ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction There is no doubt that Peter Drucker is the guru of management. And rightly so; his theories, experience and knowledge of management that he acquired throughout his life, especially while working at General Electric have truly transformed the way organizations were previously being run in the early 20 th century (Schlender, 1998). At the heart of the 35 or so books that he has written, lie extremely valuable concepts of management. His work started with an analysis of corporate structure in General Motors that led to his analysis and discussion of the implications of decentralized decision making and long-term strategy via management by objectives (MBO) (Boudreaux, 2005). This was not the end of his contribution to management; in 1950, Peter Drucker wrote several more books (such as The Practice of Management) and articles that proved at least equally fruitful to his previous work. This literature provided significant details to the concept of what Drucker calls the knowledge worker and its role in the professional environment. Quite simply, Drucker’s work recognizes and emphasizes the role and importance of managers in business organizations. While it is extremely difficult to incorporate all of management theory and apply it to the Electronics Management environment, the author argues that three areas of management are the most relevant and should be addressed by electronic co-operatives: the importance of the knowledge worker, the role of boards and managers as well as organizational renewal and self-development. Together, these concepts have the power of determining the competitiveness and performance of electronic co-operatives. Also, central to this discussion of these concepts of management is the understanding of Peter Drucker’s definition of management. It is within this context that all the implications of management theory will be analyzed. Thesis Statement Every organization should be a knowledge organization where knowledge, science and the ability to organize and analyze information are its central drivers. Discussion Before conducting any analysis of management theory and its implications on electronics management, it is important to discuss the context within which management theory was established. Till the middle of the 20 th century, a rather myopic view of management existed that was known as scientific management (Boudreaux, 2005; Daft, 2000). Frederick Taylor proposed that supervisors should break down complex tasks into smaller routine tasks that would be easy for unskilled workers to follow. These management practices followed from the command-and-control activities that existed in the then most visible organizations i.e. the government, the military and church. All directions and information flow were downw
The COVID-19 pandemic caused substantial damage to millions of people’s lives, countries’ economies, and many healthcare organizations worldwide. The coronavirus crisis revealed inadequacies of the U.S. health system, which is primarily insurance-based (Metzl et al., 2020). Unfortunately, the economic downfall that the United States experienced at the beginning of the pandemic resulted in a surge in unemployment. It meant that many citizens lost their jobs and had no medical insurance, usually provided by employers (Blumenthal et al., 2020). Although some were eligible for Medicaid after becoming jobless, many people lacked insurance amid the COVID crisis. According to Blumenthal et al. (2020), “31 million persons … were uninsured and the more than 40 million estimated to be underinsured before the pandemic struck” (p. 1483). These numbers were problematic for the nation because 26% of COVID-19 cases and 24% of death occurred in the United States, whose people comprise only 4% of the global population (Blumenthal et al., 2020). This pandemic damaged hospitals’ infrastructure and reflected the deep crisis of the American healthcare system by exposing issues of insurance-based care that prevented many people from receiving medical help. The U.S. hospitals were in crisis at the beginning of the pandemic because of the lack of materials and supplies. Since many non-emergent procedures had to be canceled, healthcare institutions started to have a drop in their revenue (Zeegen et al., 2020). Indeed, it was estimated that hospitals could lose more than $320 billion during the first year of the pandemic (Blumenthal et al., 2020). This situation could affect the financial viability of clinics that were potentially dangerous for the system because of the personnel and equipment shortage. Furthermore, monetary losses could incentivize healthcare organizations to raise prices, making care even more unaffordable (Blumenthal et al., 2020). Moreover, before the vaccination was introduced, Emergency Rooms had to function at their maximum capacity despite being understaffed and underfunded (Dorsett, 2020). Although some COVID patients could stay home for quarantine, many required admissions to the intensive care units (ICU) for mechanical ventilation. Since the United States, like other countries, did not have enough ventilator machines, ICUs were overwhelmed (Dorsett, 2020). These circumstances often required prioritizing care in favor of critically ill people, leaving less severe patients for home care through telemedicine. The inadequacy of the insurance-based healthcare system was evident before the pandemic, and when the coronavirus crisis began, it became apparent that fundamental change was required. The economic downturn caused by the pandemic resulted in the loss of about 35 million employer-provided health insurance (Zeegen et al., 2020). The main problem was that Medicaid could reach the point of non-expansion due to its limited capacity, leaving millions of people wit
