ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Mobile computing is a generic term that refers to the various devices that allow users to access information and data from wherever they are. Mobile computing involves the use of mobile devices to display, collect and transfer information (Taniar, 2009). The recent advancement in the information technology has seen a rapid sprout of various mobile technology based application. This advancement has seen the mobile technology shift from simple applications like text based system to more sophisticated systems like funds transfer and online banking. The amazing part of these developments is that, the once elusive and expensive applications can now be accessed and performed from a mobile phone. These developments require mobile phones that are able to function like a computer, hence, leading to development of mobile phones that function like computers (Kamal, 2007). Some examples of such mobile phone devices include such devices as iPhones, ipad’s and androids phones. The development of such sophisticated devices caused businessmen to redesign their business services and solutions in order to allow them run on such devices. The following term paper analyzes the various advancements that have been made in the mobile technology. It also addresses the advantages of such technologies, as well as the challenges facing these technologies. This term paper will also give a recommendation on appropriate strategies that can be used to enhance efficient use of such technologies. Background information There are many new emerging technologies that are being experienced all over the world. The mobile and telecommunication industries are have been on the vanguard to embrace these technologies. They are experiencing rapid technological advances. These advances have led to the development of modernized and sophisticated mobile devices. The development of these mobile devices has led to the need for developing and redesigning business process and solutions so that they can be supported by these devices (Upadhyaya, 2002). For example, Nationwide Mobile Company developed a mobile application that allows its insurance policy holders to file and report a claim whenever an accident occurs. Also, another business sector that has developed due to mobile computing is the quick response codes which are now replacing the traditional bar codes. Discussion Mobile computing technologies and the associated mobile applications have a number of advantages, disadvantages and challenges that hinder the effective use of such technologies. Effectiveness and efficiency of mobile computing Mobile based applications are quite efficient in capturing geolocation data, as opposed to uploading customer data. Most mobile based applications use the GSM network which can be easily traced using a global positioning system satellite. The global positioning system is an efficient way of determining the geolocation data. Most mobile based systems will require the subscriber to be registered with the s
The Strait of Hormuz is considered to be the most important bottleneck in international navigation. Geographically, the Hormuz strait is a narrow waterway located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. This waterway has Iran to its North coast and the United Arab Emirates on its South coast. The significance of the Hormuz strait grew during the 20 th century following the discovery of huge oil reserves in the Middle East. To date, its importance continues to be because it serves as the key transportation route for petroleum products from the oil-rich nations in this region (Wright, 2012). It is estimated that about one-fifth of global oil consumption passes through this region each day. The economic significance of the Strait of Hormuz to the Persian Gulf is great. A number of oil-rich Middle East countries depend on it as an export route. Jacobs (2014) states that the Strait is the sole export route for Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. It also serves as a primary route for Saudi Arabia and Iraq. This strait serves as passage for about 90% of the Persian Gulf’s oil exports and all of its liquefied natural gas exports. The oil-dependent Middle East countries therefore rely on this waterway for their continued economic prosperity. The Strait is also important to the global economy, which is largely driven by energy from fossil fuels. Since about 20% of global oil passes through this location, it is crucial to the global economy. Jacobs (2014) reports that any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz would result in the sustained loss of millions of oil barrels per day leading to major oil shock. The significance of the strait to the oil market can be seen from the fact that oil prices rose by 2% following Iranian threats in 2012 to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz (Jacobs, 2014). The Straight therefore has a direct impact on the economic wellbeing of an oil-reliant world. The Strait of Hormuz also has military significance especially to Iran. Since the overthrow of the Shah through the 1979 Revolution, Iran has had a bad relationship with the US. Under the Shah, Iran had enjoyed a close relationship with the US. However, the ousting of the Shah led to a rise in hostility between the two countries. Since 1979, Iran lives in fear of military attacks from the US and Israel. To increase its military capabilities, Iran uses the Strait as a strategic military tool (Stratfor Analysis, 2012). Iran’s advantage comes from the fact that oil tankers must pass through its territorial waters when using the Strait of Hormuz. To deter an attack against the country by Israel or the US, the Iranian military has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is aware of the significance of the Strait to the international comm
