ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Abstract Formal and informal criteria are adopted to assess the readiness of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for a currency union; some suggest that the countries have attained the minimum requirements while others don’t. By using optimum currency area (OCA) criteria, it is evident that GCC countries are yet to meet all the conditions required for the establishment of a currency union. The economic structures of the GCC economies have minimal diversification and depend largely on the oil sector; non oil sectors are seen as lagging behind with minimal investments in the sector, much of non oil products are imported. Despite efforts to diversify the economies income from oil forms more than 75% of the countries’ export earnings. In spite of the fact that, the GCC countries have managed to engage in intra-regional trade, they have achieved very little in this respect as there is no convergence in their macroeconomic policies despite synchronizing their business cycles. Despite the situation at GCC there are some OCA criterion conditions that the countries have been able to meet effectively, for instance labor and capital can move easily from one country to the other implying that there is factor mobility. Moreover, these countries have open economies that make the use of a common policy easy. In general, GCC countries have only managed to fulfill very few of the required conditions; this shows that there is much to be done. Inflation rates are not similar in all countries and wages and prices are not flexible enough to correct a market uncertainty; Saudi Arabia as a GCC country is likely to benefit from goodies from the union and in the case of costs, the country still stands to duffer. Saudi Arabia is one of the countries in the GCC that has highly met the demands of a union formation, however it cannot stand on its own as a union; it has to look for support and economic welfare of other countries to become a union. However, when gauging the readiness and preparedness of the countries using purchasing power parity (PPP), GCC countries shows a high preparedness for a currency union, the parity comparison is further reinforced by similarity in economic movement parameters. Majority of GCC countries are committed to a fixed exchange rate regime by pegging their currencies to the dollar and they are politically stable. This shows that if GCC countries follow the steps of Saudi Arabia, they can get on the right path toward currency union. Although there is limited diversification and intra-regional trade, once currency
The fallout of the results of the last U.S. presidential elections includes grim news for the scholarly community of the USA: President Trump proposed to strictly cut the funding of arts, humanities, and many scientific fields (Naylor), instead choosing to further develop the American nuclear arsenal, which already includes thousands of useless, dangerous nuclear warheads requiring costly maintenance. The thought that the President would pay attention to evidence (Science News Staff) appears naïve; however, convincing the public that science and arts are pivotal (The Conversation) might be effective because politicians would risk their popularity when suggesting reforms such as these. There are many ways to demonstrate that sciences, arts, and humanities bring great benefit to society; three of these are explained below. Literature, e.g., is crucial for the development of an individual. To be able to express one’s thoughts (or even to have them), one needs a sufficient vocabulary. It is well-known that a person obtains most of their vocabulary by reading books – not professional but belletristic literature, which contains far more vocabulary than any specialized texts. In this respect, literature is critical for human development. Numerous and heterogeneous public media is a necessary (although not sufficient) component required to allow people to view things from various perspectives, which is pivotal for discerning the truth from lies and not just yielding to lies and demagogy. Thus, public media are an essential component of a democratic society; without them, any type of political propaganda becomes much easier to implement. Finally, ecology and environmental sciences are crucial if the currently existing flora and fauna of the Earth are to be preserved. If some species die out, it might be difficult to control, e.g., the reproduction of other species, which might cause significant harm to humanity. In addition, global warming (which Trump does not believe) and the melting of polar caps may lead to flooding of large areas of land, which will cause mass migrations and, likely, outbreaks of xenophobia and violence. It would be better to avoid this than wait for evidence that the consequences would indeed be bad. Thus, arts, humanities, and sciences are all crucial for the appropriate functioning of human society. The social outcomes of their elimination will be most dire, and it is better not to have evidence that such elimination would be worse than experience the fallout of having such evidence. Works Cited The Conversation. “Academics Must Work at Building Public Trust in Their Expertise.” The