Executive summary Ballarat is a region in Australia that has got a myriad of attractions ranging from the scenic views to the enchanting boutiques and galleries that it has. These features are tourist attractions to both the local and foreign tourists. Domestic visitors form the bulk of visitors who toured Ballart in the year 2009/2010. Foreign tourists on the other hand are the ones who spent the most money while on tour in Ballarat. The tourism industry in Ballarat aided in the development of various tourism related businesses. According to statistics of 2009/2010 regarding Ballarat’s tourism industry, more than 2100 tourism related businesses were in operation. These businesses ended up creating more employment opportunities for the local residents and boosted the economy of the region as a result (Ekonde, 2011). In spite of the fact that the industry has grown over time, operations are underway in search of better practices that need to be adopted by various stakeholders in the industry to enhance their competitiveness and enable them to compete with other world class tourist destinations. The importance of marketing in the tourism industry cannot be overemphasized if one wants to remain relevant in the industry. Stakeholders in Ballarat’s tourism industry are no exception. They need to come up with marketing strategies that are effective, relevant and are line in with times. Introduction Ballarat is Victoria’s largest historic inland city situated 110 kilometers west of Melbourne. It has some of the best Victoria’s hidden tourism treasures. They include wide open spaces with a panoramic view, exquisite galleries that are enchanting and vintage boutiques that are pristine and elegant (Flanagan, 2000). The city also has engaging and exciting events throughout the year that tourists can sample and enjoy. The region is rich in Australian history that tourists can immerse themselves in not to mention one of the most unique and exciting shopping experiences in the numerous shopping complexes and boutiques. The purpose of this report is to analyze the visitor situation in Ballarat and coming up with relevant, efficient and effective promotional activities that are going to portray the region as the ideal tourist destination for both the local and foreign tourists. The development of effective marketing materials and marketing strategies is crucial for tourism activity in Ballarat to be more vibrant. Ballarat should consider incorporating promotional activities such as generic brochures, placing advertisements in local newspapers, informing the local residents about the passport campaign, media releases and blog campaigns. These are some of the promotional activities that stakeholders within the Ballarat tourism industry should consider adopting in an effort of shoring up activity wi
The Business Model Canvas (BMC) can be defined as a tool that is used in the generation of a business model. “The BMC is made up of nine building blocks forming a chart that describes a firms value proposition, infrastructure, customers, finances, resources, channels, revenue streams and cost structure”(Shaw 2011). I am going to describe the business of Spotify.com using the BMC. Spotify is a company that helps its customers get the best music collection for their phones and personal computers. It is a company with a large dataset of music tracks. It also enables its customers to browse music from their friend’s collection lists and from music celebrities (Pigneru, 2012). Key Partners This refers to the partners that we do business with. They include ,Marantz, Phillips, Onkyo, Sonos, Samsung, Denon, WD, Boxee, Morpher and logitech Key Activities This involves the main mission as to the existence of the company. Theses are the activities that give a company the meaning for its existence. The key activities for spotify are divided into three;  1. Production – This involves producing the music and distributing it to the customers and loading it up to their website.  2. Problem solving – Solving problems faced by customers by making use of qualified IT team. Making sure there is enough music in the system  3. Platform management Value Propositions This involves value delivered to customers. Customer Relationship This is the association between the company and its clients. Customer Segments This covers areas where customers are found in the market. Key Resources This refers to the resources that make up our value proposition and which will generate revenue and at the same time reduce costs. The resources aim at improving customer relationships and in the distribution of products. Channels This are the channels of distribution used to get to our customers. It involves using the channels that enable us reach our customers best and in the shortest time. The channel aims at;  1. Awareness – Creating awareness to customers about our products.  2. Evaluation – By allowing our customers to evaluate us by having questionnaires that give feedback on our products and services. And having a balance score card for our employees.  3. Purchase – These refers to the ease with which our customers can pay for our products which can be done through bankers cheque, credit cards, internet money transfer, money orders or in cash.  4. After sales service – Refers the support given to the customers after the purchase. This includes free delivery to their locations, installation, offering warranties and guaranties and doing regular check-ups (Spinellli, 2012). Cost structure This touches on the cost structure of our business and creating value for money. Revenue streams This refers to the income generated from the business. It involves ethical business practices by charging customers fairly. The customers can pay for this reven
