ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The situational theory of publics was developed by James E. Grunig in University of Maryland, College Park. It proposed that publics are identified and classified in the context to which they are aware of a problem and how far are they responding and acting on the problem. Its key concepts are:   * Problem recognition. This is a independent variable denoting the extent of which individuals recognize their problem of they comprehend the need to do something to improve the situation (Grunig and Hunt, 1984).   * Constraint Recognition. This is another independent variable that refers to realization of limitations which is beyond an individual’s own control with regards to a problem perceived. Constraints have been described as psychological which could related to an individual’s understanding of his incapacity to deliver a desired outcome for a situation (Witte & Allen, 2000). Other forms of constraints include physical which may include distance or inaccessibility of a needed tool to attain a goal.   * Level of Involvement. This is an independent variable that measures the relevance of a problem to an individual (Grunig & Hunt, 1984). Pavlik (1998) suggested that involvement may increase or decrease the possibility of an individual to attend to or understand a message. As Dervin (1989) added, a problem or a given information may be attended to after the benefits or dangers they bring have “taken on some kind of personal reality or usefulness for the individual” (p. 68). And in order to created involvement, it is therefore necessary that issues and messages have clear or strong arguments (Heath, Liao, & Douglas, 1995).   * Information Seeking. Also called “active communication behavior”, information seeking is a dependent variable indicating a public that searches for information and tries to understand it.   * Information Processing. The actions taken from the instant a message is sent and received up to the time actions are resolved to be taken is information processing which is another dependent variable. With this information at hand, this paper proceeds to analyze 17 peer-reviewed articles or books related to the study of the Situational Theory
Introduction Culture can provide the foundation or the background for many different kinds of understanding. One common understanding, however, seems to be that it is related to human values one way or the other and, like culture, interest in human values dates back many years. The result is that culture belongs to a whole group, not to its individuals, and we cannot avoid it. It determines behavior, at the same time as it gives an anchoring point, an identity, a social place and a world view. The countries selected for expansion are Turkey and Thailand. Culture Defined The accountant executives should take into account that across cultures, the same type of interface problems may occur. People carry around ‘mental programs’ (Hofstede, 1984, p. 14; see Appendix 1). Every person’s mental programming is partly unique and partly shared with others. The most basic (but also least unique) level of programming is the universal one. This is shared by all, or almost all, human beings (Hofstede, 1984, p. 16). No two people are programmed exactly alike, even if they are identical twins raised together. This is the level of individual personality. Management Culture Turkey Turkey is a country located in the western Asia in the Balkan region. In this country, religion has a crucial impact on business relations and negotiations. Turkish employees have little experience of working in formal organizations which, combined with belonging to a high-contextual culture, means that much of what goes on as planning, supervising and controlling is more symbolic than substantive, as will be seen (see Appendix 4). Many Arab institutions and business organizations are not very efficient, which is one reason why Arab executives prefer to use personal (family and friendship) ties instead of formal channels and apply a very personalized and informal management style. Turkish management style supports more detail in planning (Hofstede, 1984, p. 264), and that Arabic managers systematically tend to take more variables into account when making strategic decisions or in purchasing decisions than American managers, but this is for symbolic not substantive reasons (Bartlett & Ghoshal 1999). Western-type quantitative management systems and data-based decisions will not work as such in this culture. In the Turkey, the cultural norms make it less likely that strategic planning activiti
Introduction If one is tasked to look for the following luminaries in the field of arts and music, names like Frederic Chopin, George Sand, Franz Liszt, Eugene Delacroix, and Ivan Turgenev, chances are one will find them in Paris, France in the late 19 th century. There is no place on earth that can inspire and broaden the horizon of great artists and musical talents like the city of Paris. It is here where iron sharpens iron; where great talents rise to their true potential; where apprentice meets the master; and where one either reaches the stratospheric heights of fame or die miserably. In some cases, both extremes of fate can be experienced in one lifetime. In the Paris of the 1850s up to the turn of the century, there may be great artists and musicians transforming the artistic and literary landscape of this ancient city but no one was more charismatic, eccentric, well-loved and inspired everyone in the aforementioned list than Frederic Chopin. This study will take a look into Paris in the late 19 th century. And this will be done through the eyes of great artists and musicians. Foremost among them is Frederic Chopin. A significant amount of space will be given to analysing his life in the great city because each person that will be described later on may be great in their own right but they have one common denominator and that is Chopin the master pianist. But before going there, the following pages will provide a basic biography of the said artists and musicians before