crucial moments. Consequently, a change agent could do the following things to convince me that the change was necessary and a priority. This person should listen to me well and show sympathy for my problem. In such a case, this is necessary to understand the essence of the matter without missing the slightest detail. Accordingly, after analyzing the information received, he or she should convince me of such judgments, supporting them with substantial facts, arguments, and evidence. Thanks to the right words, speech, tone, and mood of communication with a change agent, I will compare the data, understand the causes and consequences of what happened, and most likely, be ready for conversions. Typically, I respond to change depending on the situation and the circumstances. Sometimes “innovations” are essential; they bring benefits and widespread application in certain areas. On the contrary, the situation changed my way of life so much that it unsettled me for a long time. Sometimes, I resist not so much the intrusion of something new into my life but the loss of control over the circumstances accompanying this invasion. This behavioral pattern is similar to that of my friends and family. One person may perceive the change as a minor deviation; another may accept it as a cardinal transformation. The model of reaction to a negative change confirms a natural human fact – feelings, fear of the future, and the lack of prospects of being able to take control of the situation. Thus, responding to a c
Introduction Packaging of wine is very important in the process of branding, particularly when it is a new wine being introduced into the market. The design of the label can actually determine the success or failure of the wine product. This means the packaging sells what it protects and protects what it sells. Despite the quality of wine being excellent, clients often see the package design first and they base their judgment on the inkling evoked by the design. Protecting and Selling The wine packaging by use of bottles unquestionably protects the content in the bottles. However, wine packaging has four basic functions including, holding the contents, protecting the contents, for identification and for selling the product (Jackson, 2008, p. 489). The function of identification and selling come from the packaging being unique so that the product stands out from the rest and it attracts a great deal of clients. In conventional market (Wagner et al, 2007, p. 78), the sellers and the consumers usually bargain over prices of the product and the selling is hence done by people. In modern wine stores, bargaining is limited and packages do the selling. People often buy from the seller they trust in traditional marketplace but in the wine stores, the wines have been packaged and have brand names and customers bu
According to the data obtained from the survey, Subway is far from being popular in comparison with the other fast-food brands. Although Subway is on the second place in the U.S. in terms of outlets, it occupies the twelfth place in terms of sales. The survey results show that it is visited almost ten times less than MacDonald’s that occupies a leading position among all fast-food restaurants. The main reason for this, in my opinion, is that Subway uses a traditional approach, whereas its competitors introduce something new, focus on a particular type of customers, and expand abroad. Thus, for example, Blimpie’s main focus is the international development, Quiznos are aimed at attracting families, Togo’s Eatery highlight high-quality ingredients in their menu, Schlotzsky’s adds pizza and salads to its menu, and so on. Subway’s main focus is working class people who want to have a quick lunch. However, all Subway’s competitors have one thing in common. They all agree that the key factor of success is the quality. They see that customers are willing to pay more if the product is upscale; therefore, they make their menu upscale and add more kinds of food to it. They also diversify their menu by creating different kinds of eating occasions: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. One more important strategy that most of the fast-food restaurants including Subway have started to implement is the value pricing. Other companies decided to avoid price competition by positioning themselves as high-quality fast-food restaurants. Subway has started to focus on breakfast recently. However, in my opinion, this is not a good strategy, according to the survey, the customers prefer lunch and dinner times more. Also, according to the results, people often visit fast-food restaurants with a spouse, children, alone, or with their friends, whereas Subway’s main focus is workers. Subway excludes a great percentage of customers who like fast-food restaurants. It should focus on a wider range of people. In this respect, introducing kid packs which include food items and a premium gift was a good strategy. Thus, in my opinion, in order to be successful, Subway should introduce an upscale menu, focus on a wider range of people, and make its menu more versatile adding new types of sandwiches and other types of food to it, as quality and versatility are the key to success. Also, the last but far from being the least, Subway should expand abroad and to other continents, as 99% of its outlets are located only in North America. Thus, if we take McDonald’s as an example, expanding abroad is also the key to success. Although it is impossible to get rid of competitors, no matter in what sphere a company specializes, there are certain strategies that can help reduce the number of Subway’s competitors. In my opinion, when making an advertisement, Subway should highlight the product in which it specializes, that is sandwiches. Then, it is crucial to stress on the high quality of the product and to show some new features of this product, for instance, new filling, new spices, new size, new types of menu, and everything that can convince customers to come
Direct costs refer to the unavoidable expenses incurred when honoring a contract. When there is a contractual business relationship, the company is supposed to provide finished goods in exchange for the financial reward that the customer will offer. There are many activities that have to be carried out in order for businesses to avail completed goods to the customer. These include: buying of raw materials, hiring people to operate machine, packaging the finished product, delivery and receipt of payment. These activities are unavoidable since they are directly related to the conversion of raw materials into finished goods. The expenses undergone because of these activities are what are known as direct costs and include materials and labor (Crosson & Needles, 2011). Other activities such as administration, licensing and paying electricity bills results in additional costs that are not directly involved in the fulfillment of the contract. There are many things that can go wrong during the analysis of direct costs. The first problem during this process is differentiating between direct costs and indirect costs. Personnel in the financial and accounts departments must be keen when categorizing the cost items in their books of accounts. It is important to identify the direct costs since these ne
The presented case study reflects on the implementation of a new facility that are referred to as Epic inpatient and outpatient system. It was stated that the current system of McKesson was used by the Southeast Medical Center for several years, yet it proved to be inconvenient and outdated. The case provides specific advantages of the implementation of Epic system such as cost-effectiveness, integration of inpatient and outpatient medical records, and achievement of meaningful use criteria. Analysis Considering the value of investments that are to be made by the Southeast Medical Center, it is possible to note that the offered Electronic Health Record (EHR) system focuses on timely and coordinated health care reports. First of all, it is necessary to point out that current EasyDoc system is not suffice to ensure appropriate quality of care as it lacks to deliver a comprehensive picture of a patient’s health. On the contrary, Epic ambulatory EHR coordinates inpatient and outpatient health records in order to create the complete presentation of a patient’s health status. Another essential benefit of Epic relates to the fact that it opens access to information so that a patient would be able to achieve it online. This factor would undoubtedly increase the awareness of a patient and improve collaboration with doctors. Furthermore, in terms of cost-effectiveness, the application of Epic ambulatory system requires $ 120 million in total including both ownership and implementation costs. This estimated total cost seems to be adequate to change the whole system, thus enhancing the overall performance of the medical center. Focusing on the mentioned advantages, management of this medical institution targets to achieve better outcomes in large populations. For example, it is expected to improve well-being of those patients who suffer from chronic diseases. Both researchers and clinicians would develop their clinical research and care practices by employing the existing confidential patient data, innovative resources offered by Epic EHR, and evidence-based approach. Conclusions From the above observations, it becomes clear that Epic ambulatory system that was proposed to be implemented at the Southeast Medical Center is a highly-effective, timely, coordinated, and cooperative facility. This system is likely to cover all the areas of health care delivery, focusing on both inpatient and outpatient care. In its turn, the latter factor can significantly enhance the level of staff professionalism and the patients’ satisfaction. Also, the system can be referred to as an advantageous as it promotes evidence-based research and real-time care. Although Epic EHR system requires certain costs associated with technology investments, it is likely to save more funds, decrease medical errors, and change the existing processes. Recommendations Based on the mentioned advantages along with research that was provided to find relevant information, it also seems appropriate to point ou