ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Alcatel is a company that makes communication equipment. It is based in Paris France while Lucent Technologies is a giant US Telecommunications company. During the renewed merger in 2006, various issues were negotiated that were missing in the collapsed deal of 2001. The main reason why the deal collapsed in 2001 was discussed and settled in 2006. The two companies failed to agree on the strength of Alcatel in the merger. Whereas Lucent officials wanted a deal in terms of merger of equals, Alcatel negotiated for a takeover 1 . The two companies agreed in 2006 to merge under a new name and brand Alcatel – Lucent. There were financial matters that were not clearly elaborated in 2001. This was ironed out in 2006. In this agreement, Alcatel paid Lucent a total of $ 13.5B. The stock valuation was discussed. It was agreed that one Alcatel American depository share was to go for every five lucent shares. Issues on saving costs were handled in details in 2006. It was agreed that by dismissing 10% of the employees, 9000 of the workforce, $ 1.8bwould be saved spread over three years. The cross- cultural conflicts that would result from the merger were predicted. This was addressed by the adoption of English as the company official language, and, hiring of the staff with mixed nationalities 2 . Mr. Ben Verwaayen heads the current management team of Alcatel- Lucent Company. The company is on course to recover the big losses they incurred during Ms. Russo’s tenure as the Chief Executive. Describing the merger as a giant transatlantic experiment in multicultural diversity was based on various assessments. To begin with, this was a merger between a giant American telecommunications company and big French communications equipment maker. They were merging one company from the US and the other from France. These are nations with very different cultural setups. France appears to be male dominated while the US exercises more gender equality. This is what necessitated the appointment of Ms Patricia Russo as the CEO and Mr., Serge Tchurunk as the Chairman. The merger was experimental in the sense that in the recent times there had been no mergers of that kind and between the two nations 3 . There is evidence from the article that the company ran into cross-cultural problems. The CEO, Ms Russo, failed to integrate Lucent’s corporate culture with Alcatel that was structured in the French business model. Her reason of quitting was a clear indication of this. She claimed that she could not agree with Mr. Tchurunk. Further evidence emanates from the Alcatel leadership that did not appreciate the decision to give leadership to the target company. It became bad when choices of managers were based on nationality rather than skills. In averting the crisis, the new appointments went to French as the board Chair and a Dutch national who was fluent in both French and English 4 . Most of the problems the company faced arose from leadership. This eventually spilt to how the company performed attracting industry obstacles. Once the top management was in crisis then the company could not do well. The company would have been better of if leader
First, I went to the gallery in the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne. I like the Keith Gallery it has spectacular pictures. However, at the entrance of the gallery, I took a picture that shows the entry of the gallery that has photos on it. It got me thinking, what if the picture was not there will the area be more open. The pictures are large and frameless. It has several photos on it. These photos are mounted on glass and being an indoor setting their is the utilisation of great lighting. The photos are randomly placed at the entrance of the gallery. The focal length is too short. The gallery has utilised a lot of artificial lighting strategically placed to hang from the ceiling. The lighting in the gallery is, therefore, well distributed. If the photos were not placed at the entry of the gallery, it would have opened the gallery with the illusion of a wider space and more room. The gallery entrance looks compact and squeezing for space. If the pictures were placed on the wall and individually placed, then a visit to the gallery would take more time to observe the photos individually keenly. The entry is rather busy with this photo at the entrance. The photos are mounted on glass and are well lit with artificial lighting. The images create a contrast of the other, as one is an indoor setting while the other was shot outdoors. The depth of the field is rather shallow and narrow. Similarity of Photos In all the four photos women are the subjects of the photos. The models in the photos are well dressed, and their make up in place portraying an image of glamour. In all the photos, there is a minimal colour with white and black as the dominant colour. The choice of background is brilliant, bringing out the subject clearly. The subjects stand out as there is a conscious effort to ensure the subject stands out. The background supports the pictures’ concept. The subj
