ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Abstract This paper has looked at the economy of Morocco. It has pointed out the various sectors that contribute to the economic growth of the North African nation. Such sectors include tourism, manufacturing, mining as well as the construction sector. This paper has also provided some of the advantages and disadvantages that investment by American firms can bring to the economy of the nation. After that, a conclusion has been provided. Introduction The economy of Morocco is considered to be a comparatively liberal economy. It should be noted that the economy of Morocco has grown to become one of the main players as far as economic affairs of African is concerned. By GDP, it is the fifth African economy. Morocco was placed as one of the highly competitive economies within North Africa by The World Economic Forum. The strongest economic sector for Morocco is agriculture. This includes growing of olives, vegetables, wheat, citrus fruit, and barley and also the rearing of fish, and livestock. Other important sectors include mining of copper, lead, manganese, silver and phosphates. The energy, manufacturing, construction and tourism sectors also play very big roles in Moroccan economy. It should be noted that Morocco is a very close ally with America. Indeed it is a very attractive country for investments by the American companies. There are a number of factors that may attract Americans companies to invest in the country. These include the excellent location of the country; its huge consumer class as well as its effective economic growth (Asiedu, 2002). The rapid economic growth of Morocco has largely been brought about by privatization which began two decades ago. The energy sector was the first business to be privatized. Since then, a number of public enterprises have been privatized. The benefits of an American company doing business in Morocco There are a number of benefits that investments by American companies in Morocco may bring to the economy of the nation. First, the skills of the local manpower will be raised through training of the local workforce. The productivity of the local workforce will hence be enhanced. This is of great advantages to the Moroccan economy. Investments by the American companies are of great benefits to the Moroccan economy as it will also result into an improvement in technology. Foreign companies usually invest more in research as well as development. Similarly, they usually have better-quality technology as compared to the local firms. Improvement in technology is indeed a very great benefit to any economy. Enhanced efficiency is also brought about by the investment of American companies in Morocco. When the companies invest in the country, there will be competition between the local firms and the foreign firms. This will force the local companies to allocate and also to efficiently use resources. When American firms invest in Morocco, they create employment oppo
Introduction Pharmaceutical policy is a set of healthcare rules that govern the provision, development, and use of drugs. In Canada, various policies regulate drug plans. They include, among others, ones governing patents, pricing, licensing for marketing, and reimbursement. The policies have become an important part of the healthcare system. In addition, they attract a lot of debate from various stakeholders. The legislations are supposed to meet the universal and publicly funded healthcare plan across Canada. However, the move to reach the universal dream is patchy and has generated a lot of controversies (Milicic, Mulvale, and Petersen 8). In this paper, the author provides a critical analysis of the reimbursement of drug expenses in Canada. To achieve this objective, the author will compare the prescription drug plans in various provinces in the country. Reimbursement is characterized by various disparities in terms of accessibility. The variations are largely associated with differences between various public plans and unequal access to marketed drug products among patients across Canada. Pharmaceutical Reimbursement Policy in Canada Reimbursement Plan: An Introduction In Canada, reimbursement for outpatient prescription drugs is covered by provincial legislation, but not in federal legislation. To understand the workings of these policies, it is important to analyze the various healthcare systems across Canada. It is also important to review the effects of these variations on patients about their annual expenditure on drugs (Husereau and Cameron 37). In various studies conducted around drug policies, information was collected on publicly funded prescription drug plans in the ten provinces. One of the studies used data from 2006 to 2012. The findings revealed that there were significant disparities in drug reimbursement across the country. Clinical scenarios were analyzed to reveal the impact of provincial cost-sharing mechanisms on personal annual expenditure. The differences were also evident in the personal financial burden in the various population groups. For instance, members of the non-senior population (which includes individuals aged between 18 and 65 years) paid more than 35% of their prescription drug costs in all the provinces. The seniors (those individuals who are 65 years old and over) incurred less than 35% of their prescription costs in two provinces. Social assistance recipients paid less than 35% of costs in five provinces. It was noted that this group did not incur any costs in the remaining five provinces (Demers et al. 406). Pharmaceutical Policies in Canada: General Overview As already indicated
