ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Case Recap In spite of being slightly over 60 years old, CUTCOs history reveals that it was formed as a result of mergers and takeovers. Currently, it is a conglomeration of six companies, with ALCAS as the parent holding company. Under this umbrella, are other companies making knives and scissors. ALCAS specialized in manufacturing house cold cutlery items, especially knives. From their initial range of ten fundamental items, with nine being knife varieties, the company’s product line has grown to over 500 products. They sell at an average range of $27 to $945. The name CUTCO was officially adopted in 2009 after the success of the marketing arm bearing the name. It is the biggest cutlery maker in America, with revenues over $ 200 million (Roger & Robert, 2010). Problem Identification The problem CUTCO needs to address is increasing company revenue, having set a five-year target of $500 million per annum. All this, in the backdrop of an investor meeting to be held in a fortnight to explore means of achieve the goal. The main dilemma is identifying and implementing the most strategic of concepts from a list compiled by the CEO John Stitt, since all of them were pertinent. Case Analysis It is a combination of six interrelated companies, with four specializing in cutlery and kitchen ware production, and two in charge of oversees marketing ventures. KA-BAR knives manufacture daggers used for sports, mostly knife throwing. It is slightly profitable since most of the sales average $40 to $70 per item. CUTCO manufactures a large percentage of the knives, with the remnants coming from Asia. In addition to their basic product (knives), the company has introduced garden tools, in addition to varied kitchen tools, to increase their variety. The company has become a market leader, and consequently been featured in a couple of primetime television shows in America. It has a marketing strategy which entails classifying America into geographical the six geographical regions, which are grouped in threes for easy administration. The Vector East comprises of (Midwest, northeast and east zones) while vector west is made up of (Central, Southwest and West zones). Canada is categorized as a separate entity, with its head accountable to the East zone. Regional presidents are answerable CUTCO chairman. Each region has 280 permanent offices, with a similar number of temporary administrative centers for summer operations. It is reliant on clandestine contractors to dispense the merchandise, with a majority of sales during the summer time. This is achieved through practical present
Emerging markets are countries with thriving economies such as China and India. Today, there is middle class in emerging markets, which has created target markets for firms (Ernst & Young 2). The large numbers of middle class in emerging markets with disposable incomes provide huge markets for firms. This is suitable for investments because EMs provide stronger potentials for growths. Beyond the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), there are still other emerging markets that firms can exploit for economic advantage. Emerging markets have fast developing infrastructures that can support manufacturing bases. Manufacturing bases are the strongest drivers of today’s global economies as witnessed in the China’s manufacturing sector. EMs have attractive markets from the middle class, raw materials, affordable labour, natural resources, and low costs of manufacturing. Hence, investors find EMs attractive for business (Cavusgil, Knight and Riesenberger 265). Most firms in advanced economies have resorted to transfer or delegation of non-critical aspects of operations to other specialised workers in foreign countries. India, Philippines, and South Africa have emerged as the most preferred sourcing destinations. Multinational firms consider sourcing practices as value-adding practices. Moreover, such firms become efficient, enhance competitive advantage, and focus on their core competencies. The Boston Consulting Group notes that EMs are the ‘hotbed’ for builders or acquirers of global branches (Boston Consulting Group 1). The focus of merger and acquisition (M&A) is on energy and natural resources, satisfying the rising demands of the middle class, meeting technology and management challenges, and as a platform for global expansions. M&E is now common in BRICs and other countries with potential to support global expansions. Starbucks, Unilever, and Cardinal Health are some of the multinational firms that have sought M&E in EMs. Karolyi, Ng, and Prasad have noted that investors or financiers in the advance economies have increasingly focused on EMs as they invest their funds in overseas assets (Karolyi, Ng and Prasad 33). For instance, there are massive capital inflows and capital account surplus in China. The country has “higher exports than its imports, has trade surplus and inflows of private capital” (Karolyi et al 33). While EMs present good business opportunities for expansion, there is also a considerable influence on the environment as firms in EMs put pressure on the world resources. Today, China has the highest number of polluted cities in the world due to its thriving manufacturing sector. Moreover, the country has focused on massive exploitation of oil and coal resources to fuel its growth. Conversely, Western firms in EMs use modern technologies and equipment to protect the environment. For example, Arcelik must observe strict environmental regulation on u