Music is one of the best ways of understanding society. Music gives voice to the struggles and aspirations of a people. This paper explores life in South Central Los Angeles and Seattle in the late eighties and in the early nineties based on musical productions in the sub-genres of Gangsta Rap, and Grunge. Historical Analysis of Gangsta Rap Songs and Videos Gangsta Rap emerged as a music sub-genre in the late eighties and the early nineties. It arose from Hip-Hop and hardcore Hip-Hop. The goal of this paper is to show that there was a direct correlation between the emergence of Gangsta Rap in Los Angeles and the increase in crime rates and social dysfunction. In order to prove this assertion, the paper explores two music videos released within that period. The first video is “This is Compton,” released by the Group Compton’s Most Wasted in 1987. The second video is “Ain’t Nuthing But a G Thing” by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg. The shooting of the video by Compton’s Most Wanted took place in Los Angeles. The primary setting was a railway bridge. However, the video has a few supplementary scenes found near the railway tracks. It feathers two rappers that are the main characters in this video. Two other members of the group do not sing as they are a part of the crowd scene. The two rappers are wearing labeled baseball caps. One cap has the Los Angeles Kings (an ice hockey team) logo, and the other cap has the Los Angeles Raiders (a football team) logo. In the video, there are passing shots of an overhead helicopter and the Compton Lazben Hotel. The hotel had construction controversies at the time. The central theme of the song is to lay claim on Compton. The artists present themselves as the defenders of the city, and they use their song to intimidate those who do not respect Compton. The second video by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg tells a long story. The video starts featuring the scenes of a typical African American neighborhood. Dr. Dre goes into a house to pick Snoop Dogg. The song portrays daily life in South Central Los Angeles in an African American home. A matriarch is fussing in the house while caring for the children. Dr. Dre’s brother is watching television. Just outside the house, middle-aged men are doing press-ups on a makeshift gym bench. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg go out to a barbeque party. There are children at the party and other people playing games. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg then leave to go to an evening party. In the closing scene, the next morning, Snoop goes back home staggering. In this video, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are wearing baseball caps. Snoop’s cap has a marijuana leaf printed on it, while Dr. Dre’s cap has the initials “SOX” written on it. This is the official emblem of the Chicago White Sox baseball team. Snoop Dogg’s shirt has the initials LBC. The mid-eighties and the early nineties were very difficult years in Los Angeles. The city was the epicenter of the crack epidemic that happened in the early eighties. Historically, Gangs ruled the city, and it lacked social cohesion. White supremacists gangs lost ground to African American and H
Personal selling and its role vary by industry and company. In packaged goods and cosmetics, advertising is a more important element of the promotional mix than personal selling. Industrial goods are dominated by personal selling. Other than product category, factors that influence the relative use of advertising or personal selling include the volume purchased, the use of the direct or indirect distribution, the geographic spread of the market, the product costs, and the repetitiveness of the purchase. Operating on a global scale, companies should take into account cultural differences which influence the perception of a product and personal selling. Cultural differences involve religious beliefs and unique perceptions of the technique. in spite of the fact that personal selling proposes great opportunities for both a company and consumers, it can be negatively perceived and ignored in some countries. Marketing communications bridge information gaps in distribution channels, help coordinate the total marketing system and adjust products and services to customer needs. A major problem in a marketing communications strategy is deciding how to reach the target audience (Hollensen, 2007). Also, a company should take into account different compensation schemes proposed to salesmen. The degree of sales direction and supervision varies by company, the nature of the sales task, the method of payment, and the calibre of the salesman. For example, well-qualified, highly trained salesmen, paid on a commission basis, receive less direction and supervision. In Asian countries, salesmen paid a salary, whose job is mainly taking orders from customers on a regular basis, will probably receive close supervision. Salesmen are often directed through call reports. Statistics can be analyzed to determine the number of calls that salesmen should be expected to make per day, month, and year (Hollensen, 2007). Calls can then be related to expected sales and profit potentials by customer class. This technique helps salesmen allocate their effort and also guides management in determining the number of salesmen needed. Although salesmen should be given some guides on the average number of calls to make by customer class, making calls should not be construed as the objective of their job. The standards refer to what is usually desirable in an average situation over a long period of time. In European countries, allowances are made for variations in sales situations. Also, sales results depend on a host of factors other than time, and both the duration and number of calls made have a cumulative effect (Fill, 1999). Religious factors and cultural prejudices affect personal selling for this reason it is important to adapt personal selling to cultural conditions and needs of a particular country. The demands and needs of global consumers sho