Introduction For almost half a century strategic planning has been a major part of the corporate world. But this is not the main argument of Henry Mintzberg when he wrote about creating strategies. Mintzberg pointed out that strategic planning has been misused by managers and executives when planning for their respective firms. Mintzberg asserts that what they are actually doing is strategic programming which is fundamentally different from strategic planning. Since the foundation of strategic planning is flawed from the very beginning there is a need to correct that and according to Mintzberg the best place to start is in redefining strategic planning to determine what it is and what it is not. The Fall of Strategic Planning Strategic planning as a management tool was introduced as early as the mid-1960s. But it did not take long before corporate leaders – as well as the workers and even mid-level managers – to come to realize that strategic planning did not create long lasting and significant changes to their respective companies. Mintzberg argued that the reason for this failure is due to the misconception regarding strategic planning; a misconception that led to wrong practice. This is Mintzberg’s first position with regards to strategic planning’s role in strategy making. There is a wealth of evidence out there that supports the conclusions made by Mintzberg. For instance one study (Cowley, 1997) revealed the following problems encountered when it comes to strategic planning:   * Forecast or predictions made by the management team are frequently unrealistic;   * Goals are set arbitrarily without a clear link to need, means, and feasibility;   * There is a tendency to select the wrong goals;   * The failure to differentiate between strategic planning and operational planning. Many planners embark on strategic planning exercises using the methodologies of operational planning; and most importantly; and most importantly   * Planning is regarded as an event rather than an ongoing process (Cowley, 1997). The above-mentioned findings support Mintzberg’s claim that strategic planning has not only been misused but also abused. This is expected because there is already a fundamental error in understanding what strategic planning is all about. Thus, it is easy for planners to make the mistake of forcing a defective system to do wonders for the company. It is no longer a secret that the typical planning process “… is
Two literary works that are going to be discussed have similarities and differences. First of all, in both the story about a little girl and Guy De Maupassant’s short story, the necklaces play an important role, acting as the main symbols. In the first story, the necklace is a symbol of giving; it represents the importance of being able “to give up the cheap things in our lives so that God can give us beautiful treasures” (“21st — Jenny’s Pearls”). In Guy de Maupassant’s short story, the necklace can be seen as a symbol of deception, caused by the main character’s pride and dissatisfaction with her life. Although the necklaces symbolize different things, both stories imply that people can often become too dependent on material goods. The first story aims to teach an important lesson to the readers: that one should not get too attached to insignificant things. The second story conveys a similar message: although Mathilde remembered the evening when she had worn an expensive dress and the borrowed necklace for a long time, she was in debt for many years afterward. Another similarity between the stories is the fact that both characters had to work. However, the little girl had to do household chores to get the necklace, and Mathilde had to work hard to pay the debts he and her husband had because of the lost necklace. While the girl understood the importance of working hard to deserve something she wanted, Mathilde “suffered endlessly, feeling born for every delicacy and luxury” (De Maupassant 1). She simply complained constantly and took her husband’s attempts to make her life better for granted. Works Cited “21st — Jenny’s Pearls.” Welcome To Godswork: Encouragement and Inspiration is What We Areall About! , Web. De Maupassant, Guy. The Necklace and Other Short Stories . Xist Publishing, 2016.
