ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Water temperature is considered to be a factor that determines the characteristics of the plaster mix. This takes place owing to its ability to influence both solubility of the material and the rate of crystallization: water solubility of CaSO4.2H2O is moderate and shows direct relation to the temperature until a certain point; then the retrograde solubility takes place, which means that when the temperature increases, the material becomes less soluble. The corresponding influence on setting time is shown at Figure 1 (Plaster Fundamentals): Figure 1: Effect of Water Temperature on Plaster’s Setting Time The segment between 80 and 100ºF shows the maximum of plaster solubility, and then the slump takes place. The results of the experiment have approved the expected effect of water temperature upon plaster’s parameters: Setting Time: According to the theoretical background, the temperature increase may decrease the setting; however, not necessarily. The sample which implied using chilled water has shown the latest initial (1.71 times longer that the sample with no additive (1), and effect of retardation) and final set (equal to the sample with no additive (1)). Warm water made the process more accelerated comparing to that chilled; however, the values of initial and final set are much bigger than those which took place in cases with other additives. Comparing to the sample with no additive (1), the initial set is 1.29 times longer, and the final set is only 0,786 (effect of acceleration). Flexural strength: A sample which implied using warm water showed flexural strength 2.98 Mpa, chilled water 1.80 Mpa. Thus, their ratios to the value of the sample with no additive (1) are 0.351 and 0.582 correspondingly. When analyzing the samples’ flexural strength in detail, it is reasonable to consider a difference in the samples’ dimensions: 0.08/0.034/0.015 for the warm water sample, and 0.08/,0.35/0.018 for that of cold water, which means that the ratio of (from the flexural strength formula) is 10457.52 and 7054.674 correspondingly; their ration is 1.482, while the flexural strength values ratio for is 1.657 for these two samples; the rest difference is related to the difference in weight used in the experiment (19 and 17 kg correspondingly). Thus, using different water temperature has shown its effect on the characteristics of plaster; however, this effect is slighter than that shown by other additives. Reference Plaster Fundamentals. (n.d.). PlasterMaster. 2010. Web.
Introduction Financial Management is simply the management of finances in an organization so as to meet all the financial goals of the organization. The key objectives of financial management would be to: create income for the business, generate profits, and provide adequate returns on investments. These key objectives are achieved bearing in mind the risks that the business is taking and the resources invested. Three key factors are to be considered in the process of financial management: financial Planning, financial decision-making and financial control. Financial management Even though financial management of non-profitable organizations is similar to financial management in profit organizations, there are many key highlights that make it different. In a forprofitorganization, the focus is on profitability and maximizing shareholder value. A non-profitable organization focuses on reducing shareholder value and increasing the likelihood of satisfying the targeted clientele as per the requirements of the organization.Moreover, a non-profitable organization lacks the financial flexibility of a commercial enterprise. It largely depends on donors that do not engage in an exchange transaction (Ruppel, 2007). Non-profit organizations ought to account for its donated resources. It must be able to show that the donation was utilized for a specific purpose. The purpose of the funds should be stated in the organization’s mission statement or specified by the donor. In a non-profitable organization, there is a strong emphasison externalfinancial reports on donor restriction. As a result the uses of fund accounting systems have been made even more critical. In profitable organizations, the main focus is ensuring that the overall benefits of the stakeholders are capitalized. Simply translated, this means aiming to achieve the maximum profit possible for the organization. A profitable organization has various stake holders. These stake holders include: share-holders, fund lenders, employees, customers, suppliers, and the government. In order to attain the maximum profit possible, the profitable organization has to first find a balance between the needs of these stake holders and the organization. If all operations of the organization are to run smoothly then there has to be a proper balance and clear definition of the long term and short term objectives and opportunities. In the process of setting the short term goals and opportunities it is important to evaluate all possibilities that may jeopardize the long term sustainability of the company. Should the organization manage to balance all these factors, the end result will be maximizing the shareholder value (McKinney, 2004). Budgeting Budgeting and cash management are two areas of financial management that serve significant roles in non-profitable organizations. The organization has a duty of ascertaining that there is adequate cash back up that will enable it to continue offering services to its customers. However in a profitable organization, the pursuit of such needs could be detrimental to the shareholders. This is becaus