Issues concerning health care and pension benefits are widespread among companies. In fact, while some companies offer good working conditions to workers, others do not. Moreover, some companies find it difficult to offer good employment packages to employees. Additionally, a number of companies fail to guarantee continued payment of retirement benefits upon takeover or merger. However, it should be noted that such actions take diverse dimensions. These dimensions may take legal or moral obligations to guarantee payment of packages. To answer this question, the paper will examine conditions associated with payment of retiree pensions and health benefits. In addition, the paper will explore both dimensions to arrive at an answer to the question. From the case study, it has to be noted that Sears was a blue-collar worker with the large mining company. Additionally, it has been noted that the union negotiated a deal to secure their health insurance and pension benefits. Interestingly, their retirement benefits were not indexed to inflation. In this regard, their benefits remained constant irrespective of inflation. Another issue that should be taken into consideration is the fact that the original company in which Frank Sears worked has been taken over by a new management. In this regard, a new management has taken over with new plans and new strategies. Furthermore, it has been indicated in the case study that a union negotiated the benefits provided. This may mean that these benefits could be considered as postretirement benefits. Actually, the only exception to this is pension benefits, which complicates the situation with regard to retirees. Courts consider legal contracts to be binding to companies irrespective of their financial situation. To add weight to this matter, I can give an example of General Motors, which have a number of workers on post retirement benefits. According to the company, the contract, which was negotiated (on behalf of workers) by their union, is not legally binding. Instead, the company pays its liabilities as a moral obligation to its retirees. In essence, informal plans do not force companies to honour agreements. However, formal plans are usually honoured as a legal requirement. Most companies remit health care cover to retirees, however, this is covered under postretirement benefits. This explains why Sears and other retirees opted to pay their health insurance premiums from the pocket. Moreover, it has been indicated that the company targeted retirees’ health insurance as a profit venture. Essentially, it can be noted that post retirement benefits are not legally binding. However, as noted in General Motor’s case, they are morally binding. Therefore, to answer the above question, we have to establish whether the contracts indicated in the case study were le
Southwest Airlines Fulfillment of Maslow’s Need Theory According to Maslow, individual needs are in a hierarchy, beginning at physiological conditions, security, social, esteem needs, and self-actualization (Bauer & Erdogan, 2010). Physiological needs are met through paychecks, employee benefits, incentives, retirement plans, and compensations (McNerney, 1996). The company has a salary and wage compensation package following union structures, similar to other airlines. However, this is different from other airlines since it offers employees profit-sharing funds, which can be invested in stocks. This also represents social, and self-esteem needs, where employees feel part of the company by owning company stocks. Security needs are met by providing job stability by offering employees job security and a better work environment. The company’s leadership strives to provide employees a stable working environment that has equal opportunities for personal growth and learning (Southwest Airlines Annual Report, 2010). Social needs are also fulfilled by creating a robust corporate culture, where there is a practice of business fair play, trust, and inadequate supervision (McNerney, 1996). Social needs are also met by creating a working environment where employees can work hard and still have “FUN” and be connected (Southwest Airlines Annual Report, 2010). Self-esteem needs are met by receiving rewards and seeing their names on “ the share the spirit volunteers of LUV wall ” (Southwest Airlines Annual Report, 2010). Self-actualization is provided through growth opportunities. Since the company offers stable employment, employees are guaranteed that they can grow, acquire skills and knowledge, and get promotions through the various job classes. The company encourages self-actualization by motivating employees to be creative and innovative to be all they can, to improve effectiveness (Southwest Airlines Annual Report, 2010). Reinforcement Theory Apart from motivation, reinforcement has been recommended by Bauer & Erdogan (2010) as a means for managers to intervene in employee behavior. Therefore, to determine if southwest airlines use reinforcement theory, its leadership and human resources management styles are analyzed based on the four intervention measures; positive, negative reinforcement, extinction, and punishment. For example, to discourage absenteeism, the company uses positive reinforcement by offering two free airline tickets to employees absent or late in three months. This also shows that the company uses a fixed ratio reinforcement schedule since it rewards a lack of absenteeism after three months. Positive reinforcement is also used when employees contribute to increasing productivity and profit margins for the company, upon which the company shares the profits, which can be turned into stocks. According to McNerney (1996), this profit-sharing strategy has turned several employees into millionaires and led to the airline’s excellent financial performance. Southwest airlines use punishment to eliminate specific behavior in employees. Since th