Coca-Cola is one of the companies with long withstanding signature brands over the years. The company has a good reputation, and it ranks as the global leader in the manufacture of soft drinks. Most of its packaging is placed on bright, red containers with a script that gives the product a timeless look and makes it easy for identify. Unlike many of its competitors who changes and rebrands, Coca-Cola has remained for a long period without rebranding leading to reduced fundamental changes over the recent years. This has not worked to its disadvantage because of its long serving identity marked with red colors. However, the company occasionally takes its products and rebrands them hence maintaining its brand integrity. Coca-Cola has remained appealing to its consumers because they recognize it by Christmas packaging marked by Santa and snowflakes. The latest rebranded product of Cocas-Cola Company is its Coke. The current rebrand does not feature the jolly old men as the initial product but bold statements that communicate a message. The rebranded product is on its 125th anniversary as it hits store-shelves with the new packaging to give it a new look. Despite Coca-Cola rebranding its products simultaneously, each rebranding has its purpose in the market. It ensures the company maintains its position as a global leader in the manufacture of soft drinks despite the stiff competition it faces. Coca-Cola adopted different strategies to ensure the rebranded products attract the market share needed for its penetration. One of the strategies was packaging information messages describing the product. For instance, Diet Coke had a script written, “Diet Coke: Exuding self confidence”. The company maintained the familiarity of the of the package design which created an opportunity for their consumers to identify with the logo. The labeling also had an impact on the reception by consumers in the market. It beards appealing statements to provide them with opportunities to try the test besides attractive packaging (Shea, 2011). The new look of the rebranded did not stop at the shelves of the shops; the company ran commercial adverts of televisions spots, which beard a tagline reading, “Stay Extraordinary”. The stylish new look of the product inspired many consumers and gave them confidence as it was a reflection of the self-assured. It revealed a true reflection of those who truly enjoyed Diet Coke every day. The adverts on the television ensured it reached many people to create awareness of the rebranded product to new and existing consumers. The television also provided the unique experience of the product, which enabled it to get market penetration. Similarly, the company did not adjust the prices of the product after rebranding which ensured price stability for existing customers. It meant to keep their consumers in the real taste of the new product without paying additional money. It was a positive move in attracting more clients since the package was f
Summary The article “The Paradox of the Philatelic Business: Turning a Private Collection into a Professional Trade” examines a unique historical hobby that has remained relevant in many parts of the world. According to the author, money has always reshaped every aspect of human life (Grijp 1). For instance, money has always been “a crucial part in one of the common hobbies called philately” (Grijp 2). For very many centuries, many professional collectors used to be amateurs. The author shows clearly that such amateur collectors did not possess the best skills or competencies in philately. However, such individuals managed to expand their collections despite some of the challenges affecting them. The same development is notable today, whereby more professional dealers continue to expand their philatelic collections (Grijp 2). The author also goes further to explain how philatelic collectors can be grouped into different categories. This argument shows clearly that scholars trying to understand the motivations behind this hobby should avoid the use of mono-causal, reductionist, and simplistic explanations (Grijp 3). Instead, they should “develop a configurational model characterised by economic, educational, emotional, sociological, and psychological motives” (Grijp 3). This study approach can be informative because the motivations behind this hobby are diverse in nature. Presentation of the Article The article indicates clearly that many professional dealers have always been motivated by the desire to transmit their ideas and skills to more people. As well, several factors are believed to motivate the majority of these professional dealers. The author also argues that many dealers have been guided by various educational goals. This fact explains why philately has remained a relevant historical practice for very many centuries. The author also encourages societies to support different hobbies because they have both educational and economic implications (Grijp 6). Future generations will benefit significantly from these aspects of different hobbies such as philately. Works Cited Grijp, Paul. “The Paradox of the Philatelic Business: Turning a Private Collection into a Professional Trade.” Material Culture Review 1.1 (2012): 1-13. Print.
Fear has always been the social lever that made it possible to control people and prevent suicides and the most terrible crimes. As Vonnegut pointed out, “The deepest sort of respect is the uncontrollable fear.” As we fear, we think, and as the fear disappears, we stop thinking about the consequences. And some people understand it well and make good use of it… According to Machiavelli, fear is something that underlies the modern philosophy that he is speaking about. This is the philosophy of being a prince, of belonging to royalty. Of course, you might ask me what kind of a prince would the one who fears make. The royal decency and honor should not allow a royal person to have any fears or even to get frightened. This is the policy of the sword and stone-cold face, and thy hands shall not tremble as you go through the ordeal. However, the idea of a man who can eat the monsters of his own fancy has been long gone. It has been proved by modern psychologists that if a person has no fear, he is either crazy or already dead. No third solution can be possible. Still it is of a great interest to see the way the great philosophers of the past dwelled upon this certainly scientific problem. As Machiavelli points out, fear is an integral part of the policy of a prince, in case it bites not his royal majesty, but the people of the state. He explains it in very plain words. Such is the human psychology that they