Introduction Reorganized Organizational Structure of the Tucker Company: Causes of Problems after Reorganization The interdepartmental conflict between Mr. Hodge and Mr. Franklin, after the adoption of the above organization structure at the Tucker Company, had both personality and structural bases. The Structural Basis The new organizational structure adopted by the Tucker Company was classical in nature as many industrial oriented organizations are not (Spender, 1989). In following a structure formulated along product lines it adopted the basic principles of division of labor which is itself an integral aspect of the classical theory of management (Almashaqba et al, 2001). In the classical theory of management, success is based on a few basic principles. Foremost, the notions of authority and responsibity are intimately intertwined (Almashaqba et al, 2001). In accepting to exercise your authority in a particular area, you also, out of necessity, accept the responsibilities inherent in it. The second principle is that of unity of command. This principle states that each person should only receive commands from a single source (Almashaqba et al, 2001). This is because multiple commands would lead to confusion, and eventually conflict. A third principle is that of unity of direction. It states that members of an organization should work towards the achievement of similar overt goals (Almashaqba et al, 2001). It is in the unity of objectives that harmony within the organization is achieved. Lastly, member of the organization are expected to harmonize their interests with those of the organization. If there is conflict between the two, individual interests should be subordinated to those of the organization; this is called the principle of Subordination of Individual Interest (Almashaqba et al, 2001). Due to its hierarchical nature, Tucker Company’s new structure falls in the bureaucratic subgroup of the classical theory of management which can be summarily characterized by a few features. Foremost, bureaucracy is typified by specialization. Job positions and the corresponding are offered to persons who are most qualified in carrying them out (Mullins, 2005). It is also characterized by hierarchical authority which is reliant on levels that are vertically oriented (Mullins, 2005). For a bureaucracy to work, it is regulated by a system of rules and regulations. These rules are understood to be of utmost importance and as such they cannot and should not be subordinated to personalities (Mullins, 2005). These principles should have served to avoid conflict at the Tucker Company. They were however undermined by structural oversights, limited resources, divergent personality types and the neglect of these principles by members of staff as will be shown below. To start with, the reorganization of the company into three main divisions whose vise-presidents were directly and independently answerable to the company president meant that they were autonomous from each other. This arrangement per se is not
Brief Synopsis of the Issue SanawaOil Ltd will enter UAE as a joint venture with the state-owned ADNOC and one of the private international oil companies (IOCs). One of the reasons for preferring a joint venture is the law requirement in the country. Another reason is that most oil fields in the country are like to be covered under different long-term concessions. ADNOC owns a large proportion of the stake in the oil and gas sector. An IOC, such as JODCO, will offer SanawaOil new technology needed in the extraction of sour gas. The firm will need to conduct a benefit-cost analysis before the venture. Governance issues will cover compliance with conventional standards and international law directing the oil and gas industry. It will also deal with making plans and managing investment risks. Recommendations (1) SanawaOil should operate a low cost hospital or a training center in coordination with the government. The main reason for government involvement is that overbidding by international companies for oil fields in the UAE oil sector may result in low returns for SanawaOil as an IOC. (2) SanawaOil should purchase the latest technology in extracting sour gas. Gas extraction offers a greater opportunity because of ease of entry and the high domestic demand in the UAE. (3) A benefit-cost analysis is necessary to avoid engaging in activities that do not generate positive returns in the long run. (4) SanawaOil may employ Emiratis in a few managerial positions, even if the firm has been exempted from the law, as a firm operating in the oil and gas industry. Background In Abu Dhabi, the first concession was issued in 1939 to the Petroleum Development Company owned by the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC). The IPC was a joint venture that included BP, Shell, Total, Exxon, and Mobil. The Petroleum Development Company was issued with a 75-year concession to carry out exploration and production activities in all onshore fields (Butt n.d.: 232). In 1958, the D’Acry Oil Company was awarded concession in offshore fields. Two years later, the offshore concession was transferred to the Abu Dhabi Marine Areas – ADMA (Lancaster and Lancaster 2011: 371). Abu Dhabi began exporting oil in 1962. In 1965, ADMA discovered the Zakum oil fields located offshore. In 1968, Abu Dhabi Oil Company (ADCO) obtained a 45-year offshore concession granted by ADMA (Butt n.d.: 233). ADCO was formed as a joint venture with other three companies. In 1971, ADNOC was formed to oversee oil & gas production in Abu Dhabi as a government entity. It acquired 25% stake in ADPC and ADMA. In 1977, ADNOC was holding a 60% stake in all oil & gas production activities in Abu Dhabi (Butt n.d.: 233). Companies have been transferring ownership and rights since the 1970s. In 1978, ADCO constituted several firms. ADNOC had a 60% stake, Shell 9.5%, BP 9.5%, Total 9.5%, Exxon 4.75%, Mobil 4.75%, and Partex 2% (Butt n.d.: 233). The historical information shows that companies have always operated as joint ventures in the UAE. SanawaOil has a great opportunity to engage in oil production in the UAE because of the high demand for gas and