Introduction One may think that teenagers are too young to experience depression resulting from the hard circumstances of life but the truth is that their minds are too young and fragile to endure the minimal depression they experience in their teens. Since the teens are at their peak of growth and development, many things that range from biological puberty changes into social factors of peer pressure and identity cloud their minds making them develop suicidal feelings and thoughts. Hence, statistics and causes have shown that teenagers are more vulnerable to committing suicide although this is preventable. Main body Statistics have proved that suicide is one of the major causes of death in teenagers. According to Scheff, “suicide is the third most common cause of death amongst adolescents between 15-24 years of age, and the sixth most cause of death amongst 5-14-year-olds” (1). These statistics show the extent to which teens are vulnerable to suicide as compared to other age brackets. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) supports the scientific evidence that “…almost all people who take their own lives have a diagnosable mental or substance abuse disorder, and the majority have more than one disorder” (2). This means that teenage suicide is a complication of many factors that are dominant at teen ages and can result in depression and eventual trigger suicidal feelings and thoughts. Some causes of suicide revolve around the experiences of teenagers making them more vulnerable. Although teenagers are more vulnerable to committing suicide, some predisposing factors and circumstances trigger the depression and subsequent development of suicidal feelings and thoughts. The predisposing factors and circumstances include the loss of the loved one, broken relationships, drug abuse, failing exams, rejection in the family, and mental disorders. Scientific studies of the brain have shown that “…those who have attempted suicide have low levels of the brain chemical serotonin” (NAMI 4). The function of serotonin is to reduce comp
Business models became popular as a result of the internet boom that made many companies to begin relying on web-based models. Companies shifted from the traditional methods that were based on strategy and competence in an attempt to embrace the new trend. The new models came with a promise of substantial profits and efficiency. All the entrepreneurs who bought into the new idea ended up suffering huge loses because they did not implement the models in the right way. The concept of business models therefore did not perform well in the initial stages because many people did not actually understand the concept. The failure of these business models came as a result of misuse and distortion. Many entrepreneurs wasted their capital by investing in flawed models without careful consideration. The new concept of doing business using models is still very applicable in different types of business ventures. A business model should be implemented in the right way for businesses to achieve the desired results. Business managers should come up with working definitions of a business model to introduce clarity and predictability in their models. The arcane mathematical models have an influence on the structure of business models. Business models explain how a particular enterprise works using elaborate stories. A quality business model should answer the fundamental business questions that guide the success of a business enterprise. To begin with, a good business model should identify who the customers are in relation to their needs and preferences. A business model should also reflect a clear plan on how the enterprise will make money. The main aim of doing business is to make profit and at the same time meet customer needs. Business models should also have a sound economic logic to prove their viability. The cost of a business enterprise should not in any way exceed he equivalent revenues. The main objective of a business model is to tell a good story about a particular business venture in order to attract customers and prospective investors. American Express is an example of companies that attracted a lot of customers by telling a convincing story to customers using a business model. The company’s business model motivated customers by giving them an insight on the value of its services. It is also important to note that the good narrative in a business
Introduction The work of public organizations continues to improve with time due to a better understanding of performance management and technological advancement. In their article, Sabharwal et al. (2014) focus on public administration schools and the challenges associated with increased social diversity and changes in communities’ needs and demands. In addition to the already existing studies about the main characteristics of public administration, the authors find it necessary to learn the conditions under which culturally competent services are developed. Despite certain limitations based on the scope, sample, and definitions, the chosen research article introduces a solid background related to diversity, social equity, and equality in public service organizations. Premise and Significant Points During the last several centuries, the representatives of public administration have to deal with different tasks, demonstrating their unbiased attitudes toward religion, politics, or the economy. The main premise defined by Sabharwal et al. (2014) is that today, American society faces a complex reality that categorizes people according to their race, gender, education, class, sexual orientation, abilities, and language. Community changes may be determined by a variety of factors, which makes the proliferation of diversity studies a critical issue for discussion. There are several significant points in the article under analysis. First, the authors aim to understand if public administration schools develop effective curricula that meet current social changes. Secondly, it is important to identify how future leaders are prepared and if they obtain equal employment opportunities. Finally, public administrators must have enough qualities to manage diversity complexities in their facilities. Issues of Diversity, Equality, and Equity In the article, the authors pay attention to the role of diversity, equality, and equity in public services in different ways. Compared to diversity and equity which have clear definitions and explanations, the term equality is slightly discussed through the prism of equal employment and the necessity to provide equal opportunities for women and people of color against existing bureaucracy (Sabharwal et al., 2014). In its turn, diversity has several definitions, including its explanation as variation, heterogeneity, and otherness (Sabharwal et al., 2014). Discussing the impact of diversity in public administration, it is correctly admitted the connection of this concept with cultural competence and management through avoiding discrimination and minority representation (Sabharwal et al., 2014). Equity is based on democratic responsibilities, in terms of which the effect