One of the main questions discussed by scholars is related to the ethical and safety standards established for clinical trials. The main task is to ensure the safety of patients and obtain scientifically rigorous findings. In some cases, these priorities cannot be easily reconciled. This paper is aimed at discussing two articles written by Marcia Angell and Harold Varmus. These authors present different interpretations of ethical norms related to medical research. Marcia Angell believes that the clinical trials performed in the countries of the Third World do not comply with international standards of care, and the wellbeing of patients can be imperiled. In particular, they are not always provided with the most effective treatment. This is the main ethical problem that this scholar identifies. For example, the participants of such studies can sometimes receive a placebo instead of the best possible drug available at the time. Researchers may prefer such an approach because it can help them obtain findings within a relatively short time. However, in this way, they can endanger the health of subjects. This is why many studies conducted in poor regions of the world, may not be allowed in advanced counties. Additionally, Marcia Angell speaks about the so-called ethical relativism. This means that medical researchers accept local standards of care accepted in developing counties, and sometimes, these standards are low. In this way, they can deny patients the highest standards of care. In other words, this author emphasizes the importance of universal ethical standards that should be applied to clinical trials. Moreover, the safety of the participants should be the top priority for medical workers. Therefore, patients should receive the same level of protection, regardless of the country in which the trial is conducted. This is the main argument that Marcia Angell puts forward. In turn, Harold Varmus offers a slightly different discussion of these questions. In particular, he notes that a clinical study should determine the positive and negative effects of a certain drug, while a placebo-control research might be the optimal way to do it. This is one of the main claims that this scholar puts forward. Apart from that, these trials are usually carried out in countries with significant health problems such as right rates of HIV. Therefore, these studies, even if they are placebo-controlled, can benefit a great number of patients. Certainly, this author admits that the rights of participants should be respected by researchers. For example, they people should know about the risks related to the trial. Nevertheless, at the same time, it is necessary to produce rigorous results which can be used by medical workers. This is one of the main responsibilities that a researcher has.
Mindfulness is a psychological concept that has become popular in mainstream American culture recently. Having its roots in Buddhist religious meditation, the practice has been adopted for secular purposes in various fields, ranging from health and wellness to psychiatry. Mindfulness implies a state of active awareness of one’s inner state and outer surroundings. As a result, achieving the mindfulness condition has been associated with significant benefits for mental health, positive feelings, social relationships, and physical well-being documented by numerous studies and experts. This report seeks to investigate the fundamental basics, origins, concepts, and applicability of mindfulness as a practice, with the purpose to determine its viability for integration in therapy and daily life. Definition of Mindfulness Mindfulness has various broad definitions in the English language, particularly the state of being consciously aware. Mindfulness has become a semantic amalgam recently introduced into the Western mainstream culture based on philosophical and religious adaptations of Buddhist beliefs. These are defined as a mental state that focuses awareness on a present moment and acceptance of one’s feelings, thoughts, and sensations. In this case, mindfulness is a mental state which is dependent on the core concepts of the mindfulness philosophy discussed in the next section. However, this does not necessarily characterize mindfulness from a Buddhist perspective which emphasizes awareness through composure of mental and emotional functions. In this state, the acts of judgment and evaluation are analogous with the seven attitudes of mindfulness, leading to acceptance and non-judgment (Grossman, 2015). Psychological Definition The Western definition of mindfulness, utilized in the psychology field, is the act of paying attention in a way that focuses on the purpose of presence in the moment and a non-judgmental approach (Black, 2011). Mindfulness can be considered an outcome and a process. The process known as the mindful practice is a systemic approach of acting in an open and caring way, using knowledge, and attempting to shape the mind. Meanwhile, the outcome known as mindful awareness is the state of deep knowing that results from freedom of the mind, apart from preconditioned societal perspectives. A definition u