Introduction Economics is a fascinating area that has to be understood by all and sundry for economic stability. This paper will look at two areas of economics that are green and regular economies. Research has been carried out by many people as regards these two economies, in a bid to understand the differences between the two. However, many researchers at the end of it all come to appreciate the fact that there is minute and mostly unnoticed differences between what is called a regular economy and a green economy. Maybe to establish the existence of such a difference, a little discussion of factors associated with the two economies can help (Shannon 93). Body Researchers and scholars define a regular economy through its characteristics as an economy that is known by its high demand level but with a price equilibrium vector that ranges at a non-zero. Graphically represented, the high demand factor in a regular economy leads to a locally unique slope that can be used as a measure of the economy’s externally accelerated shocks and how it responds to them. This explains why any economy that at least has some bit of initial beginnings above zero level is considered as a regular economy (Shannon 90). Then there is the green economy. This is a type of economy mostly focused on environmental sustainability and energy consumption issues. It is an economy that seeks to support sustainability in the environment by insisting on a zero-level carbon emission trend. However, for an economy to be termed as green then all its constituent aspects must be in line with the requirements of a green economy, right from the general outlook to employees and facilities set in place. Such an economy is characterized by a renewable energy nature that calls for zero percent carbon emissions, use of water and wastes for sustainability, maintenance of the ecosystem, support and advocation for the culture of the people, and high regard of dignity as social virtue and a locally based foundation and basis of economic standing. From the above discussion, some differences between the two economies can be drawn out. First, there is the issue of zero and non-zero scales. While the regular economy goes to a non-zero vector range, the green economy works from a zero vector range (Bier 72). The green economy has many factors that cannot be held constant for it to survive. The qualification of an economy as being green entirely depends on how well it complies with such factors and meets the set requirements. On the other hand, apart from the non-zero vector range issue, an economy can easily be termed as regular without much ado (Shannon 92). While the regular economy focuses much on examining and measuring the external shocks that may affect the economy, the green economy channels much of its efforts towards the sustainability of the economy. Critically, it’s not enough to measure the shocks, but the action of ensuring the shocks is not experienced is considered more valuable. Though not stated directly, the green economy tends to do this in a bid to remain sustainable (Shannon 82). Conclusion Lastly, it’s notable that both the regular and gr
Executive Summary This paper explores Barcelona as a host destination in tourism. The portfolio is divided into six parts. The introduction section gives a general overview of Barcelona as a host destination. It briefly introduces the subject as well as marketing communication tools. The introduction further introduces a methodology used in the portfolio by briefly describing the micro and macro environment as well as future marketing strategy. The introduction concludes by describing the type research used in the portfolio. In the second section of the paper of the paper is a background of history of tourism in Barcelona as well as Barcelona Tourist Board. The third section describes the destination environment- micro and macro environment with SWOT and PESTEL analysis respectively. The fourth section gives a description of the marketing communication tools, different types of channel used by Barcelona Tourism Board as well as their strengths and weaknesses. The fifth section gives the future marketing strategy and remedies to these weaknesses while the sixth section concludes the portfolio. Introduction Tourism in Barcelona dates back in 1992. Earlier, the city was hardly known in spite of its rich culture, location and architecture. The Barcelona Olympic Games spearheaded this transformation. Hence a Barcelona has been held up globally as a major example of how a host destination can make use of Olympic Games to make a change in its tourism industry. There is need to be unique and distinguish oneself from other host destinations. With the increase in tourist destinatio