Introduction It could be stated with certainty that regulatory processes play an integral role in contemporary political decision-making. When implementing new legislation in the spheres of the political, social, and economic life of a local community, politicians should consider a wide range of factors that can influence their decision to a vast extent. Accordingly, one of such factors that are of specific interest is procedural fairness. The application of this concept in various situations, where political decision-making is involved, is of immense importance. This paper aims to employ the example from the recent events in the political life of Canada, namely, the controversy that surrounded the Ontario government’s promise to raise the minimum wage. As it will be argued, this situation does not only exemplify the crucial significance of the concept of procedural fairness in such situations. Additionally, the incident under consideration should be viewed in the broader social, political, and economic context. Accordingly, a comprehensive conclusion will be built based on the discussion. Brief Overview of the Conflict Situation and Essential Concepts First of all, before dwelling upon the investigation of the issues related to the phenomenon of procedural fairness, it is essential to briefly observe the conflict situation itself as well as concepts that are essential for the discussion. The emergence of the situation took place in 2007 when the Ontario government announced the budget and made the statement about the projected increase in the
Introduction Over the course of the twentieth century and in the twenty-first century, humanity achieved numerous advances in medicine. While death is still very much a reality, many once-fatal ailments are now treatable, and terminal patients have a chance to continue with their lives. However, such achievements come at a price, especially when the well-being of one individual can only be achieved at the expense of other. This is the case with organ donors and transplantation. And while the Western society on its own is split on the issue, the divide becomes even more evident when compared to the Eastern society and culture. Main body In her article “Displacing Suffering: The Reconstruction of Death in North America and Japan”, Margaret Lock studies the numerous ethical and legislative arguments in North America and Japan over the issues of major organ transplantation, and the related issue of defining when death has officially occurred (Lock 207). The author begins the article by discussing how the past cessation of breathing used to be one of the recognized signs of death and how the development of the iron lung and later the artificial respirator meant that doctors worldwide had to redefine what was to be considered death, the irreversible loss of a human life. The outcome of this debate was the “whole-brain death” as the equivalent to the end of life. The doctors in North America received a window between brain death and death of the body to “harvest” organs which might save lives of other people. However, some of the public feel discomfort over whether these donors are alive or dead, and whether the doctors can be trusted to not exploit the situation. Lock then describes how Japan took these sentiments even further, despite having some of the most advanced medical technology, by generally putting itself in opposition to post-mortem organ harvesting as well as transplantations. This is attributed to the cultural and theological outlooks of the Japanese, who value the dead, see tinkering with dead bodies as “unnatural” as well as their desire to protect their culture from the cold, intrusive Western influence. Lock discusses at length the different countries attitudes towards death and transplantation, the value attributed to the lives of organ donors and receivers, and builds her argument about how the suffering and needs of an individual get overlooked in the political, cultural and ethical debates on both coasts of the Pacific. Margaret Lock is very careful at immersing the target audience, who are most likely her colleagues and people involved in the debates, into the discussion, and remains impartial while presenting arguments for and against brain death as a sign of cessation of life and organ transplantation. She uses these points of view to put forth her thoughts. First, even though Western culture has accept
Executive Summary ‘Office politics’ is a common term used to describe the daily struggle of employees to get power and authority within the workplace. Indeed, there is office politics in all organisations. Further, within organisations, there is office politics in departments. Many people are of the opinion that office politics is detrimental to an organisation. However, this is rarely true. One can argue that corporate politics is only detrimental if not properly managed. There are several factors that contribute to the intensity of corporate politics. One such thing is the hiring and firing process. The ability to both give someone a job and take it away is perceived as a powerful commodity within the corporate world. For this reason, much office politics that concerns the process is usually referred to the human resource department. If the system or process of hiring and firing people is flawed, employees will look for strategies to manipulate the system. The same can be said of the promotion process. Issues of nepotism, racism and ethnicity also make up some of the elements of office politics. One can expect strong corporate politics when such factors can be visibly identified within an organisation. Thus, it