The article “9 Skills You Should Learn That Pay Dividends Forever” by Travis Bradberry offers an interesting approach to various abstract skills and their acquisition in order to succeed and benefit in life. Many people feel unfulfilled and spend much energy attempting to fulfill certain tasks or steps as a manner of achieving success. However, the key lies not in adapting or learning to perform better but in believing in oneself and striving to take on new challenges with self-confidence that allows for drastic improvement. Citing a Stanford study, anecdotal evidence, and philosophical mantras, Bradberry states that the ability to believe in oneself is vital to shifting a person’s mindset that leads to self-fulfillment and improvement, and, in turn, success, more than any forced attempt at improvement ever will. This is based on the inner process of learning, which is an ongoing process during our lifetimes that many individuals tend to forget after their academic years (Bradberry). The article goes on to list 9 vital skills which contribute to the learning process and self-fulfillment. They include emotional intelligence, time management, listening, saying no, asking for help, getting high-quality sleep, knowing when to shut up, taking the initiative, and staying positive (Bradberry). As evidence, these skills range in nature from personal development and self-care to social interactions and emotional control. The author emphasizes that learning these skills reaps the biggest rewards in the context of learning and tendencies to maintain the learning process. Furthermore, they help to navigate the complex realities of the modern era where individuals are constrained by certain parameters or self-limitations due to relatively superficial aspects. Overcoming these by focusing on oneself, controlling one’s senses and emotions, and being able to skillfully navigate social contexts can greatly contribute to personal prosperity and growth. Works Cited Bradberry, Travis. “ 9 Skills You Should Learn That Pay Dividends Forever. ” TalentSm
Introduction to Business Course Introduction The role of a teacher is to guide students towards not just an understanding of the material but also its application in their career and its importance in their education. Directing learners towards this awareness in a course aimed to introduce them to the subject should become one of the teacher’s key goals. For undergraduates, it may be hard to retain motivation and dedication to a process whose purpose in their life they do not understand and, therefore, for many learning becomes a pointless and meaningless endeavor. Presenting them with a variety of discipline options within the business sphere is an essential step in professional self-identification, possible only through interacting with the appropriate curriculum. My role, as a teacher, thus becomes crucial to forming students’ understanding of the course material and directing them towards attaining specific goals and skills made possible in a positive teacher-student dynamic. Attaining Program Objectives, Learning Outcomes, and Course Objectives The program’s overall objectives all aim to create competent, progressive, and morally oriented professionals and specialists who will create a positive contribution towards a better world of business. Helping pupils achieve this character growth is my responsibility, which is made possible by encouraging already existing tendencies instead of trying to instill new, alien concepts through punishment. Through a friendly approach towards students, which does not devolve into favoritism, it is possible to promote a positive attitude towards education, creating a positive learning environment as a result. Critical evaluation of material, which should become undergraduates’ main tool, becomes possible to learn through the implementation of student-centered teaching strategies such as lectures and group discussions, while appropriate assessment strategies permit quantifying their progress. Guiding this learning process by creating a convenient setting for my pupils’ personal growth thus remains my priority when achieving program objectives. Introduction to Business, as a preliminary course, becomes an essential component of students’ education that contributes to their future comprehension of further, specialized material. Understanding expert’s terminology and the mechanics of entrepreneurship, marketing, management, economics, and finance, as well as the ethical and social responsibility rooted within these disciplines; all open the possibility of comprehending further business-related information. As learners may have to choose between these varying fields of study, covered within introductory courses, and I, thus, hope to guide them by providing them with a suitable level of basic knowledge. I, as a teacher, must encourage my undergraduates’ eagerness to continue within their field of study during this process of course outcome attainment through the creation of a positive learning experience rooted in individualization. Understanding the differences between pupils, their objectives, and approaches to goal attai