The primary goal of this paper is to provide the description of Best Buy including the detailed information of its products, services, customers, human resources, financials, competitors, and global presence. Best Buy is the store, which actively specializes in the retail of electronics and the items close related to the electronics and their maintenance in different countries (Bensen et al. 1). Nonetheless, it has chosen to operate both physically and online, as the competition in both of these niches remains on the high level. Furthermore, it provides high-quality services to repair the computers and other electronics with the assistance of Geek Squad (Bensen et al. 7). The variety of the provided brands remains high to satisfy the needs of the consumers. Finally, the company provides the sufficient recycling program, in which the customers can bring their old electronic devices such as cell phones, radios, TV, and gadgets (“Electronics and Appliances Recycling at Best Buy” par. 1). This program allows the company to stay close to the customers and show the respect to the environment. Best Buys is the customer-oriented company (Stopper 34). The potential customers of Best Buy are actively interested in electronics or other goods connected to this area. Nonetheless, Best Buy is not interesting in keeping the clients, which have a negative influence on the total income of the company (McWilliams par. 3). Nonetheless, the customers are the main sources of the company’s revenue, and the relationships with them have to be cherished due to their ability to increase the market share of the company and its profitability. It is evident that the competition remains on the high level in both online and physical store segment due to the strong brand values of the competitors. The primary competitors include Walmart, Amazon, and the other online and physical stores, which provide the clients with a similar assortment (Bensen et al. 1). Nonetheless, it is apparent that Amazon and Walmart provide a wider range of products than Best Buy and have a bigger customer base. For instance, Amazon provides electronics, toys, games, computers, kitchen appliances, books, clothing, tools, and other important goods, which are in high demand among the consumers of different groups and niches (“Amazon” par. 1). It is clear that competition is on the high level, and Best Buy has to develop new innovative strategies to sustain on the market, as the competitors have a tendency to develop new offers and introduce new strategies. Speaking of financials, the recent report indicates that the profitability has increased in online and physical store segments (“Best Buy Reports Third Quarter Results” par. 3). It is evident that the operations in the domestic segment have increased (“Best Buy Reports Third Quarter Results” par. 3). This fact implies that its profitability and market share have a tendency to increase in the American market. Nonetheless, the revenues on the international level decreased (“Best Bu
Supply chains can be highly vulnerable to hacking and malware attacks and, depending on the attacker’s motivation, are susceptible to actions aimed at stealing large amounts of money and disrupting business. Yeniyurt and Carnovale (2021) note that cybercriminals are unwilling to slow down the growth of cyber threats and invent new ways to steal information from individuals and organizations of all sizes. The most common cyber risks in supply chain management include data breaches, supply chain disruption, and malware attacks. Data breaches can occur through external and internal intruders. Employees, hackers, malicious competitors, and managers can leak sensitive data and personal information outside the business. Supply chain disruption occurs when a hacker or attacker breaks into an operating system or network without permission. The goal of penetration is to create havoc on the system by deleting, replicating, and corrupting data. Malware attacks can occur with the help of ransomware that blocks the computer until the company pays a certain amount of money. One of the cyberattack tools is sending a phishing email in order to obtain information. Ghadge et al. (2020) assert that clicking on a link in an email may result in data corruption and loss. If the phishing email is successful, the company can find the username and password used externally to collect information on the system. It can lead to unforeseen competition and serious leaks that could harm the entire corporation. The sophistication of attacks and the complexity of modern IT, using such technologies as virtualization, mobile, and cloud computing, are forcing companies to improve the protection of their information and apply defense-in-depth technologies. According to Gaudenzi and Siciliano (2018), to successfully address cyber risks, a serious cyber and IT risk management strategy is needed that considers various corporate functions. High IT security standards for networks, software, and mobile devices, staff awareness training, ongoing process optimization, and strict access rights management and guidelines help to combat the above cyber risks. In turn, cyber risk insurance is becoming a major factor in IT risk management for many companies to manage residual risks. A cyber-attack on a company’s supply chain is not only a short-term problem, but it also has medium and long-term consequences. First, cyber-attacks lead to the loss of external information. Cybercriminals obtain information belonging to the platform’s users, which is supposed to be a secure environment. Secondly, cyber-attacks also lead to the loss of inside information. It is a serious problem for the company as its corporate information security will be severely compr