Why does Maybelline need to strengthen itself in the “face segment”? Given that Maybelline was number one in the mass-cosmetics industry, do you agree with Victor Wosk’s statement that “ … in order to have a successful cosmetics company, you have to have a foothold in foundation”? Why or why not? Wosk raises a valid point in his statement. Industry statistics show that face products are the most popular with a 35% stake. Foundation accounts for 57% of these sales. This indicates how important the foundation is to the customer. The fact that Maybelline foundation sales constitute only 10% of its total sales is a matter of concern. However, it also indicates that the company has the potential to grow into this market. Foundation is a special product for several reasons. First, its sales price is higher than most other cosmetics. This means that the more foundation a cosmetics company sells, the higher its sales revenues. Currently, the company focuses on eye products which constitute 29% of its sales. If the unit sales in the foundation were to increase, then sales revenue would greatly increase. Foundation users exhibit strong brand loyalty. This is good for any cosmetics company because it is easier to maintain an old customer than to gain a new one. Women find it difficult to change foundation brands because they come in different shades. Every woman has a suitable shade for her skin. Once a woman discovers which shade looks best on her, she tends to stick with the brand for an average of 10 to 15 years. This means that revenue from loyal foundation users is almost always constant. Loyal customers keep a company in business. This is the major reason why a successful cosmetics company must have its foot in the foundation business. What marketing strategy would you recommend for Maybelline in the foundation market? Why? Maybelline should use a product development strategy. This should focus on the teens who already use the Wet Lip Shine Colour. Many teenagers have self-esteem problems because of acne. Maybelline should focus on creating a product that conceals the pimples and blackheads. This product should also be safe for teens to use. The company could then launch a campaign that focuses on improving self-confidence using this Maybelline product. It can then cross-sell the product to the teen lip and eye products customers. This product will enable it to capture teens before they become heavy foundation users. Once they become loyal, they can grow into Maybelline foundations. This strategy is bound to be effective since it focuses on a growing female population. It will also secure Maybelline’s future market. Market development is also another option. The company can aim to increase its overseas sales rather than focusing on Americans. As previously stated, it would be difficult to shift the loyalties of current foundation users. Maybelline can focus on the growing markets in Africa and Asia. These are areas where cosmetic use is just becoming popular. Entering the market before its competitors will enable Mayb
Summary Gideon’s Trumpet, a book by Anthony Lewis, tells the story of Clarence Earl Gideon, whose case in the Supreme Court changed the judicial system in the United States. Gideon was arrested and accused of breaking into a pool-room in Bay Harbor and stealing the cash inside. The fact that Gideon served in prison before multiplied the severity of the punishment of apparently such a small crime. The main point of interest in this case was risen by the fact that Gideon was poor, and thus he could not afford a lawyer to defend him in court. The court denied Gideon’s request arguing that he was charged on a non-capital crime. Accordingly, Gideon was forced to represent himself in the court where he was convicted and handed down a sentence of five years in a Florida prison. Serving the term in prison, Gideon utilizing the library wrote a petition to the Supreme Court stating that “his conviction violated
Introduction to Lesson Plan Graduate Teaching Standards Six graduate teaching standards will be used in the planning and assessment for cooperative learning in the primary classroom environment. These standards are part of the AITSL-Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Specifically, the proposed assessment will demonstrate my achievement of the AITSL standards in planning and assessing cooperate learning.   * 2.1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.   * 2.5. Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.   * 3.2. Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.   * 3.5. Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.   * 5.1. Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.   * 6.4. Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning. Main Lesson Plan Unit Title:                                                                                                                                                                                               General Science                                                                                                                                                                    Stage: Intermediary                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Year: 2018           Lesson Title/Topic:                                                                                                                                                                                       Ecosystem/Food chain