Introduction The firm is a follower in the industry, which waits for its competitors to launch their new products or services then counter them with its. In this case, advertising and marketing play a great role in suing customers what to purchases. To be a first mover, in this case, may have either advantages or disadvantages. The advantages will come about if the firm has superior information on the inputs material and that it has a wide geographical coverage of the market share with its already existing products. This will make the firm have the best price for the product or services such that the followers will take time to come up will a similar one. If the firm is large enough in terms of its capital base and technology then being a first mover will have less negative impacts (Lieberman and Montgomery 44). Strategic Management Accordingly, the firm may be disadvantageous to be the first mover if it doesn’t have a wide market share in the region. This leads to followers adopting a similar product or service and providing it better and more efficiently. The stronger followers can adopt a stronger marketing and advertising strategy since they will be free ridding in this case. Thus, it will be prudent for the firm to have full information about the market, customers, timing, and potential competitors. This will enable them to know the expected revenue and economies of scale. Looking at the three competitors, their technology and resource are different thus, bringing efficiency as a subject. Our firm has the strength of advanced technology, customer confidence, a good proportion of the market share, and wider geographical coverage. While Competitor one has the advantage of cheap raw materials and wider geographical coverage, Competitor two has advanced technology and Competitor three has the advantage of advanced technology and good marketing strategy. The main weaknesses faced by the firm are the availability of cheaper raw materials, increased taxation, and the need to increase the financial base. Similarly, the other three competitors face the same with Competitor one facing the challenge of advanced technology. It is this that makes our firm emphasis on high-quality products and services that meets consumer needs at an affordable price. More so, the advanced technology has enabled the firm to operate at favorable economies of scale by producing more at a cheaper price. Differentiation of the products has also led to wider geographical coverage at a cheaper cost due to mass transportation. Despite the opportunities, the firm faces the threats of increased competition and government regulations. To conquer the threat of competition the firm intends to increase its advertisements and adopts a pricing strategy. While one of the increased regulations will be handled by a memorandum between the industry and the government to ensure that the conditions set are favorable for the growth of both industry and economy (Lieberman and Montgomery 48). To counter the marketing strategy of a leading competitor, our firm has to put into consideration the motive
Research Strategy In this research, a cross-sectional survey was the preferred information collection method. The management of PGL New Zealand and its employees received questionnaires to self-complete. The study obtained a sample of 10 employees and managers who volunteered to participate in the survey. Questionnaires administered to the warehouse and office staff respondents were the same. Warehouse staffs are those that work in the PGL New Zealand warehouse and handled tasks specifically related to warehousing while office staff performed administrative duties such as consumer relations and staff management in the company. Our self-completed questionnaire captured data that relates to the behaviors and attitudes of the respondents toward the management practice and the perception and actual results obtained by the management practices. An interview with the employer happened at PGL offices in New Zealand and interview questions related to those presented to other respondents in the questionnaire. The employer answered how they used applied management practices to maintain the overall competitiveness of their business and specifically about applied management practices that touched on employee motivation and commitment to their work. The employer gave the view on motivation as a company and its importance to their organization. In addition, they gave theoretical, economic, aesthetic, and social as well as political and regulatory factors that had the most influence on the decision to motivate subordinates. The employer’s method of motivating workers and the manner used to improve the organizational situation was examined in the interview. Lastly, the employer answered what was the most motivating factor in the running of the company. Respondents filling questionnaires gave information on the exact motivational issues that they were referring to in their responses. The questionnaire gave a clue about the kind of motivation issues that are available such as communication issues and cultural issues to give the respondents a lead. Once the respondents had defined their motivational factors, management respondents named motivational issues and their positive and negative effects in their departments or the entire company. In addition, management respondents answered whether they had systems of dealing with the identified issues and in cases where they responded positively, they also gave an explanation on the efficacy of the systems in place. Both management and employees answered whether incentives increase work performance and they went ahead and offered the incentives that had the most positive impact as well as their personal preference to the type of incentives available in PGL. The questionnaire categorized incentives as tangible or intangible. Employee respondents had to answer survey questions that measured their attitude and motivation towards their work. They were