Introduction Linderman Industries had acquired a subsidiary located in Mexico. The head of the firm wanted to overhaul the management and operation structure of the company and transform the organization into something that reflects the core values of Linderman Industries. In order to do this, Robert Linderman, the president of Linderman Industries appointed Carl Conway to head the project (Stevenson, 2009, p.824) Conway was given the responsibility to hand-picked the personnel that he needed and form a team laden with talented and experienced people to go with him to Mexico and focus on the project for two years. But there were a number of challenges and disappointments encountered along the way and it can be said that if given the chance to do it over again Conway may decline the offer. Project Organization At first glance, there seems to be no other choice. Linderman Industries had acquired control of a Mexican company. The president of Linderman Industries, Robert Linderman wanted to transform the organization and run it in the way he knows how. In order for this to happen there is a need to overhaul the company from the inside out. This is only possible by sending a company man from headquarters and initiate change. But in the aftermath of “Operation Mexicano” after the broken promises, frustrations, and trust issues it is difficult to justify the strategy that they adopted in dealing with the subsidiary (Shinkle, Gooding & Smith, 2004, p.12). The first thing that has to be asked is this: why is there a need to bring in Mexican mangers when the subsidiary is in Mexico, the president of the subsidiary is a Mexican and it can be said with certainty that employees and managers are predominantly Mexicans? Thus, it would be more practical to send one man from Linderman Industries to teach the subsidiary company about the core values of the parent company and there is no need to bring a team with him. If a team is needed then it should be limited to a team composed of interpreters and not those with the same skill sets brought there by Conway. Team building The problems encountered by Conway when it comes to building his team should not surprise a manager or strategist. This is a common problem when it comes to “special projects” that are time-bound and do not offer any substantial rewards in the long term. Most of the time when the project is terminated the team members are expected to go back to where they came from. But there is one major problem with this picture. The passage of time means that the parent company has undergone major changes. For instance, personnel was promoted and many of them had gained experi
In any country or culture, art has always been the most open demonstration of political, social, and cultural situations. The artists, as ones of the most sensitive and inventive people, were always looking for their own special ways of speaking about the issues they were surrounded and deeply touched by. It is often said that the emotions and thoughts communicated through artistic images and devices are able to put a much stronger impression on the audience. This happens because the artists have the capacity of creating thoughts in people’s minds, influencing emotions and feelings. Artistic images have many layers, this is why no history book and its facts can teach people more about the events and stories of the past than the works of art such as music, paintings, novels and, of course, cinema. The film called “The Aimless Bullet” directed by Yu Hyun-Mok was released in 1961 and pronounced to be the best movie ever made in Korea. The film’s special feature is its realistic approach towards the situation in Korean society. The creators of “The Aimless Bullet” used the stories of their characters as symbolic demonstrations or the destinies of the whole generation of Korean people struggling with the harsh circumstances of the 1960s. The Korean society on the 1960s was going through a very difficult period of time. The economic situation in the country was very bad; the gap between the rich and the poor was immense. The process of urbanization attracted thousands of citizens from rural areas and provinces to big cities. People were looking for opportunities to earn money, provide for their families, and simply survive in the changing world. At the same time, the world was not very friendly to the seekers. People from the rural re
Bankruptcy According to Martin and Tama (2008, p. 119), one of the reasons why an individual files for bankruptcy is to enable him or her be discharged from the debts accumulated. Upon being granted a discharge for bankruptcy, the creditors are restricted by law to collect the discharged debts. In my personal opinion, bankruptcy should not be made difficult. This is due to the fact that there are economic benefits which the society accrues as a result of an individual overspending. For example, upon overspending using a credit card, the amount of money spent is injected into the economy. Upon receiving a discharge, there is a high probability of the same individual receiving a loan from a different credit card company. This means that consumption within the society is stimulates. According to Martin and Tama (2008, p. 119), increasing the rate of consumption within a country can contribute to a high rate of economic growth. Title VII violation Title VII is a United States Civil Rights Act which prohibits any form of discrimination against various parties who including employees, union members and job applicants. The various forms of discrimination which the Act prohibits include discrimination based on nationality, gender, color, religious beliefs, race and stage of employment (Miller, Cross & Jentz 509). Title VII Act is applicable in the following context;  1. Employers whose human resource base is 15 or more employees.  2. Employment agencies  3. Federal government employment  4. Labor unions which have hiring halls  5. Labor unions with 15 or more members However, firms with less than 15 employees are not shielded from the Act. For example, in first case, Tennington Incorporation hires white males. As a result, the firm discriminates job applicants based on color and gender. In the second case, Novo Film Incorporation only hires African-Americans from South California thus discriminating applicants based on race and nationality. The employment policies of the two firms are illegal can they can be sued under Title VII. Sexual harassment Title VII protects employees against any form of sexual harassment. In the case of Crawford, the form of sexual harassment evident is quid pro quo harassment. This entails form of harassment whereby sexual favors are demanded (Miller, Cross & Jentz 515). This is evidenced by the ‘inappropriate’ behavior of Metro’s employees’ relations director. Upon aiding in the investigation into the issue, Crawford is fired by the firm after being accused that she participated in embezzlement. In addition, employment of the other two employees is also terminated. In this case, Crawford’s situation qualifies for retaliation under Title VII. Section 704(a) of Title VII Act forbids retaliation by an employment agency or an employer against an employee on the basis that he or she opposed a practice in the organization which is illegal according to Title V