Introduction Hiring the right person to tackle a particular job is very crucial to any organization. Hiring the wrong person can easily ruin the company’s credibility and can even cost the company a lot of money. For a long time, most organizations have relied on the traditional method of interviewing a candidate. This is because conducting a personal interview is not only considered cheap for the company but that it does not also take much of the company’s time. However, research has proven that the traditional method of conducting personal interviews can no longer be relied upon to hire superlative candidates. The use of assessment centres have widely been advocated for with most researchers arguing that it is the only reliable selection method that a company can adopt to hire the best of the best. Franks et.al. (1998) state that almost 60% of British organizations have resulted to assessment centre exercises for their selection process. But how effective is the use of assessment centre exercises to hire a qualified candidate and is it the most suitable method to test a candidate? The argument has elicited mixed reactions as to the validity of assessment centres with some arguing that the centres are not really effective while others maintain that the use of assessment centres is the best invention that befell the business world. This paper is therefore aimed at reviewing some peer-reviewed journal articles that seem to have a different take on the issue. Literature Review Abraham, Morrison and Burnett (2006) argue that: ‘ assessment centres and behavioural simulations are among the most effective predictors of job performance and career progress available to employers’ (p.383). This is attributed to the fact that the use of assessment centre exercises enhance the skills and the capabilities of the employees and it is one of the most appropriate strategy to measure their potential. This has been made possible as the candidate is required to present some form of evidence to support their suitability claims (Jennifer and Duncan 2005). In their extensively researched article, Abraham, Morrison and Burnett (2006) further argue that even thou
This is a performance management framework of a Limousine service company which has just been started in Austin, TX. The company’s workforce comprises of 25 employees who are expected to steer it in achieving the targeted scales in the market. The company expects a 5% revenue growth for a couple of years to come. An annual employee turnover rate of 10% is also another significant target which the company expects to achieve in the near future. Our business strategy alone will not enable us reach our targets, and therefore, there is need for more action to be applied through performance management. The company will have to incorporate a few management approaches that are essential for business success in its operations. Following is an overview of some of the key approaches that are appropriate for the business and a summary of how each of them will be developed to give the desired results. Performance Management Framework This refers to a set of business practices that would tend to play a key role in helping organizations achieve their business goals in the market. These practices are crucial for business success, since they help to improve the management strategies applied by business organizations, thus enabling them to execute their roles better and more effectively (Ferreira & Otley, 2009). As the foundational element of business success, performance managemen
The risk of being exposed to infectious materials is high among workers in the sphere of healthcare. Thus, the minimization of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens is a task for the managerial control in healthcare facilities because blood-borne pathogens cause the development of such diseases as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS (Byrd, Lu, & Murphy, 2013, p. 499). According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and regulations, employers are responsible for identifying risks and developing procedures to decrease the risks of exposure to blood-borne pathogens (LaMontagne, Oakes, & Lopez Turley, 2004, p. 1615). The blood-borne incident in an STI clinic demonstrates the necessity of focusing on the discussion of the problem in terms of the management’s effectiveness (Buchbinder, Shanks, & Buchbinder, 2013, p. 103). The situation when a housekeeper in a clinic can be exposed to blood-borne pathogens is typical, and it is important to determine three management issues that are associated with the problem of occupational exposure in an STI clinic. The management issues that need to be discussed in detail are the administration of occupational exposure risks; the guarantee of the employee and patient safety; and the compensation issue. Background Information An STI clinic is an organization connected with Best Medical Center, and employee transferals are possible between these healthcare organizations. Maria Ortiz was transferred to an STI clinic after working for Best Medical Center as a housekeeper in the non-clinical areas. During a seven-day period after the transferal, Maria pricked herself with a needle that was dirty, and she was infected with Hepatitis B. While working at Best Medical Center, Maria was not provided with the training on blood-borne pathogens, and the woman was not trained at an STI clinic (Buchbinder et al., 2013, p. 103). As a result, the management of an STI clinic faced such problems as the determination of persons responsible for the incident, the treatment costs issue, and the employee occupational safety issue. Administration of Occupational Exposure Risks The main responsibility of the employer associated with decreasing risks of exposure and declared by the principles of the OSHA regulations is the provision of the initial and annual training for employees having a risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens (Byrd et al., 2013, p. 499). While focusing on a case in an STI clinic, it is important to state that the supervisor in a clinic violated the OSHA regulations while assuming that Maria as a housekeeper could have the training on blood-borne pathogens pr