ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Bing is a brand that was introduced by Microsoft in 2009. In fact, it was a re-launch of the search engine developed by the company. Microsoft expected to receive a significant profit and gain a substantial market share. However, the new brand has proved to be less successful than expected (Ovide n.p.). More so, it is associated with significant losses the company has made. Nonetheless, it does not mean that the project should be shut down. Clearly, numerous changes should be made to make Bing a real competitor of Google’s search engine. However, the effort is worthwhile as the market of search engines is rapidly developing and is potentially beneficial for effective competitors. First, it is necessary to stress the reasons for remaining in the market. Clearly, in the era of information, people will need effective search engines that will enable them to find and use the most recent and the most valuable data. The amount of data is increasing each second, and it becomes harder to access the necessary information in this abundance of data quickly. Therefore, people will need efficient search engines to cope with the challenges of the information era. Of course, it is a mistake to leave such a promising market. Clearly, Google can be seen as the first-mover who has entered the market and won its lion’s share. Nonetheless, there are also high chances that late-movers (as Bing) could win a significant market share. To achieve this goal, Microsoft staff should take into account a number of concepts, and the company should be able to develop proper strategies. First of all, it is important to understand that Bing and Google’s search engine should be seen as an example of the interfirm rivalry that is based on the market commonality (Chen 112). The two brands are operating in the same market and address the same target audience. It is also clear that the resources available are also quite similar even though Google is the first-mover. The peculiarities of the search market imply similarity of resources for both first- and late-movers. It is even more important to take into account the advantages and disadvantages of being the late-mover (and Bing is the late-mover in this case). Of course, a major disadvantage of being a late-mover is that the first-mover has already taken a certain share of the market, and it is more than 70% in the case with Google (Ovide n.p.). There are also some standards set by Google, and this can be a disadvantage for Bing, as the brand will have to comply with the standards created by (and for) another brand (Lieberman and Montgomery 44). At the same time, it is possible to identify a number of advantages that can enable Microsoft to make Bing profitable and make it win a significant share of the market. For instance, free-riders effects can be a good advantage for Microsoft. Thus, it has been acknowledged that “imitation costs are lower than innovation costs in most industries” (Lieberman and Montgomery 47). The online search market is one such industry, as majo
Introduction In the article titled, “The Practice of Management Education in Australian Universities”, by Rosalie (2004) an attempt has been made to identify the hidden relationship between business and education. This has been done by answering three critical questions. The first question probes the role of management educators in the field of imparting impartial managerial education to the students. The second question asks whether management educators are capable of becoming efficient managers, while the third and final question reverses the role-playing in the second question and asks whether managers can become effective management educators or scholars. The research paper focuses on the existing standards of education in the Australian business schools, wherein the educators belong to the above-mentioned subheads, namely, teachers, managers and academic discipline experts. Rosalie (2004) has tried to highlight the interrelationship between the three categories of educators. This is because the overall success of Australian business schools is completely dependent on the interrelationship of the three diverse educators and their level of competence in terms of imparting free and impartial management education to aspiring students. Rosalie (2004) has also tried to highlight the importance of local as well as global management education methodologies and the role universities play in executing their tasks to perfection. The overall impression of the article is both positive as well as negative. This is because Rosalie (2004) has tried to present her perception of the educational field by remaining unbiased in her approach. To portray her dilemma, she has tried to cite the gaps in the execution of management education in the Australian business school, while trying to steer clear of the outdated practices, which are followed by the “old school” of management educators. Rosalie’s (2004) critical approach clearly states that if the existing level of management education in Australia has to rise in terms of the global standards, an attempt has to be made to ensure that both academic discipline experts as well as effective managers in the corporate world, be brought together to impart an education which has a perfect blend of both