Introduction History reveals that nations have been engaging in interactions for mutual benefit. Therefore, several and different governments have unceasingly endeavored in the establishment of policies that pursue the improvement of their international relations. Mainly, international relations concentrate on the elements of economic, political, and social undertakings between two or multiple sovereignties. some countries disagree on some aspects of the interactions leading to conflicting situations that pose a grave danger to their prosperity. Therefore, in the event of conflicts that arise from diverging interests between countries that engaged in healthy interactions previously, the need for intervention is necessary to curb escalation 1 . The Iraqi-Iranian relations provide a good example of engagements that turned sour due to conflicting socio-economic and political interests. Notably, Iraqi broke away from the greater Persia where Iran currently sits amid the long history of cultural and religious heritage shared between the two Middle Eastern countries. The relations between the two nations started worsening in 1958 when a revolution occurred in the Iraq as border issues and the scramble over natural resources intensified 2 . Up to date, the Iraqi-Iranian relationship has not stabilized fully thereby prompting interventions that include policy formulation to improve their cooperation in different developmental matters. As such, the healthy relations between Iran and Iraq can be restored amid the prevailing political tensions. In this light, this paper identifies the various practical ways of improving the Iraqi-Iranian relations in a bid to foster the peace and development of the Middle East. The Background of Iraqi-Iranian Relations The long border that separates the Republic of Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran could be likened to the long history that transcends over millennia between the two Middle Eastern nations. Almost a millennium ago, Iraq comprised a section of Iran, before a series of political and economic struggles prompted its break away. The July 14 th Revolution that occurred in Iraq in 1958 propagated a substantial degree of hostility between Iraq and Iran over border issues. In response, a section of Iranians led by the leftist movement staged the Islamic Revolution in 1979 to counter the invasion of Iraq led by their former President, Saddam Hussein. The developments led to the Iraq-Iran War characterized by chemical weaponry and ethnic clashed primarily between Shia Arabs from both sides that lasted for 8 years 3 The culmination of the hostilities occurred in 2003 after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s authority in Iraq. Since then, the two nations have signed over a hundred agreements that seek to spearhead their political and socio-economic engagements to greater heights than before. Interestingly, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the immediate Iranian former President paid Iraq a courtesy visit in 2008, becoming the first President of Iran to set foot in Iraq since the Islamic revoluti
Introduction Many health websites contain informative contents. Patients doing online search benefit from such information. Patients need to evaluate the credibility of any medical information given online. Some of the information online is inaccurate and biased as they are based on the authors’ personal objectives (Diviani, Putte, Giani, & van Weert, 2015). In order to determine the credibility of the information, the patient should ask him/herself the following questions:   * Who runs the website?   * What content do the website have? Is is it valid?   * When was the information posted or reviewed? A patient can easily identify a health website with inaccurate information. Some of the red flags include, outdated information which is far from recent research, contains excessive claims of what a product can do, is sponsored by an organization whose objective differs from yours. In order to answer the above questions, the patient must adhere to the following steps. Step 1: Evaluate the Author of Web Content Assess if the author holds relevant qualifications. The credentials of the author should be from a well known and a highly reputed organization. Check if the author has written or published in other sites or journals. Web address extensions can also be used to evaluate the author. For instance, web address extensions such as:   * edu indicate that the author is from an education institution;   * gov indicates that the author is from a government institution;   * org shows that the author is from a non-governmental organization. Personal websites usually have the name of the person in the URL. The patient can do a bit of research using the name to know more about the qualifications of the author. The author of the website or article must be a professional. In many credible websites, the author’s background and work experience are available to the reader. The website should also indicate clearly the contact information and location of the author. Additionally, other works done or published should be clearly highlighted in the bio of the author. Step 2: Assess the Accuracy of the Information After Step 1, the patient needs to filter out misleading and inaccurate information. A patient can test the accuracy of the information given by first, verifying the citations used. Secondly, the patient can analyze how the author organizes his or her work (Sbaffi & Rowley, 2017).