continuing the study on how they interacted with Chopin and how they inspired and influenced one another. Liszt He was a great pianist and equally as popular as Chopin in his heyday. Yet both men are a study in contrast. While Chopin was reserved and trying hard not to be a public spectacle – being content to be a teacher rather than a great concert pianist – Liszt on the other hand does not mind being the centre of attraction (Eigeldinger, 1986). Liszt and Chopin were able to transform Paris not only through the demonstration of their piano skills but they were also able to impact the city by teaching the next generation of musicians the tricks of the trade. Liszt made it clear that Chopin’s pupil received top-notch training but had harsher words for the youngsters who came to learn from the master. Liszt was heard saying, “Chopin was unfortunate in his pupils” (Eigeldinger, 1986). But the students need no help from Liszt to understand that Chopin was indeed the greater of the two. And as a result, “Chopin’s lessons were even more in demand than those of Liszt… they were also expensive since the fees were invariably fixed at 20 gold francs” (Eigeldinger, 1986). Now, a person can praise someone to high heavens and the exalted one will never be one hundred per cent sure if it came from sincere lips or simply a by-product of empty flattery. Yet if someone pays good money for a particular service, it is fully understoo
Introduction The retail market can be defined as that business that reduces the bulk of a commodity for the final sale to the consumer. Retail companies buy goods in bulk from suppliers and they finally sell these to the customer (Levy & Weitz, 2008). Because the retail market is near the final consumer, retailers must formulate appropriate strategies to attract and retain customers who will in consequence enable the business to gain competitive advantages. Retailers may be independent businesses or franchises of other large international organisations that are given rights to sell a given product to the final consumer. The main operations performed by most of the retailers are those of buying the products, branding, resell, grading and advertisement. In the fashion market, the retailers may opt to buy materials and fabric or be involved in the actual production of the clothing design and manufacture (Lusch, Dunne & Carver, 2011). In other cases, the retailers may opt to concentrate on supplying goods to the consumer and contracting the manufacturing works. In this case, the retailer can be viewed as an intermediary between the manufacturer and the customer. For H&M, most of their fabrics are made by suppliers in China and turkey. For successful retailing operations, proper distribution channels must be established and the supplier link must be optimised to ensure that they supply products on time (Datamonitor, 2008). In this paper, two clothing companies that operate in UK and internationally were evaluated. These are; H&M and Top shop. The two businesses deal with retail market and sell to the final clothing to the final consumer. Company/ Retailer Brief H& M The H&M Company is one of the successful clothing retail companies in the UK and internationally. The company is a market leader in the clothing retail business. It is one of the most successful in the fast fashion industry and the main products sold are those that are currently in fashion. The headquarters are in Sweden. H&M has more than 1500 stores internationally and it operates mostly in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia (H&M Company, 2013). The company main business is that of designer cloths. The company offers competitive prices making their products affordable to the most of the customers. H&M retailers operate with different brand names such as Stella Mc Cartney, Karl Lagerfeld and Roberto Cavalli (Kroll, 2004). The principal success of the H&M retail business can be attributed to the use of modern well situated retail outlets where their products can be bought by the final consumer (Kunz, 1998). The company maximises on the internet advertisements, use of catalogues and well arrang
About 45 years ago Saudi Arabia entered a new economic era which began as a response to the increase in oil revenues. Such drastic changes triggered a comprehensive alteration of all spheres of life, including the architectural look of Arabian cities, towns, and villages, which have been gradually losing their traditional characteristics to acquire contemporary style and shapes. New types of buildings and fabrics have been introduced (Al-Qawasmi 82). Office buildings, skyscrapers, stadiums, college campuses, shopping centers, and modern houses have come to substitute for historically small, unadorned, simple buildings of the past. Under these circumstances, it comes as no surprise that a clash between representatives of two generations has become inevitable. The social change is reflected in the dynamic style of life, interest in higher education, a new status of social independence for a single-family, the appearance of new social classes, and the gradual transition from one of the most conservative to one of the most advanced societies in the world (Saleh 2). This paper will attempt to explicate how conventional and contemporary patterns in architecture interpenetrate to smooth over the differences between the older and the younger generations of the Arabian society. The research will touch upon the particularities of urban and regional identity as exemplified by the three main regions of Saudi Arabia. It will trace the continuity of traditional values and norms of the society in the design of houses and the way human values and needs of different generations blend to manifest themselves in the residential environment, which is considered to be more than just a sum of material constituents. On the contrary, it comprises a whole set of religious, socio-semiotic, secular, cultural, and other aspects of life. The study is based on the idea that tradition is deeply ingrained in modern architectural styles and constitutes a relevant foundation