Why is pretesting really requisite? One thing teachers should know is that in the modern educational environment, all stakeholders claim to prioritize quality over quantity. However, as teachers, we understand that the quantity factor is a major cause of pressure for us. Pretesting is a quality factor, and like many other quality factors, it is time-consuming and unquantifiable at the same time. When a teacher is pressed for time, he/she is likely to employ pretesting as a mere formality. On the other hand, pretesting is a tool whose advantages can only be realized by above-average teachers. Therefore, it is essential to employ pretesting, but only if it is a quality and not a quantity factor. Teachers should only use pretesting for both quality and quantity value. For example, some teachers will use pretesting just because they want to insert it in their activity log. However, their only focus will be the posttest because it is more quantifiable and easily understood by the education stakeholders. Is it sensible to evaluate the district’s teachers on the basis of our students’ scores? This is a very retrogressive approach to teacher evaluation. Previously, education stakeholders could have been forgiven for thinking that all test-takers’ skills are standard, and content-achievement for a student is overrated. However, the expansive data that we have amassed in the 21 st century shows that standardized tests are only applicable to some disciplines. Individual students have different skill sets that cannot be generalized in the manner of standardized achievement tests. Consequently, a teacher’s performance should not be tied to his/her ability to help students conform to a specific skill set. Within the current environment, teachers are primarily instructors. In my view, standardized tests are not a one-size-fits-all approach, as proposed by some education stakeholders. Can be standards-based tests used when appraising the state’s teachers? The one problem we have within our educational system is that most people are convinced that there is a ‘magic test’ squeeze all aspects of learning in a single formula. Standards-based tests are unlikely to be the benchmark in testing because they work under the assumption that teachers should only be teaching skills instead of content. However, content continues to be important as long as education is the primary avenue for gaining knowledge. That is why I think that standards-based testing can only appraise some teachers effectively, but not all of them. For example, it would not be easy to appraise a history or language teacher using this tool. On the other hand, this method would be useful in appraising a mathematics’ teacher. What is an instructionally sensitive standards-based accountability test? An instructionally sensitive standards-based accountability test should mainly enable educators to lay down a methodology for assessing their curricular aims. Con
Excellence Theory When looking at the growth avenues for the Al Habtoor Group, one should take into consideration models that can help it overcome challenges identified. Excellence theory was developed in 1985 by James Grunig following a study that was funded by the International Association of Business Communication. The theory holds that public relations help organizations to become more effective. In the competitive business environment, companies are struggling to come up with ways of offering superior products are the lowest cost possible. They are keen on ensuring that they can offer top quality products are the competitive price in the market. That is why the concept of excellence has become critical in most of these organizations. However, excellence is a product of so many factors. One of the most important factors is public relations as explained in the Excellence Theory. A firm should be capable of engaging the public regularly to popularize the brand and develop a close relationship with the customers. Constant engagement with the public creates trust. When such a firm is hit by a crisis, it becomes easy to explain and convince the public because the trust had already been created. On the other hand, when public relations become important only when there is a crisis, it may not be easy to pass message effectively to the public. Grunig says that successful organizations have developed fully independent public relations department instead of having it as a unit in the marketing department. The role of such a department is not just limited to engaging members of the public. It should also be used to engage employees on internal issues relating to their performance, progress of the company, major plans ahead, and many other relevant pieces of information. Matrix Organizational Structure According to Burford, different companies choose different management structure based on organizational culture and practices. Some organizations prefer strict and formal hierarchical structure where information flows from the top leadership to the bottom. Others prefer a system where top leaders can easily interact with junior officers in what most organizations call the open-door policy. Other organizations use a blend of the two extremes. In the United Arab Emirates, the formal hierarchical structure has always been common, but as the market is increasingly exposed to the global forces, other models are becoming acceptable. The matrix organizational structure is one such model that is increasingly becoming popular. The fig. 1 below shows how matrix organization system is structured. Fig. 1. Matrix organization system As shown in the figure above, a matrix organization structure focuses on pooling together people who have similar skills. In most of the cases, the structure is adopted when undertaking a specific pro
Introduction: What Happened at Owl Creek Bridge. The Author and His Work An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge was written by Ambrose Bierce has been acclaimed for its original structure and unique message. The novel addresses the harsh realities of the American Civil War, yet it combines the elements of realism and fantasy that set it aside from a range of similar stories. The short novel tells a story of Peyton Farquhar, who was sentenced to death by hanging by the members of the Union after he confused one of the Union soldiers for the member of the Confederacy and disclosed essential information to him. The story begins with the scene of Farquhar being about to executed and continues with a rather unexpected description of him escaping the clutches of death and fleeing to safety. Afterward, the events that led Farquhar to his desperate state are disclosed, and he finally reunites with his wife shortly after having a dreamlike sequence. The novel ends with the abrupt return to the hanging scene, showing that all the events starting from Farquhar’s escape were a figment of his imagination and, in reality, lasted for several minutes, at best. The novel ends with Farquhar being hanged, thus, becoming a grim study of human nature and the perception of death. Deconstructing the Narrative: What Makes An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Unique With the fame that the narration received for its unique way of arranging the events in the story and playing with the reader’s expectations, specifying the details that make it stand out would be superfluous at this point. How the author subverts the expectations of readers and introduces the element of unexpectedness into the narration is truly brilliant since it crea