Introduction Postmodern art is characterized by a strong admission of the realities of life, including the ugly parts, at the same time that it acknowledges a degree of make-believe as each symbol or image is recognized to hold different meanings for different people based upon their individual worldview. Artists working in this environment have often turned to highlighting the ugly as a means of revealing the sublime. One artist that does this is Ron Mueck, who focuses on the hyper-real to force reconsideration of everyday images. Main body Mueck entered the world of high art through television and film production. He was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1958 to toy-making parents and grew up working with them on their projects (LifeCastings, 2001). By the time he reached adulthood, Mueck was working as a modeler, designer and puppeteer on a children’s television show (Resource Library, 2007). Through this work, he was able to land a position working as a puppeteer on the 1986 film “Labyrinth.” It was thanks to his success on this project that Mueck was able to start his second career as a freelance modeler. Most of his work in this field was involved in creating models to be used in advertisements (LifeCastings, 2001). This finally gave him the opportunity to focus on details like he dreamed of doing, but remained unsatisfied because of the way his work was being transmitted to the world. He broke through into the world of fine art with his innovative use of fiberglass as a means of capturing more lifelike detail and managed to catch the eye of Charles Saatchi with “Dead Dad.” This piece was a lifelike sculpture at 2/3rds scale that represented Mueck’s naked father lying dead on the floor. Saatchi, who is well-known for his extensive support of the arts, ordered several commissions and Mueck was officially made a part of the fine art crowd as a hyper-realist sculptor. Mueck’s work is characterized by his deliberate manipulation of scale as a means of inciting an emotional reaction to everyday images, such as what is seen in “Big Man” (Tangey, 2003). The name says it all as the sculpture is the image of a big man seated on the floor. Even seated, though, the statue is approximately eight feet tall. The man is naked and sits on the floor with his knees drawn up in front of him. Although many of Mueck’s statues seem particularly focused on the ‘unpleasant’ aspects of human bodies, such as body hair, pimples or moles, this particular statue has a noticeable lack of body hair. Mueck explains this as being a serendipitous aspect of the piece as it reflects the model who arrived to sit for the piece. According to Mueck, “The model was a ‘smoothie’ as they call them in the live modeling trade. It was very creepy. I had actually intended to put some hair on the figure, but in the end, the creepiness suited the size. I did t
This article focuses on exploring the occurrence of unintentional injuries in immigrant and refugee children in Ontario, Canada. The authors clearly identify their purpose, claiming that they aim to compare the rates of unintentional injuries among the mentioned population based on their region of origin and visa class. This problem is considered important since 20% of people currently living in Canada are immigrants (Saunders et al., 2018). The research question is not formulated evidently, but the readers can understand that the authors pose the question about the differences in injury rates as related to the country and status of immigrants and refugee children. The authors chose a cross-sectional and population-based study design to explore their topic of interest. The data was requested from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). The total number of immigrants involved in the study was 999,951 persons, while the study period was between 2011 and 2012. The statistical analysis allowed the authors to properly analyze data, paying attention to the age, sex, neighborhood income, and source region variables. The use of descriptive statistics and regression helped in linking health information and administrative data regarding patient hospitalizations. In addition, the authors explain the differences between the immigrant groups by their internal approaches to environments. The results of the article show that the rate of unintentional injuries among children was 20% higher among refugees. Namely, 8122.3 emergency and 6596.0 non-emergency visits were found in terms of the 100,000 population analyzed (Saunders et al., 2018). East and South Asians had the lowest trauma-related hospitalization rates compared to those from Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, as well as South and Central America. Among the factors that were associated with higher risks, there were male sex, young age, and high income. Another significant finding refers to the leading causes of traumas received by the target population, such as suffocation (39%), vehicle injuries (51%), and poisoning (40%) (Saunders et al., 2018). The key strength of the study is that it synthesized data from administrative and health databases, making the results comprehensive and generalizable to other countries, such as the US or Australia. Nevertheless, the limitations of this article include the fact that only documented immigrants were examined, while those without health insurance were not considered. The first concept provided by this article is the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) that is offered as an alternative to the immigr