for producing new building environments that possess the capacity of bridging the gap between the two contradicting mentalities and lifestyles. The case study approach will be used to carry out a cross-analysis of building patterns of different regions that have their unique vernacular architecture. The paper will give a bird’s-eye view of growing disparities between tradition and modernity as well as attempts of synthesis. However, before discussing the novelties appearing in the residential environment, it is necessary to give an idea of the traditional patterns that reflect the values shared by the older generations. First and foremost, Islam for older Muslims is not merely a mandatory religion but a holistic picture of life, combining behavioral patterns, culture, ways of interaction, and living conditions. According to one of the rules, all the two- and three-dimensional images of daily life on either public or private houses are prohibited. That accounts for the fact that the traditional design favors geometrical patterns and calligraphy. The same rule is followed in modern buildings as well, however, there are some exceptions concerning two-dimensional images (Petersen 301). Older generatio
James Baldwin’s book entitled No Name in the Street is a personal recounting of his experience with racism and inequality in America. He expended considerable space in discussing the hearth-wrenching impact of the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X to the supporters of the Civil Rights Movement. In this book, Baldwin expressed his anger and frustration with regard to the struggle for equality, justice, and freedom for African-Americans. Baldwin made his scathing remarks against those who perpetuated inequality and racism. However, he also asserted that the failure of the radical activism of the 1960s was due in part to the flawed ideology that hampered the growth of the movement. James Baldwin is one of the great writers who exemplified the saying that the pen is mightier than the sword. He is arguably one of the one hundred top writers of the 20 th century. However, his popularity and significance can never eclipse other writers and speakers who took the cudgels to fight for the rights and privileges of African Americans. James Baldwin is a great writer. However, his contribution to the Civil Rights movement was more as a witness or as a chronicler as opposed to an active participant. One remembers the quote from Theodore Roosevelt that says people are not impressed by great talking heads and commentators. People are interested to know more about those whose face is bloodied because they stepped into the arena and were not afraid to risk life and limb in order to experience the joy and tragedy of mortal combat. Without a doubt, James Baldwin is a courageous man because one has to be courageous to write the way he did during a time when African-Americans were treated as second-class citizens. One needed the courage to speak to a society that perpetuated segregation in public transportations, restaurants, and schools. Nevertheless, James Baldwin was no Martin Luther King, Jr., or a Henry David Thoreau. Martin Luther King, Jr. (“MLK”) was impriso
Change in Business Strategy From the case, it is clear that CEMEX fundamentally changed the way it conducted its business by adopting a strategy that streamlined its operations to achieve more efficiency. Additionally, the global cement manufacturer established a strong brand name by shifting away from selling products towards selling complete solutions. The company also invested heavily in information and communication technology to match production with unpredictable consumer demand patterns. Lastly, CEMEX engaged in an acquisition-oriented international expansion strategy to increase its bottom line and customer base. Theoretical Explanation of FDI The theoretical explanation of FDI which best explains CEMEX’s FDI is the free market view. This theoretical explanation denotes that “international production of goods and services should be distributed among countries according to the theory of comparative advantage” (Anderson 3). From the case study, it is evident that CEMEX has put in place measures to ensure efficient production of differentiated cement products in countries it chooses to expand to, hence not only achieving a lower opportunity cost but also increasing the economic welfare of host countries according to the main principles of the free market view. Preference for Acquisitions From the case study, it is clear that CEMEX has a strong preference for acquisitions over greenfield ventures as an entry mode to international markets due to its capacity to increase the efficiency of the acquired units by transferring capital (financial and manpower), technology, and/or management skills (Gable 33; King and Schriber 111). Indeed, one of CEMEX’s guiding principles in undertaking international expansion is anchored on the firm’s conviction that it can generate substantial value by acquiring inefficient cement manufacturers in other international markets and transferring its skills and expertise in customer service, marketing dynamics, information and communication technology, as well as production management to the acquired companies. As an example, CEMEX used the acquisition strategy to purchase two stagnant plants in Spain and turned them back to profitability by transferring its technological, management, and marketing know-how to the loss-making outfits with the view to enhancing their performance over the long-term. UAE Market CEMEX, in my view, entered the UAE market to reap profits from the tremendous demand for cement due to the many construction projects that were being undertaken in the country. A secondary justification for entry into the UAE market is embedded in the fact that CEMEX