Written by Barbara Lazear Ascher, On Compassion is a fascinating essay whose time of publication is not well known, though it was revealed in the Elle magazine in 1988. In her works, Ascher dwells much on the issue of compassion. According to her, compassion is that desire or want, to reduce the effect of a painful situation experienced by a person. She posits that compassion is not an innate trait, but comes by learning through the day-to-day experiences. From her illustrations, the homeless people and in general, people who lack the fundamental requirements, food, shelter, and clothing, serve as what induces compassion, that is portrayed by the society today. However, rich in lessons to the society, criticism chips in, based on her view of the compassion in today’s society. Are all, able and willing to learn and apply this trait, as Ascher puts it? No, is the obvious answer. Based on her view, she assumes that every person is literate. She is a lawyer, a sign that her level of literacy is quite higher and she able to learn and understand, even by seeing, the situation of other people. She can successfully identify a suffering individual, not only by what she can see or get from him/her, but also by her psychological revelations. This is only limited to the learned, like her, but all cannot fit in this category. There are, in the midst of her audience, those who see and have interacted with all sorts of afflicted people, but have never offered any sort of assistance. Are they selfish or inhumane? Probably this is not the case. It is only that, they lack the knowledge of compassion, and need to be taught about it, not only through writings like Ascher, but also, orally. In addition, the issue of homelessness needs clarification. The author gives the illustrations of the two men and the players, as homeless and helpless people, who deserve compassion. She does not define the conditions of the homeless people. One cannot become dispossessed because he/she has been found on the way and neither can he/she become one simply because he/she is pleading or in rags! Ascher needs to extend her views basing on the current society. The issue of business is on the peak and people have turned out to be business oriented. Entrepreneurs are everywhere today and as a feature of them, they are risk takers. This implies that they can sacrifice themselves, only to make sure that their businesses grow. They are willing to spend time on the streets, in pitiful conditions, skipping meals, and pretending to be severely suffering, just to capture the minds of the compassionate people. They end up getting assistance. However, what is at the back of their minds is far from homelessness or hunger as people t
Introduction Researchers often argue about the validity of college education and its relation to individuals’ performance in the work place. Some researchers argue that higher education is a prerequisite for individuals to secure nice jobs. Conflicting information exists on the significance of the course, people major in, and their eventual success in the labor market (Kuther and Robert 8). While some argue that majoring in some disciplines such as medicine or teaching was important, others are of the opinion that what mattered most was the mastery attained during college education. The paper evaluates the essay written by Barnett and Bedau on current issues, which hold that, it did not matter what somebody majored in during college education (Barnet and Hugo 517). Evaluation The argument presented by the authors is valid. This is because majoring in a certain course in the college, did not necessarily imply that an individual will only be tied to working or rather performing roles only associated with the learnt course. For instance, the author woke up one morning to perform two tasks, which did not have anything in common in terms of majoring, since one entailed the writing of a column, while the other involved the grading of exam papers (Barnet and Hugo 517). On the other hand, the two tasks clearly demonstrated something of great importance associated with higher education. This implied that, what mattered most was the value of higher education to enable an individual to apply mastery in accomplishing a variety of duties in different fields (Barnet and Hugo 517). Furthermore, the authors postulate that college education was necessary for individuals to acquire jobs that would place them in the middle class. This was because the labor market had considered college degree to be the minimum qualification for a good job (Barnet and Hugo 517). This clearly depicts that having a college degree was more significant in securing a job rather than the course one specialized. The authors saw the increment in college costs to have created social problems, since higher education was supposed to be affordable to everyone across the board (Barnet and Hugo 517). Moreover, many people are now investigating what students get out of college in return for their money. People are increasingly questioning both institutions and students’ commitment to academic excellence. This was vital in appreciating that the mastery acquired by students was the most significant element of college education (Barnet and Hugo 517). For instance, people who major in