can obey in two cases. The first is when they respect the person who gives them commands. The second case is the one when they are afraid of the person in charge. In both cases, the crowd will obey. But the very thing is that the former situation is much less certain than the latter. The fear is something that glues the crowd as long as the reason for it exists. Meanwhile, the respect, which is harder to control, once gone, never returns. And since that certainly means a farewell to the reign of the one who was feared, the conclusion is undeniable. The fear is something that glues society together. Nevertheless, a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he doesn’t win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from their women. (Machiavelli 90) This is rather a cynical viewpoint, which is, actually, the most attractive feature of Machiavelli’s policy. I mean that speaking very cynic things and expressing the ideas that even modern politics could blush about, he still spoke sincerely and with the due care of the monarchy and the state. It was all the government business that he was into. That is what we have on the one hand. Meanwhile, on the other, there is the man whose influence on world politics was just as mighty and powerful, and whose ideas were put to practice by several governments. Welcome, Thomas Hobbes, the politician that could read people’s minds just as easily as the evening paper! Hobbes addresses the people with quite a different message. His policy l
This paper will critically examine both Morishita’s and Booth’s articles. Morishita’s article examines the relationship between the shape of local politics in the decentralization era and the resources found in a particular area. Booth on the other hand examines the role of the central government in charting out economic and policy decisions in the decentralization era. Both articles concentrate on analyzing a feature of the post- Soeharto era. They both seem to analyze the performance of the government and developments within the political landscape after this historically significant change in the Indonesian government. Additionally, both articles recognize corruption as a major feature of Indonesian life and pay considerable attention to its effect. The articles are written for an academic audience that is intent on understanding different features of the country, with respect to the change of the governing system. The audience is assumed not to have expert knowledge in the history of the country since they both give a lot of historical data in introducing and proving their respective thesis. This means that the audience need not be experts in the field of Indonesian economics and history. The academic fields covered would be economics, political science and other social sciences. The themes covered in these papers are politics, corruption, decentralization and economics. The major difference, though, exists in the tone of the papers. Booth takes on a hopeful tone, showing the positive progress made in planning by the new administrations. She gives a largely positive review of the progress; though there is still some realistic criticism in the paper. Morishita on the other hand has a critical tone; the paper has an underlying feel of criticism and cynicism that the game rules may have changed but the players have not. As stated before, Booth’s paper examines the role of central government in planning. She asserts that the new decentralization system has changed the role of the government in planning, giving the regional governments more power and autonomy (Booth, 2005, p. 198). This assertion forms the basis of her paper. They are well discussed, providing the reader with a clear understanding of how and why the change has happened. It also provides in detail the challenges of decentralization that this system faces. Her discussion is specific to Indonesia, citing examples and documented data, which keeps the arguments impressively in context. In order to adequately discuss this, Booth has used various methods to pass her point across. Most notably, she uses a chronological arrangement for her sub-topics. This allows the reader to follow the argument in a time format. The paper is discusses economic matters, and is thus littered with a lot of numerical data. In order to summarize it, she uses tables. This helps especially with
Introduction Best Buy is undoubtedly one of the leading retailers in consumer electronics and entertainment products (e.g.., VCRs, TVs, Music CDs, washing machines, mobile phones, PCs and digital cameras) not only in the United States but also in other countries globally (Gibson & Billings 10; Walden 34). This paper identifies and explains Best Buy’s business-level strategy, strategic issues facing the company, its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as several recommendations aimed at dealing with the strategic issues raised. Best Buy’s Business-Level Strategy Available literature demonstrates that business-level strategy “is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions the firm uses to gain a competitive advantage by exploiting core competencies in specific product markets” (Hitt et al 100). With its light and cheerful vision statement “Making Life Fun & Easy”, Best Buy has chosen customer centricity (putting customers in charge) as its business-level strategy aimed at sustaining and increasing its position in the marketplace, achieving customer satisfaction and increasing financial returns (Walden 34-35). The citizen-centric business-level strategy provides customers with impartial and knowledgeable advice on the products they wish to buy, competitive prices, ability to shop when and where they want, and technical support for the life of their products (Renew Blue 13). Strategic Issues facing Best Buy First, being in the consumer electronics sector, Best Buy often find itself struggling to keep up with the “rapid technological innovations in the consumer electronics and computer industries” (Chakravarthy & Lorange 8). It shouldn’t escape mention that the market growth for the consumer electronics sector is increasingly being driven by innovation in products such as Smartphones, Tablets, Digital TVs and Notebooks (Renew Blue 9), and hence Best Buy must come up with comprehensive strategies to keep abreast of the rapid technological innovations being experienced within the sector. Second, although Best Buy is the overall category leader in a highly-fragmented market when compared to other companies in the consumer electronics and appliances market (e.g., Circuit City, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Target, Sears