Since the emergence of the victim’s rights movement, significant progress has been made in decreasing the violence by both decreasing consequences of the assault and preventing the possible violence. This latter result was achieved in part by the implementation of the National Crime Victimization Survey, which serves the purpose of the early warning system and a valuable tool for analysis of the trends in multiple aspects of criminal activities. Two reports show the significant progress in the declining crime rate of a sexual character as well as those involving firearms. The research on firearms violence rates shows a stable decrease in recent years. The homicides related to firearms have gone down 39% from 1993 (18, 253 victims) to 2011 (11,101 victims). The percentage of crimes not resulting in fatalities decreased even more, with almost seventy percent from the 1993’s 1,5 million to 2011’s 467,300 instances (NCVS, 2013). As the firearm-involving homicides comprise around 70% of the total number of fatal crimes, this may be viewed as a contribution to the safety of the population. The rate of sexual assault victimization has also decreased in the period since 1997. The tendency is overwhelming as it can be observed among students (3,3 to 1,5) and non-student (9,2 to 4,3) age groups alike, with the latter exhibiting more than a 50% decrease (NCVS, 2014). Reporting of data in a reassuring tone may be used to raise the confidence in the existing organization designated to deal with the issue (e.g. NCVS) or any party that claims the responsibility for the positive outcome. Sex crimes and firearm violence are known to be a serious issue in American society. While certain effort has been made to mend the adverse outcomes for victims of the assaults and decrease the rates of victimization, the numbers obtained by the NCVS suggest the lack of substantial progress or, in some cases, no progress at all. The report on firearm violence resulting in death, for instance, shows the 39% decline since 1993. However, under closer inspection, it becomes apparent that the decline occurs in the period of 1993 to 1999, whereas it starts to grow again to 2006 (10,828 to 12,791) and decreases unsubstantially from there on (12,791 to 11,101) (NCVS, 2013). The same tendency is observed regarding the non-fatal violence incidents: a steep decline from 1993 to 2004 (1,529,700 to 456,500, more than 70%), but no significant progress since (2006, only two years later, saw an increase in 157900 victims of violence) (NCVS, 2013). The same tendency is observed if we look at the rates of sexual victims. The number of non-college age victims has declined from 3,3 to 1,5 per 1000 population. However, as this age group becomes the target of the sexual assault about three times less frequently than students and non-students age 18 to 24, this decline does not influence the nu
Introduction The airline industry across the world is characterized by stiff competition. Every player is doing everything possible to acquire the biggest market share and have an advantage over competitors. Business executives in this industry treat strategic management as an important aspect of making a business succeed. This is not unjustified; a critical analysis of the market reveals an array of strategic management tools used by the various players in the industry to keep companies afloat, giving them an advantageous edge over others. This report analyses UK’s airline industry, and how it affects Easy Jet’s strategic management. The industry’s current and future Macro environment The leadership of any profit oriented company is always concerned about the current trends in the environment in which it operates. The UK government’s decision to increase corporation tax has affected the operations of many airlines, with some such as Ryanair opting to move their operation bases to other locations (Mintel, 2011b). The recent global economic problems affected most economies in the world, including the UK. The credit crunch slowed economic growth in many countries, with most posting a negative growth curve. The recession had far reaching effects in the credit industry, which is the life line of most economies (Association of European Airlines, 2011) It became exceedingly difficult for companies and other business entities to acquire credit to keep their operations running. It also became difficult for consumers to access credit for their expenses, and this almost brought most credit driven economies to their knees. The effects of the recession are still being felt, and the airline industry is no exception. It is still reeling from the effects of high operational costs worsened by the rising cost of fuel among others (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2010). Economic growth is still very slow in the UK, and the country posted a 0.2% growth rate in 2011 (Mintel, 2011a).This is a negative growth trend, and the economy is still far from full recovery. The slow economic recovery and growth is doing little to raise consumer confidence. Though interest rates are falling, the restrictions on borrowing only worsen inflation, which by 2011 figures stands at 0.5%. (Mintel, 2011b). The decrease in consumers’ disposable income only makes it more real that they are likely to cut down on spending. The effect of this on the airline industry is that many customers are likely to abandon high cost carriers for cheaper airlines. With unemployment numbers in the UK projected to hit 3 million soon, (Mintel, 2011a) airlines have a need to adopt strategies that will keep them afloat when their consumers spend less, or decide to ditch them altogether. Consumer perception is fundamental to any business. Consumers in the airline industry have the perception that flying is the fastest way by which one can get to the destination they desire. Most people do not want to be late, and delays and other inconveniences can easily change this consumer perception. Technological advancements are set to change this. Though flying is undoubtedl