Effect on Value Proposition and customer service Value proposition is the promise of value that a business entity makes to a client and, the belief by their customers that value and quality will be delivered. Normally, value proposition is a strategy which is part of a long-term business plan of a corporate entity. Consistent quality delivery and meeting of customer expectations for a long time, easily brings a reputation of quality to an organization. Toyota has for a long time been associated with quality and rarely do authorities and customers question its credentials in terms of value proposition. However, the recall that affected eight million cars worldwide did dent Toyota’s quality image and raised doubts on the company’s stated quality objectives (Lam 2010, p. 36). Though a good number of customers still belief in Toyota’s quality standards, its products are at some point going to be treated with doubt and most customers may not hold the company’s value proposition highly as they used to. Toyota customer experience has been a cornerstone of the Toyota value proposition. Customer service was crucial in dealing with customers during the crisis. Some analysts allege that Toyota had knowledge of the problems affecting the recalled vehicles but, still did nothing to correct them in time. This allegation somehow cast doubts on the genuine will of the company to address potential problems that may affect customers. Role of Social media Since the technology boom of the 90’s, and the subsequent development and widespread use of the internet, online marketing and customer interaction has been a permanent feature in many companies’ plans. In recent times however, social media has been the face of online marketing and interaction. Billions of people are registered in various social sites where information is exchanged continuously. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter offer huge marketing platforms that businesses can use to reach millions of potential customers. During the recall, customer loyalty to Toyota fell drastically. However, the company managed to retain the backing of the majority of its loyal customers. Through social media, Toyota has a chance to interact with these customers who can easily spread the company’s goodwill message to potential new clients. Social media offers a direct and affordable avenue through which Toyota can establish a one-on-one relationship with new and existing customers with the aim of repairing the tarnished image and gaining the lost value proposition trust. Through social media, Toyota will be able to deliver firsthand information on new products and also be able to receive up to date feedback from customers for easier planning and delivery of quality products. Factors affecting Toyota customer loyalty Toyota has for a long time built a solid reputation of quality
McDonald’s is an American international enterprise that deals with fast foods. The franchise business that operates in more than 100 countries is based in the United States and is greatly influenced by federal regulations. Following the enactment of a law to promote healthier nutritional behavior, McDonald’s Company has moved to comply with stipulated legal requirements and to modify the nutritional content of its products. This paper seeks to discuss the costs that are involved in the decision to enhance nutritional standards. The paper will identify relevant costs and costs that are not relevant to the decision. Corporate social responsibility aimed at improving nutritional standards is one of the decisions that have recently been made by McDonald’s corporation. One of the major initiatives in this decision involves the production of dairy products that are low in fat content. The company also ensures that the percentage of calories in its products is reduced to about 20 %. The company’s move further extends to conducting awareness campaigns that target families as a whole with the main agenda of enhancing better nutrition among children. Other initiatives about the decision involve the production of specialized packaged meals, reducing sodium content in products, advertisements, and organized field trips by the organization’s key personnel. This decision was made in the year 2011 and its implementation is expected to be long term. Full compliance with the legislation to set nutritional standards is expected to be accomplished by the end of March 2012. Further considerations such as reduction of sodium content in foods are projected to be fully implemented by the end of the year 2015. Though advertising was to be reinforced, it has significantly been used by McDonald’s to spearhead nutritional awareness campaigns. The period for implementation of the decision, therefore, includes the years 2011 and 2012 for active measures with slight extension to future periods. To implement the decision to improve nutritional standards, the company faced a variety of inputs in terms of implementation costs. The first initiative, aimed at reducing fat, sodium and calorie content in the foods would, for instance, require inputs such as research and evaluation machinery and personnel. There was also the option of using alternative sources of raw materials that would yield low percentages of the minerals in products. Similarly, advertisements would call for the company’s marketing inputs while field trips would require the application of the company’s vehicles, work hours, and monetary expenses. These inputs can be classified into either relevant costs or costs that are not relevant to decision making. The first classes of inputs that are considered irrelevant to making decisions are historical costs. Historical costs include costs of plants, machinery, and vehicles and are costs that have already been incurred before the decision. Relevant costs, on the other hand, include opportunity costs and sunk costs. These include benefits that would have been derived if another