Osprey – Pandion haliaetus. The size of this bird is closer to the eagle, reaching in the spread of its wings up to 1,8 meters. It has a white sinciput, neck, belly, stomach, and feet. It has a white with black strokes tail, with black tips at the end of the wings. When flying its wings are bent forward in the form of shallow capital letter M, and the flywheel feathers of the first order are widely and seemingly thinned out. The eyes of the ospreys are bright yellow, and it has a black beak. Ospreys are one of the most usual predatory birds in the world; it dwells on all continents besides Antarctica. It is possible to notice Ospreys everywhere close to open water, where it hunts for fish. Comparing to males, the Osprey females are twenty percent heavier and the range of their wings is five to ten percent longer. In North America the weight of males varies in the limits of 1200-1600 g, the weight of females – 1600-2000 g. in females painting darker, and spotted necklace around the neck is more clearly expressed. They nest everywhere, where there are safe places and shallow water areas with an abundance of fish. Nests usually are built three to five kilometers from the water: swamps, lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, but they also can be arranged in a good place above the water. Places are selected in such a way, where it is possible to construct the large nest, almost inaccessible for the ground-based predators – sometimes above the water or on the small islet. The following places can serve as a nest: dried tree, buoy, or other artificial construction. The Ospreys that hatch nestlings travel up to 14 km from the nest in search of food, whereas in the remaining time they can fly up to 10 km. In contrast to other predatory birds, the ratio
One of the main reasons why D. H. Lawrence’s story The Horse Dealer’s Daughter is even today being commonly referred to, as such that represents a high literary value, is that despite having been written in 1914, it contains a number of themes and motifs that fully correlate with the realities of a contemporary living. This, of course, implies that, after having been exposed to this particular Lawrence’s story, readers should be more likely to choose in favor of a discursively adequate stance in life. In this paper, I will explore the validity of the earlier suggestion at length, while focusing on the specific themes of ‘futility’ and ‘female sexuality’, prominently featured throughout the story’s entirety. Probably the most distinctive feature of The Horse Dealer’s Daughter is the fact that the story’s plot-line can be followed with ease. After having sustained a commercial bankruptcy, as horse-ranchers, the Pervin family members (Joe, Fred and Malcolm and their sister Mabel) ended up having no other option in life but to sell their farm and to split apart, while seeking a better luck elsewhere. This caused Mabel to succumb to depression and to decide to end her life by the mean of getting herself drowned in the pond. However, the village’s physician Jack Fergusson noted Mabel’s suicidal attempt. He rushed to the pond and succeeded in bringing Mabel back to life. This resulted in prompting the latter to assume that Fergusson was in love with her. While fearing that, had he told Mabel that this was far from having been the case, she would try to drown herself again, Fe
Introduction Value of Risk (VaR) models are characterized by a series of shortcomings due to the many assumptions they make use of, including the confidence level, distribution, reference period, and holding period among others. In portfolio management, backtesting methods have become popular for checking the degree of accuracy of a VaR model. Therefore a systematic combination of at least two VaR models would facilitate substantial improvement in decision-making effectiveness, in providing support to the risk variable, and in setting the required market capital risk. This report explores the role of backtesting VaR models in portfolio management and the potential limitations of these models. The Role of Backtesting VaR Models in Portfolio Management According to Lucas (2001), risk control in portfolio management will function optimally when the VaR is designed well with a limited occurrence of pre-existing real dangers. In such a situation, the degree of VaR accuracy becomes a vital aspect for measuring the level of risk in portfolio management in an organization, and thus the rationale for using different models of backtesting. However, despite the advancement of any backtesting model or system, the level of general accuracy is 75% and above. This means that it is next to impossible to generate a 100% accuracy level for VaR figures. In the event of detecting potential flaws in a VaR model, applying a backtesting method might be a useful step in managing risks in a portfolio (Lucas 2001). Another role of VaR is quantifying the general portfolio risk as a determinant of the market risk capital requirement, which is equivalent to the set-aside size (Lucas 2001). This means that VaR modeling is an important tool for measuring the market risk as a component of quantifying the maximum possible loss that might occur over a fixed period of time at a given level of confidence. Moreover, backtesting is a vital instrument in forecasting market risk management in a portfolio (Lucas 2001). In application, backtesting procedures are carried out through a comparative review of periodic profits and losses on a daily basis against estimated daily VaR, often by using a fixed annual time period. Nevertheless, a systematic backtesting process can often be quite thorough in order to address the purpose of portfolio management and provide a complete view of the VaR software accuracy. As a result, it is possible to compute the required capital, which is associated with increasing the moral hazard to 75% (Lucas 2001). In order to avoid conflict of interest, portfolio management approaches should function within a universal or common standard, which also indicates the significance of backtesting. For instance, the risk-based required capital is positioned as the largest of either a portfolio management’s current assessment or 1% VaR. In the banking industry, the 1% VaR for current assessment is set over a period of ten trading days against the previous sixty days, in addition