can be suggested that human resource management be accountable and transparent as a way of managing corporate politics. Gender is also highly significant when discussing office politics. For several decades now, women have complained about ill treatment in their workplaces compared to men. The differences in treatment has been registered as salary gaps, sexual harassment and even hiring nd firing based on gender. Gender stereotypes have been used to lock women out of qualified positions as well. Additionally, the fact that men are considered better thinkers in the workplace can be attributed to the way they manage office politics. Some of the descriptions used (of men) in the work place include innovative, adaptable, leader, creative and aggressive. On the other hand, women are often described as eager to learn, follow instructions and team players. All these descriptions and definitions relate to office politics and have been used against women. The description of the man refers to two types of office politicians referred to as street fighter and manoeuver. On the other hand, the descriptions of the women refer to purists and team players. Each of these people have their advantages and disadvantages. Also, the fact that more women are opening up to participate in workplace politics has seen a rise in women in management positions. Women, however, still have a long way to go to ensure equity in the workplace. Much of their success will, however, depend on how they participate and manage office politics. One element comes up in the 21 st century that highly contributes to office politics in culture. Many organisations today have people from different backgrou
Introduction The history of the United States is so diverse and various that it is even hard to imagine how many organizations there had been created by Americans throughout ages and centuries. However, the most fruitful period in terms of organizations’ creation was the middle of the twentieth century. The post-war period was significant for many breakthroughs in the history of America. Starting with art culture and up to politics – America was in the middle of world events disregarding the life sphere touched upon. The US was the most powerful and the most prosperous state on the planet. The Name of the Organization and What Social Issue It Targets The topic of discussion of this paper is the National Organization of Women – NOW – that fights for the rights of women and variously protects them across the United States. It is hard to imagine America without struggles to give equal rights to its citizens disregarding gender, social level, and race. The marvelous changes in women rights started to take place in 1960’s when the role of woman was reconsidered within different life spheres. Women began to produce art works and stand for their equal rights with the man. The primary social issue NOW targets to bring equality to women of all ages, race, and social layer. They say that they are not the followers of the women’s role principles, on the contrary – they take the leading position. They strive to make all social aspects men occupy available for women. Namely, it is important to put more women in political posts. Not of le
Introduction As a member of the American Congress representing Alpharetta in the state of Georgia, my work primarily involves making legislations for the nation and representing the interests of my constituents. Mostly, my workplace is in my constituency and Washington, the seat of the Congress. To help members of my constituency and other Americans understand the work of their congressmen, I will discuss my roles both in the house and in my constituency of Alpharetta. Roles of the congress First, it is imperative to understand the roles of the Congress in the US. The American Congress is composed of two houses representative of the people (the Senate and the House of Representatives (Peterson 12)). Like other democratic nations such as Britain, the Congress is the “parliament” of the United States. This means that the house is the legislative branch of the federal government (Peterson 12). It represents the American people and makes laws for the nation. Like other democracies, the Congress shares powers with the executive and the judiciary. However, it is worth noting that the Congress is the only institution in the government that is directly elected by the people. So, what are the roles of the congressmen? For the purpose of this discussion, I will outline the roles of the house of representative, in which I am a member, instead of the senate. My roles as a congressman in Washington, D.C One of the major activities of the congressman is to represent an average of 600,000 people in a constituency. The main role is to present the economic and political needs and interests of the Alpharetta constituents. It is the role of the congressman to express the interests and needs of the constituents at the national level. The member acts as an ambassador for the constituents in terms of making their needs and interests known to the public. At the Congress in Washington, a member must serve in at least two select committees. The committee work is a critical element of the congress. Currently, I am a member of agriculture, education and health committees. It is my role to develop expertise in all subject matters in these fields because I am one of the main policy makers in the house. I attend committee meetings to take testimony and examine legislations. In addition, I prepare questions to be posed to witnesses and public appointees (Neikark 39). It is my role to prepare bill amendments in the presented legislations. In addition, I am involved in voting on motions, verifying decisions and making amendments of the existing legislations (CED 127). We also write statements as a committee, which are read as reports in the house. In addition, the role of oversight and investigation is an important task for all congressmen. As a member of the house, I am involved